Blood Capsule #178

THE INVISIBLE MAN APPEARS (1949)

Some films only exist today as historical curiosities.  Take The Invisible Man Appears, for example.  It was never released stateside until Arrow Video saved it from certain obscurity by issuing a posh Blu-ray in 2021.  Considered the first science fiction film made in Japan, Invisible Man deftly utilizes tokusatsu effects engendered, in part, by Eiji Tsuburaya.  Kaiju fans will recognize that name.  Tsuburaya helped pioneer special techniques that would later be employed to stage elephantine battles between Godzilla and other giant monsters.  Speaking of which, this little conversation piece was produced by Daiei Film, the studio responsible for the Gamera series.  Okay, so I've given you plenty of background information.  Is Invisible Man worth tracking down?

The bulk of the picture operates around a knotty, near-Gordion jewel heist.  A batch of indistinguishable thugs kidnap a scientist in the hope of furtively using his untested invisibility agent to plunder a diamond necklace.  I guess it's interesting if you really enjoyed Ocean's Thirteen, but I yawned through a lot of the procedural build-up.  Admittedly, the visuals are eerie.  It's easy to spot where director Nobuo Adachi was influenced by American genre trappings, most notably Universal's own translucent monster.  At the end of the day, The Invisible Man Appears isn't terribly compelling.  There is a sequel - 1957's The Invisible Man vs. The Human Fly.  I doubt that I'll watch it, but you're more than welcome to give it a try.

A Bloodstained Update

Corny jokes aside, I do have an update for you regarding Blood Capsules (the book).  I'm a little past halfway done with the manuscript...!  As I approach the home stretch, I am primed to enter "review mode."  Once this mode is activated, watch out.  For the most part, Blood Capsules will be the only thing you see on this website for awhile.  For every review I post here, I will write one that is exclusive to the book.  I would ignore the site altogether, but I do want to keep interest up.

I'll give you another update when I'm closer to the finish line.  Until then, it's "review mode" for me.  This could get bloody.

Now Playing #10

Windthrow - Katabasis

Released in the sterility of early December, this record came and went last year with zero fanfare.  I can understand why this Swedish one-man project is obscure, but that doesn't mean it should be.  I'll do my part in singing its praises.  So what are we dealing with here?  Windthrow peddles black metal that borrows liberally from traditional heavy metal.  Expect to hear a wealth of guitar harmonies and solos that polish off each composition.  The well-endowed production ensures that your ears can isolate each instrument.  I'm picky as hell when it comes to black metal (okay, I'm a fastidious fool with all subgenres), so the fact that I've given Katabasis several spins should clue you in on something.

I'm using the word "spins" informally, as this record doesn't seem to be available on CD.  If you have a turntable, this is an easy recommendation.  Sample "Stygian Halls" or "New Light."

Solitude Aeturnus - Downfall

When I was hospitalized at the midpoint of 2022 (I call it the "deep torso of doom"), Solitude Aeturnus is one of the bands I can remember jamming on my headphones in an effort to obviate currents of anxiety.  I distinctly recall listening to 1994's Through the Darkest Hour, which I rate as my favorite SA album.  And even though Downfall has to settle for second place, I've been enjoying it quite a bit lately.  Can someone please explain to me in plain, elementary English why it's considered to be the worst of the bunch?  I don't get it.  Okay, it doesn't replicate the epic, haughty atmosphere of Into the Depths of Sorrow or Beyond the Crimson Horizon, but the songs are there.

The chorus of "Chapel of Burning" simply cannot be denied.  What about the moody hooks of "Only This (and Nothing More)" or the driving riffs of "Deathwish"?  The latter tune is a Christian Death cover, but I couldn't tell.  It doesn't intercede on the natural flow of the music despite its whereabouts in the tracklist.  I reject the notion that Downfall entertains alternative rock.  That's just bogus, man.  Listen to "Concern" and tell me it's not irrationally infectious.  Bogus!

Album Cover of the Whatever

How about some obscure death/thrash?  I would buy a comic book with that cover.  The band in question is Tyrant Trooper.  Insane Sickness was their only LP, and while I'm not super familiar with it, I've heard it enough to recommend it.

Rassle Inn #48

So what's going on with the Young Bucks?

Four years ago, I was on their side.  In fact, I even bought their merch at Hot Topic.  And y'know, a lot of people were on their side.  Fans (and journalists, if they're not ashamed to admit it) were excited about the prospect of a new major wrestling promotion.  Finally, Vinnie Mac was going to have direct competition.  But that was four years ago.  So many things can - and did - happen in four years.  It could be said that the Bucks gradually dropped all gimmicks in that span of time, riding a wave of grim reality that reached a crescendo on last night's Dynamite.

In what can only be described as a turgid interview segment, Matt and Nick Jackson essentially played themselves.  All bets are off, as Matt delivered a wordy, yet ultimately ineffectual promo that made reference to certain "cancerous" individuals in the wrestling business.  I guess I can't call it ineffectual.  He came across as a douchebag, which was the whole point of the scene.  The problem is that it's becoming clear to both doomsters and apologists alike that as much as AEW's roster would love to get credit from the Academy for theatrical performances, the dude wasn't acting.  It appears that the Young Bucks are douchebags.

"Do you know them personally, Dom?"  No, and I'm sure that they are great tippers.  But here's what I do know...they are responsible, in part, for driving out the biggest star in the history of their little company.  They may not be quite as responsible as Jack Perry or Tony Khan, but something tells me that they approve of AEW'S overall trajectory.  If by some chance they aren't douchebags, they're stupid.  I fear they may be both.  I'm still not 100% clear on the kayfabe reason for singling out Darby Allin and Sting.  Boredom maybe?  What could have been a marquee money match will probably just be another Young Bucks match.

Look, I've been guilty of defending them.  I have a high threshold for their "style" of wrestling, and in seasons past, one could argue that their most serious offenses were merely ridiculous high spots.  That was before they held sway as executive vice presidents.  Now, if they go down superkicking, they're taking an entire promotion with them.  But hey, look at all the stars they have made.  Like Private Party.  And...those other guys.

Be All, End All

Just a small update...I've made definite progress on the book.  It's taking longer to put together than I would like, but the end result is going to be sweet.  As for the site, I have new editions of Now Playing and Rassle Inn comin' atcha soon.  That should happen within a week or so.  As for right this very second, I'm listening to Anthrax's State of Euphoria on cassette tape.  I've always maintained that thrash saucers sound best on tape, and this one is no exception to the rule.  And Euphoria is probably my least favorite Belladonna-era Anthrax outing, but it has more meat on its bones than I remembered.

In other news, I recently became an admin of an online golf tournament.  How geeky is that?  Alright, back to work on the manuscript.  Keep those eyes juicy and peeled!

Blood Capsule #177

LORDS OF THE DEEP (1989)

The best thing about this film is its VHS artwork.  If I wasn't low-key obsessed with the aquamarine slipcase (she's a beauty), I wouldn't have forked over ten bucks to own it.  And yet, I'm glad it's in my possession.  I dig this sub-subgenre.  What kind of micro-niche are we dealing with here?  Well, as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, Lords of the Deep falls under the category of "undersea sci-fi/horror."  Movie studios must have been under the impression that ticket buyers simply craved briny, thalassic entertainment.  Either that, or they were staffed by would-be oceanographers because there were no less than six (!) of these brackish b-doodles made between 1989 and 1990.  My favorite of the lot?  DeepStar Six, which benefits from Miguel Ferrer and a cool monster.

I'll have you know that Ferrer doesn't star in Lords, and the monster?  It's a benevolent manta ray.  Doesn't exactly live up to the title, does it?  I suppose that the effects are shipshape (pun intended), but we don't see them enough for it to matter.  The script could have been ghostwritten by AI.  There is a submerged laboratory, a mining operation, and several submersibles that...ugh, even the synopsis is bland.  I wanted to like this flick.  Priscilla Barnes overexerts herself as a goo scientist.  Roger Corman appears in extended cameo capacity, and I'm sure that he considered Lords of the Deep a success.  I'll let you in on a little secret; I disagree.  Recommended to fans of smallbox VHS, reruns of Three's Company (post-Chrissy Snow), and saltwater.

Blood Capsules: The Book

I said I had a mega announcement, and well, I'd say this counts as "mega."  For years, people have told me that I should release a book of some sort.  I thought about it, and I have enough material for a compendium.  The idea is to take all of my Blood Capsules, print them onto adorable pages (inked in blood, natch), and maybe write a few new reviews that are exclusive to the book.  Does that sound like a plan?  I know that horror film review collections are a dime a dozen, but that's partly why I want in on the action.  Everyone else is getting published.  I figure, why not me?

Ideally, I would release this thing tomorrow, but good God, that's not feasible.  If I want to do it right, it's going to take time.  Early projections?  The first quarter of 2025, at the very latest.  Hopefully, you can hold a copy in your hands to read by Halloween 2024.  We'll see.  Obviously, I'll keep you - my dear readership - in the loop as this project progresses.

So what does this mean for the website?  The book is going to drain quite a bit of my spare time.  Sure, most of it is already written, but I have to toss it into a manuscript and make sure it's all presentable.  Here's my new rule...until the book is released, the only movie reviews that I'll be writing will be Blood Capsules.  Plus, there's the fact that some of those reviews will be bypassing the Internet and going straight to the book.  I will still update the site, however.  You can expect to read my usual dissertations on metal and pro-wrestling.  If anything, I'll try to bump up the metal/wrestling content to compensate for the lack of film content.

Bare with me!  Patreon support will be critical in the coming months.  I want to figure out a way to link the book to my Patreon, but...um, I haven't decided how to do that yet.  When I know, you'll know.  Thanks for the continued support that does exist, and of course, thanks for reading.  This should prove to be a most interesting year!

Onward

Random A.J. Lee picture is random.

Well, 2023 was...a year.  Actually, it was a pretty good year, but I don't want to jinx anything.  Nothing is guaranteed about 2024.  The only thing I know about the next twelve months is that I'm going to be one busy fool.  The short term?  I have a huge announcement to make.  But give me a few days.  I have a lot planned, and as such, I need to organize the contents of my brain.