EPISODE XIV - A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET RETROSPECTIVE

 Heeeeeey boils and ghouls!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!  That's right, we're smack dab in the middle of spooooooky season!

What better time to talk about Nightmare on Elm Street!?

This week, the boys discuss all things Freddy!

Are you ready for Freddy?

Tacyhon Signal POPS: Sweet Emotion

 This week, the boys wear their emotions on their sleeves and talk about emotional responses to films and scenes in films.  

We're not made of stone, ya know!

We're Back! Introducing Tachyon Signal Pops!

 Hey gang!

We're back!  Yes, we know it's been a while, but unfortunately sometimes life throws some pretty heavy curveballs your way and all you can do is wait for the storm to pass....which is exactly what we've done.  But now the clouds have lifted and we are back and better than ever.

We want to introduce you to Tachyon Signal Pops!  
We've gotten lots of feedback regarding our show and it seems that our listeners are split down the middle.  Some of you rabid cinephiles enjoy the two hour madness that is a typical TS show.  Others have stated that it's just too much to take in at one time.

And so, we came up with Pops.  30 minute bite sized episodes. 
So if you enjoy the full sized show, you can consider these to be bonus episodes.  If you are amongst the half that prefer Rick and Matt in smaller doses then this is a great alternative! 

As usual we are on all your favorite podcast aggregators or you can download and listen right here!

Welcome back to The Tachyon Signal.  Season 2 continues.....

Season 2, Episode 5 with Chris Alexander!

 

This week on the broadcast, we've got ourselves another special guest - Mr. Chris Alexander!
This man does it all!  It would probably be easier to list the things he hasn't done.

Chris has been on my radar since the early 2000's when he wrote for Rue Morgue magazine, all the way through his time as EIC at Fangoria and now Delerium Magazine.
He is a filmmaker, musician, dreamer and doer.   

Let's join in the chat with Chris!

Of course you can download us from your favorite podcast aggregator or directly below:

DOWNLOAD

Season 2 Episode 4 - Richard Burgin

This week The Boys sit down with up and coming filmmaker Richard Burgin to discuss his upcoming film FANG, starring Lynn Lowry, as well as his short films...future films and everything in between!
A truly fantastic discussion with a fantastic writer and director!  We are truly excited to see where Mr. Burgin goes from here and we are absolutely chomping at the bit to see FANG!  DIG IT!


As always we are available on Sticher Radio, Player FM, Audible, Amazon Music and naturally Apple Podcasts....

Or you can download it directly HERE

Or listen down below!

Season 2 Epsisode 3 - Kei XI

 This week the boys are talking to indie filmmaker Kei XI!

Kei is truly a unique and visionary artist who isn't afraid to tell her truth while making some truly terrifying films! 

Kei is also our first international interview, talking to us from London! 

We had an absolute blast with Kei and hope she'll join us again sometime!

As always you can listen to the show on Stitcher Radio, FM Radio, Google, Audible, Amazon Music and of course Apple Podcasts!

Or you can download HERE

Or you can listen below!
Enjoy this captivating conversation!

Season 2 Episode 2 - Christopher Alan Broadstone - Human No More

 

This week the boys welcome special guest Christopher Alan Broadstone!
Christopher is a filmmaker, author and musician and he's chatting up his latest feature film, Human No More with us!  

You don't want to miss this epic conversation with a truly visionary filmmaker!

As always you can find us on Stitcher, Player FM, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Or you can just say ALEXA/HEY GOOGLE - PLAY THE TACHYON SIGNAL PODCAST!

Or just click play down below or download the show HERE

Anyway you slice it, it's a damn good show!  
Enjoy!

Season 2 Episode 1 - Nosferatu

I bid you welcome!

In Season 2's opener we take a look at the legendary 1922 silent shocker, Nosferatu, which celebrates it's 100th anniversary this month!

We also talk about Wener Herzog's 1979 remake and the extremely wonky "sequel" Nosferatu in Venice.

This week's Actor of the Week is non other than Mr. William Shatner, who just celebrated his 91st Birthday!  

Our Monster of the week is the Gill Man from Creature From the Black Lagoon!

Of course you can download us directly HERE
Or listen to us below!

You also just say     HEY GOOGLE!  PLAY THE TACHYON SIGNAL PODCAST

          or                   ALEXA!  PLAY THE TACHYON SIGNAL PODCAST!

You can find us using your favorite podcast aggregator of choice as well!

Enjoy!

Season 2 Episode 0

Well it took a little bit, but Rick and I managed to fire up the converters, flush out the flux capacitor, oscillate the overthruster and re-align the signal.

WE'RE BACK!

Welcome to Season 2 of The Tachyon Signal!

This season we're going to have a new format (starting with episode 1), special guests and more surprises than you can even imagine! It's gonna be weirder, wilder and BRAIN MELTING!

IT'S THE TACHYON SIGNAL!

Episode XIII - MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!

 

Merry Christmas Everybody!

This week the boys take a look at their favorite holiday movies, have some technical difficulties due to the weather and have a laugh riot at the end!  Why?  Listen to find out!  

We're FINALLY on Apple Podcasts, so now you Apple folks have no excuse not to listen to our amazing show!

Huzzah!

As always you can download directly HERE

Or you and tune and and listen below!


Both Rick and I want to wish you all the Happiest of Holidays. 
We'll see you in a week for the New Years SPECTACULAR!

With love, 

The Tachyon Signal Family

Episode XII - 80's Comedies

 Hey Ho!
Happy Holidays everybody!

It's time to hit the way back button on the old flux capacitor because the boys are going back to the 80's to talk about their favorite 80's comedies!  

Exciting news!  We're now available on Apple Podcasts!  FINALLY!  They make it difficult, but at long last we're there.  So no you've got NO excuse not to listen!

As always we can be found on your favorite podcast aggregator of choice and we're available all over.

Stitcher Radio, Player FM, Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts and Audible!

Or you can download here

or just stream it right from this page!

Josie & The Pussycats (2001)

    Josie & The Pussycats is a strange anomaly of cinema. While it certainly takes the source material and remixes it for a contemporary audience (well, in 2001 anyway) it was certainly not made with the cartoon's original audience in mind. That alone should have created a disjointed film with no marketable audience, but no. Instead what we got was a veritable cult classic about the power of love and friendship in the face of a cold and careless corporate conglomeration. Secondary to that we have a parable about the dangers of losing one's self identity and conformity. Take all of this and roll it up with a fun soundtrack and you've something rather special on your hands.

    We start our adventure in Riverdale (yes, this is in fact in the Archie comics universe.) and find our heroes Josie, Mel and Val, better known as The Pussycats playing a gig at the local bowling alley where precisely no one is paying attention to them, despite the fact that they're playing some rather catchy tunes.  

    Okay, well that's not entirely true...we start our adventure high in the sky aboard a private jet that is transporting boy band DuJour to their next gig.  The band discovers some a rather strange backing track on their latest album and confront MegaRecords executive Wyatt Frame about it.  Wyatt in return tells the jets pilot it's time to "Drive the Chevy to the Levy", which it turns out is code for "Jump out of the plane and parachute to safety, leaving the band to die in a horrible plane crash."

    Upon landing, Wyatt is already scheming, searching for a replacement band for DuJour.  Heh heh heh....DuJour, still makes me giggle.  Anyway, plot device, plot device, yadda yadda yadda, and Wyatt literally just about runs into Josie, Mel & Val while Meatloaf's PARADISE BY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT plays on the soundtrack. Stars are born. Next thing you know Josie and gang are being whisked off to New York City along with their manager Alexander, his sister Alexandria and Josie's friend (read-love interest) Alan M.

    Meanwhile at MegaRecords head office, CEO Fiona is meeting with the United State Government because naturally Uncle Sam is in bed with the giant conglomerate in a scheme to plant subliminal messages into music to control the masses. We learn that DuJour was NOT the first to discover the sinister conspiracy and there have been a long list of musicians who have met with fatal....er....accidents.

    The bands first single is cut and released in record time (pun intended) and thanks to the magic of subliminal messaging becomes and instant hit and the masses are clamoring for more. 

    Valerie is becoming unhappy with the direction the band is suddenly taking, going from The Pussycats to Josie & The Pussycats and most of the attention being heaped upon Josie, Mel and Val are thrust violently into the background...and as it just so happens, from there it's rather obvious that things are not on the up and up.

    Fiona tells Wyatt to get rid of the two meddling musicians and he gives Josie a track to listen to which...of course...is chock full of subliminal messages telling her that Val and Mel hate her and she's the real star and blah blah blah.  The subliminal power is too much for her and she succumbs to MegaRecord's evil scheme.  It would seem that the Pussycats are done for!

    Of course things turn out okay in the end.  I'm not going to spoil it for you, but it's a pretty darn feel good ending and gosh darn it if you aren't humming those tunes by the end of this flick then you clearly weren't paying attention.

    Josie is played by Rachel Leigh Cook, who you may know from The 18th Angel. Mel is played by Tara Reid, who of course is most famous for the American Pie films as well as the Sharknado flicks. Finally Mel is played by the incredible Rosario Dawson. If you don't know who she is.....I don't even know what to say.
Parker Posey and Alan Cumming round out the cast as Fiona and Wyatt.  
The cast all does a stellar job, but for my money....DuJour steals the show.

    DuJour consists of four members played by Seth Green, Breckin Meyer, Donald Faison &  Alexander Martin.  They pull off the ridiculous 90's boy band vibe perfectly. Especially when they're performing their hit song.....er.....Backdoor Lover before boarding their plane that fateful day. 

Backdoor Lover has some rather....interesting lyrics.....

This kind of love is wrong

But you know it feels so right

Runnin' my hands across your cheeks

They're oh so smooth and white

So leave the light on baby

And unlock your back door

I'll be comin' through that way tonight

To love you for sure

    But anyway, back to the real music....The Pussycats sing some really catchy damn tunes, as I've mentioned.  That could be because there was some pretty damn talented musicians lending their writing skills including Adam Duritz from The Counting Crows, Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne and Kay Hanley of Letters to Cleo, who also provided Josie with her singing voice.

    There are also some fantastic cameos sprinkled in here including Eugene Levy as the host of Fiona's informational video about subliminal messaging Carson Daly and Aries Spears as....The Other Carson Daly.  Spears does a rather great Bill Cosby impression.  As in like his voice...he didn't drug and molest anybody. 
It's really quite a scene and one you've gotta see to really appreciate. 

    So what are you waiting for? Go watch Josie & The Pussycats!

    

    

    

Highlander - The Source

 There are no bad movies... 

When it comes to watching movies and films, Matthew and I have the philosophy “There are no bad movies, only movies you don’t like.”  I was challenged on this in a recent thread on a Facebook group when one participant posted a comment about the movie FIREBIRD 2015 AD and he laid into it.  There was one immediate reply before mine to which the person made the response “I liked it.”  I made my comment and the original poster replied directly to me “This movie will test your faith in that!”  Well, I have seen it, long long ago in the day and age of video tape rentals, and the comment before me proved my point.  “You don’t like it. Mr. X before me liked it...he doesn’t think it’s a bad movie.”  There is always somebody out there that finds something enjoyable in a movie you might think is bad.  So, basically, you didn’t like the movie because it didn’t fit your tastes.  There are amazing movies out there that will have people question your tastes.  But the fact is...it isn’t a bad movie.  It all comes down to personal opinion and tastes.  

Why do I talk about all this first?  Well, I am going to talk about a movie I do not like.  But that is merely my opinion and someplace out there, somebody likes this movie.  I will even say, though, I have this movie in my collection.  With that in mind, I will do my best to bring to you my best observations instead of providing opinion with no merit or thought.  And I don’t really think of my comments on a movie as a review at all.  Rather, my half of a good discussion. 

The subject of this article is HIGHLANDER: THE SOURCE. 

The first HIGHLANDER was released in 1986 starring Christopher Lambert as Conner MacLeod, Sean Connery as Juan Sanchez Villalobos Ramierz, and Clancy Brown as The Kurgan.  Bringing to us a fantasy world where immortals exist in secrecy that have been battling through the ages so that the final surviving Immortal, coining the phrase “There can be only one”, wins the mysterious “Prize”.  The only explanation as to who or what these Immortals are and where they came from being “It’s a kind of magic.”  Some of that magic was The Quickening an Immortal would experience upon removing the head of their opponent that would transfer life energies, experiences and skills to the winner.  It also connected an Immortal to nature demonstrated when Ramirez was teaching MacLeod about the Quickening and they gained strength and speed of a stag that was close by resulting in their ability to run faster than a normal person.  Sadly, this aspect has been lost in all further presentations.  Oddly enough, as connected to nature as immortals could be, one detriment was they could never have children. 

HIGHLANDER II: THE QUICKENING was released in 1991, starring Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery again but presenting Virginia Madsen as the love interest and  and Michael Ironside as the bad guy.  First presented to try to explain those factors with Immortals were people from a planet called Zeist where they were mortal, exiled to Earth where they became Immortal to fight each other to become mortal again and be pardoned of whatever crimes had them banished to Earth.  This movie did away with most of the plot points of the first HIGHLANDER, changed the concept of what The Quickening was, changed the relationship between MacLeod and Ramirez and, overall, really laid waste to everything that made the first movie great.  There was a re-edit and recut and re-release on DVD called HIGHLANDER: THE RENEGADE VERSION That was much better, presented footage that was in the original UK release of the movie that regained some continuity and all the references to the planet Zeist were removed. 

HIGHLANDER III was released in 2000 with the secondary title THE FINAL DIMENSION but final release as THE SORCERER.  Christopher Lamber reprises his role as MacLeod and the new Immortal villain is played by Mario Van Peebles.   

HIGHLANDER IV: ENDGAME is released in 2000 and is a bridge between the HIGHLANDER movies with Christopher Lambert and the now popular HIGHLANDER TV series starring Adian Paul.  Adrian Paul brings his experience as an accomplished martial artist and swordsman to the production in the franchise that has made the successful jump from the theatre screen, to the home screen, and back to the theatre screen.  This is best demonstrated in an amazing display of martial arts expertise between himself and Donny Yen which is really a huge save to this movie.  Bruce Payne plays the primary antagonist, Jacob Kell. 

Finally, we come to HIGHLANDER: THE SOURCE in 2007 released directly to video and TV.  This movie makes the second attempt to provide explanation as to who the first immortal was and what these Immortals are, what gives them their immortality and what the prize is or may be and what The Quickening is.  Sadly enough, it doesn’t as it takes you on a confusing trek with our fearless immortal heroes and one mortal woman that is some kind of key to it all that Duncan MacLeod somehow got pregnant. 

So, what happens.... 

The movie opens with a female voice-over reminding us of the 3 rules of being Immortal...There can be only 1, don’t lose your head, and you can’t have children.  It is sometime in the future is the time setting.  It isn't too far because Joe Dawson, a mortal Watcher and friend to Duncan introduced in the TV series, is still alive.  Apparently, the world is in collapse and chaos due to reasons never given.  Duncan “isn’t the man he used to be” for a loosely given explanation he revealed to his latest love that he is immortal and she didn’t think he would love her as she aged and died.  That woman and the voice of are the same, Anna Teshemka, played by Thekla Reutan.  Anna is not an Immortal but has some kind of psychic link and key in finding The Source.  Duncan has taken to roaming the streets via rooftops ala Dark Knight or Daredevil. 

The Source is supposed to be what gives Immortals their immortality and everything else that goes with it.  The Source is a combination of extensive celestial body alignments and a specific earthbound location.  Nobody knows where it is or anything more than that and it all seems to be more myth and legend to even the Immortals than anything real.  If a group of Immortals search for it, their immortality becomes weaker and weaker as they get closer.  Proximity to The Source also creates conflict within the group (it seems only groups search for The Source) and they eventually turn against each other so that only one ends up reaching The Source. 

Except for Methos.  Peter Wingfield reprises his role as Methos from the TV series as one of the oldest of Immortals at over 5000 years old or at least that is as old as he can be traced back to being.   

The only other character within the story to know about The Source is The Guardian who, you guessed it, guards The Source.  The Guardian is played by Cristian Solimeno who has also been in such shows as Argento’s MOTHER OF TEARS.  The Guardian is more than a guardian as he goes out of his way, really, to protect the secret of The Source and anybody trying to locate it by killing them or taking their head as necessary.  The Guardian is also an Immortal with a decidedly darker edge.  I wouldn’t call him evil like, say, The Kurgan, but more of...a real asshole.  His appearance is pale to the point of being albino with a couple areas that have big sheets of skin coming off as he is supposed to be “decaying”, has extended knowledge of everybody and is just killing anybody.  Methos and The Guardian were once part of a group of Immortals searching for The Source.  The others fought and leaving only one to reach The Source to fight a Guardian and becoming that Guardian’s successor.  In this case, though, there were two.  At the beginning, his appearance is also altered with CGI...they make his mouth pucker up like...well..an asshole...that never happens through the rest of the movie.  The only other thing is he can move really fast. 

The Elder, played by Patrie Naiambana, was one of the group that managed to make it to The Source.  In the battle with the previous Guardian, he was caught between the energies of The Source and the Quickening from The Guardian and earned some of that positions distasteful qualities...slowly rotting away. He doesn’t have little sheets of skin coming off, he has become quite blobby and gelatinous and it is like only his epidermis is holding everything into some kind of cohesive mess.  Think of Pearl from Blade (1998) but less farty and more droopy. 

Jim Byrnes as Joe Dawson makes an appearance and is killed by The Guardian...which angers Duncan. 

A couple other minor characters; Stephen Wight as Reggie, a “younger” immortal, pretty sure he started life as a cabin-boy on a pirate ship, and the impetuous type to provide the jump the gun aspect like Ritchie....but less likeable. Thom Fell as Cardinal Giovanni, a priest with the most GOD-AWFUL hair style in any century.  These 2 really just took up a lot of screen time that just didn’t need to be there.  Reggie gets all slashed by The Guardian a dies a death of a thousand cuts style death while the Cardinal just buggers off. 

The only other character of any kind of merit is Zai Jie at the very beginning, played by Stephen Rahman Hughes.  He has found an office with secret data on a celestial alignment and The Source to help find The Source.  Nothing is spoken of this organization looking for The Source.  The opening does hold one two decent fight scenes if only for the character f Zai Jie. 

The second fight scene that is noteworthy is in a shipyard and Duncan performs some moves reminiscent of Jin Ke’s style from Highlander Endgame.  Everybody else seems to just be flailing their swords about in comparison as they take on a gang terrorizing some other inconsequential character.  This is pretty synonymous with the entire story.  It was a bad idea to try to define The Source and make it about some supreme and incredible galactic alignment...that has to be focused through a mortal woman like Anna...and then there are steps it looks like...to ascend on for the final prize?  Who knows. 

Duncan defeats The Guardian by not killing him. but doesn’t become the new Guardian. The Guardian dissipates into energy fed back into the universe? 

Presumably, Duncan and Anna get back together....because their child was a “gift” from The Source. 

Ok, so, this was an example of a story with so many rewrites and the original writer leaves and their whole concept disappears and people take over that think all people want to see is Highlanders cutting heads off and sword fights.  Nothing of any kind of story has to make sense, just give excuse to see sword fights.  The fact that 2 immortal rules are broken, Immortals cannot fight on holy ground and Immortals cannot have children, doesn’t matter.  Even the idea of trying to explain what The Source was and who the first Immortal was and what The Quickening is got so lost in this story that it is, as much as I hate referencing the word canon, it Is canonically regarded that Duncan had a bad dream.  If you go into this movie with the forethought this is Duncan MacLeod after a bad bit of haggis, then it all makes sense.  Then it isn’t so bad at all because it does reach down into what an Immortal such as Duncan might think, worry, and be concerned about and fear.  If you know anything about dreams, and I know lots about weird dreams, then this all makes sense. 

So, don’t go into this movie expecting anything like the previous Highlander movies OR previous Highlander TV shows. 

Don’t go into this movie expecting something good. 

But, do go into this movie with the idea we are taking a journey into Duncan’s head for a bad dream and, suddenly, it isn’t so bad. 

I think, from that standpoint, a good takeaway is don’t always look at something as it appears.  Always take a look at something for it’s own merit and what it might be.  There can be more than one. 

Watch the trailer.... 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBaz3rvTCpc

Or 

Take a chance and watch the movie...

 With Greek subtitles   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdOSArLfnEE

Tachyon Signal Episode XI - Sports Films

 Rick, Rick, He's our man! If he can't do it, no one can!

Matt! Matt! He's okay!  He's not Rick, but we'll let him play!

This week the boys take a look at Sports films!

We cover everything from Bad News Bears to Slapshot. From Death Race to Robot Jox.

It's a weird 'n' wild ride, only on Tachyon Signal!

Naturally you can download us HERE

Or find us on your podcast aggregator of choice!

Or you can say:

HEY GOOGLE, PLAY THE TACHYON SIGNAL PODCAST

                                        or

ALEXA, PLAY THE TACHYON SIGNAL PODCAST

Wonder Woman (1974)

                 LOST GEMS 

                                           You’re a wonder

In 1941, the first published appearance of Wonder Woman, created by William Moulton Marston, took place in All Star Comics #8.  Marston was an American Psychologist, working under the pen name Charles Moulton, that had created Wonder Woman through the inspiration of his wife, Elizabeth Holloway Marston, and their polyamorous life partner, Olive Byrne.  The character itself was heavily influenced by the dominance and bondage culture both in her combat style and weakening.  She could tie her opponents up and make them tell the truth, some of her powers came from bronze bracelets that were symbols of slavery, and she could be rendered powerless by being tied up as well.  She was the powerful woman that was completely opposite of the day and age.  Needless to say, controversy surrounded the character and was frowned upon even by women!  The character lost her powers in a very long story arc until American feminist journalist, social political activist and fan of Wonder Woman, Gloria Steinam, rallied to have the character restored to her full potential, featuring Wonder Woman on the first issue of Ms. Magazine in the spring of 1972 and becoming “the woman that saved Wonder Woman.  Wonder Woman was starting to jump media platforms and it wasn’t long before she made the jump to the screen.  Ask any fan when word of a new Wonder Woman movie in 2017, to be directed by Patty Jenkins, that its star was going to be Gal Gadot and NOT “the one TRUE Wonder Woman”, Lynda Carter how much ire they were in.  Lynda Carter had successfully played Diana Prince/Wonder Woman for three seasons from 1975 to 1979 and in a total of 60 episodes in the traditional red white and blue satin tights.  She was the only person to play Wonder Woman and, therefore, the only person that SHOULD play Wonder Woman!  

*hrumph loudly and cross your arms* 

Sorry, gang, Lynda Carter was NOT the first person to play Wonder Woman no matter how many times you Google “first Wonder Woman” or “original Wonder Woman”. 

The story arc of 1968 to 1972 where Wonder Woman had been stripped of her powers was used as the basis for the pilot of a newly proposed TV series.  Gone was the traditional costume for a lot of Emma Peel of the British TV series THE AVENGERS inspired designs...catsuits and miniskirt designs prevalent for the time and popularized by Diana Rigg.  To be directed by Vincent McVeety, known for a host of popular shows ranging from Star Trek to The Rockford Files and Airwolf...even an episode of favourite series to Matthew and myself, Kolchak: The Night Stalker (The Knightly Murders). This incarnation is a super-spy holding the position of a secretary to Steve Trevor played by Kaz Garas, known for such shows as Hawaii 5-0, Starsky & Hutch, The Dukes of Hazzard and more! Known as Diana formerly and Dee in more friendly conversation and recognized as Wonder Woman by every bad guy regardless of clothing apparel (usually red, white and blue), armed with superior gymnastic abilities, exceptional intelligence, the strength of love, and a variety of gadget style bracelets that include tracking devices to properly outfit this James Bond style of hero.  But who plays this daring woman of adventure?  Lynda Carter did apply for the role, not having any luck until 1975, and losing out to blonde 29-year-old former tennis player Cathy Lee Crosby.  Wonder Woman’s costume of action is almost a tennis playing and very modest type suite with blue leggings and knee-high blue boots.  I have to admit, it also looked uncomfortable for warmer weather excursions as it looked like fleece.  Interesting enough, Cathy Lee Crosby would also later go on to take part in an episode of Kolchak: The Night Stalker in the episode The Youth Killer. 

Kolchak links don’t stop there! From the episode The Demon In Lace, Andrew Prine plays a slimy bad guy even other bad guys cannot trust.  But he is only the right hand to the boss bad guy. 

That boss bad guy is none other than...KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHN!  Ricardo Montalban himself!  Montalban plays an exceptional bad guy and adversary to our hero.  He is sneaky, deviously smart, underhanded and not one to be trifled with as he provides SPECTRE level traps like a room with an almost impenetrable glass wall on one end and an advancing wall of coloured acidic mud on the opposite side.  

 There is a tense showdown with Amazonian sister turned evil Anjela or Ahnjayla (equivalent to Nubia in the comics) in the only action scene of the show.  The “action” is low key and is used to demonstrate a rivalry that was meant to be a recurring one if the TV series was picked up. 

Wonder Woman then races to confront bad guy Abner Smith (Montalban) in one last carry-over from the comics, her invisible plane...to which there is no explanation.  The showdown leads to Smith’s secret lair (as all good bad-guys have) including an elevator system to an underground stored helicopter and an alternate getaway route of a boat on a river system through a cave system...which has to be used because of Wonder Woman’s gadgetry bracelets.  Wonder Woman never gets to deflect bullets with her bracelets and uses more brain over brain to escape traps with her gadget belt and escape rope rather than Magic Lasso of Truth. 

Other sign of the times is no actual killing takes place on camera but is heavily implied and bloodless results observed.  Overall filming is classic 70’s style but really has an overwhelming comic book charm to it.  The whole presentation does, really.  From story to dialogue, plot and action scenes, bad guy secret lair to Wonder Woman’s motorcycle riding ability (surely pulled for later Carter Wonder Woman series) and the semi soul sounds of the 70’s musical score.  It really is a good start to the shining example of what I think is the greatest era of science fiction movie and TV viewing and for wholesome family viewing. 

Something that stands out are 2 hench...people....Joe and Cass played by Robert Porter and Donna Garrett in an interesting portrayal of what appears to be twin assassins.  Dressing identical in 70’s era brown leather in a potential attempt at gender bending the rules a bit or a dash of androgyny.  The character Joe is decidedly male but Cass is female with overt male tones to the characters visual and personal mannerisms.  Taking the point of interest even further, androgynous figures occurred frequently in Greek mythology with a blend of desirable traits of both men and woman.  Some being Aphroditus (to Aphrodite), Heramphroditus (offspring to Hermes and Aphrodite and source to the term “hermaphrodite”), and  Agdistis a deity possessing both male and female sexual organs.  The character Diana/Wonder Woman is filled right from her creation with the concept of love between nothing but same sex characters as she comes from an island (Paradise Island) where there are no men or even supposed to be allowed, and sprung from the same sex relationship between Moulton’s wife and their sex partner as mentioned at the start. 

Overall, is it a GREAT show to watch?  No, it isn’t.  Is it fun?  It has its moments.  It does definitely stick with Wonder Woman’s original standing philosophy of love conquers evil and hate.  Smith even announces, “Wonder Woman, I love you!” at the end. Philosophically, anthropologically and from the point of female power in society, it still gives a lot for one to think about.  Even if Diana is subservient to Steve Rogers, it is still Wonder Woman that saves the world and from a man with her only real opponent, a woman, getting away. If you are a comic book entertainment “historian”, you cannot miss watching this honourable mention.  As a lost gem, it is a diamond in the rough but a diamond none the less. A rough in the diamond I’ll say. 

A little taste of Cathy Lee Crosby as Wonder Woman:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHvtlWmlMFU

As a follow-up show to watch, I really suggest checking out Professor Marston and the Wonder Women.  Check out the trailer here;

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r991pr4Fohk

Last point I want to make as well is don’t let past portrayals stop you from checking out other efforts by other people to portray Wonder Woman.  Wonder Woman has been a favourite character of mine since I was a kid...but, at that time, a boy didn’t admit that a strong female character was one of his favourites, Wonder Woman was so girls would enjoy comics too...which is a load of nonsense.  Some other really great people have portrayed the Amazonian such as;

Must List Lynda Carter:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imc_qG8Re2Q

Adrianne Palicki (and also starring...PEDRO PASCAL!) fan added Carter series Wonder WOman preview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1cDmZeHIY4

Lucy Lawless...trivia...Xena was based on Wonder Woman 

And, of course, Gal Gadot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q8fG0TtVAY

But so many women have played Wonder Woman.  Is there one true Wonder Woman?  No...she is all women.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM5JjJSMCCk

Episode X - Horrors in Higher Learning

 That's right, it's time again for a Tachyon Transmission!

This week the boys go back to school, discussing horror films that take place on or around college campuses and other institutes of higher learning, with perhaps a detour into highschool

As always you can download us HERE

Also try saying either 

ALEXA, PLAY THE TACHYON SIGNAL PODCAST!

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I Am Legend

    We thought it was time to bring more to THE TACHYON signal and each contribute something in the written format as well as our team effort for the actual podcast itself. 

Well....here...we...go! 

Oh yeah....*SPOILERS*  All these movies are old enough but giving you warning anyways.  I will try to keep in minimal. 

    My first written contribution is going to center on one story that has been made into movies at least 4 times.  I am not going to get too much into the one called I AM OMEGA because I really found it difficult to watch.  It is what I refer to as a firework movie.  Not fireworks plural, rather fireworks singular. It just goes off in all directions at once and fades out. 

    The original story I am talking about is I AM LEGEND by Richard Matheson and published in 1954and takes place in 1976.  Really a tense short story, easily read and followed and gets your apocalypse imagination going...”What would I do?”  The story itself is about Robert Neville an everyday man that seems to be the last survivor of some global event that has decimated the planet.  He seems to be a self-taught scientist as he investigates the bacteria that has brought the dead back to life as what is classically referred to as vampires.  His neighbor, Ben Cortman, is one of those vampires that taunts him nightly to try to kill him.  These vampires act like the vampires of written lore, they react badly to and can be killed by sunlight, are repulsed by garlic and mirrors, bullets won’t stop them and a stake through the heart seems to be the only thing that will.  He finds a female survivor he thinks is immune as he is, tries to test her blood, she knocks him out and takes off.  Neville does find her again but he learns she is a vampire as well.  She is part of a colony, the human race that was alive when the virus hit and have adapted to it as well as created new medicines to combat the negative effects (like, you know, drinking blood), and they live relatively normal lives...aside from psychotically killing the vampires at night at which Neville has also defended himself against and killed some of them as well.  Neville is captured by the living vampire and approached by the woman, turns out that she is part of the ruling council of the colony, and she informs Neville that his public execution must take place for the good of the colony.  She does offer him the option of suicide by pills so that it can be more on his own terms.  In his death, Neville realizes he has taken the place of the mythical vampire in this new vampire world with his final thought, “I am legend.” 

The first movie adaption most will think of is I AM LEGEND starring Wil Smith but it isn't the first filmed adaption. 

    THE LAST MAN ON EARTH stars Vincent Price and released in 1964.  Richard Matheson did partially write the screen play so it is pretty faithful to the original source material...but...it's a pretty ploddy movie.  I think it does lend to the drudgery that has become Neville’s existence. The vampires themselves follow that of the book but they are slow moving and easy to see how George Romero was inspired for NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD.  This was a movie made in Rome so production values and movie making philosophies are really different from North American movie making.  Keep an open mind as you watch as its point is made.  I encourage watching it because of the original story and as an experience in watching movies from an anthropological standpoint and how different cultures make movies. The ending is a little different but the same idea is there. 

    Next up is from my favourite era for science fiction movies, the 70’s.  THE OMEGA MAN starring
Charlton Heston and released in 1971.  Really a fun cast in this one as well, Anthony Zerbe plays Mathias with a whole creepiness that is difficult to get over, Eric Laneuville (future member of St. Elsewhere) is Richie as the kid with a heart of gold that pays for it the hard way, future Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Brian Tochi, Lincoln Kilpatrick from FORTRESS and more, Paul Koslo that...omg what hasn’t he done, and Rosalind Cash from BUCKAROO BANZAI and even more as the Ruth character but now named Lisa. Directed by Boris Sagal (Father to Peg Bundy actress Katey Sagal), this story now presents the Neville character as a Colonel Robert Neville, an MD in the US Army.  This diversion gives the character a little more credibility in trying to develops a vaccine to the virus.  In this adaption,

it is a Sino-Soviet conflict bringing about a war that has a global effect as it steps fully into the concept of biological warfare.  The bacteria released has almost immediate affects killing most of the global population but there is a small part it has a slower effect on.  In the war effort, Neville is working on a vaccine.  With some positive results, he gets into a helicopter to fly off for a meeting about the results.  Shortly into the flight, the pilot croaks, Neville tries to take control but he too has become infected!  The helicopter crashes, Neville somehow survives and desperately injects himself with the vaccine amidst the flaming wreckage.  Neville is now the lone survivor patrolling the streets of empty Los Angeles looking for “The Family”. This is the biggest change to the story and, honestly, it works great.
  It scared the shit out of me as a kid and I still feel the same dread when I start having my apocalypse day dreams.  Members of The Family are slowly dying from the virus, it turns their skin and, most creepily, the iris of their eyes white.  Hair also somehow bleaches out white rather quickly.  The turning can take weeks, days, or minutes.  The end result is always the same, a completely psychotic personality takes over and it is either kill or be killed.  The Family is led by former TV newscaster, Johnathan Mathias and simply referred to as Mathias. Mathias sees Neville as the new evil, “He is part of the dead. He has no place here. He has the stink of oil, electrical circuitry about him. He is obsolete.”  Neville is rescued by Dutch and Lisa during a rather tense encounter with The Family.  Here we learn Richie is sick with the virus.  Dutch is an aspiring virologist and updates Neville when Neville reveals he had developed a vaccine as well as taken it so he is immune.  His blood could be used to make a serum to treat other people.  CHEER!  Plans are made to run off and start, you guessed it, A COLONY!  Murphy throws that law book around and Lisa starts to turn.  She turns quickly, invites Mathias into Neville’s fortress of solitude for the final confrontation.  The ending is also very different but, I feel, much more impacting than simply replacing the legend of vampires.  In the final scene, Mathias throws a speak from the balcony of Neville’s home hitting him square in the chest with enough force to throw him into the fountain pond behind him.  Neville pulls out the spear as his precious blood spurts out and begins discoloring the pond water making it useless for any help.  Dutch approaches the pond as Neville reaches into his jumpsuit and pulls out a full bottle of his blood and drops it from his weak hand.  Dutch frantically searches for it and retrieves the bottle, holding the future in his hands.  Neville slumps against the ornate structure in the centre of the fountain, his arms outstretched in Christ symbolism as if the pond were his cross.  He has died with his sins for humanity to live again. 

    I am not going to get into too much detail as well other than a soft comparison to the previous two attempts.  Reason being, its adaption is really an amalgamation of the first 2 with some poorly written changes for...well, producers that don’t know shit thought it would be cool.  Honest...I got this from the guy that did most of the writing.  I made a comment on a friend’s page (that also happens to be a well-known comic book artist. The Polish Guy) about my least favourite aspect and this guy apologized and said it wasn’t his fault, producers told him to make the change.  That part was giving the vampires a “cool name” and, in this case, The Dark Seekers. 

    Will Smith plays Robert Neville, a virologist in the US Army.  In this adaption, the cataclysm is the direct result to a cure for cancer.  Patients that were doing fine suddenly mutate and start killing people.  This mutation can also be spread to other people, and animals like dogs, through a bite or exchange of bodily fluids like blood and saliva.  These creatures do have an aversion to sunlight, pale skin, reduced intelligence, incapable of normal verbal communication, some level of increased strength, bald and can perform parkour. Neville seems to live in fear of them and he takes precautions like living in a concreate structured building that he has reinforced the doors and windows with steel shutters.  He also pours bleach on the steps so they can’t smell it's his house.  Parts of the movie are ripped right from THE OMEGA MAN as he meets up with a woman and kid who are trying to find a colony of normal people.  That’s when he first hears the name The Dark Seekers after he introduces himself by speaking whole lines of dialogue from SHREK as the boy watches the movie.  As well, Neville has captured a female Dark Seeker and is experimenting on her, he gets into a scrape with her friends because they want her back, his dog is infected and he has to kill it (REALLY?!?!!? Leave dogs out of this mess.  Yes, I have a thing for hurting/killing dogs even if it’s a story), the Dark Seekers finally realize where he lives and come knocking.  To me, this whole idea of the change taking over globally in a quick time frame is pretty thin...and it really borrowed or stole too much from Max Brooks efforts.  It also reduced the threat of the vampires or The Family as an effective antagonist.  These things did not seem to be actively hunting or looking for Neville let alone nightly taunts with semi-naked women (in the book) or launching firebombs at his lofty and secure apartment.  He did have a great idea of rigging explosives in cars up and down his street if they did eventually come around but, for the most part, the Dark Seekers seemed to leave him alone.  From the cast standpoint, there are Wil Smith fans that will love this purely on the basis it’s Wil Smith.  It does have some other great cast members...but...they just are not part of the story for any great length of time and was, I think, a step down for somebody like Salli Richardson Whitfield who has been in such great TV shows like EUREKA.  Did it do anything good?  Yes.  It did a really good job of showing what that sort of isolation can do to an idle mind and even a working mind.  But Neville’s death was really for naught...and the alternate happy ending is just happy. 

I AM LEGEND - Sigh, do I hate this movie?  No, I don’t hate it but I am really disappointed with it.  It is in my collection and I still watch it from time to time. 

There is supposed to be a sequel to I AM LEGEND.  I would much rather see Jovanka Vuckovic do a proper adaption as I am sure she can. 

Watch the trailer for I AM LEGEND here: I Am Legend Trailer

THE OMEGA MAN – Easily my top pick for a good adaption of the story. 

Watch the trailer for THE OMEGA MAN here:   The Omega Man Trailer

 Before I Am Legend: The Omega Man

 THE LAST MAN ON EARTH – I love Vincent Price.  Not his best role but the man pours his heart into the melancholy of his character.  Definitely my number 2 go to. 

Watch the trailer for Last Man on Earth here: The Last Man on Earth (Vincent Price) Trailer

Watch THE LAST MAN ON EARTH here: The Last Man on Earth (Vincent Price)

                                                                                                                        -Rick

HALLOWEEN IS HERE!

 Happy Halloween to all you signal receivers out there!

It's finally here!  Halloween is HERE!

And as promised, we've got a fantastic two hour HALLOWEEN EXTRAVAGANZA FOR YOU!

That's right! Two hours of Rick & Matt talking everyone's favorite franchise:  HALLOWEEN!

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ALEXA, PLAY THE TACHYON SIGNAL PODCAST!

                                    or

HEY GOOGLE, PLAY THE TACHYON SIGNAL PODCAST!


Or if all else seems too exhausting, just press play below!

Episode VIII - The Classic Elements of Halloween

 It's here!

Episode VIII is chock full of the good stuff this week!
The boys take a look at the classic elements of Halloween and the films that they inspire.

Ghosts, Demons, Vampires, Werewolves 'n' Witches....they're all here!

As always you can download directly HERE!

You can also say either:

ALEXA, PLAY THE TACHYON SIGNAL PODCAST!

                                        OR

HEY GOOGLE!  PLAY THE TACHYON SIGNAL PODCAST!

Or you can just listen right below!

Halloween - An Exploration of the Origin of the Holiday and it's Triduum

 ********

This article was originally written in 2013 in response to a good many people who were trying to wage a war on Halloween and have it removed from our society. This was my attempt to educate the uneducated about the holiday and show exactly WHY it's ridiculous that they think that it's evil.

I********

There is a trend that has been slowly building over the past few years and quite frankly, it disturbs me.  There is a subset group of people who are actively trying to ban Halloween and essentially "make it go away".  They state that Halloween is  a celebration of the profane.    They say that Halloween is a celebration of evil and that everything about it opposes God.  These people are gravely mistaken.  Before I go any further, I want to state up front that this is not a rant and people are certainly allowed to believe what they want, but I will not stand for the outright lies that these people perpetrate about the holiday. I will talk a little about All Saints Day and All Souls Day....but these days are not under fire so we're not going to go into too much detail other than to show how it all ties together.  Let's begin.....

Let's start with the words etymology.  The word was first seen around the year 1745 and is, in fact of Christian origin.  The word literally means "hallowed evening" or "holy evening".   So how did All Hallows Eve become Halloween?  This comes from Scotland.  In Scots, the word "eve" is "even" and is contracted to "e'en" or "een".  Henceforth All Hallows Even.....Halloween, or Holy Evening.

Now that we've established that we are in fact looking into the evolution of a CHRISTIAN HOLY HOLIDAY, let's dig a bit deeper, shall we?

Halloween is celebrated in a good many countries on October 31st.  The Hallowed Evening is named such as that is is the night before The Feast of All Hallows Day, which is also known as All Saint's Day.  It is also the the initiation of the triduum (a religious observance lasting three days) of Hallowmas.  It is part of the Christian Church's Liturgical Year, also known as the Church Year, which is a cycle that determines when feast days, which includes the celebration of saints, are observed and also dictates what portions of Scripture are to be read.  Easter is another of these triduums, which includes Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday.  

So now that we've established that not only is Halloween a Christian Holy Holiday, but it is in fact part of a three day celebration known as Hallowmas, let's take a look at the whole thing to really get some perspective on it shall we?  I give to you, a Midnight Cinephile look at Hallowmas.  Let's break this Holy Celebration down day by day.

Halloween:

These days Halloween is putting up spooky decorations and passing out candy to the kiddies as they dress up in costumes, both scary and cute.  It's a time when the older kids get a bit mischievous and toilet paper your yard, or if you are unlucky enough to have REALLY mean kids in your neighborhood, you might get some egg on your house.  A lot of people watch horror movies to enhance the spooky spirit.  There are also a good many people that throw big old Halloween parties for friends and family.  But WHERE did this come from?  How did it all start?  You may be surprised....much of what is perceived as a celebration of evil is actually and evolution of the very practices and rituals that were designed to PROTECT us from evil.

Well, like everything else in this great melting pot of a country, Halloween as changed and mutated over the centuries as different cultures and customs have blended together.  Perhaps the oldest of these customs is the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain (pronounced Sow-in or Sah-win, depending on your accent).  Samhain, which literally means "Summer's End", marked the end of harvest season and the beginning of the darker half of the year (which is how they often referred to winter).  It was believed that around this time the Aos Si (spirits or fairies) could more easily access our world and were more active.  The Aos Si were feared and respected.  Offerings of food, drink and crops were left as a way to ensure that the people and crops would survive the winter.  It was also said that the souls of the dead would visit their earthly homes at this time and places were set at the table and home fires were built to welcome them.  Bonfires were lit as a symbol of the sun and were meant to hold back the darkness and evil forces.

There is also a pronounced Christian influence on the holiday.  As earlier stated Halloween is the evening before All Hallows' Day on November 1st and All Souls' Day on November 2nd.  Collectively known as Hallowmas or Hallowtide, these days are a time for honoring saints and praying for the recently departed.  More on the next two days later.

By the 12th Century, it was customary for town criers to dress in black, ring bells and call on the Christian people to pray for the "poor souls".  A custom known as "Souling" was customary as far back as the 15th century, in which small pastries known as Soul Cakes (also known as Harcakes in some places) were baked and then given to the poor and children as they went from door to door, singing and saying prayers for the dead.  The folks who went door to door were known as "Soulers" and each Soul Cake they ate was to represent a soul being freed from Purgatory.  Sounds a bit like trick or treating doesn't it?  As far as the actual Phrase "Trick or Treat?"  The earliest use of the phrase came from Canada in 1927 in Alberta.  Trick or treating did not catch on in the U.S until 1934.

Dressing up in costumes is nothing new to the holiday however.  As mentioned earlier, it was believed that on this night the dead could return.  That's all fine and dandy if ya wanna see Uncle Larry once more, but unfortunately the gates didn't just open to the good souls who wanted to see loved ones.  Souls looking for vengeance also walked the streets.  To help protect themselves from any vengeance minded spirits, people would don masks and costumes to disguise themselves from harmful spirits.  In the Middle Ages, churches would often display the relics of martyred saints.  If a parish was too poor to to afford relics, the parishioners would instead dress up as saints.  As I mentioned in the paragraph above, dressing up as monsters and going house to house saying "trick or treat" didn't start in the U.S until the 1930's.

It was believed that the dead in the churchyards would rise for the night as well and would dance on their graves.  This was known as Danse Macabre, or the Dance of Death.  It is depicted quite commonly as church decorations in cathedrals, monasteries and of course graveyards.  The Danse Macabre was recreated by Christian children in villages who celebrated the vigil of All Saints.  I think that this is one of the most important aspects.  Why?  Because death is the great equalizer, is it not?  Regardless of what you believe on a spiritual level, two hundred years from now you and I will be exactly the same:  D E A D.  Whether ash or bone, we will be no more than a memory (if we're lucky) to those who have inherited the Earth.  I will die.  You will die.  We ALL will die.  No one gets off this merry-go-round alive.

One of the many Danse Macabre pieces of art

These are just a few of the MANY different customs and beliefs that fuel what we now know as Halloween.  It is in fact, NOT a time of evil, deceit, witchcraft and devil worship.  It is a Holy night when the dead can visit the living, be that good or bad.  It is a time to honor the dead.  It is a time for prayer and a time for preparation of the coming winter months....and of course it is All Hallows' Eve.....which leads us to:

All Hallows Day:

Also known as All Saints' Day, Solemnity of All Saints and The Feast of All Saints, it is a day to honor all saints known and unknown.  The second day of Hallowmas begins at sunrise and ends at sundown.

All Saints day originated somewhere around 609 AD.  Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon at Rome to the Blessed Virgin and all the martyrs.  Ever since The Feast of the Dedicatio Sanctae Mariae ad Martyres has been celebrated in Rome.  The holiday was originally celebrated on May 13th, but was moved to November 1st by Pope Gregory III when he founded an oratory in St. Peter's for the relics of saints, martyrs and apostles.  Coincidentally, the beginning of Samhain falls on the same day.

In Mexico, All Saints' Day coincides with the second day of the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) festival.  This particular day is known as Dia de los Inocentes, or Day of the Innocents and it honors deceased children and infants.

In the Phillippines,  it is known both as "Todos los Santos"  (All Saints) and "Araw nl mga Patay" (Day of the Dead).  Families will visit the graves of loved ones to clean and repair them.  Offerings of prayer, flowers, candles and food are made.  In modern times many families hold reunions at gravesites and play music and even sing karaoke!  

All Souls Day:

Also known as The Commemoration of All Faithful Departed and The Feast of All Souls.  It is the third day of Hallowmas and is celebrated on November 2nd.  

As All Saints' Day honors all the saints, All Souls' Day is reserved for the rest of the dead and meant as a day to help those who have not attained the Beatific Vision in Heaven.  Meaning, they ain't perfect and are stuck in Purgatory.  On All Souls' Day, these souls may be helped along with prayer and the sacrifice of the Mass.  

How do we help these fine dead folk along?  Time to circle back, folks! 

Ringing Bells  - Remember the town criers we talk about earlier?  Bingo.  The ringing of the bells was believed to sooth and comfort the souls in their cleansing period in Purgatory.

Soul Cakes - Remember those tasty little trinkets that were passed out on All Hallows Eve?  Each one eaten allows a soul to ascend to Heaven from Purgatory.  

Lighting Candles - Remember the bon fires and candles?  These are to help souls lost in the darkness.

Leaving Food At The Table - Again, as already mentioned in the Halloween section, food is left out for deceased family members.  As they make the journey from Purgatory to Heaven, they may need something to eat.

Visiting Graveyards - Many people visit the graves of family and loved ones.  They leave flowers and food and prayers and all manner of offerings.  Some people spend the entire day and night at the graveyard.  It is to honor those that have passed on

That is Hallowmas, in a nutshell.  I could have written an academic dissertation that would have filled up about twenty volumes, but I really wanted people to read this, so I thoughtfully kept the word count down to the low thousands.  Aren't I nice?

I hope that a good many people get to read this and I hope that maybe I've been able to change a few people's minds about Halloween.  Yes, in the year 2013, it is a completely commercialized holiday that is specifically engineered to push product and boost candy sales.  Before you ultra religious fanatics get on your high horses about that, let me remind you that Christmas and Easter are also now HIGHLY commercialized. 

Look, the point is this:  Halloween is, was and will always be a special time of year.  How you celebrate it is up to you....or you can choose not to celebrate it.  Hey, everybody has a right to Scrooge out on whatever holiday they want!  However, when you start to form campaigns of lies and deceit against a holiday that you don't even fully understand, that's when I start to get pissed.  Enough is enough.  You don't like Halloween?  Don't celebrate it, but keep your mouth shut because I don't want MY celebration ruined by a loud mouth zealot who has nothing better to do than spread self righteous blasphemy.  And if you think that the denouncement of Halloween ISN'T blasphemy, then my friend you are living in a delusion.