Bowie V. Ibarra's Blog, page 27
August 23, 2013
FIGHTS...AND (BLUE) BLOOD - REVIEW: 'The World's End' Ridiculous fun
ALCOHOLISM, DRY HUMOR HIGHLIGHT THE FINALE OF 'THE CORNETTO TRILOGY'
By
Bowie V. Ibarra
'The World's End' is a hilarious final entry of the 'Cornetto Trilogy' (named for the Euro ice cream cone that appears in the three movies). Pegg and Frost deliver the same wild comedy that made 'Shaun of the Dead' and 'Hot Fuzz' hits. And even though the story drags on a little too long, its still an outstanding and funny movie.
Without giving too much away, Pegg plays Gary King, an alcoholic who has yet to live down his young days of triumph. His friends, who once made a run at the 'Golden Mile' (a 12 pub-run in their hometown), have gone on to be successes in life. King floundered, but had an epiphany that for him to move forward, he must take one more run at the 'Golden Mile'.
In a quick and funny 'Blues Brothers'-esque 'Putting the Band Back Together' bit, the friends go into the hometown to discover that things have changed even more than they ever expected.
The movie was entertaining enough to ignore a certain ridiculous plot element that propelled the film forward. In spite of that, it was still a lot of fun. There's even an epic fight scene in which Nick Frost hits a 'La Atlantida' on an enemy. It was awesome!
It eventually takes on a legendary air of 'The Odyssey', especially when they end up at 'The Mermaid', and things play out very much like the old legend.
But since you hang on for the ridiculous premise that propels the film forward, it was no surprise when the big finish ended as preposterously as it did. But it did it with passion and British wit suited for a Monty Python sketch.
As per the reputation of trilogies, 'The World's End' might not be the best of the series. But it is completely worth your time and money to check out for the laughs. It was worth every penny in laughs and is completely ZombieBloodFights.com approved.
If you liked 'Shaun of the Dead', you need to check out the 'Down the Road' zombie horror trilogy from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster today in paperback or Kindle. It's the series Johnathan Mayberry said, '...kicks undead ass.'
Get 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.
By
Bowie V. Ibarra
'The World's End' is a hilarious final entry of the 'Cornetto Trilogy' (named for the Euro ice cream cone that appears in the three movies). Pegg and Frost deliver the same wild comedy that made 'Shaun of the Dead' and 'Hot Fuzz' hits. And even though the story drags on a little too long, its still an outstanding and funny movie.
Without giving too much away, Pegg plays Gary King, an alcoholic who has yet to live down his young days of triumph. His friends, who once made a run at the 'Golden Mile' (a 12 pub-run in their hometown), have gone on to be successes in life. King floundered, but had an epiphany that for him to move forward, he must take one more run at the 'Golden Mile'.
In a quick and funny 'Blues Brothers'-esque 'Putting the Band Back Together' bit, the friends go into the hometown to discover that things have changed even more than they ever expected.
The movie was entertaining enough to ignore a certain ridiculous plot element that propelled the film forward. In spite of that, it was still a lot of fun. There's even an epic fight scene in which Nick Frost hits a 'La Atlantida' on an enemy. It was awesome!
It eventually takes on a legendary air of 'The Odyssey', especially when they end up at 'The Mermaid', and things play out very much like the old legend.
But since you hang on for the ridiculous premise that propels the film forward, it was no surprise when the big finish ended as preposterously as it did. But it did it with passion and British wit suited for a Monty Python sketch.
As per the reputation of trilogies, 'The World's End' might not be the best of the series. But it is completely worth your time and money to check out for the laughs. It was worth every penny in laughs and is completely ZombieBloodFights.com approved.
If you liked 'Shaun of the Dead', you need to check out the 'Down the Road' zombie horror trilogy from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster today in paperback or Kindle. It's the series Johnathan Mayberry said, '...kicks undead ass.'
Get 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.
August 22, 2013
BLOOD: Review - 'The Purge' had a great concept, poor execution
FANTASTIC IDEA FAILS HORRIBLY, SUPER PREDICTABLE, NO ASS-WHIPPING OF FOOLISH CHILDREN
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
What started out as an amazingly golden scary concept ended as a solid brown turd. 'The Purge', another in what seems to be a trend in 'middle class/bourgeois' horror. Here's the lowdown.
So, its 2022, and 'The New Founding Fathers' have found a way to let crime and evil human impulses 'purge' themselves by allowing all crime to be legal for 12 hours. All crime. The opening was strong, featuring actual real-world cam footage stamped with 'Purge Day' and a certain year. Even the set up was fine, as I was ready to buy into the concept. Hell, hearing the radio shows talk it up with such reverence, you almost were ready to put together your shit list and give it a run.
Check it out. The concept behind the US government-mandated purge was to let American citizens cleanse themselves of their inner demons. The most vulnerable were homeless, poor, and anyone without the capacity to fortify their homesteads and defend themselves. This allegedly produced 1% unemployment and an almost total eradication of crime on the other 364 days of the year.
Like leaving your light on during Halloween, people place purple flowers on their lawn to show their support of 'The Purge'. And that's what Ethan Hawke's character, James Sandin, and his family did. But he's making cash off the yearly event, like a Christmas profiteer, by creating so-called impenetrable home security systems for the event. His wife, played by 'Game of Thrones''s and 'Dredd 3D's Lena Headey, tries to get along with the neighbors, who are playing catch up with the Sandin's. James' security system has made the family a lot of money, and the neighborhood bought into it. They're a little bitter about that.
The Sandin's have kids, too. A teenage daughter who is experiencing those special feelings with an older boy who sneaks into the house daily to mug down with her. They also have a young and tender hearted, yet strange, son who likes to use a little robot drone to look at his mom's legs and ass. No sympathy for you here early, you little creep.
So the Purge goes down with all the reverence an American institution can muster, and things are fine at the Sandin house until a homeless dude, one of the recommended targets of all the people participating in the purge, shows up in the neighborhood asking for help.
That's when sympathetic little boy lets the dude into the house. As the man is discovered, the daughter's boyfriend decides to make a move on her dad. Dad kills the boy, and the homeless man escapes somewhere in the somehow labyrinthine house. That's when a group of strangely Republican-types show up with masks and demand to kill the homeless dude they were chasing. They want him released, or they'll break down the house coming for him.
That's when things get ridiculous.
So, I was ready to buy into this movie, but the inciting incident was ridiculous. Okay, so number one, stupid boy lets the dude in. Whatever. Stupid move, and the kid deserved an ass-whipping. My dad used to whip my ass for stupidity much less than that. After that moment, which ultimately led to tragedy for the Sandin family, I wanted to see that kid purged or in the very least get his ass whipped by his dad. Is this what middle America looks like? Kids can get away with dumb shit, or in this case, putting an entire family's lives at risk with no consequence to the kid?
The other thing was why did the hunters decide they wanted to waste the entire 12 hour period hunting that one dude when there was a city full of dumb fucks they could have been killing? Why was he so important than to waste Purge Christmas on him?
And what kind of maze made up this house? I get that it was big, and the lights were out, but jeez. It was like you expected the minotaur to show up any minute.
There was a good twist near the finish, making me think the movie was going to finish strong. But you still had a pretty good idea how everything was going to play out. And sure enough, it did. But the finish could have been a lot stronger. The movie ended with a meh.
The movie had a great concept, but the execution of it was poor. I applaud the actors for doing what they could with the script. And the moment it looked like it was headed for a cool finish, you got nothing for it.
'The Purge' was just alright, and is not ZombieBloodFights.com approved. Don't go see it in theatres, or pay for it on RedBox or use your freebies on it. Only worth a look for the concept alone.
Check out a great horror novel, 'Big Cat', instead, currently available in Kindle today.
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. He earned a BFA in Acting and an MA in Theatre History from Texas State University. Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
What started out as an amazingly golden scary concept ended as a solid brown turd. 'The Purge', another in what seems to be a trend in 'middle class/bourgeois' horror. Here's the lowdown.
So, its 2022, and 'The New Founding Fathers' have found a way to let crime and evil human impulses 'purge' themselves by allowing all crime to be legal for 12 hours. All crime. The opening was strong, featuring actual real-world cam footage stamped with 'Purge Day' and a certain year. Even the set up was fine, as I was ready to buy into the concept. Hell, hearing the radio shows talk it up with such reverence, you almost were ready to put together your shit list and give it a run.
Check it out. The concept behind the US government-mandated purge was to let American citizens cleanse themselves of their inner demons. The most vulnerable were homeless, poor, and anyone without the capacity to fortify their homesteads and defend themselves. This allegedly produced 1% unemployment and an almost total eradication of crime on the other 364 days of the year.
Like leaving your light on during Halloween, people place purple flowers on their lawn to show their support of 'The Purge'. And that's what Ethan Hawke's character, James Sandin, and his family did. But he's making cash off the yearly event, like a Christmas profiteer, by creating so-called impenetrable home security systems for the event. His wife, played by 'Game of Thrones''s and 'Dredd 3D's Lena Headey, tries to get along with the neighbors, who are playing catch up with the Sandin's. James' security system has made the family a lot of money, and the neighborhood bought into it. They're a little bitter about that.
The Sandin's have kids, too. A teenage daughter who is experiencing those special feelings with an older boy who sneaks into the house daily to mug down with her. They also have a young and tender hearted, yet strange, son who likes to use a little robot drone to look at his mom's legs and ass. No sympathy for you here early, you little creep.
So the Purge goes down with all the reverence an American institution can muster, and things are fine at the Sandin house until a homeless dude, one of the recommended targets of all the people participating in the purge, shows up in the neighborhood asking for help.
That's when sympathetic little boy lets the dude into the house. As the man is discovered, the daughter's boyfriend decides to make a move on her dad. Dad kills the boy, and the homeless man escapes somewhere in the somehow labyrinthine house. That's when a group of strangely Republican-types show up with masks and demand to kill the homeless dude they were chasing. They want him released, or they'll break down the house coming for him.
That's when things get ridiculous.
So, I was ready to buy into this movie, but the inciting incident was ridiculous. Okay, so number one, stupid boy lets the dude in. Whatever. Stupid move, and the kid deserved an ass-whipping. My dad used to whip my ass for stupidity much less than that. After that moment, which ultimately led to tragedy for the Sandin family, I wanted to see that kid purged or in the very least get his ass whipped by his dad. Is this what middle America looks like? Kids can get away with dumb shit, or in this case, putting an entire family's lives at risk with no consequence to the kid?
The other thing was why did the hunters decide they wanted to waste the entire 12 hour period hunting that one dude when there was a city full of dumb fucks they could have been killing? Why was he so important than to waste Purge Christmas on him?
And what kind of maze made up this house? I get that it was big, and the lights were out, but jeez. It was like you expected the minotaur to show up any minute.
There was a good twist near the finish, making me think the movie was going to finish strong. But you still had a pretty good idea how everything was going to play out. And sure enough, it did. But the finish could have been a lot stronger. The movie ended with a meh.
The movie had a great concept, but the execution of it was poor. I applaud the actors for doing what they could with the script. And the moment it looked like it was headed for a cool finish, you got nothing for it.
'The Purge' was just alright, and is not ZombieBloodFights.com approved. Don't go see it in theatres, or pay for it on RedBox or use your freebies on it. Only worth a look for the concept alone.
Check out a great horror novel, 'Big Cat', instead, currently available in Kindle today.
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. He earned a BFA in Acting and an MA in Theatre History from Texas State University. Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
August 20, 2013
ZOMBIES: Review - 'Downfall' is an excellent zombie horror title
GREAT STORY, SPIN ON TRADITIONAL ZEDS HIGHLIGHT BOOK
Review By
Bowie V. Ibarra
'Downfall' by Michael S. Gardener is another great entry in fast-paced zombie horror. Stacked with the perfect amount of action and mayhem, its a welcome addition to any zombie horror library.
One of the coolest parts of the book is the 'mutant' aspect of the zombies in this story. You get the typical Romero shamblers, but the mutations bring on other powers in the undead threat as well. Readers will really enjoy this spin on the 'same old' zombie tale.
Fans of the ever-evolving zombie horror genre really need to pick up this title. 'Downfall' is an outstanding entry into the zombie horror universe you need to pick up today in paperback or kindle here.
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.
Review By
Bowie V. Ibarra
'Downfall' by Michael S. Gardener is another great entry in fast-paced zombie horror. Stacked with the perfect amount of action and mayhem, its a welcome addition to any zombie horror library.
One of the coolest parts of the book is the 'mutant' aspect of the zombies in this story. You get the typical Romero shamblers, but the mutations bring on other powers in the undead threat as well. Readers will really enjoy this spin on the 'same old' zombie tale.
Fans of the ever-evolving zombie horror genre really need to pick up this title. 'Downfall' is an outstanding entry into the zombie horror universe you need to pick up today in paperback or kindle here.
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 - 'Only God Forgives' is an amazing cinematic work
STYLISH, VIOLENT, COLORFUL TALE OF CRIME IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
It has been a very long time since I've seen such an amazing, stylish piece of cinema gold. 'Only God Forgives' is an amazing crime film, and one of the best films of 2013.
The foundation of the whole movie is revenge. The inciting incident takes place when Julian's (Gosling) reckless brother, Billy, goes out and kills a teen hooker after the money fights at his kickboxing club. The club is bankrolled by Julian's drug-running family.
The cop assigned to the case, the cruel karaoke master Chang, allows the father of the dead hooker to kill her murderer, but punishes the father for letting his daughter fall into ill-repute.
When Gosling's domineering mother, Crystal (played by Kristin Scott Thomas), arrives in town to put things in order, the story accelerates from there.
The movie is stylish and precise. Many moving camera shots are reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining'. There is not one frame or segment of film that does not take advantage of the foundation of visual arts in the use of balance, shape, line, light and dark, and color. Every shot is a work of art. The colors of the seedy Bangkok nights reminded me of the way Dario Argento used color and shape in 'Suspiria'. Every single moment from the movie is sculpted like a portrait, a moving work of visual art.
The story is outstanding, sparsely laced with dialogue that is comparable to the works of Nobel Prize winning playwright Harold Pinter. Like a good Pinter play, the story is told in the silences, the pauses, a lighting of a cigarette, an unanswered question, humiliation. It is the height of powerful theatre. Words are only used when needed, and when they are used, the actors take their time with a patient delivery, telling the story not through their words, but their actions. It's telling at how amazing the director utilized subtle body language over actual words when I saw more depth in a cock-eyed 6-year old boy in the movie than I have in a majority of the movies I've seen this year.
The entire movie pulses with nightmarish images, unsettling sex and penetration imagery, cruel justice, incest overtones, character premonitions and foreshadowing, and a bizarre synth soundtrack that adds to the dream/nightmare element of the entire movie.
The blocking is so precise, its haunting, as if the characters themselves are ghosts, or phantasms from a dream. It is part crime thriller, part violent horror movie, but all arthouse cinema masterpiece.
If you consider yourself a movie connoisseur of any kind, you need to make an effort to see this movie. If you're not a fan of artsy-fartsy style films, this might not be a good choice for you. It is one of the greatest movies I've seen this year, and is completely ZombieBloodFights.com approved.
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. His latest book, 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull' is a superhero story with a south Texas Tex-Mexploitation theme. You can get it via paperback or Kindle here.
BOWIE V. IBARRA earned a BFA in Acting and an MA in Theatre History from Texas State University. Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
It has been a very long time since I've seen such an amazing, stylish piece of cinema gold. 'Only God Forgives' is an amazing crime film, and one of the best films of 2013.
The foundation of the whole movie is revenge. The inciting incident takes place when Julian's (Gosling) reckless brother, Billy, goes out and kills a teen hooker after the money fights at his kickboxing club. The club is bankrolled by Julian's drug-running family.
The cop assigned to the case, the cruel karaoke master Chang, allows the father of the dead hooker to kill her murderer, but punishes the father for letting his daughter fall into ill-repute.
When Gosling's domineering mother, Crystal (played by Kristin Scott Thomas), arrives in town to put things in order, the story accelerates from there.
The movie is stylish and precise. Many moving camera shots are reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining'. There is not one frame or segment of film that does not take advantage of the foundation of visual arts in the use of balance, shape, line, light and dark, and color. Every shot is a work of art. The colors of the seedy Bangkok nights reminded me of the way Dario Argento used color and shape in 'Suspiria'. Every single moment from the movie is sculpted like a portrait, a moving work of visual art.
The story is outstanding, sparsely laced with dialogue that is comparable to the works of Nobel Prize winning playwright Harold Pinter. Like a good Pinter play, the story is told in the silences, the pauses, a lighting of a cigarette, an unanswered question, humiliation. It is the height of powerful theatre. Words are only used when needed, and when they are used, the actors take their time with a patient delivery, telling the story not through their words, but their actions. It's telling at how amazing the director utilized subtle body language over actual words when I saw more depth in a cock-eyed 6-year old boy in the movie than I have in a majority of the movies I've seen this year.
The entire movie pulses with nightmarish images, unsettling sex and penetration imagery, cruel justice, incest overtones, character premonitions and foreshadowing, and a bizarre synth soundtrack that adds to the dream/nightmare element of the entire movie.
The blocking is so precise, its haunting, as if the characters themselves are ghosts, or phantasms from a dream. It is part crime thriller, part violent horror movie, but all arthouse cinema masterpiece.
If you consider yourself a movie connoisseur of any kind, you need to make an effort to see this movie. If you're not a fan of artsy-fartsy style films, this might not be a good choice for you. It is one of the greatest movies I've seen this year, and is completely ZombieBloodFights.com approved.
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. His latest book, 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull' is a superhero story with a south Texas Tex-Mexploitation theme. You can get it via paperback or Kindle here.
BOWIE V. IBARRA earned a BFA in Acting and an MA in Theatre History from Texas State University. Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
August 19, 2013
FIGHTS: 9 Reasons to find and watch 'The Battle: Cinco de Mayo'
HISTORY, MEXICAN NATIONALISM LACE STORY OF PIT FIGHTING GLORY
By
Bowie V. Ibarra
Every so often, you can find some little pieces of gold in the $5 DVD bin at Wal-Mart. ZombieBloodFights.com found this little pit fighting-themed nugget some time back, and it was a fun and ridiculous little movie with a Latino empowerment theme. Fun, ridiculous, Latino empowerment? I'm all for it. Here are reasons why you should check out this movie when you have a chance. 1. THE STORY - The story itself is alright. It's about a Latino kid who is smart and has ambitions in his life, including going to college. He gets a scholarship, but loses it when he sticks up for a female student at school. Needing money, he ends up learning the fighting art of lucha libre from an old lucha coach, and ends up fighting as the masked luchador, 'Tequila Power', a new force in underground money fights. He eventually earns the right to fight the king of the southern California money fight scene, the Frenchamn Eiffel Tower, in the big finish.
2. MEXICAN HISTORY AS A PLOT DEVICE - Everyone knows that Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that Mexican's the world over celebrate in honor of the Mexican victory over France at the Battle of Puebla That's the battle where the ragtag Mexican Army led by General Zaragoza beat Napoleon the III's forces at the Battle of Puebla.
Not really. Diez-y-seis is a bigger holiday in Mexico, and Cinco is really an American-style holiday that Mexican-American's use as an excuse to drink beer. But it was cool to have this historic event used as the big angle for the final fight between Tequila Power (Mexico) vs. The Eiffel Tower (France) in the steel cage of an underground money fight.
Cinco de Mayo fight to show Mexicans can still give it all they've got, its symbolic, to show world what Latino's can be.
3. NON-STEREOTYPED POTENTIAL FOR HISPANICS - It was cool to see Juan's grandmother want more from his grandson, outside of the stereotypical 'cholo' family seen in mainstream entertainment. His mom died at childbirth, his father did 'underground money fights', and his grandmother made tamales to sell at the pulga, his grandmother did not want Juan to be 'just another Latino in America'. She filled Juan with the motivation to put himself in a better place through education, an education he had to literally fight for.
Now if that's not a message every Latino or Hispanic needs to hear TODAY, TOMORROW, AND FOREVER.
4. DON BENITO
After sticking up for an old man in a back alley, Juan discovers the dude he saved is a former lucha libre coach. Don Benito takes Juan under his wing and instills pride and the history of lucha libre in him.
Yes, you heard that right. He trains Juan to be a money fighter, takes him to his first money fight, and helps him discover what his mask will represent after telling him the history of lucha libre.
He said Mexican wrestlers were heroes to the Mexican people. Then he goes off on the legends of the sport and what their masks represented:
- Blue Demon - Integrity
-Santo - Honor
- He said 'Tecnico' live by the tenants of honor, strength, integrity. They become the person the mask represents.
- El Toro - perserverance.
- Do not be unmasked. If you were, you were forever humbled to your foe.
When he had a mask custom made at the pulga, the Tequila Power mask, the maker said, 'Strike a bolt for Latinos everywhere.' Andale!
5. THE DIALOGUE - Because its ridiculous, but it still works.
Here's a favorite:
Juan - Is there a move to counter the tilt-a-whirl backbreaker?
Don Benito - Yes, but it is very dangerous.
Or this one:
Juan - I'm Tequila Power. I puts the 'can' in Mexican.
Or this:
Girlfriend - Get him out of the ring, he's going to get killed.
Don Benito - No, no. He's following his heart.
6. THE TRAINING OF DON BENITO
If this is how El Santo and Blue Demon trained, I'll be goddamned. If you thought Nacho's training was ridiculous, here's Don Benito's training regimen.
-- Keep the Dog from biting you - Don Benito put a dog in the ring and told Tequila Power not to get bit by the dog.
Funny side story: When I ever so briefly trained in pro-wrestling, it was in a ring in a wrestlers back yard. While doing agility drills, the family dog jumped in the ring and bit one of my trainers. True story.
-- Ford Fiesta move - Move a Ford Fiesta. Yup.
-- Insult the Thug cook at a Taco Stand - Don Benito tells the Thug Cook that Juan won't pay and insulted his mother. A wacky chase begins.
-- Lipstick Challenge at the Biker Bar - Don Benito takes Juan to a biker bar and challenges him to put a mark of lipstick on ten bikers.
The best part is when he eventually masters all these drills. Classic.
7. SEX SCENE IN THE BOXING RING TO 80s STYLE MUSIC
Yeah, I kind of threw up a little in my mouth, too.
Nothing turns me on more than the idea of banging out the girl I love on the canvas of a ring laced with the accumulated slobber, sweat, and blood of any number of fights. A true fantasy that is disgusting in reality.
8. THE GHOST OF HIS GRANDMOTHER
Every fight movie cliché has the protagonist down and almost out when his final bit of inspiration gives him his second wind. In this one, its the ghost of his mom, who appears to tell him she doesn't hate seeing him fight, he hates seeing him lose. 'You're a Mexican', she says, "And Mexican's don't give up."
9. A LATINO WHO ENDS UP GOING TO COLLEGE AT THE END
In the end, Juan honors his father and grandmother. He used his fists and fighting skill inherited from his father to earn his way into 'Political Science' College. And that was the actual name of the college, 'Political Science'.
All in all, you've got to find it and watch it. The execution is alright, the performances are okay, but the story and the heart behind it are as good as gold. Look for it in your Wal-Mart bargain bin today.
If money fights and Latino pride are your cup of tea, you'll love both 'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross'. Both are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA, and features a lucha libre superstar who crosses over into 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.
By
Bowie V. Ibarra
Every so often, you can find some little pieces of gold in the $5 DVD bin at Wal-Mart. ZombieBloodFights.com found this little pit fighting-themed nugget some time back, and it was a fun and ridiculous little movie with a Latino empowerment theme. Fun, ridiculous, Latino empowerment? I'm all for it. Here are reasons why you should check out this movie when you have a chance. 1. THE STORY - The story itself is alright. It's about a Latino kid who is smart and has ambitions in his life, including going to college. He gets a scholarship, but loses it when he sticks up for a female student at school. Needing money, he ends up learning the fighting art of lucha libre from an old lucha coach, and ends up fighting as the masked luchador, 'Tequila Power', a new force in underground money fights. He eventually earns the right to fight the king of the southern California money fight scene, the Frenchamn Eiffel Tower, in the big finish.2. MEXICAN HISTORY AS A PLOT DEVICE - Everyone knows that Cinco de Mayo is a holiday that Mexican's the world over celebrate in honor of the Mexican victory over France at the Battle of Puebla That's the battle where the ragtag Mexican Army led by General Zaragoza beat Napoleon the III's forces at the Battle of Puebla.
Not really. Diez-y-seis is a bigger holiday in Mexico, and Cinco is really an American-style holiday that Mexican-American's use as an excuse to drink beer. But it was cool to have this historic event used as the big angle for the final fight between Tequila Power (Mexico) vs. The Eiffel Tower (France) in the steel cage of an underground money fight.
Cinco de Mayo fight to show Mexicans can still give it all they've got, its symbolic, to show world what Latino's can be.
3. NON-STEREOTYPED POTENTIAL FOR HISPANICS - It was cool to see Juan's grandmother want more from his grandson, outside of the stereotypical 'cholo' family seen in mainstream entertainment. His mom died at childbirth, his father did 'underground money fights', and his grandmother made tamales to sell at the pulga, his grandmother did not want Juan to be 'just another Latino in America'. She filled Juan with the motivation to put himself in a better place through education, an education he had to literally fight for.
Now if that's not a message every Latino or Hispanic needs to hear TODAY, TOMORROW, AND FOREVER.
4. DON BENITO
After sticking up for an old man in a back alley, Juan discovers the dude he saved is a former lucha libre coach. Don Benito takes Juan under his wing and instills pride and the history of lucha libre in him.
Yes, you heard that right. He trains Juan to be a money fighter, takes him to his first money fight, and helps him discover what his mask will represent after telling him the history of lucha libre.
He said Mexican wrestlers were heroes to the Mexican people. Then he goes off on the legends of the sport and what their masks represented:
- Blue Demon - Integrity
-Santo - Honor
- He said 'Tecnico' live by the tenants of honor, strength, integrity. They become the person the mask represents.
- El Toro - perserverance.
- Do not be unmasked. If you were, you were forever humbled to your foe.
When he had a mask custom made at the pulga, the Tequila Power mask, the maker said, 'Strike a bolt for Latinos everywhere.' Andale!
5. THE DIALOGUE - Because its ridiculous, but it still works.
Here's a favorite:
Juan - Is there a move to counter the tilt-a-whirl backbreaker?
Don Benito - Yes, but it is very dangerous.
Or this one:
Juan - I'm Tequila Power. I puts the 'can' in Mexican.
Or this:
Girlfriend - Get him out of the ring, he's going to get killed.
Don Benito - No, no. He's following his heart.
6. THE TRAINING OF DON BENITO
If this is how El Santo and Blue Demon trained, I'll be goddamned. If you thought Nacho's training was ridiculous, here's Don Benito's training regimen.
-- Keep the Dog from biting you - Don Benito put a dog in the ring and told Tequila Power not to get bit by the dog.
Funny side story: When I ever so briefly trained in pro-wrestling, it was in a ring in a wrestlers back yard. While doing agility drills, the family dog jumped in the ring and bit one of my trainers. True story.
-- Ford Fiesta move - Move a Ford Fiesta. Yup.
-- Insult the Thug cook at a Taco Stand - Don Benito tells the Thug Cook that Juan won't pay and insulted his mother. A wacky chase begins.
-- Lipstick Challenge at the Biker Bar - Don Benito takes Juan to a biker bar and challenges him to put a mark of lipstick on ten bikers.
The best part is when he eventually masters all these drills. Classic.
7. SEX SCENE IN THE BOXING RING TO 80s STYLE MUSIC
Yeah, I kind of threw up a little in my mouth, too.
Nothing turns me on more than the idea of banging out the girl I love on the canvas of a ring laced with the accumulated slobber, sweat, and blood of any number of fights. A true fantasy that is disgusting in reality.
8. THE GHOST OF HIS GRANDMOTHER
Every fight movie cliché has the protagonist down and almost out when his final bit of inspiration gives him his second wind. In this one, its the ghost of his mom, who appears to tell him she doesn't hate seeing him fight, he hates seeing him lose. 'You're a Mexican', she says, "And Mexican's don't give up."
9. A LATINO WHO ENDS UP GOING TO COLLEGE AT THE END
In the end, Juan honors his father and grandmother. He used his fists and fighting skill inherited from his father to earn his way into 'Political Science' College. And that was the actual name of the college, 'Political Science'.
All in all, you've got to find it and watch it. The execution is alright, the performances are okay, but the story and the heart behind it are as good as gold. Look for it in your Wal-Mart bargain bin today.
If money fights and Latino pride are your cup of tea, you'll love both 'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross'. Both are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA, and features a lucha libre superstar who crosses over into 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.
August 18, 2013
FIGHTS: NOTES - #WWE #SummerSlam 2013 - F*** Randy Orton and HHH
OUTSTANDING MATCHES PROVES WWE CAN PUT ON GOOD WRESTLING, HHH & RANDY ORTON STILL P.O.S.'s
By
Bowie V. Ibarra
I'm going to give WWE this: For putting on the most-watched mainstream wrestling show with the shittiest wrestling the world over, I have to give you credit for putting on one of the best PPV's filled with 'actual' good wrestling matches I've seen from mainstream wrestling in forever.
When I think actual good wrestling, I don't think WWE. I think NWA-Branded Outlaw Wrestling. I think River City Wrestling. I think NWA-Houston. I think Ring of Honor. I even think Anarchy Championship Wrestling, even though word on the street is the quality has gone in the shitter. I'm lucky enough to live in a part of the country, south Texas to be specific, where quality pro-wrestling and quality pro-wrestlers still exist. But I would never rank WWE anywhere near the emotion and fun I have at these events.
Until tonight.
Not since 'War Games: '97, any Freebirds vs. von Erich's match, Rhythm and Blues jumping The Bushwhackers, Villano III vs. Atlantis (mask vs. mask), among others, but especially War Games '97 have I felt the kind of emotion that I did at tonight's Summer Slam 2013 PPV. Here's some notes from the event.
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE MATCH
ALBERTO DEL RIO (c) vs. CHRISTIAN
It's a simple formula. Put two dudes who know how to wrestle in a match and let them go. Raise the stakes by putting a title on the line, and you've got the formula for success.
The weird subtext of this angle is the whole 'white vs. Mexican' aspect of the fight. Don't lie. You can feel it coming from the crowd. Even though Christian is a Canuk, there was this cultural aspect to the match that might have made me uncomfortable and cocky outside of south Texas, but had no problem celebrating with a crowd that was heavily on the side of Del Rio to begin with.
All that aside, the match itself was outstanding. Great action, great wrestling, and great high-stakes intensity with the title on the line. It was exactly what a title match should look like, not like the stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, STUPID (did I say stupid?) STUPID non-title losses WWE puts on every goddamn week. How stupid are you and your producers, WWE, to do that.
At least you made up for it here at this pay-per-view. But with the final interview, it felt like you were stirring the pot of the culture war out country seems to be fighting against Mexicans and other immigrants. It's as if you wanted to get the crowd to want Jack Swagger to show up and stand up to Del Rio. Ya'll piss people off a the beginning of the match by making the ring announcer say his name in Spanish in the tradition of the 'foreign heel' archetype, then you expect people to cheer for him at the end of the match.
FUUUUUCK YOU, WWE, for perpetuating this culture war, you assholes. But thanks, I guess I'll give you my $30 at the same time to wear that Del Rio shirt to piss every part of America outside of the US southwest off who doesn't understand Mexicans, Hispanics, and their participation in US culture.
CM PUNK vs. BROCK LESNER
Yet another outstanding match that was great from top, middle, but not the bottom. Like an idiot, Punk focuses his attention on Heyman and tries to lock him out (???) and forgets he's in a big fight against one of the biggest monsters to ever grace the UFC octagon or the WWE ring.
People were mad when I was shouting how stupid Punk was for doing that, but he was. He deserved everything he got for ignoring his real opponent.
Good job, stupid.
WWE WORLD TITLE MATCH
DANIEL BRYAN vs. JOHN CENA (c)
GUEST REFEREE - HHH
The IWC was already abuzz with its predictions at how it would play out: Bryan wins, Orton cashes in MIB. So why are we so mad that it played out exactly like we predicted?
Because we knew that's how WWE would do it to provide a big FU to the IWC.
The match was outstanding. HHH was a great ref. Bryan and Cena brought the pain, and it was a great match. Nothing shady, it seemed, even though I was suspect of HHH being buddy-buddy with Bryan at the end. Asshole, I watched you jump Bryan out of nowhere in ATX at a Smackdown taping at the end of the year. Now I don't know about you, but like Martin Riggs of 'Lethal Weapon' fame, I never forget an asshole, and I did not forget how I watched HHH jump Bryan out of nowhere at the end of his match against, ironically enough, Randy Orton at this taping.
So when Orton came out, and Bryan looked ready, I was ready for it to go down. Think of it: It should have been one of the times a Money in the Bank cash-in didn't result in a title change.
So, like many others, I'm already upset Orton would pull this MiB bullshit, so I want to see it go down. But I know the history of that goddamn briefcase, and I know it has to go down. Sure enough, there's Trips to fuck everything up.
For the record, Orton joins The Freebirds, Kevin Nash, and HHH as some of my most hated people in pro-wrestling. I was ready to fight ever goddamn Orton or HHH fan in the bar tonight, that's how fired up I was.
But you know what? That's what I pay for. That's the kind of emotion I pay my hard-earned Ancira VW dollars to feel when I attend pro-wrestling events. God, I was mad when Orton dared to step out and threaten Bryan. I was even more upset when HHH double-crossed Bryan.
And what pieces of shit all Cena and Orton fans are for cheering for HHH jumping Bryan to allow Orton to steal his title.
I swear, I hate that MiB briefcase.
But here's what you can't get past: 1. Bryan beat Cena clean. Cena fans can never take that away from him. 2. Orton had to jump Bryan like a pussy after HHH helped him. Therefore, Orton is a pussy and HHH is openly a dick, so their fans are now pieces of shit and eternal enemies of me.
Basically, you can expect me to confront anyone wearing an Orton or HHH shirt by saying, words to the effect of, "What's it like knowing you wear a shirt for a dude who is a pussy and had to win a title by jumping a dude after a match?" Or, perhaps, "Why would you wear a shirt for a dude who nobody cares about anymore, but fucks up matches everybody actually cares about?"
Can you see the kind of emotion this pay-per-view has pulled from me? Not since War Games '97 have I felt this kind of anger and emotion.
And all I got to say is 'thank you, WWE'. That's why I pay money to watch pro-wrestling. It's cheaper than therapy. And that's why I'm ready to pay money to see Bryan whip Orton's ass.
AND HHH's!
I just wish you did that more often instead of shitting out the same stupidity you do every week.
If you think I couldn't put together a better story, well I think I have. If you enjoyed Summer Slam 2013, you'll love both 'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross'. Both are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA. 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.
By
Bowie V. Ibarra
I'm going to give WWE this: For putting on the most-watched mainstream wrestling show with the shittiest wrestling the world over, I have to give you credit for putting on one of the best PPV's filled with 'actual' good wrestling matches I've seen from mainstream wrestling in forever.
When I think actual good wrestling, I don't think WWE. I think NWA-Branded Outlaw Wrestling. I think River City Wrestling. I think NWA-Houston. I think Ring of Honor. I even think Anarchy Championship Wrestling, even though word on the street is the quality has gone in the shitter. I'm lucky enough to live in a part of the country, south Texas to be specific, where quality pro-wrestling and quality pro-wrestlers still exist. But I would never rank WWE anywhere near the emotion and fun I have at these events.
Until tonight.
Not since 'War Games: '97, any Freebirds vs. von Erich's match, Rhythm and Blues jumping The Bushwhackers, Villano III vs. Atlantis (mask vs. mask), among others, but especially War Games '97 have I felt the kind of emotion that I did at tonight's Summer Slam 2013 PPV. Here's some notes from the event.
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE MATCH
ALBERTO DEL RIO (c) vs. CHRISTIAN
It's a simple formula. Put two dudes who know how to wrestle in a match and let them go. Raise the stakes by putting a title on the line, and you've got the formula for success.
The weird subtext of this angle is the whole 'white vs. Mexican' aspect of the fight. Don't lie. You can feel it coming from the crowd. Even though Christian is a Canuk, there was this cultural aspect to the match that might have made me uncomfortable and cocky outside of south Texas, but had no problem celebrating with a crowd that was heavily on the side of Del Rio to begin with.
All that aside, the match itself was outstanding. Great action, great wrestling, and great high-stakes intensity with the title on the line. It was exactly what a title match should look like, not like the stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, STUPID (did I say stupid?) STUPID non-title losses WWE puts on every goddamn week. How stupid are you and your producers, WWE, to do that.
At least you made up for it here at this pay-per-view. But with the final interview, it felt like you were stirring the pot of the culture war out country seems to be fighting against Mexicans and other immigrants. It's as if you wanted to get the crowd to want Jack Swagger to show up and stand up to Del Rio. Ya'll piss people off a the beginning of the match by making the ring announcer say his name in Spanish in the tradition of the 'foreign heel' archetype, then you expect people to cheer for him at the end of the match.
FUUUUUCK YOU, WWE, for perpetuating this culture war, you assholes. But thanks, I guess I'll give you my $30 at the same time to wear that Del Rio shirt to piss every part of America outside of the US southwest off who doesn't understand Mexicans, Hispanics, and their participation in US culture.
CM PUNK vs. BROCK LESNER
Yet another outstanding match that was great from top, middle, but not the bottom. Like an idiot, Punk focuses his attention on Heyman and tries to lock him out (???) and forgets he's in a big fight against one of the biggest monsters to ever grace the UFC octagon or the WWE ring.
People were mad when I was shouting how stupid Punk was for doing that, but he was. He deserved everything he got for ignoring his real opponent.
Good job, stupid.
WWE WORLD TITLE MATCH
DANIEL BRYAN vs. JOHN CENA (c)
GUEST REFEREE - HHH
The IWC was already abuzz with its predictions at how it would play out: Bryan wins, Orton cashes in MIB. So why are we so mad that it played out exactly like we predicted?
Because we knew that's how WWE would do it to provide a big FU to the IWC.
The match was outstanding. HHH was a great ref. Bryan and Cena brought the pain, and it was a great match. Nothing shady, it seemed, even though I was suspect of HHH being buddy-buddy with Bryan at the end. Asshole, I watched you jump Bryan out of nowhere in ATX at a Smackdown taping at the end of the year. Now I don't know about you, but like Martin Riggs of 'Lethal Weapon' fame, I never forget an asshole, and I did not forget how I watched HHH jump Bryan out of nowhere at the end of his match against, ironically enough, Randy Orton at this taping.
So when Orton came out, and Bryan looked ready, I was ready for it to go down. Think of it: It should have been one of the times a Money in the Bank cash-in didn't result in a title change.
So, like many others, I'm already upset Orton would pull this MiB bullshit, so I want to see it go down. But I know the history of that goddamn briefcase, and I know it has to go down. Sure enough, there's Trips to fuck everything up.
For the record, Orton joins The Freebirds, Kevin Nash, and HHH as some of my most hated people in pro-wrestling. I was ready to fight ever goddamn Orton or HHH fan in the bar tonight, that's how fired up I was.
But you know what? That's what I pay for. That's the kind of emotion I pay my hard-earned Ancira VW dollars to feel when I attend pro-wrestling events. God, I was mad when Orton dared to step out and threaten Bryan. I was even more upset when HHH double-crossed Bryan.
And what pieces of shit all Cena and Orton fans are for cheering for HHH jumping Bryan to allow Orton to steal his title.
I swear, I hate that MiB briefcase.
But here's what you can't get past: 1. Bryan beat Cena clean. Cena fans can never take that away from him. 2. Orton had to jump Bryan like a pussy after HHH helped him. Therefore, Orton is a pussy and HHH is openly a dick, so their fans are now pieces of shit and eternal enemies of me.
Basically, you can expect me to confront anyone wearing an Orton or HHH shirt by saying, words to the effect of, "What's it like knowing you wear a shirt for a dude who is a pussy and had to win a title by jumping a dude after a match?" Or, perhaps, "Why would you wear a shirt for a dude who nobody cares about anymore, but fucks up matches everybody actually cares about?"
Can you see the kind of emotion this pay-per-view has pulled from me? Not since War Games '97 have I felt this kind of anger and emotion.
And all I got to say is 'thank you, WWE'. That's why I pay money to watch pro-wrestling. It's cheaper than therapy. And that's why I'm ready to pay money to see Bryan whip Orton's ass.
AND HHH's!
I just wish you did that more often instead of shitting out the same stupidity you do every week.
If you think I couldn't put together a better story, well I think I have. If you enjoyed Summer Slam 2013, you'll love both 'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross'. Both are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA. 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.
August 17, 2013
FIGHTS: RETROSPECTIVE - Extreme Fighting Battlecade 2 was EXTREEEME!
THE WILD AND WACKY EARLY DAYS OF MMA
By
Bowie V. Ibarra
Mainstream MMA's come a long way since the days of the first UFC, where the Gracie family used slick marketing and sensational implications to bring their Gracie Jiu Jitsu system to the states and make those US dollars. In fact, UFC led the way, but there were plenty of imitators that tried to get their hooks into that MMA market. Extreme Fighting Battlecade was one of them. The second event, like the first, was steeped in controversy and brutality. Here's some of the fun things that went down.
-- 'If they're both dead, we'll stop the fight. No change in position.'
That was an actual quote from John Peretti, the promoter for the event, after Orlando Weit asked if the ref would break stalemates in the ring. Remember, this event was 'Extreme', and Peretti was probably working the camera, but he planted that seed in 90s viewer's heads that death could occur.
-- MONTREAL MOHAWK RESERVATION
Since the first event was kicked out of New York due to the Athletic Commission forbidding the fights, it ended up in South Carolina. This event was scheduled to take place on the Kahnahuake Mohawk Indian Reservation just outside of Montreal. But as you might expect, after political pressure from the government, the event was threatened to be cancelled even though it was on the sovereign land of the Mohawk Indians. The 'extreme' angle was played up by Don Zuckerman, who claimed the worst that could happen is 'The Army shows up and stops the fights', but there's history between the Canadian Army and the Mohawks. The cable companies could end up not showing the event, either.
It was that kind of pressure that made Orlando Weit of UFC II fame and his wife cash out of the event on their honeymoon.
-- NUMBER ONE DUDES WE'VE NEVER HEARD OF
So, we're told by Peretti that the #1 Wing Chun guy is going to be part of the event. I imagine with no governing body in Wing Chun or promotion, perhaps Steve Faulkner was #1. When he took on Igor Zinoviev in his fight, it took Steve Faulkner :51 seconds to use his Wing Chun to tap out to a rear naked choke from Zinoviev.
Steve Nelson was booked as the #1 Sambo guy in the US. Nelson used his tremendous Sambo skill to tap out within the first minute of his fight against Ralph Gracie.
-- RALPH GRACIE
When Royce became the face of UFC and MMA in the 90s, he was the true 'Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu' surfer dude, a true beach bum. You could almost call him the slacker of the Gracie's, known for going by the Gracie gym to bum money off of his brother, Rorion.
That's when you see Ralph Gracie, who looks like somebody took a shit in his Wheaties and someone told him the dude across the ring did it. When it comes to Gracie's with bad attitudes, Renzo has nothing on Ralph, who took his victory not with his vaunted Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, but with repeated strikes to the back of his opponents head within the first minute of the fight.
-- PENTHOUSE PETS
Elizabeth Hildon, Leslie Glass, Amy Lynn, Alex Taylor, Stacy Moran, Lydia Schoen.
You go ahead Google these educational winners and have at it.
-- NO ROUNDS, NO JUDGES... NO WINNERS?
No Rounds! No Judges! It's EXTREEEEEME!
It also does nothing to help out when a match goes the full 15 minute time limit. Jasan Canals vs. Nigel Scantleberry went the full 15 minutes. And because we anticipated 'knockouts, submissions, or death' if Peretti is to be believed, we don't need no stinking judges.
Well, it turns out we did. Canals and Scantleberry ended in a draw.
-- DUDES THAT LOOKED LIKE YOUR P.E. COACH
In the early days, there were some older dudes that competed in MMA events that kind of seemed out of place. When you've got young, tattooed up dudes like John Lewis and Conan Silviera, Jim Teachout looked like someone's dad having a mid-life crisis. He looked out of place in this promo video, and looked even more out of place when John Lewis finished him with elbows to the neck and spine.
John Lewis vs. Jim Teachout
-- ELBOWS AND PUNCHES TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD
Here's a detail that looks pretty extreme now in retrospect: Elbows and punches to the back of the head. Attacking the spine with elbows are currently outlawed via unified rules. Also, punches to the back of the head. That's good sports regulation if you ask me.
-- A PRE-DRAGONBALL Z JIU-JITSU CARLOS NEWTON DEBUT
Carlos Newton gave up 60 pounds when he competed for the first time at Extreme Fighting Battlecade 2. He took on Jean Riviere in a pretty competitive fight that went over 8 minutes until Riviere used his weight to fold up Newton and suffocate him.
-- 'CONAN' SILVIERA
You just saw a dude like this back in the day who knew Jiu-Jitsu and you were like, man, this is totally not fair. Well, Conan put that power and might as well as Jiu-Jitsu skills on display by using what I guess is jiu-jitsu punches to beat Carl Franks into submission in the first two minutes of the fight.
-- FIGHTERS GETTING HAULED OFF TO JAIL AFTER EVENTS
This tape ends with a closer to the opening segment, featuring the cops showing up and hauling off fighters to jail. The charge: Participating in an Illegal Prize fight.
It would seem natural that Igor Zinoviev, sitting in the back of a cop car, would be smiling as he is hauled off to get booked. He smiles and gives a thumbs-up. No sweat.
If you get a chance to find this title, its a pretty good indicator of the early days of MMA. You can definitely see how far the sport has come since then.
And if you're a true fan of UFC and MMA, you'll love both 'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross'. Both are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA just like this event. Like the early days, its 'Style vs. Style' in the pits of south Texas. 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'.
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.
By
Bowie V. Ibarra
Mainstream MMA's come a long way since the days of the first UFC, where the Gracie family used slick marketing and sensational implications to bring their Gracie Jiu Jitsu system to the states and make those US dollars. In fact, UFC led the way, but there were plenty of imitators that tried to get their hooks into that MMA market. Extreme Fighting Battlecade was one of them. The second event, like the first, was steeped in controversy and brutality. Here's some of the fun things that went down.
-- 'If they're both dead, we'll stop the fight. No change in position.'
That was an actual quote from John Peretti, the promoter for the event, after Orlando Weit asked if the ref would break stalemates in the ring. Remember, this event was 'Extreme', and Peretti was probably working the camera, but he planted that seed in 90s viewer's heads that death could occur.
-- MONTREAL MOHAWK RESERVATION
Since the first event was kicked out of New York due to the Athletic Commission forbidding the fights, it ended up in South Carolina. This event was scheduled to take place on the Kahnahuake Mohawk Indian Reservation just outside of Montreal. But as you might expect, after political pressure from the government, the event was threatened to be cancelled even though it was on the sovereign land of the Mohawk Indians. The 'extreme' angle was played up by Don Zuckerman, who claimed the worst that could happen is 'The Army shows up and stops the fights', but there's history between the Canadian Army and the Mohawks. The cable companies could end up not showing the event, either.
It was that kind of pressure that made Orlando Weit of UFC II fame and his wife cash out of the event on their honeymoon.
-- NUMBER ONE DUDES WE'VE NEVER HEARD OF
So, we're told by Peretti that the #1 Wing Chun guy is going to be part of the event. I imagine with no governing body in Wing Chun or promotion, perhaps Steve Faulkner was #1. When he took on Igor Zinoviev in his fight, it took Steve Faulkner :51 seconds to use his Wing Chun to tap out to a rear naked choke from Zinoviev.
Steve Nelson was booked as the #1 Sambo guy in the US. Nelson used his tremendous Sambo skill to tap out within the first minute of his fight against Ralph Gracie.
-- RALPH GRACIE
When Royce became the face of UFC and MMA in the 90s, he was the true 'Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu' surfer dude, a true beach bum. You could almost call him the slacker of the Gracie's, known for going by the Gracie gym to bum money off of his brother, Rorion.
That's when you see Ralph Gracie, who looks like somebody took a shit in his Wheaties and someone told him the dude across the ring did it. When it comes to Gracie's with bad attitudes, Renzo has nothing on Ralph, who took his victory not with his vaunted Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, but with repeated strikes to the back of his opponents head within the first minute of the fight.
-- PENTHOUSE PETS
Elizabeth Hildon, Leslie Glass, Amy Lynn, Alex Taylor, Stacy Moran, Lydia Schoen.
You go ahead Google these educational winners and have at it.
-- NO ROUNDS, NO JUDGES... NO WINNERS?
No Rounds! No Judges! It's EXTREEEEEME!
It also does nothing to help out when a match goes the full 15 minute time limit. Jasan Canals vs. Nigel Scantleberry went the full 15 minutes. And because we anticipated 'knockouts, submissions, or death' if Peretti is to be believed, we don't need no stinking judges.
Well, it turns out we did. Canals and Scantleberry ended in a draw.
-- DUDES THAT LOOKED LIKE YOUR P.E. COACH
In the early days, there were some older dudes that competed in MMA events that kind of seemed out of place. When you've got young, tattooed up dudes like John Lewis and Conan Silviera, Jim Teachout looked like someone's dad having a mid-life crisis. He looked out of place in this promo video, and looked even more out of place when John Lewis finished him with elbows to the neck and spine.
John Lewis vs. Jim Teachout
-- ELBOWS AND PUNCHES TO THE BACK OF THE HEAD
Here's a detail that looks pretty extreme now in retrospect: Elbows and punches to the back of the head. Attacking the spine with elbows are currently outlawed via unified rules. Also, punches to the back of the head. That's good sports regulation if you ask me.
-- A PRE-DRAGONBALL Z JIU-JITSU CARLOS NEWTON DEBUT
Carlos Newton gave up 60 pounds when he competed for the first time at Extreme Fighting Battlecade 2. He took on Jean Riviere in a pretty competitive fight that went over 8 minutes until Riviere used his weight to fold up Newton and suffocate him.
-- 'CONAN' SILVIERA
You just saw a dude like this back in the day who knew Jiu-Jitsu and you were like, man, this is totally not fair. Well, Conan put that power and might as well as Jiu-Jitsu skills on display by using what I guess is jiu-jitsu punches to beat Carl Franks into submission in the first two minutes of the fight.
-- FIGHTERS GETTING HAULED OFF TO JAIL AFTER EVENTS
This tape ends with a closer to the opening segment, featuring the cops showing up and hauling off fighters to jail. The charge: Participating in an Illegal Prize fight.
It would seem natural that Igor Zinoviev, sitting in the back of a cop car, would be smiling as he is hauled off to get booked. He smiles and gives a thumbs-up. No sweat.
If you get a chance to find this title, its a pretty good indicator of the early days of MMA. You can definitely see how far the sport has come since then.
And if you're a true fan of UFC and MMA, you'll love both 'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross'. Both are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA just like this event. Like the early days, its 'Style vs. Style' in the pits of south Texas. 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'.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.
August 16, 2013
FIGHTS/BLOOD - REVIEW: 'Kick-Ass 2' filled with action, fights, and blood
FUN STORY, RELATABLE THEMES, AND COLORFUL HEROES AND VILLAINS MARK THE 2ND MOVIE ENTRY
By
Bowie V. Ibarra
I bought a ticket for 'Kick Ass 2' expecting the good-times and action I enjoyed from the first one. What I got was the same in spades! Check it out.
In short, Hit Girl gets Kick Ass motivated to fight crime again before she cashes out due to a promise she made to her deceased father. A recharged Kick-Ass ends up joining a stable of superheroes who go out and help the community and fight crime that's lead by an ex-mob heavy named Colonel Stars and Stripes. In doing so, they attract the attention of former ally turned super-villain, Red Mist, who has taken on the new persona, Mother Fucker. Using his family's money and a hilarious origin scene involving his mother, he recruits some of the dirtiest criminals around to get his revenge on Kick-Ass for killing his father.
And the zany hijinx begin.
I thought the movie was enjoyable. We get a little character growth in Hit Girl. She is prompted by her guardian, Det. Marcus Williams, to try and assimilate herself into high school culture and cut the Hit Girl act in spite of being literally haunted by the specter of her father in the form of his suit, which is prominently displayed in her lair throughout the movie. It turns out she shows up the 'high school' popular set and is put in her place by her so-called friends. It's also an interesting statement about the behavior of the so-called 'popular' people in western culture in the new millennium, a variation on a theme of the 'bad girls' from decades before.
Mother Fucker, played by the eternally youthful Chris Mintz-Plasse, is obnoxious, but hilarious. His 'butler', a surprise appearance by John Leguazamo, is a great voice of reason for Mother Fucker. He puts in a solid performance and acts as a good balance to MF. There's a funny scene where he calls MF out on his 'racist stereotypes' when he recruits criminals to his army.
Hit Girl brings some depth in her struggle to honor her father's memory, but deal with those adolescent special feelings when exposed to pop stars and peer pressure from the bad girls. And when she finds that balance of maturity and self-identity, its pretty hilarious how she gets her revenge on the 'bad girls'.
Jim Carrey's 'Colonel Stars and Stripes' is also very good. He's a stern born-again who takes on the masked super hero persona to get a little measure of revenge against the people he used to work for when he was a mob enforcer.
Kick-Ass had inspired many others to become super heroes and help out in the community, and they turn out to be helpful allies in the battle against Mother Fucker. A couple takes on the super hero mantle in their tireless search for their missing son. There's even a gay superhero that is played with respect, which is great to see.
The finish is also pretty hilarious. Stay 'til the very end is all I'm saying.
All in all, it was a really enjoyable movie, with relatable themes like dealing with the challenges of adolescence, redemption, courage, helping out in your community, and the love of a father.
I'm not sure what people were expecting when they went to see this movie and thought it was lame. I had a good time, and highly recommend it to people who enjoy superhero movies, humor, and action/adventure.
Seriously, who doesn't enjoy that?
And if that's the kind of movie you'd like, you should definitely look into 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull'. It's a south Texas-themed Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite'. The hero, Tejano Star, finds himself in dilemma when south Texas is hit by a plague of zombies.
Check it out today in kindle or paperback.
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. He earned a BFA in Acting and an MA in Theatre history from Texas State University. Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com..
By
Bowie V. Ibarra
I bought a ticket for 'Kick Ass 2' expecting the good-times and action I enjoyed from the first one. What I got was the same in spades! Check it out. In short, Hit Girl gets Kick Ass motivated to fight crime again before she cashes out due to a promise she made to her deceased father. A recharged Kick-Ass ends up joining a stable of superheroes who go out and help the community and fight crime that's lead by an ex-mob heavy named Colonel Stars and Stripes. In doing so, they attract the attention of former ally turned super-villain, Red Mist, who has taken on the new persona, Mother Fucker. Using his family's money and a hilarious origin scene involving his mother, he recruits some of the dirtiest criminals around to get his revenge on Kick-Ass for killing his father.
And the zany hijinx begin.
I thought the movie was enjoyable. We get a little character growth in Hit Girl. She is prompted by her guardian, Det. Marcus Williams, to try and assimilate herself into high school culture and cut the Hit Girl act in spite of being literally haunted by the specter of her father in the form of his suit, which is prominently displayed in her lair throughout the movie. It turns out she shows up the 'high school' popular set and is put in her place by her so-called friends. It's also an interesting statement about the behavior of the so-called 'popular' people in western culture in the new millennium, a variation on a theme of the 'bad girls' from decades before.
Mother Fucker, played by the eternally youthful Chris Mintz-Plasse, is obnoxious, but hilarious. His 'butler', a surprise appearance by John Leguazamo, is a great voice of reason for Mother Fucker. He puts in a solid performance and acts as a good balance to MF. There's a funny scene where he calls MF out on his 'racist stereotypes' when he recruits criminals to his army.
Hit Girl brings some depth in her struggle to honor her father's memory, but deal with those adolescent special feelings when exposed to pop stars and peer pressure from the bad girls. And when she finds that balance of maturity and self-identity, its pretty hilarious how she gets her revenge on the 'bad girls'.
Jim Carrey's 'Colonel Stars and Stripes' is also very good. He's a stern born-again who takes on the masked super hero persona to get a little measure of revenge against the people he used to work for when he was a mob enforcer.
Kick-Ass had inspired many others to become super heroes and help out in the community, and they turn out to be helpful allies in the battle against Mother Fucker. A couple takes on the super hero mantle in their tireless search for their missing son. There's even a gay superhero that is played with respect, which is great to see.
The finish is also pretty hilarious. Stay 'til the very end is all I'm saying.
All in all, it was a really enjoyable movie, with relatable themes like dealing with the challenges of adolescence, redemption, courage, helping out in your community, and the love of a father.
I'm not sure what people were expecting when they went to see this movie and thought it was lame. I had a good time, and highly recommend it to people who enjoy superhero movies, humor, and action/adventure.
Seriously, who doesn't enjoy that?
And if that's the kind of movie you'd like, you should definitely look into 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull'. It's a south Texas-themed Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite'. The hero, Tejano Star, finds himself in dilemma when south Texas is hit by a plague of zombies.
Check it out today in kindle or paperback.
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. He earned a BFA in Acting and an MA in Theatre history from Texas State University. Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com..August 13, 2013
FIGHTS: REVIEW - War Games: WCWs Most Notorious Matches DVD
THE GREAT HIGH-STAKES MATCHES FROM EPIC EVENT FINALLY COMPILED IN ONE DVD
by
Bowie Ibarra
I don't think I'm in the minority here when I say I have been waiting for this dream DVD compilation for years since the McMahon family bought up the entire video library of the many defunct wrestling organizations he soundly crushed with his business plan. Now, he finally put together the complete collection of every War Games: The Match Beyond events on three discs. McMahon and HHH might be sonsabitches, but thank you for finally making this collection.
The discs are narrated by Dusty Rhodes, the man credited with conceiving the event. He details every aspect of the shows, from creation, to construction, to his multiple participations. He's a good 'decompress' from the intensity of each of the matches.
Disc one has the original two from the Great American Bash '87 events, featuring The Four Horsemen, JJ Dillon, The Road Warriors, Dusty Rhodes, Nikita Koloff, Paul Ellering, and War Machine.
Disc One even has the 'Tower of Doom' event, featuring the Road Warriors, Dr. Death, Ron Garvin, Jimmy Garvin against Kevin Sullivan, Mike Rotunda, Al Perez, The Russian Assassin, and Ivan Koloff. Hell, it was the 80s, you had to have commie bastard Russians participating.
The last two on the disc are both War Games matches featuring the same names, but one of the matches includes The Midnight Express, The Freebirds, and the Samoan Swat Team.
Disc Two features a War Games match with Flair, Sid Vicious, Barry Windham, and Larry Zybysko vs. Sting, Pillman, and the Steiners. This is the infamous one where Vicious hurt someone. If you don't know, you need to watch it.
A really good one was next, featuring Sting, Koloff, Dustin Rhodes, Steamboat, and Windham vs. Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, Steve Austin (!), Larry Zybysko, and Rick Rude.
Next up is a War Games match featuring Sting, Davey Boy Smith, Dustin Rhodes, and Shockmaster, vs. Vicious, Vader, and Harlem Heat.
Then, father and son, Dusty and Dustin, join with The Nasty Boys to take on Terry Funk, Arn Anderson, Bunkhouse Buck, and Col. Robert Parker in what turns out to be a hilarious finish.
Disc Three's first War Games match features Hulk Hogan, Macho Man, Lex Luger, and Sting vs. Kamala, Zodiac, Shark, and Meng! Yeah, I know, right?
Then we get some NWO era War Games matches. The first features Hogan, Hall, Nash and 'Mystery Partner' vs. Flair, Anderson, Luger, and Sting.
That match is followed by the War Games match that produced the most emotion I've ever felt in a pro-wrestling event that haunts me to this day: Nash, Bagwell, Syxx, and Konnan vs. Flair, Mongo McMicheal, Chris Benoit, and Curt Hennig.
The following year, 'Diamond' Dallas Paige joins 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper and The Warrior vs. Hogan, Stevie Ray, and Bret Hart vs. Nash, Sting, and Luger. WTF?
Then the last one ever was garbage, sadly enough, featuring Sting, Booker T, Goldberg, and Kronik, vs. Nash, Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner, and the Harris Brothers.
All in all, it was completely worth the purchase. I enjoyed every one of the matches on there, even the last one. There's reasons to enjoy every match, that's for sure.
The WWE War Games DVD is ZombieBloodFights.com approved.
And if you like War Games, you'll love both 'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross'. Both are combat sports-themed books that feature a lucha libre star crossing over into MMA. 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'.
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.
by
Bowie Ibarra
I don't think I'm in the minority here when I say I have been waiting for this dream DVD compilation for years since the McMahon family bought up the entire video library of the many defunct wrestling organizations he soundly crushed with his business plan. Now, he finally put together the complete collection of every War Games: The Match Beyond events on three discs. McMahon and HHH might be sonsabitches, but thank you for finally making this collection.
The discs are narrated by Dusty Rhodes, the man credited with conceiving the event. He details every aspect of the shows, from creation, to construction, to his multiple participations. He's a good 'decompress' from the intensity of each of the matches.
Disc one has the original two from the Great American Bash '87 events, featuring The Four Horsemen, JJ Dillon, The Road Warriors, Dusty Rhodes, Nikita Koloff, Paul Ellering, and War Machine.
Disc One even has the 'Tower of Doom' event, featuring the Road Warriors, Dr. Death, Ron Garvin, Jimmy Garvin against Kevin Sullivan, Mike Rotunda, Al Perez, The Russian Assassin, and Ivan Koloff. Hell, it was the 80s, you had to have commie bastard Russians participating.
The last two on the disc are both War Games matches featuring the same names, but one of the matches includes The Midnight Express, The Freebirds, and the Samoan Swat Team.
Disc Two features a War Games match with Flair, Sid Vicious, Barry Windham, and Larry Zybysko vs. Sting, Pillman, and the Steiners. This is the infamous one where Vicious hurt someone. If you don't know, you need to watch it.
A really good one was next, featuring Sting, Koloff, Dustin Rhodes, Steamboat, and Windham vs. Arn Anderson, Bobby Eaton, Steve Austin (!), Larry Zybysko, and Rick Rude.
Next up is a War Games match featuring Sting, Davey Boy Smith, Dustin Rhodes, and Shockmaster, vs. Vicious, Vader, and Harlem Heat.
Then, father and son, Dusty and Dustin, join with The Nasty Boys to take on Terry Funk, Arn Anderson, Bunkhouse Buck, and Col. Robert Parker in what turns out to be a hilarious finish.
Disc Three's first War Games match features Hulk Hogan, Macho Man, Lex Luger, and Sting vs. Kamala, Zodiac, Shark, and Meng! Yeah, I know, right?
Then we get some NWO era War Games matches. The first features Hogan, Hall, Nash and 'Mystery Partner' vs. Flair, Anderson, Luger, and Sting.
That match is followed by the War Games match that produced the most emotion I've ever felt in a pro-wrestling event that haunts me to this day: Nash, Bagwell, Syxx, and Konnan vs. Flair, Mongo McMicheal, Chris Benoit, and Curt Hennig.
The following year, 'Diamond' Dallas Paige joins 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper and The Warrior vs. Hogan, Stevie Ray, and Bret Hart vs. Nash, Sting, and Luger. WTF?
Then the last one ever was garbage, sadly enough, featuring Sting, Booker T, Goldberg, and Kronik, vs. Nash, Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner, and the Harris Brothers.
All in all, it was completely worth the purchase. I enjoyed every one of the matches on there, even the last one. There's reasons to enjoy every match, that's for sure.
The WWE War Games DVD is ZombieBloodFights.com approved.
And if you like War Games, you'll love both 'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross'. Both are combat sports-themed books that feature a lucha libre star crossing over into MMA. 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'.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 - Brown brings brutality in 'Bigfoot War 5: Planet Sasquatch'
FAST SET UP, VIOLENT BLOODBATH IN SPACE HIGHLIGHT 5TH IN SERIESByBowie V. Ibarra
When you love something, you can never truly let it go.
And that's definitely what Eric S. Brown has done again with his greatest source of inspiration for unbridled mayhem. This time, he brings the fast-paced sci-fi action in Bigfoot War 5: Planet Sasquatch.
With his 'Bigfoot Wars' legacy, he has created a reputation for straight-to-the-point carnage. He sets up the dominoes and knocks them down with all the wild enthusiasm of a madman.
Planet Sasquatch is just like that. Quickly establishing the setting and the characters, the reader is then thrust into another wild battle between humans and Sasquatch as the humans encroach on their territory.
'Bigfoot War 5: Planet Sasquatch' continues in Eric S. Brown's tradition of gory mayhem and brutal battles between man and monster. Brown puts on display yet again his talent for putting together a fun story filled with action and brutality.
If you're a fan of Brown's work, this one will not let you down.
If you have not read one yet, this is a good stand-alone to get you started on Brown's body of 'Bigfoot' work.
And if you love wild action and adventure stories as well, pick up Bowie Ibarra's latest, Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull in paperback or Kindle today. It's a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite', that finds the hero looking to find the answers to stop a plague of the living dead from consuming south Texas.
If you enjoyed this blog entry, then support Bowie by picking up this title or many of his others today in paperback or Kindle.
===========
BOWIE V. IBARRA is a Texas author living in San Antonio. He has a BFA in Acting and a MA in Theatre History. Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
When you love something, you can never truly let it go.
And that's definitely what Eric S. Brown has done again with his greatest source of inspiration for unbridled mayhem. This time, he brings the fast-paced sci-fi action in Bigfoot War 5: Planet Sasquatch.
With his 'Bigfoot Wars' legacy, he has created a reputation for straight-to-the-point carnage. He sets up the dominoes and knocks them down with all the wild enthusiasm of a madman.
Planet Sasquatch is just like that. Quickly establishing the setting and the characters, the reader is then thrust into another wild battle between humans and Sasquatch as the humans encroach on their territory.
'Bigfoot War 5: Planet Sasquatch' continues in Eric S. Brown's tradition of gory mayhem and brutal battles between man and monster. Brown puts on display yet again his talent for putting together a fun story filled with action and brutality.
If you're a fan of Brown's work, this one will not let you down.
If you have not read one yet, this is a good stand-alone to get you started on Brown's body of 'Bigfoot' work.
And if you love wild action and adventure stories as well, pick up Bowie Ibarra's latest, Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull in paperback or Kindle today. It's a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite', that finds the hero looking to find the answers to stop a plague of the living dead from consuming south Texas.
If you enjoyed this blog entry, then support Bowie by picking up this title or many of his others today in paperback or Kindle.
===========
BOWIE V. IBARRA is a Texas author living in San Antonio. He has a BFA in Acting and a MA in Theatre History. Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
