Wooley & Torgo's September Excite-o-rama!

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Aww, thanks. Hold on, I'm not sure if that's complimentary...

True story: These guys once 69'd with Bette Midler in a closet during a party in the 70s, which many witnesses got to hear. It must have been a pretty big closet to fit all of their jaws.



True story: These guys once 69'd with Bette Midler in a closet during a party in the 70s, which many witnesses got to hear. It must have been a pretty big closet to fit all of their jaws.
So that's what she meant by "you got to have friends."



Victim of The Night
Here's a blast from the past. I'm also not sure how it would hold up but it was fun on acid in high school.
I think I've watched it in various states of mind and it holds up.



Victim of The Night
I am confused why I don't like it that much, especially since I like everything else Walter Hill has directed. It's just one of those rare occasions where a movie has a lot of things I like - rock 'n roll, gang fights, it takes place in a possible future, etc. - and it does little for me. Rockatansky had a similar reaction to Mandy, if I remember correctly, and even though I love that movie, I can relate. Hopefully, that's not my reaction to Rock & Rule because it looks like it was made for me!
Well, while I don't get it I do know that you're not alone in feeling that way, so I'll let it slide.

I would really be interested to hear what other people thought of Rock & Rule.





I've wanted to watch this movie again since I finished the very good Netflix series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance and this thread gave me as good an excuse as any to do so. Coming across like an epic even though it's only a little over 90 minutes long, it takes place in a broken world - as evidenced by the titular broken jewel - and focuses on two races who could not be any more different. There's the Mystics, who as their name implies are always looking to the skies for answers, and the Skeksis - one of the most gruesome and unappealing villains in all of fiction, if you ask me - who are only concerned with their ill-gotten power. Our hero, though, is Jen, the apparent last member of the Gelfling race who is prophesized to restore the crystal and thus balance.

This may say more about me than the movies I watch, but so many of them these days have me reaching for my cell phone. This one, on the other hand, made me put it down. Not only is every frame a visual feast, but they also reward the observant eye whether it's the cleverly designed flora and fauna in the woods or the crowd of Podlings in the wings of the palace. Also, the painted vistas and puppetry hold up despite their age and have a physicality and personal touch that even the most sophisticated modern CGI could not replicate. The movie is labeled as dark fantasy, which I think fits given the subject matter and how revolting the villains are - especially during the dinner scene - but it still manages to be adorable and funny and at just the right times. Fizzgig and the Podlings - the non-turned ones, that is - have a lot to do with this, as does the irascible Aughra, who comes across like a mix of Tom Bombadil from The Lord of the Rings and Dorothy from Golden Girls. Credit also goes to Trevor Jones' score, especially for how it adds so much atmosphere and wonder with its simple motif.

Like the best fantasy, there is much more to take in while watching this movie beyond its imagination, lore, and old-fashioned underdog story. I can relate to its desire for those in power, who lately seem to fall into the movie's dominant camps, to understand one another, come together and that in doing so would make our world one worth living in and preserving. If there's a fault in the movie worth calling out, it's that it could be more tonally consistent, especially when it comes to the scary scenes. While I've praised the comic relief, it reminded me of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie - which the Hensons also worked on, coincidentally - in that the violence does not always mesh with the scenes that are meant to appeal to children. Granted, I first watched this movie as an adult, but scenes like the one where the Skeksis drain the poor Podling's essence are pure nightmare fuel. Despite this flaw, I still rank this as one of the best fantasy movies I've seen and consider it an achievement in puppetry on par with the original Yoda. It's just too bad that with the Netflix series' cancellation, we may never get to visit this world again.



Victim of The Night


I've wanted to watch this movie again since I finished the very good Netflix series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance and this thread gave me as good an excuse as any to do so. Coming across like an epic even though it's only a little over 90 minutes long, it takes place in a broken world - as evidenced by the titular broken jewel - and focuses on two races who could not be any more different. There's the Mystics, who as their name implies are always looking to the skies for answers, and the Skeksis - one of the most gruesome and unappealing villains in all of fiction, if you ask me - who are only concerned with their ill-gotten power. Our hero, though, is Jen, the apparent last member of the Gelfling race who is prophesized to restore the crystal and thus balance.

This may say more about me than the movies I watch, but so many of them these days have me reaching for my cell phone. This one, on the other hand, made me put it down. Not only is every frame a visual feast, but they also reward the observant eye whether it's the cleverly designed flora and fauna in the woods or the crowd of Podlings in the wings of the palace. Also, the painted vistas and puppetry hold up despite their age and have a physicality and personal touch that even the most sophisticated modern CGI could not replicate. The movie is labeled as dark fantasy, which I think fits given the subject matter and how revolting the villains are - especially during the dinner scene - but it still manages to be adorable and funny and at just the right times. Fizzgig and the Podlings - the non-turned ones, that is - have a lot to do with this, as does the irascible Aughra, who comes across like a mix of Tom Bombadil from The Lord of the Rings and Dorothy from Golden Girls. Credit also goes to Trevor Jones' score, especially for how it adds so much atmosphere and wonder with its simple motif.

Like the best fantasy, there is much more to take in while watching this movie beyond its imagination, lore, and old-fashioned underdog story. I can relate to its desire for those in power, who lately seem to fall into the movie's dominant camps, to understand one another, come together and that in doing so would make our world one worth living in and preserving. If there's a fault in the movie worth calling out, it's that it could be more tonally consistent, especially when it comes to the scary scenes. While I've praised the comic relief, it reminded me of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie - which the Hensons also worked on, coincidentally - in that the violence does not always mesh with the scenes that are meant to appeal to children. Granted, I first watched this movie as an adult, but scenes like the one where the Skeksis drain the poor Podling's essence are pure nightmare fuel. Despite this flaw, I still rank this as one of the best fantasy movies I've seen and consider it an achievement in puppetry on par with the original Yoda. It's just too bad that with the Netflix series' cancellation, we may never get to visit this world again.
As I said elsewhere, this is an absolute favorite from my youth that I've enjoyed every time I revisited it. And I'm genuinely bummed out about the excellent show being cancelled.
Aughra was my favorite. And Chamberlain for his part, I guess.



As I said elsewhere, this is an absolute favorite from my youth that I've enjoyed every time I revisited it. And I'm genuinely bummed out about the excellent show being cancelled.
Aughra was my favorite. And Chamberlain for his part, I guess.
I've been posting these in the Rate... thread so they're counted as reviews in case you were wondering.

But yeah, I love it as an adult, but I wish I'd seen it as a kid because I'm sure it would've blown my young mind. Also, the Chancellor rules. Best decision the series made? Retaining that little curious groan noise he makes! I love that. Oh, and the Game of Thrones series sucks. Least payoff of anything I was obsessed with from the last decade.

I'll post about something that's not from the '80s eventually. That decade, like these genres, is my bread & butter.



When it comes to its visuals and its world building, few films knock it out of the park as hard as Dark Crystal.


And, personally, I miss the days when a kids movie was designed not only to instill wonder in children, but was also willing to terrify the freckles off of them. I think it took about ten years off my life when I watched it in the theatre, and probably is one of the three movies that convinced me the world was much too frightening a place to ever voluntarily participate in. Somehow it articulates corruption, villainy and death with such unfliching clarity, its make believe world really puts the real one we live in into way too much focus.



Victim of The Night
I've been posting these in the Rate... thread so they're counted as reviews in case you were wondering.

But yeah, I love it as an adult, but I wish I'd seen it as a kid because I'm sure it would've blown my young mind. Also, the Chancellor rules. Best decision the series made? Retaining that little curious groan noise he makes! I love that. Oh, and the Game of Thrones series sucks. Least payoff of anything I was obsessed with from the last decade.

I'll post about something that's not from the '80s eventually. That decade, like these genres, is my bread & butter.
I don't know what the bolded means. Counted by who?

Otherwise, I'm sorry you didn't get to see it as a kid, I was just young enough for it to not get caught in that zone where you're too old for it and then got to see it as an adult when that no longer matters.
Yeah, Chamberlain's noise is great. I thought the voice actors were amazing for that show.
Lotta good material in these genres from the 80s.



I don't know what the bolded means. Counted by who?
There's a checkbox on the Post Reply page that adds reviews to this collection when you check it. I was missing some necessary details for it to be added, but I put them in that other thread because I didn't want to gum this one up with them.

As for crumbs' post about scary stuff in children's entertainment, it's an interesting topic. I still remember scenes like seeing Gmork in The Neverending Story, the lost souls room in Beetlejuice, tons of stuff in The Wizard of Oz, etc. like I saw them yesterday. Did they warp me a bit, make me a little more world-weary and give me something to talk about? Yes. Were they good for me? I'm not sure. Did they traumatize me? Not really. I do think animators, directors, etc. should risk scaring kids as long as it's not in too bad of taste, of course.



As for crumbs' post about scary stuff in children's entertainment, it's an interesting topic. I still remember scenes like seeing Gmork in The Neverending Story, the lost souls room in Beetlejuice, tons of stuff in The Wizard of Oz, etc.
Have you seen Return to Oz? An interesting mid-80s film that usually gets put in the "way-too-disturbing-for-children" category. But a very interesting film to look back on.



There are some movies I loved as a child that I found out as an adult really weren't well received when they were released.
The Dark Crystal, The Thing, The Black Cauldron.


I haven't revisited The Black Cauldron since I don't know when. At latest, my teenage years, but even that's probably later than reality. I do sometimes wonder what I'd think of it today.


I remember revisiting The Dark Crystal in adulthood and still remember being a fan. No idea how Labyrinth would hold up for me though.



Have you seen Return to Oz? An interesting mid-80s film that usually gets put in the "way-too-disturbing-for-children" category. But a very interesting film to look back on.
I have, but like Dark Crystal, it was as an adult. I'm sure the Wheelers would've given me nightmares as a kid since I find them freakish now.

Speaking of, I wonder if nightmare fuel, overly scary moments in children's entertainment, etc. are even things any more. I say this because it seems like they're often side effects of mistakes, having to do more with less, etc. That probably sounds arrogant since I don't know what freaks out children these days, but when you consider how much meticulously-detailed CGI is in our entertainment lately, nightmare fuel seems less likely to occur.



Speaking of, I wonder if nightmare fuel, overly scary moments in children's entertainment, etc. are even things any more. I say this because it seems like they're often side effects of mistakes, having to do more with less, etc. That probably sounds arrogant since I don't know what freaks out children these days, but when you consider how much meticulously-detailed CGI is in our entertainment lately, nightmare fuel seems less likely to occur.
I think there's plenty of nightmare fuel out there, and, what's more, I think it's necessary. I think nightmare fuel is an important reason why these archetypes have perpetrated for as long as they have. I'm not saying "terrify your children", I'm just saying that a certain amount of terror (for a child is almost indistinguishable from 'awe') is healthy, and a necessary part of the emotional and imaginative coping mechanisms.



I think there's plenty of nightmare fuel out there, and, what's more, I think it's necessary. I think nightmare fuel is an important reason why these archetypes have perpetrated for as long as they have. I'm not saying "terrify your children", I'm just saying that a certain amount of terror (for a child is almost indistinguishable from 'awe') is healthy, and a necessary part of the emotional and imaginative coping mechanisms.
It's true:






I forgot the opening line.
As a kid I think I quite enjoyed getting an awful fright during a film that led me through some pretty dark places - and The Dark Crystal did that so expertly that I demanded my parents take me to see it more than once.
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Victim of The Night

So.
Imagine if you took all the worst instincts of the not-so-good parts of Return Of The Jedi and repackaged them as a full length Fantasy film that you then somehow managed to make seem like it was made on half its actual budget.
Here ya go.
I can probably name ten better sword and sorcery movies without using Google.
Also, I'm just gonna say it, Warwick Davis was no Peter Dinklage.

Shoulda watched Krull.



Was that your first time watching Willow? I'm pretty sure I've never seen it. I was too old for such things when it came out. I've always intended to get around to it one day, but your review isn't encouraging. Dang.



Shoulda watched Krull.
Should've watched some Italian barbarian films

But yeah, Willow isn't that great. The red-headed daughter of the main villain is kinda hot, though, if I remember correctly.
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