Bowie V. Ibarra's Blog, page 25

FIGHTS: Notes from 'NWA Branded Outlaw Wrestling Invasion' 2013

LEGENDARY WRESTLERS FROM JAPAN COMPETE IN THE ALAMO CITY
By
Bowie V. Ibarra


NWA-Branded Outlaw Wrestling out of San Antonio, Texas put on one of the best wrestling shows I've been to in a while.  Well, truth is, that's what they always seem to do with a roster stacked to the gills with the best in Texas talent right now.  I'm glad I finally made time to show up. But the big news was that not only were the Texas stars going to compete, but members of New Japan Pro-Wrestling were scheduled to compete as well, including the legendary Hiroshi Tenzan and Jushin Liger.  It was Mongolian Chops and Koppo Kicks for everyone this past Saturday night in San Antonio. Here's some notes on some things that went down.
MY LITTLE GIRL'S FIRST SHOW - My little girl has been to a WWE wrestling show before, but we were sitting in the rafters.  This time around, I got us front row tickets to the fun. Well, those who know me know that I enjoy myself and understand the athletic magic show that is pro-wrestling.  But the brutal illusion was a little hard for her to take after the first match featuring RUDY RUSSO, WEEZY WOO, national talent CHASE OWENS, among others.  The intensity was too much for her and she started shedding tears for the good guys, so we stepped to the back for a bit and watched the following matches from the back.  She eventually got acclimated to the action and the fun and we moved back to the front.  It was an unexpected, but wonderful experience. She really liked NWA-BOW heavyweight JAX DANE after he came out to help the new competitor, MR. MICAH, after his match with MIKE DELL when JEREMY SAGE'S friends came out to beat up Micah.  The way my little girl saw it, Jax Dane stood up for the new kid who has no friends yet in NWA-BOW.  My girl appreciated Jax coming out to help Micah and make friends with him. She also enjoyed SCOT SUMMERS match against GEDO and wanted to give Scot a hug after losing to him and Gedo jumped him.  She eventually did, though. By the end of the night, she was totally into the show and had a good time.  She's not quite ready for front row just yet, but I don't have any problem with that. And the greatest thing that happened?  She got a picture with Jushin 'Thunder' Liger. And for me, she got to see an honest to God National Wrestling Alliance show. I GOT TO GET SOME MARK PHOTOS WITH NWA MOVERS AND SHAKERS It was a great time for some photo ops with names I read about online, as well as watch them in action.  Here's some snaps. Below is a pic with one of the architects of the current NWA product, TONY BROOKLYN.
 Here's a pic with the newly crowned NWA Lightweight Champ, CHASE OWENS.
 Here's a pic of south Texas pro-wrestling superfan, Tommy, getting an earful from CHARLIE HAAS.   Here's a pic with JASON KINCAID, one of the names from the east coast.  He was pretty good.
 Snaps of Jushin 'Thunder' Liger!  He teamed up with HIROYOSHI TENZAN to take on BYRON WILCOTT and MICHAEL TARVER.




 I got a chance to meet some of the NWA heavy-hitters from the east coast and Canada, DAMIEN WAYNE and 'THE CANADIAN LION' LANCE ERIKSON.  They've formed a tag-team called 'The Lords of Chaos' and looked alright during their four-corners tag match.  Erickson was a great power man, but he looked like he was struggling with his cardio as the match went into the deep water.  I still enjoyed finally watching them and wish them the best. Truth is, I want to see a Kingz of the Underground vs. Lords of Chaos match.  That is, after Erikson gets that cardio up.
 I had the privilege to meet the legacy to The British Bulldogs.  DH Smith, son of late 'The British Bulldog' Davey Boy Smith was in attendance.  Talk about a legacy to be proud of.  Smith looked outstanding in the ring, and Davey Boy would be proud.
 Love him or hate him, learn to like him because BRUCE THARPE is doing what it takes to reconstruct the NWA.  After a year, I think he's doing a great job, and wish continued growth and success to him and the organization.
 I also had a chance to meet two of the best pro-wrestling bloggers out there, BRANDON STROUD and DANIELLE MATHESON of 'Best and Worst of WWE' and 'Best and Worst of TNA' fame, respectively. If you're not checking out their weekly blogs linked above, the time to start doing that is now.
 All in all, it was a true dream come true.  I thank NWA-BOW for bringing this talent in.  Truth is, they have been putting together great cards since their inception with the best in Texas talent and athletes from across the nation.  Keep it up, NWA.  You've got a fan here that wants to see you succeed and bring the NWA Title back to the prominence it deserves. And if you like pro-wrestling action, you're going to love the 'Pit Fighter' series from ZombieBloodFights.com.  'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA, and plenty of underground money fights.  You've got to check them out, and they're available on Kindle or paperback today.    BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster.  His latest story, 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull' is a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite'.  Get it in paperback or Kindle today.
Bowie earned a BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie for updates and news at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
 And before you go, here's some more random snaps from the event.  Enjoy! 

FIGHTS: Dana, Klitschko Mgmt. Group, make Dos Santos/Either Klitschko happen

A FEW REASONS WHY FORMER UFC CHAMP COULD END KLITSCHKO BOXING REIGN
by
Bowie V. Ibarra



So, SB Nations MMA Department reported that Former UFC Heavyweight Champ Junior Dos Santos (6' 4", 239lbs) claimed he could beat any of the Klitschko brothers in a boxing match.

For those who aren't familiar with the Klitschko brothers, they are two Heavyweight Ukranian dudes who have been two of the most dominant heavyweight boxers in boxing history.  Vladimir 'Dr. Steelhammer' (6' 6", 243lbs) and Vitali 'Dr. Iron Fist' Klitschko (6' 7", 248lbs) have had a stranglehold on the entire weight class, disposing of competitors left and right.

So many readers like myself who appreciate combat sports in all its forms might have had the same gut reaction of 'Rolling On The Floor and Laughing My Ass Off' when you read that headline.  Dos Santos feels he can compete with the two professional boxing champions because he 'boxes' with 'sparring partners' during the early parts of his training.  That's cute, Junior.  That's real cute.

But taking a step back from the initial reaction, truth is Dos Santos has a 'punchers chance' at defeating a Klitschko.  Let's look at some big facts of the matter.

1.  FIGHTING CAB DRIVERS - The Klitschkos are on top of a division that is at a historic low for heavyweight competition.  That's part of the reason why the Klitschkos have remained on top.  There's just not a lot of dudes who can run with them in the division right now. 

Now I joke that they're fighting cab drivers at this point because there's not a lot of competition for them out there right now.  Like dudes fighting St. Pierre or Anderson Silva before he became MMA's jackass, the Klitschkos are just on another level as compared to their competition right now.  Dos Santos might not be a professional-caliber boxer, but he's got enthusiasm and a punchers chance.

2.  THE BROTHERS HAVE LOST WHEN INJURED OR PUSHED - Both brothers have suffered losses as well.  The two losses on Vitali's record come from stopping a fight after his left hand became injured against Chris Byrd and his face was mauled by Lennox Lewis.  Vladimir lost to three fighters, Lamon Brewster, Ross Purrity, and Corrie Sanders.  All three of the fighters pushed the pace with Vladimir and ended up taking TKO wins.  Dos Santos might not be the pretties puncher in boxing science terms, but he would definitely push the pace.

3.  DOS SANTOS HAS 12 KOs WINS - Of his 16 fights, two were won by decision, two were losses, two were submission wins.  But 12 of them are KOs.  I remember watching Dos Santos and noticing his hand speed was pretty good.  And though that hand speed and wild swinging he does works for MMA, it won't work so well in boxing.  Guys in MMA walk back in a line and leave themselves open to those 'Wanderlai Silva' type flurries.  And heavyweights with five-ounce gloves?  Forget it. 

So Dos Santos, who carries on the tradition of cocky Brazillian combat sportsmen, believes that because he 'boxes' with 'sparring partners' and has 12 KOs with 5 ounce MMA gloves, he can handle a Klitcshko?  Truth is, maybe.  The key to defeating them is pushing the pace, and Dos Santos can do that.

 But those 8oz. gloves and 10 rounds will present a problem for Dos Santos if it goes into the later rounds.

4.  GIVE DOS SANTOS A BOXING PAYDAY - UFC pays big stars pretty good.  But nowhere close to a boxing payday.  Let Dos Santos get a boxing payday, Dana.  Hell, lets get you and the Fertittas a boxing management payday, too. 

And think about the potential if he does win.  First, you can say your MMA champ stepped into a boxing ring and beat a boxing legend.  Then, there's your rubber match money.  Everybody, including fight fans, win.

All in all, its a fight that needs to happen, mainly because of the money to be made.  I know you boxing promoters like money, so let's do it. 

Dos Santos is a warrior.  That's his career choice: punching people about the face and body, kicking them, choking them, or locking out limbs.  He thinks he can beat another warrior skilled a giving dudes concussions with his fists, then let them go at it.  That's what they do for fun and profit.  That's what fight fans want to see:  Two dudes throwing down for combat sports glory.

It could be the shot in the arm the boxing heavyweight division needs.  And its two dudes who think they are the best punching each other in the face to determine who the best face and body puncher in the heavyweight world is.

Think about that money, guys.  Make it happen.

And to the readers of this blog, if you're interested in a story that already features a Boxer calling out an MMA fighter, you need to read 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross'. 

Who wins the Boxing vs.MMA matchup?  You'll have to read it to find out.

'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA, and plenty of underground money fights.  You've got to check them out, and they're available on Kindle or paperback today.

   BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster.  His latest story, 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull' is a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite'.  Get it in paperback or Kindle today.
Bowie earned a BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie for updates and news at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

BLOOD: Review - 'The Shadow: Fires of Creation' TPB scores

LEGENDARY PULP ICON RETURNS IN DYNAMITE TITLE
by
Bowie V. Ibarra


I'm not going to sit here and tell you I'm the end-all be-all of 'The Shadow' knowledge.  Truth is I was drawn in by the cover of one of their most recent issues featuring his pursuit of another vigilante called 'The Light'.  I really enjoyed that story arc and decided that since the comics weren't in that deep yet that I'd catch up with the trade paperbacks of the series.  The TPB for the first six issues of 'The Shadow' rebirth through Dynamite Comics was already available and I picked it up.  I'm glad I did.  I had already enjoyed TPBs from Dynamite that include The Spider and Masks, so I felt I couldn't lose with this one.

Briefly, (and if I got this wrong, let me know), in this comic story told by the noted comic writer Garth Ennis, The Shadow is the altar ego of a rich socialite named Lamont Cranston, who once led a life by the name of Kent Allard on the Shanghai waterfront, forming a little piece of the criminal pie of the city.  But its intimated that after a few years, Allard disappeared.  Years later, a bizarre purge of the criminal underworld of Shanghai occurred, with the big time crooks being massacred effectively and en masse.  A survivor claims to have seen a dude named Lamont Cranston years later in New York and found the same trail of dead when he was around.  The survivor claims Allard went off to a place in the Himalayas to be trained and purged of his sins to be sent out to the world to be a scourge against evil.

In this book, Cranston is recruited to return to the far east to fight against a sinister plot by Imperial Japan during the 1930s to develop a 'Death Ray'.  It's was an exciting read that I enjoyed.

Garth Ennis is a gritty writer known for his 'The Boys' and 'Jennifer Blood' series from Dynamite, as well as work on 'Preacher' and 'Punisher' comics from DC Vertigo and Marvel.  Having had experience with vigilante types before, Ennis brings a gritty historical drama to the page as Cranston tries to beat the antagonists to the minerals that will help create the death ray.

Alex Ross, the super-popular and brilliant comic artist, brings his talents to the covers of the books, while Aaron Campbell takes care of the interior to illustrate Ennis' brutal story.

The fun of a TPB also comes in all the extras.  Even though I missed all the comics, the book includes every alternate cover in a gallery in the back.  It also includes sketches and the first script of the comic for the illustrator.

All I know is I might be a 'noob' when it comes to 'The Shadow' adventures and history, but I'm certainly not going anywhere.  I loved it! 

With 'The Shadow' being one of the original inspirations for some of the most popular superheroes around today including Batman, it certainly meets my broad appreciation for comic book history.  And it definitely meets my standard for ruthless superhero and defender of good at all cost.  'The Shadow' comic book series from Dynamite Comics fills my need for a great crime-fighting action/adventure story, and I look forward to more.

And, yes, I've already put together a pretty sweet 'The Shadow' costume.

'The weed of crime bears bitter fruit.  Crime does not pay.  The Shadow knows!'

The TPB of 'The Shadow: Fires of Creation' is ZombieBloodFights.com approved, and highly recommended for new readers.

And if you like superhero stories, check out these south Texas superhero stories as well from ZombieBloodFights.com.    



 Bowie V. Ibarra (1975- present) was born and raised in Uvalde, Texas, to a school principal and a book keeper. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and a Master of Arts in Theatre History.Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

BLOOD: REVIEW - Booking It: Halloween Reads...Big Cat by Bowie V. Ibarra

'Booking It' took some time out to review the ZombieBloodFights.com title, Big Cat!

2nd Edition coming early 2014!

Booking It: Halloween Reads...Big Cat by Bowie V. Ibarra: 1980's throwback This story is a throw back to 80's style horror, in the vein of the "Monster" story.  It is set in ...

ZOMBIES: Recap/Notes - #TheWalkingDead returns with '30 Days Without an Accident'

HIT ZOMBIE TV SERIES RETURNS WITH A STEADY START
by
Bowie V. Ibarra


The noted zombie horror TV series 'The Walking Dead' returned October 13th with a great new set up of a world turned upside down by the zpoc.  Here's a brief recap of the show.

THE SUPPLY RUN

Daryl leads some of the folks from the prison into town for supplies.  They come across a 'Big Lots' style store that was once some kind of FEMA camp.  Little do they know a chopper had crashed on the roof, leaving the roof unstable for the mass of zombies (?) that had found their way on the roof.  So as the team goes inside to find supplies, the roof caves in during a struggle, and the boyfriend of one of the WD Prison Originals, Beth, doesn't make it out.

When Daryl fills in Beth on what went down, she isn't as affected as she used to be, which is why she didn't tell him goodbye.  She then resets the 'Days Without an Accident' board to 0.

SECURING THE FENCELINE

A daily routine of killing zeds up against the fence is put on display, with folks stabbing zeds in the brain to kill them.  But Carol talks about it being an issue, as there are more and more pushing up against it.  Look for a collapse soon.

And it might be a good time for the WD Prison Crew to be reminded of bloodborne pathogens, as Karen kissing Tyrese after work on the fence was kind of unsafe.

RICK'S GREEN THUMB AND THE LADY IN THE WOODS

Rick has been helping out in the garden, and apparently, the group has put together quite a garden.  With so many mouths to feed, it was a good move.  Rick welcomes Michonne back, who has been hunting for goods and the Governor.  Rick goes out to check some snares and comes across a sickly woman who tries to get at an animal in his snare.  She leads him back to her camp where she tries to kill him to feed him to what seems to be her living dead husband.  She kills herself before answering the 'three questions' (How many walkers have you killed?  How many people have you killed?  Why?)

THE KIDS

Carl gets a chance to hang out with some kids his age, finally.  Even though he's named the sick pig Violet, Rick reminds him not to name the animals.  By the way, the sick pig ends up dead at the end of the episode for some mysterious reason.

Carl finds some kids naming zeds along the fenceline and encourages them not to name the zeds.  They invite him to storytime, where Carol uses it as a sneaky time to teach the little kids how to defend themselves with knives.  Carl catches her and she begs him not to tell Rick.

But a kid named Zach leaves the room, claiming he's sick.  He goes down to the shower room, coughing into the water used to bath and passes out.  Within moments, he turns into a zed.

WALKING DEAD AS PROMOTIONAL VEHICLE

The Hyundai Santa Fe.  Dodge Ram.  And now Blue Moon Beer.  I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only one that saw how neatly placed those cases of beer were at the Big Lots before the zeds fell from the sky, and how prominently placed they were throughout the fight.  Hell, they even created a character that had a drinking problem to start the whole madness.

STEADY START

It looks like they're starting slow with the pacing this time around.  I'm alright with that so far.  They provided enough story and enough action to keep me interested.  It was a good balance.

I'm okay with this set up.  We'll see how this develops and if anyone else gets sick like the kid Zach, and if him coughing into the water supply will be an issue.

And if you need more zombie horror, check out the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press.   Down the Road, Down the Road: On the Last Day, and Down the Road: The Fall of Austin.  Pick them up in paperback or Kindle today.
 
   BOWIE V. IBARRA earned his BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com today.

BLOOD: Review - 'Lords of Salem' nightmarish revenge tale

SALEM WITCHES RETURN IN ROB ZOMBIE'S SURREAL TALE OF VENGEANCE
by
Bowie V. Ibarra


When you're dealing with a Rob Zombie movie, you can always bet on intensity and horror.  'Lords of Salem' delivers both in spades.

The movie is about a lady named Heidi who is voice talent at a radio station.  She moves into a bizarre apartment complex run by a mysterious old woman.  After receiving a record at the station by 'The Lords of Salem', she begins to experience horrific visions.  A local historical author named Francis Matthias appears on the show for an interview when she lets the record be played over the airwaves, which affects the women of the city listening to the radio.

The name of the band spurs the historian to do a little research, and he discovers not only the name of the band but the song they're playing goes back to a coven of witches executed in Salem centuries before.  It isn't long before shit gets real for both Heidi and the professor as the revenge curse of the executed witches is unleashed on Salem.

Rob Zombie's currency has always been in surreal nightmares.  And sitting in the director's chair again, he brings these nightmares to the screen.  Even babies are not spared being victims of the atrocities commited in this movie. 

Cribbing classic images from the early days of silent film like the moon with the rocket in the eye from 'Le Voyage danse la lune' (1902), RZ applies it to its occult meaning as a kind of set up for Heidi and her destiny as a pawn of the witches.  His shots are always meaningful pictures.  The nightmarish music always sets up a nightmarish shot.  Lighting in portions are reminiscent of "The Shining".  And he ratchets up the 'Satanic' themes with images of sacrilege and blasphemy throughout that attack The Church.  It's definitely not a flick for movie night at the Vatican.

Truth is I found the surreal images created as Heidi's character falls more and more under the spell of the witches beautiful in their horror.  The movie provides just enough story for the actors to really bolster the flick, and end up being the real strength to this movie.  The witches from the Salem days led by Meg Foster put on frightening performances.  And the witches that initiate the curse at the apartment Heidi lives at, played by Judy Geeson, Dee Wallace, and Patricia Quinn, are masterfully menacing in the tradition of Pinter plays.  Sherri Moon Zombie as Heidi does an amazing job, but Bruce Davidson as Francis Matthias, the historian that unwittingly gets in over his head, is the standout star with a very truthful performance and delivery of his lines. Strong, nightmarish finish as well.

The movie is a giant quality nightmare, so if you're in to that stuff, then you need to check out this flick.  It is completely ZombieBloodFights.com approved.

And if you appreciate zombie horror, you'll love the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from ZombieBloodFights.com.  Down the Road, Down the Road: On the Last Day, and Down the Road: The Fall of Austin.  Pick them up in paperback or Kindle today.
 
   BOWIE V. IBARRA earned his BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com today.

BLOOD: Review - 'Machete Kills' is a ridiculous action-packed ride

ABSURD ACTION/ADVENTURE SERIES BRINGS THE MAYHEM, LAUGHS
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

 If you think 'Machete' was ridiculous and fun, wait until you see 'Machete Kills'.

The movie opens with Machete and his lover/partner-in-crimefighting Sartana (Jessica Alba) as they fight the Mexican cartels.  After a botched mission, Machete becomes embroiled in a chase to stop a renegade arms dealer from blowing up Washington, DC.  And the madness begins!
The film is filled with all sorts of Machete-style violent gags with the comic book style action director Rodriguez is known for.  And you can tell all the stars were having a good time.

Like his other movies, Rodriguez sets up the flick with a 'trailer' for the final movie in the Machete trilogy.  No spoilers here, but just know it is ridiculously hilarious.  And throughout the actual movie itself, he sets up the final movie, making 'Machete Kills' the 'Empire Strikes Back' of the Machete series.

You'll get what I'm saying when you watch it!

'Machete Kills' is outrageously fun and is a movie that is totally ZombieBloodFights.com approved.

And if you like outrageous Tex-Mexploitation style stories like 'Machete', check out these titles from ZBF.com, Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Reverend Skull and

 BOWIE V. IBARRA earned his BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com today.

ZOMBIES: REVIEW - Redeeming aspects of 'Land of the Dead'

OUR ZOMBIE LORD AND SAVIOR WOULD NEVER PUT OUT GARBAGE FOR OUR CONSUMPTION
by
Bowie V. Ibarra



I know, I know.  'Land of the Dead' did not fill out that special space in your black heart reserved for quality zombie horror.  With the lead Simon Baker mailing it in for one of the blandest Z-Day performances out there, I can understand why you might not have been able to connect with the movie or the story being told.  And let's not get started on that whole, 'They're just looking for a place to go, just like us' finish, okay?

Let's instead talk about the story told on that worthy piece of celluloid truly did put on display why George A. Romero is not only a z-day visionary, but our true Zombie Lord and Savior.  Putting Baker's uninspired performance aside, here's some reasons why 'Land of the Dead' might not compete with George's Holy Trinity of Zombie Horror, but is a solid 4th place in his subsequent releases to his zombie children he knows and loves so much.

1.  THE SUPPORTING CAST
Where Simon Baker failed to make a connection with you, take a look at how much fun the others were having in the film. 



ASIA ARGENTO, the legacy of Dario Argento, who worked with Goblin to produce the music to George's 'Dawn...' and went on to his own artsy-fartsy Euro horror movie fame, puts her heart into her performance.  Is it Acadamy Award nominee worthy?  Maybe not.  But you can tell her hearts in it.



DENNIS HOPPER, film legend who also played the Texas Ranger who took on Leatherface chainsaw for chainsaw in 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre part II', plays the evil bourgeois founder of Fiddler's Green, Kaufman.  He puts on a great performance as the evil capitalist that refuses to let the zombie apocalypse keep him from making his money.



JOHN LEGUIZAMO as Cholo, the hard-working Hispanic with the fiery temper who thinks he can work his way to a spot on Fiddler's Green by doing Kaufman's dirty work.  If there's one person who seems to be enjoying himself and can appreciate his spot on one of God's zombie movies, its Leguizamo, who is part of the fiery and emotional finish of the flick.



EUGENE CLARK as Big Daddy, the zombie that still has a piece of his humanity even in living-death, and leads a zombie revolt against the cruelty of Fiddler's Green.  With little to say but vocalization and body language, Clark puts in a tremendous performance in the tradition of Bub from 'Day...'.



Other members of the supporting cast were strong as well, including Dough Boy and Pretty Boy.  But the dude that really steals the show is ROBERT JOY, the dude that played Charlie.  Of all the cast, his performance was the strongest.



2.  DEAD RECKONING

True story.  The first name for 'Land...' was originally 'Dead Reckoning'.  Romero still included that name in the movie as the custom made zombie stomper 18-wheeler.  C'mon now.  You already know you've thought of having some kind of mechanized zombie death dealer in your apocalyptic dreams.  'Land...' delivers that machine in spades.

3.  99% BEFORE 99% WAS COOL

Our Lord has always made political statements in his movies, and this one is no different.  Made nearly seven years before the plummeting dollar reached new lows and the rise of the so-called 99%ers, George once again used zeds as a metaphor for the elite 'haves' doing whatever they want to do in spite of the 'have nots' that are used for their labor (Cholo and the Dead Reckoning crew) who get nothing but living in slums, fed bread and circuses to keep them distracted. 
Think about it:  Fiddler's Green was the 1%ers, the living were the middle class, working and struggling to make ends meet, and the zombies were the poor, completely taken advantage of by the 1% and slowly destroyed by their forces.  It's the zeds (poor), who outnumber the 1%ers (rich), who no longer have the opportunity of the middle class (living), who revolt against the 1%ers.  Even Cholo, having lost his opportunity to be with the rich after working so hard, who eventually joins the ranks of the zeds with its leader, Big Daddy, to destroy Kaufman.



4.  TOM SAVINI

Tom Savini makes a cameo appearance as a zombie, joining the revolt against the rich and attacking the living.

And speaking of Tom Savini..

5.  THE SPECIAL EFFECTS

The special effects are the best zday gore scenes since 'Day...', and for good reason.  The man carrying the Tom Savini special effects torch, Greg Nicotero, takes the special effects helm of this movie.  Granted with the craft skills of Savini, Nicotero takes the gore effects up a notch and puts it on bloody display throughout the movie.

And speaking of Greg Nicotero...

6.  GREG NICOTERO CUTS HIS OWN HEAD OFF

That's right.  The legacy of Tom Savini, who had his own head blown up by a shotgun wielding Joe Spinell in the original 'Maniac', is the 'Tollbridge Zombie' who has his head sheared off by the bridge.  That's right.  The special effects master of 'The Walking Dead' followed in the rich tradition of his master and staged his own death for film.

Fun Fact:  They never recovered that head from the river. 

7.  A TRIBUTE TO 'SERGEANT YORK'

Movie buffs might have recognized a salute to the old war movie from 1941 called 'Sergeant York' with Gary Cooper.  York licks his thumb to shine the front sight of his rifle before he shoots.  Charlie does the same.  And when he shoots the midget during the club melee, its also reminiscent of the Sergeant York turkey shoot scene.

So do you see now why 'Land of the Dead' is still worthy of being considered the number 4 movie of Romero's zombie horror library, while at the same time being a call for revolution?  I do.

But if you still need to get your fill of zombie horror, check out these titles from ZombieBloodFights.com.  They're chock full of great zombie horror and excellent story-telling.  Down the Road, Down the Road: On the Last Day, and Down the Road: The Fall of Austin.  Pick them up in paperback or Kindle today.

 

 BOWIE V. IBARRA earned his BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com today. 

(Very Little) BLOOD: REVIEW - 'The Conjuring' is solid ghost storytelling

THE LEGEND OF ED AND LORRAINE WARREN ON DISPLAY IN BIG SCREEN SPOOKY TALE
by
Bowie V. Ibarra



Many years ago, I read a book called 'The Haunted'.  It was probably the scariest book I've ever read since 'The Shining', mostly because it was the true account of the horror experience by the Smurl family and the help they received from the legendary Ed and Lorraine Warren.

That's why when I watched 'The Conjuring', I was pleasantly surprised to see that the protagonists were the dynamic duo of demonology themselves.

The movie starts off with a story of the cursed doll that is mentioned in the aforementioned book.  Before long, you get to see the spooky room where the Warren's keep the cursed objects they collected in their mission to help people, also mentioned in the book.

When the Warren's are enlisted to help the Perron family, who just moved into a beautiful country home, the Warren's discover the tragic history of the place and the source of the paranormal activity in the house.

The story itself is top notch, taking place in the 70s.  The costumes, cars, and setting was put together well for the time period, right down to a rotary phone!  And the acting across the board was phenomenal.  While not a bloody movie, the entire film is chock full of chills and legit frights as they deal with the escalating aggression from the ghosts.

'The Conjuring' is an outstanding movie with a great story and even greater performances from the cast that is completely ZombieBloodFights.com approved.

And if its a solid ghost story you are looking for, look no further than Alamo Rising, coming soon from ZombieBloodFights.com.  It's the story of an curse that was set down during the battle of the Alamo that is set in motion in modern times.  It's a ghost story of epic proportions.  Keep your eyes out for it by networking with author Bowie Ibarra at his official website ZombieBloodFights.com.

 BOWIE VALERIANO IBARRA is the author of the noted 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press.  He's earned a BFA in Acting and a Masters in Theatre History.  Bowie currently resides in San Antonio, Texas.

ZOMBIES: Great moments in Romero's 'Day of the Dead'

MOST UNDERRATED ENTRY PERHAPS BEST IN THE HOLY ZOMBIE TRILOGY
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

 

When people talk about George A. Romero's best zombie movies, you'll probably find a great many people will respond with 'Dawn of the Dead'.  I mean, how many zombie movies had that much action and zombie-smashing fun?

The next segment of fans (like myself) might say 'Night of the Living Dead', the original and the granddaddy of zombie horror movies. 

But a select few might say his third entry, 'Day of the Dead'.  Ironically enough, the minority might be right, and there's been a lot of people looking back in retrospective at the movie since the 2nd wave of the zombie wave has hit.  Here's some great reasons why 'Day of the Dead' might be Romero's true zombie masterpiece.

1.  THE BUDGET
For his third entry, George finally got a big budget, $3.5 million, to film the movie.  But he had to change his original vision which included a zombie army learning how to use weapons.  In the end, the special effects-heavy original script made way for a cerebral adventure in the zombie apocalypse.

2.  THE CAST
This movie has perhaps the most talented cast of the three up to this point.  The actors, from top to bottom, were outstanding.  Lori Cardille, who played Sarah, was the backbone of the cast, providing a solid protagonist to the solid antagonist, Captain Rhodes, played by an over-the-top Joe Pilato.  Rhodes goons were great, lead by another outstanding performance by Steele, played by Gary Klar.  And the misfits, John and McDermitt, played by Terry Alexander and Jaraleth Conroy, were outstanding middlemen to the struggles of the scientists vs. military through-line.


But the two people who stole the movie and are outstanding performance centerpieces were Dr. Logan and Bub, played by the late Richard Liberty and Sherman Howard, respectively.  Liberty, like Pilato, takes his character to great heights with theatrical skill, but doesn't go far enough to make it look ridiculous and remains based in reality. 

3.  THE OPENING SEQUENCE
I refuse to give away the opening moment, but the following moment with Sarah and the misfits searching for signs of life along the Florida coast is magnificent, and quickly and efficiently displays the hopelessness of the zombie apocalypse.

4.  TOM SAVINI
Between 'Dawn...' ('78) and 1985, Tom Savini became one of the most legendary masters of special effects, and he put his tremendous skill on display in this movie.  The makeup and final feast gore effects are out of this world.  This is one of the first movies that Greg Nicotero of 'The Walking Dead' fame cut his special effects teeth on.

5.  THE SCENES IN THE COMMISSARY
Before Quentin Tarantino was doing Mexican Standoff's at the Denny's in 'Pulp Fiction', Romero created one of the most tense moments in film during the early parts of the movie.  Not only that, but it put the acting skills of all the actors at the fore, including Pilato and Liberty in a great moment as they explore their philosophies on how to deal with their circumstance.


6.  JOHN'S MONOLOGUE AT THE RITZ
When Romero did not get the budget he needed for his initial vision, he had to scale the script back a lot.  So instead of relying on special effects, he had to rely on dialogue and character relationships to propel the story.  Its in this monologue, when John and McDermott invite Sarah back to their trailer, where you see how expertly crafted the movie is.  It's a monologue that rivals Duane Jones' 'Beakman's Diner' monologue from 'Night of the Living Dead' for performance, depth, and the hopelessness of the end of the world.



7.  MIGUEL'S GAMBIT
Again, one of the outstanding performers in the movie was Anthony Dileo, Jr., as the unstable Miguel.  From the word 'go', Miguel is a mess, seen praying in the helicopter and judged as unstable by his own girlfriend, Sarah.  When Miguel is left alone after suffering a serious wound (no, i'm not going to spoil it for you) and believes his friends have been killed, he unleashes zombies on his enemies in a hugely emotional gambit that has lethal results.  It is one of my favorite moments from any zombie movie.  His 'sign of the cross' gesture was one I used when playing high school football, so its a very special scene to me.


8.  THE FINAL FEAST
For me, a good Romero movie has to have a 'feast' scene.  You know what I'm talking about, right?  The moment when the zeds get a stack of people and just munch out on them.  You get the most tremendous final feast scene committed to film with this one.  The only other one that comes close that I can remember is in 'Land of the Dead'.  But man, you get to see the heels torn apart and devoured by hundreds.



9.  THE FINISH
The movie ends remarkably well, and is the only movie that offers any kind of glimmer of hope.

All in all, ZombieBloodFights.com will not punch your Zombie card if you have not taken in this movie yet.  Be ready for a little more depth both in performance, dialogue, and script, as well as a tremendous story that could arguably be the best film in the Romero trilogy and, perhaps, the genre.

And if you appreciate zombie horror, you'll love the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from ZombieBloodFights.com.  Down the Road, Down the Road: On the Last Day, and Down the Road: The Fall of Austin.  Pick them up in paperback or Kindle today.
 
   BOWIE V. IBARRA earned his BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com today.