Day 28
A purple sparkly d12.
Monday, October 28, 2024
Sunday, October 27, 2024
October Horror Movie Challenge: Ghostbusters
Got a chance to check out the two new(er) Ghostbusters movies and I had a blast with them. The two questions that come up here are "Are they horror?" and "What do they have to do with D&D?" The first is "who cares, they have the trappings of horror" and the second, "yeah, for me they do."
Given that the two movies have the same cast and are continuations of the original Ghostsbusters (1984, 1989) I will talk about them together.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
This series follows up on the original 1980s with the estranged family (daughter and grandkids) of Egon Spengler (the late Harold Ramis). They move out to Oklahoma, where Egon had been hiding. There is a prophecy about the return of Gozer. The plot is a bit silly to be honest, but the story is a lot of fun.
What really sets this movie apart is the cast. Yes, we get Ray, Peter, Winston, and Janine back, all played by their original actors. Even a bit of CGI and Ivan Reitman playing Harold Ramis as the the now dead Egon. But the real stand outs are the new cast, especially McKenna Gract as Phoebe, the granddaughter of Egon. I have seen her in a lot of movies since Gifted (2017), where she played a seven-year-old math genius. Here she is not far from that. She is a genius and the spitting image of Egon.
We also get Finn Wolfhard as her older brother Trevor. He is sorta the comic relief here and that works. Paul Rudd is here playing seismologist turned science teacher. Carrie Coon plays mother (and Egon's daughter) Callie Spengler. New characters include the entertaining Podcast (Logan Kim) and Lucky (Celeste O'Connor).
They have to battle Gozer again, but that is fine. Gozzer this time is played by Olivia Wilde and her voice is done by Shohreh Aghdashloo. I mean, what a combination.
The most fun of this movie is watching all the references to the first two movies and other horror movies/shows, including Stranger Things. Lots of cameos; stick around for Sigourney Weaver. And special cameo/casting of J. K. Simmons plays Ivo Shandor, looking and sounding just like Ketheric Thorm.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)
This one is not quite as good, but it has some fun moments. This one expands on the Ghostbuster myths and makes the case for more sequels. Winston Zeddemore, now an entrepreneur, funds all sorts of Ghostbuster related technology and keeps the whole place funded.
The cast is the same with the additions of Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswalt. We even get the return of William Atherton as Mayor Walter Peck. For the record I have heard from people I know that William Atherton is actually one of the nicest guys you can ever meet.
There are good moments, the battle at the end is a lot of fun. The big bad, Gahraka is rally scary looking and that is great. Nice to see Dan Ackroyd is still crazy.
Confession, I thought it was great that McKenna Grace's Phoebe was the hero of both movies.
The first movie was dedicated to Harold Ramis and this one was dedicated to Ivan Reitman.
Featured Monster: Ghosts and Ghostbusters
These movies, even the originals, had no influence on the D&D books, but they had a huge effect on my games. I loved playing undead hunting clerics and even created special gens to fight and trap ghosts. Yeah, they're not original, but hey, I was 14.
There are lot of ideas here for a game. Maybe a "Ghost Hunting" game for NIGHT SHIFT!
October Horror Movie Challenge 2024
Viewed: 39
First Time Views: 19
Dracula, The Hunters' Journals: 27 October; Doctor Seward's Diary
More updates from Seward about Mina.
Dr. Seward’s Diary.
27 October, Noon.—Most strange; no news yet of the ship we wait for. Mrs. Harker reported last night and this morning as usual: “lapping waves and rushing water,” though she added that “the waves were very faint.” The telegrams from London have been the same: “no further report.” Van Helsing is terribly anxious, and told me just now that he fears the Count is escaping us. He added significantly:—
“I did not like that lethargy of Madam Mina’s. Souls and memories can do strange things during trance.” I was about to ask him more, but Harker just then came in, and he held up a warning hand. We must try to-night at sunset to make her speak more fully when in her hypnotic state.
Notes: Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent
Mina reports nothing new. I have wondered whether or not the Count could lie to Mina about what he sees and hears. She is getting this information as if it were from a mis-wired wireless set; something used to receive instead of transmit or something like that.
Obviously our hunters should have seen sight of the ship by now.
Horror Movies will resume...
Slept through the night last night.
Yesterday I got up after only a couple of hours of sleep. Voted and my wife said "Hey it is beautiful outside, lets go on a hike."
So six miles later I crashed.
Slept now, will resume tonight.
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Dracula, The Hunters' Journals: 26 October; Doctor Seward's Diary
Seward gives some more updates.
Dr. Seward’s Diary.
26 October.—Another day and no tidings of the Czarina Catherine. She ought to be here by now. That she is still journeying somewhere is apparent, for Mrs. Harker’s hypnotic report at sunrise was still the same. It is possible that the vessel may be lying by, at times, for fog; some of the steamers which came in last evening reported patches of fog both to north and south of the port. We must continue our watching, as the ship may now be signalled any moment.
Notes: Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent
Not much here. More examples of the Count controlling the weather.
Interesting how he was such a presence in the first part of the book and now he has no lines to speak of.
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