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Late To The Party: ‘The Monster Squad’ (1987)

Published

7 years ago

October 25, 2017

Chris Fischer

It is with no great pleasure that I must admit to the crime of never once watching The Monster Squad before in my life, but here we are. Thankfully, even though this film is a classic 80’s movie that many have grown up with, I was able to avoid spoilers and experience this one hundred percent blind, and I could not have been more thankful for that.

Everything about this flick just oozes 80’s charm from the monster design, to the set design and acting. The only thing that could possibly make Monster Squad even more a product of the 80’s would be if Van Halen had composed the entire soundtrack. However, with that thought in mind, that does sound like it would be pretty awesome.

The plot to The Monster Squad is a relatively simple one, but enjoyable enough that it doesn’t detract from the overall experience. Monsters are real, bad shit happens, and it’s up to the local monster enthusiasts to save the day before the world is consumed by evil. Simple enough, but the real reason you’re watching the flick is for the characters, and their interactions to the insanity unfolding around them.

Image Credit: The Monster Squad

The child actors were great in this movie, especially considering it’s a “family” movie from 1987. I say family like that because for a PG-13 movie, it treads on some seriously dark territory. From the crumbling marriage of Sean and Phoebe’s parents, to Scary German Guy being a Holocaust survivor, The Monster Squad is not afraid to explore the darker side of humanity.

The titular monster squad all have real on-screen chemistry and genuinely feel like a group of young friends bonding over their mutual love of the horror genre. Even the side characters like Scary German Guy, yes that’s the only name the character is given, feel genuine and his interactions with the children are a joy to see on screen, if not just a tad bit on the creepy side.

And it’s not just the human characters who excel, the monsters are fantastic in their own right. The star of the bunch of misfits being none other than Frankenstein’s monster, who was sent to kill our young protagonists and instead befriends the young monster hunters. Watching the monster learn and interact on screen, albeit brief, was genuinely heartwarming and I certainly had a smile on my face during every one of his scenes.

Image Credit: The Monster Squad

Other than Frankenstein’s monster we are treated to The Mummy, The Creature From The Black Lagoon, The Wolfman and finally, Count Dracula himself. The mummy and good old fishman felt like throwaway characters, as they never really do much during the course of the film other than be the butt of a few jokes here and there. The Wolfman is a little better, but the few scenes where he is human are incredibly brief and don’t add much to the experience.

GIF Credit: The Monster Squad

As for Count Dracula, for me he was hit and miss. I personally thought it was a fantastic idea to not have him utter a single word until almost twenty minutes into the movie, giving off a more sinister vibe and having his first words be bone chilling. And then the actor beings to over act and phone it in a bit, essentially becoming a parody of the character, he’s portraying.

The overacting is not a problem necessarily, but it is jarring when in one scene Dracula is doing a serviceable job at being creepy and foreboding, only for the next screen to have him screaming and hammering away at a wall looking for his stolen amulet. The camp does begin to show itself during those moments, and it’s hard to tell if the scene is supposed to be taken seriously or not.

When Monster Squad starts out strong, and holds your attention until the final credit roll that much cannot be denied. What it does well it does extremely so, unfortunately the same goes for when the film stumbles. And it’s at these moments that the experience is diluted, though thankfully not ruined.

Image Credit: The Monster Squad

Look, Monster Squad is a damn good time, even when it’s trying a little too hard to be scary or funny. It’s not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but what movie is? I enjoyed my time with The Monster Squad, and all that 80’s fun has certainly gotten me even more excited for the premiere of Stranger Things season two this Friday.

Be sure to tune in next week for another edition of Late To The Party, this time we’ll be taking a look at 2006’s Hatchet.

Feature Image Credit: Chris Fischer

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Movies

Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

Published

1 hour ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.

Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.

The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.

Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”

Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.

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Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

Published

3 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.

“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.

Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.

The prize also includes:

An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings

A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear

A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room

A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course

The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II

Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two

“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”

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Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.

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Movies

’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power

Published

5 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.

**Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes**

Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.

Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.

There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.