The Neubauten thing was more about the iconography of the leather jacket circa 1987 than anything musical. There was a kind of orthodoxy in the arrangement of the signifiers, like badges in the military—particular panels were reserved for particular bands and Neubauten was a part of that. Other bands that made that…

I can't imagine ever watching it a second time but boy did I love it when I saw it. It helps that I saw it one weekend afternoon on IFC and based on the description (and the other Japanese fare they had been showing) was expecting a straightforward, if campily dated haunted house movie—something like 'Burnt Offerings'…

William Katt also appeared in the new Perry Mason TV movies, um, believe it or not…

Just to get it out there…
Maybe I don't know Danzig or The Misfits as well as I could, but they always struck me as fairly humorless—which is especially ironic considering how funny their GothMacho posturing can be (and yes, I know the term Goth means different things today than it did in the 80's). I'd say the same…

"ten pages of dialog really should be confined to a little thing we used to call prose"

Waitaminnit—are you calling Lobsters a troll? I don't always agree with him but he's genuine and consistent and he's always been entirely himself. What's troll about that?

Andy Partridge is getting a reality show?
That's a bit unexpected, but I bet it'll be quaint and literary, with a touch of that dry British, humor we've come to expect from him.

Or developing another reality show (or howzabout wrestling? that's science fictiony right?). Don't networks want to set themselves apart anymore?

Until Fox extends its prime time schedule to 11:00 PM, they will never be one of the big three (I say even as it's possibly the only major network I ever watch anymore). Also, bring back Arsenio!

That may be the single most atypical episode of 'Mad Men' ever. At its best the show is a series of witty exchanges and emotionally charged set pieces bathed in the dramatic irony that comes from watching with 45 years of 20/20 hindsight. But most of what "happens" on the show seems to take place between episodes or…

I have an HDTV but I won't upgrade my cable package either. I can watch Netflix streaming and Bluray in HD—so I can appreciate it when it matters, but I have a hard time believing that it matters all that often.

'The Blob' in all its iterations is pretty great. The original has Steve McQueen and that hip theme song (cowritten by Burt Bacharach). The second has crusty hippies and was directed by J.R. Ewing. And of course the third—wait why do we like the third one again? Kevin Dillon's mullet? Okay, that'll do.

It doesn't have to be either/or: slow Zombies and fast Zombies each have their own narrative advantages. I tend to prefer slow ones for the reason Joel describes, but there's a whole different kind of exhilaration to be had from a raging horde approaching at top speed.

Couple of things—

"Any suggestions for scenes in non-horror movies that are pretty scary?"

Zugzwang—I mention that fellating bugbear scene below. It and a lot of what goes on in 'Jacob's Ladder' are examples of the kind of irrational imagery that I think make the most effective Horror, because they defy context and explanation and seem to come from nightmares directly.

I dispute that, though. For one thing, real threats can be averted. The only thing that "couldn't" happen in 'Halloween' for example, is the apparent indestructability of Michael Myers (A maniacal spree killer with a knife—China's had several over the past year who SPECIALIZED IN SCHOOL CHILDREN). Sure it's scary…

I was really impressed by 'Session 9', especially since I didn't exactly have high hopes for it (David Caruso—what can I say?). But as soon as I saw that it was set in an abandoned Kirkbride Building (which see) I was along for the ride. It helps that the one they shot it in is Danvers State Hospital ( http://www.kirk…

Look! My pet narcoleptic goat's back! Is it weird that I was starting to miss it?

Oh and I want to second the recommendation for the original 'Carnival of Souls' too. I just saw that for the first time about a month ago and while I'd say it falls into that category of Horror that is more generally creepy than outright scary, it has a kind of overall hypnotic, poetic effect. And from what I…