Green Slime

Buzz, that had better be you behind that rock!

I'm thinking of a movie that sees Earth threatened by collision with a giant asteroid. There is only one hope for survival, a team must be dispatched to plant nuclear charges on the asteroid and blast it to smithereens. There is only one man with the knowledge and experience to lead that team. But he holds a grudge against his primary rival and second in command over a previous mission failure caused by recklessness. Will the irascible curmudgeon be convinced to head the mission, especially when lady-conflict is thrown into the mix?

Wow! What a groovy... Uh, rocket.

Am I thinking of "Armageddon" from 1998, starring Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck as the battling spacemen? Nope. I'm thinking of "The Green Slime" an MGM outing from 1968 and reeled off in Japan under the direction of Kinji Fukasaku.

Now I'm thinking of a movie that sets a desperate crew of space travelers against an alien menace unwittingly brought aboard ship by a crew member. The alien travels through air ducts and service passageways killing off crew members one at a time. As its life cycle progresses it evolves into a larger and more menacing form. Can the remaining crew kill this menace before it completely destroys their outpost and is brought to Earth?

You were NOT invited to our table races. Somebody get Hot-Lips!

 Am I thinking about Ridley Scott's 1979 masterpiece,"Alien?" Nope. Once again I'm thinking of "The Green Slime," a campy, classic example of bad sci/fi from the 1960's starring Robert Horton as Commander Jack Rankin and Richard Jaeckel as Commander Vince Elliott, the testosterone infused heroes at odds with each other and in love with the same girl, Italian actress Luciana Paluzzi as Dr. Lisa Benson. (Benson?)

Don't get your hopes up. No skin-tight spacesuit for you!

The movie itself is much less interesting than its production or the truly trippy theme song written by Charles Fox who wrote the music for "Barbarella" and penned the theme song for the "Wonder Woman" television show.

Green Slime

Powered by mp3skull.com

"The Green Slime" came forth from the wellspring of talent which included the mysterious Tom Rowe, Bill Finger, the man who refined Bob Kane's rough idea of Batman into the more familiar icon we know today, and who created The Riddler, The Penguin, Catwoman, et al and Charles Sinclair who wrote for the "Batman" TV show. Story credit goes to Ivan Reiner, who penned its stylistic older sibling, "The Wild, Wild Planet."

Wheeeeeee!

The movie was produced in Japan at Toei Studios. The less than stellar special effects were created by ex Toho Studios employees who previously had worked for the "father of Japanese special effects," Eiji Tsuburaya. The monster suits were peopled by children and an odd mixture of American fashion models, Germans, Turks and even United States Air Force personnel from Yokota Air Base rounded out the cast of B-actors.

Take that, you one-eyed whatever-the-heck-you-are!

 The Japanese version was released on December 19th, 1968 (The Japanese have a time-honored tradition of dropping bombs in December.) under the title, "Ganmā Daisan Gō: Uchū Daisakusen^?" which translates to, "Help! Sid And Marty Croft Have Taken Over Our Space Station." It was shown as part of the Toei Children's Festival with the brilliant "Pinocchio in Outer-Space" as the main feature. The U.S. premiere came in May of 1969 and met with resounding boos. The movie later achieved legendary status as riff material for the un-aired pilot for "Mystery Science Theater 3000."

If you haven't seen this with your own giant eyeball you must rush out today, crushing small children beneath you to purchase it. Or you could just order it off the internet. It is a popcorn-muncher that is a lot of fun to watch if you dig kids in rubber monster suits fighting guys in spacesuits flown in on wires. Lots of bad spaceship models (with real flames!) and blinking lights add to the visual thrills. If you were a kid in the 60's or a midnight movie goer in the 70's you have a special place in your heart for shlock like this.



And the legacy of "The Green Slime?"

Family resemblance? I'm just sayin'.

Here's a little treat in case you didn't get a big enough dose of the "Wonder Woman" theme. How about an alternate version-- with Wonder Girl to boot!

I give it one-and-a-half tentacles up

Goodbye and Godspeed

Sally Ride, America's first woman in space died today of pancreatic cancer. She was 61.

You can read more here: Boston.com

The Eagle Has Landed +43

 

Check out the Buzz Aldrin/Crystal Method mash-up I cobbled together from my interview with Dr. Aldrin below. I call it "Buzz Method."  The full audio of that interview appears later in this post.

Podcast Powered By Podbean

I was four years old when Apollo 11 touched down in the Sea of Tranquility and man first impressed his footprint upon the moon. I was captivated. The images of the lunar module on the surface of the moon, of Neil Armstrong taking that historic first step, of Buzz Aldrin saluting the American flag are burned indelibly in my mind. I couldn't get enough moon, NASA or astronauts, clearly a chronic case of Moon Fever that stays with me to this day. While I may never get to press my footprint into the dusty lunar soil, I could, with enough cash, turn my backyard into a replica Tranquility Base. Here's a company that will not only rent you the appropriate spacesuit, but a full sized lunar module and a command capsule. Honey, call the neighbors and chain up the dog, the Eagle has landed!

In September of 2006 I had the great fortune to interview Buzz Aldrin one of my childhood heroes and the second man on the moon. Listen to Dr. Aldrin describe that historic event in his own words.

 Interview with Buzz Aldrin

Podcast Powered By Podbean

Apollo 11 Mission Log: Day 3 Lunar Insertion

Space Command

Space Command, This is what RR&R is all about.

Artwork from the independently financed "Space Command."

 Check out their trailer/VFX reel. I am SO jazzed about this-- what they used to call, "high adventure." It is set in a world where good prevails over evil, folks look to the future with optimism and rocket-jockeys zip around in cool retro space ships. I love everything about this!

Here is the link to their website: http://pledgespacecommand.com/

And their Facebook page.

43 years ago today: Where were you when Apollo 11 lifted off for the moon? | al.com

My Apollo XI patch right above my monitor. I look at it every day.

  43 years ago today: Where were you when Apollo 11 lifted off for the moon?

I was four years old when Apollo XI lifted off on it's historical journey. Even as a little kid I watched every bit of news coverage I could find. I couldn't get enough. I had been stricken by a bad case of Moon Fever. It was so bad that I wouldn't let my daddy gas up the car anyplace but the local Gulf station because they were giving out fold-up paper models of the lunar module with every fill up. Remember those?

Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, we can relive the joy of inserting tab A into slot B. Here is a high resolution copy of that wonderful childhood memory that you can print onto card stock and make yourself.

Gulf Oil Lunar Module Model

Here are some other superb Apollo papercraft models to build-- a perfect way to spend some quality time with the kids on a rainy afternoon.
  
Apollo Papercraft Models To Print

2 B9 or Not 2 B9, That Is The Question

http://www.lostinspacerobot.com/

 

Wow, to see TEN of these bad boys all lined up is really a sight. Oh boy! I'm geek-wet now.

 

If I am very, very good and eat all my veggies will somebody please, please get me one of these for Christmas? They are just a hair over 24k apiece.

Check out the awesome manufacturer's website.

Mark Meyers Wall Photos

Moebius Jupiter 2 with fully lit interior, Lighted engine and upper Bubble Custom Paint scheme and Custom Lunar Models 1/35 Figures by Mark Myers, Composite Image by Jeff Summers!

My mouth just hung open in awe when I looked at this gentleman's model work. I especially liked his Lost in Space stuff. Wow. I can only aspire to build something half as elegant. And ogle this fantastic image by Jeff Summers. Again, I'm just blown away. Check out some of Mark's crazy modeling skills in his Facebook wall photos below.

Mark Meyers Wall Photos

Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’ as a children’s book | Retronaut

Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’ as a children’s book | Retronaut

Okaaaay... An odd oddity. You must listen to the song for full effect.


David Bowie - Space Oddity

Powered by mp3skull.com

StarTrek.com Star Trek Comic-Con 2012 Day 3 Recap

StarTrek.com posted some good coverage of day 3 of Comic-Con 2012 featuring some cool stuff from Diamond Select Toys. Check it out:

Star Trek Comic-Con 2012 Day 3 Recap

Here's the sweet Enterprise E coming in October 2012.



I'm Personally jazzed about the Spock/Horta action figure set.

It looks like it would make the perfect companion set to the DST Kirk/Gorn action figures.

Revenge of The Universal Monsters

Oh HELLS yeah! I am all about this, especially the Mu-tant with his Interocitor. Sweet! My next favorite is The Invisible Man, followed by The Phantom of The Opera and his massive organ.

Revenge of Universal Monsters! There are a lot of traditions that happen every Halloween, but Diamond Select Toys has created a new one -- 7-inch Universal Monsters action figures! DST has put out two series of Universal Monsters 7-inch figures in the past two years, and this year will see that tradition continue with five new figures due out this September! At comic shops and specialty stores, horror fans will be able to pick up a highly detailed Metaluna Mutant from 1955's This Island Earth. With his bulging brain and claws, he conveys all the menace of the movie creature, and he even comes with the Interocitor, the device that allows humans to contact the Metalunans. Alongside the Metaluna Mutant will be the Phantom from Phantom of the Opera (1925), complete with his massive organ, which he plays in the catacombs of the opera house. Both will be available in the oversized Select display packaging, with side panel art perfect for storing on a shelf. Toys "R" Us will get their own exclusive figure in the Invisible Man, from the 1933 film of the same name. Jack Griffin is depicted with his goggles and false nose, and comes with a small display base. Toys "R" Us will also get a variation on the Phantom, one that wears a coat and mask, and comes with a violin and music stand instead of the organ. There will also be a more basic version of the Mutant at Toys "R" Us, minus the Interocitor. All of these figures will come in smaller blister-card packaging. Check out the photos below, and pre-order the two Select figures today at your local comic shop or your favorite online retailer. To find your nearest comic shop, visit comicshoplocator.com! And get regular DST updates on Facebook and Twitter!

Revenge of Universal Monsters! Marvel vs. Capcom... Fight! Star Wars Bust Banks Alice: Madness Returns to Toys! Light 'Em Up, Boys! Minimates Vehicles Get Turbo Boost! Star Trek TWOK Phaser Back to the Future Time Machine Email Password Not a member? Sign up here.

Diamond Select Toys & Collectibles

Sad Truth