Actually, one more thing...

Before I sign off, I just saw one of the best headlines EVER on the front page of Yahoo:

'CONDALEEZA RICE ENLISTS IN KISS ARMY'

Hope she doesn't get stop-lossed.

Hey there Kids...

I am on at-home Daddy duty w/ the twin terrors today and some genius down the street decided to light off some fireworks right in the middle of nap time. So, no time for any major stuff today. Owen is upstairs jumping in his crib screaming 'WAKE UP, BROTHER!' as I type this, so i'll catch you all next week. Enjoy your weekend!

Blade Runner Plus Bonus Party Cut

The excellent tune and video by White Zombie, whose title shares the Tyrell Company corporate slogan and most memorable quote from the film...

...and a nice segueway to some further blogging about Rob Zombie to come in the not-to-distant, replicant-free future.

'If Only You could See What I've Seen'

Finally got around to watching 'Blade Runner: The Final Cut' a few nights ago and wow...just...WOW. It had been in the Netflix que for a while and then sat around the house for a week or two. The last time I actually watched the film in it's entirety was on Betamax back in the 80's and, by this point, I remembered the Marvel comic adaptation (online HERE) more than the flick itself...so what was a few more weeks, eh?

Stupid, stupid, stupid. Between seeing the flick in it's digitally remastered, definitive 'Final Cut' by director Ridley Scott and, more importantly, seeing it at an AGE where I can actually appreciate it...I was glued to the couch, not wanting to miss any of visual treasures found within. This is an absolute classic and a complete feast for the eyes. When the day arrives where we actually have a house w/ room for a massive widescreen HD TV...this will be one of the first films I watch on it.

As the film was just as much a hard-boiled film noir detective story as it is was a sci-fi adventure, it ended up a little too high-concept at the time for film goers who expected 'Star Wars'...receiving 'Mike Hammer' meets '2001: A Space Odyssey' instead. Regardless, while frustrating a lot of audiences upon it's theatrical release in 1982, 'Blade Runner' casted a pretty wide net of influence on the films that followed it. From live action sci-fi and, even more so, classic works of Japanese anime ('Akira', 'Ghost in the Shell')...you can see the film's visual influence in nearly every frame.

Set in a dirty, run-down Los Angeles of the (then) near future, 'Blade Runner' follows the efforts of a jaded police detective named Deckard (Harrison Ford). Deckard's job is to kill (AKA 'retire') rogue, human-like androids called Replicants. These Replicants, originally manufactured to act as soldiers, laborers and sex servants, were given implanted human emotions and memories to make them seem more realistic. It also ends up giving them a heightened sense of their own mortality in a pre-set, 4-year lifespan. Thusly, handfuls of them end up running and blend in w/ regular human society, in the vain hope of saving themselves. This story centers around five in particular, played excellently by Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Joanna Cassidy, Daryl Hannah and classic movie bad guy, Brion James.

Anyhow, a number of different versions of the film have appeared including the original theatrical cut, the international cut, the much sought-after 'workprint' version and the rushed 'director's cut' that stunningly didn't even include the director's input. The film is still amazing in any format, but it's the definitive vision of Ridley Scott (and the many technical tweaks to achieve it) that makes the 'Final Cut' special. The film also underwent painstaking frame-by-frame digital restoration to remove unwanted age-related image defects and the soundtrack remixed and remastered to take advantage of the latest surround sound technology.

While most of the changes end up being subtle to the viewer, the overall enhancement to the film's aesthetic is breathtaking and worth checking out whether you've seen the film before or not. I cannot emphasize enough how good this is...it holds up 20+ years later and still looks better than a lot of CGI FX megafilms of today. Rent, or better yet, BUY it now...you'll be much cooler for doing so. Believe that!

'Some Apes, It Seems, are More Equal than Others'

I heard on the news this morning, that two monkeys at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have learned how to control a robot...using only their MINDS!!! More specifically, via sensors implanted in their brains, they've learned to control a robot arm with their thoughts, using it to feed themselves fruit and marshmallows.

Still, the thought of a cadre of evil monkeys controlling a robot army via psionics is pretty badass. 'You Maniacs! Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!'

Oh boy...

While I have enjoyed the occasional Weezer tune, i'm not really that huge of a fan or anything. That said, 'Pork and Beans', the first single from their upcoming 'Red Album' brings with it what may be their best video since 'Buddy Holly'.

The video features a cavalcade of YouTube all-stars including Tay Zonday, Gary Brolsma, Chris Crocker, Afro Ninja, Miss South Carolina and Kevin Federline, to name just a few. The song ain't too bad either. Enjoy.

Reason #247 Half-Price Books Rules...

Aside from nabbing a nearly-mint copy of the 3rd pressing of Mike Allred's 'Madman: The Oddity Odyssey' for next-to-nothing at their Memorial Day 20% off sale last Friday...I also grabbed the insanely fresh lunchbox above for only $6 (looks to be up to $15-16 on ebay and other comic sites)!

I don't usually bring my lunch to work, let alone a lunchbox...but it will be good for storing various collectible odds and ends while on display. Seriously tho, those purchases were only the tip of the iceberg and the AMBFAD Book Club will have plenty of reviews of stuff to make you drool over the next few months.

Supergood Casting!

I saw a little blurb somewhere that another comic book movie adaptation is set to start filming in the Fall. 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World' is set to be directed by Edgar Wright ('Shaun of the Dead', 'Hot Fuzz') w/ a screenplay by Michael Bacall (Manic, Bookies), distributed by Universal Pictures in the US.

To be clear, don't go expecting an FX-heavy bonanza ala 'Iron Man' or 'The Dark Knight'...it's not THAT kind of a comic. Rather, a comedy/action/romance comic by Bryan Lee O'Malley, the series revolves around 23-year-old Canadian Scott Pilgrim, a slacker, hero, wannabe-rockstar, who is living in Toronto and playing bass in the band 'Sex Bob-Omb.' He falls in love with American delivery girl Ramona V. Flowers, but must defeat her seven 'evil exes' in order to date her.

The comic is a clever amalgamation of music, pop culture, videogames, superhero fantasies and relationships...all done up in simple (but effective) manga-inspired artwork. Originally intended to consist of six digest-sized black-and-white graphic novels, the first volume was released in 2004. As of 2007, four have been released, all published by independent comic book publisher Oni Press. Worth checking out.

Best of all, in what looks to be perfect casting, the titular character of Scott will be played by Michael Cera ('Arrested Development', 'Superbad', 'Juno') w/ love-interest Ramona being played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead ('Live Free or Die Hard', 'Death Proof'). As the comic also features a slew of funny/fascinating supporting characters, there seems to be a lot of potential there for a really interesting flick.

As the film won't hit theatres until some time in 2009, you have plenty of time to better familiarize yourself a little w/ Scott and crew...hit up your local comic shop, online bookseller or visit scottpilgrim.com today.

Say What You Want...

...that looks like fun. I realize that 'The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor' didn't make an appearance on most hipster 'anticipated Summer blockbuster' lists (including mine), but c'mon. The flick features Jet Li as an undead warlord commanding the legendary Terracotta Army, a fire-breathing Hydra ala Ghidorah and A FREAKING YETI!

Seriously, a YETI even makes Brendan Fraser's ham-handed acting worth watching and, all kidding aside, I really enjoyed the other two in a completely junk food cinema way...kind of like a Roger Corman adventure joint w/ a legitimate FX budget. While i'll probably wait for the DVD, it comes out 1-August for those of you looking for something to do.

Outside of that, more legitimate poop on the way this week while I recover from the family-filled 3-Day weekend. Stay tuned!

AMBFAD (Comic) Book Club Too

'KIRBY FIVE-OH!'

Speaking of 'King' Kirby, I also recommend picking up the 50th issue of The Jack Kirby Collector, a double-size softcover BOOK instead of the regular magazine. 'Kirby Five-Oh!' spotlights the 50 Best of Everything from his 50-year career in comics...including his 50 best stories, 50 best character designs, 50 best examples of unpublished art and much more.

It's really fucking sharp, jam packed w/ tons of art (in both color and b&w) and these guys are absolute Kirby freaks, so they really know what they are talking about. Another great way to appreciate the work of a true master and i've seen it at both Border's and Barnes & Noble. Pick one up today before they're gone!

AMBFAD (Comic) Book Club

'Godland (Volumes I, II and III)'

My first three legitimate trade collections purchased in umpteen years, Joe Casey/Tom Scioli's 'Godland' is hitting the sweet spot for me right now. A total homage to/revival of the Cosmic Superhero Epic as told by many great comic writers of the 1970s, the writing/illustration of the series is strongly inspired by Jack Kirby's style in his Eternals and Fourth World series.

As Kirby-esque as it is, you end up really not caring it's a near rip off. It's kind of how I feel about Oasis...ripping off major elements of the Beatles, but doing it so well I can't help but enjoy it. To be fair, Casey and Scioli add a more modern take on the subject matter and their own brand of humor to the story as well.

The main character of the series is astronaut Adam Archer. As the sole survivor of an ill-fated journey to Mars, he meets the alien entities known as the Cosmic Fetus Collective (HA!), who transform him into a cosmic being and instruct him in the uses of his new powers. In origin, look and powers...Archer is a total hybrid of the Silver Surfer and The Human Torch.

Four years later. Archer has become a famous superhero, but is distrusted by government and the public (Spiderman anybody?). In another instance of Fantastic 4-ish parity, he military have provided him with a base smack dab in the middle of NYC, Infinity Tower (Baxter Building?), from where Archer and his three sisters, Neela, Angie and Stella, protect the Earth w/ the help of a giant, dog-like alien named Maxim (almost a spitting image of the Inhuman's Lockjaw).

There are some fun villains as well like Basil Cronus, a floating skull in jar on a quest for the ultimate high, Destro-lookalike/former butler Friedrich Nicklehead, mega-dominatrix/torture-artist Discordia and her father the Tormentor. If that ain't enough, how about a floating pyramid from the middle of the earth piloted by a meglomaniacal King Tut-like religious fanatic named King Janus? Crazy, but uber fun stuff.

As I stated, the series has been going since 2005 and i'm catching up via the trade collections released by Image Comics: 'Hello, Cosmic!' (Issues #1-6), 'Another Sunny Delight' (Issues #7-12) and 'Proto-Plastic Party' (Issues #13-18). Volume 4: 'Experimento Afterlife' is slated for release at the end of August.

Unfortunately, the series will be ending with issue #36, a little more than a year away. Kind of an interstellar bummer, but at least they'll leave behind an impressive body of work! Check it out for yourself, true believers!

Feast your EYES on These Kicks!

Snap! I haven't rocked a pair of Vans since the original-flavor black checkerboard slip-ons I had in Junior High...but that looks like it's about to change. As part of the Vans Vault series, they've paired up again w/ the legendary Racing/Hot Rod equipment company Mooneyes!

The legendary logo that frequented jean jackets via patch and notebooks via sticker in my grade school days, will be leveraged into four designs on three types of shoes: 1 Sk8-Hi Classic, 1 Classic Slip-on, and two Authentic Lace-ups.

They are all pretty sweet, but methinks i'll be looking at picking up these when they drop in July (only at Van's Vault stores):

GIANT PANDA

'Electric Laser'

WHOO-HA! GP is back w/ a brand new joint y'all and it's a burner perfect for the Summertime. For those of you who haven't been long-time Dalek-Heads, their phenomenal debut album, 'Fly School Reunion', nabbed the top spot on my 2005 Top 10 list. I seriously love these guys...listening to a Giant Panda album is like taking a trip to the old school w/ a def new mix tape in your gold(en era) backpack. This is party rockin' w/ a conscience and a sound that embodies everything I love about hip-hop.

'Electric Laser' hooked me from the intro w/ samples from 'Real Genius' and 'Tron' floating in and out of tripped out laser-like synths...until breakin' out into the seriously funky posse cut 'Justin Case'. They throw down w/ a decidedly So-Cal thumper perfect for those who like to let the Alpines in the trunk go to 11 on the first single 'Speakers Pop'. They bring some serious boom-bip on the Superhero flavored 'Laser Ray' and DJ/MC Chikaramanga drops some serious electro-Japanese science on 'Precise Calculator'. Finally, they go out w/ a track sure to get people on the floor w/ the serious head-bobber 'Speakers Funk'...further winning me over by name checking Fu-Schnickens in the process.

While the top priority of this album is having fun (the hilarious 'CinemaX' is the funniest take on New Edition-esque sex rhyme since the Beastie Boys recorded 'Boomin' Granny'), the Giant Panda crew throw some serious jabs at prejudice as well. Never overtly preachy about racism, but the sheer Rainbow Coalition-ness of Newman (White), Maanumental (Black) and Chikaramanga (Asian) makes for a great message on how much a non-factor the color of your skin should be in hip-hop and, more importantly, beyond. Even cooler, the track 'Pops' tackles the homophobia found in a lot of mainstream rap w/ a shout-out to one of the members gay Father...bold shit for the genre.

'Electric Laser' dropped just two days ago on indie-label TRES Records...you may have a hard time finding it in store, but it's up on iTunes as well. Either way, I implore you to support these cats keepin' funky backpackin' shit that white suburban hipster doofs like me eat up w/ a spoon alive. Speaking of spoons, take a taste of the mad flavor in the sample area and act like you know!

I Think He Could Beat Mike Tyson...

I wasn't really that excited by the original teaser, but the final full-fledged trailer for Will Smith's latest entry into a long string of 4-July box office hits, 'Hancock', looks like it may not be that bad. I'll still need to hear some solid reviews, but i'll change my outlook from 'meh, whatever' to 'cautiously optimistic'.

'It's really human of you to listen to all my bullshit.'

Holy Crap! I wasn't even paying attention and as of yesterday, AMBFAD OFFICIALLY CELEBRATED IT'S 3RD BIRTHDAY! Granted, Fred, we haven't quite 'gotten our boobies'...but we're still pretty perky and i'm significantly impressed i've stuck w/ this thing for that long.

For those few 'Dalek Faithful' that skim this labor of love on a semi-regular basis, I say THANKS! While this blog serves as much needed and extremely self-serving creative therapy for me, I still dig the concept of people getting turned on to things I think are cool. The timing is perfect, as i've been working on some plans for a minor overhaul in how things are laid out here in an effort to become more user-friendly. Stick with me, sexy girlfriend!

Even though i'm way more Farmer Ted than Jake Ryan...i'll still sign off by saying: 'Happy Birthday, Samantha. Make a wish.'

Speaking of RPG(eekery)...

As I stated earlier, in the back half of my illustrious Grade School career, we would occasionally get together to go up against Mind Flayers and Beholders...but I do recall never really finishing most of our D&D campaigns. It was a good time and all, but (considering our age) we were an unfocused bunch, prone to distraction by late night showings of 'The Blue Lagoon' on HBO or Activision's Atari 2600 classic, 'Pitfall'.

I do, however, remember spending several enjoyable Saturday afternoons w/ my buddies Greg, Kevin and Kev's older brother Rich playing D&D's post-apocalyptic cousin, GAMMA WORLD. Rich put together/GM'ed an excellent campaign and the three of us youngsters were the actual players. It was a total gas and, IMO, a lot more fun than getting your ass kicked by a Wind, Water or Fire Elemental for 10 measly gold pieces.

The premise is that war destroyed all government and society beyond a village scale, plunging the world into a new Dark Age (kind of like the past 8 years under the Bush administration), where readily available technology is at best quasi-medieval...crossbows vs. fusion rifles-type shit. Common themes involved protecting fragile post-apocalypse societies, retrieving Ancient "artifacts" (sci-fi gadgetry like 'power armor', laser pistols and 'anti-grav sleds') or merely surviving against the multifarious, wacked-out dangers of the future (like gun-toting mutant rabbits, rampaging ancient death machines or living plants looking to make you lunch).

Just like D&D, you kind of built your character and established various attributes via freakishly-multiple sided dice. You could be a regular human, android or (best of all) a MUTANT! Using the all-important 'mutation table', players who chose to play mutants roll the dice to randomly determine their characters' mutations...ranging from kick-ass, comic-book style powers like electrical generation, infravision, quills, sonic attacks, multiple limbs, dual brains, total body carapaces, precognition, planar travel, weather manipulation, telepathy and 'life leeching'. DUAL BRAINS, BITCHES!

If memory serves, Greg and Kev decided to go the un-mutated route and be content w/ their plastic armor and laser pistols. Being the weirdo that I am, there was no way in hell I wasn't going to get all shades of mutated. I think I ended up being a guy w/ a lion's head, psionic powers (or maybe it was laser beam eyes) and four arms! Pretty freaking sweet, but what they don't tell you is you can also end up rolling for bum mutations like a third nipple or the inability to whistle. Me, I also ended up w/ effing hemophilia or something...I was an easy-bleeder, horrible for retaining hit points.

Anyway, even as I continue to think about it, it is one of my fondest memories of grade school. I still favor the old-school world of role-player gaming where you had to stretch your own imagination versus the PC-based Warcraft shit where it's all laid out for you. The fact that you were physically interacting w/ real live people you hung out with versus engaging in e-dialogue w/ some 13-year-old kid in South Dakota while beheading Orcs was also a plus. Of course, that's just this mutant's opinion...as long as you're having fun, knock yourself out while I happily stroll down my post-nuclear memory lane.

Weirder than a Bag of 12-sided Dice...

Okay. As a goofy grade-schooler, when being 'cool' was something you let people like Arthur Fonzarelli worry about, my buddies and I used to pretend to be a lot of stuff over lunch hour...from jedi knights in various skirmishes w/ stormtroopers to our favorite rock band, KISS, locked in battle w/the robotic werewolves from 'Phantom of the Amusement Park'. We pretty much ditched that once girls armed w/ those obscenely large 'Lip Smackers' fruit-flavored lip-balm started chasing after boys to put it to good use.

We also spent a few years playing old-school RPG's like Dungeons & Dragons. While I still have my original Player's Handbook, Monster Manual and Dungeon Master's Guide tucked away in a box in my folk's basement somewhere...and I could probably flip through a copy of the original Fiend Folio, reminiscing like I was looking at a High School yearbook...I think we abandoned our graph paper and charisma points for close-dancing w/ Junior High chicks to something wack like Wham or Kajagoogoo.

In my older age, i've become comfortable in my renewed geekiness and I look back on those innocent days with fondness. For the folks in the trailer above...they never seemed to leave any of that behind. 'Monster Camp' documents a year in the life of several members of a chapter of the New England Role Playing Organization (NERO), one of many live-action role-playing (AKA 'LARP'ing') organizations in the US. Players create their own identities selecting from a variety of races and classes, similar to D&D or World of Warcraft. Participants actually dress up and are involved as either player characters, non-player character or plot Members...whatever that means.

Watching the trailer, I find myself both frightened and sympathetic by/towards these folks. As you can tell, i'm all for letting your freak flag fly and firmly believe that if something makes you happy (and it doesn't involve killing anybody or will raise gas prices any further)...screw what people think. That said, I find the whole concept amazing, don't get live role-playing unless it involves getting laid and think this will be a frightening glimpse into a very detached (and kind of funny) 'reality'.

It's been floating around at various film festivals since 2007, but I think it just received major release last Friday. Until then, I find this the PERFECT opportunity to post the following gem from Comedy Central's 'Reno 911': 'I'M WEARING BOOTS OF ESCAPING!'

AMBFAD Book Club (artificially sweetened w/ SUCARYL)

'Krazy Kids' Food: Vintage Food Graphics'

I've actually owned this one for a while since it was re-released by Barnes & Noble publishing in 2006, but the last nostalgia-fueled AMBFAD Book Club post sparked me into recommending it now. You may find it w/ another cover if you are looking for it online or at your favorite bookseller (FYI), but I digress.

'Krazy Kids' Food' is collection of vintage food graphics used to advertise children's products from the 1930s up through the 1970s. Advertising classics (and not-so-classics) like Mr. Bubble, Maypo, Mr. Wiggle, Shake-A-Pudd'n, Tang and Space Food Sticks all make appearances (just to name a few). The evolution from kid-targeted packaging using mostly established cartoons like Mickey Mouse and Popeye to integration of their own imaginary pitchmen into popular culture, like Tony the Tiger and Twinkie the Kid, is really pretty fascinating.

Even more fascinating is some of the products people used to actually let us eat as children. (Not that) nutritious and delicious concoctions like Fizzies, Kream Krunch Cereal, King Stir, Wrapples, Puddin' Head, Space Food Sticks and Koogle parade through the book in glorious color. Also included are some of the not-so-PC mascots of the past like the Frito Bandito, Chief Big Wheels and the 'Rots O' Ruck' Candy guys. Yikes.

Released as part of the TASCHEN Icons series back in 2003, the design and layout is class act. After a nice two-page introduction...it goes right into nothing but photos of the goods. More importantly, it was helmed by Steve Roden and the amazing Dan Goodsell, both artists and curators of the largest archive of original kids' food packaging in the world! Package all that together and you've got a fun-filled book that'll make you feel like a kid again.

Plus, speaking of Dan Goodsell, i highly recommend checking out the jaw-dropping website he maintains showcasing off this massive collection of packaging, print ads, animated TV spots, theme park memorabilia and other great treasures at Tick Tock Toys. While you're there, make sure to check out his blog and original art site as well for more great stuff. I can (and have) spent hours there since he started it in 1999.

AMBFAD Book Club (w/ 1 Stick Bubble Gum)

'Wacky Packages'

As a small fry, I amassed a large 'collection' of bubblegum cards ranging in a myriad of subjects that included MLB, NBA, NFL, Star Wars, KISS, Three's Company, Close Encounters, Marvel Superheros, Charlie's Angels, Weird Wheels, Battlestar Galactica, Evel Knievel and so many others long forgotten. I loved sifting through the cards, the checklists and the stickers like a millionaire counting his cash.

My stacks upon stacks of comics were only eclipsed by the armada of shoe boxes full of these cards, not-at-all-neatly organized into groups using rubber bands. I remember selling the KISS cards sometime in Junior High at one of the memorabilia/swap meet type things that would show up in College Hills Mall every so often...the rest went to destinations unknown via garage sales and trading them for other stuff. Ancient memories the lot of them.

So, over a lunchtime trip to the comic book shop near my place of employment, I was elated to find a book completely devoted to one of the best offerings of of the bubblegum card genre: 'Wacky Packages'. They were a series of collectible stickers featuring parodies of consumer products and well-known brands and packaging first produced by the Topps company in 1967, then revived in 1973 for a highly successful run. In fact, for the first two years they were published, Wacky Packages were the only Topps product to achieve higher sales than their flagship line of baseball cards.

The book serves as a first-ever collection of Series 1 - 7 (from 1973 and 1974), released directly from Topps to honor the 35th anniversary of their existence. Not just content to offer up pictures of all 232 stickers, the book also includes a really cool forward from Art Spiegelman...a pioneer in Wacky Packages, conceiving all of the 1st series titles from 1973. You may better know him for his 1992 Pulitzer Prize-winning comics memoir, 'Maus'. All that is cool enough, but what really drew me in was the design of the book itself...

From the dustcover made from the same waxy paper that the cards were originally packaged in to the four never-before-published 'Lost Wackys' (actual stickers) included exclusively with this book...it's apparent that some thought went into the experience of enjoying this book as much as you enjoyed the stickers it focuses upon.

The overall design is so clean and neat and full of little creative touches that include a lone stick of that pink cardboard that they would pass off as 'gum' staring back at you when you peel back the dustcover. Even better, the pages are stitched in, rather than just glued. It's a hell of a lot more expensive to produce a stitched book, but it's a hell of a lot more durable as well...perfect for those of the 'collector' mentality likely to buy the thing.

Really, you just have to see it in person to get the just of it and if you are a fan of this type of ephemera...I highly recommend checking it out. It was just released to stores this week, both online and I actually saw a bunch at Barnes & Nobel as well. Enjoy and save a piece of 'gum' for me!

Dr. Goldfoot Plus Bonus Party Cut

Vincent Price, sweet cameos from other AIP Beach Party film alumni like Annette Funicello, in-jokes, over-the-top sexism and scantily-clad retro hotties go-go dancing should be enough of a reason to like this flick, but how about this:

That's right, bitches...an absolutely boss claymation title sequence designed by Gumby's Art Clokey AND title song performed by The Supremes!!! YES!

Pointing the 'Fun Finger' at You!

I finally took advantage of the whole 'watch your painfully obscure cult movie online since we don't carry the DVD, you hipster doofus' feature on Netflix a few nights ago and I have to say it wasn't all that bad. Granted, next go around, i'll probably fire it up from the comfort of my la-z-boy via laptop and headphones versus sitting in front of our desktop for an hour and a half.

That said, the time spent in that crappy, uncomfortable office chair seemed to float by while I watched the cinematic brilliance that is 'Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine'. I'm not kidding either...this flick was the perfect blend of movie genres that I hold near and dear to my heart. Spy flick? Sci-Fi flick? Horror flick? Sex Comedy flick? Beach Party/Surf flick? How about...all of the above, kids!

You can really tell that it was released by American International Pictures, kings of teenage-targeted beach and b-movie horror. AIP co-founder, Samuel Z. Arkoff, related his tried-and-true 'ARKOFF Formula' for producing a successful low-budget movie years later, during a 1980s talk show appearance. This lucrative formula for producing low-budget films that teenagers would eat up like candy:

Action (exciting, entertaining drama)
Revolution (novel or controversial themes and ideas)
Killing (a modicum of violence)
Oratory (notable dialogue and speeches)
Fantasy (acted-out fantasies common to the audience)
Fornication (sex appeal, for young adults)

'Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine' follows said recipe to the hilt and hits all the sweet spots in each category. It's done in such a camp, silly way that you could only find around 1965...when you didn't have to stick your dick in an apple pie to make somebody laugh. Yet, it remains completely wholesome by today's standards without losing any of the entertainment value.

Anway, Dr. Goldfoot (played by the flawless Vincent Price) is a mad scientist who, with the questionable assistance of his resurrected flunky Igor, builds a gang of golden bikini-clad female robots who are dispatched to both seduce and rob wealthy men. His plan ends up being thwarted by secret agent Frankie Avalon and millionaire bachelor Dwayne 'Dobie Gillis' Hickman, who've both fallen for Robot #11. Said Robot is played by the smoking-hot Susan Hart, who would go on to star in another AIP classic, 'The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini' (to be reviewed later).

I'm telling you, this film is the gift that keeps on giving all year round and you need to treat yourself to it right away. Like I said, you can watch it online via Netflix or order it via your favorite online DVD retailer. Still not convinced?! Peep the trailer and thank me later:

AMBFAD Book Club/Poster Extra!

'Some People Can't Surf: The Graphic Design of Art Chantry'

While we're talking rock posters, i'd be remiss if I didn't mention a literary blast from the past in the excellent book 'Some People Can't Surf: The Graphic Design of Art Chantry'. Now, to poster/graphic design Luddites, Chantry may not be a household name, but to anybody who was even a passing fan of the grunge movement that burst out of the Northwest in the early 90's...you may just be a fan and didn't even know it.

Published back in 2001, this book is a fantastic encapsulation of an extremely influential figure in modern graphic design. Due in part to Chantry designing the book itself and packing it with hundreds of his vibrant images from his own personal collection, the book successfully traces his career from covers and layouts for the seminal music magazine The Rocket, to album covers for such cult bands as Mudhoney, the Reverend Horton Heat, the Fastbacks and many more.

Throw in Chantry's commentary on the unusual origins and unorthodox processes behind his work, as well as providing context for his oft-copied look and you've got a robust case-study justifying consideration that he is indeed one of the greats. Well, at least that's what author Julie Lasky pleads a pretty rock-solid case for and you can color me convinced. Unfortunately, I think it's wrongfully out of print...but there are copies both new and used available at Amazon.

I also suggest heading over to artchantry.com for a link to some of his stuff you can actually buy and enjoy in the comfort of your own home. You'll be glad you did...promise!

AMBFAD Book Club Two-fer

'Art of Modern Rock: Mini #1 A-Z & Mini #2 Poster Girls'

I love rock. I also love posters, the alphabet and girls. If you are anything like me (God help you), i've got a pair of books that I think you'll enjoy. 'Art of Modern Rock: Mini(s)' are the impish siblings of the gargantuan 2004 coffee table collection of dynamic rock posters: 'Art of Modern Rock: The Poster Explosion'. Filled with classic hits from the original volume plus loads of new material, the Mini(s) have been reformatted into a perfect bite-size package that will actually fit nicely on your bookshelf.

'A-Z' is organized into a clever, alphabetical collection ranging from themes 'Anarchy' to 'Zombie', w/ all the key poster tropes and genres getting some play. Rock poster luminaries like Derek Hess, Emek, Kozik and Scrojo (to name a few) are all well-represented w/ some of their most classic work included within. Bottom line, even in it's smaller format, this is a beefy bunch of good stuff any aficionado can enjoy.

'Poster Girls' is organized in a very similar way, except under a larger context of the female form and it's historical importance as a key muse to the art form. A bountiful bevy of rock-and-roll vixens, indie beauties, alien seductresses, ass-kicking cowgirls and punk rock babes all parade through the pages inside to beautiful results. Exploitation or tribute? I like to think it's the latter, but you can decide for yourself.

The author, Dennis King, is an internationally recognized authority on vintage/contemporary rock and roll posters, graphics and screen prints (plus, Japanese pop culture artifacts and baseball cards). He maintains one of the largest private poster collections in the world and is regularly called upon by publications, libraries, and museums worldwide for authentication and historical commentary. It's this virtual bottomless pit of material to pull from that make these books so fantastic. You can actually check out some his gallery online at D. King Gallery.

For further poster fun, I highly recommend checking out the kick-ass blog 'OMG Posters!' for up-to-date news on some of the freshest stuff popping out there and if you really want to go nuts, spend a few hours going through the cavernous collection of stuff at 'Gigposters.com'...neatly organized by everything from artist, band and venue. Links for both are over to the right and both books are available at most major booksellers right now.

Double Feature...Let's Play Two!

So, aside from the aforementioned TOHO goodness, I also caught a true American classic in 'This Island Earth'. Being one of the first major sci-fi flicks produced in color and featuring FX considered groundbreaking at the time, its really kind of considered the grandaddy of big-budget space-themed epics. Released in 1955, it still has moments of retro-goofiness, but I can see how the film really opened the door for a lot of films of similar ilk.

The story centers around a bunch of aliens w/ really bad pompadour haircuts from the planet Metaluna, who come to Earth seeking scientists to help them defend their planet in the war against the evil Zagons. After shit starts getting worse back home, the aliens end up taking two of them back to their war-torn planet through a Zagon created meteor storm, in the hope that they can do something to set stuff straight.

Suffice to say that things are already to bleak by the time they get there and, long story short, the couple bust ass back home after fighting off a creepy AWOL mutant. There are plenty of flying saucers, tractor beams, guided meteors, deadly ray guns, snappy jumpsuits and what may have been a moral about the dangers of war's affects on a planet's resources as well...a lesson, even 50+ years later, we still don't seem to understand.

That said, in an act considered near-blasphemy by sci-fi purists, 'This Island Earth' was used in 'Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie' released back in 1996. I never actually saw it, but I may have to remedy that sometime in the near future (just released on DVD). I really do recommend watching it first as it was intended, it really is a cool little slice of history...

Mysteroid Needs Women!

I watched another sci-fi 'classic', brought to the screen by the same legendary creative team that gave us the earlier reviewed 'Latitude Zero'. The first TOHO production to be filmed in glorious TOHOSCOPE and PERSPECTA STEREOPHONIC SOUND, 'The Mysterians' was a fun little mixture of Kaiju and Sci-Fi films served up as only the Japanese can do it.

I still haven't fully figured out the plot, even after watching it all the way through, but that didn't hamper my enjoyment of the film. Not that it's deep or complex, I just don't think it really had much of a plot to begin with. Then again, I didn't really expect to have to think too hard going in.

From what I was able to gather, the film seems to involve beings from a dying planet called Mysteroid flexing their technological muscles in an effort to bully Japan into giving them a bunch of real estate and women. Yes indeed, they let loose a giant robot named Moguera w/ optical heat blasts capable of wiping out entire towns and submit the Japanese countryside to numerous natural disasters...for land and some ASS. Eventually, after getting their collective butts kicked by robots and death rays, some Japanese scientists figure out how to send the Mysterians back to outer space.

I won't give away how they do it, just in case there is the slight, microscopic chance anybody actually watches the film based on my review. Suffice to say, not up to par w/ other TOHO classics...but still good, clean sci-fi fun. Worth throwing into the Netflix que if you are looking for something to watch...

HAPPY (BELATED) MOTHER'S DAY!

We had a weekend-long celebration in the Famous hacienda, but this post goes out to Moms everywhere...especially if you have a husband, like me, who's just as big of a kid as your legitimate offspring. THANKS!

Speaking of 'Wild Wild West'...

Most people may know it as either a badass Kool Moe Dee jam or a pretty horrible Will Smith/Kevin Cline flick, worse than the Y2K 'problem' it debuted during the Summer prior. While i'll give you the Moe Dee tune, the real deal came in the form of an awesome TV show that that ran on CBS for four seasons from 1965 to 1969.

Developed at a time when the television western was losing ground to the spy genre, the show was conceived by its creator, Michael Garrison, as kind of a 'James Bond' on horseback.' The show revolved around two Secret Service agents - James West, a chiseled Bond-esque gunslinger (played by Robert Conrad) and Artemus Gordon (played by Ross Martin), a smartass gadgeteer and master of disguise. Their overarching mission was to protect Ulysses S. Grant and the good ole' US of A from all manner of dangerous threats.

They traveled in around in their own tricked-out train, the Wanderer, that was equipped with everything from a stable car to a laboratory. The show was an interesting mix of classic Western/espionage thriller and, in certain episodes, borderline science fiction. Being that our heroes were a little more spy than cowboys, each episode was replete w/ beautiful women, clever gadgets and delusional arch-enemies with crazy-ass plots to take over the country or even, BWA-HA-HA, the world.

Said clever gadgets included a jacket that had kind an ejecting/retractable support-arm that had everything from a a tiny squirt-can containing acid, iron climbing-claws and a full-fledged derringer pistol...explosive material in the hollow heel of one boot (the fuse attached to the hem of his jacket) and a break-away blow-torch in the other heel...a belt buckle/holster that had everything from secret spare bullets to a motor-driven winch for climbing...the list goes on.

Said delusional arch-enemies included everything from a murderous matchmaker, a karate-kicking Frankenstein, an assassin who is half-man/half-metal, a gorilla, a Kraken-like sea monster, a Chinese warlord and Dr. Miguelito Quixote Loveless, a dwarf w/ giant intellect...again, the list goes on.

Said crazy-ass plots involved everything from an LSD-like hallucinogenic capable of driving men into fits of killing madness...a sonic device that allowed the use of paintings as a portal to other dimensions...both an earthquake and tidal-wave making machine...surgically implanted crystals that when shattered inside the brain by a high-pitched noise, caused the subject to turn into a criminal...a drug capable of shrinking a man down to a height of 6"...should I stop yet?

Personally, due to the aforementioned gadgets/villains and the guest stars who played them (Victor Buono, Harvey Korman, Agnes Moorehead, Boris Karloff, Martin Landau, Burgess Meredith, Don Rickles, Ricardo Montalban, Ted Knight and many more)...it always struck me as more the televised version of Batman than 007. Regardless, I used to love watching the re-runs every Sunday morning on WGN for ALL of the reasons listed above.

The timing of their inclusion in the previous book review is pretty funny, as I just recently discovered 'The Wild Wild West' airs every weeknight at 8PM here in Chicagoland on MeTV's sister channel MeToo, available on Comcast digital cable. I forgot how much I loved this show and have been watching on pretty much any night that isn't Thursday. For those who don't have the channel, the entire series is available on DVD. Tune in and give it a whirl...

AMBFAD Book Club TOO!

'The Incredible World of Spy-fi: Wild and Crazy Spy Gadgets, Props, and Artifacts from TV and the Movies'

Another great bargain-bin discovery at Half-Price Books, 'The Incredible World of Spy-Fi' was actually published in 2004 ('missed it by that much')...but the treasures within are totally timeless. Anybody who reads this blog knows that i'm a total horror/sci-fi geek when it comes to film/TV, but the 'spy' genre is equally important in the molecular structure of my geekdom. I bonded (pun not totally intended) w/ my Dad over all the 007 flicks and even read a healthy handful of Ian Fleming's books in my youth.

That said, luckily, the level of geekdom displayed by author Danny Biederman is unparalleled and we have a blast of a book as a result. Biederman has been immersed in the world of international espionage (at least as Hollywood depicts it) from the time of his youth in the 1960s, when he was introduced to a world of 'spies, gadgets, adventure, and beautiful women - everything that a ten-year-old boy could possibly want.' Since then, he has collected over 4,000 props from various sets, amassing such an impressive bunch of artifacts that the CIA asked him to exhibit it at its HQ in 2000.

This book tells the story of each film and TV series through Biederman’s props, with both historical perspective and (often funny) personal anecdotes (his search for his 'holy grail,' the cigarette-pack transmitter from U.N.C.L.E., is fantastic) thrown in for good measure. Great stuff from James Bond, 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.', 'Mission Impossible', 'The Wild Wild West', 'I Spy' and even Maxwell Smart's shoe phone/Austin Powers glasses are all represented (to name a few).

With over 200 color images from this vast collection and insight offered up from such a fanatic, this is a must-have for anybody who even remotely digs the genre. Like I said, I got it for a steal and it's available on most of online retailers, new and used. Check it out.

AMBFAD Book Club

'Cartoon Modern: Style and Design in 1950s Animation'

I actually bought and read this extremely cool book over a month or so ago, but kept forgetting to post up w/ a review. 'Cartoon Modern: Style and Design in 1950s Animation' examines a really interesting period in animation that virtually discarded the 'lifelike' aesthetic popularized by the Disney classics of the 1940's, for a more graphic and often abstract approach.

The work shown within really had so much in common w/ the equally modern painting and graphic design movements of the era, with extremely creative results. Even better, while examples from heavy-hitters like Disney, Hanna-Barbera, Warner Brothers and UPA are all represented within, the groundwork for the movement started and was most predominantly featured in everything from commercials to industrial and educational films to fair and expo infotainment.

The book is brimming w/ wonderful art within, organized by thes studio/ad firm/ etc. it came from. Not just pretty to look at, it also features some in depth historical perspective behind the period and the people that created it. The author, Amid Amidi, is the publisher/editor of Animation Blast magazine, cofounder of the extremely excellent animation blog CartoonBrew.com and has done a fantastic job in putting together a book that is both fun for the eyes AND your head.

It was actually published back in 2006, so it's available on all your favorite online booksellers or, if you're lucky like me, a Barnes & Noble that still happened to have a copy in stock. For a chronicle of the book's inception/birth and a glut of examples of the period it's about, you should also check out the blog he had up for it HERE. More book club fun on the way!

Timepiece Plus Bonus Party Cut

While tooling around the web last night, I also discovered one of those 'DAMN! WISH I WOULDN'T HAVE MISSED THAT!' sort of finds. I don't know that they do it that much anymore, but there was a time when FOSSIL had a slew of kickass collector series of watches based on everything from Star Wars to Sports to Comic Books.

Back in 1994, they did a series of Spiderman watches and the one pictured up top was particularly badass. The face had a rotating disc with a hole in it that revealed various characters as it ticked. It also came with a book of bios on each character revealed and was packaged in a comic shaped box featuring 1960's Spiderman cover art.

One website has one available for $530, so I think i'll stick w/ trying to figure out how to finance one of those swanky Nixons instead. Regardless, I thought it was cool enough to share.

What's the Time? IT'S TIME TO GET...

...this so-fresh-it-hurts Rotolog from Nixon (in the boss Blockade design). I saw one of these bad-boys firsthand and it is freaking gorgeous. It's also $200+, so I don't think i'll be waving one from side to side on my wrist ala Puffy and Mase in the 'Mo' Money, Mo' Problems' video any time soon. I can dream though.

To note, the same watch in the Dither design is equally as def and (unfortunately) equally as expensive...

Ah well, maybe I can convince somebody i'm the greatest Dad in the world and deserving of such a fine prize for Father's Day or my birthday or X-mas or all three.

Until then, you can join me in drooling over these fine timepieces and other over at the Nixon website HERE. All kidding aside, they have some kickass designers churning out some things-of-beauty...check them out.

THE ROOTS

'Rising Down'

Another extremely satisfying joint from the (y'all know who) 'legendary Roots crew'. Still not quite mainstream and, yet, not at all underground, but straddling a surprisingly microscopic line between the two. Their second release for Def Jam, 'Rising Down', still finds the group standing their ground on a palpable (and often angry) worldview and wearing a badge of musicality sorely lacking in most hip-hop getting play on radio and MTV.

The music found within challenges you, the listener, to question the answers...to challenge the status quo dictated to us by class and/or the color of our skin...and, most of all, to rise up against stereotypes killing us all from every direction. Sure, there are other more 'indie' artists out there doing the same and yes, The Roots have been at it since the jump off...but for a group still banging it out on a higher-profile major label, especially in this day of the incredibly shrinking music industry, this type of music deserves respect. They've got mine.

The lead-off track that gives the album it's name manages to be both darker AND funkier than hell...you can almost imagine Black Thought, Mos Def and Styles P hunkered down in a bunker somewhere, waiting the storm of society's ills out. Conversely, the next track seemingly takes shit to the streets (complete w/ some ill scratch from DJ Jazzy Jeff) to implore folks to 'Get Busy' and change some shit. 'I Will Not Apologize' demands some serious accountability on the part of the individual and over a hellacool, greasy groove as well. The darkest track, by far, is 'Singing Man' where the MC's present the perspectives of suicide bombers, campus shooters and child soldiers...not to condone the action, but to highlight the environment that may bring someone to that point in life. The light at the end of the tunnel comes in the form of the optimistic message and almost shimmering funky soul of 'Rising Up'...reminding us that lying down ain't going to make all your problems go away.

The trademark ?uestlove-led organic funk is still the hallmark of The Roots sound, but the secret weapon for me is the continually improving flow/mic skills of Black Thought. One just need to take a listen to '75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction)' for a killer example and a track that will make you feel whiter just for listening to it (and that's a compliment). There are a few moments where the music seems to meander into the mainstream rap playbook and gets a little too R&B for my blood, but they are few and far between.

I will say that while this album is still dope as hell by today's hip-hop standards, it still doesn't capture the magic of earlier releases. I don't know if that's a byproduct of being in the game this long or continued pressure for album sales presented by being on a major label, but it hasn't killed my excitement over their music (yet). The album dropped last Tuesday, so you can grab it now...or wait until you've gotten a feeler in the sample area.

More Marvel Mighty Muggs

Ghost Rider, Thor, Dr. Octopus

What a M-M-M-Mouthful! I was actually able to find Wolverine, Spidey and Iron Man at Wal-Mart of all places...but it took some looking around. So, since i've made up my mind to actually (sort of) collect these things, I went ahead and purchased the rest of the Marvel Muggs yet to ship from Hasbro directly.

Next up, I need to figure out where i'm actually going to put them...don't think the Mrs. would appreciate these staring back at her from the mantle above the fireplace. I think I need a Fortress of Solitude or a Batcave, but i'd settle for another spare room in the house for an office. Yep.

STOP THE PRESSES!!!

Not only am I posting up w/ something NOT related to comic books or movies about comic books or toys from movies about comic books...but it's an actual music post concerning one of the greatest indie bands EVER!

I had a bunch of posts about San Francisco's Beulah a few years back, mostly revolving around the excellent flick ('A Good Band is Easy to Kill') documenting their 2003 tour in support of what would be their final album and, really, their final ride off into the sunset. Again, worth checking out if you haven't before.

Since then, things had been extremely quiet on the Beulah front until yesterday, when frontman Miles Kurosky appeared out of nowhere w/ a Myspace page and a track from his long-awaited solo disc titled 'An Apple for an Apple'. Said album has been jokingly referred to as kind of an indie 'Chinese Democracy' due to a string of health complications, but it seems it's being mixed and we may actually see this thing sometime this year (fingers crossed)!

Until then, you can take a listen HERE and see what you think. Personally, I like it so much that i'd let it get to (at least) third base w/ me...and tell it's friends about it. I'll also plead that if you've never done so before, that you check out he collected work of Mr. Kurosky's former band, Beulah, post haste. Their albums are all availble on iTunes and i'm also throwing up a snack in the sample area as well.

Thanks again to my man, Charles, for the heads up!