Friday, April 15, 2011

Damsel in a giant web - Cosmic Monsters

A thrilling premise... with a suspenseful soundtrack... marred by weak special effects.
 
Produced back in 1957, this low-budget British sci-fi film was done with an eye toward U.S. audiences. It was therefore logical for the Brits to cast Hollywood star Forrest Tucker in the role of a brilliant American scientist. 

No, I guess it really wasn't.

Released in England as 'The Strange World Of Planet X', the story involved a remote English lab where researchers kept messing with hyper-intensive magnetism.  They inadvertently create a breach in the Earth's natural magnetic field, allowing cosmic radiation to penetrate a forest full of insects. Faster than Forrest Tucker could say "imponderables", the little critters underwent a mutation that left them living large and hungry.

A real pity about the special effects in this segment.  Especially at the end, where the film projection of the spider was switched off and the rear screen was clearly visible.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Johnny Test's Mom Gets Stuck Outdoors

Yes, it's been a while since the last post.

But, to be honest, this kind of indulgence doesn't pay the rent.

Just before the new year, I paid a certain disgruntled animator a small commission to re-do a piece I , er, borrowed from YouTube. It was a Johnny Test segment that practically hollered for a stuck scenario with Johnny's mom in her 4 inch heels... the episode involving cyborg copies of Johnny and Dukey running amok.

Given YouTube's sensitivity to copyright issues, I decided to post the full clip to a personal web page... a sort of video attic...
Lila Test stuck on the porch steps. 

This is the same cartoonist who felt just a little burned when he enter Sticky Notes and Chick Magnet into video contests that turned bogus.