Amidst the recent flurry of information about Obsidian’s forthcoming RPG Avowed, one crucial morsel of information went under the radar. We learned that the first-person role-player would have lively combat, a classless main character exploring large, sprawling levels set in the same universe as Pillars of Eternity,…
Throughout the 90’s, the popularity of more adult-oriented animation on TV would continue rising until the traditional kid-friendly Cartoon Network began airing more adult-animated programs after 11 pm. They eventually launched their Adult Swim slate of programs that catered to an adult audience that would be watching TV at that late of an hour. We would see the rise of cult hits such as Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Space Ghost: Coast to Coast. But no show seemed to have true crossover success until December 2, 2013, when an animated show debuted that resembled a more adult version of Back to the Future. The show came from controversial figure Dan Harmon who had recently been fired from his network series Community, yet it would be the show’s other creator that ten years later would make headlines for his off-screen behavior. It’s time we delve into the controversy surrounding Rick and Morty, and its co-creator, Justin Roiland.
Any fan of Rick and Morty knows that it toes the line of what you can get away with on TV. Whether it’s something as innocent as Pickle Rick or starting a worldwide craze by simply mentioning McDonald’s Szechuan Sauce to more disturbing plot points like the time a Jellybean sexually assaulted Morty in the bathroom. The show has never shied away from going places in the name of comedy that would make even Larry Flynt blush. But when some of the texts Justin Rowland had sent out to various women were released, some of those more controversial jokes got slightly less funny. They went from being sick and twisted brushes of dark humor from a comedic mind to just sick and twisted.
In this episode of JoBlo Scandals, we’re going to dig into the history behind Rick & Morty, as well as the accusations against Roiland. Is there a way forward for the formerly acclaimed man behind of the biggest animated shows of all time?
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Director Joe Lynch (Wrong Turn 2, Mayhem), screenwriter Dennis Paoli – who worked on the screenplays for the Stuart Gordon-directed H.P. Lovecraft adaptations Re-Animator, From Beyond, Castle Freak, Dagon, and Masters of Horror: Dreams in the Witch-House – and producer Barbara Crampton (who had acting roles in Re-Animator, From Beyond, and Castle Freak) recently teamed up to make a new Lovecraft adaptation called Suitable Flesh (read our review HERE) in tribute to Gordon. The movie recently received a Blu-ray and DVD release (copies can be purchased at THIS LINK) that includes such extras as audio commentary, featurettes, and bloopers – but if your taste is more old school than that, it’s also coming to VHS, courtesy of Broke Horror Fan and Witter Entertainment!
Copies of the “limited edition, fully functional” Suitable Flesh VHS can be purchased through Witter Entertainment. “It arrives on VHS in slipcase packaging with art by Creepy Duck Design. For optimal VHS viewing, the film has been cropped from its original aspect ratio to 4:3 full frame. It is officially licensed from RLJE Films and approved by Lynch.” This is a pre-order, with copies expected to ship in March.
Described as an “erotic body-swapping horror”, this adaptation of The Thing on the Doorstep stars Heather Graham (Boogie Nights) and Judah Lewis (The Babysitter). Graham plays psychiatrist Elizabeth Derby, who becomes obsessed with helping a young patient suffering extreme personality disorder. But her desire to help leads her into dark occult danger as she tries to escape a horrific fate.
Bruce Davison (X-Men), Johnathon Schaech (That Thing You Do!), and Graham Skipper (The Mind’s Eye) are also in the cast.
Crampton produced the film alongside Bob Portal, Inderpal Singh, and Joe Wicker for Amp, in association with Eyevox Entertainment. Brian Yuzna, who produced Re-Animator, From Beyond, and Dagon (and directed the Re-Animator sequels) is on board as executive producer, as are Eyevox’s Rick Moore, Amp’s James Norrir and Nina Kolokouri, and Lynch. Amp is handling worldwide sales – and Crampton is the Vice President of Production and Development at Amp.
Will you be buying a copy of Suitable Flesh on VHS? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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Largely rejected upon its release back in 1987, the live-action film adaptation of Masters of the Universe (watch it HERE) has gathered a cult following over the decades, and elements of the film have even been worked into the recent animated Netflix shows Masters of the Universe: Revelation and Masters of the Universe: Revolution. On April 17th, Umbrella Home Entertainment in Australia will be giving the film a collector’s edition Blu-ray release – and copies are available for pre-order HERE! (Just make sure you have the ability to play Region B Blu-rays before ordering one.)
Directed by Gary Goddard from a screenplay by David Odell, Masters of the Universe has the following synopsis: When the evil Skeletor finds a mysterious power called the Cosmic Key, he becomes nearly invincible. However, courageous warrior He-Man locates inventor Gwildor, who created the Key and has another version of it. During a battle, one of the Keys is transported to Earth, where it is found by teenagers Julie and Kevin. Now both He-Man and Skeletor’s forces arrive on Earth searching for the potent weapon.
The film stars Dolph Lundgren, Frank Langella, Courteney Cox, Barry Livingston, James Tolkan, Christina Pickles, Meg Foster, Chelsea Field, Jon Cypher, Billy Barty, Robert Duncan McNeill, Anthony De Longis, Tony Carroll, Pons Maar, Robert Towers, Peter Brooks, and Richard Szponder.
Only available from the Umbrella store, the Masters of the Universe Collector’s Edition Blu-ray release includes:
A 48 page book with behind-the-scenes, experiences and art
Classic poster art rigid slipcase
Custom poster art slipcase
8 replica lobby cards
A3 reversible poster
Limited Edition Numbered release
Audio commentary with director Gary Goddard
ELECTRIC BOOGALOO extended interviews with actor Dolph Lundgren, director Gary Goddard, producer Ed Pressman, co-writer Stephen Tolkin,production designer William Stout and special effects supervisor Richard Edlund
MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE 2 – tales of “the sequel that never was” with filmmaker Albert Pyun and others
BEHIND THE LEGEND archival featurette
Cannon Films Sci-Fi and Fantasy trailer reel
Stills and poster gallery
Original theatrical trailer
Teaser trailers
Easter Egg
Are you a fan of Masters of the Universe, and will you be picking up a copy of this Collector’s Edition Blu-ray release? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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After several delays, the time is finally upon us to kill DC Comics’ major superheroes like The Flash and Superman as Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League launches early for folks who preordered the Digital Deluxe edition. Unfortunately, some players who got into the game before its official February 2 release date…
After several delays, the time is finally upon us to kill DC Comics’ major superheroes like The Flash and Superman as Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League launches early for folks who preordered the Digital Deluxe edition. Unfortunately, some players who got into the game before its official February 2 release date…
Duncan Jones made an incredible debut with his Sam Rockwell-starring sci-fi, Moon. However, his follow-ups haven’t collected as much acclaim with the Groundhog Day-on-a-train thriller Source Code, his step into the big-budget franchise world with Warcraft, and his high-concept Netflix sci-fi, Mute. For years, Jones has been developing an adaptation of the comic Rogue Trooper, which is to be an animated feature. The production has been rolling along, and Variety has revealed the cast of actors that Jones has been able to compile for the film.
Aneurin Barnard, Hayley Atwell and Jack Lowden are reportedly said to be the main cast in the lead roles for the science-fiction animated film. Barnard, whose credits include The Goldfinch and Dunkirk, is set to star as the eponymous Rogue Trooper. Joining him in the movie is Atwell, who is known for her roles in the Captain America movies and various Marvel Studios appearances, as well as the recent Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning. Rounding out the main cast is Lowden, who was previously seen in Slow Horses and Dunkirk.
Jones has additionally assembled Daryl McCormack (Bad Sisters, Good Luck to You Leo Grande), Reece Shearsmith (Inside No. 9, Saltburn), Jemaine Clement (Avatar: The Way of Water, Flight of the Conchords), Matt Berry (What We Do in the Shadows), Diane Morgan (Cunk on Earth), Alice Lowe (Black Mirror), Asa Butterfield (Sex Education, Hugo) and Sean Bean (Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings).
According to Variety, Rogue Trooper “tells the story of 19, a ‘Genetic Infantryman,’ who finds himself the sole-survivor of an invasion force. Desperate to track down the traitor who sold him and his comrades out, the super soldier is accompanied by three killed-in-action squad mates, whose personalities have been stored in his gun, helmet and rucksack.”
Rogue Trooper comes from the same comic book series as the Judge Dredd character in 2000 AD. Jones remarked, “2000 AD offers a very different flavor of comic action: Political and brutal at times, but always with a Pythonesque twinkle in the eye. Dredd (2012) was a taste of what 2000 AD has to offer and now we get to show the world another side of the beast. It is a genuine privilege to be given the opportunity to make Rogue Trooper.”
The film is set to be produced by Rebellion and Liberty Films, has wrapped principal photography at Rebellion Film Studios in the U.K. The film is set to be finished next year.
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Which do you prefer when it comes to crazy, maniacal, downright dirty and savage families looking to chop up some grade-A human flesh? I guess, it all comes down to personal preference, but isn’t preference drawing a fine line between comparing and downgrading the other? Well, you’re in luck, because another horror movie rip-off is in tow, and this time it brings the flesh by the pound, or pounds? I think it’s the latter. Today, we’re going to be discussing, a little bit of comparing, and see who claims victor, while the other takes the road less traveled in 2003’s Rob Zombie’s House of 1000 Corpses (watch it HERE), and Tobe Hooper’s 1986 follow-up in the Leatherface mythos, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (watch it HERE). Both are delightful, both are cult classics, ad both stack up well against each other. But who takes the cake, and is it a blatant ripoff? Let’s dive in.
IT’S ALL ABOUT FAMILY
Family is where the heart is, or maybe someone’s innocent beating heart about to be ripped out from them by either the Firefly Clan or the Sawyer Clan. Both TCM 2 and House possess two different, albiet the same style of families. They’re both hellbent bloodlust, decorating their establishments with all types of body mutilations, and unseen horrors that we do not dare try to piece together. It’s clearly an amusement park of horrors. You have the firefly clan made up of Otis, Baby, Tiny, Mother, Grandpa, Rufus, Earl, Dr. Satan and of course Captain Spaulding who is revealed to be the last centerpiece at the end of House’s finale. What’s truly amazing is Bill Mosely playing both Choptop and Otis Firefly in both these films and just loves to ham it up in both. You can’t help but wonder that Zombie used TCM 2’s family dynamic as influence except injected it with steroids, as TCM 2 has Leatherface, Choptop, Grandpa, and Drayton Sawyer running the show. It’s a family affair and they all possess different mentalities of sadism, masochism, and straight murderous intentions. Both also have some very weird grandfathers although House’s has a flair for the theatrical. But it’s all about preference, they’re different yet similar and you can’t help but to root for both, even if the fireflies are just a modern representation of the Sawyer clan. They do, however, sure know to make a fish and human work very well together.
IT’S A TRAP!
When it comes to horror films, you usually need dumb decisions to get the ball rolling, but both TCM 2 and House have a similar way in narrative that sets up their exposition. When young adult males decide to venture out to a football game, they take the desolate nightly Texas roads to get there, usually a bad idea. This in turn caused them to become bait for good ol’ Leatherface who makes one of them missing half a head, and the other one becoming a mangled mess in the forthcoming car wreck. Bad decisions usually don’t end well, which brings us to House’s group of feeble-minded minions – Jerry, Denise, Mary, and Bill looking to explore offside establishments, but take a liking to the fables and myths of Dr. Satan’s grave which Captain Spaulding gives them a “map” to get them there. Only this time on the way to their destination, they pick up a hitchhiker, named Baby, played by Zombie’s real-life wife, Sheri Moon Zombie. The car breaks down by a well-placed gunshot. Baby Firefly guides Bill on foot to her house so they can seek help and get back on the road. Clearly, they won’t be making it to their girlfriend’s father’s house for Halloween, that’s for sure. You gotta love when crazed families plan and map out tactics for their next victims. Great bonding time, that’s for sure.
UPHOLDING THE LAW
Both House and TCM 2 have the fuzz, as they call it on both family’s tails. In House of 1000 Corpses, when one of the victim’s Denise Willis goes missing, her father Don, calls the deputies to investigate which leads to Deputy George Wydell played by Tom Towles, and Deputy Steve played by Walton Goggins to the Firefly House. It doesn’t really end up well for the both of them, as they become pigs to the slaughter. As for Lefty in TCM 2 played by legend Dennis Hopper, he is the uncle to Franklin and Sally of the first film, and he is out for some good ol’ fashion revenge. Although, he does bend the honor and laws of the badge he represents going after the Sawyer clan on his own with a little help from Stretch. In the movie’s climax, Lt. Lefty has a climactic chainsaw fight against Leatherface and takes on the Sawyer clan by himself while also trying to save Stretch in the process. Hopper definitely has charisma and bravado in this role, it’s just a shame we weren’t comparing Lefty to House’s sequel, and Wydell’s ass-kicking, god-fearing righteous brother, Sheriff John Quincy Wydell played by William Forsythe.
A KNACK FOR MASKS AND UNDERGROUND GHOULS
In TCM 2, Stretch’s friend L.G. Peters unfortunately becomes hammer fodder and has his face taken off by Leatherface. L.G’s face is forcefully put on Stretch’s face as she screams in terror withi the underground lair beneath the amusement park inhabited by the Sawyer clan. A truly horrifying sight to see. I believe Zombie wanted to use this infamous death by having his malevolent Firefly, Otis do the exact same thing to Denise Willis’ father Don, who is gun downed by Otis when he goes out to investigate with Wydell and Steve. Don’s face and body are flayed by Otis and is worn by Otis during the famous “Run Rabbit Run,” ceremony and sacrifice. Otis ends it by putting Don’s face on the daughter’s which is some truly horrific stuff. The survivors in House at this time which are Jerry and Denise, are thrown into a coffin and levered down into a literal pit of hell filled with ghouls, zombies, and of course Dr. Satan himself. Bones are draped all along the underground walls just like that in TCM 2. You got to appreciate the grisly artistry displayed by both the Fireflies and Sawyers with their lovely hang out spots.
CLOSING
You can’t help but deny that Rob Zombie used both TCM 1 and 2 as influence for his House trilogy. There are a lot of distinct parallels between them, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Family dynamics are usually hard to juggle but in House and TCM 2 they’re balanced perfectly well; giving us a taste of each character displayed throughout their runtimes. Tasteful, but totally disgusting is what I’ll say. Each movie has cemented itself as cult classics, and both are in my collection as it stands with repeat viewings from both. Sometimes taking influence and ripping off components into films work, but they need to draw a fine line without becoming watered down and boring. Usually, they’re elevated and are an homage to those that came before it. Thankfully Zombie didn’t overstay his welcome with TCM 2 Influences and made House of 1000 Corpses his very own. It truly shines when it warrants repeat viewings, especially every Halloween and I consider it a love letter to TCM In its own right.
Two previous episodes of Horror Movie Rip-Off can be seen below. To see more of our shows, head over to the JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel – and subscribe while you’re there!
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Mortal Kombat director Simon McQuoid is back at the helm for the sequel Mortal Kombat 2, which recently wrapped production after a bumpy ride through the year of the strikes. This film will be bringing popular video game character Johnny Cage to the screen, with Karl Urban of Dredd, Star Trek, and The Boys taking on the role. Despite Urban’s established awesomeness, he was an unexpected choice for Johnny Cage, and there are some fans who have let it be known that they would have chosen someone else to play the part. We’ll have to wait and see how it turned out, but one thing we know right now is that Urban had a great time working on the movie, calling it “most action packed fun I’ve ever had on a film!”
Urban said that while celebrating the end of production on Instagram, where he made a post that can be seen at the bottom of this article. He wrote, “That’s a picture wrap for me & Johnny Cage on Mortal Kombat 2! Massive thanks to our incredible crew, cast and phenomenal stunt team. Hands down the most action packed fun I’ve ever had on a film! Can’t wait for y’all to see it. Special thanks to everyone offset who helped make this time here on the Gold Coast Australia such a pleasure.“
The screenplay for Mortal Kombat 2 has been written by Jeremy Slater, who was the lead writer on the Marvel / Disney+ series Moon Knight. Last year, Slater said that working on the project had been “really fun so far. … I’m working really closely with the director and the studios, and the game guys, and I think—I can’t say anything about the actual story, but I think they definitely learned some lessons the last time around in terms of, ‘Here’s the stuff fans responded to, and here’s what people liked out of the movie, and here’s the stuff that didn’t work out as well as we hoped.’ … (The sequel is) the chance to take everything that worked in the first one and do it even better and give the audience even more, and make something that is just incredibly satisfying, and really exciting, and unpredictable.“
In addition to Urban, Mortal Kombat 2 stars returning Mortal Kombat cast members Lewis Tan as MMA fighter Cole Young, Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Josh Lawson as Kano, Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden, Mehcad Brooks as Jax, Chin Han as Shang Tsung, Joe Taslim as Bi-Han and Sub-Zero, Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi and Scorpion, and, as mentioned, Max Huang as Kung Lao. New additions include Adeline Rudolph (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) as Princess Kitana; Tati Gabrielle (You) as Jade, the friend and bodyguard of Princess Kitana; Damon Herriman (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) as Netherrealm demon Quan Chi; bodybuilder/actor Martyn Ford (F9: The Fast Saga) as Outworld emperor Shao Kahn; Ana Thu Nguyen (Suka) as Kahn’s wife Queen Sindel; and Desmond Chiam (Joy Ride) as Jerrod, who was the King of Edenia (and married to Sindel) until Edenia’s warriors lost in the Mortal Kombat tournament.
Are you looking forward to Mortal Kombat 2, and to seeing Karl Urban play Johnny Cage? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.
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The Ghostbusters: Afterlife (watch it HERE) sequel Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (which, of course, also serves as a sequel to the original Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II) is set to reach theatres on March 22nd – and with that date swiftly approaching, a new trailer for the film has just arrived online! You can check it out in the embed above. In this trailer, we get nods to the original film (and the theme song), learn more about the Death Chill threat, see moments involving the original Ghostbusters and Slimer, and witness the return of Walter Peck.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife stars Finn Wolfhard and Mckenna Grace are back for the sequel, reprising the roles of Trevor and Phoebe. They’re joined in the cast by Carrie Coon, playing Trevor and Phoebe’s mom Callie; Paul Rudd, back as his Afterlife character Gary Grooberson; William Atherton as Walter Peck, the antagonistic EPA inspector from the first Ghostbusters film; Celeste O’Connor as Trevor’s friend Lucky Domingo; Logan Kim as Phoebe’s friend Podcast; Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz; and new additions Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick), Patton Oswalt (The King of Queens), James Acaster (Hypothetical), and Emily Alyn Lind (Doctor Sleep). And yes, original Ghostbusters Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson are in the film as well, and it looks like they have more prominent roles than they had in the previous movie.
At first, Afterlife director Jason Reitman was expected to take the helm of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, once again directing from a screenplay he was writing with Gil Kenan – but then it was revealed that Kenan will actually be directing the new film. He previously directed the animated movie Monster House, the live-action films City of Ember, A Boy Called Christmas, and the remake of Poltergeist, and an episode of the Scream TV series.
What did you think of the new trailer for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire? Will you be catching this movie on the big screen in March? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
After watching this trailer, I am officially fully hyped. This movie looks like it’s going to be a blast.
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