I am very, very pleased with the way MONSTROUS MONDAY turned out!
Thank you all very much who participated, commented and visited all the sites.
Managing the sites was pretty easy. Many of the participants were familiar faces from other blog hops, so they knew what to do. I did delete a few sites from the listings. Some signed up early and then must have forgotten. Others signed up yesterday and never posted a link back or a monster. One I even recognized from previously bloghops/blogfests as signing up but never participating. Obviously just looking for the links.
I have a LinkyTools account now, so I am going to look into ways of using it to improve my site. Likely a dynamic link list of some sort.
Though the action is not done here yet. I still have the WICKED AFTER DARK bloghop I am participating in. Don't forget to visit all those sites and enter for some free stuff. I am giving away a copy of the Witch!
http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/2012/10/wicked-after-dark-blog-hop-spread-witch.html
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
MONSTROUS MONDAY: My Monster
How is your MONSTROUS MONDAY going so far?
Mine is GREAT! I love seeing so many cool monsters. I have not gotten to everyone, but I will.
In fact you can still sign up! I am sure I am going to spend the next couple of days going to every site and reading what you all posted. If I am going to run a blog hop and people are going to work to get posts up then you can expect that each and everyone will get my attention.
I wanted to talk about what sort of monsters I like. I have spent this month posting all sorts of monster stats in preparation of this day.
- Wine Nymphs
- Ruslaka
- The Awakened Golem
- Witch Monsters
I also talk a lot about monsters here as can be seen from my posts tagged Monsters. Now it is natural to assume that I would want to talk about Witches today. Though honestly I don't see witches as monsters. Witches are witches. No in truth my favorite monsters are Vampires.
I have talked more about vampires than pretty much any other monster, maybe even all monsters combined. The vampire is our dark mirror of our times. He can be plague and pestilence, or smooth killer, or even ersatz super-hero. While Edward my not look a thing like Dracula or Count Orlock, he does share more than one quality with the likes of Lord Ruthven or Lestat.
My favorite of course is Dracula. He can be suave, sexy and cool and then in a flash be violent and bloody; a rampaging monster. He is the best of what is great about vampire literature and film.
I have talked a lot about Dracula and the subject never gets old to me. Back in the day I had this folder that I had written "Project Dracula" on. It was one of my first attempts at multi-stating a character for more than one system. Near the end of the 90s I had worked him out in dozens of systems.
I would later go on to do the same thing for the real life Countess Erzsébet Báthory. If I have written more about Dracula, Bathory wins in terms of shear number of visits to my site. She fascinated me and horrified me at the same time. I could not imagine the scope of her crimes or even how she got away with it all. I guess in the end she didn't and she got her everlasting youth afterall.
I also spent a lot of time discussing the cheesy horror movie Vampyres. I will not lie, I enjoy the hel lout of this movie. What I like about it is how the vampire has evolved yet again here to be victim and villain. Likewise I have felt the same about Carmilla.
Looking around this blog I seem to have stated up more vampires than I have witches. Oddly enough I have not played all that many games of Vampire. Either the original Vampire the Masquerade or the newer Vampire the Requiem.
If vampires are thing and you also like old-school gaming then might I suggest my free book, The Vampire Class. You can play a vampire character in Basic Era games and it is 100% free and 100% compatible with my new book The Witch.
So what about you all? Do you like vampires? Why or why not? Share your thoughts below!
For me they are the ultimate in Halloween monsters.
Mine is GREAT! I love seeing so many cool monsters. I have not gotten to everyone, but I will.
In fact you can still sign up! I am sure I am going to spend the next couple of days going to every site and reading what you all posted. If I am going to run a blog hop and people are going to work to get posts up then you can expect that each and everyone will get my attention.
I wanted to talk about what sort of monsters I like. I have spent this month posting all sorts of monster stats in preparation of this day.
- Wine Nymphs
- Ruslaka
- The Awakened Golem
- Witch Monsters
I also talk a lot about monsters here as can be seen from my posts tagged Monsters. Now it is natural to assume that I would want to talk about Witches today. Though honestly I don't see witches as monsters. Witches are witches. No in truth my favorite monsters are Vampires.
I have talked more about vampires than pretty much any other monster, maybe even all monsters combined. The vampire is our dark mirror of our times. He can be plague and pestilence, or smooth killer, or even ersatz super-hero. While Edward my not look a thing like Dracula or Count Orlock, he does share more than one quality with the likes of Lord Ruthven or Lestat.
I have talked a lot about Dracula and the subject never gets old to me. Back in the day I had this folder that I had written "Project Dracula" on. It was one of my first attempts at multi-stating a character for more than one system. Near the end of the 90s I had worked him out in dozens of systems.
I would later go on to do the same thing for the real life Countess Erzsébet Báthory. If I have written more about Dracula, Bathory wins in terms of shear number of visits to my site. She fascinated me and horrified me at the same time. I could not imagine the scope of her crimes or even how she got away with it all. I guess in the end she didn't and she got her everlasting youth afterall.
I also spent a lot of time discussing the cheesy horror movie Vampyres. I will not lie, I enjoy the hel lout of this movie. What I like about it is how the vampire has evolved yet again here to be victim and villain. Likewise I have felt the same about Carmilla.
Looking around this blog I seem to have stated up more vampires than I have witches. Oddly enough I have not played all that many games of Vampire. Either the original Vampire the Masquerade or the newer Vampire the Requiem.
If vampires are thing and you also like old-school gaming then might I suggest my free book, The Vampire Class. You can play a vampire character in Basic Era games and it is 100% free and 100% compatible with my new book The Witch.
So what about you all? Do you like vampires? Why or why not? Share your thoughts below!
For me they are the ultimate in Halloween monsters.
MONSTROUS MONDAY
NOTE: Looking for the Entry Page for the WICKED AFTER DARK Bloghop? Click HERE!
Are you ready for the MONSTROUS MONDAY Blogfest?
Check out all the sites that have signed up.
Come back all day today for more MONSTROUS fun!
Are you ready for the MONSTROUS MONDAY Blogfest?
Check out all the sites that have signed up.
Come back all day today for more MONSTROUS fun!
Sunday, October 28, 2012
October Challenge: Army of Darkness (1992)
Army of Darkness (1992)
I debated doing this one too. But it was a first time viewing for my kids, so I thought that made it ok.
I would say I forgot how much fun this one is, but I have seen it so many times now I have it memorized.
Great, fun. Some sorta-scary bits and a generally a great horror-comedy.
Puts me in the mood to see the new Evil Dead.
Tally: Watched 29, New 20
What are you watching?
I would say I forgot how much fun this one is, but I have seen it so many times now I have it memorized.
Great, fun. Some sorta-scary bits and a generally a great horror-comedy.
Puts me in the mood to see the new Evil Dead.
Tally: Watched 29, New 20
What are you watching?
Retrospectives
I have to admit. I really enjoy reading the Retrospectives over at Grognardia.
http://grognardia.blogspot.com/search/label/retrospective
James usually covers something I know, but every so often something comes up and I am seeing something new. But in every case I learn something I didn't know before.
Here are some of my favorites:
http://grognardia.blogspot.com/search/label/retrospective
James usually covers something I know, but every so often something comes up and I am seeing something new. But in every case I learn something I didn't know before.
Here are some of my favorites:
- The Book of Marvelous Magic - I was looking for a copy of this at the auction, so this was the right thing at the right time.
- Authentic Thaumtaurgy - Issac Bonewits was one of the first people I talked to on the Internet back in the old Bitnet days. He was kind of a jerk. But I liked this book.
- Dragon Dice- precious jewels!
- The Dying Earth - How I learned to love Vancian magic.
- Palace of the Vampire Queen - managed to score a copy of this.
- Alma Mater - this one too. One of the strangest games in my collection.
- Chill - again my love of Chill knows no bounds.
- Castle Amber - one of my most favorite adventures.
- Castle Greyhawk - I also own this one, and yes it is bad. It is also deadly, maybe one of the deadliest dungeon crawls to be published by TSR. Yes. Even more deadly than Tomb of Horrors. If I remember right CG features at least two elder vampires, three Death Knights, a couple of demon lords and everything but a Kitchen Sink Monster.
- Ravenloft - Still my favorite adventure ever.
I have used these retrospectives many times as a starting point to do more research for articles on Wikipedia or for my own benefit.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Zatannurday: Tower of Fate: Dr. Fate and Zatanna JL Unlimited Tribute
Dr. Fate and Zatanna JL Unlimited Tribute
Great tribute video of Dr. Fate and Zatanna from the Justice League Unlimited television show by youtube user Rikku.
A few other Zatanna links at Tower of Fate:
http://toweroffate.blogspot.com/2012/03/zatanna-as-dr-fate-from-young-justice.html
http://toweroffate.blogspot.com/2012/03/big-young-justice-episode-today.html
http://toweroffate.blogspot.com/2012/03/zatannadr-fate-animated-gifs.html
http://toweroffate.blogspot.com/2012/03/young-justice-episode-22-agendas.html
Friday, October 26, 2012
October Challenge: The Vampire Lovers (1970)
The Vampire Lovers (1970) & Lust for a Vampire (1971)
I debated on whether or not to do this one. Obviously I have seen this movie many times given the postings I have made about it and the effects it has had on my game. In fact it is second only to Dracula in terms of how much I have read and seen this.
I decided to sit down and watch it again, this time while listening to the audio commentary since I had seen so many Carmilla-based movies this year.
Back in June of 2011 I mentioned how this movie is like a perfect storm for topics here at the Other Side.
Based on the original novel, it is Hammer, has Ingrid Pitt, Peter Cushing, Kata O'Mara, Pippa Steele and Madeline Smith, there is even a Faux Dracula (John Forbes-Robertson as Dracula looking exactly like he will look in Hammer's "Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires").
The movie is actually fairly close to the book. Enough that if you read the book and see the movie you will notice more of similarities rather than the differences.
The movie should be familiar ground to any horror fan by now. Young girl Emma makes a new friend, Carmilla, soon after another one of her friends dies. Soon Emma begins to weaken and only do the men of the tale suspect that Carmilla may be to blame. Vampire hunt follows. This movie though somehow makes due with this simple story really. I am giving it the benefit of the doubt of having been based on the work that created this kind of story; but the movie holds up rather well. Even under repeated viewings I have not grown tired of it.
Now here there is no doubt that Carmilla is supposed to be evil. She casually uses and tosses away Mdme. Perrodot (Kate O'Mara) and she did kill Laura (Pippa Steele) but yet to me there is something underneath all of this. Carmilla is still a tragic figure. She was damned, but maybe the least of the damned. Not as much as in the novella, but it is there.
Now taken as part of the Hammer Karnstien Trilogy, this is obviously the best of the lot. The others are good bloody fun, but there is a much better story here. Also the characterization of Carmilla is much more nuanced here. I also think that is due to a better story and better acting ability by Ingrid Pitt. Again I am publicly calling for a new Carmilla movie. I know that Styia is coming out next year, and it looks good, but I think I want a period piece again.
Also I feel I should comment on the poster. WTF? I am not sure what movie that poster is for but none of that happened in the movie.
I also decided to rewatch Lust for a Vampire (1971), the second movie of the Karnstien Trilogy.
It had been a long time since I had seen this one. I forgot about the overt Satanism, but it was Hammer in 71 so that is no surprise. Mind you I don't mind that, it works for Dracula, but Carmilla? I am not quite seeing it. Now to be fair I DO see it for the Karnstiens as a family. Let's be honest though, this is the least of this movies problems.
Once again we get a near-Christopher Lee as an almost-Dracula. Heck they actually used Chris' famous red eyes from Scars of Dracula. This time he is in charge of the Satanic ritual that brings Carmilla/Mircalla back from the dead 40 years (1830, prime time for GoA) after the first movie. Gone is the hair "color a rich very dark brown", Carmilla is now a blonde. Maybe it was the peasant girl she ate. BTW the Peasant Girl in this movie was the first vampire killed in TVL and one of the first "witches" burned in "ToE".
The movie though goes downhill, story wise from here. We get the involvement an author, Richard Lestrange (who's family will later go on to support the Dark Lord) who gets a job at a local girl's finishing school where Carmilla is now a student. It's an oldie but a goodie and I have used it myself.
The rest follows the well worn paths of Hammer lore. People die, some people think there is a vampire, others don't. Compared with Vampire Lovers this one feels like the cast was still standing around after the last movie stopped so they decided to do another one.
With TVL and the book Carmilla, you felt that Carmilla was a victim of her circumstance as much as she was the villain. Here you don't get any of that nuance. In fact Carmilla is more interested in Lestrange than her roomate! What is up with that?
This was not one of Hammer's better films. What gets me the most is that there are a lot of good elements to this movie and some great ideas, just strung together rather poorly.
In a related movie I have seen, but not reviewed the related "Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter". That was an enjoyable film. (Not counting it for this Challenge)
Tally: Watched 28, New 20
Given the influence of this film, here is a links sections to other posts here.
Movies
Carmilla, by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (off site links)
What are you watching?
I decided to sit down and watch it again, this time while listening to the audio commentary since I had seen so many Carmilla-based movies this year.
Back in June of 2011 I mentioned how this movie is like a perfect storm for topics here at the Other Side.
Based on the original novel, it is Hammer, has Ingrid Pitt, Peter Cushing, Kata O'Mara, Pippa Steele and Madeline Smith, there is even a Faux Dracula (John Forbes-Robertson as Dracula looking exactly like he will look in Hammer's "Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires").
The movie is actually fairly close to the book. Enough that if you read the book and see the movie you will notice more of similarities rather than the differences.
The movie should be familiar ground to any horror fan by now. Young girl Emma makes a new friend, Carmilla, soon after another one of her friends dies. Soon Emma begins to weaken and only do the men of the tale suspect that Carmilla may be to blame. Vampire hunt follows. This movie though somehow makes due with this simple story really. I am giving it the benefit of the doubt of having been based on the work that created this kind of story; but the movie holds up rather well. Even under repeated viewings I have not grown tired of it.
Now here there is no doubt that Carmilla is supposed to be evil. She casually uses and tosses away Mdme. Perrodot (Kate O'Mara) and she did kill Laura (Pippa Steele) but yet to me there is something underneath all of this. Carmilla is still a tragic figure. She was damned, but maybe the least of the damned. Not as much as in the novella, but it is there.
Now taken as part of the Hammer Karnstien Trilogy, this is obviously the best of the lot. The others are good bloody fun, but there is a much better story here. Also the characterization of Carmilla is much more nuanced here. I also think that is due to a better story and better acting ability by Ingrid Pitt. Again I am publicly calling for a new Carmilla movie. I know that Styia is coming out next year, and it looks good, but I think I want a period piece again.
Also I feel I should comment on the poster. WTF? I am not sure what movie that poster is for but none of that happened in the movie.
It had been a long time since I had seen this one. I forgot about the overt Satanism, but it was Hammer in 71 so that is no surprise. Mind you I don't mind that, it works for Dracula, but Carmilla? I am not quite seeing it. Now to be fair I DO see it for the Karnstiens as a family. Let's be honest though, this is the least of this movies problems.
Once again we get a near-Christopher Lee as an almost-Dracula. Heck they actually used Chris' famous red eyes from Scars of Dracula. This time he is in charge of the Satanic ritual that brings Carmilla/Mircalla back from the dead 40 years (1830, prime time for GoA) after the first movie. Gone is the hair "color a rich very dark brown", Carmilla is now a blonde. Maybe it was the peasant girl she ate. BTW the Peasant Girl in this movie was the first vampire killed in TVL and one of the first "witches" burned in "ToE".
The movie though goes downhill, story wise from here. We get the involvement an author, Richard Lestrange (who's family will later go on to support the Dark Lord) who gets a job at a local girl's finishing school where Carmilla is now a student. It's an oldie but a goodie and I have used it myself.
The rest follows the well worn paths of Hammer lore. People die, some people think there is a vampire, others don't. Compared with Vampire Lovers this one feels like the cast was still standing around after the last movie stopped so they decided to do another one.
With TVL and the book Carmilla, you felt that Carmilla was a victim of her circumstance as much as she was the villain. Here you don't get any of that nuance. In fact Carmilla is more interested in Lestrange than her roomate! What is up with that?
This was not one of Hammer's better films. What gets me the most is that there are a lot of good elements to this movie and some great ideas, just strung together rather poorly.
In a related movie I have seen, but not reviewed the related "Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter". That was an enjoyable film. (Not counting it for this Challenge)
Tally: Watched 28, New 20
Given the influence of this film, here is a links sections to other posts here.
- The Lesbian Vampire: Villain or Victim? Part 1
- The Lesbian Vampire: Villain or Victim? Part 2
- The Lesbian Vampire: Villain or Victim? Part 3, with Ghosts of Albion stats for Carmilla/Mircalla
- A Willow/Tara RPG adventure that borrows from Carmilla
Movies
- Ingrid Pitt as another Infamous Vampire in Hammer's Countess Dracula
- Vampyres
- Vampyr
- Blood and Roses
- Twins of Evil
Carmilla, by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (off site links)
What are you watching?
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