Either your browser's javascript has been disabled or it needs an update! Please re-enable your javascript program or update your browser to view this page as designed.
Nolan's Pop Culture Review 2009!
   Assistant Editor / Co-Moderator:  Terence Nuzum.                 HOME           ARCHIVES
Established A.D. 2000, March 19. Now in our tenth calendar year!
Number 502  (Vol. 10, No. 45). This edition is for the week of November 2--8, 2009.

"Paranormal Activity"
Children of the Corn (2009)
Bruce Lee Extravaganza
Phew! .... Rambo Is A Pussy! .... Lighten Up Already! .... Movie Notes .... Passing On .... It's Not Supposed To Be Scary .... .... .... My Favorite Films, Part 2 h
2010
Founder of the San Deigo Comic Con Dies
7-Eleven Halloween Horror Night
2010
Readers Comments

FOUNDER OF SAN DIEGO COMIC CON DIES
POSTED BY NOLAN B. CANOVA, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2009

Sheldon Dorf, the founder of the San Diego Comic Convention died Tuesday at the age of 76 from kidney failure.

Dorf, a freelance artist and comic strip letterer, founded Comic-Con in San Diego in 1970 after moving from Detroit.

The San Diego Comic Con currently draws 125,000 fans a year and is a major gathering for comic book fans, artists, writers and movie stars.

Sheldon Dorf had some high-profile friends in the comic world like Marvel artist Jack Kirby and "Peanuts" creator Charles Schulz. The Comic Con became the place to showcase new comics, and increasingly in recent years, debut trailers for genre-related Hollywood films, which would also attract major celebrities into the auditorium.

He must've taken great pride knowing his Con was the largest of its kind in America, and arguably, the world. Sheldon will be sorely missed.


7-ELEVEN HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHT
POSTED BY NOLAN B. CANOVA, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2009

I knew it was going to be tough working the graveyard shift last Saturday, October 31, because of four things: it was Saturday, nearly always our busiest night on graveyard anyway, it was Halloween, which brings out the partying ghosts and goblins, it was the same night as Guavaween, Tampa's version of Mardi Gras (along with Gasparilla), and it was the same night as the time change to Eastern Standard Time, for cryin' out loud, so I could enjoy all this madness for an extra hour! Throw in lots of alcohol and you get the picture. Forget trying to accomplish any side work, this was going to be an excercise in survival.

But survive it I did, met lots of cool ghouls, and got some pictures in the process.

Due to the economic downturn, Guavaween was itself downsized with no floats or parades this year and live music was at a minimum. Still, if you went out wanting to have a good time, chances are you found it among the throngs of like-minded revelers that did attend this yearly festivity in Ybor. Somewhere around 20K, as I understand it.

All that said, the costumed turn-out at 7-Eleven was a little less than I expected, no doubt due at least in part to the aforementioned economy, but we did have a few hardy souls stumble through the door in varying degrees of decomposition. Enough to mark the occasion for yours truly, anyway.

On a personal note, I was delighted to see several members of Crazed Fanboy's Youth Nation appear for a visit, most of whom I haven't seen in weeks or even months. Not many were costumed, oddly, I figured they'd be more into it. Nevertheless, I was glad to see them.

Scroll down to see the photo record of The Best of 7-Eleven Halloween Horror Nights '09!

Click on images to enlarge. A new browser window will open.
Mason Troupe, left (who's obviously had better nights), and Andrew Callahan, the latter visiting from Florida State University @ Tallahassee. No, that isn't real blood on Andrew's face, just a remnant of an earlier zombie get-up.Erin strikes a pose as a pirate's wife/significant other. Yo Ho Ho!Erin's friend Chris Gavin, left, examines the ride of visiting Josh Minchew, fresh out of the Navy. No costumes here, sorry, but they're all part of my youth gang.Two of my favorite customers, Donna, left, and Carrie patiently pose for the camera. A slight blur was caused by us being harrassed by a crazed trailer park drunk!
A visiting demon, care of a Features Costume associate.This hippie couple wandered in and agreed to a picture. Peace and love!SMURF GIRL!Look, next to the capaccino: it's a bird, it's a plane...OK, OK, the Man of Steel needs his java and doughnuts, too!

TERENCE GREASER ZOMBIE, REDUX
Our own Terence Nuzum was quite dissatisfied with how his '50s Greaser Zombie make-up turned out in last week's PCR pics from 7-Eleven. Seems a lot of the dust, grime, and greasepaint had worn off in the earlier hours spent in Ybor's "The Castle" Halloween event, and he could not have y'all thinking he'd come up short in the zombie department! He requested I run the following photos taken before his trip downtown to prove his case. Being the doting uncle I am, I couldn't say no.
Click on images to enlarge. A new browser window will open.



2010
POSTED BY NOLAN B. CANOVA, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2009

Hey, I seem to be one of the few people who liked that film, 2010.

I'm old enough to remember when even the year 2001 seemed an impossibly distant future. Now, I'm old enough to remember it in a rather distant past tense. The 1968 movie 2001: A Space Oddysey predicted a space program way more advanced than the one we have now. 2010 picked up the pieces of a space derelict and headed home.

A gross over-simplification of both films, of course, but this is not why I brought all this up. I brought this up because when the considerably darker 2010 came out in 1984, I, again, saw the future date as impossibly far into the future. And now....now...it's nearly here.

No HAL 9000s, but we did get Windows PC operating systems (ahem, coff coff) and a revolution in the way we communicate. They aren't what you'd call "artificial intelligence" but they're far smaller than HAL, too.

We finally got wall-mounted, flat-screen plasma TVs about a decade later than predicted, but that's not bad. And cell phones that play movies are right about on schedule.

Despite the relentless optimism of the '60s that predicted established moon bases and large, floating-wheel space stations in earth orbit, sci-fi writers and visionary directors could hardly know the political and economic turmoil that would reign in the space program to a mere sliver of its former self.

However, many movies of decades past also predicted we'd have another World War by this point (The Shape of Things to Come and the Terminator films come to mind), but fortunately, they were wrong, at least so far. Soylent Green predicted by 2022 food shortages brought about by overpopulation would be so severe, we'd wind up eating packaged people parts. TV's Lost in Space predicted the same overpopulation would necessitate space voyages to institute re-settlement among the stars.

But...that was then, this is now. We never made contact with extraterrestrials, and the next world war always seems right around the corner. We seem to be on track for the more dismal predictions, but the case for space exploration has been minimized and nearly eliminated. Pity, that.

But hey, pop culture has been revolutionized in the computer age where we can at least re-live The Future That Used To Be via DVD, YouTube, and digital downloads. And, of course, discuss it all in forums like Nolan's Pop Culture Review, which, to be honest, I never would've predicted forty years ago!




Readers' Comments

The Readers' Comments section for this issue of PCR is now closed. To continue to interact, please use the Message Board or write a Letter to the Editor! The comments below are listed starting with the most recent. Thank you.

Crazed FanComments -- We Welcome Reader Feedback on any article(s) on this page.
Simon Lynx [10-11-2009 06:03] 
John - Ya Lanny was supposed to be there, I was wondering if he was and how things went.
Simon Lynx [10-11-2009 06:02] 
Get well soon Kareem
The Original Puff Daddy Angelo Poffo [09-11-2009 21:04] 
Little Lanny, my boy wonder...
Randy Poffo [09-11-2009 18:53] 
Leaping Lanny, my lil bro!
J.MILLER [09-11-2009 18:17] 
Good ol Lanny Poffo...He was there?..Guess I didnt notice him
Simon Lynx [09-11-2009 16:27] 
Did anyone go to the Comic con? I got Lanny Poffo the gig and I couldn't make it. I was wondering how it went.
Beasley [08-11-2009 13:56] 
MILLER: I don't remember telling anyone to kiss my ass, but if you're keen...I prefer the left cheek sans tongue. If you're referring to my comment about Muslims and Christians publicly decrying these violent acts that are done in their name, they should be doing whatever they can to show that their religious doctrines don't approve of such acts. I've read the Christian Bible and it chock full of violent acts. In a work of fiction that's great, but they swear the Bible is factual. Think about it. If it is only a few thousand nutcases. They should at least remove the parts of the religious tome that makes them go berserk. I've always wondered exactly what King James I of Scotland edited out of the Holy Bible to come up with the KJV version. I've always been told that it was at least 2 chapters. Could these chapters have been causing nutcases in his time to commit certain violent acts? Hmm...the mind boggles at the possibilities.
zu zu [08-11-2009 12:01] 
you have some odd 7 heaven customers, my american friend.
Nolan [08-11-2009 06:57] 
John, the Comic Con being on a Saturday was the deal-killer for me this time, I'm afraid. Saturdays are the worst days for me to try and schedule anything out of the ordinary. Hopefully, Tim's show will return to the regular Sunday "timeslot" at the next event come Spring.
Chris Woods [07-11-2009 17:18] 
It's sucks that I missed the Comic Con. Was stuck at work. Bay News 9 did do a piece on the event, which was pretty cool. It's airing every hour all day today around :45 if anyone wants to check it out.
J.MILLER [07-11-2009 16:12] 
Wish you guys had made it out to the comic con today...Same ol same ol basically...Nothing new to report...Still would have been nice to see everyone
creature feature [07-11-2009 15:15] 
did comic con have a film festival this year from the creature production?
J.MILLER [07-11-2009 06:45] 
Beasley --- Why should anybody feel the need to kiss your ass because of some nut that offed a few people?
gerbiler [07-11-2009 05:12] 
the gerbils are squeaking
can u here them?
Beasley [07-11-2009 02:58] 
I like what Teddy Roosevelt said: Speak softly and knife'm in the kidney! Or was it, "Speak softly and carry a can of Grade 'A' Whoopass at all times.
la la la [06-11-2009 18:33] 
is the film caged dreams a short film? how long does it run?
Petrey [06-11-2009 16:05] 
It will never happen Beasley, know why? Because you're dealing with 2 camps. The extremists vs. the everyday person who bothers no one. The Muslim Shooter vs. the everyday muslim who prays for peace. The Christian Abortion Bomber vs. the everyday christian who prays for peace. What's sad? The extremist makes the news giving both communitys a bad name. Same as me having a run in with a bad cop (several times) who gives the rest of the Police force a bad name. But then I meet nice ones that go to extreme lengths that help me. I could go on but you get my point. Even if these groups decried these actions it would probably make the extremist more enraged. Just my 10 cents. (Adjusted for inflation)
Ghandi [06-11-2009 15:39] 
These shootings are just pointless. If someone wrongs you, turn the other cheek. Or, do the American thing and sue. Peace to all and goodwill.
a pissed off beasley [06-11-2009 14:06] 
The Fort Hood Masacree:

I call for the Muslim Community to very loudly and very publicly decry Terrorists actions around the globe, including the Ft. Hood massacre...just as I called for Christians to do the same when Abortion Clinics were being bombed and Abortion Doctors were being killed in the name of Christianity. They didn't and I doubt very seriously the Muslims will. In my mind, that denotes condonement at the very least and complicit approval at the very most.
Nolan [06-11-2009 10:39] 
Lonnie, President Obama just gave a televised news conference on Fort Hood. Still not many answers yet, they're continuing the investigation.

Glad your power's back on!
Lonnie Dohlen [06-11-2009 09:54]  
Nolan,my Electricity went out for 5 hours on Halloween Night. Question:Does anyone know about Fort Hood.
Simon Lynx [06-11-2009 06:17] 
Chris - ya I just found out the name of the film. I happen to stumble upon while looking for something else. I just scored SECRET NINJA ROARING TIGER with Dragon Lee. I'm expanding his library in my collection. It's now up to 6 films.

I'm looking forward to our new film. I'm getting antsy.

Ter - what kinda of Zombie are you? Do you prefer brains or just flesh?
thedarklordfanclug [05-11-2009 20:23] 
Terence is the best zombie ever!!!
Chris Woods [05-11-2009 19:38] 
Simon - So that's the name of the Dragon lee film. I just remember it as The Real Bruce Lee because it was on that tape that had clips of Bruce Lee's films and some Bruce Li stuff then the Dragon Lee film started after that.

ED - Targets is an awesome film and is a favorite of mine. I'll have to watch it with the commentary.

Nolan - Cool Halloween pics from 7-Eleven and cool Terence zombie pics too.
Nolan [05-11-2009 18:28] 
A belated Happy Birthday to Mason Troupe, 19, whose birthday was yesterday, the 4th. Hope it was a good one, Mase!
ED [05-11-2009 13:14] 
Chris - I agree with you 100% about Targets. It's funny because I was in the mood to see this again and I found the DVD for $3.00 at a local Blockbuster that is about to tank. I have seen the film several times but the wife's death still came as a shock. The DVD also has an excellent commentary by Bogdonovitch. He says the story that Karloff tell is his favorite scene of anything he has filmed and I agree.
Happy Young Man [05-11-2009 08:59] 
So ... is the jury still out on V?
Simon Lynx [05-11-2009 07:06] 
Chris - The one we watched most - The Dragon Lee flick on the Real Bruce Lee dvd is called "The Last Fist of Fury". That film brings back some funny Utica memories.

Congrats to the YANKEES!!! Go Go GODZILLA......
Nolan [05-11-2009 01:54] 
Jason, well done! I think it's your best column to date, and that's saying a lot. Keep up the great work, I'm glad you're here.

Mike, thanks for the support on 2010, haha. I thought Scheider's involvement upgraded what might've been an otherwise mediocre film. Casting Keir Dullea and Douglas Rain in their original roles was imperative and would've doomed the film otherwise.

Re: Paranormal Activity. It seems to be one of those films people either love or...well, if not hate, then seem ambivalent about. King Fausto's posts on the Message Board illustrate that. Most critics' comparison to the similar landmark lo-budgeter The Blair Witch Project is most apt in terms of pre-screening buzz/hype and huge profits.
Jason Fetters [05-11-2009 00:22]  
Thanks everyone for all the great comments!!
Michael [05-11-2009 00:16] 
Who wouldn't love "2010?" After all, it's a Roy Scheider film!

Jason, nice work on the Bruce Lee piece. I own the director's cut laser disc of "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story" and there is an indepth interview with Lee from an early 70s talk show. He is possibly the most intellegent man I've ever heard speak. He truly was a gift to us all that was taken away too soon.
Chris Woods [04-11-2009 20:40] 
Jason - I liked your article on Bruce Lee. Been a fan of his films for years. Actually, Simon got me into to his films and like he posted we also watched Dragon Lee films. The best one with Dragon Lee is called The Real Bruce Lee. I saw some of the History Channel doc on him and it looked pretty good. I've always liked Bruce Lee: The Legend doc, also the A&E Biography they did many years ago is good too.
Simon Lynx [04-11-2009 16:17] 
Jason - enjoyed your article on Bruce Lee. Your information was pretty acurate and I have most of those Dvd's you mentioned plus a ton more. I actually have the entire Green Hornet Series on dvd even though it hasn't been officially released. There's to many hands involved for it to come out for real. I also have the 2 cross over episodes of Batman. I also enjoyed Longstreet with BL and Marlowe along with a few other tv appearances. Chris W and I have for years watched "Dragon Lee" films. He was an amusing clone to watch.

If anyone out there is a Bruce Lee fan get the Special Edition "Enter the Dragon" It has all the lost footage added back in and it tells a better story.
ED [04-11-2009 15:37] 
Jason - nice piece on Brue Lee. How about doing something on Bruce Li since he was passed off in more movies as Bruce Lee than Bruce Lee was in to begin with? I have always loved the Green Hornet television series and can't wait for Fox to get off their butts and put it out on DVD.
Steve Beasley [04-11-2009 15:33] 
No "Hal 9000s"? Oh contraire, Mesuir! I beg to differ!

I've named every computer I've ever owned, "Hal 9K" as a tribute to "2001: A Space Odyssey".
Zeus [04-11-2009 15:23] 
SECOND! Who's your DADDY?!?!?
ED [04-11-2009 14:19] 
First? Me?
[31-12-1969 16:00] 
End of Comments    

"Mike's Rant" is ©2009 by Michael A. Smith     "This Week's Movie Review" is ©2009 by Michael A. Smith     "La Floridiana" is ©2009 by William Moriaty    "FANGRRL" is ©2009 by Lisa Scherer    "Retrorama" is ©2009 by ED Tucker    "Growing Up Fanboy" is ©2009 by Chris Woods    "Sports Talk" is ©2009 by Chris Munger     "The Asian Aperture" is ©2009 by Jason Fetters      All contents of Nolan's Pop Culture Review are ©2009 by Nolan B. Canova    
Crazed Fanboy dotcom is owned and operated by its founder, Nolan B. Canova


Please consider making a donation to help support Crazed Fanboy! Click on the "donate" link below and give whatever you can. I sincerely thank you for any and all consideration.---Nolan

Search:
Keywords:
In Association with Amazon.com


Back to Top