Day Of The Dead

Day Of The Dead

Today marks the conclusion of the Day Of The Dead celebration. "No" this has nothing to do with George Romero film in his zombie trilogy of the same name. 

For the uninitiated here's the 411 explaining the significance of it: Prayer and remembrance of friends and family members who have died

Well last year I celebrated by partaking in yoga at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. "Yes" that's correct I took time to reflect and meditate in a place where there are actual dead people and no I didn't see any.

Honestly it was a truly amazing experience, a renewal if you will.

FYI I took the photo above when I was there last year. It was behind the instructor during class. Translation: that was everyone's view for the Day Of The Dead meditation.

What's that you say, am I going this year? No unfortunately I have to have an X-ray done on my left middle finger, it's wonky.

Mic Drop! 

Day Of The Dead on Wikipedia -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_the_Dead

Yeah Yeah Yeah

Rocking their way out of SoCal into the national spotlight in the late 90s, Lit (original members Jeremy (lead guitar) & brother Ajay Popoff (lead vocals) and bassist Kevin Baldes) were part of the Orange County explosion that included No Doubt, Sublime, The Offspring, Save Ferris, Home Grown and more. Now entering a brand new chapter as a band with all original members (original drummer Allen Shellenberger died  from brain cancer in 2009) they have released their new single, “Yeah Yeah Yeah” HERE via Round Hill Records. 

 

“Yeah Yeah Yeah” is a straight forward in-your-face power pop punk anthem that Lit has become known for since the late 90’s when they blasted onto the Alt-Rock scene with their inescapable hits, MY OWN WORST ENEMY, MISERABLE (featuring Pamela Anderson) and ZIP LOCK, (featuring Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider)

 

“When we started firing up to write the new Lit material, we wanted to try and get our heads in that space we had landed in during the late 90s and early 2000s.We not only got back to our old school roots, but also found a good marriage between the classic sound of 1999 with a modern production vibe." states Ajay.

 

While brother Jeremy quips, “When you’re listening to Lit, I hope you get to escape from the world for a little bit. We hope you feel like, ‘Damn. In the middle of the shit storm that was 2020 and 2021, these guys managed to dial it back to a more innocent time’.”

 

Watch the lyric video for “Yeah Yeah Yeah” HERE

 

The band will also be featured  in Internet Takeover: Wedding Edition HERE featuring viral video star, Adley  HERE, as she lets the internet plan her wedding in a hilarious journey to the altar.  Being the rockstar that she is, Adley surprises her friends and family with an amped up performance by Lit that made the wedding reception truly one-of-a-kind and one they’ll never forget.

 

Lit are currently working in the laboratory on their next rock opus slated for a spring 2022 release.  With more music and touring on the horizon, the band will be back on the road in 2022 for a UK Tour with Bowling For Soup in mid-April currently on-sale HERE with US dates to be announced in the coming months.

 

In addition, twenty-one years after the release of their award winning mega-hit song, “MY OWN WORST ENEMY” topped Billboard’s Modern Rock chart for 11 weeks it has now been certified double platinum, even though it was never released as a stand-alone single until two years later  when fans could buy it as a track on iTunes. American Songwriter called it the most covered, karaoke'd, and broadcasted hit of the past 2 decades, while Post Malone covered it on Instagram Live as did Kelly Clarkson HERE and Jimmy Fallon on his late night show HERE.

 

Stream the Lit catalog HERE

 

Follow Lit here:

Official Website: https://www.litband.com/

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Black Celebration

Happy Halloween Minions! I had a Black Celebration yesterday in honor of today. "Yes" I finally viewed the slasher film that heavily influenced everything from the original Halloween to When A Stranger Calls...Black Christmas!

Please don't confuse this 1974 original with any of the lame re-dos. This is one good slash fest with very little slashing, but heavy on the creepy atmosphere, not to mention an even creepier killer who has a thing for making obscene phone calls to the women in the sorority he is stalking.

This macabre outing was directed by Bob Clark who would go on to direct another Christmas movie the classic A Christmas Story. Hey, he's got a Santa fetish, or something I guess.

It stars Oliva Hussey of Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo & Juliet fame along with Margot Kidder best know as Lois Lane in the Superman movie.

Throw that in with some top notch camera work that set the standard for the slasher genre and well you've got one bangin' Christmas present I'll say! In fact I just did! 

Let Christmas come a little early and treat yourself to this movie for Halloween...Boo!

Black Christmas on IMDb -

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071222/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0   

The Bride Of Frankenstein

Will You Love Me Tomorrow?
Miranda Kerr & Frankenstein

Psssssst! One more day until Halloween! Thus I thought this spin on The Bride Of Frankenstein with Miranda Kerr and, well, Frankenstein captures the spirit (yeah, pun intended) of the season.

For the unfamiliar The Bride Of Frankenstein is a horror classic anchored by a great performance by Elsa Lanchester as the title character and Boris Karloff as Frankenstein. 

While Miranda's take on the Bride is a lot lighter and more whimsical, it was enough take catch my eye (literally, seriously, I am now minus my right eye...NOT!) and post it for it's maniacal genius take on the legendary movie.

Thus enjoy your last day until darkness falls across the land and the celebrations of macabre commence!

"You stay, we belong dead" Frankenstein, The Bride Of Frankenstein

The Bride Of Frankenstein on Wikipedia -

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bride_of_Frankenstein  

Film Buff Friday: The Hills Have Eyes

"One of the prime examples of what was so fascinating about American horror films in the 1970s".

     —TV Guide

Horror master Wes Craven achieved critical and commercial success with the likes of Scream and A Nightmare on Elm Street - but for many genre fans, the director's seminal 1977 effort The Hills Have Eyes remains his masterpiece. Taking an ill-advised detour en route to California, the Carter family soon run into trouble when their campervan breaks down in the middle of the desert. Stranded, the family find themselves at the mercy of a group of monstrous cannibals lurking in the surrounding hills. With their lives under threat, the Carters have no choice but to fight back by any means necessary. Following on from his notorious 1972 directorial debut The Last House on the Left, Craven's The Hills Have Eyes stands alongside the likes of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Night of the Living Dead as one of the defining classics of American horror.

Media

 Watch trailer »

Bonus Materials

• Brand new 4K restoration of the film, viewable with both original and alternate endings
• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in High Dynamic Range
• Original lossless mono audio
• Optional lossless 2.0 stereo and 7.1 remixes (original ending only)
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• 6 postcards
• Reversible fold-out poster
• Limited edition 40-page booklet featuring writing on the film by critic Brad Stevens and a consideration of the Hills franchise by Arrow producer Ewan Cant, illustrated with original archive stills and posters
• Audio commentary with actors Michael Berryman, Janus Blythe, Susan Lanier and Martin Speer
• Audio commentary by academic Mikel J. Koven
• Audio commentary with Wes Craven and Peter Locke
• Looking Back on The Hills Have Eyes – making-of documentary featuring interviews with Craven, Locke, actors Michael Berryman, Janus Blythe, Robert Houston, Susan Lanier, Dee Wallace and director of photography Eric Saarinen
• Family Business – an interview with actor Martin Speer
• The Desert Sessions – an interview with composer Don Peake
• Outtakes
• Alternate ending
• Trailers and TV Spots
• Image gallery
• Original screenplay
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Paul Shipper

Order Here:

https://mvdb2b.com/b2b/s/AV393

Michael's Musings

"For no mere mortal can resist
The evil of the thriller" - Vincent Price, Thriller

Three more days till Halloween Minions! That also means three more days until the end of October, which means Christmas is just around the corner!!! Now THAT is scary because this means 2021 is coming to a close stat!

On this Thursday October 28, 2021 let's live in the moment shall we? "Yes" we shall my pretty, pretties, "Yes" we shall...

Speaking of Halloween I've met the late great King of Horror once, Vincent Price at a screening of House of Wax in Los Angeles at the Vagabond in Los Angeles. He did not disappoint!

FYI Surviving an apocalypse is stressful work

The way Erika Jayne keeps threatening the other women on the RHOBH reunion it makes her look like she has ties to the mafia or something, just sayin'

Pulse Check! That's it, that's all, finished

The Oscars should show a clip of the nominated actor in their movie and then one from their real life so we can gage how much they acted

Twitter aka Misinformation is rampant on this platform

Pardon me, did someone say wine?!

Never play Another One Bites The Dust by Queen at a funeral, the more you know

Woman Crush of the Week - Megan Fox in the underrated Jennifer's Body

The lascivious biddes are coming for you Barbara 

Rumor has it watching Squid Games burns more calories than Peloton 

I had a dream that Lizzo gave me a viral pepperoni jalapeno pizza with a glass of cabernet 

Coffee scented masks, discuss

Today I will use my powers for....

Get the answer here & there -

https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/MShinafelt   

Hump Day & Chill

Never Look Back
Devon Sawa 

Hello Minions it's the last Hump Day & Chill of October and the one just before Halloween. Thus you know what that means don't you? Another Horror Hunk, naturally.

With the Chucky TV series on USA/SyFy being the hot ticket this horror season what better object of our attention than one of it's stars, former child actor Devon Sawa. I wasn't aware of him until Chucky TBH, when I did see him in the premiere episode one word came to mind: Stud!

Devon can scare the pants off of me (literally) anytime he wants. 

Here's a photo of Mr. Sawa shirtless for good measure (Yummy!)

Well now it's really that time again to Hump Day & Chill. All treat and no trick today.

Boo!

Devon on IG -

https://www.instagram.com/d.sawa/?hl=en