Editorials
Black Friday Chopping List: Toys
| MOVIES | GAMES | TV | MUSIC | TOYS |
Happy Thanksgiving week everyone! As many of you probably already know, that means Black Friday is right around the corner. While stores aren’t necessarily as packed as they used to be thanks to online deals and events like Cyber Monday, Black Friday is nonetheless a very stressful and busy day for some people. There are just so many deals out there! I don’t know about any of you, but I choose to stay out of the brick-and-mortar stores and stick to online shopping in my pajamas at my home. Here is a list of some of the must-have horror toys that we think you should consider purchasing this Black Friday!
Penny Dreadful CLUE (Penny Dreadful)
If you’ve never watched Penny Dreadful, you’re really missing out, but that’s an argument for another post. Showtime has gifted us with a Penny Dreadful game of Clue, and it couldn’t be more glorious. You know how Monopoly has a bunch of different editions themed after different movies, shows and themes? Parker Bros. should really do that with Clue and horror movies. They’ve got a Simpsons edition and even a Big Bang Theory edition, but it would probably boost sales put out more horror-themed editions.
From Showtime:
Mina Murray has been killed and the murderer remains at large– lurking in the darkest corners of Victorian London. In this classic mystery game of CLUE: Penny Dreadful, it’s up to you to uncover the clues and find out WHO killed Mina, WHERE they killed her, and with WHAT weapon. Was it Dorian Gray with a Syringe at the London Zoo? Or was it Vanessa Ives in Ferdinand Lyle’s Mansion with Arsenic? 6 Suspects: Vanessa Ives, Sir Malcolm Murray, Dorian Gray, Brona Croft, Ethan Chandler and Victor Frankenstein Custom Sculpted Weapons: Pistol, Syringe, Tarot Cards, Arsenic, Handkerchief, and Sword Cane Beautifully illustrated game board represents locations from the show set in 1891 London Movers & Personality Cards Intrigue Cards – 24 card deck comprised of 16 action cards and 8 tarot cards Clue Sheet & Envelope Instructions
Betrayal at House On the Hill
If you’ve got an hour to spare and at least two friends nearby, play this game. There are fifty different ways the game can play out and they all involve some truly horrific events. It’s a must-have party game for any horror fan.
From the Manufacturer:
The creak of footsteps on the stairs, the smell of something foul and dead, the feel of something crawling down your back – this and more can be found in the exciting refresh of the Avalon Hill favorite Betrayal at House on the Hill. This fun and suspenseful game is a new experience almost every time you play – you and your friends explore “that creepy old place on the hill” until enough mystic misadventures happen that one of the players turns on all of the others. Hours of fun for all your friends and family. Designed for 3–6 players aged 12 and up, this board game features multiple scenarios, a different lay-out with every game, and enough chills to freeze the heart of any horror fan.
Bat Gremlin (Gremlins 2: The New Batch)
This guy won’t be in stock on Amazon until March, so now is your chance to pre-order it before they sell out!
From NECA:
One of the most requested Gremlins figures of all time is finally here! Our latest deluxe action figure from Gremlins 2: The New Batch is the spectacular Bat Gremlin, with a massive wingspan of nearly 18 inches. This detailed re-creation of the puppet seen in Gremlins 2 is fully articulated, including hinged ears, hinged jaw, and jointed arms that allow the wings to spread open and fold closed! At approximately 6 inches tall, it’s perfectly in scale with our previous Gremlins action figures, too. Comes with a “flight” display stand.
Freddy Krueger Potato Head (A Nightmare On Elm Street)
If you’re a horror fan with kids, then this is the perfect present for them! They even have a Jason one. Who says you can’t start ’em early?
Life-Size Xenomorph Egg (Alien)
This one is a real steal at only $600 on Amazon! In all seriousness though, it’s a pretty nifty toy. If you’ve got the cash, this would make for a fantastic addition to your home décor.
From NECA:
Transform any room into a deadly alien breeding ground with this Life Size Xenomorph Egg — complete with its own eerie lighting and life size facehugger! As seen in the 1986 horror classic Aliens, this full-sized replica stands almost 36” tall, and articulated flaps with a wire armature allow you to actually open the top folds of the egg. The included full-size facehugger has a bendable tail, so you can pose it anywhere… waiting to drop on unsuspecting prey from overhead, or simply lurking inside the egg. The Life Size Xenomorph Egg is made of detailed, hand-painted foam and stands on its own. A switch activates the LED lights inside the base to create a menacing, otherworldly glow effect. Requires 3 AAA batteries, not included.
Friday the 13th 25th Anniversary Boxed Set (Friday the 13th)
This guy is about 10 years old, so he’s a little pricey. You can buy him on Amazon though. The set comes with sack-head Jason from Friday the 13th Part 2, along with Mrs. Voorhees and her severed head.
8-Bit Jason (Friday the 13th)
Once upon a time, there was a Friday the 13th video game, and it was terrible. This action figure isn’t terrible though!
From Toys on Fire:
Based on his appearance in the classic Friday the 13th video game, released in 1989 for the popular 8-bit home console, Jason stands 7″ and has over 25 points of articulation for great poses. The figure comes with machete, axe, harpoon gun and removable mask, plus new mother’s head accessory. New paint deco reproduces the game’s pixilated look. And not only does the window box packaging re-create the look and feel of the classic video game cartridge box, lift the front flap and it plays music from the game, too!
Jason Mug (Friday the 13th)
This mug is a magic mug. It gets a picture as it gets hotter! It makes for a perfect gift for any coffee (or tea) drinkers out there!
From Entertainment Earth:
Prepare for the day everyone fears…with a nice, warm cup of coffee. This 11 oz. Friday the 13th Jason Voorhees Morphing Mug transforms from black to full color as hot liquid is added! Watch as the heat-activated process reveals a hidden image of Jason in vivid colors. Hand wash only. Not safe for dishwasher or microwave. Measures approximately 3 3/4-inches tall x 3 1/8-inches in diameter.
Shaun and Ed (Shaun of the Dead)
These adorable figurines will make an excellent addition to your horror-comedy shelf. Wait, you don’t have one of those? Well time to make one, and what better way to start with these guys?
Freddy Krueger Syringe Glove (A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors)
Freddy’s razor glove gets all the attention, but there was a time when he turned his razor hands into syringes, and it was awesome. Now you can get the replica of that glove and show up your friends who dressed as mere regular ol’ Freddy Kruegers on Halloween!
From Entertainment Earth:
- Wear the syringe glove from A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors!
- Features articulated fingers and syringes that light-up in blue.
- Makes for a great addition to your Freddy Halloween costume!
From A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, it’s the Nightmare on Elm Street Freddy Krueger Syringe Glove! This glove inspired by the horror movie features copper metallic articulated fingers and plastic syringes that light up in blue. The plastic glove features a copper metallic paint deco. Whether you want to use these as part of a Halloween costume or as display at home, you’ll love the realistic replication of the Nightmare on Elm Street Freddy Krueger Syringe Glove! Requires 3x “AG13/LR44” batteries (included). Ages 17 and up.
Demon Sam Statue (Trick ‘r Treat)
He walks! He stalks! He’s also adorable! Buy little Sam to make an excellent desk decoration for anyone’s desk.
From Entertainment Earth:
Decorate your desk at work or home with the Trick ‘r Treat Sam Animated Table Top Statue. This 8-inch tall plush statue of the burlap-sack-wearing Sam actually walks and plays music and audio taken from the horror movie Trick ‘r Treat! Just press the button on his left foot and watch him go! The exterior of the statue is plush. Ages 17 and up.
What are some horror-themed toys you’ve seen out there that you just have to have? Let us know in the comments below or shoot me a Tweet!
The problem with filming sequels back-to-back is that, unless you can afford expensive reshoots, there’s no easy way to adjust course in between movies if fans react badly to where the story is headed. That’s why it’s important to have a complete narrative thought out well in advance lest you accidentally kill a budding franchise.
However, this isn’t always the case. Every once in a while, it seems like the cinema gods smile upon certain chaotic productions and gift moviegoers with complete franchises that feel like more than the sum of their hastily produced parts. Ted Nicolaou’s Bloodlust: Subspecies III is precisely one of these miraculous pictures, with the raw talents of the artists involved (as well as the continued support from Romania) turning the feature into an effective conclusion for a series that kind of made things up as the filmmakers went along.
That’s why I’d like to invite my fellow readers to join me on this third part of our journey through the Subspecies franchise as we look into Bloodlust and talk about how it remains a surprisingly satisfying finale to the original trilogy.
A Trilogy Planned on the Fly
Released only a year after Bloodstone found plenty of success in rental stores and mail-in VHS catalogues worldwide, 1994’s Bloodlust was produced at the same time as its predecessor in (mostly) the same locations and with the same team. This means that the movie benefited from all the same upgrades as Bloodstone, with the crew now being more experienced with the ins and outs of surviving a low-budget Romanian production and the cast really settling into their characters.
At this point, everything from location scouting to the makeup process had been streamlined, with Wayne Toth and Norman Cabrera, the main duo behind special effects, even switching out time-consuming prosthetics for latex gloves in order to speed up Anders Hove’s monstrous transformation. The titular “subspecies” demons were also once again relegated to a mere cameo appearance due to the laborious puppetry required to bring them to life.
The only real hiccup came from the fact that actress Denice Duff had replaced the first film’s Michelle (Laura Mae Tate) and was immediately expected to portray the character as both an innocent victim in part II and as a secondary villain in part III. According to behind-the-scenes interviews, the hectic production schedule that blended two different movies meant that Duff would often find herself having to alternate between two incredibly different versions of Michelle during the same shooting day – though it’s obvious that she’s having more fun with Bloodlust’s more traditionally vampiric version of her character.
In the finished film, we pick things up immediately where the previous entry left off as Rebecca (Melanie Shatner) is forced to leave her vampire sister Michelle (Duff) behind in the dungeons of Castle Vladislav due to the rising sun. This allows Mummy (Pamela Gordon) to use Michelle’s blood to revive the vicious Radu (Hove) so that he may continue his quest for the coveted Bloodstone – a magical artifact that perpetually drips the Blood of Saints.
Meanwhile, the dreamy US embassy agent Mel (Kevin Blair) agrees to help Rebecca plan a rescue mission, though they’re unaware that Radu has become infatuated with Michelle during his attempts to guide her growing bloodlust. This all culminates in a climactic confrontation meant to tie up all of the series’ loose ends in one of Full Moon Pictures’ most ambitious productions.
The Evolution of Radu
Like its predecessor, Bloodlust: Subspecies III was also warmly received by fans who argued that the series was an even bigger success than Full Moon’s other major horror franchise, Puppet Master. This praise wasn’t unanimous, however, as 1994 had seen the rise of a more modern breed of sexy vampire popularized by Anne Rice, with old-school Nosferatu like Radu being viewed as obsolete when compared to the likes of Lestat and Gary Oldman’s take on Dracula.
In a way, one might argue that Nicolaou’s film is something of a swan song for the classic vampire story, as Bloodlust combines all of the traditional elements we tend to associate with these tales into a single tragic yarn that ties a neat little bow on Radu’s story as well as the old-fashioned monster movies that he represents. The finale remains shocking despite the fact that this is the third time we see Radu get brutally killed onscreen, with the brief tease that he may one day return feeling more like a nod towards the nature of evil rather than sequel bait.
The film dabbles a bit in gothic romance and even explores the inherent power fantasy behind transforming into an immortal creature of the night, but the filmmakers never lose sight of Radu as a demonic force even when he’s willing to betray his beloved Mummy for Michelle’s sake. In fact, his twisted “love” for his fledgling makes him even creepier as we get the feeling that his passion comes from a dark and disturbing place.
Anders Hove is at his absolute best in this film, with the effects department boosting his moments of what the younger generation would call “aura farming” whenever Radu emerges from shadows like a 90s version of Count Orlok. There are even a couple of surprisingly effective jump-scares here, which is why I’d argue that Bloodlust cements Radu as one of the most memorable cinematic vampires of all time despite his humble origins.
Subspecies Saves Its Best For Last
Nicolaou and Vlad Panescu also saved the best for “last” (more on that in a bit) regarding the film’s visuals, with the cinematography and overall atmosphere of Bloodlust absolutely surpassing what we saw in the previous films. Everything feels appropriately climactic this time around (including the wonderful soundtrack that was co-composed alongside an authentic Romanian orchestra), and I appreciate how this is the fastest-paced entry in the trilogy since the film doesn’t need to waste time setting anything up.
Bloodlust still suffers from some of the same low-budget blemishes as its predecessors, but there’s so much creative passion here that no amount of wonky effects work or stilted dialogue can get in the way of appreciating the flick’s gothic grandeur. That’s why it’s not surprising that the movie’s definitive(-ish) ending would later be retconned as fans begged for more Radu.
Of course, the next entry in this series would be a different kind of vampiric endeavor altogether, with the filmmakers attempting to engage with the same trends that ultimately killed Radu and his antiquated kin. That, however, is a story for another time. For now, I’ll merely insist that Bloodlust: Subspecies III remains a highlight of Full Moon’s expansive catalogue and is definitely worth seeking out today.
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