Movie Review: Maniac (1963) directed by Michael Carreras (aka “The Maniac”) Four years ago, French schoolgirl Annette Beynat (Liliane Brousse) was raped by a neighbor. That man was caught in the act by her father Georges, who decided not to turn him over to the police, but instead use an acetylene torch to murder him in… Continue reading Movie Review: Maniac (1963)
Movie Review: The Living Skeleton
Movie Review: The Living Skeleton (1968) directed by Hiroki Matsuno (Japanese title: Kyûketsu dokuro-sen (“Blood-sucking Skull Ship”) Three years ago, the freighter Dragon King was lost at sea, with no survivors. Among those who apparently perished were ship’s doctor Nishizato (Ko Nishimura) and his recent bride Yoriko (Kikko Matsuoka). Yoriko’s twin sister Saeko (Kikko Matsuoka) still mourns them,… Continue reading Movie Review: The Living Skeleton
Comic Book Review: DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #19: Doom Patrol
Comic Book Review: DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #19: Doom Patrol edited by Karen Berger The Doom Patrol is one of DC Comics’ more interesting super-teams. First published in My Greatest Adventure #80 (1963), it concerned a group of people who felt isolated from normal humanity, led by a genius in a wheelchair, who nevertheless… Continue reading Comic Book Review: DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #19: Doom Patrol
Movie Review: Doctor X (1932)
Movie Review: Doctor X (1932) directed by Michael Curtiz The Moon Killer has struck again! Each month during the full moon, a victim is found strangled and killed with a wound to the back of the skull, and then large chunks of their flesh removed, presumably to be eaten. After six victims, the police have finally… Continue reading Movie Review: Doctor X (1932)
Book Review: The Castle of Otranto
Book Review: The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole Today is a particularly bad day at the castle. Worst of all for Conrad, sickly son of Prince Manfred, who is crushed to death by a mysterious giant helmet. This is taken hard by his mother Princess Hippolita and sister Matilda. Prince Manfred is beside himself,… Continue reading Book Review: The Castle of Otranto
Manga Review: Kitaro’s Yokai Battles
Manga Review: Kitaro’s Yokai Battles by Shigeru Mizuki Oh hey, I was missing one of the volumes of the Drawn & Quarterly Kitaro reprints! This one has an introduction that covers from 1966 to 1971. While the Hakaba no Kitaro series seemed like a good choice for animated adaptation, network executives thought it was too… Continue reading Manga Review: Kitaro’s Yokai Battles
Book Review: The Best of Analog
Book Review: The Best of Analog edited by Ben Bova After the death of long-time editor John W. Campbell in 1971, Analog Science Fiction and Fact needed a new person at the helm. The winner of the selection process was Ben Bova (1932-2020), who intended to stay only a few years, those years winding up… Continue reading Book Review: The Best of Analog
Movie Review: Bloody Pit of Horror
Movie Review: Bloody Pit of Horror (1965) directed by Massimo Pupillo, Italian title “Il Boia Scarlatto” (The Crimson Executioner) Horror paperback publisher Daniel Parks (Alfredo Rizzo) wants to have the covers of his next few books be photographs. So he and a small crew of models, photographer and writer are touring Italy for the exactly right… Continue reading Movie Review: Bloody Pit of Horror
Movie Review: Risky Business (1983)
Movie Review: Risky Business (1983) directed by Paul Brickman Joel Goodson (Tom Cruise) is an upper-middle class kid in his last year of a Chicago high school. He’d like to get into Princeton like his father, but his grades are only okay, his SAT scores are mediocre, and his extracurriculars aren’t very shiny. Even his Future… Continue reading Movie Review: Risky Business (1983)
Comic Book Review: The Best of DC #38: Superman Vs. the Supernatural
Comic Book Review: The Best of DC #38: Superman Vs. the Supernatural edited by Nicola Cuti As I’ve mentioned before, Superman’s impressive array of powers at the top of the super-scale make him a hard character to write challenges for. This led to the invention of Kryptonite and its subsequent overuse as a plot device.… Continue reading Comic Book Review: The Best of DC #38: Superman Vs. the Supernatural