Tag: movies

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Summer of Superman

You guys see that? Up in the sky? Is it a bird? Is it a plane?

No, It’s SUPERMAN. 

This summer marks the return of Superman in his first solo film since 2013’s Man of Steel. And, judging by the previews, optimism, humor, and f***ing color is coming with him. Love him or not, Superman has been the quintessential superhero for nearly 90 years; A symbol of hope; hero of the downtrodden. There’s nothing quite as iconic (or American) as Superman. Whose signature “S” shield is universally recognized by people of all ages. The new film lands July 11th and with that comes a promotional celebration of the Man of Steel in the form of good ‘ol American consumerism. Although promotional tie-ins have become scarce, it makes sense that a character like Superman would bring back this form of marketing in such a “super” way; if only for a couple months. 

So, in the spirit of my Halloween Daily Blogs, I’m going to be sharing the ways I’ll be celebrating one of my favorite superheroes all the way up to his return to the silver screen come July 11th. Return to this post every now and then to see what adventures I’ll be having during the Summer of Superman! Up, up and away!

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August 17th

FINALLY. When my wife was downstate, I was able to fly by a local Dairy Queen and try the Superman Blizzard! Shhhhhhh….don’t let her know. It was fantastic. Inhaled it in about 6 minutes with no brain freeze. I was headed home after a looong walk (11.6 miles) and a small Dairy Queen was directly in my path. I’ve only been to a Dairy Queen once prior but was aware of this Superman movie promotion. The poster advertising the “Superman Blizzard” was in the window so I took it as a sign…literally I guess.

It was a standard vanilla cookie dough blizzard/shake/thing but was blue with red and yellow sprinkles. It even came in a cool Superman cup (wax paper unfortunately)! I miss the days of promotional tie-ins such as these. What would’ve been perfect is if the cups were plastic and collectable; perhaps featuring multiple characters from the movie. But I’ll take what I can get nowadays. I’m glad I didn’t miss it!

August 13th

Today was a job for Superman indeed. I volunteered as Superman at a local library to read to kids and parents about the origin of the character and the importance of doing the right thing and seeing the good in everyone.

I’m a veteran to events like these, so I know most kids zone out after about 2-3 minutes into these stories. But I think the parents appreciated the message I was reading at least. I purchased a copy of “I Am Superman” written by Brad Meltzer and illustrated by Chris Eliopoulos. I read through 4 children’s books on Superman and this one was by far the best. Filled with charming art and nostalgic nods, it really shows the heart of the character in a book you can read in about 6 minutes.

Did the kids get the message? Maybe. But the point is that “Superman” flew in and gave it to them. And, of course, plenty of pictures and fist bumps. Always time well spent in my book!

July 11th

Well, here it is. Superman Returns! Well…not that movie. I mean Superman returns to theaters today! I was able to catch a 4 o’clock showing on the mega screen of my local theater and it was indeed pure escapism. As it should be. Unapologetically comic book-sci-fi;breakneck speed. Not perfect by any means…but it understood the values of Superman and (hopefully) it’s the beginning of a well loved franchise. 

I read from a lot of fans online that it felt like a long episode of Superman The Animated Series. And when you watch it with that mindset; it certainly does. Which isn’t a bad thing…as that is probably my favorite rendition of Superman in movies/television. The cast all had great dynamic. Lex Luthor was just nasty. Lois Lane was smart and confident. Jimmy was charming and funny. Superman was strong and likeable. I would’ve liked more Clark Kent. More of Ma and Pa. I wish the main cast had some more time together and the film breathed a little better. The entire two hour runtime is a frantic chase to save the world. It moves faster than a speeding bullet indeed. But this is the pace needed for the current generation I suppose. The film needed a more of “show don’t tell”. 

All in all, Superman is back and I couldn’t be happier. David Corenswet’s Superman is kind and enduring with a great smile. Sure, he got his ass kicked 90% of the movie yet he came out on top. And I hope Superman comes out on top at the box office and the character can soar to new heights within pop culture. 

PS: Mr. Terrific was the real MVP. 

PPS: Summer ain’t over. I still have some Superman experience to share!

June 22nd

I saw a giant Superman billboard while driving on the expressway today towards the Chicago suburbs. I know being advertised to isn’t anything to write on your blog about, but the sight of this not only brought a smile but a bit of a realization: I can’t think of the last time I saw a highway billboard for a movie. Movies since COVID have been on such a tailspin that promotional efforts are nearly nonexistent by modern standards. And the superhero movie genre has become so tired and diluted in the past 15 years. Movies simply are not the moneymakers they used to be. 

I’m not going to grandly proclaim that Superman is the start of the tide turning but I am hoping that it becomes a pop cultural event like the Barbie movie from 2 summers back. It has the makings for it: pure colorful dazzling escapism concerning a character everyone and their grandparents know. I’ve read articles on how it’s set to make total bank and how Superman posters are even being stolen from bus stops. But, again this is all just speculation and we won’t know until July 11th. 

The most interesting aspect of this billboard was how the words “It Begins” have been added. Which I haven’t seen on any of the previously released Superman posters. Clearly stating that this is planned to be part of a franchise. It’s no surprise, of course, to want Superman to be an ongoing franchise. But your movie has to be good and a success first. It’s always ignorant when Hollywood crowns a “winner” before the race is even over. We all want Superman here to stay afterall.   

June 14

Saturday I attended the annual Superman Celebration held in Superman’s adopted hometown of Metropolis Illinois. Christened as the hometown of the Man of Steel in 1972 ; the “Superman Celebration” has been happening in the second week of June since 1979. This was my second one I’ve personally attended and it is a true experience in Americana. It’s part comic convention and part small town fun fair. With the hub being the 15 foot statue of Superman in front of the town’s courthouse. The street is lined with food and craft vendors; local fundraisers and comic book dealers; the stores are open later offering their wares. And, of course, there’s the Superman Museum and gift shop; boasting the largest collection of Superman merchandise, props, and memorabilia under one roof.  

It’s heartwarming seeing so many salt-of-the-earth people dressed in their “S” symbols (or dressed as Superman himself!) walking the streets and having a great time. I met locals who have been attending the celebration since they were toddlers. A good chunk of visitors (mostly from the midwest) “fly” in as well. With live music, a new Superman “drone” show, and different comic/superhero related programs throughout the day there’s enough to keep busy. The new “Kingdom Come” style Superman shield was worn by so many attendees that day, young and old alike, it made me hope this new Superman movie really propels the Man of Steel into the front of the line of pop culture relevance. 

My wife and I took plenty of pictures, toured the Super Museum, found some Kryptonite, and ate some great burgers at Fat Ed’s down the street. Heck, even Spider-man showed up to pay his respects to the Man of Steel. Besides seeing the new film itself, I’m sure this will be the highlight of my Summer of Superman. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Every type of person; every color, size, and age come together with smiles to celebrate this iconic character (and probably for the foot long corndogs). And that’s how it should be. Superman is your friend after all.  No matter where you come from.   

June 11th

Long story short: I’ve been trying to put a Superman costume together to wear for my charity group. One that fits and presents well with a classic bright undeniable look. It seems simple enough, right? It’s “just” tights and a cape. But nothing worth doing is easy! It’s been a lot of troubleshooting, returning, reordering and customizing (since January!) But I think we’re finally finishing it up. I’m waiting on one more component before assembling everything and unfortunately I don’t believe it will be ready by the date I was aiming for but that is okay. 

Superman is a symbol of hope and optimism. One of the most recognizable characters in all of pop culture. Most importantly, he’s a friend. And I’m hoping the new film makes an impact with the new generation ushering the Man of Steel into a new golden because we can use him today more than ever. Once completed, I’ll be posting pictures and results here. I definitely think it will be done before the movie’s release. And (finally) Superman will be visiting some children’s hospitals handing out gifts and bringing a better tomorrow. As he’s always been meant to do! 

June 7th

Today I made a quick stop into a Walmart on the way back from doing an event downstate. Besides getting some mundane adult things, I decided to see if there was anything new for Superman this summer. Their toy aisle was fully stocked with what is currently available. I decided to pick up the 12 inch Superman as I was impressed with how well done he was. I never go for these larger figures as they’re usually too basic but this one seemed different. Plus it was under $10. I also stumbled upon Superman Keebler fudge striped cookies which was a surprise. There looks to be a TON of junk food that’s going to be tied in Superman, and this was the first I saw in person. I loved these cookies as a kid, and it was really neat to see them with a Superman overlay. I’d pick up a package but I’m not into eating this stuff anymore; But I appreciate the creativity. 

I also ended my evening by reading the first issue of Mr. Terrific: Year One. It’s a six issue series that is serving as a prequel to Mr. Terrific’s appearance in the Superman movie. It grabbed my attention so I’ll definitely be keeping up with the limited series. I like a character that doesn’t have much “back reading” that you can just jump into. And I really love Mr. Terrific’s look. That’s what originally drew me in. I realized it was a day where I ogled cookies, bought an action figure, and read a comic book. But there’s always plenty of adult nonsense in between those things. So I appreciate the escape. 

June 2nd

This is my humble Super-Shrine displayed on our living room bookshelf. It consists of a DC Direct Golden Age Era Superman Statue circa 1999, an encased glowing Kryptonite crystal, Phantom Zone die cast projector (it projects Superman’s logo up to five feet!), and a 3D printed bottle city of Kandor I glued into a bell jar. Subtle yet super, I always think less is more when it comes to collectible displays. Although with the Summer of Superman upon us I am open to adding some more artifacts in time. Who knows, it’s possible that this will grow from the corner and take up an entire shelf space. Like Parasite absorbing his latest victim.  

May 30th

I stopped into a random Target on my way back from the library as I was tipped off about a pretty cool Superman tie-in comic that recently hit the magazine racks.I spotted it within seconds of entering the store and also picked up some neat new action figures of Superman and Mr. Terrific! It was interesting to note that the figures already looked picked over; hopefully signaling that Superman’s return is long awaited by the public. 

The magazine consists of 3 single issues pulling from All Star Superman, Superman: For All Seasons, and Lex Luthor: Man of Steel with the cover claiming these are the “Official Comic Book Stories That Inspired The New Movie!”. Which I’m hoping is true. 

This first little bundle of new Superman merchandise reminds me of when I used my paycheck on a similar “haul” for Superman Returns at a local Target during the summer of 2006. Like Supes, time sure does fly. Hopefully this film ends up with much better results.  

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Why Is Beetlejuice a Thing?

I was partaking in the mundane task of grocery shopping when something perked me out of my catatonic state of routine disinterest: right there in the middle of the dairy section was a themed display stocked with Keebler Beetlejuice cookies. 

A bevy of thoughts immediately entered my head all at once. Like when the Three Stooges all try to walk through a door together. Being late July, I assumed I stumbled upon a “much-too-early” Halloween tie-in, as the same grocery store already had a few Halloween items stocked in their seasonal aisle. My second thought was “Why does it say Beetlejuice Beetlejuice everywhere?” 

It must’ve been the work of the invisible waves of brain fog pumped throughout the grocery store, but these Keebler cookies gave me a proverbial fudge striped slap as I realized, “Oh, shit, there’s a Beetlejuice sequel coming out soon!” I’d like to think I was the first person to mutter that sentence in that particular Jewel-Osco. And for the rest of my grocery store trip, I began to not only unpack the fact that a sequel to Beetlejuice is soon to be released but to also realize, when you think about it too much, how downright bizarre all this is. 

The cookies. The Beetlejuice. The sequel. All of it. 

How did they NOT go with “The Ghost with the Host-ess“?!

We’ve been living in “The Digital Age” for a while now. And the COVID pandemic completely spiraled movie marketing and theater releases into an absolute flaming tailspin. “Blockbuster” movie releases are seemingly gone and so goes the over-the-top marketing that accompanied them: Billboards, cereals, soundtracks, collector cups, fast food, toys, video games, commercials, and giveaways. So much of the movie experience is digital nowadays…from your ticket to your rental and maybe even your purchase of the film itself. 

Was all that bygone promotional buildup ultimately unneeded consumeristic excess? Of course it was. Did it make a film’s release a bit more of a special event? Of course it did. Yet suddenly, right there physically in front of me, were Beetlejuice cookies. Remnants of a bygone era forced into irrelevance now being driven by a ghost who hasn’t seen a movie theater since 1988. A dead art promoting a dead art. With one side literally being about the dead. It’s all so ghoulishly ironic! 

Personally, I can’t think of a point in my life not knowing of Beetlejuice. I retain the memory of losing the head of my Beetlejuice action figure in my local Mcdonald’s ball pit. Or the time my psychopathic Aunt deserted me in a Funcoland store while playing the Beetlejuice Nintendo game. Or those tranquil afternoons sitting on my grandparents couch slyly grinning when an episode of the Beetlejuice cartoon came on. That intro was like dropping acid at an Oingo Boingo concert. 

Would legit fist bump when this hit the screen…

But Beetlejuice became a buried relic of childhood and that’s where he stayed. It wasn’t until 20 plus years later when on the topic of Beetlejuice (which can be a very rare thing depending on your particular friend circles) made me realize I wanted to rewatch it through my now world-weary-constantly-exhausted adult eyes. So I did. And I thought it was really weird. 

I sat during the credits piecing together the resounding mainstream success this particular film had. And it perplexed me on every level. I can see Beetlejuice alongside, say, Heathers…The ‘Burbs…The Frighteners. Known to some degree…appreciated by a specific demographic…but far from iconic or quintessential. And surely not have its history of marketability especially towards kids. Beetlejuice is a downright bizarre movie. The subject matter is incredibly dark and tragic. Yet the “spirit” of the movie is so playful and alluring. It’s like a devastating funeral being presented by a Ringling Bros. circus. 

So how did it get here? Beetlejuice was an odd duck from the beginning. The story and screenplay is credited between 3 writers that (at the time) only had 2 writing credits between them: a single episode of the 80’s reboot of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and an episode of Amazing Tales. Of course, as we all may know, the director of this film is Tim Burton who, at this point, only had one feature length theatrical film to his name: Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. 

Pictured: Director Tim Burton (Left) Asking Michael Keaton (Right) if he’d “be down again for this bullshit” in 36 years.

Many cast members had to be convinced multiple times to sign onto the movie…many thinking it was “too weird”. There were no major stars attached to the film. Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis, who played the main characters of The Maitlands, were bit players in a few television series. “Betelgeuse” himself played by Michael Keaton had some theatrical comedies to his name. Yet despite being the most marketable and playing the titular character, Beetlejuice has less than 15 minutes of screentime. With 90% of his lines ad-libbed by Keaton himself. 

It all spells disaster on paper, but Beetlejuice made about 5 times its budget back at the box office. We’re talking about it 36 years later and a sequel comes out in a few weeks. The character is nothing short of iconic within western popular culture. Spit from an era that put Rambo, Robocop, and Freddy Krueger alongside the Smurfs, Thundercats, and Ducktales…I suppose the crude morbidness was never a question when aiming “The Ghost with the Most” at kids. He is kinda like Casper’s deadbeat uncle afterall. 

But, just for my sake, I’d like to break down a few facts here:

First of all: Beetlejuice. Excuse me? That’s the titular name of a character. He’s a slimy conman poltergeist named Beetlejuice. Yet, in the film, it’s spelled “Betelgeuse”. I assume that is his “real” last name. He killed himself; meaning he was a mortal at one point. Why the heck is that his name? It’s not presented as a nickname. It isn’t established that anyone else in the afterlife has names like that. It’s completely unique, off putting, and strange. And why do you have to say his name 3 times to summon him? Such an interestingly wistful way of establishing his “legend”. The whole less-is-more lore establishing Betelgeuse is pure “outside the box” fictional magic. There isn’t a character like him. That’s why he was in a movie for 14 minutes 36 years ago and we still remember him. 

*Honk* *Honk*

Second: Beetlejuice is a villainous-pervert-scumbag. He’s not misunderstood. He’s not even an “anti-hero”. He’s a crude and morbid monster. He instinctively preys on the naive well meaning Maitlands the moment he sets his undead eyes on them. Reeling them into his long con: Which we learn is to marry a woman; which would allow him to cause chaos in the mortal world. We learn he became how we know him via suicide. He looks up Barbara’s skirt and parties with undead demon whores. He drops an “f-bomb” and honks his groin in a PG movie. When first summoned he intended to kill Lydia’s Father, Charles. And I’m pretty sure he kills the Dean couple via his “Test of Strength”. Oh and he tries to marry a 16 year old girl against her will. A 16 year old girl who plans on killing herself because she likes ghosts more than her family. Did I mention it’s a PG family film? Betelgeuse doesn’t have a story arc or any redeeming qualities. He’s a problem. He’s an anarchistic predator. And he should never be given attention. 

I’d like to remind you that Beetlejuice had a toyline, children’s cartoon, fast food meal, Nintendo game, theme park show, hit Broadway musical, and was a Build-A-Bear.  

I can only liken the admirability of Beetlejuice to that of The Joker. A maniacal theatrical character whose sole purpose is to cause chaos. Yet, despite the murder and fiendishness, The Joker is relentlessly revered within pop culture. To link these characters even tighter: Jack Nicholson’s Joker eclipsed pop culture the following year in Tim Burton’s Batman starring Beetlejuice himself: Michael Keaton. In fact, Burton ditched a Beetlejuice sequel for 1989’s Batman. It was the 1992 sequel, Batman Returns, when the studio ditched Burton. Why? Parents felt the film was too inappropriate to be coupled with a kids meal. To appease the mob, the Happy Meal promotion was recalled creating a ripple effect on the marketing of Batman Returns leading to it underperforming at the box office.

Yet, two years prior, there were Beetlejuice kids meals at Burger King. Beetlejuice: the suicidal pervy conman whose goal is to wreak havoc via prearranged child marriage. Stick ‘em in a greasy burger bag, boys! We’re good to go! 

Yes, the file name for this image is BK_BJ. No, we do not go there.

If Beetlejuice taught me anything, it’s that if you’re funny and charismatic…you can get away with literally anything. A character forged in Hollywood. There’s another layer of ghoulish irony.

Although this article may sound down-on-the-juice, I am a lifelong pro-juicer. I’ve had friendships tightened over Beetlejuice quotes. I have fond childhood memories of the cartoon and cherishing my Beetlejuice action figure. I’ve fought, daily, the impulse to purchase the illuminated “Betelgeuse” arrow sign and install it above my desk. It’s only as I got older and truly examined the entertainment I grew up on that I realized the dark macabre reality of it. And I didn’t need some 6 part controversial streaming documentary to tell me. Beetlejuice, like the character himself, unabashedly flaunts it for all to see. Perhaps our whole lives are a dark room afterall. 

And what’s just as strange as the journey and story of Beetlejuice is the fact that we’re getting a sequel. Sequels are rarely necessary. And, with recent films released over the past decade or so, I’ve come to the conclusion that movies aren’t even necessary anymore. Over 20 years ago I remember reading about the scrapped Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian sequel and breathing a sigh of relief. And, while I can’t speak for all fans, I’ve always felt content with Beetlejuice, his world, and his story. He was in a rare position being an 80’s relic whose corpse wasn’t raided by modern braindead Hollywood executives. But, like Otho lookin’ for a buck, they decided to call his name 3 times once again. And, just like The Maitlands, I am fearful and nervous for it.  

When it comes to storytelling, I feel “less-is-more”. The genius of the character is not only Keaton’s manic charismatic performance, but the simple fact that he’s not even in his own movie much. Is more screen time for Beetlejuice a good thing? And with more screen time, you shouldn’t lean into some sort of sappy or tragic backstory for Beetlejuice…or any backstory at all. The title: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, leads me to believe this is going to be a trilogy. With the third being called Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice “finishing” off the character. But is he someone redeemable enough to “Rest In Peace”? Or will he simply need to be defeated again during yet another supernatural con? Better yet: do we even care enough? Just because we could, do we ever stop to think if we should? 

Pictured: Literally Me Sitting in the Theater September 6th

The recent cultural shift in America has had many claiming: “You couldn’t make a movie like this today” when it comes to many films of yesteryear. A tired yet true observation. And I believe it couldn’t be truer for Beetlejuice. A crude offensive politically incorrect bio-exorcist in a film fueled by death, murder, suicide, and horror violence marketed for da kids. A family outing. A product of its time. And a big part of me misses that time if not for artistic expression alone no matter how silly it may seem. Maybe it’s because modern Hollywood completely lacks integrity and creativity. 

Taking an untouched culturally relevant classic and “following it up” in a soulless braindead era of filmmaking when you already said everything you needed to say 36 years ago? I guess, like summoning Betelgeuse himself, I’m nervous and weary of what’s to come. But I guess I’m part of the long con, as I’ll be at the theater early September to see the ‘juice on the loose’ once more. 

It’s showtime afterall.  

And, yes, I ended up buying the dang Beetlejuice cookies. 

For posterity, I’m going to edit this article with my quick review of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice right here:

EDIT 9/10/24: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was alright. 2.5/5 Zagnut Bars.

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The Horrifying Hatted Head of My Horror Host

It’s surprising upon putting pencil to paper that I realized I never had drawn Chicago’s very own creature feature host: Svengoolie prior.

Svengoolie, like many young Chicagoans before me, introduced generations to classic (and not-so-classic) horror and reeled many into the art of the late night “Creature Feature”. Taking over the titular role in the late 1970s from Jerry G. Bishop, Svengoolie was more than just a horror host. Every Saturday night in the 1990s I parked myself in front of the television and watched Sven’s alter ego (Rich Koz) host Stooge-a-Palooza followed by Svengoolie.

His wacky humor was always comforting when showing a more scary feature but also synced up with the more campy silly movies. He was a bonding agent between my mom and myself as well, as she often recalled soaking up classic monsters via Bishop’s Svengoolie in the late 60’s and 70’s.

For me, Svengoolie always was. As natural as the sunset or rain. And he’s been a local legend in Chicago’s history. If you knew Svengoolie, you were from here. It’s been over a decade since he’s gone national, but he hasn’t lost his luster. I’m glad we aren’t selfish when it comes to Sven, as the horror host is an endangered species. I’ve recently wondered what will happen when Rich Koz retires. Which he’s hinted at numerous times recently. I truly hope someone worthy in his eyes picks up the mantle, as I’d despise the American tradition of the late night Creature Feature tumbling to its death like King Kong.

So I put pencil to paper (as well as ink and color) to create my take on a Svengoolie piece. I combined several of my older “pen and ink” monster pieces into his hat. I put this together as an 18×24 canvas piece and shipped it, along with a short heartfelt note, to Svengoolie’s production studio with the hopes of him simply seeing it.

I’ll keep an eye out if it ends up featured in someway on his weekly show; and I’ll update this post if it indeed does.

UPDATE (10/02): IT INDEED DID.

This aired on October 1st’s episode featuring “Trilogy of Terror” starring Karen Black.

Pretty awesome way to kick off the Halloween season. When it comes to my art, I like bringing things full circle. Sitting in front of a television on Saturday nights watching this man present horror films that shaped my interests as a child, and then seeing something like this…paying respect in my own way and for it be be acknowledged on the show I grew up watching? That’s what it’s all about. Bucket list checked off. I can die happy now.