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ODD MOON MEDIA REVIEWS

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BDC
October 2020

Categories
Blu-Ray DVD/Blu-Ray Extra Fantasy, Horror, & Science Fiction Movies & Television (Videos)

THE TERMINATOR (1984)

SUMMARY:                  RUNNING TIME: 1 Hr., 47 Min.

Released in 1984 by Orion Pictures, James Cameron directed this Hemdale/Pacific Western production off a script he had co-written with his then-wife (and the film’s producer), Gale Anne Hurd.

In Los Angeles of 2029, a nuclear holocaust decades before has devastated humanity.  Eradicating the remaining pockets of human resistance is the monstrous artificial intelligence, Skynet.  Its high-tech, robotic army of ‘Machines’ include ruthless androids packing laser blasters are designed to infiltrate and destroy humanity from within by posing as one of them.  These superhuman and virtually indestructible cyborgs are dubbed ‘Terminators,’ as their kill-only programming can neither be bargained nor reasoned with. 

To eliminate its greatest threat: the pivotal resistance leader, John Connor, Skynet’s experimental technology sends a Terminator (Schwarzenegger) back to the Los Angeles of 1984.  Its mission is to exterminate Connor’s unsuspecting, future mother: Sarah (Hamilton).  For a seemingly one-way suicide mission, Connor’s best and most trusted friend, commando Kyle Reese (Biehn), volunteers to follow and protect Sarah, as best he can. Once marooned in 1984, both the Terminator and Reese must then rely upon present-day weaponry in battling one another.  

It’s up to Reese to desperately improvise a fleeing defense in saving an incredulous Sarah from her worst possible nightmare.  Caught up in this mass-homicide showdown are civilians and Los Angeles cops, unaware that the first sign of the nuclear apocalypse has arrived in the form of the Terminator.  

                                       Primary Cast

Sarah J. Connor: Linda Hamilton

The Terminator: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Kyle Reese: Michael Biehn

Lt. Ed Traxler (LAPD): Paul Winfield

Vukovich (LAPD): Lance Henriksen

Dr. Peter Silberman: Earl Boen

Ginger: Bess Motta

Matt: Rick Rossovich

Nancy: Shawn Schepps

Gun Shop Clerk: Dick Miller

2nd Terminator (2029): Franco Columbu

Sarah Connor # 1: Marianne Muellerleile

LAPD Desk Sergeant: Bruce M. Kerner

LAPD Patrol Officer: William Wisher (who contributed dialogue and later co-scripted 1991’s T2: Judgment Day)

LAPD Cops: Ken Fritz, Tom Oberhaus, & Ed Dogans

LAPD Station Cops: Uncredited

Derelict: Stan Yale

Gas Station Attendant (Mexico): Tony Mirelez

Mexican Children: Anthony J. Trujillo & Philip Gordon

Sarah’s Mother (voice only): Uncredited

Resistance Members (2029): Uncredited

Punks: Bill Paxton, Brad Rearden, and Brian Thompson.

REVIEW:

For the Terminator’s 40th Anniversary, there probably isn’t anything new to be said applauding this game-changing 1984 film for standing the test of time – pardon the expression. 

In comparison to the franchise’s innumerable and mostly unnecessary sequels (not to mention, a sub-genre of inferior imitators), the phrase, ‘simple yet sophisticated,’ comes to mind.  Working off a modest budget (an estimated $6.4 million), virtually every vital component of The Terminator’s production ranges from above-average to superb for its era: special effects; Brad Fiedel’s pulsating, metallic-like score; acting; and, above all, the story’s cohesive structure. 

While the film’s VFX limitations are occasionally exposed (i.e. distorted close-ups depicting the Terminator’s damaged face; and the hokey puppetry passing for Stan Winston’s Terminator metallic endoskeleton), the ensemble cast’s efforts selling the plot easily makes up any difference.  Beyond the immense credit that writer/director James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger deserve, Linda Hamilton herself puts forth an MVP-caliber performance. 

Along with a game Hamilton, an underrated Michael Biehn certainly merits recognition for a job well done. Biehn effectively imbues his sole franchise appearance (aside from Reese’s discarded T2 scene) with an aura of plausible desperation the film needs and takes full advantage of.  Additional kudos go to Earl Boen’s ultra-cynical psychiatrist and, ever subtly, Paul Winfield’s low-key cop for further pushing The Terminator’s outlandish premise into believable sci-fi. 

Understandably, the film’s surplus of grisly and glamorized violence will be a turn-off to some viewers.  Yet, the messiah-inspired storyline that Cameron and his then-wife (and producer), Gale Anne Hurd, devised is still brilliantly implemented.  In his most menacing and iconic on-screen persona, Schwarzenegger (buoyed by Hamilton and Biehn’s terrific support) visualizes the Cameron/Hurd story into one of the best sci-fi/horror thrillers ever made.  It’s simple as that.       

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

This High-Definition Blu-Ray’s technical specifications are: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; alternatively, the options are Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 and French DTS 5.1.  Subtitles are available in English SDH, Spanish, and French.  The viewing perspective is Widescreen 1.85:1.

Among the seven deleted scenes provided, two are particularly intriguing.  One entitled “Lt. Traxler’s Arc” is a montage of quick Paul Winfield scenes excluded from the theatrical cut, including a final exchange between Sarah, Reese, and a wounded Traxler.  More so, the “Sarah Fights Back” explores material that foreshadows Sarah’s preemptive attack against Cyberdyne Systems (Skynet’s precursor) prior to 1991’s T2: Judgment Day.

There is also a vignette: Creating The Terminator, which discusses the creation of its visual effects and Brad Fiedel’s instrumental score.  Evidently produced prior to the 1991 sequel, the Terminator: A Retrospective vignette intercuts footage from the original film with clips of Cameron and Schwarzenegger casually reminiscing in a sit-down discussion and a separate Cameron interview.    

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                  9 Stars

Categories
Blu-Ray DVD/Blu-Ray Extra Fantasy, Horror, & Science Fiction Movies & Television (Videos)

PREY (2022)

SUMMARY:               RUNNING TIME: 1 Hr., 40 Min.

Released by 20th Century Studios in 2022, Dan Trachtenberg directed this Lawrence Gordon/Davis Entertainment Company production off a script by Patrick Aison.  Aison and Trachtenberg had co-written the original story devised as a prequel to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s original 1987 Predator film.

In the Great Northern Plains of 1719, a Predator (DiLiegro) is dropped off on Earth seeking local adversaries worthy of battle.  Unlike its future successors, this Predator’s technology appears somewhat less sophisticated; nonetheless, such alien weaponry still far surpasses arrows, spears, and rudimentary guns.  In addition to a metallic shield, other devices this Predator deploys include a laser targeting device and a stealth cloaking field to generate invisibility.    

Meanwhile, the Commanche Nation’s young Naru (Midthunder), a young medicine woman in her late teens or early twenties, desires to prove her equality.  Foremost, she prefers being a hunter despite the scoffing male peers of her tribe.  Helping retrieve a wounded tribal member overnight, a wounded Naru is the first to sense that something fearsome and evil is lurking out there on the Plains.  Her instincts determine it’s neither a lion nor a bear, but something infinitely more dangerous.  Yet, even Naru’s solder brother, Taabe (Beavers), dismisses such vague suspicions as likely a figment of her imagination.        

Naru seeks her culture’s ancient hunting rite reserved for males: to be both predator and prey against a formidable quarry.  Intending to protect her tribe, Naru and her faithful canine, Sarii (Coco), set out on her fateful destiny to find and destroy the monster.

On her quest, she survives a quicksand bog and later evades a mauling death from a ferocious bear.  Yet, both the bear and previously a wolf are no match for the Predator’s own intense savagery.  Located by Taabe’s search party, Naru’s extraordinary claims of what she has recently witnessed are again dismissed and/or met with wary skepticism. 

Both the Commanche search party and a nefarious French hunting expedition are subsequently decimated in battle.  Witnessing the Predator destroy wave after wave of human challengers, Naru realizes that sheer numbers and conventional weapons aren’t the answer.  It’s up to her to improvise an unexpected yet insightful means of attack.  Naru’s fate will be decided by a last desperate showdown after nightfall with her prey. 

                                     Primary Cast:

Naru: Amber Midthunder

Taabe: Dakota Beavers

Predator: Dane DiLiegro

Aruka: Michelle Thrush

Wasape: Stormee Kipp

Sarii: Coco

Waxed Moustache: Nelson Leis

Big Beard: Mike Paterson

Raphael: Bennett Taylor

Sumu: Stephany Mathias

Chief Kehetu: Julian Black Antelope

Commanche Tribal Members: Corvin Mack; Harlan Blayne Kytwayhat; Skye Pelletier; Samiyah Crowfoot; Seanna Eagletail; Tymon Carter; Ginger Cattleman; & Samuel Marty

Additional Commanche Tribal Member: Uncredited

Additional French Trappers: Uncredited.

REVIEW:

Starting with 1990’s Predator 2, the franchise’s bloodthirsty formula became increasingly unimaginative over the next three decades.  These lazy thrill rides (much like Schwarzenegger’s other iconic franchise, The Terminator) opted to peddle convoluted shoot-em-up’s where grisly, sci-fi action was evidently the sole justification.  Yet, writer-director Dan Trachtenberg would ingeniously devise an ideal follow-up to 1987’s Predator.  In this instance, his prequel re-imagines the ‘thrill of the hunt,’ as an instinctive urge to overcome one’s own worst fears surpasses macho glory.      

With actress Amber Midthunder as his reliable lead, Trachtenberg’s Prey fulfills a void few filmmakers would have imagined: a sci-fi/horror thriller set inside a historical period piece.  Perhaps it isn’t coincidental that the Canadian forest scenery and a vaguely similar instrumental score are often reminiscent of 1992’s Last of the Mohicans.  This same kind of timeless adventure vibe works for Naru’s hunt.  

Off-note is some fairly obvious CGI enhancing the scenic Canadian backdrops.  The Predator’s fight choreography also appears too predictably intricate.  Hence, Prey continue a dubious franchise tradition of demonstrating a cool multitude of ways the alien can easily eviscerate its victims.  Trachtenberg at least tactfully keeps much of this icky carnage at a distance or partially off-screen.  Lastly, Midthunder’s impressive martial arts scenes come off as implausible for a petite woman’s self-defense versus multiple attackers three centuries ago.  Given the film production’s complexities, such minimal quibbles mean Trachtenberg’s well-structured and mostly original plot succeeds, as intended.

Ultimately, Trachtenberg and a game Midthunder ensure that their Prey is mighty good for the story it tells.  

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

This High-Definition Blu-Ray’s technical specifications are English 7.1. DTS-HDMA, 2.0 Dolby Digital Descriptive Audio, Spanish and French 5.1 Dolby Digital.  Subtitles are available in English SDH, Spanish, French; additionally, a full-length Commanche audio track is included.  An optional audio commentary track includes director Dan Trachtenberg; actress Amber Midthunder; film editor Angel M. Catanzaro; and the film’s director of photography, Jeff Cutter.  

The bonus features consist of:

  • a “Making of Prey” vignette;
  • three deleted scenes (including an alternate opening scene), with Trachtenberg’s voiceover explanations;
  • reminiscent of Comic-Con, there is a Prey “FYC (For Your Consideration)” Panel Discussion including Trachtenberg, Midthunder, and other key production members.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                     8½ Stars

Categories
Agatha Christie-Related Books & Novels Mystery & Suspense

TOMMY & TUPPENCE BERESFORD # 3: N OR M?

Written by Agatha Christie

SUMMARY:

Released in both the U.S. and the U.K. in 1941, N or M? is Agatha Christie’s third novel depicting married British adventurers Tommy & Tuppence Beresford.  Among its subsequent reprints, Penguin Group, Inc.’s Signet imprint released N or M? as a mass market edition in 2000.  In terms of the franchise’s continuity timetable, N or M? is set approximately twenty years after the episodic events of Partners in Crime.      

Note: The “Tommy & Tuppence” series also consists of: The Secret Adversary (1922); Partners in Crime (1929); By the Pricking of My Thumbs (1968); and, lastly, Postern of Fate (1973). 

Aside from successfully raising twins, Derek and Deborah, into adulthood, it isn’t revealed what else Agatha Christie’s patriotic detective couple has pursued in the interim.  With World War II raging on in Western Europe, Tommy & Tuppence Beresford (now in their mid-forties) have been rejected from the British war effort, essentially due to age discrimination.  With a new generation (including their own children) fighting this war, Tommy and Tuppence find they have too little to do fulfilling their ‘empty nest’ phase in life.   

A British spy’s unsolved homicide necessitates a back-channel invitation to Tommy to rejoin British Intelligence.  Aware that the Nazis are systemically infiltrating the United Kingdom to organize a subsequent invasion, the British Secret Service’s upper echelon senses it, too, has likely been breached. 

Needing a trusted face who has been ‘off the grid’ for years, the Service’s Mr. Grant sends in an undercover Tommy to probe a low-key seaside village, Leahampton.  It is suspected that two shadowy Nazi conspirators dubbed ‘N’ and ‘M’ (one man and one woman) are somehow linked to the local Sans Souci Hotel.  Covertly overhearing what Grant and Tommy intend to do, Tuppence opts to make this mission a joint invitation. 

Posing separately as the widowed ‘Mrs. Blenkensop’ and widower ‘Mr. Meadowes,’ the Beresfords infiltrate the middle-class Sans Souci Hotel. Their new neighbors include: a middled-aged couple – The Cayleys; an embittered German refugee – Carl von Deinim; Mrs. Sprot and her playful toddler, Betty; crochety Major Bletchley; a spinster – Miss Minton; and the hotel’s manager, Mrs. Perenna, with her outspoken daughter, Sheila.  All too predictably, the hotel’s residents exhibit varying degrees of patriotic antipathy towards Germany. Also, living nearby is retired Commander Haydock, who gladly shares tales of how his cliffside home had once housed a German spy ring.       

Accumulating evidence of ransacked rooms, eavesdropped phone calls, a woman’s violent death, and a missing girl, Tuppence and Tommy uneasily conclude that their sting operation is rattling their unknown adversaries.  More so, it’s apparent that eliminating pesky nuisances is a task that neither ‘N’ or ‘M’ have any qualms with. After Tommy ominously disappears from sight, a worried ‘Mrs. Blekensop’ must rely upon an old friend for some emergency help. With time now running out, Tuppence redoubles her efforts to bring the Sans Souci enigma to a definitive end. 

REVIEW:

N or M? initially presents an intriguing whatever-happened-to-Tommy & Tuppence? premise.  More so, this storyline is consistent with the Beresfords’ established personalities, as to why they would jump at the chance to rejoin British Intelligence, if and when called upon.  Amidst wartime spy games, Christie has imbued the middle-aged Beresfords with a plausible sense of real-time evolution.  It’s a commendable literary trait that neither of Christie’s most famous creations, Hercule Poirot and Ms. Jane Marple, ever attained.     

Yet, the Beresfords are hampered by a surplus of unsurprising irony.  Spry, tongue-in-cheek entertainment emanating from the couple’s youthful, post-World War I escapades remains timeless – a century ago, Tommy & Tuppence became the genre template for romantic detective duos.  After stoking a few promising chapters, N or M?, unfortunately, initiates their franchise’s slide towards midlife tedium.    

Such disappointment mostly lies with N or M’s far too methodical take on espionage capers.  The plot’s machinations, in other words, unnecessarily unfold at a tortoise’s pace.  One could argue that Christie’s patient storytelling isn’t cheating her readers, as opposed to churning out a fast-paced, shallow potboiler leaving no impact.  The problem is really more such dull execution of this mystery where long stretches go by with little to no progress.      

For instance, far too much ink is allotted to the Beresfords’ cover identities: how many times does Christie really need to address Tuppence by her ‘Mrs. Blenkensop’ alias?  Or how often must Tuppence discuss her cover story’s fictional sons with various Sans Souci housemates?  For that matter, how many jabbing reminders of the Beresfords as restless empty-nesters are sufficient?  Aside from the British Intelligence contact, Mr. Grant, an absence of interesting suspects merely exacerbates a slow read.

One component, however, that N or M? excels at is depicting Tuppence’s remarkable competence as a veteran detective.  Her undercover sequences subtly deploying traps baiting Sans Souci’s possible moles implies someone with formal spy training.  The same applies to a late sequence where she grimly stares down the threat of excruciating torture by a Nazi captor.  The fact that she is the same Tuppence previously defined by flighty impulsiveness, intuitive reasoning, and a flamboyant hat collection makes such scenes a treat to read.  As the novel’s MVP, Tuppence’s climatic heroism compensates for her husband’s bland characterization and minimal plot contributions.

Lastly, in addition to a nice introduction, Christie ensures that readers are bookended by a satisfying climax and conveniently happy epilogue.  It just leaves one with a shrug or sigh that a lackluster mystery is stuck in between them.  For that reason, the middling N or M? makes a practical bedtime read, as far as facilitating drowsiness.        

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

There is a sparse, single-page Christie bio.   

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                    4 Stars

Categories
Comic Books & Graphic Novels DC Comics

SUPERMAN/BATMAN # 61 (2009 DC Comics)

Written by Michael Green & Mike Johnson.

Art by Francis Manapul; Brian Buccellato; & Rob Leigh.

Cover Art by Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato.

SUMMARY:

Entitled “Mash-Up, Part 2,” DC Comics released this issue for August 2009, which concludes the tale starting in Issue # 60.  Previously, Batman and Superman had joined forces with the youthful Justice Titans amalgams in Gothamopolis.  It had been revealed that two other super-teams in this ‘dream world’ had been tragically killed in battle against Doomstroke in Metro City. 

Meanwhile, the secret opposition of the Justice Titans is Lex Joker’s high-priced mercenaries: the Brotherhood of Injustice.  In addition to Doomstroke, there are these criminal amalgams taken from Batman and Superman’s supporting casts: Brainycat; Penguello; Jimmy Two-Face; the Ventrilomaker; Lana Quinn; and a traitorous Titans insider.

Analyzing forensic evidence taken from Doomstroke, Batman is close to confirming his suspicions regarding the villain behind this ‘dream world’ and, more ominously, why.  A midnight raid on the Justice Titans Tower finds Batman, Superman, and their new allies attacked by Lex Joker’s mercenaries. 

Having deduced Lex Joker’s enigmatic true self, the Dark Knight realizes that survival is imminently linked to a stone statue of the Titans’ late sorceress: Ravanna.  To escape this lethal ‘dream’ intact, the World’s Finest Duo now desperately needs help from the outside world in waking up.    

Notes: This issue is available digitally.  Issues # 60 and # 61 were subsequently collected for Superman/Batman: Night and Day in hardcover, trade paperback, and digital formats.  Most recently, these two issues were re-released as part of the Superman/Batman, Volume 5 anthology (consisting of Issues # 50-63) which is also available digitally.

REVIEW:

As with Issue # 60, the conclusion of “Mash-Up” presents both an engaging script and first-rate visuals.  To the co-writers’ credit, they don’t dwell on the oddball amalgams so much, but more on how Batman & Superman perceive them.  Yet, what separates this issue’s climax from another ordinary Superman/Batman team-up is a welcome injection of poignancy. 

Occasionally teased in Detective Comics, the personal bond between childhood friends Batman and Zatanna Zatara briefly explores here an extra twist that is well-played.  The same applies to the last two pages, as the World’s Finest Duo ponders if an old Justice League foe, no matter how deeply sedated, has finally unlocked their secret identities.  “Mash-Up,” in that regard, ends with a sinister tease making perfect sense for a potential sequel.   

Impressively, Superman/Batman # 61 delivers on all creative counts, making it worthy of re-discovery.             

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

DC’s Senior Story Editor, Ian Sattler, pens the “DC Nation” memo.  The Daily Planet supplies five pages of press releases and artwork hyping ‘The Red Circle:’ a reboot of DC’s short-lived Impact Comics (updated takes on Archie Comics super-heroes).      

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                       7 Stars

Categories
Comic Books & Graphic Novels DC Comics

SUPERMAN/BATMAN # 60 (2009 DC Comics)

Written by Michael Green & Mike Johnson.

Art by Francis Manapul; Brian Buccellato & Rob Leigh.

Cover Art by Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato.

SUMMARY:

Entitled “Mash-Up, Part 1,” DC Comics released this issue for July 2009.  One night, Batman and Superman are perplexed finding themselves under fire from the city’s SWAT Team, with Police Commissioner Perry White in command.  Somehow trapped inside a composite of Metropolis and Gotham City, the World’s Finest Duo are then confronted by the strangely familiar Justice Titans, who are ready to fight. 

Briefly facing Superman and Batman in battle, these youthful amalgams consist of: Star Canary; AquaBorg (Arthur Stone); HawkBeast (Gar Katar); Night Lantern (Hal Grayson); Donna Wonder (Diana Troy); and the Flash (Wally Allen).  Another member later appears: the quirky teenage girl android, Terranado, whom the Dark Knight is instantly wary of.   

Headquartered in Gothamopolis, the Justice Titans are skeptical of Batman and Superman’s ‘dream world’ hypothesis.  Yet, the fearsome might of Doomstroke nearly overwhelms them all.  Soon afterwards, the diabolical boss of this Doomsday/Deathstroke amalgam is revealed.  This two-part storyline concludes in Issue # 61.    

Notes: This issue is available digitally.  Issues # 60 and # 61 were subsequently collected for Superman/Batman: Night and Day in hardcover, trade paperback, and digital formats.  Most recently, these two issues were re-released as part of the Superman/Batman, Volume 5 anthology (consisting of Issues # 50-63) which is also available digitally.

REVIEW:

The first half of “Mash-Up” makes for a predictably fun read.  Issue # 60, in that sense, welcomes an intriguing script (even with few surprises) and first-rate visuals that shouldn’t disappoint fans.  Hence, finding out what happens in the next issue certainly makes good sense.  The ultra-stylish Detective Comics excerpt supplies a welcome bonus.     

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

From writer Greg Rucka and artists JH Williams III; Dave Stewart; and Todd Klein, there is a five-page, color preview of Detective Comics # 854: “Elegy, Part One.” The slickly produced excerpt’s star is Kate Kane’s Batwoman.  Lastly, the “DC Nation” memo is from DC’s Senior VP/Executive Editor, Dan DiDio.       

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                    6½ Stars

Categories
Digital Movies & TV Movies & Television (Videos) Online Videos Sports (TV & Videos) WWF/WWE (Pro Wrestling)

AWA/NWA NIGHT (OR NITE) OF CHAMPIONS II (Recorded/Aired Live USA Network: 12-29-1985)

SUMMARY:                   RUNNING TIME: 2 Hrs., 27 Min.

The AWA and NWA, through their short-lived ‘Pro Wrestling U.S.A.’ co-promotional banner, presented the show on December 29, 1985, at the Meadowlands Arena, in East Rutherford, New Jersey.  Evidently, the program was televised on cable by the USA Network that same night. 

The only non-wrestling talent seen on-screen are ring announcer Gary Michael Cappetta and, at ringside, Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Bill Apter.  Per the video’s disclaimer, this show isn’t complete, as at least one match introduction is missing, etc.     

Utilizing a single (and occasionally fuzzy) camera, Night (or Nite) of Champions II presents limited visual angles.  More significantly, neither ringside commentary nor interviews are provided.  Hence, TV viewing is like silently catching a house show from an ideal distance.     

Opening the footage are NWA interviewer Tony Schiavone’s pre-taped bluescreen promos with The Road Warriors & “Precious” Paul Ellering; a bandaged Tully Blanchard & his valet, Baby Doll; and The Rock ‘N’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson). 

The event’s card is as follows:

  1. “Cowboy” Ron Bass  vs. J.J. Dillon (Running Time: 5:02)

Quick Take:  By far this show’s weakest entry, as Dillon is no Bobby Heenan when it comes to projecting a villainous manager’s charisma.  Bass finally scores some fan approval near the end.  Rating: 2½/10 Stars.

2. World Midget Champion Little Tokyo vs. “Cowboy” Lang (Running Time: 9:14)

Quick Take: Though midget wrestling, generally, is of dubious taste, both “Cowboy” Lang and Little Tokyo demonstrate remarkable athleticism.  Their match is, suffice to say, better than expected.  Rating: 6½/10 Stars.   

3. AWA Women’s World Champion Sherri Martel vs. Debbie Combs (Running Time: 11:12)

Quick Take: A villainous Martel’s in-ring work is okay, but the veteran Combs helps make up the difference.  Both women contribute solidly tuned performances worthy of the mid-80’s.  Rating: 7/10 Stars.   

4. WWC Universal Champion Carlos Colón vs. The Barbarian (with Paul Jones)  (Running Time: 5:31)

Quick Take: The Barbarian’s potential star power is obvious in spite of a famous Colón’s middling effort.  Their match’s outcome climaxes on an unconvincing reversal, which epitomizes the Barbarian’s career fate as an also-ran.  Rating: 4½/10 Stars.   

5. The Fabulous Freebirds’ Buddy Roberts vs. “Precious” Paul Ellering (Running Time: 4:58) – SPECIAL GRUDGE MATCH

Quick Take: Roberts’ notorious Freebird compatriots (Michael “P.S.” Hayes & Terry Gordy) are absent, as he faces a vengeful Ellering alone.  Wearing a neck brace, Ellering, as he would also demonstrate in 1987-88 War Games bouts, appears remarkably gifted in short spurts.  As cheered by the audience, the Road Warriors Hawk & Animal make a ‘guest appearance’ to seek retaliation on Roberts.  Rating:  5½/10 Stars.  

6. NWA World Tag Team Champions: The Rock ‘N’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) vs. The Long Riders: “Wild” Bill Irwin & Scott Irwin (Running Time: 11:48)

Quick Take: Even if the Irwins aren’t first-rate competition, their work against the nimble Rock ‘N’ Rolls at least serves up a standard-issue tag title defense.  In that sense, this bout is certainly watchable.  Rating: 6/10 Stars.   

7. AWA Americas Champion Sgt. Slaughter vs. Boris Zhukov & Chris Markoff (Running Time: 12:52) – HANDCAP RUSSIAN DEATH MATCH

Quick Take: A still-in-his-prime Slaughter scores the loudest audience pop for AWA talent.  Though this rough-and-tumble brawl overstays its welcome, a bloody Slaughter reminds viewers of his drawing power.  As for Zhukov and Markoff – predictably, not so much.  Rating: 6/10 Stars.     

8. NWA U.S. Champion Magnum T.A. vs. Tully Blanchard (with Baby Doll) (Running Time: 12:27)

Quick Take: In the first of back-to-back Starrcade ’85 rematches, this title bout exudes both welcome substance and star power.  With both veterans shedding blood, Magnum T.A. and Blanchard’s classic in-ring chemistry is impressive.  Unquestionably, this showdown is the night’s gem.  Rating: 8½/10 Stars.   

9. NWA World Heavyweight Champion “Nature Boy” Ric Flair vs. “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes (Running Time: 14:51)

Quick Take: The second Starrcade ’85 rematch is programmed as vintage Flair vs. Rhodes straight through to the cop-out ‘Dusty Finish.’  Still, these legends deliver reliable entertainment, in spite of this dubious industry cliché.  Rating: 7/10 Stars.     

10. The Road Warriors: Hawk & Animal (with “Precious” Paul Ellering) vs. The Russian Team: Ivan Koloff & Krusher Khruschev (with Nikita Koloff) (Running Time: 11:14) – AUSTRALIAN TAG TEAM RULES

Quick Take:  Contested under supposed ‘Australian-style’ rules, this brawl’s power-packed choreography is exactly what one would expect.  Even without surprises, it’s some brutally fun nostalgia.  Rating: 6/10 Stars.

11. AWA World Heavyweight Champion Rick Martel vs. Stan “The Lariat” Hansen (Running Time: 13:47)

Quick Take:  The night’s final bout is also a rematch, as its combatants previously faced off at SuperClash ’85: The Night of Champions three months before. Unlike their quick double-DQ finish last time, Martel and Hansen make some AWA history.

Consistent with its realistic choreography, this title showdown is all about pitting a low-key Martel’s ground game vs. Hansen’s vicious, cowboy-style bullying. The result, in all fairness, doesn’t make for the most exciting viewing.  Nonetheless, the AWA could be proud of the old-school workmanship that Martel and Hansen supply – pro wrestling doesn’t have to be solely about vivid personalities. 

For that matter, it says plenty that the New Jersey crowd readily prefers a roughhousing Hansen over the cheerful yet comparatively bland Martel.  Rating: 7/10 Stars.      

Notes: To clarify the acronyms: the AWA is Verne Gagne’s Minneapolis-based American Wrestling Association while the NWA is the National Wrestling Alliance.  The NWA’s talent for this show was supplied by the Crockett Family’s Charlotte, NC-based World Championship Wrestling (WCW) promotion.  The WWC is Colón’s co-owned World Wrestling Council out of Puerto Rico. 

Lastly, the individual match times in this review are mostly going by the official post-match announcements. As other accounts will vary, the match times should be deemed more of a best guess.  

REVIEW:

Scoring a moderate success on the established turf of Vince McMahon’s rival WWF (World Wrestling Federation), the AWA and NWA promoters rightfully should have been encouraged.  Despite lacking the magic of Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Roddy Piper, etc., their Night (or Nite) of Champions II efficiently conjures up a product that could compete for any serious wrestling fan.  Conversely, given its minimal production values, where this show falls far short is generating mainstream interest, as compared to the cheesy WWF’s assortment of resources.

Overall, comparing its in-ring content to the WWF’s original WrestleMania only nine months earlier, Night (or Nite) of Champions II readily prevails.  That said, nearly forty years later, the AWA/NWA Night (or Nite) of Champions II deserves a chance for re-discovery.       

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                   6½ Stars

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DVD DVD/Blu-Ray Extra Movies & Television (Videos) Sports (TV & Videos) WWF/WWE (Pro Wrestling)

WCCW WORLD CHAMPION KERRY VON ERICH VS. AWA WORLD CHAMPION JERRY “THE KING” LAWLER (AWA SUPERCLASH III: Aired Live 12-13-1988)

SUMMARY:                RUNNING TIME: 18:53 Min.

Held at Chicago’s UIC Pavilion on December 13, 1988, this World Title unification bout would headline the AWA’s sole Pay-Per-View: the interpromotional SuperClash III.  At the time, in addition to starring in his co-owned CWA outfit, Jerry “The King” Lawler doubled as the AWA’s World Heavyweight Champion.  Opposing him this night would be WCCW’s multi-time World Champion, “The Modern-Day Warrior” Kerry Von Erich. 

To stoke interest, Von Erich had recently lost and then regained his WCCW title from Lawler on their own perspective home turfs.  Hence, the winner of their SuperClash III showdown would be declared the AWA’s Unified World Champion – presumably, as a dig upstaging WWF World Champion “Macho Man” Randy Savage and NWA World Champion “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair. 

For this pivotal bout, Von Erich’s second would be WCCW promoter Frank Dusek.  The ringside commentators are the AWA’s Lee Marshall and Ray “The Crippler” Stevens. 

Along with a Lawler biographical career profile, this match is included on the WWE’s The Greatest Wrestling Stars of The ‘80s DVD set. It also is provided in the WWE’s The Spectacular Legacy of The AWA DVD set.    

Note: It’s all about the acronyms.  1. AWA: Verne Gagne’s Minneapolis-based American Wrestling Association.  2. CWA: Lawler’s Memphis-based Championship (or Continental) Wrestling Association.  3. WCCW: The Von Erich family’s Dallas-based World Class Championship Wrestling.

REVIEW:

The Von Erichs’ 22-year-old World Class franchise essentially ended at SuperClash III, if not on paper.  However, an ultra-brawny Kerry Von Erich’s one-dimensional performance isn’t to blame.  After evidently lacerating his arm with a hidden blade in his ring robe (during the pre-match introductions), Von Erich proceeds with a game effort against Lawler’s opportunistic villain. 

While neither champion demonstrates much of a repertoire (i.e. lots of punches, trading single piledrivers, Von Erich’s ‘Iron Claw,’ Lawler’s brass knuckles, etc.), this bout is solidly constructed — up to a point.  Hence, neither the WWF nor the NWA would likely lose sleep over this second-tier competition between rival World Champions.

Including repetitive teases, the match’s fateful miscalculation is its gory, cop-out finish.  Curiously, the NWA’s Great American Bash ‘88 Pay-Per-View World Title bout between champion Ric Flair and Lex Luger had implemented a similar outcome only five months earlier.  Inevitable blowback from NWA fans indicated that Luger’s eye-rolling disqualification (or submission) due to blood loss was a major turn-off.  One visible difference is that Luger’s forehead bled minimally, as compared to Von Erich’s grisly head wound.  Still, why would SuperClash III foolishly risk this same tainted ending? 

One can reason out the tone-deaf justification.  First, assuming SuperClash III was even a moderate success, then the show’s promoters cynically figured they would get away with it.  Seeing an upset Dusek (along with a bloody Von Erich) protest to the referee during the match and afterwards definitely adds a semblance of real-world credibility.  Then, having a straight-faced Lawler concur with the referee’s decision to ‘protect’ Von Erich’s health delivers the cheating winner’s insult after injury. 

More so, a blood stoppage might have been the one dubious option that could be agreed upon backstage without anybody losing face.  That means the various promotions involved wouldn’t care less, even if fans despised the ending.  Regardless of any pride-driven motives, this Lawler/Von Erich title bout is still remarkably good.  The drawback is having a satisfying and conclusive finish replaced by some ugly wrestling politics.     

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                  7 Stars

Notes: Ironically, SuperClash III’s fallout surpassed its main event.  For starters, the show’s dismal failure was threefold: it flopped both at the box office and on Pay-Per-View.  Most significantly, its dire lack of revenue effectively halted future collaborations between Lawler’s group and World Class, among others, with the AWA.   

Still, Lawler’s CWA and Von Erich’s World Class merged into what became the USWA (United States Wrestling Association) — an entity which Lawler would privately co-own with Jerry Jarrett.  By early 1989, backstage animosity had abruptly stripped Lawler of his AWA World Championship.  Even so, his Memphis-based USWA’s regional success continued, including a mid-90’s affiliation with Vince McMahon’s WWF/WWE.  

World Class, after merging with and then later separating from the USWA, quietly closed in 1990.  The Von Erich brothers, Kerry and Kevin, were reportedly among its last co-owners, along with Jerry Jarrett.  

Lastly, Verne Gagne’s long-diminished AWA shut down approximately two years after SuperClash III. Per its bankruptcy, the company officially became defunct by August 1991.

Categories
Books & Novels Fantasy, Horror, & Science Fiction STAR TREK-Related

STAR TREK # 47: THE KOBAYASHI MARU

Written by Julia Ecklar

SUMMARY:

Released in 1989 by Pocket Books, Julia Ecklar penned this 254-page paperback, which became the forty-seventh entry in Pocket’s ongoing series. The book’s title is taken from the Starfleet Command simulation depicted in 1982’s Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. 

Set shortly after the events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the U.S.S. Enterprise’s latest assignment is to reestablish contact with a research team evidently lost somewhere in the vicinity of the remote planet, Hohweyn VII.  Ongoing cosmic interference prevents the Enterprise from approaching close enough to utilize its transporters. 

The Halley’s shuttlecraft team consists of: Captain James T. Kirk, Hikaru Sulu, Pavel Chekov, Montgomery “Scotty” Scott, and Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy.  A freak collision with a gravitic mine, however, soon disables the Halley, leaving both Kirk and their pilot, Sulu, injured.

Unable to contact the Enterprise, the Halley’s stranded crew anxiously awaits rescue, with time slowly running out on the craft’s remaining power supply and life support.  Attempting makeshift repairs to stay alive, the shuttlecraft’s crewmates (with the exception of Dr. McCoy) each divulge his own closely guarded experience as a cadet years before facing a similar life-or-death experience.  In turn passing time, they recall Starfleet Command School’s dreaded ‘Kobayashi Maru’ scenario, as the shuttle crew helplessly endures the longest day of their lives.     

  • As only alluded to in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Kirk reveals the brazen contempt he has for the simulation by defying its seemingly unfair rules. 
  • Having spectacularly failed the simulation, Chekov’s narrative reluctantly divulges his ingenuity and ruthlessness in a subsequent training scenario.  Specifically, inside an abandoned industrial station on Earth, his cadet class must competitively evade elimination by an imaginary assassin where it is every cadet for himself/herself.
  • Anguished by his beloved great-grandfather’s terminal illness, Sulu’s non-confrontational attitude may end his hopes of any future command.
  • Reluctantly attending Command School to appease his family, Scotty‘s umbrage at the simulation’s relentless Klingon assault precipitates a fateful pivot in his destiny.

With evidently no other options left to help Spock find the lost Halley, Kirk’s refusal to succumb to ‘no-win scenarios’ is desperately tested.  As Star Trek fans all know, he doesn’t like to lose.

Notes: This title is also available digitally and as an audiobook.

REVIEW:

Though her set-up for multiple extended flashbacks is ultra-formulaic, writer Julia Ecklar devises a very readable Star Trek adventure.  The intrigue permeating Chekov’s spy games; Sulu’s poignant bond with his great-grandfather; and Scotty’s fuming ‘don’t mess with my ship’ retaliation are all well-played.  As with the flashbacks, the intervals shifting to and from the ongoing Halley crisis contribute plausible layers to each character’s personal depth. 

The only less-than-compelling component is Kirk’s flashback.  Ecklar’s answer explaining his legendary triumph over the seemingly unbeatable test, though amusing, is something of a letdown.  Still, her take on Kirk’s ‘Kobayashi Maru’ test preceded the 2009 Star Trek film’s version by two decades — yet, both depictions are consistent with Kirk’s ego.  If anything, Cadet Kirk’s unique solution is perhaps a Star Trek mystery best left to be satisfied by a reader’s own imagination.

Note: Ecklar’s story implies that, afterwards, Kirk will relate his ‘Kobayashi Maru’ tale once more, (this time, to a curious Spock) for consistency with their subsequent discussion, as depicted in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

In spite of its predictable lulls, Ecklar’s novel should be commended for concocting an otherwise worthwhile read for Trekkers.  Specifically, her believable characterizations and low-key sci-fi jargon makes The Kobayashi Maru a welcome find for readers of any age.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

There is a single page of the author’s acknowledgements.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                   6 Stars

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Digital Movies & TV Movies & Television (Videos) Online Videos Sports (TV & Videos) WWF/WWE (Pro Wrestling)

WWE WORLD CHAMPION EDDIE GUERRERO VS. KURT ANGLE (WWE WrestleMania XX: Aired Live 3-14-2004)

SUMMARY:              RUNNING TIME: 22:30 Min.

WrestleMania XX occurred on March 14, 2004, at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.  One of its two main events would pit the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) World Champion Eddie Guerrero defending his title vs. four-time ex-champion Kurt Angle.  The bout’s ringside commentators are Michael Cole and Tazz.

REVIEW:

This title defense is flawlessly executed.  In their mid-thirties, rugged veterans Guerrero and Angle both still appear in virtually peak technical form.  More so, there aren’t any cheap added components: i.e. outside inference or foreign objects to taint their in-ring star power. 

Their ultra-competitive bout instead focuses on choreography (both masterful and brutal), especially as neither Angle nor Guerrero telegraph the match’s outcome.  In the moments leading up to the inspired finish, one does get a hint, but it’s ingeniously played. 

The match ultimately comes down to Guerrero’s ring savviness and high-flying agility vs. Angle’s pit-bull tenacity and mastery of submission holds.  Decades later, this Guerrero-Angle title showdown absolutely merits re-discovery.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                        10 Stars

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Digital Movies & TV Movies & Television (Videos) Online Videos Sports (TV & Videos) WWF/WWE (Pro Wrestling)

WCW STARRCADE ’91: BATTLEBOWL – THE LETHAL LOTTERY (Aired Live: 12-29-1991)

SUMMARY:    APPROX. RUNNING TIME (EDITED): 1 Hr., 38 Min.

On December 29, 1991, from the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, Virginia, World Championship Wrestling (having separated from the National Wrestling Alliance) produced this annual Starrcade Pay-Per-View. 

For this particular Starrcade, there would not be any singles matches nor any title defenses.  Instead, WCW’s gimmicky ‘Battlebowl’ concept would first pair twenty random tag-teams by an open draw.  These makeshift teams must then prevail in one of ten qualifying elimination matches to enter the 20-man, two-ring battle royal main event. 

Starting in the first ring, nineteen ‘Battlebowl’ competitors gradually shift over to the second ring.  The first ring’s ‘winner’ remains behind awaiting the second ring’s last wrestler.  In order to claim the Battlebowl victory, these two last combatants will then face other in an over-the-top-rope showdown. 

This show’s on-screen presenters are Eric Bischoff, Missy Hyatt, and the inaugural ‘Battlebowl’ commissioner, Magnum T.A., as they draw and announce the tag team pairings.  Initially appearing in front of the backstage curtain, WCW’s roster is then seen being summoned from two opposing locker rooms.  At ringside are announcers Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone. 

The show’s 40-man roster consists of:

  • WCW World Champion “The Total Package” Lex Luger (with Harley Race)
  • WCW U.S. Champion “Ravishing” Rick Rude (with Paul E. Dangerously aka Paul Heyman)
  • WCW World Television Champion “Stunning” Steve Austin
  • WCW World Tag Team Champions Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat & “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes
  • Sting
  • Ron Simmons
  • The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael “P.S.” Hayes & Jimmy “Jam” Garvin
  • The Wild-Eyed Southern Boys: Tracy Smothers & Steve Armstrong
  • Marcus Alexander Bagwell (a rookie “Buff” Bagwell)
  • Van Hammer
  • Big Josh
  • Richard “Ricky” Morton
  • Thomas “Tommy” Rich
  • The Enforcers: Arn Anderson & Larry Zbyszko (with Madusa)
  • El Gigante
  • Jushin Thunder Liger
  • Bill Kazmaier
  • Mike Graham
  • Diamond Dallas Page
  • Terrance “Terry” Taylor
  • Tom “Z-Man” Zenk
  • “Flyin’” Brian Pillman
  • Abdullah the Butcher
  • Cactus Jack (Mick Foley)
  • The Patriots: Todd Champion & Firebreaker Chip
  • Buddy Lee Parker
  • “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton
  • Mr. Hughes (Luger’s on-screen bodyguard)
  • The Steiner Brothers: Rick Steiner & Scott Steiner
  • Big Van Vader
  • Nightstalker (Bryan Clark), as a substitute for Scott “Diamond Studd” Hall (also present)
  • Johnny B. Badd
  • Arachnaman (aka Brad Armstrong)
  • “Rapmaster” P.N. News.

Notably absent are Barry Windham and Nikita Koloff,  as is ex-WCW World Champion “Nature Boy” Ric Flair (whose abrupt dismissal mid-summer led him to join the World Wrestling Federation).  

Due to the show’s truncated video release, some matches appear in their entirety; several are highlighted; and one is inexplicably omitted.  However, including the competitors’ catwalk-like entrances, the main event is shown intact.

MATCHES:

  1. COMPLETE MATCH: Hayes & Smothers vs. Garvin & Bagwell (12:45)

Winners: Garvin & Bagwell.

2. HIGHLIGHTS: Austin & Rude (with Dangerously aka Heyman) vs. Big Josh & Hammer (12:56)

Winners: Austin & Rude.

3. HIGHLIGHTS: Zbyszko & El Gigante (with Madusa) vs. Rhodes & Morton (5:54)

Winners: Rhodes & Morton.

4. COMPLETE MATCH: Liger & Kazmaier vs. Page & Graham (13:08)

Winners: Liger & Kazmaier.

5. OMITTED: Taylor & Zenk vs. Luger (with Race) & Anderson (10:25)

Winners: Luger & Anderson.

6. COMPLETE MATCH: Cactus Jack & Parker (with Abdullah’s interference) vs. Steamboat & Champion (7:48)

Winners: Steamboat & Champion advance.

7. COMPLETE MATCH: Sting & Abdullah vs. Eaton & Pillman (5:55)

Winners: Sting & Abdullah.

8. HIGHLIGHTS: Rick Steiner & Nightstalker vs. Vader & Hughes (5:05)

Winners: Vader & Hughes.

9. HIGHLIGHTS: Arachnaman & Badd vs. Scott Steiner & Firebreaker Chip (11:16)

Winners: Steiner & Chip advance.

10. HIGHLIGHTS: Simmons & Rich vs. News & Steve Armstrong (12:01)

Winners: Simmons & Rich.

MAIN EVENT: BATTLEBOWL (25:10).  The winner subsequently challenges the WCW World Champion at February 1992’s SuperBrawl II.

Note: On December 28, 1992, at The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia, Starrcade ’92: Battlebowl – The Lethal Lottery II included a similar format.

REVIEW:

In retrospect, Koloff, Windham, and Flair lucked out.  Even if they had participated, it would have made little to no difference bolstering Starrcade ’91’s bland content.  Ross and Schiavone invariably telegraph the main event’s build-up as yet another Sting cliché-fest — paralleling the WWF’s depiction of Hulk Hogan during that era. 

Despite some mild intrigue impacting the show’s oddball tag-teams, frankly nothing occurs that generates must-see viewing — even for a die-hard WCW fanbase.  Case in point: with only two more shows to go before his early 1992 WCW exit, Luger’s boredom as its World Champion is readily evident.  Supporting players, like Steamboat, Pillman, Simmons, Liger, Eaton, Rick Steiner, and even Garvin, at least, try to energize the audience – in spite of the lackluster in-ring action.   

The 20-man Battlebowl itself (which resurfaces on the WWE’s Best of Starrcade DVD set) is, at best, okay entertainment.  Some fun face-offs include: Sting vs. Rude; Steamboat vs. Anderson; Luger vs. Sting; Rude vs. Steamboat; Simmons vs. Luger; Austin vs. Sting; and even a rare Luger vs. Vader.  WCW’s considerable star power, otherwise, is squandered throughout an unremarkable Pay-Per-View.  Even Abdullah’s brutal assault on Parker before his tag match against Sting fails to muster interest.    

Further, a few eye-rolling gimmicks (i.e. Brad Armstrong’s ‘Arachnaman’ phase) mimicking the WWF looked stupid then and have aged even worse seeing them now.  The most tone-deaf offense is failing to include any surefire title match as an added attraction to help anchor this show.  It’s simply a gaping hole that WCW’s elite players can’t divert attention away from fans.  All this show does is wearily continue stirring the pot, so to speak, towards the Battlebowl’s ultra-predictable conclusion. 

Despite a veritable surplus of pro wrestling icons, Starrcade ’91 makes for quickly forgettable viewing.             

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                           4 Stars

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