Top Five Favorite Fast Food Toys

Five Best Fast Food Toys or Your Childhood in a Grease-Covered Box

I guess I could have gone for the stronger alliteration and titled this post "Five Favorite Fast Food Figurines" but I think we can all agree that would be too much. Recently on the OA forum there has been a lot of talk about fast food toys from the past. Members have been listing off their favorites and basically just reminiscing. There's nothing wrong with a little nostalgia, right?

Anyway, today's top five list concerns my personal favorite fast food toys of all time. Let's do this.

5. Alf Puppets (1988)- In the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit that I never owned any of these. Of course, that doesn't make them any less bad ass. These Alf puppets came from Burger King in the late eighties, and I can't think of a better way for a child to spend his days than sticking his hand up Alf's ass and making him talk. There were a few variations, one had Alf with an apron and chef's hat, another had him with a guitar, and he was dressed as a baseball player in yet another variation. It seems Alf really gets around.

4. McDonalds "Changeables" - Imagine, if you will, a cross pollination of Transformers and fast food. Ah, yes, wouldn't that be a perfect world? Luckily McDonalds was way ahead of you and put these bad boys into Happy Meals all across the country in the late-eighties. There were eight figures in all ranging from hamburgers to ice cream cones, and each one would transform into (what I assume to be) evil creatures bent on world domination - one over weight child at a time. Don't believe me? Click here and see for yourself.


3. McNugget Buddies Halloween (1993) - There have been many incarnations of the McNugget Buddies over the years, but I really want to focus on the 1993 Halloween figures. Halloween at Mcdonalds has always held a special place in my heart, I remember using the Halloween pails that held my delicious October Happy Meals not just for trick or treating, but even as a lunch box for the rest of the year! And these little guys - pretty much ripoffs of the Potato Head Kids - were devilishly fun. They were plastic Chicken McNuggets that you could dress up as Frankenstein's monster, Dracula, a ghost, a witch, a pumpkin, or a mummy. If that doesn't catch your fancy, check out this fantastically macabre commercial for them here.

2. Looney Tunes/DC Super Heroes (1992) - What an awesome idea for a set, and I say that with little to no irony. You take Looney Tunes characters, which are great, and mix them with DC Super Heroes, which are also great, and you've got one hell of a product. The set is a standard PVC set that includes inarticulate versions of Daffy Duck as Batman, Bugs Bunny as Super-Man, Porky Pig as Wonder Woman, and Taz as The Flash. Of course, each one has their own play on the super hero names, but I just don't happen to have those. The coolest part of this set? You could actually alternate the characters between their secret identities and their super hero costumes (the costume was simply two pieces of plastic that snapped around the figure). How great is that? Check out the commercial here.

1. Muppet Babies (1987) - Released in Happy Meals from Mcdonalds in 1987, these little PVC toys included Kermit riding a skateboard, Miss Piggy in a car, Gonzo on a Big Wheel, and Fozzy on a hobby horse. A great, if small, set that came out at the height of the Muppet Babies popularity. When these came out I was only a few years old, but I held on to them for years. Just look how happy these little youngsters are playing with their new Muppet Baby toys here.

Top Ten Horror Movies of the 1950s

Top Ten Horror Flicks of the Fifties

Going back to the fifties, it becomes harder to find a distinct line between horror and sci-fi. In this era, the byproducts of science had become the most horrific things imaginable (check out Radiation Cinema for more on that). The nuclear era was in full swing, and the public knew little about what kind of effects this could really have on them. So, we get pictures with shrinking people and giant ants. This being the case, I'm really not going to make any attempt to exclude films that may be more sci-fi/horror than they are horror/sci-fi. It's really easier this way.

And, full disclosure (just so I don't get lynched), I've never seen Diabolique or Eyes Without a Face. But I will.

10. House of Wax (1953) - What's that? A 3D remake of Michael Curtiz's Mystey of the Wax Museum starring Vincent Price? Mark me down. If you liked the earlier Curtiz effort, then you'll enjoy this somewhat campier, but more energetic and creative remake. It's the story of a horribly disfigured man who takes out his agression on his victim, subsoquently dipping their dead bodies into wax and putting them on display at his wax mueseum. From that description alone, you have to give the film cool points. Add the fact that the evil caretaker of this museum is none other than the late, great Vincent Price and I think we've got a winner on our hands.

9. Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1953) - Setting a prescedent for what would in later years become an absolute staple in the horror world, the horror-comedy, the Abbot and Costello "Meet" films were a necessary smirk on the face of horror film. It seems that horror goes through cycles. When the Universal Monster pictures were first released, they were shockingly scary pictures that frightened every movie goer who braved them. But by the late forties and early fifties, those same Universal Monsters had been pretty much played out as Universal cashed in on as many spinoffs and sequels as they could. By that point, the only thing left to do with them was to play them for laughs. The same is true for most horror franchises that carry on a little passed their prime. Think about Freddy's Dead and Jason X or Leprechaun in tha Hood. Yeah, it's still happening. Going back to the film in question, the "Meet Jekyll and Hyde" is the best of the pictures that they made. Go back and watch it, it's a riot.

8. The Tingler (1959) - It's hard not to admire William Castle. The man was the PT Barnum of the film world, giving his sometimes lackluster films extra cache by incorporating great gimmicks into the screenings. For The Tingler, Castle had theater attendants wire their seats with joy buzzer type devices that would administaor a small shock during certain pivotal scenes. Fascinating! On top of all that, the movie itself ain't half bad either! Vincent Price, at his campiest, plays Dr. Chapin, a doctor who unwittingly unleashes a slug-like creature that is formed from...fear. That's right, it's hokey, but undoubtedly one of the most fun creature features you're likely to see.

7. Horror of Dracula (1958) - You knew there had to be at least some Hammer Horror make its way onto the list, and what better picture than 1958's Horror of Dracula? Known simply as Dracula in its native Britain, the picture stars, you guessed it, Peter Cushing as Van Helsing, and Christopher Lee as Dracula himself. We're lucky that Hammer was still around to remind us that gothic horror could still be really excellent, even while Hollywood was busy tackling new foes. Perhaps the best cinematic telling of the Dracula story, Horror of Dracula gives us just the right amount of horror, eroticism, action, and humor.


6. The Thing From Another World (1951) - Later on, this picture would be completely restructured as (and bested by) John Carpenter's The Thing. But even though the "remake" is superior, doesn't mean that the original isn't a wonderful little scientists in the arctic unwittingly thaw out a blood thirsty alien that has been frozen in the ice. From there, you can imagine what kind of bedlam breaks loose. If you've only seen Carpenter's version, you'll be surprised to find out that the Thing in this picture is a humanoid (James Arness, no less!) and that the strong sense of paranoia is all but nonexistent. Even still, the film is a tight little exercise in tension and fear of the unknown. I would really recommend that you get your hands on a copy of this Howard Hawks produced (and, perhaps partially directed) gem.

5. The Blob (1958) - Starring a young Steve McQueen, The Blob is an oft under appreciated little gem about a gelatinous, all devouring creature from outer space run amok in small town America! The film plays out like a lot of films from the fifties, there's a group of teenagers that become privy to the alien's existence, but nobody believes them until things start to get pretty hairy. Actually, I guess that's still the trope for a lot of modern horror flicks as well. If ain't brok I guess...anyway, even though the story sounds pretty stock, it's exceptionally well made (especially for a non-major studio film in the fifties!) and actually still holds up well today.

4. Them! (1954) - Giant insect movies were a staple of the fifties sci-fi/horror genre, but none were better than 1954's Them!. The story is simple, a group of investigators and scientsits come upon a group of giant, radiated, killer ants! From there, the army gets involved and eventually everything works itself out (though, not without a few casualties). Like I said, a simple story but one told deftly and shot skillfully enough to clearly set it apart from a lot of the other, often rushed and hackneyed, giant insect flicks of the same era. Check it out if you're a fan.

3. House on Haunted Hill (1959) - An absolute horror classic, House on Haunted Hill sets up a trope that would be used in horror films for a long time. The idea of gathering a group of people together and having them stay a night in a haunted house has been used over and over again throughout the years. Sometimes its pride that's at stake, in the case of House on Haunted Hill, it's a cash prize that lures the victims into the house. Vincent Price, in the role he was born to play, delivers the goods as the creepy-as-hell Frederick Loren, host of this macabre party. This is probably William Castle's most respectable picture, but that didn't deter him from bringing in at least one of his patented gimmicks. During a particularly pivotal scene in the film, there happens to be a flying skeleton. Well, if you happened to be in the theatrical audience for the film upon opening, you might just have been lucky enough to witness a lovely plastic skeleton flying from the rafters of your cinema as well!

2. The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957) - Based on an amazing story by Richard Matheson (which I highly recommend you read), The Incredible Shrinking Man is the story of Scott Carey, a man who becomes radiated by a cloud of pesticide and, you guessed it, begins to shrink. While the effects were quite stunning for the time, and there's a lot of emphasis on the science fiction elements of the story, the real meat of the things lies within Carey's ability and inability to cope with his physical defencies (in his case, shrinking). The tension between he and his wife becomes obvious the smaller he gets, and it becomes increasingly difficult for him to function. Of course, there are spectacular action sequences as well, including an epic fight with a spider.

1. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) - Usually read as an allegory about Mcarthyism (the writer was black-listed), Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a timeless tale about people not being exactly what we think they are...of course, in this case, "not what we think they are" means replacement "pod" people from outer space. No biggie. Anyway, the movie is a true classic piece of fifties science fiction terror and tension that ends in one of the most iconinc closings in cinema history. Having been remade many times (including a rarely seen effort from Abel Ferrara), the original is still the best and a great starting point for anybody interested in the world of terrificly terryfing vintage sci-fi/horror pictures.

Top Ten Horror Films of the 2000s

A Decade of the Dead

This list is (hopefully) likely to change, but here are my revised picks for the best horror pictures of this decade. I say revised picks, because I've already made one such list, less than a year ago as a matter fact, but it has changed significantly. Check out my old list here and see the difference!


10. Slither (2006) - From the mind of former Tromaville resident James Gunn comes a wickedly funny B-movie in the tradition of Night of the Creeps. Slither stars Henry himself, Michael Rooker, as Grant Grant, the guy that eventually becomes the host for some strange alien creature that really like to eat. If you're a fan of campy, fun-filled horror romps through icky muck and goo, if you liked Slime City or Street Trash, you'll enjoy this little homage to all things gross-out. Check it out, some great laughs, and a pretty enjoyable little story!

9. Inside (2007) - One of the most brutal films in recent memory, Inside is the story of a young pregnant woman that is mercilessly accosted by a madwoman. Yes, you read that right. This violent-ass flick features a female antagonist (and protagonist, too!). See it for the visceral experience, see it for the gore, whatever reason you've got, just see it. Especially before the requisite American remake (it's bound to happen) comes out, so you can act smarmy to all of your friends about it (I do!). (SPOILERS AHEAD) Did anyone else notice it takes a turn for the weird at the end when one of the dead cops gets up at the end and begins to assault the main character? Wtf?

8. Grindhouse (Deathproof/Planet Terror) (2007) - Yeah, we are putting both films together. Tarantino and Rodriguez came together with a very solid one-two punch with Grindhouse. Of course, the entire thing is a throwback, not just the films themselves, but the way that's it is crafted together, including the little trailers in between the pictures, the missing second reels, and all of that. Tarantino and Rodriguez put together a theater-going experience that you just can't get anymore, for themselves, but also for the fans of genre pictures like these. Now, if that's not worth getting a nod on this list, I don't know what is. And, luckily, this homage is crafted by two expert film-makers, with a penchant for sensational film-making. The movies themseleves were actually quite good. Certainly this was a daunting project for Rodriguez and Tarrantino, and a lot of work, but it pays off.

7. Haute Tension (High Tension) (2003) - The French are really starting to make a name for themselves in the horror community with stuff like Inside, but it seems like it can all be traced back to Alexander Aja and his crimson-soaked (almost) masterpiece Haute Tension. I'll be the first to admit it, I don't like the ending either. I found it pretty trite, and a bit of a cop-out. Maybe that's because I had just seen so many flicks with similar endings around the same time period, but maybe it was just overdone. Regardless of its flaws, High Tension lives up to its title, keeping you on the edge of your seat. And my goodness, does Aja ever keep the red stuff coming. And The Warfreak likey.

6. Shaun of the Dead (2004) - Hilarious. Absolutely hilarious. Another film that is conceptually an homage (in case you are extremely uninformed, the name is a riff on Dawn of the Dead), and is gut-bustingly funny in execution. Shaun of the Dead keeps the gore at a hard R, but still manages to be bitingly funny, and even sometimes romantic! Writer/Director Edgar Wright is definitely going to continue to be a comedic force to be reckoned with over his career, and I look forward to more forays into the horror genre from him.

5. [REC] (2007) - This little Spanish film (remade in America as Quarantine) clocks in at just over and hour, but the experience will last much longer than that. [rec] is yet another found footage film (Cloverfield, Blair Witch, Home Movie, etc.), but is more effectively scary than the rest. I mean it when I say that, this film is scary. Unfortunately, the trailers for the American remake probably ruined most of the scares (from what I understand it's basically shot-for-shot), but I still suggest you watch it.


4. American Psycho (2000) - You say what you will, but American Psycho is a straight up exploitation film in the mold of all my favorites. It's the story of Patrick Batemen, a well-manacured psychotic killer in the 1980s. It's like Wall Street meets Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. Forget the ambiguity of the ending, and focus on the whacked out, twistedness of the film. It's definitely one of the most quotable movies on the list ("I have to return some video tapes"), and that's always a plus. Look, I'm not suggesting Patrcik Bateman is a role model, but you could do worse.

3. Martyrs (2008) - The final French film to make our list, Martyrs in an excercise sadism. What makes the movie so chilling is not the explicit, horrific violence shown on the screen (which there is plenty of), but the bleak worldview that film exudes. The whole thing will leave you cold and numb and asking for your mommy. Maybe that's a bit much, but if you don't feel something after you watch this one you may already be dead. Not for the weak of stomach, Martyrs delivers on every level, it's both cerebral and visceral, disgusting and beautiful.

2. Bubba Ho-Tep (2002) - Don Coscarelli makes weird movies (almost exclusively Phantasms and Beastmasters), and Bubba Ho-Tep is no exception. This hilarious B-movie pits Bruce "Don't Call Me Ash" Campbell's old-ass Elvis Presley and the late Ossie Davis' JFK (yep) against an ancient mummy in a showdown at a retirement home. Yeah, that's the plot. As ridiculous as that sounds, the laughs keep rolling, especially thanks to Campbell and Davis' great turns as the deceased historical figures. Great campy fun.

1. Let the Right One In (2008) - Absolutely the single best vampire movie I've ever seen, LTROI is a wonderful little Swedish masterpiece, full of all the things horror movies never contain. The movie is rather sweet, has endearing characters, features young romance, and all of the things you never knew you wanted in a horror movie. Luckily, the craftsmanship behind this cold beauty carries everything, it's an absolutely breathtaking film, the cinematography is spectacular, and the direction is sometimes inspired, and always good.

Got an opinion on this article? Sound off on the OA OFFICIAL FORUM, or leave us a comment in the 'comments' section.

Top Ten Horror Movies of the 1990s

TOP TEN HORROR MOVIES OF THE 1990'S

These are my picks for the best horror flicks of the 1990s. There is a case to be made that suspense/crime dramas like Silence of the Lambs and Se7en should be considered, but for the purpose of my list, they are not.


10. The Blair Witch Project (1999) - Sometimes dumped on, other times overly lauded with praise, The Blair Witch Project stands as one of the most polarizing movies of the last twenty years. One thing that is irrefutable, however, is how great the hype machine behind it was. In 1999 I was actually able to convince my mother to go see this with me, that's how much it had permeated the mainstream. She didn't enjoy it, but I did. I never bought in to the "true story", but the experience and, yes, gimmick, were actually quite effective.


9. In the Mouth of Madness (1994) - In many ways, this movie feels like it was never fully realized. There's so much potential, and it feels like the best horror movie ever filmed is bubbling just below the surface, clamoring to get out, but it just never quite makes the leap. That's not to say that the film isn't good (and genuinely creepy), it just feels incomplete. That said, there is a lot to like about In the Mouth of Madness. First and foremost the story is a mindfuck that is an intricately woven web just waiting for an unsuspecting viewer to fall in. And ol' Johnny Carpenter is no slouch behind the wheel of a film, either.


8. Braindead (1992) - Known most commonly as Dead Alive in America, this is one of Peter Jackson's (Lord of the Rings) early efforts that comes all the way from New Zealand. An early zom/com (or zombedy), Braindead took a lot of growing on me. It's always been a big hit with the cult crowd, it just didn't hold my attention until I re-watched it most recently. Sometimes labelled as the "goriest film ever made", Braindead is pretty much a must-own for any genre fan, boasting such draws as a zombie baby and a lawnmower-zombie-massacre.

7. Cronos (1993) - This thrilling little Mexican film (directed by Guillermo Del Toro) is a wonderful piece of fantasy that is a great forerunner to Del Toro's later efforts like Pan's Labyrinth. A different take on the vampire film, Cronos is the story of an aging antique dealer that comes upon an anqique mechanical scaraab that has a secret. Better than, say, Interview with the Vampire, Cronos lends much needed creedence to the Mexican horror film here. The film is really dark and moody, and the effects (thanks to Del Torro) are magnificent!


6. Dust Devil (1992) - This strange, and brillaint, little South African films stars Robert John Burke (Simple Men) and is directed by Richard Stanley (Hardware). The tagline for the film is, "He's not a serial killer. He's much worse." and that's apt, probably enough of a description to entice you in. It's a very dark story, a supernatural tale of evil that you don't want to miss. The best thing about the film is the cinematography. Filmed in South Africa, the cinematography of Dust Devil is on par with some of the best American westerns of the sixties.

5. Scream (1996) - In one deft, brilliant move Wes Craven takes the modern horror tale, which he helped weave, and turns it on its head. One of the first, and the most notable, instances of post-modern horror in the mainstream. More have been made since, Behind the Mask comes to mind, but none better than the original Scream. The story is a retread, purposefully, up until the final reel where we find out that there's a fairly big twist. For better or worse, this is the film that really kickstarted Dimension, started a whole new slew of bad slashers, and birthed the other two films in the franchise.

4. The Sixth Sense (1999) - M. Night who? Another surprise hit in 1999, the Sixth Sense was everywhere. From the catchphrase ("I see dead people") to people wanting to blow the surprise ending, you couldn't get away from this film if you wanted to. Luckily, I didn't want to. I was able to see this one in the theater as well, and the experience was quite rewarding. I won't say what the ending entails, on the very off chance that you still don't know, but it did blow me away the first time I watched it. Luckily, the film is well built enough, and utilizes a very creepy atmosphere and great turns by that precocious little kid and Bruce Willis to make it rewatchable, even with a spoiled ending.

3. Army of Darkness (1993) - This sequel to Evil Dead II finds the completely inept Ash once again fending off deadites...only the this time on a much grander scale. Taking the Evil Dead formula and blowing it up into epic proportions, Army of Darkness succeeds as a formidable successor to the second film, but is still unable to capture the same charm that the second film had. Bruce Campbell is a wonderfully hokey leading man that I wish had gotten more play in the early to mid nineties, and the set pieces are pretty magnificently constructed. Throw in Danny Elfman's score, and we've got a winner.

2. Jacob's Ladder (1990) - More psychological in nature than most of the other films on this list, Jacob's Ladder is the tale of a Vietnam veteran who begins to see ghosts and is attacked by horned demons. Extremely visceral, the tale is so engaging and the final act so engrossing that you will absolutely have to finish the film once you start it. The film features Tim Robbins, Danny Aielo, Ving Rhames, and is directed, brilliantly, by Adrian Lynne (it fits snugly in between all of his sexual thrillers/dramas). I'm not sure why Jacob's Ladder doesn't get more play, but it is a fantastic piece of film making that deserves to be shared.

1. Dellamorte Dellamore (1994) - Horror just got incredibly cerebral. Someone based on the Dylan Dog comic series, Cemetery Man (the film's inept US title) is the story of Francesco Dellamorte and Gnaghi, caretakers of a cemetery with a secret. The film, directed by Michele Soavi, takes the philosophical conondrums that are intrinsic to zombie films and makes them explicit, forcing the viewer to deal with issues of love, and of death. If you don't want to be bothered by all of that, then here's the tagline: "Zombies, guns, and sex, oh my!", and the film actually delivers on that promise. If you've never seen it, watch it. You'll be doing yourself a huge favor.

Top Ten Albums of 2004

Top Ten Albums of 2004 by The Warfreak


1. Kanye West - The College Dropout - Sure in recent years Kanye has made himself to be one of the biggest asses in show business, but when this record first dropped, so did my jaw. So this was where all the good beats went? Clever, creative, braggadocios, and bold, Kanye sky rocketed into stardom after this record and then began his steady descent into megalomania, but if you go back and listen to The College Dropout again, I'm sure you'll fall right back in love.

Stand-out tracks: Jesus Walks, Graduation Day, School Spirit

2. Arcade Fire - Funeral - The Arcade Fire are most certainly five supremely ambitious Canadians. Funeral was their debut feature length and it was absolutely brilliant, combining frighteningly lonely imagery with baroque musical sensibilities. There are few records that actually can change my mood, and make me feel desperate, but Funeral is one of them. Fortunately, the band chose to sprinkle silver linings into their songs, both musically and lyrically, to keep me from killing myself. Written amidst a barrage of the band members family deaths, the album does feel dirgey, and wouldn't be out of place to play at an actual funeral.

Stand-out tracks: Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels), Wake Up, Rebellion (Lies)

3. TV on the Radio - Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes - The avant-garde band's first full studio album release is a very good one. Critically acclaimed, the album featuring a surprisingly popular single in "Staring at the Sun". Desperate Youth really showcases all that was good about the group on their previous album (OK Calculator, har har) but cutting out the fat. Upon first hearing the record, I expected great things from this band and they have not disappointed me so far.

Stand-out tracks: Staring at the Sun, Ambulance

4. Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Love Bad News - I remember driving around my college town one day in late April of 2004, with the windows down on my truck, when I came to a stop sign. I was listening to this record, fairly loudly, minding my own business, when some guy leaves his front porch and approaches the truck. I was unsure what he wanted, so I prepared myself for anything, but he just calmly said, "Nice album". And you know what, he was right. There's something so summery and fun about Good News that when the it's drive-around-with-the-windows-down weather, there's something so right about this album being on.

Stand-out tracks: Ocean Breathes Salty, Black Cadillacs, Bukowski

5. Air - Talkie Walkie - Air's fourth release is my personal favorite. Produced by Nigel Godrich, Talkie Walkie is an intimate affair that showcases the best of Air. Sounding like a mixture of Brian Wilson, Serge Gainsbourg, and David Bowie, the record just oozes a subtle coolness, like some kind of electronic philosophy caught on wax. And, yes, "Alone in Kyoto" is best known for being the song from Lost in Translation. And, yes, it's still really good.

Stand-out Tracks: Alone in Kyoto, Cherry Blossom Girl

6. The Streets - A Grand Don't Come for Free - I was first introduced to The Streets (aka Michael Skinner) with Original Pirate Material by none other than our very own Pop Newmo. By the time A Grand came out, it seemed like The Streets was only getting better. This time Skinner went bigger, more grandiose, making a concept album about a guy that loses £1000 and is looking to recoup his losses. The whole, fairly uneventful thing plays out on the record, ending with the final track "Empty Cans" that actually has two different endings to choose from. Smooth as ever, The Streets delivers not only a great concept, but a great album.

Stand-out tracks: Fit But You Know It, Could Well Be In

7. Blonde Redhead - Misery is a Butterfly - Marking a fairly large shift in the band's career, Misery is a Butterfly is Blonde Redhead's best album to date. Departing from Touch & Go records, and recording this one on their own dime, the band were really able to make the album they were capable of without having to worry about a label. Of course, the album was later picked up by 4AD, which seems to be the right fit, being the formal label of bands like the Cocteau Twins. Misery is delicately romantic, even while dealing with the sometimes tragic subject matter of loss and woe.

Stand-out tracks: Falling Man, Elephant Woman

8. Madvillain - Madvillainy - This collabo between MF DOOM and Madlib really exemplifies everything that is good about the MC and the producer. There's a real DIY aesthetic to the album that is particularly endearing. Decidedly radio un-friendly, the duo often eschew with choruses, and keep most of the songs short. The mixture of Madlib's unstoppable beats and Doom's intelligent, clever lyrics makes this one of the best albums of the year.

Stand-out tracks: Rainbows, Great Day

9. Get Up Kids - Guilt Show - Getting a little more synth heavy with this their last record, The Get Up Kids shuffled off a lot of the bareness present on the superior On a Wire, but kept things weirdly intimate with tracks like "Is There a Way Out". Overall, the band's final showing is a very good one that is more haunting, and more ambient than any of their previous works.

Stand-out tracks: How Long is Too Long, Is There a Way Out, The One You Want

10. Rilo Kiley - More Adventurous - Jenny Lewis (Troop Beverly Hills) and Blake Sennett are back on this, Rilo Kiley's third full length record. The album actually ended up doing pretty successful both with critics and commercially. The main problem that Rilo Kiley has had since inception is how fumbling the lyrics can be, fortunately Lewis vocals are evocative and more powerful than ever on More Adventurous, giving the record some added "umph".

Stand-out tracks: It's a Hit, Portions for Foxes

Top Ten Horror Films of the 1970's

So, as we all know the roots of horror on film run deep, all the way back to the teens, and likely before that. If we really want to think about, a lot of the earliest films could be considered "shockers" at the very least. Images of trains coming straight at you and such were meant to challenge the viewers sense of perception while, at the same time, scaring the beejezus out of them.

Today though, we're just going to trace back to the beginning of what I consider to be the best time for horror on film (that being from 1974-1984). After thinking a little bit about the list, it's just too easy. So, I'm going to take away some of my options here. This should make it more interesting.

So here lie THE TOP TEN HORROR FILMS OF THE '70s THAT AREN'T DAWN OF THE DEAD, JAWS, THE EXORCIST, HALLOWEEN, or THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE:

10. Let Sleeping Corpses Lie (1974) - Sometimes known as The Living Dead in the Manchester Morgue, this 1974 zombie flick is one of the more effective ones of the seventies that isn't called Dawn of the Dead. The story itself is rather forgetabble, police are investigating the murder of a man, they detain a handful of suspects, but the real culprits are the undead whom have been brought back to life due to radiation that's being used as an alternative to pesticide. Not that interesting, but the film, a Spanish/Italian production, actually manages to make up for that by having effective make up effects, strong underlying anti-establishment themes, an eerie score, and a very tense atmosphere.

9. Profondo Rosso (1975) - Known as Deep Red in America, Profondo Rosso is an exceptionally well-made Dario Argento giallo (gialli are generally more "slasher-y" suspense/thriller Italian pictures). I would definitely choose it on my list over the hyper-stylized Suspiria, because unlike that picture, Profondo Rosso is able to balance style and story to come together with the whole package. It's the story of a musician who witnesses the murder of a famous psychic and is befriended by a reporter. As they investigate the murder together, they find that they, too, are now in danger. The film also has one of the greatest scores ever, courtesy of Italy's Goblin.

8. Martin (1977) - The other great Romero flick from the seventies, Martin is the story of a young man sent to Pittsburgh to live with his uncle. Oh, yeah, and he believes himself a vampire, drinking human blood and the like. Martin begins calling in to a local radio show and unveils himself to the world, leaving himself open to ridicule. Undaunted, Martin continues to use his razor blade (he has no fangs) to prepare his lunch. But is Martin really a vampire? Watch for yourself. A very stylish film, until Let The Right One In, Martin was probably the most thoughtful and artful vampire movie I'd ever seen.

7. The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) - One of Vincent Price's last great films, Phibes is a revenge film at it's sweetest. In the film, Price's Phibes is a mad scientist who decides to calculatingly take revenge on nine doctors that he considers responsible for the death of his wife. Weapon of choice: plagues. That's right. Phibes, being the Biblical scholar that he is, opts to exact his revenge by re-enacting the nine plagues from the Old Testament. The film also stars the always entertaining Joesph Cotton. I would also recommend the sequel Dr. Phibes Rises Again!

6. The Wicker Man (1973) - Forget Nicholas Cage, travel back to 1973 if you want to see The Wicker Man. The extremely interesting Christopher Lee/Edward Woodward piece tells the tale of a police officer sent from Scotland to an island village after the disappearance of a young girl. Once the God-fearing sergeant learns of the locals pagan ways, things get a little bit scary. The Wicker Man is tension done right, if you're not on the edge of your seat by the surprising final reel, something's wrong with you.


5. Shivers (1975) - This early Cronenberg "body horror" fright fest sees an apartment building being seized and taken over by slug-like parasitic creatures that turn their hosts into sex-crazed zombies. The infection then begins to spread through sexual contact. While it's not exactly Cronenberg's debut, Shivers is still the first time that he really made a Cronenberg film, if that makes sense. A very original film, this little visceral Canadian baby still manages to be effective to date. The tension mounts and the effects are more than serviceable, plus you can read all kinds of metaphor into it, but just remember they didn't know what AIDs was yet.

4. The Brood (1979) - Another Cronenberg sci-fi/horror masterpiece, The Brood is even stranger than Shivers. Still in his "body horror" period, Cronenberg delivers the goods here in this story about a man investigating his wife's institutionalization while a bizarre string of violent attacks are perpetrated by a brood of mutant children. It gets weirder, but I don't want to spoil it for you. And if those damned little ugnauts don't hijack your dreams, then I'll eat my hat, beause they are freaky. If you've seen and liked Videodrome, I think it's safe to say that you would like The Brood. Suffice it to say that it's not your run of the mill film.

3. Phantasm (1979) - Director/Writer Don Coscarelli weaves together a fever-dream tapestry of bizarre images in this his debut film. Even with two Cronenberg entries on this list, I think Phantasm takes the cake for strangest film. I still don't think I've fully deciphered the narrative here, but here's a plot summary off of IMDb: "Mike, a young teenage boy who has just lost his parents, is afraid to lose his brother. This fear causes him to follow his brother to a funeral, where Mike witnesses the Tall Man lift a coffin on his own. Mike decides to investigate and discovers a horrible world where the Tall Man, along with his flying spheres, shrink the to half their normal size and reanimate them as slaves. It is then up to Mike, his brother, and Reggie the ice cream man to stop the Tall man."

2. Alien (1979) - The most effective sci-fi/horror film produced to date, Ridley Scott's film is a masterpiece of slimy, claustrophobic terror. Written by Dan O'Bannon (Dark Star, Return of the Living Dead), Alien perhaps takes a cue from David Cronenberg, as the film contains a little bit of "body horror". The first time you see a "chestbuster", you're going to be in love with the film forever. I don't really know how much I have to say about Alien, because odds are you've seen it. And if you haven't what the hell is wrong with you? Go rent it today.

1. Zombi 2 (1979) - My my 1979 was a good year for horror. Anyway, I won't get into the confusing story of how the picture got its name, but Zombi 2 (or Zombie) is as fantastic a piece of horror cinema as you're ever likely to see. The comparisons to Dawn of the Dead are just sitting there and pretty much have to be made. Fabio Frizzi's score to the film rivals Goblin's Dawn of the Dead score, and the grue is probably more effective than Savini's work on that film (to be fair, Savini's is more stylized). Not to mention the film includes one of the most epic fights of all time: Zombie vs. Shark.