Mother Nature Strikes Back! Hollywood disaster films!

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A few weeks ago the United States braced itself for Hurricane Irene. Fearful it would cause the death and destruction seen by such notable storms as Andrew and Katrina, homes were evacuated and the 24 hour news shows talked about little else. Fortunately it was no where near as catastrophic as the aforementioned “monsters” but, every once in awhile, Mother Nature does let us know who’s boss. Despite man’s ability to fly into space, conquer disease, and his numerous other innovations, when push comes to shove we are still no match for our own planet.

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Shark Night 3D Really Bites!

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Oh man, I just returned from seeing SHARK NIGHT 3D and need to swallow two aspirin with a whiskey chaser! Now, mind you, I didn’t walk into this film expecting GONE WITH THE WIND but, after viewing the trailer, was hoping for a fun film like last year’s PIRANHA 3D. Instead of laughter and entertainment, I can only compare this experience to being stabbed to death with a butter knife; long, drawn out….and PAINFUL!

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KILLER SHARK Fans Beware! THE REEF will make your JAWS drop!

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Not long ago I wrote of meeting Susan Backlinie a.k.a “Chrissy” from JAWS. Although she couldn’t hear a darn thing I was saying (see the full story HERE) I told her how her famous scene during the film’s powerful opener was truly one of the most terrifying moments on film. Never had man’s age old fear of sharks been so successfully tapped into as was the case in the world’s first “blockbuster.”

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Meeting Susan Backlinie: Killer Shark JAWS’ First Victim!

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Upon entering the mosh pit (a.k.a. the celebrity room at FRIGHT NIGHT) I was worried that there would be a long line to see Susan Backlinie. Not familiar with that name you say? Don’t worry, you have DEFINITELY seen her before. She is the woman who has the dubious distinction of being JAWS‘ first kill. That 70’s “free love” gal who, after receiving a drunken nod from a stranger, quickly sheds her clothes and invites him for a skinny dip.  Running playfully down the beach, she dives headfirst into the ocean….and directly onto the dinner plate of cinema’s most famous shark!

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Kingdom of the Spiders – William Shatner Treks Through Tarantulas!

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The 70’s were a special time for me. It was a great time to be a kid for so many reasons. I still vividly remember the cool toys like Micronauts and the 8″ Mego super-hero action figures (they are not dolls). Actually, pretty much any toy made by Mego at the time was cool! During this time there was also a constant availability of horror and monster movies to be seen on television.

This was also the time period that began my interest in entomology (the study of insects). Thanks to a Christmas gift of a kit for collecting butterflies and moths, I have had this interest ever since. Instead of actually collecting them now though, I am more into photography and conservation with them.

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When Animals Attack: MAN VS. NATURE FILMS!

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Back before Al Gore began promoting global warming initiatives and the phrase “being green” simply meant that you were inexperienced, Hollywood had already tapped into the notion that the human race, for all of its arrogance, is still at the whim of nature. As pollution and environmental issues became more of a concern, some clever horror writers decided to ask a very poignant question: what would happen if nature decided to fight back? What would our chances be if the seemingly innocent creatures we take for granted during our everyday lives suddenly struck at us via an organized unit (e.g. THE BIRDS)? Thus the sub genre of “eco-horror” was born and although these films were never as much fun as the giant atomic beasts abundant in the 1950’s, normal sized animals still made for effective antagonists.

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