Watch Your Butt - There’re Gators in the Sewer!

So let’s say that you’ve seen Jaws more than a couple of times and are looking to experience the story of how bigwig officials put the almighty dollar ahead of the safety of the citizens they are supposed to represent, but just aren’t in the mood for Roy Scheider, sharks, or any of that Stephen Spielberg nonsense.  What are you going to do?  Well, thanks to writer/director Paul Dale, you can sit back and “enjoy” Sewer Gators.

Beasts, Monsters, and Mayhem Abound As Film Movement Plus Delivers Even More Freaky Fifties Films

Holy cow! Film Movement Plus just recently started screening a treasure trove of 1950s science fiction favorites, and now the SVOD service is delivering an astonishing assortment of creature features and other oddities sure to delight Uphill Both Ways listeners and readers! Following is the official press announcement.

Film Movement Plus’ cinematic invasion continues, as the SVOD service streams and beams 12 new DRIVE-IN RETRO CLASSICS into homes and devices across Planet Earth. Joining such previously launched classics as THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS and ROCKETSHIP X-M are unforgettable ‘50s-era gems in the categories of “Beasts”, “Monsters” and “Mayhem (The Films of Ed Wood)”. Utilizing the best available elements and transfers, these unforgettable classics hailing from the Golden Age of Cinema have never looked better!

 

This week’s cinematic drop features some of the best of the worst films ever made, including THE BEAST OF YUCCA FLATS, BELA LUGOSI MEETS A BROOKLYN GORILLA, MESA OF LOST WOMEN, ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES, TEENAGE MONSTER and a trio of Ed Wood classics including GLEN AND GLENDA and the legendary and infamous PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE about which Widgett Walls of NeedCoffee.com said “It's mind-numbingly brilliant in its overwhelming, soul-destroying badness.”

"The Boys Are Back in Town"

Episode #121

Guess who just got back today? / Them wild-eyed boys that'd been away / Haven't changed, had much to say / But man, I still think them cats are crazy… That's right! Mike and Joseph are back! New shorter length! New intro and outro music! Same old men! It's a little bit of this and that, some catching up, and A CONTEST! This very special episode of Uphill Both Ways is brought to you by Red Barn! How about another exclamation point?!

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/whenitwascool/Uphill_Both_Ways_121_The_Boys_Are_Back_in_Town.mp3

"Horror Channel Unlocks THE VINTAGE VAULT Again This June"

Uphill Both Ways listeners know that your friendly interwebs-neighbors and podcast co-hosts Mike and Joseph love classic horror movies and monsters of all shapes and sizes, and U.K.-based creature feature lovers are in for a treat this June because Horror Channel once again serves up a fantastic array of just such films from the 1950s! Laboratory-created monsters brought to life by mad scientists? Check! Oversized oddities wreaking havoc on an unsuspecting populace? Check! No matter your preference on how such beasts spring to life, there’s something on this bill for creature feature fans of all stripes! Check out the official press announcement that follows.

This June, Horror Channel once again journeys into the history of genre cinema with THE VINTAGE VAULT, presenting double-bills of classic sci-fi and horror films every Sunday night.

 

The vault is unlocked on Sunday June 5th with Nathan Juran’s Ray Harryhausen inspired 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH. This is paired with Fred F. Sears’ rampaging alien bird yarn THE GIANT CLAW. Then on Sunday June 12th, we have THE MONOLITH MONSTERS, in which the world is attacked by thirsty giant crystals, followed by the beastly mutant classic THE DEADLY MANTIS.

 

On Sunday June 19th, the brilliantly lurid THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1957), directed by Terence Fisher, hits our screens, followed by drive-in favourite THE BLOB, starring Steve McQueen. Finally on Sunday June 26th, a Terence Fisher double-bill as the hypnotically sensual and gory DRACULA (1958) swoops onto the channel. This adaptation of Bram Stoker’s classic launched Cushing and Christopher Lee into global stardom. This is followed by Fisher’s equally successful adaptation of the classic Universal monster movies, THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN, again starring the incomparable Peter Cushing.

 

Full film details in transmission order:

"Attack of the Retro Drive-In Classics" This May!

If you listen to the UBW podcast - or even just poke around the site here, you are probably aware that both Joseph and Mike grew up watching retro sci-fi and monster movies. From "Dracula" to "King Kong" and "The Day the Earth Stood Still" to "The Time Machine", they still get excited when they have a chance to watch the classics.  So imagine their glee when the following press release came across their metaphorical desk:

THIS MAY ON FILM MOVEMENT PLUS!

THE SVOD PLATFORM OPENS THE VAULTS WIDE FOR A FULL-SCALE INVASION OF GENRE GEMS OF  YESTERYEAR WITH TWO DOZEN SCI-TASTIC CLASSICS!

Unidentified Fears of the Unknown and Deep Space Are on Tap This Week, With the Premieres of 12 Films – All From the Best Available Broadcast Elements for Optimal Viewing --  Including THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS (1958), DEVIL GIRL FROM MARS (1953), ROCKETSHIP X-M (1950) and the Landmark THINGS TO COME (1930) 

New York, NY (May 20, 2022) – This May, look to the sky, as Film Movement Plus is invaded…by the genre gems of yesteryear! Beginning Friday, May 20, the SVOD platform will welcome two dozen “Retro Drive-in Classics” spanning the thematic categories of “Aliens”, “Space”, “Beasts”, “Monsters” and “Mayhem (The Films of Ed Wood)”. Utilizing the best available elements and transfers, these unforgettable classics hailing from the Golden Age of Cinema have never looked better!

 

Spaced invaders and giant alien brains are on tap with the first wave of the invasion featuring “Aliens” and “Space”, and includes such unforgettable drive-in era shockers as THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS, DEVIL GIRL FROM MARS, THE COSMIC MAN, DESTINATION MOON, THE PHANTOM PLANET, ROCKETSHIP X-M and more! Not since “War of the Worlds” sudden terrifying Martian invasion of Grovers Mill have there been so many aliens in one place, so grab a tub of popcorn and a vat of soda and strap in for a trip to the outer reaches – and beyond!  

“Masters of Make-up Effects”

“Masters of Make-up Effects” Book Is an Unprecedented Insight into the World of Film and TV Make-up Effects 

Wellbeck Publishing is set to serve up a drool-inducing book for fans of classic horror and genre cinema this September when it releases Masters of Make-up Effects by Howard Berger & Marshall Julius. As you can see from the following press announcement and sample pages, the book offers an incredible behind-the-scenes history of such works as An American Werewolf in London, The Thing, Star Wars, and Star Trek — and just look at that who’s who list of those who made contributions! 

Masters of Make-up Effects 

By Howard Berger & Marshall Julius, with a foreword by  Guillermo del Toro and afterword by Seth MacFarlane

 Welbeck | £30.00/$39.95 | 1st September 2022 (UK), 6th September 2022 (US) | Hardback 

A lively, affectionate and candid oral history of iconic make-up effects, from the artists who create and apply them, to the actors who bring them to life, Masters of Make-up Effects is a glorious gathering of behind-the-scenes stories and incredible candid photos, many of which have never been published before.  

Join Oscar-winning make-up effects artist Howard Berger and veteran film journalist Marshall Julius as they usher you onto the sets of cult classics (An American Werewolf in London, The Thing), award winners (Darkest Hour, The Shape of Water) and fan-favourite film and TV franchises (Star Wars, Star Trek, Harry Potter), then into the make-up trailers of scores of industry legends as they regale with thrilling tales and share their histories, insights and inspirations. With a foreword from visionary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and an afterword by Seth MacFarlane, Masters of Make-up Effects is a revealing celebration of a century of iconic make-up magic.

Exclusive contributions and unseen photographs from:  

Guillermo del Toro • Seth MacFarlane •  Gino Acevedo • Rick Baker • Vivian Baker •  Howard Berger • Doug Bradley • Lois  Burwell • Norman Cabrera • John Caglione  Jr • Bruce Campbell • Greg Cannom • Blair  Clark • Bill Corso • Mark Coulier • John  Criswell • Ken Diaz • Nick Dudman •  Leonard Engelman • Robert Englund • Mike  Fields • Ben Foster • Rob Freitas • Carl  Fullerton • Toni G• Mick Garris • Alec Gillis  • Pamela Goldammer • Neill Gorton •  Barrie Gower • David Grasso • Kevin Haney • Joel Harlow • Mike Hill • Kazu Hiro •  Garrett Immel • Carey Jones • Doug Jones  • Paul Katte • Jamie Kelman• Eryn Krueger  Mekash • John Landis • Tami Lane • Love  Larson • Mike Marino • David Martí • James  McAvoy• Mike McCracken Jr • Todd  McIntosh • Greg Nelson • Greg Nicotero •  Margaret Prentice • Stephen Prouty • Fred  Raskin • Montse Ribé • Mikey Rotella • Sarah Rubano • Tom Savini • Mike Smithson  • Richard Taylor • Christopher Tucker •  Vincent Van Dyke • Eva Von Bahr • Steve  Wang • David White • Matt Winston • Jeremy Woodhead • Kevin Yagher • Louie  Zakarian 

About the Authors

Special Make-up Effects Artist Howard Berger has over 800 feature film and television credits including Dances With Wolves, Hitchcock, Kill Bill 1 & 2, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, The Orville, and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Make-up as well as a British Academy Award for Best Achievement in Make-up. He lives in  Los Angeles, CA. 

Marshall Julius is a film critic, blogger, broadcaster and author, whose previous books include Vintage Geek (September Publishing,  2019) and Action! The Action Movie A-Z (Batsford Film Books, 1996). He lives in London, UK. 

 

Twitter Marshall: @MarshallJulius 

Instagram Howard: @hoops511

Please Stand By

 

We thought we'd have the latest show up for you today (May 19th) but an apparent scheduling mix-up has pre-empted our most triumphant return.

Rest assured that episode #121 will be linked to as soon as it goes live.

In the meantime, don't forget about our contest to win a copy of Row 19, provided to us by our friends at Well Go USA!

Martial Arts Mayhem Heads Our Way with “Ip Man: The Awakening”!

There’s nothing quite like the adrenaline rush you can get from a good martial arts movie, and that grand cinematic tradition of fists-and-furious action is as hot as ever! Fans of these fast-paced films will be keen to learn that Ip Man: The Awakening is about to be unleashed here in the States in both streaming and physical formats. Following is the official press announcement, along with the trailer.   
 
While visiting Hong Kong, a young Master Ip intervenes in a kidnapping attempt, unintentionally igniting a turf war with a ruthless human trafficking ring in action-packed martial arts drama IP MAN: THE AWAKENING, debuting May 20 exclusively on the martial arts streaming service Hi-YAH! before hitting Digital, Blu-ray™ and DVD June 21 from Well Go USA Entertainment. When the ruthless gang kidnaps one of Ip Man’s close friends, he is forced to face the group’s brutal boxing champion head-on. Co-directed by Li Xi Jie and Zhang Zhu Lin, IP MAN: THE AWAKENING stars the rising wing chun martial arts master Miu Tse (aka Miao Xie, My Father is a Hero) assuming the legendary title role alongside cast members including Chen Guan Ying, Zhao Yu Xuan, and Hao Yan Fei. The bonus features include an all-new English dub.

Synopsis:
While visiting Hong Kong, a young Master Ip intervenes in a kidnapping attempt, unintentionally igniting a turf war with a ruthless human trafficking ring. In retaliation, the gang kidnaps one of Ip Man’s close friends, leaving him with no choice but to challenge the group’s notoriously brutal boxing champion head-on.
 
Country of Origin: China
 
IP MAN: THE AWAKENING has a runtime of approximately 80 minutes and is not rated.

Blu-ray	DVD
Catalog #: WGU03405B	Catalog #: WGU03404D
UPC Code: 810348034052	UPC Code: 810348034045
Pre-Order Date: 5/17/22	Pre-Order Date: 5/17/22
SLP: $29.98	SLP: $19.99
Audio: DTS HDMA 5.1 / Stereo	Audio: 5.1 Dolby Digital / 2.0 Stereo

ABOUT WELL GO USA ENTERTAINMENT

Well Go USA Entertainment (www.wellgousa.com) is an Oscar®-nominated theatrical and home entertainment distribution label that specializes in bringing the best in action, genre and independent films from the U.S. and around the world to North America. Well Go titles can be seen across a variety of platforms, including in theaters, on-demand, via DVD and Blu-ray and on television, as well as on mobile and connected devices through martial arts movie app Hi-YAH! (www.hiyahtv.com). Well Go USA Entertainment’s corporate headquarters is in Plano, Texas, with an additional office in Taiwan.

Next Thursday, May 19th...

Mark your calendars! Joseph, Mike, and their new sidekick, RetroBot2XL, are back and ready for your listening pleasure on May 19th with episode #121!!

It's been almost a third of a year since your favorite retro pop-culture archeologists got together and talked about stuff from the greatest decades ever - the 70s and 80s!

In the meantime, head on over to our favorite sponsor's local establishment and tell 'em Mike and Joe sent you!

Win a Copy of Well Go USA's "Row 19"!

A couple of weeks ago we shared the announcement of Well Go USA's Row 19 and now we're excited to be able to give a copy away!

All you have to do is fill out the form below and answer the question "What's your scariest experience on an airplane?"

You have until May 31st to enter and we'll be picking a winner at random* from all entries on June 1st.

To enter, send an email to:

RetroBot2XL@ubwpodcast.com

and provide the following information:

• Name
• E-Mail Address
• and answer the question "What's your scariest experience on an airplane?"

Synopsis:

When several flight passengers suddenly suffer gruesome, unexplained deaths, a young doctor on board begins to suspect that the shadowy, terrifying force behind her own worst childhood nightmare may be back for blood.

 

ROW 19 has a runtime of approximately 78 minutes and is not rated.

* giveaway is open to U.S. residents only

"Massacre at Central High"

Renee Daalder’s Cult Classic Comes To Blu-ray With Synapse Films’ Special Edition of MASSACRE AT CENTRAL HIGH, Available September 13!

“A very good movie, a considerable filmmaking achievement.” - Roger Ebert, Sneak Previews

“Witty, surprising, very entertaining.” - Vincent Canby, The New York Times

It's no secret that Joseph and Mike are fans of genre films from all decades, but those from the 70s and 80s will always hold a special place in their collective heart.  Make it a movie that played well at the drive-in and that's an extra special treat!  Synapse Films looks to provide one of those treats later this year with the Blu ray release of MASSACRE AT CENTRAL HIGH.

Renee Daalder’s MASSACRE AT CENTRAL HIGH remains one of the premiere genre films of the 1970s, a powerful and influential blend of political allegory, social commentary and exploitation film that remains as compelling today as it was in 1976.  Plagued by distribution woes, it would find an audience in the early days of cable TV and VHS but remained out of circulation for decades.  Now, Synapse Films’ Blu-ray release of MASSACRE AT CENTRAL HIGH arrives just in time for students to go back to school, newly remastered (supervised by director Renee Daalder)  with hours of special features befitting this genre classic.  

When new student David (Derrel Maury) arrives at Central High, he discovers that it is lorded over by a gang of bullies who rule the school through intimidation and violence. David’s friend Mark (Andrew Stevens, THE FURY) encourages him to join this dominant clique, but instead David stands up for their victims, and the gang cripples him in retaliation. Soon David begins taking steps to end their reign of terror permanently, setting in motion an explosive cycle of killing that may not end until no one is left to graduate!

Co-starring Robert Carradine (REVENGE OF THE NERDS), Kimberly Beck (FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER), and Cheryl “Rainbeaux” Smith (REVENGE OF THE CHEERLEADERS), MASSACRE AT CENTRAL HIGH is the startling American debut of Dutch writer/director Renee Daalder. While packing in all the sex and violence that drive-in audiences demanded, Daalder also delivers a potent allegory about fascism and power structures in a high-school world where adults are absent. A cult and critical favorite since its 1976 release (and an evident influence on the classic HEATHERS), MASSACRE AT CENTRAL HIGH now makes its long-awaited restored and remastered BLU-RAY debut, so you can study Daalder’s classic like never before and educate yourself with all-new special features!

 

EXPLOSIVE SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE:

• High-definition 1080p remaster scanned, transferred and supervised by director Renee Daalder.
• Secondary audio track with an episode of Mike White’s ‘The Projection Booth’ Podcast, featuring interviews with cast members Andrew Stevens, Robert Carradine, Derrel Maury and Rex Steven Sikes.
• Audio interview with director Renee Daalder, conducted by writer/horror historian Michael Gingold.
• HELL IN THE HALLWAYS: The Making of “Massacre at Central High” – New “making of” documentary produced by Red Shirt Pictures.
• Theatrical trailer, TV spot and radio spot.
• Still gallery.
• Newly translated removable English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.

This release of MASSACRE AT CENTRAL HIGH is REGION FREE for world-wide playback.

BLU-RAY SPECIFICATIONS

VIDEO: High-Definition (1.78:1) Widescreen Presentation / AVC 

AUDIO: DTS HD-MA English 2.0 Original Mono Soundtrack

SUBTITLES: English for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing

ITEM #: SFD0207  

UPC CODE: 654930323090  

SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $34.95

R.I.P. George Perez (June 9, 1954 – May 6, 2022)

We lost an industry titan yesterday with the passing of George Perez.  We knew it was coming and had for some time, but for it to actually have happened is a tough blow.  Any fan of comics in the 70s and 80s (and beyond, of course), should remember Perez for his iconic work on Marvel's The Avengers, DC's Teen Titans, and many others. 

It won't be hard to find any number of career retrospectives, anecdotes, and tributes to this legend written by people who knew him and are much more eloquent than us, so we're not even going to try and will instead just post the kick-ass piece of art.

Thanks for everything, George!