rra
King Koopa
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Post by rra on Mar 1, 2008 1:18:55 GMT -5
THE MONSTER SQUAD (1987) - ***1/2Duncan Regehr's Dracula is probably the perfect villain kingpin for such a kid's movie. He's very charming in parlaying the cinema visual of Dracula that the public knows intimately, yet with his slicked-back Eurotrash hair and evil eyes, he is deliciously fun on his own merit. There is something ludicrous about the Good Count driving a black hearse with a skull hood ornament, since he's shown several times to transform into a bat and fly off. But because Refehr is such a pimp, you buy it. I mean, take the climax especially. Logic dictates as well that Dracula should be hauling ass to the Town Square to intercept the kids and their amulet, right? Wrong. He takes a detour to the home of the Monster Squad's leader and lights up some dynamite. BOOM goes the tree clubhouse, then he flies off to the town square. He's outright pissed that some snot-nose annoying kids are his obstacle to world domination, and wants to smurf with them. Combine with him calling a 5 year old girl a "bitch," and he's not just an evil monster pimp.....He's an evil asshole. If he could, he would slice those kids up without a blink. Under director Fred Drekker, Refehr gives an element of safe but effective danger to the children's adventure story that usually is sorely lacking. Apprently from the fan response that that got THE MONSTER SQUAD slapped onto DVD, I wasn't the only one of my generation who loved this movie back in my childhood. Watching it again, I realize why I liked it in the first place. There is just an organic juvenile excitement stemming from the mere concept of boys making their encyclopedia knowledge of monsters and comic books useful for once. Who knew that debating whatever Wolfman has nards might not be a waste of time after all? Add that they're duking it out with the classic Universal Monster line-up including Frankenstein, the Werewolf, the Creature of the Black Lagoon, and the Mummy....this is pure money. This is what THE LOST BOYS and its would-be geek warriors promised but utterly failed to deliver. Yet what makes SQUAD bloody good beyond the pitch is its damn clever moments, and surely crafted by fans of the genre. From subduing Dracula with pizza, to Frankenstein's face-turn, to the brief moments of the Wolfman in his human state, they really are what carry this movie forward. Then again, considering that spot-maestro Shane Black was a co-writer of SQUAD, I shouldn't be surprised. I would even argue that SQUAD is to the kids adventure movie like Black's scripted THE LAST BOY SCOUT was for action cinema: A deep well of memorable one-liners worth quoting. Consider when the archetype older "cool" Squad member lights up a cigarette, and goes off to fight the vampires. Someone asks what is he doing, and he says: "I'm in the goddamn club, aren't I?" In fact, that along with fellow 80s genre flick THE GOONIES, reminds me of why they're superior to most such contemporary kids fare. The kids cursed like sailors, boys defeminized each other with gay slurs, and being utterly wreckless as hell. You know, kids being kids. Interestingly, the best scene in THE MONSTER SQUAD is probably why I always prefered it over GOONIES. When the old German man tells the boys that he can't be a vampire because he has a reflection, he closes the door and we see the concentration camp tattoos on his arm....a survivor of real monsters....
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Post by angryfan on Mar 1, 2008 1:26:38 GMT -5
Wolfman has nards, that is all.
Actually, it isn't. I was at Phil's Records near my house, and found a copy of this on DVD, which I've waited damn near 20 years for, so my marking out was pretty loud.
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rra
King Koopa
Posts: 10,145
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Post by rra on Mar 1, 2008 1:29:08 GMT -5
Wolfman has nards, that is all. Actually, it isn't. I was at Phil's Records near my house, and found a copy of this on DVD, which I've waited damn near 20 years for, so my marking out was pretty loud. As much as I crap on AICN, I'll give them this...........that one AICN guy who was behind in pimping the hell out of a MONSTER SQUAD screening out in Austin, Texas.... That is probably why you have the DVD now.
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W.R
Don Corleone
The Undisputed Wrestlecrap Off-Topic Heavyweight Champion.
Posts: 1,909
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Post by W.R on Mar 1, 2008 1:39:14 GMT -5
RRA, I thought you were leaving to find yourself much like the incredible hulk in his tv show?
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Post by amsiraK on Mar 1, 2008 1:39:36 GMT -5
THE MONSTER SQUAD (1987) - ***1/2Duncan Regehr's Dracula is probably the perfect villain kingpin for such a kid's movie. He's very charming in parlaying the cinema visual of Dracula that the public knows intimately, yet with his slicked-back Eurotrash hair and evil eyes, he is deliciously fun on his own merit. There is something ludicrous about the Good Count driving a black hearse with a skull hood ornament, since he's shown several times to transform into a bat and fly off. But because Refehr is such a pimp, you buy it. I mean, take the climax especially. Logic dictates as well that Dracula should be hauling ass to the Town Square to intercept the kids and their amulet, right? Wrong. He takes a detour to the home of the Monster Squad's leader and lights up some dynamite. BOOM goes the tree clubhouse, then he flies off to the town square. He's outright pissed that some snot-nose annoying kids are his obstacle to world domination, and wants to smurf with them. Combine with him calling a 5 year old girl a "bitch," and he's not just an evil monster pimp.....He's an evil asshole. If he could, he would slice those kids up without a blink. Under director Fred Drekker, Refehr gives an element of safe but effective danger to the children's adventure story that usually is sorely lacking. Apprently from the fan response that that got THE MONSTER SQUAD slapped onto DVD, I wasn't the only one of my generation who loved this movie back in my childhood. Watching it again, I realize why I liked it in the first place. There is just an organic juvenile excitement stemming from the mere concept of boys making their encyclopedia knowledge of monsters and comic books useful for once. Who knew that debating whatever Wolfman has nards might not be a waste of time after all? Add that they're duking it out with the classic Universal Monster line-up including Frankenstein, the Werewolf, the Creature of the Black Lagoon, and the Mummy....this is pure money. This is what THE LOST BOYS and its would-be geek warriors promised but utterly failed to deliver. Yet what makes SQUAD bloody good beyond the pitch is its damn clever moments, and surely crafted by fans of the genre. From subduing Dracula with pizza, to Frankenstein's face-turn, to the brief moments of the Wolfman in his human state, they really are what carry this movie forward. Then again, considering that spot-maestro Shane Black was a co-writer of SQUAD, I shouldn't be surprised. I would even argue that SQUAD is to the kids adventure movie like Black's scripted THE LAST BOY SCOUT was for action cinema: A deep well of memorable one-liners worth quoting. Consider when the archetype older "cool" Squad member lights up a cigarette, and goes off to fight the vampires. Someone asks what is he doing, and he says: "I'm in the goddamn club, aren't I?" In fact, that along with fellow 80s genre flick THE GOONIES, reminds me of why they're superior to most such contemporary kids fare. The kids cursed like sailors, boys defeminized each other with gay slurs, and being utterly wreckless as hell. You know, kids being kids. Interestingly, the best scene in THE MONSTER SQUAD is probably why I always prefered it over GOONIES. When the old German man tells the boys that he can't be a vampire because he has a reflection, he closes the door and we see the concentration camp tattoos on his arm....a survivor of real monsters.... That was the sweetest scene: You sure know a lot about monsters. Scary German Guy: Yes... I suppose I do. *closes door, we see arm*
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Goldenbane
Hank Scorpio
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Posts: 7,331
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Post by Goldenbane on Mar 1, 2008 1:47:28 GMT -5
I loved this movie! There were just cool moments the monsters got to do that you never see too often.
Dracula was physically beating the crap out of that town's entire police force. Whenever I see Dracula in a movie, he's normally only hypnotizing people or using black magic and stuff. It was nice to see him actually kick ass with his fists.
That creature of the black lagoon is THE best version of the monster to date. He looked fantastic, even better than the original. I wish he had more to do.
The mummy also looked wonderful. He was so thin...at times I wondered who the heck they had playing him! I liked the classic way they defeated him.
The wolfman was THE MAN though! Shoot the crap out of him? Does nothing. Kick him in the nards? Stuns him a tiny bit. Blow him up with friggin' dynamite? Does nothing. ONLY silver can kill the wolfman! Most awesome!
Loved how the Frankenstein monster looked and acted. I did enjoy his face turn (I'm a sucker for repentant villains). I still cry sometimes when he's sucked into limbo.
I certainly agree about the old German man! "Wow mister, your really do know a lot about monsters!!" *looks at his World War 2 death camp tattoo* "Yes, you might say that." AWESOME and spine chilling!
I sort of wish they had explained where the heck Van Helsing had come from there at the end. He was supposed to be dead for like 200 years or something, wasn't he?
REALLY wish the new vampire brides had played a bigger part. They were HOT!
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Chainsaw
T
A very BAD man.
It is what it is
Posts: 90,480
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Post by Chainsaw on Mar 1, 2008 1:55:07 GMT -5
Great review, rra. I hold Monster Squad up pretty high. It's such a fun movie, and as soon as people started dying in that movie, all bets were off.
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rra
King Koopa
Posts: 10,145
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Post by rra on Mar 1, 2008 2:06:26 GMT -5
RRA, I thought you were leaving to find yourself much like the incredible hulk in his tv show? and like the Hulk, I always end up in some town/city, doing menial work.....but forced to "RRA Up" and and leave said area after kicking unholy amounts of ass.
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rra
King Koopa
Posts: 10,145
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Post by rra on Mar 1, 2008 2:10:22 GMT -5
I loved this movie! There were just cool moments the monsters got to do that you never see too often. Dracula was physically beating the crap out of that town's entire police force. Whenever I see Dracula in a movie, he's normally only hypnotizing people or using black magic and stuff. It was nice to see him actually kick ass with his fists. That creature of the black lagoon is THE best version of the monster to date. He looked fantastic, even better than the original. I wish he had more to do. The mummy also looked wonderful. He was so thin...at times I wondered who the heck they had playing him! I liked the classic way they defeated him. The wolfman was THE MAN though! Shoot the crap out of him? Does nothing. Kick him in the nards? Stuns him a tiny bit. Blow him up with friggin' dynamite? Does nothing. ONLY silver can kill the wolfman! Most awesome! Loved how the Frankenstein monster looked and acted. I did enjoy his face turn (I'm a sucker for repentant villains). I still cry sometimes when he's sucked into limbo. I certainly agree about the old German man! "Wow mister, your really do know a lot about monsters!!" *looks at his World War 2 death camp tattoo* "Yes, you might say that." AWESOME and spine chilling! I sort of wish they had explained where the heck Van Helsing had come from there at the end. He was supposed to be dead for like 200 years or something, wasn't he? REALLY wish the new vampire brides had played a bigger part. They were HOT! I think in "Limbo," age is paused. A better question I have is, how did the amulet leave Dracula's castle? Why is it in America? Why did he lose it in the first place? Alot of questions, and I quite frankly don't care.....
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W.R
Don Corleone
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Posts: 1,909
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Post by W.R on Mar 1, 2008 2:25:41 GMT -5
RRA, I thought you were leaving to find yourself much like the incredible hulk in his tv show? and like the Hulk, I always end up in some town/city, doing menial work.....but forced to "RRA Up" and and leave said area after kicking unholy amounts of ass. Is that before or after you will watch 'the astronaut farmer' for the 100th time? You better hope you don't get stuck in a town where the only popular movie they have at the cineplex is "Unaccompanied Minors". Then you would have to planet hulk on their ass...you better watch out toadsuck arkansas....!
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Mac
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
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Post by Mac on Mar 1, 2008 2:58:31 GMT -5
I still have this taped off of HBO from 1988, the tapes in really good shape.
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Post by THE Dinobot on Mar 1, 2008 3:25:16 GMT -5
The only thing that might make Goonies better is Feldman's Groucho impersonation, but even that pales in comparisons to the almighty force of whore ass. What's that?Oh, now I'll never forget. Solid review, rra. Tossing in the similarities to Last Boy Scout was excellent. The Creature from this movie was one of the most pimped out things ever. A single tear in the most dramatic fashion when he had to meet his maker.
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Chainsaw
T
A very BAD man.
It is what it is
Posts: 90,480
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Post by Chainsaw on Mar 1, 2008 3:27:45 GMT -5
I still have this taped off of HBO from 1988, the tapes in really good shape. Upgrade to the DVD. There's some great stories on the commentaries.
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Mac
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
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Post by Mac on Mar 1, 2008 3:43:08 GMT -5
I still have this taped off of HBO from 1988, the tapes in really good shape. Upgrade to the DVD. There's some great stories on the commentaries. I may, i remember stealing my parents VHS tapes and recording Monster Squad and SpaceBalls. I felt bad for the Swamp Creature, he was such a jobber.
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MCMGM
Vegeta
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Red Sonic My Ass
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Post by MCMGM on Mar 1, 2008 3:46:30 GMT -5
in my top ten.
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Post by kidtamagotchi on Mar 1, 2008 4:03:43 GMT -5
I love The Monster Squad! Back in the day, my brother and I watched it every time it came on HBO.
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The OP
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
changed his name
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Post by The OP on Mar 1, 2008 5:50:12 GMT -5
Finally! A review that does this movie justice. This movie has never been trashed by critics, but I feel like they've been afraid to say how good it really was. The cast was amazing, it was very well directed and it's a totally irresistable story.
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Post by Baixo Astral on Mar 1, 2008 7:04:47 GMT -5
Sold my VHS copy of this to someone for £20 ($40)... good business, as it's frequently on TV.
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rra
King Koopa
Posts: 10,145
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Post by rra on Mar 1, 2008 9:47:06 GMT -5
Finally! A review that does this movie justice. This movie has never been trashed by critics, but I feel like they've been afraid to say how good it really was. The cast was amazing, it was very well directed and it's a totally irresistable story. The problem with SQUAD was that, from watchings its trailer.....its marketing was lousy and totally failed to sell what SQUAD is all about. Plus, to many critics...and I don't blame them....on the surface, it looks like a retooling gimmick of GOONIES.
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rra
King Koopa
Posts: 10,145
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Post by rra on Mar 1, 2008 9:47:58 GMT -5
Upgrade to the DVD. There's some great stories on the commentaries. I may, i remember stealing my parents VHS tapes and recording Monster Squad and SpaceBalls. I felt bad for the Swamp Creature, he was such a jobber. And taken out by a fat kid with a shotgun. Is Gillman Stevie Richards, or what? BTW, really liked SPACEBALLS as a squirt as well.
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