Polyerius performing a few tunes in a studio setting – the /counter office, in particular.
Very nice production to showcase Polyerius’ melodious music.
Enjoy!
Tag Archives: halloween video crypt
“Chernobyl Diaries” (2012) – People Shouldn’t Play with Radioactive Things
I am divided on this movie. It has a cool premise: a group of kids decides to charter a guide to take them to the restricted site of Chernobyl, Ukraine, where a nuclear reactor plant experienced a meltdown and rendered the surrounding countryside exposed to high levels of radiation. Definitely a place that the local government has made unavailable to public access because of health concerns. Well, our group gets through the blockaded area and explores the abandoned ruins of the town left behind. The guide notices that there is evidence of activity in the supposedly dead place and urges the group to return to their Jeep and exit the premises before night falls. Surprise, surprise! The Jeep conks out with darkness descending. Before long, strange sounds are heard and the apprehensive tour guide goes to investigate. You should all know that nothing good can come of all this and sure enough, the guide doesn’t return to the vehicle and it is decided to go find out where he ended up. Suffice it to say that radiation has played a very nasty trick on the animals and humans who have been exposed to it. It appears that a league of zombies inhabit the surrounding area.
The movie soon devolves into a story we have seen many times before. The group numbers dwindle as they are systematically picked off by the radiation mutants and die in various horrible ways. This may sound like your cup of tea but I can say I have seen it done much more effectively elsewhere.
Quarantinefest, Halloween Night 2020: Polyerius Performing
Polyerius perform at the first annual Quarantinefest in San Jose on Halloween night, 2020.
There should be another edition of this event this year. COVID and its handlers may have finally shit themselves out.
We can only hope.
“The Upper Berth” – A Visual Adaptation
Very fine, very abridged visual retelling of the F. Marion Crawford classic ghost story, “The Upper Berth”. I first read this story in one of the old “Alfred Hitchcock Presents Stories to Keep You Awake At Night” or some such gaudy title. It was an excellent story and is well worth seeking out and getting the chills from. An adventurer finds that his cabinmate aboard a freighter may not be all he appears to be. He may not even be among the living. And there the fun really begins. Read the original story too!
This video takes a very cool, artistic approach to putting visuals to the words. There is a lot of material cut from the Crawford tale but this version truly captures the creepy atmosphere found in the latter part of the story. Nice black and white motion picture work with some frightening special and sound effects. Wellesian in appearance and maintains the haunted tone of Crawford.
“Reptilicus” (1961) – Regenerated Dinosaur Hand Puppet Destroys Denmark!
Miners uncover a piece of preserved dinosaur tail that ends up thawing in a scientific research facility. That ends up being an awful turn of events. The small bit of flesh soon grows and regenerates a complete dinosaur! The resilient reptile. Very soon, a full-fledged rampaging beast is on the loose and begins laying waste to the Denmark countryside where the tale takes place.
There are bits of this fantasy film that I find actually enjoyable. There is a travelogue of sorts that appears near the middle of the film that highlights some of the festive night spots and activities available for our heroes to partake in. Nicely done! The creature, Reptilicus, often spits out a neon green slimy mist at the Army fighting it off. The mist has the effect of dissolving the offending Army and its tanks, artillery and other weapons of war.
Budgetary and special effects limitations prevented not much more than a long neck attached to a vulture like dinosaur hand puppet head to represent the prehistoric beast, Reptilicus. We also see a wing-like appendage attached to the monster’s side but we never glimpse any limbs providing mobility. The beast appears to effortlessly glide over the landscape.
And, most importantly, what the heck is with the church bell sound effect that gets mixed in as part of the mighty monster’s roar? Unknown.
“The War of the Worlds” (1953) – Pretty, 1950’s End of the World Yarn
H.G. Wells wrote the science fiction classic “The War of the Worlds” back in the 19th century and the setting was England. It seems that a civilization had evolved on the planet Mars and the inhabitants of that planet hatched a plot to conquer our planet. Falling stars land on Earth and reveal encased cylinders that house slimy Martian creatures and Martian war machines that proceed to decimate our world.
Along comes this picture to update the story to the United States in the 1950’s. The screen is filled with dazzling color film work and a different continent to disrupt and demolish. We are also subjected to some mighty wooden acting by our leading couple Gene Barry and Ann Robinson. The United States utilizes its latest military weapons on the aliens who are now operating evil looking flying craft equipped with a goose necked appendage that fires off a vaporizing ray.
There are plenty of histrionics in this science fiction actioner: two mighty military forces battling it out, explosions, heat rays, cities on fire, flying wings, atomic explosions, three eyed creepy creatures, shouting expressionless actors, pontificating egghead scientists, hardheaded career military minds ranting, blood thirsty mobs on the rampage, a war between two celestial bodies!!!!
Come to think of it, you’ll have a great time viewing this. Knock yourself out.
“Hereditary” (2018) – We can’t pick our demon worshipping parents
Very creepy tale of mounting tension and dread that follows a family falling apart. The characters at first appear to be involved in a haunting but what eventually surfaces is a tale involving the rebirth of a demon who needs a young human host. The person selected as the future host is less than thrilled to be bestowed with the “honor” and therein lies the hideous rub. It is being enacted against his will and appears to be a family tradition of resurrecting evil deities but definitely to the benefit of a minute minority. Dysfunction in its highest form to say the least.
There are several very shocking scenes in this picture. I must say I was properly revolted by a few of them. Definitely worth a viewing but very frightening to watch alone.
“Friday The 13th Part 3” (1982) – Watch out or Jason will poke your eye out
Three dimensional film effects highlight the hijinx in the continuing adventures of slasher Jason Vorhees. The filmmakers trot out a new batch of interchangeable teen characters and proceed to have Jason creatively dispatch them in novel ways. It all becomes tedious and nauseating before long as objects like spears and knives thrust into the camera on their way to impaling and destroying said teens.
Jason himself receives a machete to the cranium but never fear, he cannot die and his useless spirit continues on for at least seven more film adventures. Similar in nature to the “Halloween” franchise that lumbers on to this day with its equally unstoppable central character.
Just a note: email me at aswartz40@gmail.com and the first response I get will receive a $25.00 Amazon gift card. Happy Halloween!
Without Warning (1980) – Titanic, Manic Acting
This alien on the loose in a small community film caper has the great advantage of having two acting legends as part of the cast: Jack Palance and Martin Landau. Add in their over the top characterizations, manic is a kind word, and this makes for a moderately memorable viewing experience. There are some nasty attack sequences by some flying nasties that clamp on and zombify their victims. The main alien actor is a towering apparition that appears closer to the end of the film to maintain some dread and mystery as to his purpose and appearance. Landau’s bug eyed recitations of conspiracy theories and Palance’s increasingly desperate attempts to contain the alien contagion are the true delights of this film and I recommend it.
“Stranded On Open Ground”, (2021)
Nature can hold great beauty and allure but it can also be full of unseen dangers. Weather can be unpredictable and deadly. A family ventures out on a day hike but gets trapped in a torrential downpour and then the cold. The results are tragic.
The Halloween Video Crypt Show – Mysterious Mendocino Update, 2021 – Unfinished Business
A new granular fact regarding our last Halloween Video Crypt episode, “Mysterious Mendocino”. The fate of the first POV camera we used on our remote controlled boat.
“Mysterious Mendocino, California” – Whatsit????
A story from Mendocino, California which may involve the very mysterious. Namely….Bigfoot! But, who knows? You decide. This is the second video episode of Halloween Video Crypt. Hope you like it!
The Monster That Challenged The World (1957) – Salton Sea Monsters
I just viewed this science fiction film from the 1950’s a few days ago. I admit that I was mostly entertained by this movie which eluded viewing until just recently but coincided with some articles I saw that illustrated the decline and fall of the Salton Sea recreational area located in the southern most part of the state of California, USA. Seems that this area was once a thriving vacation and resort spot before things got a little disgusting with the receding of this (basically) unnatural lake. The lake resulted as a collection of runoff of high water from the Colorado River in essentially a desert environment and was sustained for a time from diverted waters from agricultural water usage to form a massive, though reasonably shallow body of water. In its heyday, people bought property here and enjoyed the lakeside life but eventually, as the waters evaporated, the fish in the lake died, the smell of rot ballooned and the dust which kicked up had a very negative effect on the health of local residents. An exodus followed and relatively small numbers of people still occupy the area. Anyway, those notes aside, let’s talk about this movie!
A military base located at one end of the Salton Sea experiences a sizeable earthquake. The event triggers the uncovering of prehistoric mollusk eggs which become exposed to water and subsequently mature into beasties on the attack for food. This comes in the form of unsuspecting humans who become prey. It is the job of the military to neutralize the threat and ensure that said monstrosities do not encroach on nearby and outlying human food sources.
Nice stretches of the military and scientists combining to track and contain the problem. Also some very horrific moments where multiple female cast members are shown to have suffered similar losses of significant others and the devastating impact it has on their lives. These moments definitely caught me off guard. An interesting, mature touch not generally seen in these types of movies! Wow. This movie was very ahead of its time. Worth checking out!
“The Halloween Video Crypt Show” (2021) – “The Invisible Monster”, Jonny Quest Episode
We try our hand at a video based review of the old favorite animated series, “Jonny Quest”. Join our host, Exejo Smith, and his take on “The Invisible Monster” episode.