OLD SCHOOL APRIL 2025 - WEEK FOUR

 WOW!  We're embarking on the final week (+1) of Old School April already?!?!?!  What the what?!?!?!? 

I'll admit to running out of steam a little during the final stretch but I was still plugging along for my team SCOOBIES!!!!  

BOOKS READ

        This is my very first Christopher Pike book and I must admit I was a little disappointed.  The first half of the book was really good.  Pike brought the characters to vivid life and the stories each character would tell during the car drive were rivetting.  But by the second half of the book, things started to lose steam and the stories/plotting got kinda scattered and less effective.  Also, for over 75% of the book, it is not a horror novel at all.  I, of course, did suspect that the entire book would eventually be shown to be horror but there was no indication of it for most of the book.  Again, this isn't really a bad point since the non-horror part of the book was actually better than the end horror reveal.  Still a good read but not great.  Fulfilled the prompts:  Retro, Time Warp, Neon, I Love Lucy, Teen Witch, VHS, Throwback, Singing in the Rain, The Breakfast Club, Monster Squad, The Goonies, My Girl, Nirvana and New Kids On the Block.  Total:  14 points. 

GOOSEBUMPS:  ASSAULT OF THE GRAVEYARD GHOULS - 

        Knocked off another GOOSEBUMPS; not one of the OGs but from the GOOSEBUMPS 2000 series.  I really enjoyed this one too.  The first half of the book is all spooky graveyards and foggy nights while the second half has a sorta "FREAKY FRIDAY" thing going on with spirits jumping in and out of bodies -- human AND animal.  This was a fun one.  Fulfilled the prompts: Retro, Time Warp, Air Bud, You're In For A Scare..., The Sixth Sense, Saved By the Bell, Ferngully, Giallo, Monster Squad, The Goonies, My Girl and Nirvana.  Total:  12 points.

 

FEAR STREET:  THE WRONG NUMBER -  From what I've heard, this is one of the higher-rated FEAR STREETs and I have to agree.  I thought this was really great.  No supernatural stuff but a really nice YA slasher-type book with two kickass teens Deena and Jade as our heroines -- oh yeah, and Chuck was pretty good too although he spent half the book in the hoozcow.  Nice masked killer vibe as well; you may figure out who is in the mask almost immediately but that doesn't affect the enjoyment of the book one iota.  Really really great!  Fulfilled the prompts:  Retro, Time Warp, Scary Spice, I Love Lucy, VHS, Throwback, The Sixth Sense, Saved By the Bell, The Goonies and My Girl.  Total:  10 points. 

MARTIAL ARTS MOVIES ALMANAC:  1979  -  

        When I was a kid in the 1970s, kung fu movies were everywhere on TV . . . and I never watched a single ONE of them!!!  But I still get nostalgic for them because a) I saw the beginning of every KUNG FU THEATER or BLACK BELT THEATER on some UHF channel or, later, some basic cable channel all throughout my teenyager years and b) about 15 years ago my co-worker Robert at the hotel we worked at got me seriously into kung fu/martial arts movies so that now I absolutely love them!  Robert grew up loving them so I asked him one night to recommend some really good ones.  We worked the overnight shift at the hotel and we could watch DVDs so for a couple years I was schooled in these movies and it was basically the only good part of that job!  Plus there's nothing more 70's than kung fu movies; even the 1980s ones. Of course, the name of the book tells us that all these kung fu movies discussed are from the year 1979.  Fulfilled the prompts:  Indiana Jones, Off the rack, The Sixth Sense and True Life.  Total:  4 points. 

DISNEY'S THE HAUNTED HOUSE -  

        Um . . . is this the only picture book I managed to get read during OSA?  Naw, is it???  Oh no, there was another one THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE ATTIC too.  I mean, if I only read 1 picture book this month, that would be pathetic since they take about 5 minutes to read.  Anyway, this is NOT the LONESOME GHOSTS cartoon in book form (which I think I thought it was when I bought it) but instead features Mickey, Donald & Pluto breaking down in their car and coming upon a haunted-looking house.  Inside, of course, are the requisite robbers using the place as a hideout.  This book has copyright 1975 on it and, I think, every movie and TV show from BENJI to THE HARDY BOYS/NANCY DREW MYSTERIES had to, by law, use this plot.  But that's what makes it so nice and cozy.  Fulfilled the prompts:  Retro, Time Warp, Scary Spice, Air Bud, Ferngully, Muppet Babies, Giallo, Scooby Doo, and Nirvana.  Total:  9 points. 

SAGA MAGAZINE & UFO REPORT:  BERMUDA TRIANGLE SPECIAL REPORT 1977  -  

        Also in the 70s, the Bermuda Triangle was big stuff.  I was a kid who actually had the paperback Charles Berlitz Bermuda Triangle book and, nicely & serendipitously, Berlitz himself is interviewed in this very magazine!  I bought an issue of OFFICIAL UFO and SAGA magazine's own UFO REPORT here and there in the 70's and these are also VERY nostalgic for me; not only the articles but also those familiar, wacky 70's magazine ads!  I love them.  Now, I'm not really much of a UFO believer nor am I a disbeliever but these mags as well as TV shows like IN SEARCH OF were catnip to me then as well as now.  Other articles in this special edition include Flight 19, strange underwater wheels of light, Atlantis has been found, limbo of the damned, the Tasmanian Globster and the Stonehenge Connection.  Absolute primo 70's new-agey nonsense and I love it!  Fulfilled the Prompts:  Retro, Time Warp, VHS, Off the Rack, The Sixth Sense, Giallo, True Life and Nirvana.  Total:  8 points. 

MOVIES WATCHED 

 HORROR OF DRACULA  -  

        So, it wasn't till the final week in April that I STARTED rewatching the Hammer Draculas.  Do you think I'll get them all watched in a week?  Yeah, me neither.  Let's wait and see what happens by the bottom of this here post, shall we?   Anyway, what's there to say about this movie?  If it's not THE best Dracula film it's one of the top couple best, innit?  Certainly no close adaptation of the book  but I was never that great  fan of the book anyway.  I mean, the book starts out well but then Van Helsing arrives and Stoker writes his dialogue in phonetically-spelled pidgen English which is INCREDIBLY annoying to have to wade through and read.   On any re-read of the OG novel, I usually quit around Van Helsing's first appearance.  A terrible slog.  However, the Hammer DRACULA is certainly no slog; it's a joy from start to finish!!!  Fulfilled the prompts: Made in a country outside your own, made before 2006, blue or red on the poster, from the 70's or earlier and a film that could give you nightmares.  Total:  5 points. 

THE GOODBYE GIRL  -  

        I was never a fan of Marsha Mason.  That's probably why this Oscar-winning turn by Richard Dreyfuss was never watched by me until now.  And yes, Mason was kinda insufferable in this movie; self-pitying and cold and nasty to our Dreyfuss.  But that's in the script so not really her fault. She wasn't bad but I was still rooting for Dreyfuss to find another girlfriend.  Fulfilled the prompts:  Woman is main character, a romance, made before 2006, a family friendly film, red on the poster, released in the 70's or earlier and a comedy.  Total:  7 points. 

THE BRIDES OF DRACULA - 

        Second Hammer Dracula; this one without Christopher Lee.  Everybody loves this one.  I've always found it wanting.  Good but not as great as everyone seems to think it is.  However, this is probably the most beautiful looking Hammer Dracula ever filmed.  The first act is actually great; it's the second act that sags.  Fulfilled the prompts:  a woman as main character, made outside your country, a sequel, made before 2006, red on poster, a school setting, from the 70s or earlier, and a film that could give you nightmares.  Total:  8 points. 

DEADLY FORCE  -  

        Joe Lynch, on his letterboxd account, says that "In a perfect alternative universe we'd have 7 Stoney Cooper movies" and I couldn't agree more.  I would've loved to see a series of Stoney Cooper action flicks starring the late, great Wings Hauser.  Brilliant bonehead fun!  I could watch this movie a million times.  A 1980's synth score that's off the scale.  You gotta keep on fighting just to survive!  Fulfilled the prompts:  made before 2006, an action thriller and red on the poster.  Total:  3 points. 

 

LIZA:  A TRULY TERRIFIC ABSOLUTELY TRUE STORY - 

        New documentary about Liza is a nostalgia bomb for me. Back in the mid-1980s. my late friend Paul & I were driving to Atlantic City to see a concert or show; I can't remember which at this time.  But for some reason, Paul's car was in the shop and he had to borrow his father's car.  Now neither Paul nor I thought to bring any music with us (and I was famous for my big blue double sides cassette tape carrying case I took with us on every road trip).  Yes, these were the days of cassette players in cars and yes, I still have that blue tape case and it still has all the OG cassette in it).  Anyway, Paul's Dad only had ONE cassette tape in his car so we listened to that tape over and over and over on the drive there and back.  The cassette had Neil Diamond's THE JAZZ SINGER soundtrack on one side and Liza Minnelli's LIZA WITH A Z concert on the other.  Before this drive, I never listened to either one of them but, by the time Paul dropped me back off at home, I loved both of those albums.  LIZA WITH A Z, of course, was Liza's award-winning TV concert film from the early 70's and it's still a favourite of mine to this day.  Plus the added poignancy of the fact that it was my late friend who introduced the album to me.  And here's this new Liza documentary and yes, it was awesome.  Fulfilled the prompts:  a woman as the main 'character', a documentary and red and/or blue on the poster.  Total:  3 points.  

PHANTOMS  -  

        This looks to be the last movie I'll watch during OSA.  It's a rewatch of a Dean Koontz movie so there's that.  But yeah, I haven't watched if for 7 years so why not; it gives me a chance to break in my new 4K of it, yo.  And yes, it's a late 90's movie so I did my best to put a poster up there that does NOT feature those lame floating heads.  Fulfilled the prompts: a woman as main character, made before 2006 and could give you nightmares.  Total:  3 points.   

TV EPISODES WATCHED 

  PERRY MASON - 11 

THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW - 3 

ONE STEP BEYOND  -  3  

ROWAN & MARTIN'S LAUGH-IN  -  1 

DARKWING DUCK - 1  

SPIDER-MAN  - 2  

ALL IN THE FAMILY  -  2  

SEA HUNT  -  1 

MXC - 1

SUPERNATURAL - 1 

ACTIVITIES DOODED 

       WATCH AND COMMENT ON AN OSA-RELATED VLOG/VIDEO:  on 4/22, I watched Cameron's 3 1/2 hour bind-up video of his ULTIMATE FEAR STREET reading vlog!  Awesomest of sauce! 

ATTEND A SPRINT:  on 4/22 I attended the OSA HANG OUT + SPRINTS 

and on 4/26 I attended the OSA SPRINTS + SLUMBER PARTY.  And then on 4/30 I attended the OSA Closing Sprint.  Total:  3 points.  

EAT A NOSTALGIC SNACK:  I got me some Scooby-Doo gummies for my Scooby Snacks.  Their existence came to my attention viz bexh77 on the Slumber Party Sprint.  ROOBY-ROOBY-ROOOOOOOOOOOO!!!  Total:  1 point. 

THIS WEEK'S CURVEBALL

This week there were 5 daily trivia questions for the week and if you answered them on the Discord -- right or wrong -- you get a point for each response.  Total:  5 points. 

Oh, and by the way, I totally failed on earning that trophy by watching 2 or more seasons of a TV show.  I was gonna watch 2 seasons of SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? -- being of team SCOOBIES and all -- but I only watched about 5 episodes of season 1.  What a failure!!! 

    Speaking of failures, I also tanked on the HAMMER FRANKENSTEIN/DRACULA PROJECT rewatch of all the Hammer Frankies & Dracys.  I rewatched  all the FRANKENSTEIN movies but only managed to get two films into the DRACULA series.  Did I earn a big fat goose egg?  Or is it a vampire bat egg?

So that brings this year's OSA to an end.  Don't know which team one but, when the results are tallied, I'll plop them down right here at the end of this post.  Old School April -- and this is my third year participating -- has come to mean a great deal to me.  My mother and I watched Kelsi's SLIME AND SLASHERS yootuberz channel for years.  Mom always said Kelsi always made her laugh.  Even in her declining years when she didn't feel that great, Mom always enjoyed Kelsi's channel and was really into the first time I participated in Old School April.  She followed every book and movie I watched for OSA with enthusiasm.  And although she passed away before my second OSA, I still dedicate each OSA to my Mom -- who would've loved following along with me each year. 

OLD SCHOOL APRIL 2025 - WEEK THREE

 ONE THING THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT IRRELEVENT, INCOMPETENT & IMMATERIAL IS WEEK 3 OF OLD SCHOOL APRIL! 

BOOKS READ: 

MOTHER DEAR by Ivy Tholen. 

        Kelsi's host rec!  I've already read and loved TASTES LIKE CANDY for OSA 2 years ago and this is my second Ivy Tholen novel and BOY WHATTA BOOK!  Probably one of my favourite families ever depicted in any form of media.  Ever.  Tholen proves herself a master at characterization with so many vivid, lovable and scary characters simultaneously.  And the plotting and situations are just incredible (in all senses of that word).  I just loved this book.  Bonkers from the first page!  Fulfilled the prompts:  Larger than Life, Neon, I Love Lucy, Indiana Jones, Pimp My Ride, Monsters Inc.,  and The Breakfast Club.  Total:  7 points.  

THE MUMMY AWAKES - 

        A book in the Bullseye Chillers series (a Goosebumps knockoff) written by R.L. Stine's brother & sister-in-law!!!  A Goosebumps knockoff couldn't get much closer.  I saw this book in a video by Cameron Chaney (if I remember correctly) and bought a used copy specifically to read for OSA.  A boy named Cameron (Is this why you wanted to read this, Cameron?!?! ha ha ha) goes to the museum his archeologist mother works at and goofs around waving an ancient Egyptian crook & flail over the mummy of a 12 year old boy.  The mummy suddenly comes to life and grabs Cameron's hand.  Cameron is convinced the mummy is out to kill him now; but, of course, no adult believes him -- neither do his school friends!  What's a kid to do?  This was an OK kid's mummy book that was VERY short (only 90+ pages of really BIG typeface) and doesn't have any real surprises in it.  The book does what any kids book called THE MUMMY AWAKES should do competently.  Special mention must go to the superb line art by Peter Peebles.  Fulfilled the prompts:  Retro, Time Warp, I Love Lucy, Teen Witch, Copycat, Get Shorty, Monster Squad, The Goonies, My Girl, Nirvana, and New Kids on the Block.  Total:  11 points.

MOVIES WATCHED:  

EXPLORERS  - 

        Another host rec movie watch!  And one I'd bizarrely never seen before.  Heavily influenced by E.T.,  this movie of 3 boys building a small ship that defied the laws of physics was directed by Joe Dante of all people and featured a very young River Phoenix and Ethan Hawke.  Quite entertaining for a while but quickly loses it's way when the boys take off into space and get swallowed by an alien ship; then things go off the rails into silly stupidness with Jar-Jar Binks-level aliens.  An OK watch.  Fulfilled the prompts:  Made before 2006, A kids movie, Blue on the poster, a school setting, a Sci-Fi movie, and a host rec.  Total: 6 points   

FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN - 

        Continuing my Hammer Frankenstein/Dracula rewatch project with this one:  a film I always found rather boring but on this rewatch I really enjoyed it. May even make me re-evaluate my long-held belief that FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN was the worst of the Cushing Frankenstein films.  Hmmm, this requires some brainwork.  Fulfilled the prompts:  Made in a country outside your own, a sequel, Made before 2006, Red on the poster (not the above poster, obviously), made in the 70's or earlier  and a film that could give you nightmares.  Total:  6 points.

THREE FUGITIVES - 

        Here's a 1989 action/comedy which the Finky Fink told me he always liked and I should watch.  This was SOOOOOOO 80's (and I mean that in a good way).  I have to admit this was quite funny and very enjoyable.  Finky Fink, I don't know whether this should join the Finky Five or not (being the 5 movies during the decades of our friendship which Fink recommended to me and all were awesome) but I liked it quite a bit! Fulfilled the prompts:  Made before 2006, an action movie, family friendly film and a comedy.  Total:  4 points.  

THE LION IN WINTER - 

        This film is probably in my top 5 favourite films of all time and OSA combined with the recently-released 4K were the perfect excuse to rewatch it.  The machinations of the Plantagenet family in 1183 (and they're ALL barbarians) is only slightly less cutthroat than the family in MOTHER DEAR by Ivy Tholen!   Fulfilled the prompts:  a woman main character, made in a country outside your own, made before 2006, Red on the poster, and made in the 70s or earlier.  Total:  5 points. 

THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE - 

        My co-worker Mr. Car-Tair said he remembers watching this movie back when he was a little kid and it scared the bejeezus outta him!  A grungy, grimy 70's horror flick with a kickass female protagonist -- could this be any more up my street?!?!?!?  This one is scary because it's not over the top but feels very realistic from start to finish.  A nasty quartet of filthy fukkuz terrorize a dick dentist and his date.  We hate the dentist and we hate the 4 creeps but we love Brenda Vaccaro and when she finally starts fighting back she's awesome!  Go Brenda Go!!!  Fulfilled the prompts:  A woman main character, from a country outside your own (Canadia - where my friend grew up), Made before 2006, a thriller, made in the 70's or earlier, blue on poster and could give you nightmares.  Total:  7 points. 

FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED -  

        Often considered the best of the Frankenstein Hammers and the high-point of the film series. Not only is Peter Cushing back once again as the mad doctor Frankenstein but also Thorley Walters returns.  In FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN, Walters was a dotty old doctor while here he is a brusque Police Inspector.  And Freddie Jones give a truly heartbreaking performance as the Creature.  I have to say that yes, this is probably my go-to Hammer Frankenstein as my favourite; with probably FRANKENSTEIN & THE MONSTER FROM HELL runner-up.  Fulfilled the prompts:  From a country outside your own, a sequel, Made before 2006, Red on the poster, Made in the 70s or earlier, and a film which could give you nightmares.  Total: 6 points. 

THE HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN - 

        The red-headed stepchild of the Hammer Frankensteins.  The idiots at Hammer decided that in 1970, after the swinging sixties, Peter Cushing was too old for the 'now' generation and decided to recast Baron Frankenstein in the form of Ralph Bates (whom they were grooming as their new horror star of the seventies).  All due respect to Bates (of whom I am a fan) but this was a bad move.  Another bad move was to make this installment rather silly and campy. A reboot before such a term was coined, HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN was a terrible misstep.  It's still enjoyable to watch owing mostly to the superb cast including the returning Veronica Carlson, a young Jon Finch, slinky Kate O'Mara, always fun Dennis Price, British charactor actors James Hayter (who did his time at Grace Bros. in ARE YOU BEING SERVED?) and Bernard Archard (best remembered by me from DOCTOR WHO: THE PYRAMIDS OF MARS) and muscleman David Prowse seemingly no-brainer casting as the Frankenstein Monster.  Fulfilling the prompts:   from a country outside your own, a sequel, made before 2006, so bad it's good, Red on poster, from the 70s or earlier and a film that could give you nightmares.  Total:  7 points.  

DEVIL DOLL - 

       I've had this movie for donkey's years and never watched it.  Then my monthly Vinegar Syndrome shipment arrived and danged if they didn't release a blu ray double feature of DEVIL DOLL paired with CURSE OF THE VOODOO.  Now, nothing could compel me to rewatch CURSE OF THE VOODOO (it's a dog turd of a movie) but here is DEVIL DOLL and I'm watching it for OSA.  This is the well-worn story of an evil ventriloquist/hypnotist and his evil, living dummy that, by 1964, was already pretty overdone.  But there's just something about those creepy ventriloquist dummies that would continue to feature in films and TV shows for decades after.  The dummy is named Hugo; unfortunately forcing a comparison between the best evil ventriloquist's dummy movie DEAD OF NIGHT.  Bryant Haliday has one of the greatest voices I've ever heard; he should've read audio books.  And Yvonne Romain (of Hammer's CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF) is good as our leading lady.  Other than that, there's not much else to say.   Except maybe that if you took DEAD OF NIGHT, SVENGALI and MAGIC , combined them into one film and made it REEEEEALLY DULL, you'd have DEVIL DOLL.  Fulfilled the prompts:  a film made outside your country (why did I always assume this was a Filipino film???), made before 2006, Red on poster (though obviously not the poster above), black and white film, and made in the 70s or earlier.  Total:  5 points. 

WE WANT THE FUNK  -  

       When I was a lil kid, most kid's parents listened to stodgy easy listening.  My mom, however, raised me on Sly & the Family Stone and David Bowie -- both of whom appear in this wonderful documentary about the history of funk music.  This was especially enjoyable because funk is one of my favourite genres of music (although I love practically all kinds of music as long as it's good!) and this doc has plenty of music performances in it to make me a happy lil tyke.  Another reason why the 70's was the greatest decade to grow up in!  Fulfilled the prompts:  Women (co-)director, a documentary and family friendly.  Total:  3 points. 

FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL - 

        And I finally reached the end of all the Hammer Frankenstein movies -- but not until the 19th of April which means, if I'm gonna get all the Hammer Draculas watched before the end of OSA, I'll have to get a wiggle on!  Cushing is back one final time as the Baron; this time a little old and dotty character fitting for what would be the final outing.   I've always had a soft spot for this one; it's featuring in Alan Frank's MONSTERS AND VAMPIRES book captured my attention long before I actually watched it and the look of the film has something of a "Ghastly Graham Ingels" look to it.  Wonderful.  Dave Prowse's monster is also iconic.  Fulfilled the prompts:  from a country outside your own, a sequel, made before 2006, Red on the poster, from the 70s or earlier, and a film that could give you nightmares.  Total:  6 points.

TV EPISODES WATCHED 

HOGAN'S HEROES - 2 

PERRY MASON - 5 

THE TWILIGHT ZONE - 3 

THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW  -  2 

THE OUTER LIMITS - 1 

ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS - 1 

KOLCHAK:  THE NIGHT STALKER  -  1 

ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?  -  1 

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? -  Season One & Two.  This is an obvious choice since I'm on The Scoobies team.  However, this also qualifies me to win one of the four trophies; that is, the BEAST MODE ACTIVATED trophy for watching 2 or more full seasons of a TV show.  I haven't completed this task yet but I hope to have them all watched by next week.  And since this is the only one of the 4 trophies I have a chance at earning, watch this space.   

ACTIVITIES DOODED: 

12 NOSTALGIC MUSIC VIDEOS for 1 POINT:  

1. GHOSTBUSTERS by Ray Parker Jr.
2. THIS USED TO BE MY PLAYGROUND by Madonna
3. DREADLOCK HOLIDAY by 10cc
4. DON'T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD by Santa Esmeralda
5. THERE IS A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT (LIVE) by Neil Finn & Friends
6. ME GUSTAS TU by Manu Chao
7. THESE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES by Queen
8. HUMAN BEHAVIOUR by Bjork
9. WALKING IN MY SHOES by Depeche Mode
10. HANDLE WITH CARE by The Traveling Wilburys
11. DIRTY CREATURE by Split Enz
12. I'M GONNA FOLLOW YOU by Pat Benatar

Attended 2 Sprints this week - Total:  2 points.

 

Made a pizza  (Whoa Look Out!!!!  Pizza For Jesus!!!)  - Total:  1 point.

THIS WEEK'S CURVEBALL:  Visit a nostalgic location from your past.

Yeah, I didn't get that done.