Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Monster Men #52: Talking and Touring THE WALKING DEAD

I am very excited about this episode of Monster Men. There is a lot going on. First of all, we have our buddy, Anthony Ventarola back on as a guest. Since the topic is The Walking Dead, we ask him to join us. Not only does he love the show and have a great perspective on it, but he has actually been to Georgia and visited many of the locations used in the show. He knows his stuff and is always fun to talk to.

Ant, Hunter and I discuss the state of The Walking Dead here at the season four hiatus. How have we liked the season so far? How does it compare to last season? What did we think of the big mid-season finale? What were some of our favorite moments… and favorite kills? What do we think will happen next to Rick, Carl, Daryl, Michonne, Carol, Tyreese, Maggie, Glen and the rest of the group?

 If you want to get your Walking Dead “Geek On”, you’ve come to the right place.

Anthony Ventarola's selfie in Woodbury.
After our discussion we have a very special treat for you. Anthony was kind enough to share video footage from his recent trip to Georgia where he visited several locations from season three of The Walking Dead, including Woodbury, the town where Morgan lived and the restaurant where Carl and Michonne risked their lives to recover a certain item that was important to Carl. It is very interesting and very cool. Be sure to stick around to the end of the show to see this segment.

One of the new things you’ll notice in this show is that we recorded it remotely rather than together in the same room. In the spirit of expanding what we do on Monster Men, we plan to have more guests on and this format makes it possible for us to schedule people at most any time and from most any location. It really will extend our reach and enable us to take the show to new heights. This was our first run at it and we are very excited to bring you an array of very interesting guests in the New Year.

What did you think of The Walking Dead this year? What do you think is coming next? Let us know!
  

Thursday, December 12, 2013

What to Do During "The Walking Dead" Mid-Season Hiatus

WHAT??? No Walking Dead until February 2014? What are you gonna do?

Now that The Walking Dead as gone on its mid-season hiatus, you might be looking for some other zombie related entertainment to get you through the next couple of months. If you look online you’ll find hundreds of Top Ten Zombie Movie lists, but there are really only a few that you should seek out immediately.

Night of the Living Dead: This is pretty obvious, but if you go back and watch this again, you can see just how far the genre has come. There are actually two versions of this movie, and they are both worth watching. The original, black and white version is where George Romero gave birth to the modern version of the zombie and the notion that destroying the brain was the key to stopping them. The other version is the 1990 version that’s in color. While it may seem sacrilegious to remake a classic, this one is a pretty nice update of the original.  

28 Weeks Later.
28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later: Zombie purists sometimes argue that these are not zombie movies because the creatures are infected humans and not the undead. Whatever. These movies took the genre in a new direction and helped coin the phrase “fast zombies”. If you have watched The Walking Dead and then watch 28 Days Later, you’ll notice some similarities in Cillian Murphy’s introduction to the zombie epidemic to that of Rick Grimes. Remember, 28 Days Later came first.

Personally, I liked the sequel, 28 Weeks Later a little better than 28 Days Later. It’s a cool blend of horror and action… and to be honest, sometimes the second half of 28 Days Later loses me a bit. Plus of 28 Weeks Later has Jeremy Renner, Rose Byrne and Imogen Poots in it. That’s a pretty impressive cast.

The Return of the Living Dead: While 28 Days Later is often viewed as the movie that ushered in the era of the fast zombie, The Return of the Living Dead really is where it all started. These zombies not only run, but they talk too. And they are usually pretty funny when they do speak. You can also thank them for the now immortal zombie phrase, “Braaaaiiiins!”

The Return of the Living Dead
The Return of the Living Dead actually makes reference to Night of the Living Dead, and is loosely related to it. Michael Jackson’s Thriller video also owes this movie a tip of the cap.

One of the biggest differences between this movie and most other zombie films is that these don’t stop after you shoot them in the head. As a matter of fact, there is not much that actually can stop them, short of chopping them up and burning them. And that’s not such a good idea either. Watch the movie and you’ll see why.

The Return of the Living Dead is an 80’s classic that is funny, scary, unrelenting and a ton of fun.

Dawn of the Dead: This is the King Daddy of Zombie movies. Once again, there are two versions of this movie, and both are worth watching, but the 1978 original is one of the most important zombie movies of all time, and hands down my favorite.

Let's shoot some zombies. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Every zombie movie, TV show and video game takes its inspiration from this movie. This was the movie that kicked zombie gore up ten notches. (Make that a hundred notches.) While Night of the Living Dead was a black and white film with minimal blood, Dawn of the Dead was a gore fest in living color. Mostly red.

Before there were shooter/zombie video games, there were the SWAT guys in Dawn of the Dead.

Then Zack Snyder, of 300, Watchmen and Man of Steel fame, remade Dawn of the Dead in 2004. While the original is a far superior movie, the remake was different enough to stand on its own. It was also faster paced and more suited to a modern audience. This movie cemented the term "fast zombies" as well.

The first 10 minutes of the new Dawn of the Dead are phenomenal. It’s one of the best opening sequences of a horror movie, in my opinion. Sarah Polley does a great job leading the cast in this film, but it’s Modern Family’s Ty Burrell who steals the show, playing the polar opposite of his famous role of the bumbling and lovable Phil Dunphey. Add a couple of cameos from cast members of the original, and you have a pretty good flick on your hands.

Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Note: The original Day of The Dead is also worth a look. It completes Romero's initial Dead Trilogy and is probably his last zombie movie that was a must see.

Shaun of the Dead: This is a love letter to George Romero and a genuinely funny movie that also has some great horror elements to it. It takes it just seriously enough, but not too serious. It’s really the perfect blend. It stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, so you know it’s going to be good.

Out of all the movies on this list, this is the most re-watchable movie. I stop on it whenever it’s on. It’s also one of those real quotable movies. Once you’ve seen it, I guarantee you’ll find yourself saying “You’ve got red on you.”

Rammbock: Rammbock is a 2010 German zombie movie that was recommended to me by a friend and I found on Netflix. In a sea of mediocre and crappy zombie movies, Rammbock floats to the top as a true gem. It’s a small story of a man trapped in his apartment complex during a zombie outbreak. There is no fat on this movie. It keeps moving and keeps you on the entertained the whole time. I highly recommend it.

Rec: You might have seen Quarantine, the American remake of Rec. It’s a “found footage” style movie. (Rec is short for Record.) While Quarantine is a good movie and worth watching, you really want to watch the original Rec in Spanish. Rec is not only a great zombie movie, but it’s also one of the best found footage movies out there. I’m pretty sure you’ll love the last five minutes of this movie. And the sequel, Rec 2, is also worth seeking out. Rec 3 is also fun, while you are at it, but the first one is the must see movie.

In addition to seeing these movies, you might want to take this time to read The Walking Dead comic books. They are superior to the TV show, and like the show, the comics are not afraid to kill a regular character. The Governor in the comics made the list of Top 100 Comic Book Villains of all time and he is a pure monster compared to the TV version. One word of warning though, reading the comics will spoil many aspects of the show for you. They change things up quite a bit on the show, but you’ll have a better idea of where they are going once you have read the books.

I plan on rereading the entire comic series during this hiatus. It is always fun to revisit the books every so often.

I’d also recommend reading The Rising, City of the Dead and Dead Sea by Brian Keane. Keane is a modern master of horror and he has a slightly different take on zombies. The Rising is one of my favorite zombie books of all time and a fast read. You’ll be hooked after just a few pages. Everyone thinks of World War Z for zombie reading, but I would start with Brian Keane. Much better.

So there you have it. That should keep you entertained and happy until The Walking Dead returns in February. If you discover something new from this article, please let me know. Or if I left out something out that you’d like to share, please post a comment below. 

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Blumhouse Productions: Masters of Modern Horror

It's a new Monster Men video podcast! This time we discuss modern horror favorites like Paranormal Activity, Insidious, Sinister and The Purge. Most of the most popular and important horror movies of the past decade came from Blumhouse Productions. You may not love every movie they have released, but you have to applaud them for keeping horror relevant in the 21st Century. 

 

Thursday, October 24, 2013

The Monster Men Meet Dracula

Good evening and welcome to Monster Men.

For our 50th episode, we take on the King of All Vampires... DRACULA.
Who's your favorite actor to don the cape and fangs? 

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Monster Men's 50th Show: Count On It

This week the Monster Men video podcast will celebrate our 50th episode. 

Can you guess the topic of this week's show?


Wednesday, October 9, 2013

The Monster Men Halloween Special 2013

It's the Monster Men Halloween Special! Featuring terrifying and tasty treats and more horror movies than you can shake a stick at. 

 


In this episode, we kick things off by sampling some Halloween themed snacks. Some are delicious and some are pretty scary. Look for appearances by Cap'n Crunch, Boo Berry and Count Chocula.

Then we open a surprise gift… the famous "15 Movies for Five Bucks" pack from Wal-Mart. It’s a mixed bag, to be sure.

We also review a few horror themed documentaries now available on Netflix including “My Amityville Horror”, “The Jeffrey Dahmer Files” and “Cropsey”. 

Plus, take the Monster Men video challenge if you dare. Watch the show to learn more. 

Find more episodes of Monster Men here on my blog or...
- On our YouTube channel- Monstermen13
- Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/monstermen13

You can also check out the horror novels of Hunter Shea at www.huntershea.comwww.huntershea.com


Monday, September 30, 2013

Monster Men Ep. 48: Scary Books & Movies for the Halloween Season


Episode 48 of Monster Men is up!

Now that Halloween season is here, it's time to embrace all things spooky and scary. That includes movies, TV shows, Halloween specials. haunted houses, pumpkin festivals and books. Books, books, books!

Scary books, horror novels, terrifying tomes... whatever you want to call them. A great way to get into the Halloween spirit is with a good book. 

To help usher in the month we Monster Men like to call HORRORTOBER, Hunter and I have collected a list of great, scary books and some cool horror movies for you to check out. This includes great, original books, novellas by Tim Myer, Brian Moreland, Jonathan Janz, Jamie Evans and Frazer Lee.

Let us know what you think of our picks and let us know some of your suggestions. Join the conversation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/monstermen13. 

And now for the big news....

I am happy to announce that the Monster Men now have a website! So now you can find us at www.themonstermen.net as well as on our YouTube Channel and on Facebook. Check out our new site and let us know what you think. It's a work in progress, so please come back often to see what's new.

One last thing... keep an eye on #horrortober all month for posts from Hunter and I on all of our Halloween antics and please join in by marking your tweets with our hashtag too.


Thursday, September 12, 2013

Monster Men Ep. 47: Horror TV's Reign of Terror

The Monster Men Video Podcast: A light-hearted look at dark topics.  

And this time the Monster Men are discussing the current crop of horror and paranormal TV show. Two shows in particular have caught the our attention; BATES MOTEL and HANNIBAL. Plus we discuss season one and two of AMERICAN HORROR STORY. Then we cover some of the other popular supernatural programs like GRIMM, THE FOLLOWING and HEMLOCK GROVE.

 
  
The Monster Men take on all things horror and paranormal with their special brand of graveyard humor. If you're into vampires, zombies, UFOs, werewolves, ghosts, movies, scary books, movie reviews, the supernatural or just about anything dark and monstrous, welcome home.

Find more episodes of Monster Men here on our YouTube channel: Monstermen13 or at www.huntershea.com and you can also join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/monstermen13


Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Monster Men Movie Mania - World War Z, The Conjuring, The Battery, Pacific Rim

It's a new episode of the Monster Men video podcast! This time we discuss and review some of the biggest movies of the summer, like World War Z, The Conjuring and Pacific Rim. We'll also show you the site of one of the most famous chapters of the World War Z novel, The Battle of Yonkers.

Plus the must see independent zombie film; The Battery. This movie was made by a couple of filmmakers in Connecticut for just $6000, but it's better than most big budget zombie movies.

We also take time out to pay tribute to a true legend of the horror and sci-fi genre, author Richard Matheson, who recently passed away.

 

Did you see any of these movies? Do you agree with us or do you think we are crazy? Check out the show and then feel free to comment here of on our YouTube channel or Monster Men Facebook page. And visit my cohost's site for more monstrous fun at horror author Hunter Shea's blog.

Follow the Monster Men on Twitter at:
@backinjack and @huntershea1

If your retweet this post, here's a few hashtags to consider.
#‎theconjuring‬
#‎TheBattery‬
#‎WorldWarZ‬
#‎PacificRim‬ 
‪#‎monstermen‬

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Monster Men Ep. 45: Man of Steel & Super Hero Movies


Look, up in the sky. It's a bird, it's a plane... it's a new episode of Monster Men!! On this episode of the Monster Men video podcast, Hunter Shea and I review and discuss the new Superman movie, Man of Steel. This leads to a bigger conversation about super hero movies in general.

I love super hero movies and it truly is a great time to be a fan of this genre. However, movies like Man of Steel prove that these movies can be very polarizing. What one person loves, another person is offended by. I think that’s part of the fun of these movies… the debates that unfold after you see them. That’s exactly what you’ll see in this episode; Hunter and I agreeing, disagreeing and having a blast talking about everything from The Dark Knight to Kick Ass. 

Here's a just a sample of the movies we cover in this episode: 
Superman, Batman, The Incredible Hulk, The Avengers, Thor, Green Lantern, Spiderman, Justice League, X Men, Iron Man, Captain America, X Men, Wolverine, Guardians of the Galaxy and The Fantastic Four
 
Of course, it’s all a matter of opinion, and we Monster Men are never shy about stating ours. After you watch the show, please chime in on our Facebook page, YouTube Channel or here and let us know what you think.

Excelsior!!

Monday, July 15, 2013

Two Years of Aaarrgh!!! - Ep. 44: Welcome to Monster Men


In July of 2011, horror author Hunter Shea and I decided to start a video podcast called Monster Men. The idea was to create a show that would capture the countless conversations we would have over lunch or a beer about our favorite topics; horror movies, TV shows, books, comic books, paranormal TV shows, ghosts & hauntings, zombies, vampires, werewolves, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster and pretty much anything else that goes bump in the night.

Two years later and we are still going strong. It’s been a blast. People have commented that they feel like they could easily picture themselves pulling up a barstool and joining in our conversations. That’s fantastic. It’s just the kind of vibe we were going for.
 
 
If you watch the show, you know we don’t take ourselves very seriously and we have A LOT of fun. That’s the point… just have fun. One thing that sort of just happened was our intro at the start of each show. As we got more comfortable with ourselves and the show, Hunter started adding a growl after I had welcomed our viewers to the show.  Now, “Welcome to Monster Men. Aaarrgh!!“ has become our trademark and a staple of the show.

So to celebrate our second anniversary, please enjoy the openings to two years worth of Monster Men video podcasts. You’ll also see a few outtakes and one unpublished bonus clip from a future show.  (Hint: Like a Marvel movie, stick around to the end of the credits.)

And thanks to everyone who supports us, watched the show, comments and likes our posts and shares our links with their friends. 

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Pacific Rim: It’s Giant Monsters vs. Giant Robots


Pacific Rim.
It’s giant monsters vs. giant robots.
That’s all you need to know. 

Okay, giant monsters vs. giant robots, and it is directed by Guillermo del Toro. That’s all you really need to know about this movie.

Guillermo del Toro is the guy who directed the Hellboy movies, Pan's Labyrinth, Blade II and Cronos among others. This guy knows his way around a visually stunning and exciting movie and I am happy to report he delivers here.

If you are old enough to remember the old 4:30 Movie on ABC, then you might recall that every so often they would do MONSTER WEEK. This was when they would show a Japanese monster movie every afternoon for a week. It was always a highlight of the year and I could not wait to get home from school each day. It’s where I first met Godzilla, Mechagodzilla, Mothra, Gammera and the rest of those classic and humongous creatures.

Well, Pacific Rim is like they squeezed the five days of MONSTER WEEK into two hours to make one hell of a summer movie.

Too young to remember MONSTER WEEK? Then imagine Voltron vs. Godzilla times 1000.

In a summer full of remakes, reboots and sequels like Star Trek Into Darkness, Man of Steel, and Iron Man 3, Pacific Rim has gone bit under the radar… which is funny, because giant monsters and robots are normally very visible on radar.

Here’s the Google Movie Trailers synopsis of Pacific Rim

When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity's resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes -a washed up former pilot and an untested trainee who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind's last hope against the mounting apocalypse.

If you are looking for intricate plots, lots of subtext, deep character development and Oscar worthy performances, this might not be the movie for you. However, if you love really fun, amazing looking movies that involve giant monsters fighting giant robots, then this flick is just what the doctor ordered.

First of all, the special effects are tremendous. We’ve come a long way from the "man in a monster suit destroying a model city and some toy tanks" days. Plus, this is actually a movie where I noticed and appreciated the 3D.  Most 3D movies these days seem like a waste of money.  Here it actually enhances the experience. Bottom line: the robot/monster fights are spectacular.

Second, while the characters are very much right out of a cartoon, they get the job done. As a kid, I always loved monster movies, BUT, I would occasionally get bored to tears during the scenes between the monster attacks. Not so in this movie. The Jaeger pilots are fine, but it’s Charlie Day, from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Ron Perman, from Hellboy and Burn Gorman, who you might recognize from The Dark Knight Rises, who help make this movie more than just a big budgeted version of the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. They add an entertaining, humorous and somewhat silly side-plot to the movie that keeps it from taking itself too seriously.

Another great thing about this movie is that it does not have the baggage that Star Trek Into Darkness, Man of Steel, and Iron Man 3 all have. Each of those movies were very polarizing, with many people either loving them or hating them based on deviations from the source material and expectations based on prior versions of the characters. With Pacific Rim, you are dealing with new characters, a new story and best of all, no baggage.

No, this film is not rocket science, nor is it brain surgery; but is does feature a lot of rockets and some cool monster brains. Look, this movie is not for everyone, but if you are a fan of this kind of stuff, or you just enjoy action-packed, escapist fun, summer popcorn movies, Pacific Rim is worth a look. Don't over-think it, just enjoy it.

I mean really… it’s giant monsters vs. giant robots. What else do you need to know? 


Bonus: Rock out to the Gammera Song!
 

Sunday, June 30, 2013

IN THE HOUSE OF MIRRORS: A Good Horror Read


I recently read the new horror novel IN THE HOUSE OF MIRRORS by Tim Myer, co-host of the Splatter Chatter podcast.  I wrote a review on Amazon and thought I’d post it here as well.

If you are looking for a horror novel with an edge, and one that will keep you guessing, IN THE HOUSE OF MIRRORS is for you. It quickly draws you in and before you know it, you won't want to put it down.

The story is suspenseful, fast-paced and gets more and more interesting as you go. Plus, it's got satanic cults, demonic forces, sadistic murderers, dark magic and even a few laughs. What more could you ask for?

At the heart of the story is Ritchie Naughton. Ritchie returns home to New Jersey when his life comes crashing down, thanks to a health scare and an unpleasant end to a long-term relationship. But that's just the beginning of his bad luck. After taking a job as a photographer for a small, local paper, the strange, old camera he finds in the office basement starts to capture some disturbing images that should not be there. Before long, Ritchie is neck deep in the dangerous underworld of Red River, NJ and the dark forces hidden IN THE HOUSE OF MIRRORS.

Ritchie Naughton is a big reason why you'll enjoy this book. He is a regular guy, just like you or me. You'll immediately find yourself relating to him and rooting for him. Author Tim Meyer has created a very realistic and likeable character that talks and thinks like a real person. His inner monologue and banter with some of the other characters can be quite funny at times. His reactions and thoughts always seem authentic, especially in light of the crazy things that he experiences as the story progresses.

Forget those same old vampire and zombie stories you've been reading for years and try something new and different. Take a trip IN THE HOUSE OF MIRRORS; you'll like what you see.
---------------------------------------------
Note: I was provided a copy of the book by the author for purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Taking a Dip with the Loch Ness Monster - Monster Men Ep. 43

Finally, the Monster Men take a plunge into the icy waters of Scotland’s most notorious body of water in search of Nessie. 

 

The Loch Ness Monster is the king of all lake monsters and sea serpents. He rivals Bigfoot and the Abominable Snowman as the most famous of the legendary creatures… and it’s about time he got his own episode of the show.

In this episode of the Monster Men video podcast, Hunter Shea and I discuss a monster that has interested us since Leonard Nimoy first went IN SEARCH OF the Loch Ness Monster.  Topics include Loch Ness movies like THE LOCH NESS HORROR, THE WATER HORSE and INCIDENT AT LOCH NESS – books like “The Loch Ness Monster: The Evidence” by Steuart Campbell and  Loch Ness by Donovan Galway. Plus we cover some interesting facts, figures and stories, including a little know link between Nessie and Led Zeppelin. 

Can you solve this puzzle?


Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Monster Men Ep. 42: Ghost Hunting TV Gone Wild

Here's the new episode of the Monster Men video podcast. This time we discuss the plethora of ghost hunting shows that are currently on the air. It seems that whenever you turn on the television, you are bound to find a paranormal investigation or true haunting program. Some are pretty fun, some can be very interesting and some take themselves way too seriously. But we Monster Men never take anything too seriously, so join us as we dissect and discuss the best and worst of the paranormal TV shows.


For the record, we are pretty skeptical of all ghost hunting shows, but we approach them all with an open mind and we also enjoy them as entertainment, regardless of their actual validity. The conversation starts with GHOST MINE, one of the newer and more interesting entries to the genre.

We also cover shows like GHOST ADVENTURES, THE DEAD FILES, THE HAUNTED COLLECTOR, PARANORMAL WITNESS, THE HAUNTING OF, FACT OR FAKED, A HAUNTING, DESTINATION TRUTH, MY GHOST STORY and PARANORMAL STATE.


Please note that we filmed this episode before STRANDED and DEEP SOUTH PARANORMAL came on the air. We'll discuss them in a future show.

Find more episodes of Monster Men here on our YouTube channel: Monstermen13 or at www.huntershea.com and you can also join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/monstermen13


Follow us on Twitter:
Jack: @backinjack
Hunter: @huntershea1

Hunter Shea: www.huntershea.com

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Rebooting Batman and Liberace

Now that the Dark Knight trilogy has come to an end, it's time to start thinking about the next movie iteration of the Batman. Naturally, the focus has been on how Warner Brothers should proceed and who should be the next actor to don the cape and cowl. Add in the growing buzz about a possible Justice League movie or perhaps World's Finest team-up between Batman and Superman and we have full blown bat-mania on our hands.

(Note, spoilers lie ahead. If you have not seen the Dark Knight trilogy, you have been warned.) 

Most of the questions surrounding the Dark Knight's future are directly related to a Justice League movie. Should they reboot Batman and establish a different actor as the Caped Crusader or should they set the Justice League in the Dark Knight universe and bring Christian Bale back in the role that he has owned for the past decade? Or should they proceed with John Blake as Batman, and have Joseph Gordon Levitt continue his role from The Dark Knight Rises?

These two options are troubling to me for several reasons. First, if Batman is going to be fighting along side the Super-Friends for the first time in a live action movie, it really ought to be Bruce Wayne and not some other guy who recently took over the job... and who's real name happens to be Robin. And if you recall, at the end of The Dark Knight Rises, Bruce Wayne faked his death and retired, so even if Bale is back as Batman, Bruce Wayne would have way too much 'splaining to do. (As Ricky Riccardo might say.)

The Dark Knight trilogy was great as a stand alone story. I think they should leave well-enough alone and move on. Plus, Heath Ledger had such an impact on the role of the Joker that they might not want to recast that part. Heck, they did not even mention him in The Dark Knight Rises. The Joker is way too important to the Batman legend to be permanently retired. Rebooting Batman solves that problem.

Another benefit of rebooting the Batman franchise is that you can pick up the character at whatever point in his career you want. Batman (1989) started the story just a few weeks into Batman's career. The Dark Knight trilogy takes us all the way back to the beginning in Batman Begins. I'd like to see them go the route of the New Frontier comic book and have us meet Batman early in his career, but after he has already established himself in Gotham City. We don't need another origin story, for god-sakes. A reboot like this will also enable the filmmakers to establish a Batman that exists in a world with super-powered beings. The Dark Knight trilogy was clearly set in a world without superpowers.

Finally, a reboot of Batman means we get to see more villains from his rouges gallery come to life, and none are really off limits, no matter how fantastic they might be. Villains like Clayface, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze and Killer Croc don't really fit in the more grounded Dark Knight world and were therefore out-of-play. Now all bets are off. Before the The Dark Knight Rises came out, the rumor mill was burning with talk of Johnny Depp as The Riddler or Philip Seymour Hoffman as The Penguin. Sure, those guys would be great, but I prefer to think bigger. 

Bigger and brighter. 

I say the villain in the next Batman movie should be a resurrection of one of the most unique bad guys from the 60's TV show. Now that Michael Douglas has portrayed Liberace in Behind the Candelabra, why not cast him as The Great Chandell? 

The Great Chandell was a villain portrayed by the famous, flamboyant showman in 1966. He was a pianist who was blackmailed into a life of crime by his twin brother Harry. 

If we are starting over with Batman, why not reboot The Great Chandell while we are at it? And think what an actor of this caliber could do with the duel role of Harry, Chandell's evil twin brother. The possibilities are endless. 

Okay, maybe Chandell will never make it to the silver screen, but you gotta admit, it would be funny. I may be letting my imagination run a little wild, but I've got to do something to keep me busy until we get a new Batman movie. Luckily, we've got the Man of Steel, Thor and Captain America to entertain us in the meantime. It's just too bad none of them fight such fabulous bad guys as the Dark Knight.

Friday, May 24, 2013

Ghostly Guest Blog at Huntershea.com

We’ve finally done it. We crossed the streams!! Kick-off your long weekend with my ghostly guest post on Hunter Shea's blog. This time out I am talking about ghosts and why we are so fascinated by them. Check it out and feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts or stories. 

Hunter, my Monster Men podcast partner, is busy promoting his new book, Sinister Entity, which is a great book and I highly recommend it. So please check it out if you are looking for a good read.

Enjoy.





Follow the Monster Men:
Twitter:
Jack: @backinjack
Hunter: @huntershea1
Facebook:

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Monster Men Ep. 41: Ghost Movies That Will Keep You Up at Night

The new Monster Men is all about the best and worst ghost and haunted house movies.

There is something about a good ghost movie that scares you like no other kind of film. The suspense, chills and outright terror can give you nightmares or maybe just keep you up all night. We'll cover some of the newer entries to the genre, like the Paranormal Activity movies, Sinister and Insidious as well a few of the all-time classics like Poltergeist, The Sixth Sense, The Amityville Horror and The Haunting. And we could not leave out a few of the funnier ghost movies like House and Ghostbusters.

What's your favorite ghost or haunted house movie? Check out the show and then let us know what you think.
 



The Monster Men video podcast is a lighthearted chat about dark matters. We talk about all things horror and paranormal with our own brand of graveyard humor. Horror movie and book reviews, paranormal TV, ghost stories, UFOs, urban legends and more. 

Find more episodes of Monster Men here on my blog, on our YouTube channel: Monstermen13 or at horror author Hunter Shea's web site. You can also join us on our Facebook page.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Monster Men Ep. 40: The White Lady of Union Cemetery

The Monster Men go in search of The White Lady of Union Cemetery! Just in time for the release of Hunter Shea's new ghostly novel, Sinister Entity, we pay a visit to the haunted hub of the Nutmeg State.

Union Cemetery in Easton is considered one of the most active paranormal locations in the Connecticut. It’s also home to one of the most famous ghosts in New England, the legendary White Lady ghost, who is said to roam the grounds and the surrounding roads including Route 59 and 111. There are also reports of mysterious red eyes being spotted by visitors and passersby. 

The cemetery was made famous by Ed and Lorianne Warren, Connecticut's most well-known ghost hunters. They claim to actually have a video of the White Lady, but you have to pay to attend on of their events to see it. Now that Ed has passed away and Lorianne is consulting on shows like Paranormal State, I'm not sure if you can still get a chance to see the video.

On this episode of the Monster Men video podcast, Hunter and I, along with our buddy Anthony, visit this haunted hotspot.  We explore the cemetery, share a few stories and even try a some EVP sessions to see if we could pick up a the voice of a spirit or two. I also share a photo I took there around 1997 or 1998 that reveals a ghostly image in a window of the house by the cemetery. 

I have to say, I did not expect to get anything from the digital recordings we made, and when my partner informed me that we had caught an interesting sound on the tape after one of our questions directed specifically to the White Lady, I was shocked. Could it be an EVP with the voice of the most infamous ghost in Connecticut? Check it out and let me know what you think.

And a quick word of advice to our fellow ghost hunters and legend trippers, don’t go to the Union Cemetery at night. It’s illegal and you will be arrested or fined. If you do visit, during the day, please respect the property and the graves.

 

The Monster Men video podcast is a lighthearted chat about dark matters. We talk about all things horror and paranormal with our own brand of graveyard humor. Horror movie and book reviews, paranormal TV, ghost stories, UFOs, urban legends and more. 

Find more episodes of Monster Men here on my blog, on our YouTube channel: Monstermen13 or at horror author Hunter Shea's web site. You can also join us on our Facebook page.