Every week this month I am writing about some of my favorite soundtracks!

This week is devoted to the Monster Club Soundtrack!

The Monster Club was a made that came out in 1981 and was directed by Roy Ward Baker. It starred Vincent Price, John Carradine and Anthony Steele. It is a movie that was based on stories by Ronald Chetwynd-Hayes who is best known for writing horror stories.

John Carrandine plays a fictionalized version of Ronald Chetwynd-Hayes in the movie. He is walking at night in London where he is stopped by Eramus (played by Vincent Price) and what starts off as a friendly conversation turns into horror for Ronald. Because Eramus turns out to be a vampire and bites Ronald. He then take Ronald to a club where all of this monsters and supernatural beings go to and starts to tell three stories about some of the monsters, creatures and ghosts that come there. In between the stories there are breaks of music playing and that is where the one of the most awesome 80’s monster music plays!

The soundtrack consists of a lot of British rock bands and singers such as B.A. Robertson, UB40, and Pretty Things. The only band that is on the soundtrack and does not in the movie is UB40.

I will share with you three of my favorite songs on the soundtrack.

The Monster Club sung by Pretty Things.  I like the reggae beat to this song so much and I kind wish it was my ring tone.

Sucker for your Love by B.A. Robertson. Sometimes I hum this song but I rarely am around people who know where it is from.

Stripper sung by Night. Stevie Lang has such a unique singing voice and this track fits so well to the scene.

To my knowledge this soundtrack is available on vinyl only and it is extremely hard to find. It took me about 4 years to come across one that wasn’t extremely expensive. I don’t know if there is any future reissue of this soundtrack but I really hope so because it would be such a shame to not reach worldwide audience.

 

Until Next time!

 

“After a short hiatus this section of my wordpress has returned!

This week I interview IG feed: @comicbook_ads

1.  Tell me about yourself.

“I was born and raised in Montreal, Canada which incidentally is my current home. I’ve always been a geek at heart. Comic books, movie, music….I’m a pop culture nerd. I work as a realtor. I’ve been hustling houses and condos for the last ten years.

 

What else… I love animals! I’ve been volunteering for a local animal shelter for the last ten years. I assist the Montreal SPCA with their participation in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. My responsibilities include volunteer coordination and selection of a theme. Which usually ends up being comic book or sci-fi related (obliviously!).

I also volunteer for a housing right group called Project Genesis. Twice a month I will go door to door in low-cost housing areas, informing tenants that they are entitled to certain rights and if they feel that they’re being taken advantage of by landlords. We have lawyers on staff to advise them pro-bono.

Also a few years ago I volunteered at a children’s hospital. I’d dressed up as Spider Man along with some other cosplaying buddies to cheer up sick kids. Clearly, volunteering and community work is a big part of my life! ”

2.  How did you come up with your Instagram name?

“Dumb luck. I was looking for a comic book related name that hasn’t been taken yet and was pleasantly surprised to learn that no one had claimed “Comic book ads.” That’s also when I discovered that no one on Instagram was focusing on the advertising of goofy products that always intrigued me as a kid: Sea-Monkeys, fake blood, joy buzzers, “deadly” martial arts, how to booklets etc.”

3. Top five favorite comic book heroes and/or villians and why?

“Oh, this will be tough to narrow down…

Captain America, (1980s punk rock), Storm,

Lone Wolf (& Club).

Batman and the Joker. I like the visual aspects of each of these characters and their look. 

There’s also an aspect of each character’s personality that I relate to on some level. I guess that’s probably why I don’t get tired reading stories about them.

4. Who is your favorite director and why?

“Stanley Kubrick because he was just an absolute cinematic master!” 

5. What is a hidden tidbit or talent you have that not a lot of people know?

“I have something of a knack for politics. A couple of my past careers include political adviser to the mayor of Montreal and organizer for one of Canada’s federal parties.

Another hidden talent is….that I love to cook! A few years ago, I watched every episode of this cooking show called ” French Food at Home” because I had a crush on the host Laura Calder. I ended up learning quite a few kitchen skills as a result. Grilled octopus a fave dish of mine!” 

Finally another hidden tidbit about me would be the fact that I devote some time every week to community work. 

 

If you like to contact and/or following his IG Feed:

Email: house_of_mr_e@hotmail.com

IG: comicbook_ads

Thank you Erik for the wonderful interview!

 

Until Next time!

Around this time of the year I always get super excited because I know Halloween is only a couple of months away!

People often ask me why do I have a fondness for this holiday.

Well one main reason is that I always felt incredibly lucky to be born in the month of October and my birthday is really close to Halloween!

When I was younger the only kind of birthday I wanted was always a Halloween theme party. Flash forward to my current age I am not much for birthday parties but I still want some Halloween theme built into my birthday. Whether it’s my birthday cake or I wear something with  a pumpkin on it!

Also fall is my favorite month especially when you experience a very humid summer. Fall has a nice cooling effect and I think nature is the most beautiful during that season.  

The colors that nature provides us during the fall season never ceases to amaze me!

Halloween is one of the few holidays I celebrate and I am over exhilarated with putting up Halloween decorations and completely cover the house from head to toe. 

And yes I know I am spooky 24/7 and 365 days a year but during October I tend to amp up the spooky factor a notch or two….or ten.

 

Until next time!

 

 

 

 

 

Every summer Turner Classic Movie has one month where have a program called “Summer Under the Stars.” Where they select one actress or actor once a day and show a majority of the movies they starred in.

On August 30th TCM picked one of the all the time favorite actors: Marcello Mastroianni!

So from sun up to sun down they will show nothing but some of this incredible movies he starred in. I will highlight some of the movies they are showing tomorrow. (I may sound repetitious in saying that some of the movies I will discuss are my favorites!)

Le Notti Bianche (1957) (showing on 8/30 at 6am EST)- also starring Maria Schell, and Jean Marais. Directed by Luchino Visconti. Based a short story by Fyodor Dostoesky of the same name. It stars Marcello Mastroianni as a young man called Mario who moves to a new town. He lives a solidarity life as a store clerk until he was closing up his shop one night and notices a women (played by Maria Schell) waiting at a bridge. He approaches and tries to befriend her but she admits to him that she has been going to this bridge every night for years in hopes that her lover  (played by Jean Marais) (who vowed to come back one day) will return. Mario is quite smitted by this woman and does everything he can in order for her to change her mind about always waiting for someone he feels may never return. 

The reason why I love this movie: I am not much of a romantic and I really do not watch a lot of romance movies, However this is one of the few movies that hits such an emotional cord inside me. I have cried everytime I watch this because you have a sense that all of the characters in this movie have experience such emotional loss in their life.

Ginger and Fred (1986) (showing on 8/30 at 10am EST)- also starring Giulietta Masina. Directed by Federico Fellini

 

Marcello Mastroianni and Giulietta Masina played two dancers who impersonated one of the most famous dancing duos Ginger Ringers and Fred Astaire when they were younger. Many decades later they were recently invited to appear on a Italian TV show to reunited and dance once again! 

The reason why I adore this film. I had such a Fellini movie phase in my life they I never really grew out of . I really like this film because I feel like this is one of Fellini films that have the most heart in it. It is a sweet comedy and it makes root for this dancing couple!

8 1/2 (1963) (showing on 8/30 at 8pm EST)- also starring Claudia Cardinale, Anouk Aimee and Sandra Milo.

Marcello Mastroianni plays Guido Anselmi a famous movie director who is going through a creative block and is on a deadline to submit a science fiction movie idea. Instead of him moving forward on new ideas he retreats back into his memories of his life. Both good or bad memories he starts to reminisce  on them which makes him think more on his personal life (such as his marriage) rather then how his movie should turn out. 

The rest why I adore this movie. To be honest the first time I watched this movie I thought it was boring however some images stayed with me for months after I watched it. It forced me to re watch the movie and with the second viewing it made me understand it better in terms that this movie was more of an autobiographical story of Fellini and his creative blocks and quickly became a favorite to talk about. 

For the full list of Marcello Mastroianni movies they will be playing on Turner Classic Movies tomorrow the link is below (Scroll down near the bottom to see his list!)

 

Summer Under the Stars

 

Until Next Time!!!

 

 

The aura of cool is something I kind of learn while growing up. I never had friends who really enjoy or heard of the things I love and was really into. However I figured out who is to say who is cool and who is not? Cool is something inside of you that makes you unique that is what make you wonderful because you are different and you are special. I have never really been a trendy person I have  tendency to always do, watch, listen to whatever I have an interest in. 

Being cool is owning who your true self is and being happy and proud of what you are into. It is not a location or a piece of clothing. It is an inner quality that makes you shine brighter then any star in the universe.

Never be ashamed in being your true cool self!

 

 

Until Next time!