Robin Williams was quite possibly the funniest comedian I have ever seen. I grew up with many of his movies during the 1980's and 90's and now unfortunately, he's gone... I can remember watching reruns of Mork & Mindy with my parents and the first movie I remember seeing him in was Popeye (1980). I can remember thinking that he was Popeye. There are so many memorable roles he's played, from the incredibly zany, to the sympathetic, and also even a little dark and scary at times. He was a man with a singularly remarkable talent and the world is a sadder place without him. Although many celebrities, both young and old come and go, we have somehow become used to the idea of those who get caught up in the difficult life of a celebrity and often succumb to their demanding lifestyles and their lives tragically come to an, very often before their time. There are only a few of those who really, truly make such an impact on our lives and make us laugh more than anybody that we can scarcely believe it when they are gone. Although he is gone, we can still remember the great moments and characters he played. To celebrate the life and career of Robin Williams, I wanted to list some of my favorite movies to which he gave me and my family so much joy, happiness, and even tears. CHERNOBOG'S BLOG PRESENTS: Top 10 Favorite Robin Williams Movies...We will miss you.
#10 Night at the Museum (2006) - Although Robin Williams only played a supporting role in these movies, (Night at the Museum 3 to be released later this year) with his unique presence and energy, he managed to make one of my favorite U.S. Presidents: Theodore 'Teddy' Roosevelt come alive, even if he was only a wax statue!
#9 Toys (1992) - Robin as Leslie Zevo is one of his strangest and wackiest characters ever. The movie itself is a bizarre experience with a very childlike but also very poignant story.
#8 Jack (1996) - Often underrated and criticized, Jack is one of Robin's most hilarious and yet most sympathetic characters as Jack Powell, the boy with a strange illness that makes him age 4X faster than a normal person.
#7 What Dreams May Come (1998) - While one of his most unsuccessful movies, possibly due to the intensely deep and disturbing subject matter, Robin stars as Chris Nielsen, a man who dies in a car crash and searches the afterlife for his wife.
#6 Bicentennial Man (1999) - Robin stars as Andrew Martin an android who endeavors to become more human.
#5 Popeye (1980) - "I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam!" 'Nuff said.
#4 Hook (1991) - Robin plays Peter Banning, a grown up Peter Pan who has forgotten his life in Never Land until Capt. Hook (Dustin Hoffman) kidnaps his children forcing him to return is one of my favorite movies of all time.
#3 Aladdin (1992) - With his voice giving life to the Genie in one of my favorite Disney animated features, Robin stole the show and created one of the most enigmatic and beloved Disney characters of all time.
#2 Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) - Quite possibly one of his most popular and memorable roles, Robin as Daniel Hillard, a divorcee father who disguises himself as an elderly woman is both incredibly hilarious and completely ridiculous at the same time...and that's what makes it his funniest movie ever!
#1 Dead Poets Society (1989) - This movie inspired me to become a teacher and also gave me a deeper appreciation for both literature and poetry. Robin Williams as John Keating will always be "Oh Captain, My Captain!"
On the morning of Thursday, May 2nd 2013, Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman died from liver failure near his home in Southern California. He was 49 years old. The incredibly fast and heavy guitar player for THE heaviest thrash metal band in the world today will be dearly missed by his fellow, founding bandmates: Tom Araya (bass/vocals), Kerry King (guitar) and Dave Lombardo (drums). Back in early 2011, Jeff had contracted necrotizing fasciitis. which originated from a spider bite, which may have led to his untimely death. Since then, Gary Holt of Exodus has been filling in for Jeff. Slayer was founded in 1981 in Huntington Park, California. Noted for their ultra-heavy, aggressive style and "break-neck" speed, including fast tremolo picking and double bass drumming, Slayer became one of the most successful thrash metal bands int he world earning their place in the "Big 4" of thrash metal alongside Anthrax, Megadeth, and Metallica. Hanneman was a key member in Slayer and was one of the main contributors to their musical arrangement and lyrics. Slayer has been regarded as one of the most influential metal bands, giving rise to some of the heavier/hardcore metal bands of the 1990's. Among the band's two Grammy awards and three nominations, Hanneman and King were ranked number 10 in Guitar World's "100 greatest metal guitarists of all time" in 2004,and were also voted "Best Guitarist/Guitar Team" in Revolver's reader's poll. With the death of their friend, brother and bandmate, it is uncertain what the future will hold for Slayer, but to quit now would only dishonor the memory of him who would want the band to continue to bring their music to the world.
Earlier today, Slayer issued a statement on their Facebook page of their tragic loss:
"Slayer is devastated to inform that their bandmate and brother, Jeff Hanneman, passed away at about 11AM this morning near his Southern California home. Hanneman was in an area hospital when he suffered liver failure. He is survived by his wife Kathy, his sister Kathy and his brothers Michael and Larry, and will be sorely missed. Our Brother Jeff Hanneman, May He Rest In Peace (1964 - 2013)"
Update: On May 10th, it was confirmed that Jeff hanneman died of liver failure caused by alcohol.
Back in 1981, now successful director Sam Raimi (The Spider-Man Trilogy, Oz the Great and Powerful), produced and directed his first independent horror film The Evil Dead, based on his 1978 short film Within The Woods. Although the film had a somewhat mild success in it's theatrical release as a cult film, the movie prospered in the then fledgling home video/VHS market and still lives on today as a modern horror classic. Along with it's campy remake/sequel Evil Dead 2 (1987), and final chapter Army of Darkness (1993), the Evil Dead Trilogy remains a fan favorite with many horror movie aficionados and made it's B-movie star Bruce Campbell, a horror icon, it even inspired the popular Evil Dead: The Musical, now playing in Las Vegas! Now, over 30 years later, rookie, Uruguay-born, director Fede Alvarez (Panic Attack! (2009)), along with the help of producers Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell and Robert Tapert (the original Evil Dead Trilogy), brings us the ultra-bloody remake simply titled Evil Dead! When five friends come to a secluded cabin in the woods, they discover an ominous book and inadvertently unleash a demonic force that threatens to kill them and steal their very souls!
Mia (Jane Levy) is a recovering drug addict, who, along with her estranged brother David (Shiloh Fernandez) and friends: Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci), Olivia (Jessica Lucas) and Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore) come to their old family cabin in the woods, long neglected after the death of Mia and David's mother, to attempt an intervention. While Mia has sworn to quit "cold-turkey", suffering through "DTs", to make matters worse, during the night, a peculiar smell and blood stains draws them to the basement. Beneath them they find the horrific remnants of a bizarre ritual and a mysterious book wrapped in barbed-wire. While David and his friends are trying to help Mia make it through the night, Eric curiously opens the "Book of the Dead" and unknowingly summons an evil presence in the woods that takes possession of Mia and the others, killing them off one-by-one in the most horrific manner!
Cover of Fangoria #322
As a devoted fan of the original trilogy (and proud owner of the Limited Edition "Book of the Dead" DVD, signed by none other than Bruce 'Ash' Campbell himself!) I was reluctant to accept yet another '80's horror remake and risk being disappointed like so many others in the past few years (i.e. Friday the 13th (2009), A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010), Fright Night (2011)). Despite my reservations, I knew from the first 5-minutes that there was something that seemed very original and yet altogether unsettling about this movie. Very rarely does a horror movie really scare me, other than those original horror masterpieces like The Shining (1980), Poltergeist (1982) and of course, the original Evil Dead (1981). I must admit, even for me, there were a few scenes that were so intense, I could feel my heart pounding (and that's rare). From the very beginning, with it's unexpected and rather violent prologue, audiences are thrown head-first into what critics are calling: "The most terrifying film you will ever experience!" Overall, the movie is essentially the same as the original, even the story and plot. As we first lay our eyes on that infamous cabin, we feel like we are returning to someplace familiar. There's even a nod to the original movie when we first meet Mia, she's actually sitting on the hood of what appears to be Ash's (or Sam's) 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 "Classic" from the original movie, although now completely rusted and derelict. Despite it's differences, which are obvious as the film progresses, there are many similarities which director Fede Alvarez admitted: "Story wise, it's a remake with the same house and the same idea, but with new characters, and technically it's not intended as a sequel or a prequel." (Fangoria #322, April 2013)
As for the main "object of interest" in the movie, that being the evil tome known as "The Book of the Dead" (a.k.a. The Necronomicon ex mortis) although similar, is never really mentioned by name and it lacks the face-like features on the cover and the insides are covered with various scribbles and bloodstains, (no doubt added by other unwary readers). The character of Eric, although seemingly the smartest of the bunch and apparently a high school teacher at that, is actually the most foolish as he proceeds to read the book and even speaks the very same words that summoned the demons in the original movie. While the characters seem more real and believable, as does their seemingly justifiable reason for being at the cabin, the movie tends to focus especially on Mia. Despite being a drug-addicted, artist with issues, it presents her as the ultimate victim and with the character of David, her brother as the savior trying to save her mind, body and eventually, soul from the things that "possess" her, whether it be drugs or "deadites". For all intents and purposes, the whole experience could merely be seen as some kind of drug-induced withdrawal hallucination! There are also some very deep emotional and psychological aspects to the movie, however they are somewhat overpowered by the gore. As for the sheer intensity and overall gory-ness of the movie, it is completely over-the-top (although not necessarily a bad thing!)! So much so, that many consider Evil Dead to have broken the R-rating! ThisEvil Dead does seem to do everything possible to push the limits of horror violence, particularly when it comes to the blood and gore. Then of course there is the infamous "tree rape scene" which does appear in this version, is just as disturbing, if not more so. The violence is especially brutal and bloody in many horrifying and gut-wrenching scenes. (And yes there are chainsaws involved!) For an audience that has already experienced the gory, "torture-porn" trend like with the recent Saw (2004) or Hostel (2005) movies. Evil Dead's gore seems much on the same level, however with a more supernatural element to it that goes far beyond the campy mayhem of Evil Dead 2. Evil Dead is insanely intense and quite possibly the BLOODIEST movie I have ever seen! The reaction from movie goers and horror fan's alike have been overwhelmingly positive and encouraging. Following it's strong Internet promotion including the "Dare To Share Your Scare" on YouTube which included the explicit "Red Band" Trailer, audiences were given a much anticipated preview of the sheer terror and gore that was to be expected with this movie. For those horror fans that may dismiss the hype and doubters like I was, given that Evil Dead is in fact a "remake", it proves itself to those expecting just another remake. I'm actually quite impressed as to the level at which director Fede Alvarez has gone to present us with this truly terrifying and amazing experience without disrespecting the original film (and especially NOT replacing the iconic 'Ash' character!). Some of that may come from the fact that both the original producers and director of the original Evil Dead as well as Bruce "Ash" Campbell himself not only co-produced this remake, but fully endorsed it as well. With all the success that Sam Raimi has had over the years, he could have easily just remade the movie himself with a big-budget and lavish special effects. But, no! The fact that the film-makers relied heavily on practical special effects and make-up is a testament to the legacy of horror filmmakers such as Sam Raimi, Peter Jackson and Guillermo Del Toro who have let the new generation of film-makers like Fede Alvarez take up the cause and give us "true horror"! By the way, be sure to stay after the credits for a "groovy" surprise!
"With any good remake, it's not about taking shortcuts. You don't want to do a strict copy of those who know and love the original...For the fans who really know the story, it's about giving them something new and showing them fresh ideas, because they know the old ones. For the new audience that has no idea about the original, or heard about it but haven't seen it, or claim they saw it a long time ago, which means they never saw it [laughs]...For them, it's not relevant that you use ideas from a movie they haven't seen, but as a filmmaker you feel like you want to bring those things back..." Fede Alvarez (Fangoria #322, April 2013)
Ray Bradbury (August 22, 1920 - June 5, 2012) was one of the greatest speculative fiction writers of the 20th Century. A major figure in the world of science fiction, fantasy, horror and mystery; many of his works have been adapted into comics, TV and film. He was a strong advocate of books and reading and influenced generations of readers, writers and filmmakers. Among his many awards and honors include a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, The National Medal of Arts Award, World Fantasy Award and The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America named the Ray Bradbury Award in his honor. While Bradbury was known for his famous and award winning novels, he was also a prolific short story writer as well as the writer of many plays, screenplays and children's books. In memoriam of his death, CHERNOBOG'S BLOG PRESENTS My Top 10 Favorite Works by Ray Bradbury...he will be missed.
#10 From the Dust Returned (2001) - A short-story collection of older stories featuring cover art by Charles Addams ("The Addams Family").
#9 Dandelion Wine (1957) - A collection of short-stories which take place in the Summer of 1928 in Green Town, Illinois reminiscent of Bradbury's hometown.
#8 Dinosaur Tales (1983) - A short-story collection about Dinosaurs. I shared the same love for Dinosaurs as Bradbury did as a boy and this was one of my first short-story collections I read.
#7 Dark Carnival (1947) - Bradbury's first short-story collection published by Arkham House (also responsible for re-publishing the works of H.P. Lovecraft)
#6 The Halloween Tree (1972) - A group of boys go out trick-or-treating which sets them off on a journey through time and space to rescue their friend. I read it every Halloween!
#5 The Illustrated Man (1951) - A collection of science-fiction short-stories that explores the nature of mankind revolving around a man's collection of tattoos.
#4 "There Will Come Soft Rains" (1950, also included in "The Martian Chronicles") - A short-story about a futuristic, fully automated, house which continues to operate despite the absence of the family, long dead, until it burns down.
#3 The Martian Chronicles (1950) - The classic science-fiction story collection chronicling the colonization of Mars by humans fleeing a doomed Earth.
#2 Fahrenheit 451 (1953) - Bradbury's classic dystopian novel of a futuristic American society where books are outlawed and burned. One of his most influential books which is both celebrated and banned in schools and libraries all over the world. Bradbury's admitted message in the book is not about censorship but about how TV destroys interest in reading literature.
#1 Something Wicked This Way Comes (1962) - A sinister travelling circus comes to a small Midwestern town and terrorizes two young boys. This was the first novel of his I ever read, but I was first exposed to it from watching the 1983 live-action Disney movie adaptation with Jason Robards and Jonathan Pryce, which scarred the hell outta me too!
