They're not staying down there, anymore! - C.H.U.D. (1984)

Every once in a while, there comes along a movie that you feel like you shouldn't love, or even like, because it is so cheesy. But, there is just something about it that appeals to you and it becomes a lifelong favorite. C.H.U.D. is one of those for me. I had the good fortune to see this little B-movie masterpiece in the theater back in 1984, and it has remained one of my favorites for 35 years now.

According to the movie poster, C.H.U.D. stands for Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers (It doesn't, but NO SPOILERS! LOL), so you know what you are getting into before the movie starts. Yep. People are getting killed and eaten by monsters who dwell under the streets of New York City. Most of the victims are homeless people who also live in the underground tunnels, so there isn't a ton of concern by the authorities. An unlikely group of monster hunters forms consisting of a cop (Christopher Curry), a photographer (John Heard), the slightly crazy preacher/proprietor of a homeless shelter (Daniel Stern), and the photographer's model girlfriend (Kim Greist). They push forward intrepidly against the monsters below them, while also having to combat a government cover-up and a sleazy reporter. Attacks ensue, people are killed, and the monsters are revealed. All in all, pretty standard fare, with most of the cliches run out for consumption. Pun intended. Honestly, this is a B-movie that shouldn't work, but it does. 

while not having a blockbuster budget, the money they did have was used well. For one thing, the monster effects look fantastic. The glowing eyed creatures are genuinely creepy and a cut above some I have seen in films that had more money behind them. The film also has a great musical score that was actually rated by Rolling Stone as #33 in their 35 Greatest Horror Soundtracks list.

The acting is actually very good. John Heard and Daniel Stern are always dependable for good performances. But, Christopher Curry stands out in his debut performance as Bosch. when it is discovered that his wife is one of the victims of a C.H.U.D. attack, his gruff cop becomes a very sympathetic and nuanced character. I have always felt that this cast kind of rose above the material and that enhanced the film. Sharp-eyed viewers will also see early appearances by John Goodman, Jay Thomas, and Jon Polito.

Overall, C.H.U.D. is a very underrated film. Made on an estimated budget of just $1.2 million, it ended up grossing a little over $4.6 million. So, it was a minor hit. However; when it got released on home video, that is where C.H.U.D. found its cult following that have cemented it in film history. In the 21st century, C.H.U.D. has really become part of popular culture. A sequel was released in 1989, C.H.U.D. II:Bud the C.H.U.D., which was a lot more comical than the original. The original reviews for the film were on the negative side, and they are still middling at best. But, there is a ton of love out there for this flick.

Over the years, references to the original film have made their way into other movies and TV shows such as The Simpsons, The Flash, Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., Clerks II, Archer, and Castle. Back in 2007 and 2008, there were rumors of a remake, including one by Rob Zombie. In a true test of a a film's following, there has also been merchandise released from collectible movie posters to bobbleheads.

Basically, while this may be a film that isn't going to blow you away, it IS a fun popcorn flick. Order a pizza, pop the cork on a bottle of wine, and microwave some Orville Redenbacher. Grab your sweetie and cuddle up for some chills and giggles on  a rainy night. Go ahead and include the sequels for a double feature viewing. It doesn't have the same vibe as the original, but it is a hoot in its own way.

This Ain't Your Grandparents' Aquaman

Yeah, the name of the blog is 365 Days Of Horror and this isn't a horror film. So sue me. LOL I will get back to horror tomorrow.

So, Aquaman's been out a few weeks now and is totally deluging the box office with ticket sales. See what I did there? LOL Aquaman has hit the world with the force of a tidal wave, and shows no sign of stopping. As of January 10, Aquaman had earned over $978 million and should break $1 billion by the end of the weekend. (UPDATE: According to Forbes, Aquaman broke the $1 billion mark yesterday.) The earnings before the weekend totals come in was already $150 million plus over the DC comics film universe biggest hit, 2017's Wonder Woman. It also beat EVERY Marvel solo film in China in just 7 days.  You know what? IT DESERVES EVERY FREAKING PENNY!!!! 

I find it ironic that the DC Comic's character that was always the butt of jokes for decades is becoming such a major character in the DCEU. There are a ton of reasons why this is so. One of those reasons is that the studio ignored the fact that people have dismissed Aquaman as being "the guy who talks to fish" and looked at why his character has endured for nearly 80 years. His first appearance was WAY back in 1941. To put that in perspective, I am over 55 years old. My MOTHER was 2 years old when Aquaman first appeared. I first saw Aquaman on TV in the 60s and 70s through the Filmation cartoons, including the Super Friends. But, those perceptions of Aquaman's lameness were never something I shared.

Aquaman has always been cool, no matter what you've heard. He has super strength, is nearly invulnerable due to the denseness of his muscles and skin because of living at extreme depths. He can swim at very high speed, leap several hundred meters at a time, has the agility of a dolphin, obviously can breathe and speak underwater, can see in the darkness of the deepest waters, and, of course, can communicate with and command undersea creatures. Let's not forget that totally badass trident, too. Oh yeah, he is also the King of Atlantis. So, Aquaman is totally a hero who has not received his due. Until now. James Wan recognized the coolness factor of Aquaman when decided to take on the challenge of bringing the King Of The Seas to the Silver Screen. Reportedly, Wan had the choice between making a Flash solo film or Aquaman and chose the latter because it was a challenge he wanted to accept in bringing a less popular character to the big screen. James Wan is the second reason for the success of Aquaman.

James Wan has been making a name for himself in Hollywood for years by directing and/or writing some of the best horror films of the 21st Century: Saw, Insidious, the Conjuring, Dead Silence, Annabelle, and The Nun. He has only only made three non-horror films including Aquaman: Death sentence and Furious 7. He has this seemingly uncanny ability to know what the audience wants and delivers it in spades. Nicole Kidman raves about the Insidious and Conjuring films and is one of the reasons she agreed to appear in Aquaman. He also knows casting, seeming to find the perfect actor for every role.Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen, Dolph Lundgren, Willem Dafoe, and Patrick Wilson all just seemed to be perfect in their roles. Not to mention most of the cast had appeared in superhero films before. Patrick Wilson's appearance in the film was almost guaranteed, as he and Wan has collaborated on four other films before this. The casting of other characters whose roles were not as large also worked extremely well. Temuera Morrison as arthur's father was actually insisted upon by Jason Momoa, as he is a huge fan of Morrison and sees him as a role model. But, casting Randall Park as Dr. Shin and Graham McTavish as King Atlan are outstanding as well.

The story is widely being compared to Black Panther (favorably) and there are definite similarities. I won't go into those here, since so many others are already doing so. But, the simple fact is that they are there, but, in Aquaman, Momoa's Arthur Curry is the Erik Killraven character. Think about it. For all the similarities between the two films, Aquaman is NOT a ripoff of Black Panther. Both films stand alone in their incredible stories. Both are a heck of a lot of fun, too.

Another reason Aquaman works so well is the fact that it IS fun. The DC and Marvel cinematic universes are always going to be compared to each others. Marvel's early films are known for their humor and characters who pop off quips constantly. Especially Tony Stark/Iron Man. The decision was made by DC to make the DCEU films darker in tone to set them apart from the MCU. That was a major mistake, in my humble opinion. Okay, so Batman is the Dark Knight, all broody and borderline psychotic. We get it. But, Superman has always been the bright side of the World's Finest equation, the sun to Batman's moon. The fun was gone when they rebooted Superman and the DCEU. It wasn't until Wonder Woman that humor started to creep back in. Kind of fitting, really, that a female character would bring a ray of hope into the DCEU. James Wan and Jason Momoa broke through the veil of darkness in a huge way in Aquaman. Finally.

From the opening scene of Aquaman taking out the pirates, we finally see a hero who enjoys doing what he does, as he showed in the Justice League movie. As he takes out the bad guys, he smiles and jokes. No, not everything is funny, but there is a balance previously unexplored in the DCEU. There is an undeniably contagious energy for the audience watching this. Even at its darkest moments, Aquaman delivers the joy of being a comic book fan. An octopus playing drums? A copy of The Dunwich Horror in Tom's lighthouse, Gerry Anderson's "Stingray" TV series on the television, Annabelle laying on the floor during Arthur and Vulko's meeting, King Ricou being named after Ricou Browning who was one of the portrayers of The Creature from the Black Lagoon, ....all of these are loving nods to fans of genre movies, TV, and comic books. In fact, according to Wan, the drum playing octopus is Topo, AC's sidekick from the 60s & 70s. Although the film has serious themes, these little touches keep it lighter in feel to previous DCEU entries.

Finally, one of the biggest reasons for Aquaman being such a great movie is the imagination used by those who created the undersea world of the film and the success achieved in translating those ideas to reality. The film is the first DCEU movie to be shot completely digitally, but it is not completely dependent on CGI. Some of the costumes and makeup designs used were a combination of practical effects makeup and CGI, and it is seamless. Some lesser hailed designs, like Black Manta's sub, are really amazing true to the comics. But, of course, the biggest set pieces, Atlantis and the Heart Of The Ocean are breathtaking. I predict multiple technical Oscars for Aquaman. Going back to Black Panther, wakanda was gorgeous, but that was far easier to create (in my mind) than an entire undersea world. Bravo!!!!

So, on the whole, I have to say that you MUST go see Aquaman. See it in 3D IMAX if you can. It is worth the extra money for IMAX. Come back tomorrow for the first in a series of daily reviews of films old and new.

Why, Oh WHY Did They Save Hitler's Brain?

They Saved Hitler's Brain (1968). Wow. What a concept! What a miserable failure to realize the concept! If Hitler had seen this, he would have begged them to let his brain die. I know most viewers will think their brain has died by the time the credits roll. Don't ask what this DVD cover from Rhino is all about, either. Just ignore it.

   This little flick has an odd history, as this is actually an expanded version of  The Madmen Of Mandoras (1963).  The original running time of the movie was just 64 minutes, and that was too short to sell to TV. In 1968, 20 additional minutes were shot by UCLA film students and added into the film. They Saved Hitler's Brain then became the new title, because, obviously, that makes the movie more sellable. That title is probably known to many people due to parodies of it in shows like The Simpsons, but how many of them have actually seen the movie? Sometimes, ignorance truly is bliss. Unless, of course, watching bad movies are a blissful experiences for you. Then, this one is a must see for you.

  Okay, here’s the “plot”:  As the Third Reich is nearing its ultimate defeat, Hitler has his brilliant Nazi scientists remove his head, place it in a glass jar, and keep it alive. To keep the secret safe, all the scientists are killed, and Hitler's living head is spirited away to the tiny South American country of Mandoras. There the head is kept hidden until the loyal Nazis decide it is time for Hitler to return, and lead the Fourth Reich to world domination. Now, nearly thirty years later in 1963 (or is it 1968? I am SO confused!), the still loyal Nazis have decided the time has come. They have a new nerve gas as their secret weapon, and their victory seems assured. A scientist who has created an antidote for the gas is kidnapped by the Nazis, so there is no obstacle to the success of their plan. They force him to help with their plan for world domination, which is known as Operation G. What does the “G” stand for? “Gas”, I am sure, as we know how ingenious the Nazis were in giving clever names to their plans. Government agents from various agencies are dispatched to find the professor, and the Nazi plan starts to unravel.

This a VERY flawed movie, but one that is fun because of that. You can't describe it as “so bad, it's good”, either. “Good” isn't a word that can be applied here. However, there are times when this extremely silly little movie will make you laugh out loud because of how bad it is.  It’s the Plan 9 From Outer Space of Nazi conspiracy movies. Watching Hitler's head (played with gusto by Bill Freed) grimace, roll his eyes, and mug in his glass bottle while yelling “Mach Schnell! Mach Schnell!”, will have you holding your sides in laughter.

         
       "Who's a cute little fascist megalomaniac dictator? You are! Yes, you are, yes, you are!"

The additional footage makes the movie even worse than the original. Fashions and hair styles changed drastically from 1963 to 1968, and those changes are glaring.  The lighting, the grain of the film, and even the cars used in 1968 are obviously out of place with the rest of the footage. I love the fact that the female agent drives a Volkswagen Bug. Hitler won that round! I should mention that none of the agents who show up in the added footage actually make it to Mandoras. That would have made no sense whatsoever, and this movie needs all the logic it can keep on the head of pin.


The name of the little town in Mandoras, Dos Palabras, which translates as “two words”, also strikes me as amusing, right up there with the highly original Plan G. The acting is bad, and so over the top, that you wonder if the director hired them strictly for their ability to over act. The names of the cast don’t really matter, because you won’t care who they were when the movie is over. I am also sure the writers of this little exercise in bad film making would really prefer it if you forgot their names, too.

     
         "Hey, how you doing? Want some candy, little girl? Uncle Adolph has a lollipop for you!"

Without the added footage, Madmen of Mandoras is only a slightly better film, but not enough even to recommend it as a B-movie classic. This was never a good film. This is a film that deserves a remake as a true comedy, though. Oh, if only I had the money!

If you love bad movies, you will probably laugh yourself silly at this one. Being in the public domain, it can be found very cheaply. I even found both versions in one box set, so you can compare them. If, that is, you can sit through this stinker twice in one sitting.  Throw in a bag of popcorn, and you will have a fun evening at home with this lunacy. So, run out, and buy this exercise in paranoia right now. Mach Schnell! Mach Schnell!

A Scare A Day- American Mary (2012)

 All right all you horror fiends, it is time to get your groovy ghoulie on! I've been into horror films since I was 5 years old and saw King Kong for the first time. Yeah, King Kong is a fantasy, really, and not a horror film. But, it did feature giant monsters, and one thing led to another. Forty-seven years later, and I am still wandering the realms of nightmares looking for the next movie to bring chills up my spine. I thought maybe it was time for me to share my love, and what better way than to write a blog showcasing a movie a day> I am starting this on November 1, so I can end the first year on Celtic New Year, the time when the veil is thinnest between the worlds, Samhain. Or as it is more commonly known, Halloween. Every horror fans favorite holiday, right? So, if you follow the blog every day, and watch all the movies, you will have seen 365 horror films in just one year. How cool is that?

Over the next year, I will be showcasing new films and old ones. Color and black & white. Even some silents. Some will be classic works of cinema art, and other will be B-movies that make you want to scratch your own eyes out rather than watch them again. The key is they are all horror films, Period. If you know of a film you want me to talk about, let me know. Now, let's go right into for our first day's movie!

Our first Cinema Du Jour is American Mary, a 2012 film from  Jen & Sylvia Soska via their Twisted Twins Productions. The Soska Sisters are well-known for their Dead Hooker In A Trunk, and American Mary is their sophomore effort to that cult classic. Dead Hooker In A Trunk will get it's own feature here in the future.

The plot of American Mary is pretty simple: Mary Mason is a medical student studying to become a surgeon. Unfortunately, as most students are these days, she is struggling financially. Mary decides to try and become a stripper, and goes to audition at a sleazy club owned by Billy Barker. While their, Mary is asked to perform surgery in the back room to save a wounded associate of Barker's, for which Barker pays Mary $5000. Mary does perform the surgery, solving her financial problems of the moment, and goes home. A few days later, a woman named Beatress calls Mary, and then shows up at her home to offer her another surgical job. Beatress offers her $2000 just to talk to a  friend of hers who wants a very unusual surgery, an extreme body modification, and another $10,000 if she operates. Mary does agree to do the surgery, and collects her fees. Shortly thereafter, Mary has an experience that makes her drop out of medical school, and she goes into the extreme body modification underground market, becoming a celebrity in the scene. Billy Barker becomes a more permanent fixture in her life, as well. The further into this world Mary goes, the darker her life becomes. Mary finds herself becoming a much darker person, as well. Is this is a movie that can have a happy ending? Watch it for yourself and see.



Mary Mason is played by Katharine Isabelle, who is best known (and loved) for playing Ginger Fitzgerald in the Ginger Snaps trilogy and Margot Verger on the Hannibal TV series. Antonio Cupo plays Billy Barker, and Tristan Risk is Beatress Johnson. Also, watch for the Soska Sisters to make a cameo as patients of Mary.

I have to say, I just recently discovered this film, and truly love it. The originality of the story just caught me up in it, and the darker things got for Mary, the more I wanted to know what would happen to her. Mary has both beauty and strength, but you know that both are also very fragile under the surface. I don't want to give spoilers here, so I have avoided a lot of what happens in the film in my summary above. I mean, the whole idea is for me to make you want to watch the film, right? I will say, though, that American Mary is a film that it seems many people cannot seem to figure out.

I've seen American Mary described as a slasher film, torture porn, and a gore fest. None of those folks got it right at all. While the film has some aspects of gore, this is so minimal, I guarantee you see more in an episode of The Walking Dead. The Soska Sisters were smart enough to imply more than is shown, leaving the viewer's imagination to do the rest. This is a dark journey into Mary's psyche, sometimes humorous, often scary, and always sad. Isabelle's performance in the film is brilliant, and Cupo and Risk give great performances in support, as well. Risk's performance as Beatress is actually stand out, and you will never forget her character.

So, boils and ghouls, grab some popcorn, put a copy of American Mary on, and have some fun. Now, I mentioned wanting to start this blog on November 1st, and I tried. But, internet connectivity issues didn't allow that to happen. So, you are getting this entry on November 2nd, and I will be posting another entry later this afternoon so as to not screw up my 365 movies in a year goal. Come on back now, ya hear?