CHARLES BAND. I've probably laughed harder at his movies than any serious comedy. They're shitty, aye, but they're honestly entertaining, and some I can wholly appreciate even without any knowing laffs (although they're always there). And he's still going! I just found his blog, with details of his new movie
, EVIL BONG.
Also, I think the band Crawlspace take their name from one of his movies!
Search:
RAGEWAR (US version is called Dungeon Master) - This movie has EVERYTHING, including feral midgets, fantastic 80's Deus ex machina computer technology, Ray Harryhausen style animation, weak-ass latex puppetry, post-apocalyptic Mad Max rip-off (a must for any genuine z grade contender), Jeffrey Byron, Richard Moll, a cameo by W.A.S.P. (!!!!!) and about 8 directors. Track down the UK version though, because I think the US version edits out the completely gratuitous Kubrickian start-sequence.
METALSTORM: THE DESTRUCTION OF JARED SYN: More Richard Moll, more Jeffrey Byron. Contains an amazing hover-bike sequence and no destruction of Jared Syn. Was maybe in 3d???
Also worth checking: FROM BEYOND, TROLL, ROBOT HOLOCAUST, PARASITE
DESTROY:
DEADLY WEAPON: Apparently conceived as a spin-off from the supposedly abysmal LASERBLAST, the only redeeming feature of this is seeing the main kid's dog (called VAN HALEN) being twatted with a baseball bat. Excruciating.
I've just ordered DOLLMAN. Any good? I'm not all that familiar with his 90's stuff onwards (shit loads of stuff, mostly DVD), and I've never seen any of the TRANCERS series.
― ZOT! (davidcorp), Thursday, 25 May 2006 09:41 (nineteen years ago)
Oh, so much love for Band. Search "THE CREEPS," which is about a scientist who tries to reanimate Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Mummy, but something goes wrong and they come back alive as dwarf versions!!
Band's last film ("The Gingerdead Man") was a nightmare to watch, though, despite the presence of top-billed Gary Busey (total screentime: 1 1/2 minutes).
I would love to read a tell-all book about Band's history. Surely there are some amazing stories about his location shooting half his movies at ancient castles in Romania, and the other half at barely dressed lots in Tarzana and stuff; his deal with Paramount (there are rumors that Band's Full Moon Entertainment was involved in some kind of embezzling scheme from the parent studio or something); and all the starlets (I love Jacqueline Lovell profoundly).
"Head of the Family" is fun, the "Puppet Masters" series is strangely addictive, and "Hideous" is godawful but has some very memorable visuals.
― Tiki Theater Xymposium (Bent Over at the Arclight), Thursday, 25 May 2006 23:00 (nineteen years ago)
Dollman -vs- Demonic Toys -vs- Dollman -vs- Demonic Toys
all 3 are winners!
search it all. really, what have you got to lose?
― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 25 May 2006 23:02 (nineteen years ago)