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.  

The BBC2 Horror Double Bill Part 1 - A Documentary

LOOKEE WHAT I FOUND.  Randomly on yootuberz, this look back at BBC2's Horror Double bills from the mid-1970's to the early 1980's is absolutely perfect Old School April watching!!!  I may not be British, but I still love the nostalgic hit of this.  

Spooky stuff we watched & read as kids 80s & 90s 💀 books, films, TV and ...

This video is great for OSA as Sinead goes over her childhood memories of being scared!

OLD SCHOOL APRIL - WEEK TWO

SAINT PETER WATCHES OVER WEEK TWO OF OLD SCHOOL APRIL 2025! 

It was week two that saw me begin my HAMMER FRANKENSTEIN/DRACULA PROJECT as well as continue with the readin' and the watchin' (and the dooden of activities too). 

BOOKS READ

 SHIVERS #10:  THE CURSE OF THE NEW KID by M.D. Spenser - 

        Everybody said this one was VERY dark for a kids GOOSEBUMPS knock-off and dang was it ever!  Thanks to Cameron Chaney for the Host Rec, I read this one.  Fulfilled the prompts:  Retro, Time Warp, Neon, Copycat, Pimp My Ride (host rec), The Sixth Sense, Saved By the Bell, Giallo, The Goonies, My Girl, Freddie's Nightmares, Nirvana & New Kids On the Block.  Total:  13 points.

WHO YOU GONNA CALL?:  OLD SCHOOL APRIL 2025 ZINE - 

        This was such a joy.  Beginning with a genuinely touching tribute to Kelsi's dog Jackson who passed away earlier this year.  My late mother & I watched Kelsi's Slime & Slashers yootuberz channel all the time; my Mom loved it because she always made her laugh.  And for years, Jackson was a constant presence in the videos and I was incredibly sad to hear about Kelsi's loss.  There are great articles & short stories in the zine and I loved it.  Fulfilled the prompts:  Time Warp, Neon, VHS, Indiana Jones, Off the Rack, The Sixth Sense and True Life.  Total: 7 points.

GOOSEBUMPS:  THE CURSE OF CAMP COLD LAKE -  

        My second GOOSEBUMPS of the month and this one I enjoyed a lot.  First of all, the cover is an all-time winner and the story itself was probably one of my faves that I've read.  In the middle of the book, there's a very WTF moment which I really enjoyed too!  Fulfilling the prompts:  Retro, Time Warp, Neon, I Love Lucy, You're In For A Scare, The Sixth Sense, Ferngully, I Know You Are But What Am I?, Monster Squad, The Goonies, My Girl and Nirvana/Grunge.  Total:  12 points.

MOVIES WATCHED 

 

KUNG POW: ENTER THE FIST - 

        The first film on my list actually fulfills a curveball from week two.  It's a movie I remember coming out on DVD when I worked at Borders in 2002 but I never saw it until now.  Silly and fun if not spectacular.  Fulfilled the prompts:  Film with sports or physical activity, Made before 2006, So Bad It's Good, Red on the poster, A Comedy Film, and the Curveball Prompt "Watch a movie from the early 00's".  Total:  9 points.  

THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN - 

        The first of the true Hammer Horrors and the first of the Hammer Frankensteins; this film also  marks the beginning of my Hammer Frankenstein?Dracula Project.  Of course, it's a classic and of course I've seen it doezens of times.  But I've never watched them all in a row . . . until now.  The magnificent Peter Cushing as Victor Frankenstein, the vastly under-rated Christopher Lee as 'The Creature' and the glorious Hazel Court as Elizabeth.  Fulfilling the prompts:  From a country outside your own, Made Before 2006, Blue and/or Red on the poster, From the 70's or earlier & a movie that could give you nightmares.  Total:  5 points.   

THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN - 

        The sequel to Hammer's first Frankenstein film and this one's a pretty good corker as well.  The "Get Out of Jail Free Card" they pulled off to spring Victor from death on the guillotine is sheer wonderfulness.  This second film also established the fact that Hammer was going to make a film series following Dr. Frankenstein instead of the monster (a la Universal).  Fulfilled the prompts:  Country Outside Your Own, A Sequel, Released before 2006, Red on the Poster, From the 70s or earlier, and a film that could give you  nightmares.  Total:  6 points. 

MONSTERS & MANIACS  -  

        Way back in 1988 or thereabouts, I ordered two videotapes by Ted Newsom, I think, from the back of FILMFAX magazine. One was his movie ATTACK OF THE B-MOVIE MONSTER (which has since been re-released as THE NAKED MONSTER) and the other was Newsom's documentary on horror films called MONSTERS & MANIACS.  Both arrived in plain white VHS boxes (not the artwork shown above) and both were great.   Host Brinke Stevens took us through the history of horror movies (up until the late 80's anyway) with tons of clips from classic films.   The doc itself was very primitive; looking as if it was edited by dubbing from one VCR to another . . . who knows, maybe it was.  The sound mix is atrocious with music drowning our Brinke Stevens' narration much of the time.  Despite all of this, I loved the doc. It was the late 80's and we just didn't have many horror documentaries then and, despite these shortcomings, it's still a very good doc film.  Fullfilled the prompts:  Woman as main character (Brinke Stevens is the host/narrator so I figured that counts), Made before 2006, a documentary and Blue and/or Red on the poster.  Total:  4 points. 

 THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN - 

        Part 3 of my Hammer Frankenstein-a-thon, this one was always a step down from the first two; however in recent years I've mellowed on it and think it's OK.  Here we have Universal finally giving permission for Hammer to aproximate the OG Jack Pierce/Boris Karloff monster make-up and . . . well. . . it's not very good.  It sorta looks like a cardboard box covered with papier mache with two eyeholes poked out of it.  Cushing, of course, is his usual phenomenal self and the laboratory equipment/set looks superb as well.  James Maxwell as the priest overacts shamelessly ans seems on the very of giggling at one point.  Wrestler Kiwi Kingston, not an actor, was hired simply because of his immense size.  But all in all, it's an OK ride.  So-So Hammer is still worth watching.  Fulfilled the prompts:  a movie from outside your own country, a sequel, released before 2006, Red on the poster, released in the 70s or earlier, and a movie that could give you nightmares.  Total:  6 points.

TALES OF FRANKENSTEIN  -    

        This was a pilot for a TV series that never happened; a co-production between Universal & Hammer.  So it wasn't technically a TV episode (because I don't even think it ever aired) and since it's on Letterboxd, I'm counting it as a short film (28 minutes).  The cold-eyed Anton Diffring (no stranger to Hammer films himself) is kinda perfectly cast as the mad doctor Baron Frankenstein and Don Megowan (star of such horror films as THE CREATURE WALKS AMONG US, THE WEREWOLF and CREATION OF THE HUMANOIDS) plays the Monster of Frankenstein.  I first saw clips from this back in the 80's on the Zacherley Goodtimes VHS tape HORRIBLE HORROR and it's a pretty good little Frankenstein flick.  While not technically part of the Hammer Frankenstein films, it is adjacent so I thought I'd watch it again -- as it's included on my blu ray of THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN for convenience.  Fulfilled the prompts:  A film released before 2006, Red on the poster, a black and white movie,  & Released in the 70's or earlier.  Total:  4 points. 

DINOSAUR VALLEY GIRLS  -  

        This low-budget flick was written & directed by the great Donald F. Glut who, being the creator & writer of THE OCCULT FILES OF DR. SPEKTOR comic book from the 1970's, can do NO WRONG in my book!  And yes, this movie (just released on a slipcovered blu ray by champion of SOV fair Visual Vengeance) is 1995 wacky, tongue-in-cheek goodness with honest-to-God stop motion animation of dinosaurs and a Tait Raiting of 2.58!!!  Fulfilled the prompts:  A film featuring a sport/physical activity, featured animals, released before 2006, a "so bad it's good" movie, Blue and/or Red on the poster, and a comedy film.  Total: 6 points. 

MONSTER FROM THE OCEAN FLOOR  -  

        This fulfills the Curveball for this week:  Watch a Creature Feature.  Speaking of which, this MUST have played on Channel 48's CREATURE DOUBLE FEATURE in the 1970s; if not, I'm sure Dr. Shock played it on Channel 17's MAD THEATER or HORROR THEATER.  Mid-50's early Roger Corman production which screams mid-50's early Roger Corman production.  Fulfills the prompts:  Main character is a woman, Made before 2006, "So Bad It's Good", Red on the Poster, a black-and-white film, Released in the 70's or earlier, and one of this week's CURVEBALLS - "Watch a Creature Feature".  Total:  11 points.  

TV SHOWS WATCHED

THE OUTER LIMITS - 1

DECOY - 1 

ALL IN THE FAMILY - 1 

PERRY MASON - 4

 

THE TWILIGHT ZONE - 2

 

ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS - 3 

WATCH 10 CARTOONS FOR 1 POINT -     

        Cartoons watched were all from the Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection:  ELMER'S CANDID CAMERA, A WILD HARE, HOLD THE LION PLEASE, BUGS BUNNY GETS THE BOID, SUPER RABBIT, JACK WABBIT AND THE BEANSTALK, WHAT'S COOKIN' DOC, BUGS BUNNY AND THE THREE BEARS, HARE RIBBIN' and THE OLD GREY HARE. 

ACTIVITIES DOODED 

        LISTEN TO 12 NOSTALGIC SONGS  -  1 time submission limit.  These songs were listened to by me solely due to the existence of CRAMBONE CERPTS provided by the wunderbar Sweet Cheeks!  The 12 songs were:  

1. SAVE YOUR KISSES FOR ME by The Brotherhood of Man
2. GIRLS by Dwight Twilley
3. LOVE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT HARD ON ME by Juice Newton
4. ONLY BOLOGNA by Big Daddy Graham
5. STATE OF THE HEART by Rick Springfield
6. LONELY BOY by Andrew Gold
7. MAIN STREET by Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band
8. YOU BELONG TO ME by Jo Stafford
9. SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE by Rainbow
10. BABY MAKES HER BLUE JEANS TALK by Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show 
11. BOOGIE SHOES by KC & the Sunshine Band
12. I LEFT MY HEART IN SAN FRANCISCO by Tony Bennett 

THIS WEEK'S CURVEBALLS 

I Fulfilled 2 of the 4 Curveballs this week: 

KUNG POW: ENTER THE FIST - Fulfills "Watch an Early 00's Movie".  Each curveball completed is worth 5 points.  

MONSTER FROM THE OCEAN FLOOR - Fulfills "Watch a Creature Feature".  Each curveball completed is worth 5 points.