I have two things to share with all of you. One isn't important, and the other has the potential to be very important. These bits of information flow into each other, so I'll share the not-so-important one first. I don't have anything of substance for you this evening. I know that even the best bloggers don't post everyday; after all, it's not like this is a job or anything (although I'm still hopeful.) It's just that things were on a roll between myself and Daffy's writing, so not giving you the same excellence you've received over the past two weeks feels like a bit of a cheat. The potentially life-changing news is this: I didn't write an article tonight because I've been working on something very special for The Haunted Drive-in: its very own Youtube Channel! Before you all break out in a chorus of "So what?" let me say that I know it's not hard to create one. But, what is hard is finding the right content to fit this blog and entertain our readers. I've been searching the net for hours, trying to bring you videos that best encompass the feel of what we're trying to do here, which is celebrating the scary, the silly, and the sublimely cheesy. This Youtube Channel is an exciting new way to do that. We don't have any original content just yet, although I've got some ideas brewing in the cobwebbed cauldron that is my mind, and I'm sure Daffy does too. However, what you will find are several different playlists devoted to things that have received due mention on this website, including vintage commercials for nostalgic horror-related toys, trailers for classic horror and grindhouse films (as well as the amusing fake trailers from the motion picture event Grindhouse), and loads of intermission countdown clocks, PSAs, snack bar ads, interstitial cartoons, and title card stipes. In the near future, we plan to add some of our favorite theatrical cartoons from the Warner Bros. and Disney studios, trailers for horror and science fiction films grouped by category (slasher, ghost story, etc.), and creative videos from other YouTubers that show us the best and worst horror has to offer, as well as our own original content. It's going to be a big undertaking finding all the random clips we're currently searching for, but we're extremely excited about the end result. If you know of some great vids on YouTube or elsewhere online that we don't already have in our playlists, let us know! Intermission reels, cartoons, movie trailers, segments from TV horror host shows, anything! Whatever would fit the spirit of The Haunted Drive-in is welcome. Just remember: the scary, the silly, and the sublimely cheesy. Enjoy, and prepare to lose a few hours watching all this stuff. Here's a taste of what you'll find at our channel:
(Please note: some of the content is meant for mature viewers, and caution should be used when deciding to view some of the grindhouse trailers. We present them as they are in the spirit of "the preservation of exploitation.")
It's a great time to be a fan of horror comics. While things are still hit-or-miss at the movie theater, those of us who read the funnies are being treated to some of the most entertaining, disgusting, and inventive creepfests since before the Code cracked down on the genre back in the 1950s. Mike Mignola has been expanding his Hellboy universe, Batman is getting back to his Gothic roots, and all kinds of new characters and stories are invading the comic shops. When Marvel makes Spider-Man a flesh-hungry monster who's eaten his Aunt May, it's difficult to wonder how things can get much better. Of course, those mentioned above are well-established heroes with respectable fanbases either receiving a fresh bloody twist or just getting deeper into their weird world. Where's the truly original stuff?
(Editor's Note: I'd like to introduce you all to the newest Team Member of The Haunted Drive-in. Alright, the only Team Member. Richard Rodriguez, also known as Daffy, is my first writing partner in this project and will be contributing to the site regularly. This is his first post. Enjoy, and comment! -Rabbi) Do you remember the 90s? Remember a certain fad that was sweeping the nation involving small plushy teddy bears that were basically the same bear painted different colors over and over and sold by the hundreds? What you're remembering, along with the soul crushing realization that none of those hundreds that you bought will be worth any money in your lifetime, are the Beanie Babies. They were little, soft toys that came as many different animals, but mostly bears, and they were based entirely around the marketing idea that little girls will buy anything cute. Well, I'm not talking about those today. The toys I'm talking about are based on the marketing idea "What if Beanie Babies were butch, gross, juvenile, and hilarious?" Meet the Meanies:
Sometimes, we forget what a great experience going to the movies can be. Even with stadium seating and state-of-the-art sound systems, most every movie theater equates to sitting in a big black box. There's nothing wrong with the latest and greatest, but sometimes, even when everyone there is enjoying what's on the screen, they seem to be enjoying it alone. Tonight, I organized a get-together for my circle of friends. With popcorn and soda on hand, we rented out the private movie theater for our own double feature event. I'd been planning this for weeks. The movies weren't exactly horror or sci-fi. Alright, we went with Harrison Ford: first was Raiders of the Lost Ark and then The Fugitive because, well, why not? Not everything worked the way I wanted it to (I hoped to have a 10-minute intermission reel with old drive-in stipes between the films; the DVD wouldn't play), but I still had the most excellent cinematic experience I'd had in a long time. We laughed at the jokes, we gasped at the cliff-hangers, we mocked the villains. It was like the old days, when going to see the newest Disney cartoon practically guaranteed a shared happy memory. Ever since early man first told stories around a campfire, people have gathered together to see and hear tales unfold before them. The movies are the perfect way to bond with friends and family, in the right setting and with the right attitude. There were two dozen people at my apartment tonight, and all of them had ideas about what the next double feature should be. I honestly don't think I stand a chance of slipping in any flicks that would fit my blog (half my friends are girls who startle easy, and the guys, while being steadfast bros, find my more morbid tastes "weird"), but you can bet the Bates Motel that we'll be doing this again, and often. Maybe an all-day marathon of the Harry Potter series in order to gear up for the final film's release this summer. I'm down. I wasn't yet born when the original Star Wars film first opened in theaters, but my mother tells me that she went to see it back in the day. When Han Solo reappeared at the climax to aid Luke in destroying the Death Star, the entire crowd apparently applauded, cheered, and half of them stood up like they were at a sporting event. Movies shouldn't be a private thing. Movies are meant to be shared, and enjoyed, and experienced. Not just watched. Hmm, Star Wars counts as classic sci-fi. Looks like this post is relevant after all. And hey, Han Solo was played by Harrison Ford! Can that man bring people together or what?
Many simple pleasures have been destroyed due to the arrival of better technologies: letter-writing, playing outside, all-day cooking. It was less than 20 years ago that the only way to find answers to questions both crucial and trivial was to read a book. Now, it takes approximately 3 seconds to pull things up on Google. Thanks to iPhones, people are connected 24/7. Nothing takes effort anymore. Video and computer games keep children inside with a mountain of junk food. At least when we burned our brains on cartoons Saturday morning, they were usually done by noon, at which point my mother would shoo me into the Great Outdoors to play, discover, and yes, learn. The pre-internet and cell phone years had their problems, sure, but things definitely seemed more idyllic. Now, one could blame all of this on nostalgia, the fact that being children made us less aware of society's issues, and any other number of things. And to a point that's true. I certainly didn't know what a recession meant when I was 10, nor did I care. I just knew that the weekend was mine, and my buddies and I were going to discover hidden treasure like in The Goonies.
), and loads of intermission countdown clocks, PSAs, snack bar ads, interstitial cartoons, and title card stipes.
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