Author Archives: platinumal

The Revenge of Hallowe’en Horror Fest

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Shadow of the Vampire (2000)

An interesting one, this – not exactly a shocker, but undeniably creepy.  Shadow of the Vampire proposes that the classic silent film Nosfertu (1922) employed an actual vampire to portray it’s evil protaganist, Count Orlock.  Set during the production of the film, Director F. W. Murnau (John Malkovich) decides that only a real undead creature can portray the villain of his story.  As a result, the production is plagued by catastrophe as the vampire’s natural urges threaten to derail the project. shadow-of-the-vampire-poster

Willem Dafoe is almost unrecognisable as Max Shreck, the vampire playing a vampire.  He gives a fantastically eerie performance, superbly impersonating the Orlock of the original movie and also bringing his own air of barely contained menace.  Malkovich shows his skills as the driven perfectionist trying to keep together a production that is teetering on the brink of collapse.

To truly get the most from Shadow of the Vampire, the audience needs to be familiar with the source material.  But then, if you’ve never seen Nosferatu – you should be ashamed of yourself.

8/10

Taste the Blood of Hallowe’en Horror Fest

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Taste the Blood of Dracula (1970)

Time for more Hammer for Hallowe’en Horror Fest.  This film sees Christopher Lee star as Dracula in an unusual twist on typical vampire sequels.  

Three well-to-do Victorian gentlemen leave their family homes once a month to carry out some charity work in the less desirable parts of town.  Although it turns out that they’re actually a group of depraved hedonists, hell bent on enjoying whatever illicit thrills they can.  Enter Lord Courtley (Ralph Bates), a society satanist, who encourages the revellers to partake in a gruesome evil ritual.  A ritual that involves relics of the vanquished Count – including his powdered blood.  The three refuse to drink the blood mixture, and resort to killing Courtley.  Once dead, he is regenerated as Dracula, who vows to destroy those who killed his loyal servant. taste-the-blood-of-dracula-1-1024

Taste the Blood of Dracula offers a novel spin on the rejuvenation of Count Dracula.  We also see a different plot in that Dracula engineers a revenge against his servant’s enemies and their families.  It’s a good idea and executed well in the typical Gothic Hammer fashion.  This variation on the normal themes creates a sequel that’s well worth checking out.

7/10

The Curse of Hallowe’en Horror Fest

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An American Werewolf in London (1981)

I first saw this film when I was about ten years old.  Or rather, I saw the first ten minutes.  When the initial attack occurs on the moors, my Mum switched it off.  And I’m not surprised.  Just those first few minutes were enough to make me shit my shoes off.  It would be many years later before I would actually watch the movie all the way through.

An American Werewolf in London begins with two backpacking young Americans finding their way to a mysterious village somewhere in Yorkshire.  They are attacked on the moors by a werewolf – one is killed and one survives, thus carrying on the werewolf’s curse.  Recovering in a London hospital, the survivor, David (David Naughton) is cared for by nurse Alex (Jenny Agutter).  His nightmares soon erupt into vicious attacks as he transforms, under the full moon, into a werewolf. american_werewolf_in_london_poster_04

This film is an absolute classic of the genre.  There are genuine jump-out-of-your-seat shocks, moments of bloody gore and a tragic love story that combine into a thrilling experience.  The special effects make-up (by Rick Baker) is still out standing today, particularly the transformation scene.

Often described as a “horror comedy”, there is a humorous tone in moments throughout the film which helps create the light and dark shades.  Director John Landis, however, has stated that An American Werewolf… is not a comedy, it just uses the lighter shades to create impact for the more horrible scenes.  Landis blends the moods superbly.  There are also numerous nods to the werewolf movies of the past; both verbally (The Wolfman and Curse of the Werewolf both get a nod) and in the structure of the film.

I’ve seen this film many, many times since Mum first switched channels after ten minutes. I’ve even seen it on the big screen, for a special late night showing a couple of years ago. The film’s ability to shock is now lost on me somewhat – I know when every scare is due to happen.  But I still enjoy watching this film and absorb every incredibly clever touch that Landis utilises.  It’s made a massive impression on me – I still remember the first time I was way down deep on the London underground, and gained an appreciation of the loneliness and isolation in one particular scene.

An American Werewolf In London: if you’ve not seen it, see it now.  But not in a dodgy theatre in Piccadilly Circus, obviously.

10/10

Hallowe’en Horror Fest part 2

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The clock strikes, darkness descends and it’s time for more movies from Hallowe’en Horror Fest!

Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb (1971) 220px-Bloodmummytomb

This is what we want!  Hammer Horror – with all the trappings.  This gem from 1971, based on a story by Bram Stoker, offers all the trademarks we expect.  The very lovely Valerie Leon plays Margaret, who seems to be a reincarnation of an Ancient Egyptian Queen of evil named Tera.  Her Egyptologist father (Andrew Keir) and his comrades excavated Tera’s tomb many years before, and now are faced with the return of the sorceress and several dastardly, supernatural murders.

The narrative begins very well and is spiced up with some fairly gruesome imagery.  However, the last third of the film seems to drag a little when it should really deliver more thrills.  Never the less, this Hammer movie features dependable performances and impressive sets that make it a movie well worth catching.  A clever concept with some definite moments that make the film stand out from similar fare. tumblr_lx2w6mr6Wk1r18pefo1_500

Of course, the real event here is Valerie Leon, who can be summed up alliteratively with words such as voluptuous and VA VA VOOM!!!

7/10

More Hallowe’en Horror Fest reviews coming very soon…

Platinum Lounge Playlist

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Excellent news – the legendary Platinum Lounge is open again this weekend.  This is whilst the recent licence issues are “pending”.  Hopefully we’ll see the Lounge resurrected to its former glory and status as a beacon of light in glum old Chester.

To celebrate, here’s a playlist I’ve collated on my visits to the establishment.  Obviously, this list isn’t exhaustive – I don’t know or own every song played in Platinum Lounge.  These are just the ones I have a copy of, and can remember.  After all, I usually have a couple of polite drinkies when I’m there.

This is a soundtrack for some great nights, great music and great company.  Maybe it will help convince people that Platinum Lounge is nothing to be afraid of.

  1. Kylie Minogue – “Confide in Me”
  2. Green Day – “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”
  3. Def Leppard – “Pour Some Sugar On Me”
  4. Amy Winehouse – “Rehab”
  5. AC/DC – “Girl’s Got Rhythm”
  6. Alex Gaudino – “Destination Calabria”
  7. Beyonce – “Irreplaceable”
  8. Rhianna – “Umbrella”
  9. Audio Bullys ft. Nancy Sinatra – “Shot You Down”
  10. Destiny’s Child – “Independent Women”
  11. Beyonce – “Crazy in Love”
  12. Beyonce – “Green Light”
  13. Christina Aguilera – “Dirrty”
  14. Massive Attack – “Teardrop”
  15. Nickleback – “Rockstar”
  16. Ida Corr vs. Fedde Le Grand – “Let Me Think About It”
  17. ZZ Top – “Gimme All Your Lovin'”
  18. Poison – “Unskinny Bop”
  19. Motley Crue – “Girls, Girls, Girls”
  20. T-Rex – “Get It On”
  21. AC/DC – “Rock’n’Roll Train”
  22. ZZ Top – “Legs”
  23. AC/DC – “Back in Black”
  24. Alice Cooper – “Poison”
  25. Starship – “We Built This City”
  26. Metallica – “Enter Sandman”
  27. The Cult – “She Sells Sanctuary”
  28. AC/DC – “Shoot to Thrill”
  29. Steppenwolf – “Born to be Wild”
  30. Metallica – “Nothing Else Matters”
  31. Bon Jovi – “Wanted Dead or Alive”
  32. Tenacious D – “Tribute”

Recently Platinum Lounge held a Rock Night.  It was one of the best collection of tunes I’ve ever heard on a night out in Chester.  The above list doesn’t include songs from that night, I’ll post that as a separate list another time!

Hallowe’en Horror Fest

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It’s October!  Which means it’s not long till Hallowe’en.  Which also means that I’ve started my annual Hallowe’en Horror Fest – watching scary movies and listening to horror rock!

The festival of Hallowe’en is a big deal at the Virtual Hot Tub.  Not only will I be decorating the place and having a fancy dress party for all my fiends, I’ll update you on other cultural happenings throughout the month.  Starting now.

A big part of Hallowe’en Horror Fest is the films.  Horror movies old and new, whether they’re real shit-your-shoes off jumpy, or just have some supernatural element to them.  My aim is to watch as many as possible before we get to November.   Here’s the scoop on the first two.

The Raven (2012)

A serial killer is committing terrible murders inspired by the writings of Edgar Allan Poe.  Poe (John Cusack) must turn detective to put an end to the grisly crimes before his betrothed becomes the next victim.

I was intrigued to see this film as I’ve read many of Poe’s stories over the years, and enjoyed them immensely.  Whether you enjoy the movie will depend on if you can accept the fictionalised account including the real Edgar Allan Poe as a protagonist.  For me, this twist was a great idea and worth exploring.

Not truly “Horrific”, but nonetheless creating a suitably dark, brooding atmosphere with a fair dose of gore, I enjoyed the film very much.  Very good, though shock factor is not too high.

7/10

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

A hybrid of Tarantino gangster movie and splatter crazy vampire fest, I wasn’t a big fan of this film the first time I saw it.  The juxtaposition of the two styles jarred.  However the exploding, gloopy vampires – acting more like zombies in their mass attack on the humans – grated on me even more.  They didn’t resemble enough the vampires of folklore I was familiar with.  I actually enjoyed the gritty realism of the first part of the film rather than the horror element.

Repeated viewings have proved me wrong.  The more I see this film, the more I admire the ingenuity, creativity and enthusiasm thrown onto the screen like an exploding blood pack by Director Robert Rodriguez.  Great performances from everyone, including George Clooney, Juliette Lewis, Harvey Keitel and Tarantino himself.  Watching it again now, the disparate elements really serve to create a sense of bewilderment when the vampires show themselves.

Highly recommended, if you’ve not seen this film, get on it now.  And not forgetting Salma Hayek makes one of the sexiest vampires ever as Santanico Pandemonium.

8/10

Enemies of Freedom

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Very sad news recently with the announcement that Chester’s only lap dancing club, the Platinum Lounge, has lost it’s “sex establishment” licence.  This possibly means no more Platinum Lounge, and certainly no more lap or pole dancing.  It also means job losses for girls and bar staff working there.

The reason given by Chester City Council is that the club is in a residential area, and thus disruptive for local residents.  Which is clearly nonsense.  The real reason is that the busy bodies in the City have decided that a lap dancing club is “just not cricket” and would tarnish the reputation of the historic City of Chester.

However, I note that Chester Races is obviously a feature that the residents, business leaders and council whole heartedly approve of.  Chester races, which encourages binge drinking and violence on an unprecedented scale, not to mention traffic and disruption for all those who live or work in the area.  Chester races, the one day when male race goers wear a suit other than when they’re in court.  And the “ladies”, shoe-horned into tiny dresses to reveal their orange tanned cellulite ridden bodies.  Seen later with their knickers round their ankles, pissing in the gutter and being sick on their chips.

I’ve been to Platinum Lounge may times and found that the club was friendly and professional with no sign of trouble or drug use.  Unlike most other Chester venues (and I’m talking about some of the popular places here, not the tiny ones).  Not to mention that the drinks were affordable (unusual) and the music often excellent (very unusual for sad, small minded Chester).  I seriously doubt that I will be spending many evenings in the City from now on, as the alternatives for a good night out are scarce.

The hypocrisy and stupidity of this decision infuriates me.  It is blatant snobbery which will only serve to drive out any diversity in the City and further intensify the antisocial behaviour witnessed every weekend.  

For this reason, I name Chester City Council as my first ENEMIES OF FREEDOM.

Read more here.

The Best Programme on Television

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What is the best programme on Television right now?  I’ve been watching the magnificent The Walking Dead, obviously; and just started with Under the Dome.  I can still quite happily get my daily fix of Man Vs Food and Come Dine With Me.  But the absolute best thing on TV right now?  It’s a kids’ show.  It is: The Aquabats! SuperShow!

Chronicling the adventures of five super heroes, The Aquabats! Super Show! melds live action comedy and animation in a combination that entertains kids and adults alike.  They are a five-piece rock band, who also happen to be fearless adventurers ready to save the world from the powers of evil. download

Although they all wear identical uniforms, each of the Aquabats possess unique characters and powers (as well as playing different instruments).  The MC Bat Commander is the leader (and frontman) of the group, though his decisions are not always the most sound.  Bass player Crash McLarson has the ability to grow in size when he becomes “emotional”.  EagleBones Falconhawk plays a mean laser guitar and has an invisible spirit bird, called The Dude, to aid in tricky situations.  Health conscious Ricky Fitness is the drummer with super speed.  And then there’s Jimmy the Robot, keyboard playing android scientist with gadgets galore.

The Aquabats travel together in their Battle Tram; fighting an array of super villains, mad scientists, mutants and monsters.  Everything from zombies, mummies, circus freaks and things from outer space pop up in their absurd adventures.  Like a hybrid of the 1960’s Adam West Batman, the Monkees and Scooby Doo – this show has it all.

I love The Aquabats! Super Show! so much.  In fact the whole family are converted now, following my relentless promotion of the programme at home.  The only negative of this show is that I wish I’d thought of it.  It’s such a cool, and clever, idea.  The fun they must have thinking this stuff up.  Rock stars who are super heroes, fighting crazy aliens and creatures?  It’s B-movie, camp ridiculousness that manages to shoe-horn in as much pop culture as anyone could ever want.

You can catch The Aquabats! Super Show on CITV regularly.  Or buy Series 1 here.  Whatever, just watch it, you’ll love it!

http://www.theaquabats.com/

http://aquabatsblog.tumblr.com/post/52444699390/a-brand-new-blog

http://www.hubworld.com/the-aquabats-super-show/shows/the-aquabats-super-show

Random Bike Ride Playlist #7

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OK, this is the last random playlist.  And it’s a short one.  Just six miles.

  1. Tom Waits – “Rain Dogs”
  2. Chimaira – “Empire”
  3. The Smiths – “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore”
  4. Jack Johnson – “Staple It Together”
  5. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Johnny, Kick a Hole in the Sky”
  6. Status Quo – “Down the Dustpipe”
  7. The Beach Boys – “Good to My Baby”
  8. N.W.A. – “Dopeman (Remix)”
  9. Pink Floyd – “A Pillow of Winds”
  10. Consolidated – “Veggie Beat Manifesto”
  11. Broadzilla – “Diamond Sex Goddess”

Johnny Cash R.I.P.

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He was the Man in Black.  The original Rock’n’Roll rebel.  He spoke for the downtrodden and forgotten.  He was tormented by his demons and knew both success and despair.  A contemporary of Elvis, his legacy has had an impact on generations of musicians and music fans of all tastes and walks of life.

He was Johnny Cash, and he passed away on September 12th 2003.

If you’ve read my music themed posts previously, you’ll know that Johnny Cash is my favourite recording artist of all time.  As a tribute to my hero, here is a summary of some of my favourite songs from his vast repertoire.

These songs are not presented as a “Top 10” or an essential guide.  That would take much more contemplation.  This is just ten songs that spring to mind as indispensable.

One Piece at a Time 

Great memories of singing this song at Karaoke.  One of Cash’s more light hearted tunes, with a great rolling rhythm.  Find it on “The Best of Johnny Cash”.

The Man Comes Around

Title track from the fourth American Recordings album.  Full of biblical portent and apocalyptic thunder.

Man in Black

Cash wasn’t afraid to speak his mind and go against the grain.  In this song, the beaten and the cast aside are defended at a time when such views were not healthy for a Country star’s career.  From “Greatest Hits”.

Pocahontas

Cash declared his sympathies with the Native Americans in several key songs throughout his career.  This song pulls no punches yet does it with a beautiful melody.  From the American Recordings boxed set, find it on “Vol. 2: Trouble in Mind”.

A Boy Named Sue

Another comedy tune and an obvious choice, I know.  I picked it ‘cos I’ve sung it at Karaoke many times.  Although I can’t really sing.  This song gave me the confidence to stand up and try.  From “Johnny Cash at San Quentin”.

Hurt

A cover of a Nine Inch Nails song, from “The Man Comes Around”.  If you can listen to this all the way through and not get all choked up by the end, I feel sorry for you.

Ghost Riders in the Sky

When I started listening to Johnny Cash, I realised I remembered this song from when I was a tiny kid.  Though I didn’t know it was him back then.  Cowboys and ghosts, what’s not to like?  I found it on “The Best of Johnny Cash”.

God’s Gonna Cut You Down

From “American V: A Hundred Highways”.  A sombre warning.  Sinners and saints.  Great video.

Folsom Prison Blues

“I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.”  You’ll find it on the essential live album “Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison” or any Greatest Hits compilation, and you will love it.

Ring of Fire

This was the first Cash song I became obsessed with.  I’d heard other songs but this was the (obvious, I admit) tune that grabbed me.  The impact this song had on my listening habits is immense.  Mexican trumpets.  I blame “Jackass” for this one.  Available everywhere, mine’s from “The Best of Johnny Cash”.

 

Johnny Cash

26/02/1932 – 12/09/2003

 

http://www.johnnycash.com/