Tag Archives: killer clown

New Skateboard – Death Dan Cates Killer Clown II

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Who remembers the Killer Clown panic that went round a few years back at Halloween time? When there were all these stories of people getting attacked by creepy weirdos dressed as clowns? Kids were scared silly about it and it was all just urban japes and bants created by the internet.

Anyway, I decided I need a new cruiser board to replace my Santa Cruz Street Creep re-issue. The main reason being, that the Street Creep is worth a few quid and it should be up on the wall as a decoration. Or DECK-oration, haha!! Sorry.

I also really miss the big, old shaped decks of yore, and thought that this would be a good shape to aid in my goal of getting better at slappy tricks.

I’d had my eyes on the Death Dan Cates deck for a while, and finally decided to go for it. Regular readers will know I’m a bit of a Death Skateboard fanboy, and this Cates deck looked perfect – great shape and graphic. Dan Cates is a talented skater who I’ve watched many video parts of. Plus it was within my meagre budget, so I bought it from Native Skate Store online.

The wheels are Powell Peralta Dragons 56mm and 93A, which I got from a contact in a Facebook group for a very good price. The only problem was the trucks: i re-purposed the Indy trucks I had on the Street Creep, but they’re actually not wide enough – wider trucks will be sourced asap.

So far, the whole set up rides amazing: the deck has a really nice concave and overall feel, plus the wheels are unbelievably smooth. I’ve just rolled around the carpark so far, but hope to take a trip to a pump track soon. And maybe do some more old school 80’s street skating…

As usual, here are the specs for posterity:

  • Death Skateboards Dan Cates Killer Clown II 9.375″ (free griptape)
  • Independent trucks (to be replaced)
  • Powell Peralta Dragon wheels 56mm 93A
  • Independent bolts
  • ABEC 5 Bearings

Check out Death Skateboards here.

Check out Native Skate Store here.

Halloween Horror Fest 2017

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Here we go with another month of as many horror films as I can fit in, on the run up to Halloween.  Both myself and Mrs Platinum Al take turns top pick a spooky movie to entertain us; I then write these here mini movie reviews.

Sound OK to you?  Let’s crack on, then.

It (1990)

Recently Mrs Platinum Al and I went to see the new version of It in the cinema.  I was familiar with the story but wasn’t really expecting anything really exciting.  How wrong I was: the remake of It is superb fun from start to finish.

So it’s a bit of a no-brainer that the first film of this years Halloween Horror Fest would be the original 1990 version.  But how would it stack up compared to the revised film?

It is based on a Stephen king novel, in which a nondescript North American town is plagued by a series of child murders.  A gang of misfit kids, labelling themselves the Loser’s Club, find themselves terrorised by the evil entity that is responsible.  Preying on their deepest fears, It threatens to kill them all, until the Losers can unite and defeat the creature. 

Years later, the grown up gang are brought back together when it becomes obvious that It has returned.  This time they must destroy it once and for all…

The old film (actually a TV mini series, if you want to be picky) stands up surprisingly well against the new.  The new film is superb, and resplendent with the latest in special effects technology.  However the more primitive effects don’t harm the original at all, it still works thanks to great performances from all.  The 1990 movie succeeds because, like the later film, it brings the characters to the fore.  The Losers Club – whether kids or adults – are all interesting people that the audience can root for.

Of course the star of the show is the phenomenal Tim Curry, as Pennywise the clown.  Creepy and sinister one minute, Curry transforms into unhinged malevolence with startling ease.  Pennywise is evil incarnate and brilliantly portrayed here.

But who is the best?  Tim Curry or the new film’s Pennywise, played by Bill Skarsgard?  I’ll leave that for you to decide…

8/10