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Retro Rewind: Happy Birthday Gary Busey- The Man, the Myth, the Werewolf Wrangler

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Written by Patti Pauley

Back at the ripe ole’ age of four, an unlikely hero came into my world. He was funny, looked to be about ten feet tall on screen (to four-year-old me anyway) and had balls of steel when it came to wrangling an extremely pissed off, one-eyed werewolf. That my friends, is the man, the myth, the no-bullshit taking Gary Busey and today is his birthday.

 

 

It was about 1986, and my parents and grandparents were nestled in the living room of our apartment watching some movie I was told repeatedly that I wasn’t allowed to see with them. Of course, what 4-year-old actually listens, right? I persisted with walking back and forth from the hallway to the living area to catch glimpses of this forbidden visual on our boxed TV set until my sucker of a Dad finally gave in and made a seat right next to him on our plaid-colored couch. That’s when I knew I had fucked up; for a short time at least anyway.

The movie in question was Stephen King’s Silver Bullet and even though I was a pretty tough kid growing up in a horror-loving household, Silver Bullet scared the ever loving piss out of me. As I was getting comfortable with my little bowl of popcorn, the scene where the werewolf jumps through the window of one Stella Randolph came to pass and I was both fascinated and terrified beyond comprehension. Of course, I put on my little brave face and toughed through the movie because goddammit, I asked for this. And I was going to prove to the parental units I could handle this film. But really inside I was shitting my pants. However, one thing made the whole experience a little easier for my horrified little self: Uncle fucking Red.

Uncle Red, played by Sir Gary of Busey, served as both a hero and comedy relief in this tale of full moon terror and I found myself laughing hysterically at his character every time he would show up on screen with his sarcastic wit and funny little quips. That stupid little Jack-Ass joke he tells to Marty was the goddamn funniest thing I had ever heard in my four years on Earth I tell you. And throughout the film Busey’s character slowly became a sort of a Superhero type figure in my eyes. He was the guy who gave his niece and nephew the benefit of the doubt on the claim that Tarkers Mills hosted a mythical murdering monster; and that the children knew who he was underneath all the animal fur. What a swell guy! He even had a silver bullet made for them, even if it was just for piece of mind in his own thought process.

Towards the end however, with that climatic build-up on Halloween night with a full moon, Marty, Jane, and Uncle Red with his winning subscription of Popular Mechanics, is a moment that will live in infamy in horror film and in my own twisted little world when Uncle Red comes face to face with Reverend Werewolf. I was on the edge of my seat. Was this the end of Red? Is this new hero of mine going to get clawed to smithereens?

FUCK NO!! Gary Busey said it’s rumble time and wrestled a werewolf. Just take that sentence in one more time. GARY BUSEY WRESTLED A WEREWOLF. WWF style starting with breaking a chair onto the back of the beast. It’s the main event and my new-found hero was showcasing those chest hairs of steel. It was glorious. Especially to a little person like myself jumping up and down rooting for the demise of this scary as hell giant dog. That was the day Gary Busey became an unsung hero in my book.

Happy 73rd birthday Gary Busey! Somewhere, someone is pissing on a stack of Yankees, Phillies, and Indians baseball cards to celebrate.

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Lists

New to Netflix (U.S.) This Month [May 2024]

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atlas movie Netflix starring Jennifer Lopez

Another month means fresh additions to Netflix. Although there aren’t many new horror titles this month, there are still some notable movies well worth your time. For instance, you can watch Karen Black try to land a 747 jet in Airport 1979, or Casper Van Dien kill giant insects in Paul Verhoeven’s bloody sci-fi opus Starship Troopers.

We are looking forward to the Jennifer Lopez sci-fi action movie Atlas. But let us know what you are going to watch. And if we have missed something, put it in the comments.

May 1:

Airport

A blizzard, a bomb, and a stowaway help create the perfect storm for the manager of a Midwestern airport and a pilot with a messy personal life.

Airport ’75

Airport ’75

When a Boeing 747 loses its pilots in a midair collision, a member of the cabin crew must take control with radio help from a flight instructor.

Airport ’77

A luxury 747 packed with VIPs and priceless art goes down in the Bermuda Triangle after being hijacked by thieves — and time for a rescue is running out.

Jumanji

Two siblings discover an enchanted board game that opens a door to a magical world — and unwittingly release a man who’s been trapped inside for years.

Hellboy

Hellboy

A half-demon paranormal investigator questions his defense of humans when a dismembered sorceress rejoins the living to wreak brutal vengeance.

Starship Troopers

When fire-spitting, brain-sucking bugs attack Earth and obliterate Buenos Aires, an infantry unit heads to the aliens’ planet for a showdown.

May 9

Bodkin

Bodkin

A ragtag crew of podcasters sets out to investigate mysterious disappearances from decades earlier in a charming Irish town with dark, dreadful secrets.

May 15

The Clovehitch Killer

The Clovehitch Killer

A teenager’s picture-perfect family is torn apart when he uncovers unnerving evidence of a serial killer close to home.

May 16

Upgrade

After a violent mugging leaves him paralyzed, a man receives a computer chip implant that allows him to control his body — and get his revenge.

Monster

Monster

After being abducted and taken to a desolate house, a girl sets out to rescue her friend and escape from their malicious kidnapper.

May 24

Atlas

Atlas

A brilliant counterterrorism analyst with a deep distrust of AI discovers it might be her only hope when a mission to capture a renegade robot goes awry.

Jurassic World: Chaos Theory

The Camp Cretaceous gang come together to unravel a mystery when they discover a global conspiracy that brings danger to dinosaurs — and to themselves.

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Movie Reviews

Panic Fest 2024 Review: ‘Never Hike Alone 2’

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There are fewer icons more recognizable than the slasher. Freddy Krueger. Michael Myers. Victor Crowley. Notorious killers who always seem to come back for more no matter how many times they are slain or their franchises seemingly put to a final chapter or nightmare. And so it seems that even some legal disputes cannot stop one of the most memorable movie murderers of all: Jason Voorhees!

Following the events of the first Never Hike Alone, outdoorsman and YouTuber Kyle McLeod (Drew Leighty) has been hospitalized after his encounter with the long thought dead Jason Voorhees, saved by perhaps the hockey masked killer’s greatest adversary Tommy Jarvis (Thom Mathews) who now currently works as an EMT around Crystal Lake. Still haunted by Jason, Tommy Jarvis struggles to find a sense of stability and this latest encounter is pushing him to end the reign of Voorhees once and for all…

Never Hike Alone made a splash online as a well shot and thoughtful fan film continuation of the classic slasher franchise that was built up with the snowbound follow up Never Hike In The Snow and now climaxing with this direct sequel. It’s not only an incredible Friday The 13th love letter, but a well thought out and entertaining epilogue of sorts to the infamous ‘Tommy Jarvis Trilogy’ from within the franchise that encapsulated Friday The 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter, Friday The 13th Part V: A New Beginning, and Friday The 13th Part VI: Jason Lives. Even getting some of the original cast back as their characters to continue the tale! Thom Mathews being the most prominent as Tommy Jarvis, but with other series casting like Vincent Guastaferro returning as now Sheriff Rick Cologne and still having a bone to pick with Jarvis and the mess around Jason Voorhees. Even featuring some Friday The 13th alumni like Part III‘s Larry Zerner as the mayor of Crystal Lake!

On top of that, the movie delivers on kills and action. Taking turns that some of the previous fils never got the chance to deliver on. Most prominently, Jason Voorhees going on a rampage through Crystal Lake proper when he slices his way through a hospital! Creating a nice throughline of the mythology of Friday The 13th, Tommy Jarvis and the cast’s trauma, and Jason doing what he does best in the most cinematically gory ways possible.

The Never Hike Alone films from Womp Stomp Films and Vincente DiSanti are a testament to the fanbase of Friday The 13th and the still enduring popularity of those films and of Jason Voorhees. And while officially, no new movie in the franchise is on the horizon for the foreseeable future, at the very least there is some comfort knowing fans are willing to go to these lengths to fill the void.

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News

New Vampire Flick “Flesh of the Gods” Will Star Kristen Stewart and Oscar Isaac

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Kristen-Stewart-and-Oscar-Isaac

80s nostalgia is still going strong in the horror community. As proof of this, Panos Cosmatos (Mandy) is developing a new 80s themed vampire film. However, unlike some of the other nostalgia bait films that have come out recently, Flesh of the Gods is packing some serious talent.

First, the film is written by the legendary Andrew Kevin Walker (Se7en). If that wasn’t enough, the film will star Oscar Isaac (Moon Knight) and Kristen Stewart (Underwater).

Kristen Stewart
Oscar Isaac, Flesh of the Gods article

Variety gives us a glimpse into the story line, stating that: “Flesh of the Gods is set in glittering ’80s L.A., where married couple Raoul (Oscar Isaac) and Alex (Kristen Stewart) each evening descend from their luxury skyscraper condo and head into the city’s electric nighttime realm. When they cross paths with a mysterious and enigmatic figure known as Nameless and her hard-partying cabal, the pair are seduced into a glamorous, surrealistic world of hedonism, thrills and violence.”

Cosmatos offers his own opinion of the film. “Like Los Angeles itself, ‘Flesh of the Gods’ inhabits the liminal realm between fantasy and nightmare. Both propulsive and hypnotic, ‘Flesh’ will take you on a hot rod joy ride deep into the glittering heart of hell.”

Producer Adam McKay (Don’t Look Up) seems to also be excited about The Flesh of the Gods. “This director, this writer, these incredible actors, vampires, choice ’80s punk, style and attitude for miles… that’s the film we’re bringing you today. We think it’s wildly commercial and wildly artful. Our ambitions are to make a movie that ripples through popular culture, fashion, music and film. Can you tell how excited I am?”

Flesh of the Gods is set to begin filming later this year. It will launch at Cannes with WME Independent, CAA Media Finance, and XYZ Films. The Flesh of the Gods does not currently have a release date.

That’s all the information we have at this time. Make sure to check back here for more news and updates.

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