Abraxas' 1st annual "Crypto" marathon

[abraxas]

Got the idea for this marathon from my baby The only downside is that the following list contains two very bad movies. The marathon is based on what is known as Cryptozoology, which is basically the study of creatures that are said not to exist..........but possibly do

The Abominable List:

1. 13th Child: Legend of the Jersey Devil
2. Abominable
3. The Mothman Prophecies
4. SkinWalker
5. The Village
6. Harry and the Hendersons


13TH CHILD

A horrible moves, loosely.....Im mean really loosely based on the Jersey Devil legend. They basically use the name and the places associated with the legend but everything else was made up for the film. According to this move the Jersey Devil is a Hugh creature who is responsible for dozens of death throughout the past two hundred years within the Pine Barrens of South Jersey. Shot on video with some pretty bad acting in places, it stars Robert Guillaume (Benson). The myth featured in this movies is of the 13th child of a Shaman, a member of a shape shifting Indian clan, who was hung by the British.

There are two saving graces for this movie, the first is that it was actually filmed in the Pine Barrens. The second is the little documentary that is included in the DVD which gives the facts concerning the legend of the Jersey Devil.

For anyone interested you can read the basic legend here
www.cryptozoology.com/glossary/glossary_topic.php?id=44

[abraxas]

6:30 am

ABOMINABLE

I wasn't sure about this movie when I found it, it was being sold for only like 5 bucks so I figured what the hell, I wasn't expecting too much but soon found myself pleasantly surprised. Based on the reviews I read on other films that dealt with the topic of the Abominable Snowman, which all got terrible reviews, this one was actually pretty good.

The film is a genre fans delight, featuring appearances by Jeffery Combs, Paul Gleason, Dee Wallace and Lance Hendrixen. A man returns to his home in the woods after his wife died some months earlier in a mountain climbing accident. There is a definite nod to Alfred Hitchcock in that the main character is bound by a wheelchair, and spends all his time looking out his window with a pair of binoculars. What he sees is the three girls next door being taken out one by one by the creature.

There are some really cool gore effects in this, including a shot of a guy literally getting his face bitten off by the monster.

Though many have heard the name "Abominable Snowman" most aren't familiar with its actual origins, if anyone is interested in discovering this, you can visit the link below
www.cryptozoology.com/glossary/glossary_topic.php?id=11

[abraxas]

8:25

THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES

This particular film is very different from the others in that some of the things that happen in it, actually occurred in real life, this being the bridge that collapsed in 1967, taking the lives of 46 people (36 in the film). It is also different in that it lends itself to many different interpretations. I first came upon the movie on a list of Gnostic-like films, and so when I saw the movie I got out of it, what I brought to it, which is the sign of any good story.

There are suggestions in the film which could lead the viewer to believe that perhaps the creature is a being from another world, literally an alien. There is a bit of a subliminal suggestion of this in one scene where the main character slams a door shut, and for a frame or two you can see a face in the mirror, a face with big black eyes.

Movies like The Mothman Prophecies are great in that it allows you to experience the movie like its the first time each time you watch it, I have the ability with most of the movies I have seen more then a few times, to let it effect me the same way it did the first time seeing it. It helps of course with movies that lend themselves to more then one interpretation......as for mine.

"A characteristic feature of the Gnostic conception of the universe is the role played in almost all Gnostic systems by the seven world-creating archons, known as the Hebdomad. These Seven, then, are in most systems semi-hostile powers, and are reckoned as the last and lowest emanations of the Godhead; below them—and frequently considered as derived from them—comes the world"

In this context what the "Leaks" character says to Richard Gears character is taken as the basis. When he asks "Why is this happening to me" Leaks answers, "Because you notice them, and they notice that you noticed them"

The archons also have the task of keeping the souls imprisoned within the material world by blocking its ascent beyond the planetary spheres, which are viewed as being gates of sorts, or levels of consciousness which the soul must transcend in order to get to the original source. Perhaps the beings in the film are sending out a warning to the characters, who are noticing things that they should not be seeking answers to.

The Mothman prophecies is quite profound, perhaps the main thing that it is asking, once again provided by the Leaks character, "There comes a point when you must ask yourself, which is more important, knowing the truth, or just living."

Richard Gears character gives the only answer you would expect from a "Gnostic" movie......"Did you ever need to know (gnosis)"

To which Leak replies...."We're not allowed to know"

For the basic legend see link below
www.cryptozoology.com/glossary/glossary_topic.php?id=307

[GL]

Unless we're talking about different films, SkinWalker is a werewolf movie. Not exactly what you consider it to be included, but I think that's a straight-up werewolf film.

And just so we're on the same page, and as I won't be in until Monday to answer, it's directed by James Isaac. If it's from him, then you're watching a werewolf movie.

[abraxas]

10:30

SKINWALKER: Curse of the Shaman

Excuse my French but I think Ive found the shittiest movie ever made, yes its yet another Blair Witch ripoff (or sorry Cannibal Holocaust ripoff). Filmed on a camcorder, probably the same one seen in the movie. This a movie with actors who really should not be acting, probably the worse acting Ive ever seen in a horror movie, and Ive seen my share of bad acting in horror.

Like so many of these types of films they try and get a well known star or celebrity in the fin to try and give it some legitimacy, no they didn't get Peter Cushing, like in Star Wars or Donald Pleasance like in Halloween....unfortunately....no they got "Scotty" from Star Trek, who is about 100 years old in this film

I think he might have actually been senile at the time, you could hardly understand a word he was saying, this just might win as the worse movie ever committed to film......well to hard drive at least


OH MY GOD THIS MOVIE SUCKS

GL

Nope, directed by Steve Stevens Jr, appears to be based on the Big Foot legend......not that it matters as the movie is absolutely horrible.

[abraxas]

11:45

THE VILLAGE

A lot of rumors were circulating during the time the movie was being produced, most of these concerned what exactly the movie would be about. All that was known was that it would be about a local legend, one associated with the place where the movie would be filmed, that of Pennsylvania. This fact lead many to speculate that the movie might be about the Jersey Devil, unfortunately it wasn't.

I included the film in my marathon because even though its not based on a specific legend or myth it does fit the criteria for such films. A small village is held in fear of some kind of beast that lives in the woods on the borders of their town. The children are warned not to enter the woods where the creatures live, and even though most of them have never actually seen any proof of their existence, they have obeyed this law. That is until now, for the creatures have started to venture into the village.

[abraxas]

1:26

HARRY AND THE HENDERSONS

Boy does this bring back memories, I first saw this movie when it first came on cable, HBO I believe. This was around the time when I first started to visit my sister here in Florida, I would g back and forth several times before movie here permanently. I must have watched it about 6 times that summer and it never failed to get me all weepy at the end.....hey I was young.

Harry was played by Kevin Peter Hall, who of course also played the Predator, this being filmed just after the first Predator film. It stars John Lithgow, with Big Foot effects created Rick Baker.

This is only my second time watching the DVD, not including listening to the commentary, since I got it about five months ago. Its a great movie but it never really got the admiration that it deserves, among Big Foot movies however its probably the most well known, second only perhaps to The Legend of Boggy Creek

Watching it now feels just like the first time all those years ago.

Just hope I can keep from this time

[GL]

That actually sounds pretty good. I'll have to look for it.

Though that does raise another question about this marathon: you've got three bigfoot films (and one that's not even a horror film) yet nothing about Nessie? You don't have any of hers in here, and she ought to have been included.

[abraxas]

Well it was just a marathon about cryptids regardless of what type of movie it may be, I simply don't have any movies about the Lockness monster, didn't even know there were any.

Do yourself a big favor don't buy that movie

[GL]

I want to, as I'm attracted to utter shit more than I am what would be considered 'quality.' Usually those focus on what I like (blood/gore, boobs and action) and skip over what I could care less about (technical skill/competence, acting, budgetary constraints) so that stuff appeals to me highly.

There's been a few actually about the Loch Ness Monster:

The following, which are horror films-
The Loch Ness Horror
Beyond Loch Ness
Beneath Loch Ness

There's even a drama-
Loch Ness

And just for kicks, a cartoon-
Scooby-Doo and the Loch Ness Monster

Not a popular creature, apparently, but still one with a few films floating out there.