'Black Paradox' stumbles at the end

Black Paradox (Viz Media, 2022)
Story and Art: Junji Ito
Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

Four strangers unite around a shared desire to commit suicide and vow to support each other by doing it together. Their attempt goes awry when doppelgangers interfere... and this launches them into a terror-filled journey that could shape not only their destinies but the future of humanity.

"Black Paradox" is a slightly different offering from Junji Ito. While it's got a number of intensely horrific moments, it's mostly a slow-burn work that mixes hints of cosmic horror with urban legends, folk lore, a mounting atmosphere of conspiratorial paranoia, and bits of old-fashioned melodrama. In addition, Ito introduces a cosmology of his own devising and slowly reveals the unique positions the four main characters hold in it... and it all adds up to a thrilling and mysterious ride that keeps growing more intense as the intertwined plotlines of the included stories unfold.

Although "Black Paradox" is told in an episodic format, the episodes become more and more tightly linked as the book progresses. In the end, what emerges is a novel-length tale ala "Remina" but which plays more to Ito's strengths for doing short stories in the way "Sensor" and "Uzumaki" did by having more-or-less standalone episodes linked by an overarching storyline that build toward a single climax.

Unfortunately, as excellent as "Black Paradox" is, it suffers from the same flaw as "Sensor" does: After a spectacular beginning and middle, the end doesn't quite deliver on the promise because it feels rushed and half-baked. The problem is more severe in "Black Paradox", because not only do the last two chapters feel like they are rushed, but there are several important plot elements that remain unexplained, because they are dropped entirely; for example, the doppelgangers mentioned in the teaser summary are never explained. We also needed more development of a couple characters that are introduced during the second half of the book--particularly Dr. Suga--but the rush to wrap things up is so frenetic that there's no room for it. 

So, ultimately, what could have been one of Ito's finest works--and one that might even be rife for a sequel, especially in the light of the dropped plot-threads--is a good and entertaining read, but not great. If it had been more like "Uzumaki" and less like "Sensor", I suspect I would have given it a Ten Rating--there is so much potential set up during the first half of the book that is never fully delivered upon.

If you're a fan of Junji Ito, you won't regret the time spent on "Black Paradox"... but you will find yourself wishing there was more.

Musical Monday with Bad Omens

A favorite roleplaying game of mine was Cyberpunk 2020, with its "day after tomorrow" setting where the world had crumbled under the weight of a pandemic, government corruption, and corporate greed. I greatly enjoyed running my campaign in the setting, which incorporated some low-key supernatural elements, plus space aliens, in addition to the gritty sci-fi aspects already present.

I mention this, because this video for a single off Bad Omen's 2022 album, "The Death of Peace of Mind", captures the mood I was going for in the sessions of that campaign, as well as visually making me nostalgic for that game and my version of the world it took place in.

It's also a fantastic song with perfectly timed transitions between creepily mellow and savagely metal. So perfectly Cyberpunk!

Concrete Jungle (2022)

Starring: Noah Sebastian

Director: Orie McGinnis

Rating: Ten of Ten Stars

The Avengers: The Cybernauts

The Cybernauts (1965)
Starring: Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg, Michael Gough, John Hollis, Frederick Jaeger, Burt Kwouk, and Ronald Lee-Hunt
Director: Sidney Hayers
Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

When corporates executives from firms competing to purchase the manufacturing rights to a revolutionary micro-circuit are murdered one after another, secret agents John Steed (Macnee) and Emma Peel (Rigg) are assigned to catch the killer.

With a story that's part murder mystery, part sci-fi, and industrial espionage caper, "The Cybernauts" is one of the best episodes of the Macnee/Rigg era of "The Avengers". It's got a suspenseful storyline where it feels as though the main characters are in serious danger--and this sense of danger grows right up until the episode's resolution.

The writing on this episode is also excellent in every way. The camaraderie between Steed and Peel is again highlighted by some great banter; the way the investigation into the murders and espionage is portrayed is sensible and logical within the comic-book universe rules that apply to "The Avengers"; and Emma Peel going undercover always adds an interesting aspect to the show--and here, she gets to show off her martial arts skills against an arrogant sensei and his students. The way each of the firms and their executives are portrayed as being distinctly different was also a nice touch--and one that I've found lacking in a couple modern shows I've been watching recently. Were the executives all stereotypes on this episode? Sure. But they were each a different stereotype.

"The Cybernauts" also benefits greatly from the presence of Michael Gough who plays a wheelchair-bound computer genius turned tech mogul. He plays the character with just right mix of excitement over the new world that technology can usher in, arrogance, and outright crazy that he steals every scene he's in. He's so good that I found myself wanting to see more of this character in the future. 

'As the Earth Turns' was decades in the making

As the Earth Turns (filmed ca. 1937, released 2019)
Starring: Alan Hoelting, Barbara Berger, Edwin C. Frost, and Richard Lyford

Director: Richard Lyford

Rating: Six of Ten Stars

The time is the near future. As war rages across Europe, a mysterious entity, Pax (Lyford), reaches out to world via a west coast U.S. Navy station, threatening natural disasters on a global scale if the war doesn't come to an end. The mysterious entity charges the U.S. government with seeing to it that its demands are carried out... and when peace does not come fast enough, Pax proves that it has the power to destroy mountains, move oceans, and ravage the world with earthquakes. A pair of reporters (Berger and Hoelting) and a physicist (Frost) set out to find Pax and stop his reign of terror.

"As the Earth Turns" was made in made in 1937 or 1938, but never released to the public until relatives of its writer/director/co-star connected with composer Ed Hartman. Hartman provided a wall-to-wall musical score for the film and became the driving force in getting it out into the world. 

Based on information provided by Hartman and extrapolating from Richard Lyford's IMDB entry, at least one reason why this film was abandoned was that was in final edits and assembly when Lyford went to work for the Walt Disney Corporation, leaving behind his troupe of fellow amateur actors and filmmakers in Seattle, WA, for a career in Hollywood. 

On the one hand, it's great that a talented filmmaker had the opportunity to make a living plying his craft--and even co-directing an Oscar-winning documentary--but, on the other hand, it's too bad it took ninty years for this fun sci-fi movie to see the light of day. (That said... if Lyford HAD finished and released his move, there might not have been the well-preserved raw material for Hartman and the restoration team to work with in producing what we now can watch today.)

As far as my purely superficial research has shown, the only person aside from Lyford who went onto a successful show-business career  was Barbara Berger--on Broadway and soap operas--and I think it was well deserved. Aside from Lyford himself, Berger gives the best performance in the cast and is responsible for two of my favorite moments of "As the Earth Turns" (and mentioning either would spoil parts of the movie, sadly).

 

As for the film itself, story- and pacing-wise is it's on par with the sci-fi films of the time, and the characters are also what you would expect. (Spunky, success-driven girl reporter. Heroic [more or less] male reporter. Wise scientist who happens to be a semi-mentor to one of the characters. Stark-raving mad scientist.) There are a couple of twists to how these standard figures are deployed within the story--one of which is borne from such pure plot convenience that it almost hurt, one which adds a little surprise to the ending. There are plenty of shaky parts in the plot, and the ending comes rather suddenly--but with a bit more of a denouement than many film of the period--but there is nothing worse that you don't see in professionally mounted low-budget films of the day. In fact, what we have here is superior to what you'd find in many of those films.

Even more remarkable  are the special effects in this film. They are remarkably competent for an amateur film--from the construction of the models, through the filming of their eventual destruction through explosions and other mayhem. There's a plan crash that's especially impressive--and it compares well to what you might see in films from big studios in the 1950s or even the 1960s.

One curious choice was Lyford's decision to make it a silent movie. Maybe he did so because of technical and resource limitations, because I can't think of many silent movies being produced in 1937. Even cartoons had become more or less dialogue-driven by this point in time, so making a silent film seems a bit odd. (Although since people are still making silent movies today, perhaps I am making a bad assumption. Perhaps Lyford choosing to make a silent film is like someone today choosing to make a sci-fi film using practical effects and models instead of lots of CGI--he had a creative reason for rejecting the most recent technology of filmmaking. 

Another curious choice was for Lyford to present the film's final scene in color. Maybe I missed something along the way, but I didn't get the sense that there was anything in the resolution of the story to support such a change--especially given the "throwback" nature of the picture. Maybe the final bit was shot in color because Lyford gained access to a color camera and film and wanted to try it out? (This color portion is among the worst preserved bits of the film... the colors are so faded that this colorblind viewer didn't even see them. A friend who had also watched "As the Earth Turns" asked me what I thought about the film turning color at the end, and my response was, "It turned color?" I thought it was suddenly tinted blue ala some scenes in the silent Fantomas films or "This is the Night" (1932).

Despite some technical gripes and questions I have with the film, I recommend it to anyone who likes early sci-fi pictures and silent movies; you'll find plenty to enjoy here--including the excellent score by Ed Hartman. (More modern composers who try to score silent films should be like Hartman and actually pay attention to what's happening on the screen and match the music accordingly.)

As of this writing, "As the Earth Turns" available for viewing on Amazon Prime.

(Trivia: "As the Earth Turns" star Barbara Berger is remembered primarily for recurring roles on soap operas during the 1960s through the late 1990s. Under the name Barbara Berjer, she made her television debut with appearances in the landmark "The Edge of Night" through "As the World Turns" (funny coincidence there) and ultimately a 12-year stint on "Another World" (1985-1997).

'Monochrome': Perfect for review at this blog!

Monochrome: The Chromism (2019)
Starring: Joshua Bangle, Ryan Barnes, Cat Merritt, Devin Leigh, Sean Conley, and Sashanna Pearson 
Director: Kodi Zene
Rating: Six of Ten Stars

In a world where everything is literally in black and white, Issac (Bangle) becomes the first victim of a strange infection that is causing people to turn colored.

When I was first told about "Monochrome", I thought it was a perfect subject for review at this blog--a place where everything is in black and white (as declared on the header), but occasionally splashes of color creep in. I was also certain I'd have a good time poking a little good-natured fun at the ridiculous premise--as a lover of things "Star Wars" and publisher of comics anthologies like "Stardust the Super Wizard", I am clearly not picky about fantasy getting into my science fiction--because the way in which we perceive colors comes from such a complex mixture of physics and physical conditions that the notion of a mystery contagion causing people to become "colorized" couldn't possibly be successfully played straight.

And yet, writer/director Cody Zene pulls it off. He opens the film on a mysterious hooded figure walking through a blasted wasteland. The scene is in black and white. When this figure comes upon other people, they unmask him, and we discover that this wanderer is a hunted outcast for no reason other than he colored in a world where everything else is in shades of gray. The story then flashes back to a year earlier, and we are shown the series of escalating events that brought our hero, Isaac, and his world to the state it's presently in. 

Zene pulls us so effectively into the world of "Monochrome" that my expectations of thinking it was all very silly never entered my mind. He first engages the viewer with a stark opening, then draws us further in by triggering our sympathy for the instantly likeable Everyman character of Isaac (Joshua Bangle) as his life is torn apart, and then inspires our curiosity by showing us that his "condition" may or may not be an unexpected side effect of a bio-engineered gas released by a shadowy group that may be terrorists, government agents, or something entirely different. It doesn't become clear who they are, or what their intentions are, during the course of the film, but it's a question that may inspire you to seek out future films in what is a projected series.

MAY inspire you... because for all the strong elements of both setting and story in the film, there are technical aspects of the execution that drag it down. I viewed the "extended cut" of the film (which is currently available via streaming platforms such as Amazon Prime), so maybe some of this is unique to this particular edit; let me know if the comments if any of the following reflects what you saw if you check out this film.

First, "Monochrome" could have benefitted from tighter editing. Several shots and scenes could have been improved by being trimmed by just a few seconds while others needed to lose as much as a minute. There are several scenes, most noticeable involving Isaac's brother Jerry (Ryan Barnes) and either the film's nameless villain (Devin Leigh) or Isaac's girlfriend Victoria (Cat Merritt). The scenes are internally repetitive, as if multiple takes were done while the cameras kept rolling, but instead of picking one, the editors and director left them all in. The overall effect is that the film starts feeling padded as it progresses, which is a shame, because there's a really interesting story unfolding.

Second, we see entirely too much of the villain just strolling about or sitting around, failing at being menacing. If the presence of the mysterious bad guy had been limited to the two scenes were he is established  as existing and being in command of a mysterious organization; and where he orders the doctor working with him (Sean Conley) to figure out why their bio weapon (which appears to have been intended to make those who are exposed to it paranoid and highly suggestible, since it turns Jerry into a loving and supporting brother into a color-hating, murderous madman. Every other scene he has does little to advance the story and does everything to undermine the idea that he is a menace or a force to be reckoned with--I don't think it's because Devin Leigh is necessarily a bad actor; he's just miscast. (You need a special kind of character actor for a part like that, and Leigh just doesn't have the right sort of screen presence.

Finally, the film is ultimately too much set-up and not enough resolution. With some trimming, this would be a spectacular first episode for a cool television series (although one that I think would fail because the general public doesn't have the refined tastes to appreciate black-and-white media--unlike you find folks reading this). As a stand-alone film, it falls short, no matter how much I admit to liking the story and wanting to see it continue. I realize that this is SUPPOSED to be the first part in a series, but, since it is NOT part of an existing series, there really should have been some resolution aside from "the life Isaac knew is dead and gone!"

In the final analysis, I feel that watching "Monochrome: The Chromism" was time well spent, and I hope it does well enough to spawn the sequels that the films writer/director and producers have in mind. Although it has some issues, the story is engaging and the characters are interesting. What's more, like all good sci-fi, it carries with it some social commentary that feels like it was "ripped from the headlines", even if the film was completed quite some time ago, before the current pandemic and political messes had come to dominate our lives.  

"Monochrome: The Chromism" is currently available on Amazon Prime and other streaming services. You can also learn more about the film and the plans its creators have for their "franchise" by clicking here. I encourage you to check out both-although the website does contain mild spoilers in regards to a particular dangling thread from the movie--because it will improve my chances to seeing what's next for the world of Monochrome.

 

Musical Monday with A Perfect Circle

Do you like rock music with a big, metalish sound? Do you like dystopian sci-fi that carries a promise that everything may work out happily in the end? If so, this video from A Perfect Circle is just what you need to get your week off to a great start! (Don't be frightened by the color sections!)

In memory of Jim Holloway

Artist Jim Holloway passed away on June 28, 2020. He drew some fabulous illustrations for RPGs during the 1980s and 1990s, full of action and humor. Here is a gallery of drawings for such diverse games as "Chill", "Dungeons & Dragons", "Paranoia", and "Star Frontiers", in his memory and honor.

'The Tin Man' is a so-so comedy that ends strong

The Tin Man (1935)
Starring: Thelma Todd, Patsy Kelly, Clarence Wilson, and Matthew Betz
Director: James Parrott
Rating: Six of Ten Stars


After getting lost on their to a party, Thelma and Patsy (Todd and Kelly) stop to ask for direction at a creepy old mansion. Unfortunately for them, it's home to a woman-hating mad scientist (Wilson) who decides to sic his robot on them. To complicate matters, a killer who escaped police custody (Betz) also sneaks into the house.

If "The Tin Man" shows us anything, it's that the who notion of making fun of "InCels" has existed for many, many years... even if some cute term hadn't been invented for it. Eighty-five years ago, they were poking fun at bitter, socially maladjusted men who lived alone and blamed women for their inability to get dates rather than their own failings, so this is a comedy that has stood the passage of time. It might even be one that both your Social Justice Warrior types and Right Wing whackadoodles can both find entertaining and amusing.

But that's about all they'll be--amused and entertained. While the script is a workmanlike send-up of the Old Dark House and Mad Scientist subgenres of horror films, there aren't a whole lot of jokes and gags will have viewers laughing out loud. For me, the film is at its funniest when the escaped killer (Matthew Betz) is repeatedly subjected to unintentional abuse because he is caught in the crossfire between the girls and the robot sent to menace them. It's not that any of the jokes weren't amusing... they just weren't spectacular. (The funniest bits come toward the end, after the robot goes bezerk due to rash actions by Patsy, meaning the film closes at its best. It's worth your while to stick with it.)

I think this film succeeds primarily on the tightly written story and the strong performances of its cast members. Despite the weak jokes, all four actors are in top form. Additionally, there isn't the sense that Thelma Todd's character looks down upon or otherwise views Patsy Kelly's character with contempt, as it has seemed in some of their other pairings. In "The Tin Man", while Todd is visibly frustrated with Kelly's dimwittedness at times, it seems perfectly believable that they're friends who would want to go to a party together.

"The Tin Man" is one of the short films included in Complete Hal Roach Thelma Todd & Patsy Kelly three-disc DVD collection. It's also one of the films that will make you feel the set is worth your time and money.

'Timeless' is a sweet modern-day silent film

Timeless (2013)
Starring: Joel Feitler and Candice Dayton
Director:  Micah Mahaffey
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

A young genius (Feitler) builds a time machine in order to prevent the death of his wife (Dayton).

"Timeless" is a silent short film that isn't a century or so old; as of this writing, it's not even a decade since it was made. Micah Mahaffey wrote and directed a small number of silent short films back in the early 2010s, and if any of the others are as good as this one, I'll probably write about and embed them in this space.

The most impressive thing about this film is that Mahaffey tells a complete story in under three minutes. I have watched a lot of short films over the past few years, and more often than not, filmmakers present vignettes rather than giving us something with a beginning, middle, and end. Here, we are treated to all the niceties you'd expect from a well-crated tale--including a denoument!

I was also impressed by the fact that Mahafferey clearly understood the limitations of his budget and resources, and he worked within them to pull off some nice special effects. He could have easily overreached and given us something that looked cheesy. Instead, he gave us something that looked just right.

The only negative points I can raise about the film is that I didn't quite buy the notion that the grieving widower seemed too young to build a time machine--it seemed like something that would have taken him a decade or more (at least), not just three years. Another thing I didn't quite like was the organ music score. It wasn't that the music was bad... it was that it was an organ. (I think I understand the reasons for both of these negatives. The first goes back to Mahaffey working with the resources he had available, and as a young filmmaker, it's natural he would a young cast to draw on so the time machine had to be invented within a short timespan. As for the second... well, it is a silent movie, so why use organ music? However, I think this story would have  been better served by a grand piano.)

I recommend taking a few minutes to check out "Timeless" for yourself. I hope you like it as much as I did.

Spacegirl Adventures, Part Seventeen

During 2011, I reposted the "Spacegirl" strips by Travis Charest here at Shades of Gray. Then I caught up to where he was, and I stopped. Charest continued, but I ended the postings here on a cliffhanger.

Today, those posts resume. I plan to post two "Spacegirl" strips every other Wednesday until I catch up with Charest again. Then we'll see how long it goes before she returns to this part of the galaxy. (In addition to the comic strips, I'll be posting an illo or two of a Space Girl by Charest or some other artist.)

The Space Girl of "Spacegirl" by Travis Charest

SPACEGIRL

by Travis Charest

PART SEVENTEEN

What Has Gone Before; On the run from her superiors, Spacegirl, has just escaped from a ship carrying a deadly life form. She is trying to reach the airlock of a nearby space station... without getting killed by its defensive cannons first.

By Bryan Baugh

A mad scientist goes to extremes to get ahead (or is that "a head"?)

The Head (1959)
Starring: Horst Frank, Michel Simon, Karin Kernke, and Helmut Schmidt
Director: Victor Trivas
Rating: Five of Ten Stars

A mad scientist (Frank) keeps the head of a brilliant doctor (Simon) alive so that the doctor can consult on an operation to transplant the head of Brandt's beloved--a hunchback nurse (Kernke)--onto a sexy body.

Writer/director Victor Trivas's greatest claim to fame is that his directorial debut--"Hell on Earth" (1931) was outlawed and destroyed by the Nazis in 1940, with no copies known to have survived. His second greatest claim to fame was being nominated for an Oscar for the script for Orson Welles' "The Stranger". And then there's "The Head".

"The Head" is an extremely cheezy, intentionally schlocky film that surprised everyone involved (except maybe auteur Triva) by becoming a hit across Europe and in the United States. But for all the melodrama and dodgy scripting and the prerequisite for big-time suspension of disbelief for the film to even work (but if you're not already planning on doing that, you wouldn't be watching this film to begin with), it's got stylish visuals and it delivers its story with a high degree of tension.

Unfortunately, as the film builds toward what should be a weird, over-the-top, insane climax, it starts to sputter and lose steam. It doesn't quite stall out, but the final act drags to a conclusion instead of roaring toward it, giving this otherwise dark and fun ride a slightly disappointing in. It's still worth your while if you like movies with mad scientists doing mad things.

Return of the Space Girls!

Fishbowl helmets, ray guns, and form-fitting spacesuits... space girl fashion is as timeless as the little black dress!

By Al Bigley

By J.R. Murray

By Frank Cho

By Casey & Deering

The Space Girls will once again be seen regularly here at Shades of Grey. I may even resume the reposting of Travis Charest's "Space Girl" series, which  I left on a cliffhanger waaaay back in 2011.

'Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster' review

Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster (1965)
Starring: Marilyn Hanold, Lou Cutell, Robert Reilly, Jim Karen, and Karen Grant
Director: Robert Gaffney
Rating: Two of Ten Stars

A sexy alien queen (Hanold) and her pointy-eared second-in-command Dr. Nadir (Cutell) come to Earth to abduct bikini babes to replenish the breeding stock on their homeland. Unfortunately for them, their arrival on our world interferes with the test-flight of a cybernetic astronaut (Reilly), causing his ship to crash near the alien landing site.

Some movies derive their entertainment value from the fact that you will spend the entire time you're watching wondering if what you're watching was really that nonsensical on paper, and how one director could make so many bad decisions in the course of one movie.

Even in 1964, the "Mars needs women"-type scenario must have seemed silly, although it does provide an excuse to show attractive women in little bikinis so one can understand why the filmmakers and viewers ran with it. But one wonders what bizarre fetish the writers or director must have been trying to bring to the screen with the oddball "physical exam" that the aliens use to determine the fitness of the women for alien breeding stock.

That said, for a film that was clearly designed to show off fit birds (to borrow a phrase from Joe Bloke's excellent blog) the director made a bizarre choice in casting Playboy-Bunny-turned-actress Marilyn Hanold and yet hardly showing her body off at all. Viewers can see hints of a sexy costume, but she spends most of the movie seated, so it hardly gets shown off.

The only thing that makes the film mildly interesting, aside from the bikini babes if you're hard up, is when the heroine gets grabbed by the aliens and almost becomes chow for the Spacemonster of the film's title, and the runaway robot who stumbles his way through the movie to ultimately serve as something of a literal deus ex machina plot device. Unfortunately, he doesn't quite qualify as a "Frankenstein" in any sense, but instead serves as an illustration of the illiteracy that seems to have been a mainstay of the movie business from the get-go.





(By the way, if I had watched this this movie three-four weeks ago, "ROLF: Attack of the Commies from Jupiter" may have been an unauthorized adaptation of this film given there are some similarities content-wise. Heck... there may still be one forthcoming, given its mostly designed. :) )

Princesses of Mars:The Long-Lost Part Fifteen

Strange things can happen when you travel bodilessly in time and space, back and forth to Barsoom where the scantily clad Martian princesses dwell. For example, a series of portraits of them might skip from Part Fourteen to Part Part Sixteen for no apparent reason.

By Shane Glines

By Steve Lightle

By Mike Hoffman

By Gene Gonzalez

Princesses of Mars, Part Seventeen

We return once again to that far-away and long-ago world where Martian princesses battle creatures while nearly naked.

By Sanjulian

By Buzz

By Mike Hoffman

Space Girl Adventures, Part Sixteen

By Travis Charest

SPACEGIRL
by Travis Charest
Part Sixteen

To Be Continued....

Picture Perfect Special: Princesses of Mars, Part Sixteen

And now for another trip to Mars, where the princesses continue their battles against monsters and clothes.

By Frank Brunner

By Michael Dooley

By John Heebink

By Bruce Timm

Picture Perfect Special: Princesses of Mars, Part Fourteen

For the rest of the year, we will be traveling to Mars every other week for visits with the deadly and exotic princesses who dwell there. Keep your arms inside the ride at all times, or they may get cut off.



By Mike Hoffman



By Adam Hughes and Karl Story

By Gene Gonzales

By Anna-Marie Cool