Resurrecting the Rock Star Within

It's been awhile, a long while, but I, the Madman, am finally back. If you haven't yet noticed I changed the title of this blog to "Mark the Madman" from "Mark the Movie Madman." The movie part was just too limiting.

So, it's been a while since the last post. Since then, I've begun contemplating starting a rock band. I've just finished playing a show with my parent's band, for the annual "Street Scenes" fundraiser. This is the 3rd year I've performed in this, and everytime, it leaves me desiring to put a band together of my own, playing "modern rock" as opposed to the 60's rock we perform at the show. It's been a long, long time since I was "officially" in a band and I think I'm way overdue.

First of all, I should preface by saying all of this is just for fun. I'm not looking to become "famous" or to preach some "message" in my music. I just want to have a good time playing good ol' rock n' roll. I'm also looking for a stable bunch of guys to do this with. Being that I'm a family man and all, I've got to keep all the rock n' roll antics at bay. This venture is purely and simply about performing. The fun stops when the lights go out.

So what kind of music am I thinking? Well, I guess it would be somewhere between The Rolling Stones and (new) INXS. I grew up on a steady diet of "hairbands" - Motley Crue, Poison, etc., so my guitar playing reflects that kind of energy and groove. I also want a frontman who can work the crowd like Mick Jagger. No "floor-watcher."

The time has come to ressurect the rock star within...

Witch's Night Out

Yeah, it's true. Halloween is officially over. All we have left to remember the holiday are bags of stale Halloween candy and discount prices for Halloween merchandise in every local shopping mart. I hope your Halloween was good. Mine was so- so. Yeah, I had Fall festivity day and that was a blast...Sure, I ate a popcorn ball and loved it...Yeah, we went trick or treating, and that was fun...yet....for some reason, the Halloween spirit was seriously lacking this year. Maybe it's because we never had a "real" Halloween party. Who knows. At least I got to watch all of my favorite Halloween toons and movies. For me it's Garlfield's Halloween Adventure, The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, and Disney's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. When the kids go to bed I reach for the classics - Halloween and Halloween II. Ah, tis the season...

Speaking of classics...I finally found a Halloween cartoon I have been searching for, for years. It's called Witch's Night Out. It's one of those flicks I saw as a kid but was unable to find. Guess what, folks...I just watched it. Want the scoop? Grab a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy.

For the longest time now, the memory of a Halloween cartoon has been haunting me. It's one of those "I saw it when I was a kid but can't remember its name" cartoons that kept popping up in my mind. The last time I saw it, I had to be either 4 or 5 years old. I was at my grandparents house in Chicago, IL., gearing up for the infamous It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown broadcast on TV. Before good ol' Charlie came on, the network showed another Halloween cartoon. The only thing I remembered was that it was about a witch entering the bedroom of a couple of kids and taking them out for Halloween. I also remembered that the animation was crappy. Not much to go on when you're searching the net, I may add.

Anyhow, I just happened upon it on the net this passed weekend, and like most things "Halloween", I became obsessed with tracking it down. I found it for sale on Amazon.com, but the lowest price was $40! $40 for a 25 minute cartoon! A little steep, don't you think? So I tried ebay - One copy was found at a buy it now price of, get this, $75! Yikes! After further searching I found a seller selling a "taped from TV" version for $13. Remember, folks, this is a 25 minute cartoon with crappy animation. I just couldn't justify the purchase. Finally, I decided to join a cartoon themed message board. There, I found my answer, thanks to a "kind soul" who answered my blog - Why don't you check your local library? So I did. It wasn't available at my library but it was in the town over...and yes...I saw it! And it was...well...umm...disappointing.

First of all, the animation isn't just bad, but lazy bad. The animators decided to use only one color for each character except for the witch. That's bad. To sum it all up, the story is about a witch who visits a couple of kids on Halloween night, and turns them into monsters. They end up scaring all the town's folk before finally being transformed into their mono color human forms. There's really not much else to tell. Was it nostalgic? Well, sort of. Was it Halloweeny? Yeah, I'd say so. Was it worth $40? Absolutely not! Thank you, library! I am so glad I did not fork over the cash for this film!

All in all, I'm glad I saw it, but it's highly unlikely that I'd put this into the list of "must see" Halloween toons. Maybe every now and again I'll toss it in for chuckles. One thing for sure though, I can sleep easy now, no longer obsessing over Halloween...for now.

Happy Halloween - 9 days late,

-The Madman

Popcorn Balls

The Madman has returned with more Halloween ramblings to spew forth. Today's topic, you guessed it, those wonderful treats you find in your goody basket after a night of Trick or Treating. The incredible, the inevitable, the definitive...Popcorn Ball. So sit back, grab a cup of hot cocoa, and enjoy today's ramblings.

For some bizarre reason, popcorn balls have been heavy on my mind lately. I don't quite understand why, considering I've never been a huge fan of them as a kid - I'd much rather find candy in my goody bag any day over a ball of popped corn - nonetheless, the popcorn ball was a standard item that I took for granted year after year, and now there seems to be a problem. Let me explain...

The first weekend of October, I decided to take a stroll through the Halloween section of my local Super Walmart in search of these little balls of joy. After a few minutes of poking around the aisles, there they were...but...there was something wrong. They were plain white! Could this be? As I searched through the cluttered files of my memory bank I specifically recalled them being available in different colors. Was I wrong to assume the manufacturers of these goodies dyed them to match the present holiday season?

I did not delay, I did what any normal Madman would do - I searched the web for information pertaining to the history of these beloved pieces of fall festivities, and to my utter shock, found NO info. regarding colored popcorn balls outside of personal recipes! ARGHHHHHHHH!

I was distressed to say the least. Was my memory misguiding me? I didn't know. And then, I came up with a possible conclusion to my dilemma - The popcorn balls I recalled as a child were "homemade" and not store bought. Yes, that had to be the answer! Homemade popcorn balls! The Madman has stabilized, and now I have a mission...Track down some recipes!!!!!!!!!

Halloween II

The Madman is back! This time I want to discuss the sequel to the "best" horror movie ever made - Halloween II. So sit back, grab some hot cider, and enjoy...

Okay, where do I start. Let's see... Is it a good movie? Well, yes, kind of... Is it a worthy sequel to Halloween? Sure, I guess... Is it a guilty pleasure to be watched on Halloween night? Absolutely.

Halloween was an accidental masterpiece that succeeded in doing what it set out to do - scare the living daylights out of you! The mood, music, feel, mask, direction...all worked brilliantly, and the movie became an instant classic. Halloween II tries to recapture this "feel" and ultimately falls short. Even with its shortcomings, it's still an above average horror flick.

Halloween II begins right where we left off in the original - Michael is shot 6 times , falls from a balcony, and is now... gone. Where to, you may ask. To the Haddonfield Memorial Hospital, where Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) recovers from her run in with him in the original. Meanwhile, Dr. Loomis is still on the hunt, searching for his former patient to put an end to his killing spree once and for all.

So what's so good about this movie? First of all, a lot of original elements have returned - The filming location, the actors, the music (sort-of), and last but certainly not least...the mask. It really feels like a Halloween movie, which is why we went to see it in the first place, right? Having the original cast members return helped keep the film's continuity, securing the "feel" of the original.

It's hard to believe I have to mention this, but judging from the latter sequels, I do. The villain in this film actually resembles the one in the original. The Myers mask, an altered Captain Kirk mask, is his identity. The look is marvelously frightening, and I cannot understand why the filmmakers of the latter sequels chose to alter it. Go figure, huh?

The movie does have its' moments. There are some genuinely great scenes in this film, such as the scene when Michael's face appears from the darkness behind a hapless victim (reminiscent of the original). The "final chase" also comes to mind - Michael chases Laurie through the abandoned hospital corridors. Very creepy!

So what's wrong with this film, you may ask? The problem is simple - We see too much of Michael. In the original, Michael pops in and out of scenes and is never the sole focus but rather part of the background. In this film, he's everywhere, and the more we see him, the less scary he is. He's just some guy in a mask. Had they kept him in the shadows a little more, this film could've worked a little better. Nonetheless, it's still a great Halloween movie, and far superior than any of the crap sequels that followed.

The verdict? Halloween II is a pretty good movie and a great movie to watch on Halloween night!

Top 3 Halloween Cartoons of all Time!

Less then two months away now until Halloween! What to do, what to do... The waiting is killing me! At least by writing these blogs I'm able to channel some of my Halloween-mania away from my poor wife who is probably beginning to loath this season by now, especially after nine years of marriage to the ultimate Halloween-freak. Maybe, there can sometimes be too much of a good thing... Nah!

Last time out, I the Movie Madman, shared my 5 fav. horror flicks of all times. This time, let's look at the other side of Halloween on the screen - Those time honored, highly-cherished, Halloween cartoons! The Top 3 Halloween Cartoons of all Time!

At Number 3 we have

GARFIELD'S HALLOWEEN SPECIAL

Recently, we picked this one up at the video store for the kids. As I watched it, I began to remember having seen it before. It was like being reacquainted with an old friend; So many good memories came flooding back! What a great cartoon! If you haven't seen it yet, it's about everyone's favorite fat cat trick or treating with the lovable yet mindless, Odie the dog, and their encounter with a group of pirate-ghosts. Only a select few toons are able to make it into my top 3 list of Halloween cartoons. They must pass certain criterias I use to judge their worthiness. First off, they must present quality Halloween atmosphere, and Garfield easily passes this test. Once the two mains are off and running we see nothing but dark skies, creepy costumes, and GHOSTS! We even get a creepy old man, and what could be better then that? Oh yeah, the ghosts!

Number 2 - It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

Do I really have to elaborate on this one? I mean, come on now... It's Peanuts! Everyone loves Peanuts! What child's Halloween could possibly be complete without a viewing of this lovable classic? I guess the next generation will never completely experience this like we did. Now a days, with DVD, there's really no reason to watch this film when it's aired on television like we used to have to do. There was a magic to that, you know...Having to wait until a certain day at a certain time to catch it. If you missed it, then it was boo hoo for you. Now, all you have to do is toss in the DVD and wham! You can even freeze-frame the darn thing if you like! I don't know, there was something special about having to watch it on TV at the same time as all your friends and neighbors.

Number 1 - Disney's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Man, I love this toon. What a gem! This short has all the magic that Disney is known for, and then some. Atmosphere? Atmosphere! Boy, does this film have Halloween atmosphere! Once Ichabod enters the forest...Nothing but the best! Trees that look like ghouls, with lightening bugs masquerading as eyes, headless shadows, owls creeping in the night, spiderwebs... Wow! This is the best interpretation of Washington Irving's classic tale I've ever seen - Way better then the Tim Burton monstrosity that came out a few years ago. If it's creepy toons you're looking for, then look no further. I only hope you don't lose your head trying to find it!

There you have it, friends. Now go and be scary!

Top 5 Horror Movies of all Time!

Well friends, the season is finally upon us... well not really, but close enough! Soon the leaves will begin falling from the trees in their glorious new colors, the smell of burning leaves will resonate throughout the neightborhood, ghoulish decorations will pop up in windows everywhere, and the pumpkins will rise from their slumber in all of their orange, rotund delight! If you haven't guessed yet, I'm talking about fall! Yes, the best season of the year. The only season that gives you free reign to act creepy in public. Try walking around in the summertime donning your favorite halloween mask - It's just not the same. Trust me, I know these things.

For some reason the fall-bug always bites me towards the end of August, leaving me in a fall-festivity-frenzy, and I end up spending time counting the days 'til Halloween. Having said that, today's blog will be the begininng of an endless onslaught of Halloween-themed ramblings to help get this out of my system. As you may have guessed from the title of this blog, I will share my top 5 favorite horror movies of all time. After all, I am the Movie Madman. So sit back, grab a cup of joe and a piece of pumpkin pie, and enjoy...

At number 5 we have everyone's favorite fingernail spokesperson - Freddy Krueger, in

5. Wes Craven's "A Nightmare on Elm Street."

What a great flick this was and still is! It was an ingenious blend of horror and fantasy, a combination that made this film one of the most popular, not to mention original, horror films of all time. A killer who attacks his victims in their dreams, forcing them to stay awake to survive - a task which proves to be impossible, even for a young Johnny Depp, who ends up being eaten by his bed in a ghoulish nightmare scene. The movie was followed by several sequels that began favoring comedy to down-right scares. The wickedly frightening Freddy slowly evolved into a wisecracking killer. That's not to say some of the sequels weren't any good - personally, I recommend parts 3 and 4 - It's just that the scares never quite lived up to the original.

The dead have risen for number 4 in our list in the zombie flick that started it all -

4. Night of the Living Dead!

I just recently rented this one again and was utterly astonished as to how well this low budget, black and white, independent B- film held up to the test of time. This really is a frightening movie! No, I'm serious... it is. Just the simplicity of the film alone makes it scary - A few people trapped in an old farm house as zombies try to break in and eat them. I highly recommend this film to those who have not yet seen it. Just make sure you lock your doors first.

Oh, mother dear... Number 3 -

3. Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho

I am ashamed of myself. Who do I think I am. I actually had the gall to place this masterpiece at number 3? I should be stoned to death. As a matter of fact, I really have no business rating this film at all. Psycho is the magnum opus of horror movies - A true classic. Horror at its best! Enough said.

Rev up the saw for number 2 buzzzzzzzzzz -

2. The Texas Chain Saw Masscacre

What a friggin' movie! What a friggin' movie! What a... Yes friends, Chain Saw is a horror movie worthy enough of the number 2 spot - One that has truly left its blood-stained mark on the horror hall of fame, forever. This is probably one of the most unrelenting horror movies ever made, and I'm not kidding! You never get a rest while watching it - Once the scares begin, they don't stop! The story is simple - Ya see, five young adults on a drive through rural Texas, run out of gas and happen upon a family of cannibals. It's easy to guess what happens next; It's erasing the images from your head that's the hard part.

Ladies and gentlemen, it's now time to reveal the winner of the most coveted spot on the Movie Madman's list. It truly is a no-brainer... The number 1 horror movie of all time, according to the Movie Madman is...

HALLOWEEN

Few movies have made such a lasting impression as did this classic piece of modern day horror. This my friends, is a perfect movie. All t's are crossed, all i's are dotted. Every note played on the soundtrack, every scene of the masked killer stalking through the neighborhoods of Haddonfield, every scream bellowed by the young Jamie Lee Curtis, is pure filmmaking impeccability. This is how you make a horror movie, folks. Just the thought of the Myers mask appearing from within the darkness brings chills down my spine! I have made it a point to watch this film every Halloween night and will continue to do so as long as the pumpkins rise from their patches, as long as the leaves change into their new and glorious colors, as long as... you get the picture. If you've never seen this film on a cold, dark, Halloween night, then you my friend, have never truly experienced... Halloween.

King of the Bloggers

Much of the time I spend on the internet is basically wasted time, looking-up useless information that really creates no discerning value for my life. Be it movie reviews, articles on old toys, bizarre nostalgic retro-information, you name it... I've wasted the time to find it, and it's always there, waiting to be found! Just when I thought I had seen it all, I have found the be all, end all of multi-media blogging! Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you...

X-Entertainment

This guy writes about everything, and I mean everything! From Kool-Aid to Nintendo, to cereal box toys to old 80's toy commercials, it's all there! So, if you're like me and enjoy reading about the forgotten pieces of pop culture, you will find this site to be a treasure chest. Just type in anything in his search box and everything will pop up! Also, his blogs are incredibly entertaining! A lot of wit and humor are spiced throughout. So sit back, grab a cup of joe, and CLICK HERE!