Welcome to October! Where Every Thursday is Halloween! We have a classic lineup of films this season, and I thought I would kick things off with Puppet Master! Why Puppet Master? Because I worry about some of the other films getting yanked for different paywalled services come October 1st. Puppet Master is safe. In case you are wondering, this is the tentative lineup:
- PuppetMaster
- Frankenhooker
- Re-Animator
- TBD
- TBD
As I mentioned, a tremendous amount of film suggestions are leaving free streaming and going behind paywalls as the clock strikes midnight on October 1st. So I am going to keep looking, and reviewing all the suggestions. Honestly it is like this every year. I just don’t want to end up with a dead blank space for a movie on October 1st. Bets, consider yourselves hedged!
On with our first movie of Halloween! This is a classic, that spawned at least 10 not so classics. This particular one was written and directed by David Schmoeller, with assistance from Charles Band. David went on to direct 28 more films, and he is still going! And he’s originally from Texas! He gets points just for that. This is the only Puppet Master film he directed until 2018. Hmmm… Why might that be? I will leave it you you all to discuss.
So what is tonight’s film about? As if you needed to ask. Actually I do imagine a lot of people know of this film but have never seen it. So I turn to jluis1984 today, for a thorough (if trimmed) review:
Charles Band and his company, Full Moon Pictures, are often labeled as makers of the worst b-movies in the history of the horror genre, however, few seem to remember they kept the genre alive and kicking with their inventive and original brand of low-budget horror during the late 80s and early 90s. “Puppet Master” was the first and arguably the best example of Full Moon’s 90s style, a style that included a heavy use of puppetry and stop-motion animation that showed the progression of an idea that he started in his 1987′ production “Dolls” (directed by Stuart Gordon).
During World War II, a secret group of Nazis were sent to Bodega Bay, California, to capture puppet maker Andre Toulon (William Hickey), a mysterious old man who had the secret of giving life to inanimate objects. He commits suicide before being caught and so his secret goes with him to the grave. Until nearly 50 years later, a group of psychics lead by Alex Whitaker (Paul Le Mat) are contacted by Neil Gallagher (Jimmie F. Skaggs), a former colleague who apparently made a big discovery in Bodega Bay before committing suicide under mysterious circumstances.
Directed by the tragically underrated David Schmoeller, “Puppet Master” is a very different films that its sequels. Schmoeller plays with the suspense and atmosphere of classic goth films, and successfully mixes those elements with the more graphic shock and gore that was the rule for horror films of its time. With a great eye for the visuals Schmoeller makes great use of his Gothic locations and the terrific camera-work enhances the carefully crafted suspense. The special effects wizards create very good looking effects for the budget and together create what could be called a “gothic slasher”.
Thank you for that thorough, and long review! I am going to limit my banter based on the length of that. So let’s jump in!
So watch! Or don’t! Next week, another classic, Frankenhooker! Tell me what else you might want to see in the comments below. Also, what are you doing this October? Visiting any Halloween attractions? Doing a ghost hunt? Sitting at home and drinking? Let me know in the comments!
October Bonus Short!
You get a Halloween Bonus today! Hmmm… Is it autobiographical?
I’ve seen “Frankenhooker”.
Diving into “Pupper Master”.
I’m too old to do much for Halloween. Trick or treat is for kids. I liked Halloween parties, but not the costume thing.
Hear, hear.
“Yale University – Present Day”
Now that is scary.
It’s actually one of the nicer parts of New Haven.
Nice tv gif.
I imagine you are saying, “I have control of your tv set. Are you receiving me?”
I am saying
“TAKE ME TO YOUR MARTINI MIX”
I must have seen this right when it hit HBO at a friends house.
Secret Natzis? I’m scared already.
It took a while before anyone noticed that small puppet running around.
How about Wishmaster, if you haven’t already shown it.
Angus Scrimm is in the cast.
Is it on Tubi or such?
Yes, and yes.
Is All Hallows Eve still up? Tubi search doesn’t like me today. Stupid robots.
I expected that to be pulled this morning.
Did external search. Looks still up. How long? You would know better thsn me.
https://tubitv.com/movies/391450/all-hallows-eve
It doesn’t have a countdown on the app version, so maybe it got renewed for October?
Maybe? Unlike the Terrifier franchise it’s probably not a big money maker. Frankenhooker and Re-Animator are both great picks.
Think it will be up on the 29th? Closest to Halloween and should probably do at least one Halloween movie.
Terrifier is basically a snuff film. Goal is to see how much gore they can put in a semi-mainstream movie that plays in theaters.
How about Monster Island (2004?)
Nice cast, but doesn’t seem horror enough. Maybe play it in November?
She got drilled into a puppet? Uhh…
Puking up leeches… that’s an interesting application of Rule 34.
Not a lot of ads showing during this movie, and they’re all short. I like that.
Huh. Not sure what to make of that ending. I guess the widow is the new puppet master?
I won’t spoil it too much, but Megan doesn’t control them for long and then a NEW group of psychics come to investigate her demise.
Oh.
Well.
I’m out for the night. Thanks RJ!
🤬
I get the design decisions, but I disagree with them when It requires three hands in a confined space ringed with sharp metal edges to line up three holes to fasten a cable retention clip to keep the cable harness out of the mechanism. There’s got to be a more doable way of getting this thing affixed.
I’d make more progress if it didn’t take me a half hour to get a stupid retention clip in place.
Whatever you are working on there is a $350 tool for that.
Like the hub socket for my
Forklift. Hyster only.
This is the correct take.
Nope.
I’ve been doing all of this with a bit driver where I swap between a 2mm hex, 2.5mm hex and T10 Torx bit. One step required a narrow profile 8mm wrench. I also used some hex keys in places because they fit better.
Everything else has been in the box.
I feel like everything is engineered in the shittiest way possible these days. So often things seem to be designed by people who have no concept of what needs to be done. Just a general statement. I have no fucking clue what you’re doing.
Most of the printer is well engineered. there are just a few places where my reaction is “Seriously?” These almost always involve trying to route cable harnesses. The mechanical components were very easy to service.
The question is, are you master of your puppet?
STEVE SMITH USE CAMPERS LIKE PUPPET, SLIDE THEM OVER HIS…
Sounds like you’re working on a Saab.
No, but it is European engineering.
Fat Mediocre Mike is making Black Mediocre Mike proud tonight.
Halftime adjustments, I guess?
Orange slices and McCarthy will get a massage to work out the kinks in his neck.
Most people wouldn’t get the reference. In Green Bay Rodgers was apparently pretty annoyed with his perception of McCarthy being lazy and unfocused. Long form story talked about how he spent time getting massages at the team facility instead of scrubbing the tape for that little edge or some such bullshit.
I hope Rodgers gets McCarthy fired again and the Steelers trot his corpse out there again next year. Max dysfunction and embarrassment is what this franchise needs.
I seen a funny tweet when the Steelers hired Grimace to replace Tomlin.
“It’s like shitting your pants and changing your shirt.”
Lol
Not a Halloween movie, but I would recommend Tale of Tales.
3 dark fairy tales told together.
Even my wife liked it.
I’ve wanted to see that one.
Quite good, but definitely not for kids.
I watched some previews, would give my boy nightmares for a decade just from the preview.
OK, not quite out for the night but I will be after posting this. The Cornell students are fucked
New York Attorney General Letitia James has been appointed as special prosecutor in the Cornell University sexual assault investigation, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday, following increasing scrutiny and uproar over how university police and the local district attorney’s office handled the matter two years ago.
Hochul said in a statement that “newly released information continues to raise serious questions about the investigation,” which has in turn “undercut my faith, and the public’s faith.”
She said James, who has been attorney general since 2019, will take over the case of a former Cornell University student who alleged in a lawsuit last month that she was raped, sexually assaulted and plied with drugs by members of Chi Phi fraternity in 2024.
(Yes, other than DEMocracy…) I don’t see how a wannabe AG can directly platform on attacking a specific person using any ‘legal’ manner she can find. I don’t see how that’s not actually a crime. ‘Give me power so I can abuse it against this one person. (Who you also don’t like! teehee!)’
Huh.
She was elected specifically on her promise to take down King Donald so this is nothing new for her.
I find all of this alternately disgusting but darkly rewarding given how much I hate that town (and state) I just moved out of.
I know she was elected for it! Brazenly admitting how you plan to exceed the office’s legal authority (HAAAAHAAH!) … *inhale* that seems like it really shouldn’t be legal, somehow.
I suppose it can’t be, cuz someone CAN run on reintroducing slavery. That’s an Amendment, sure, but the 4th Amendment ain’t nuttin’, neither. *chuckles like I’m also laughing at that idiocy, but… it’s too sad for a guffaw*
We’re fucked. And not in Winston’s Mom’s way. She magically combines “good, cheap, fast.” Here, ‘good’ really means ‘a willing (for a price) non-corpse.’ (She’s also ‘not a corpse’ for a price. I don’t know who commands her $20 train.)
Can we get Ms. James barred from court and public office for six lifetimes?
If not – deport her to Liberia
So it’s like the Trayvon Martin* case where they originally decided there was no crime and because of outcry from idiots, it becomes political and they push forward with charges.
*See also Kyle Rittenhouse, Derek Chauvin, and I’m sure there are others I’m forgetting.
That’s not to mention mattress girl, the Duke lacrosse team, and the Rolling Stone case.
David Schmoeller was one of my profs at UNLV.
13yo nephew did the 3000m in 11:39 and got second. Should qualify to go to State competition, or he’s very close. It beat his PR by 14sec. He’s also eagerly picking up many instruments and well. His father’s son, he’ll be tremendous at what he decides to focus on.
I tend to ‘focus’ on being a shotgun, so there’s that path, too, for the organism sharing ~25% of my DNA.
Finally.
*judo chops play button*
black screen of internal error.
This is obviously a conspiracy.
I blame our green headed host.
You might go to Tubi and do a search. If Puppet Master is not available in your area, Puppet Master Uncensored might be.
Yay, it’s Friday!
*much rejoicing*
🎉👯♀️🪩
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WBtVjjLtEY8
🎶🎶
Good morning, Sean, Ted’S., and ChipP!
Good morning!
How are you today, ChipP? How’s everything up nort’?
No complaints! How about you?
VERY glad it’s Friday – it’s been a busy week at work. Hoping it’s still warm enough to hang out on my back patio tomorrow morning and Sunday morning.
Wimp. As I posted back in May, I was wearing shorts:
https://x.com/JustACineast/status/2050193806046158981
It was in the upper 30s when I got out of the car at the trailhead last Friday and it didn’t feel cold in shorts at all.
Of course, I did learn the lesson a couple of years ago that gloves are important. 🤣
But you were being physically active, Ted’S. When I’m out at Tranquility Base, I’m being…inactive.
The Tennessee thing is a total set up. You’ll not convince me otherwise. “All female team”…
Just an incompetent state prison approved medical team didn’t quite hit the vein right most likely.
This is why you use a firing squad with rifles bolted into a pre-sighted fixture. Even if the calibration is off you’ll do enough damage that you need only wait for a bleed-out.
Or just an enormous dose of heroin or fentanyl. Even the assassin from Weekend at Bernie’s managed to pull that off.
No editorializing in this headline, no sirree.
More made-up stats for Pie:
Well there it is, I guess that means that Bouchard is better than Bobby Orr. The stats make it clear! 🤣
Morning, Glibs.
Made it to the office.
Not late in that I’m here before my shift starts. But late in that I’m usually earlier and don’t have to deal with people on the walk from the garage to my cube. But I did leave my house at the time I aim to be leaving the grocery store from which I buy the day’s caffiene and breakfast. 🥗🧀
Didn’t get to finish the printer upgrade yesterday. 🙁
At least I’m still moving forward. Got the filament sensors assembled and installed and started on the filament delivery tubes.
As long as you had time to procure breakfast and caffeine! 😰️
Got both.
This is why I always suggest people be prepared the night before. :-p
Then it’d be day-old salad. No thanks.
Whew! 🥲️ If you have caffeine and cheese, you can face anything!
Make an omelette instead.
A day-old Omelette? 🤢
Now you’re just being silly. 😜
Make your omelette in the morning with ingredients you already have.
This assumes Kathy Hochul hasn’t cut off electricity to your area and your refrigerator is still working.
Ted, you’re the one being silly. When running late, I don’t have time to cook between waking up and leaving the house.
And the last thing I want to eat on waking up is egg.
https://www.egglandsbest.com/products/omelets
Surprisingly, pretty good for packaged food.
Wow, I see several time-savers there I’ll be looking for at the supermarket tomorrow.
He’s on pace for 336 points!
???
Not sure if I missed the joke or if it’s meant as a reply to someone else.
Oops. Bouchard is on pace for 336 points. Not Unciv.
Uffda where’s the coffee
There was some at the store, but I didn’t buy it.
Good morning!
NPR had some ex-spook on to tell us 3 things about the alleged Omani stabbing.
1. Iran is omnipotent. There’s no way the US or Israel will be able to find evidence linking them to the attack.
2. No conclusions from the US or Israel can be trusted, they’re poisoning the investigation with their predetermined outcomes.
3. Even if some video surfaces where the alleged stabber allegedly claims allegiance to some alleged terrorist group that doesn’t really mean that was his motivation. It’s just as likely he was undergoing financial or romantic stress and wanted to commit suicide. Possibly he was despairing about climate change or the death of Democracy.
Up until Item 3, I wondered if Drake was on NPR
Taking everything from all sides with an enormous boulder of salt when it comes to anything involving Iran is the right course of action right now.
NPR does not practice such epistemic hygiene when discussing racist hate crimes or campus gang rapes, oddly enough.
https://newsonjapan.com/article/150927.php
suh’ fam
yo whats goody