Shock Treatment

Title - Shock Treatment
Language - English
Genre - Horror, Musical

when I was younger there were rumours of a sequel to 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' this sequel was even rumored to have a title 'The Return Of The Queen B' but, try as i might i could not find this film. I had forgoten about the fabeled sequel, believing it just to be an urban myth then, one day whilst fliking through cable chanels I found myself on a film staring Richard O'Brian, it was a musical and was focusing on a woman named Janet, there was also a man in a wheelchair in a cage named Brad. As it went on there were other Rocky Horror cast members, this was deffinatly a Rocky Horror sequel but it was no Queen B, this was Shock Treatment.

At the start of Shock Treatment we find Brad and Janet, now married and finally back in their home town of Denton. Then whole town are either the stars or the audeance in Dtv the TV station of the town. Brad and Janet are called to take part in a show called Marriage Maze which starts with the couple taking about any problems they are having in their relationship where find out that Janet thinks Brad is a bit boring (understandable when you look at what they went through in Rocky Horror, who can compete with Frank-N-Furter) so brad is taken off by the two local Psychiatrists DR Cosmo McKinley (Richard O’Brian) and his sister Dr Nation McKinley (Patricia Quinn) whilst Janet is taken under the wing of Dtv’s host the blind Bert Schnick (Barry Humphries). As the film progresses we see Brad drugged and locked away as Janet is groomed to be the new face of Dtv by Bret and the new owner of Dtv Farley Flavors whilst Betty Hapschatt (Ruby Wax) the former host of Dtv’s morning show and Judge Oliver Wright (Charles Gray) race to find out what Farley’s secret is and what he plans to do with Dtv.

For a film that is only a PG rating shock Treatment is quite dark. As Janet gets more popular we follow her descent into madness which is not helped by the meddling form Farley and the manipulation of the two doctors. The corridors of the ‘Marriage maze’ play a big part as people get lost or find their way out of them depending on their mental state. In some ways Shock Treatment is darker than Rocky Horror, in Rocky horror the threat is there in the form of Frank-N-Furter and Riff Raff but in Shock Treatment Brad & Janet are being manipulated from behind the scenes by Farley & it’s not apparent what his plans are so we are being drawn more into the psychological state of the characters mind

Some would argue that Shock Treatment is only a sequel to Rocky Horror in name as most of the Rocky Horror characters are not in it but, as good a character Frank-N-Furter is there is only so much that can be done with him and with this in mind I think that Shock Treatment is a better follow up than the fabled ‘Return of the Queen B’ could ever have been.

Shock Treatment is also a film that stands up on its own, you don’t need any knowledge of The Rocky Horror Picture Show to watch and enjoy it but if you do then you will get the little nod’s towards it, the returning cast often use phrases that their Rocky Horror characters would have used, props are reused, characters that were mentioned in Rocky Horror appear in Shock Treatment (Brad & Janet are at the wedding of ralph and Betty Hapschatt at the beginning of Rocky Horror) and Richard O’Brian & Patricia Quinn again play a brother and sister who are a little too close. As stated earlier Shock Treatment is quite a dark film but does have a similar feel as Rocky Horror, instead of the ‘Transylvanians’ there is the studio audience and some of the songs are quite lively and jolly. Unlike Rocky Horror, where we are introduced to Frank-N-Furter quite early Shock Treatment builds on the tension letting you wonder what will happen to Brad, what are the doctors up to, who is Farley? But there are also the same themes as Rocky Horror, will Janet succumb to temptation, this time of fame and can either of them escape the traps they have fallen into.

Over all Shock Treatment is an enjoyably film even if it didn’t reach the cult heights of Rocky Horror, it has a good cast, with a surprisingly good and creepy performance form Barry Humphries, Shock Treatment also has a good soundtrack, the songs are not as memorable as that of the Rocky Horror Picture Show but the nature of Shock Treatment does not need such big dance numbers as ‘the Time Warp’. With a good story line, a good sound track and more panty shots than some anime I could mention Shock Treatment is definitely worth a shot.

 

Justice League - Crisis on two Earths

Title -

Justice League - Crisis on two Earths

Language - English
Genre - Superhero, animated

Justice League - Crisis on two Earths is (loosely) based on the 'Earth 2' graphic novel ( as oppose to the ' Crisis on Earth 1, Crisis on Earth 2' storyline) and is set between Earth 1, the normal dc universe and Earth 2, the 'Evil opposite' universe. The film starts with the on Earth 2 with their version of Lex Luthor and the Joker stealing something from the vault of the 'Crime Syndicate', the evil version of the Justice League, the Joker sacrifices himself to allow Lex time to escape. Lex makes it out to the street only to be confronted by the the main members of the Crime Syndicate:

Ultraman, the evil Superman

Owlman, the evil Batman

Superwoman, the evil Wonder woman

Johny Quick, the evil Flash

The evil version of the Green Lantern

Lex uses a devise and disappears from the Crime Syndicate and reappers on Earth 1, he asks the Justice League for help but also hide the stolen device on the Justice League's space station head quarters.

Lex convinces the Justice League, with the exception of Batman to accompany him back to Earth 2 to help him defeate the Crime Syndicate so Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash and Martian Manhunter cross to Earth 2.

We find the the Crime Syndicate has almost free range on their Earth, the police will not arrest them and if they did no one would press charges against them due to the fear of their families being hurt, no one can touch the Crime Syndicate due to their power, their guards (the other super powers of the universe) and no one knows where their base is.

The Justice League go up against the Crime Syndicate and start to take their criminal operations apart, until Super woman travels to Earth 1 to retrieve the stolen equipment, a key part of a bomb that, if detonated could destroy the world. Batman follows Super Women back to Earth 2.

This is where the story starts to deviate from the Earth 2 graphic novel as it is discovered that Owlman intends to take the bomb to another version of Earth, Earth Prime which is the first universe from which the multiverse has grown from. Owlman has decided that humans are all that is wrong with all of the universes and intends to wipe out all life everywhere. The Justice League and the Crime Syndicate team up to stop Owlman and Superwoman while the Martin Manhunter helps the Presidents daughter rally the army and police against the Syndicate.

When I first got Crisis on two Earths I expected a direct retelling of the 'Earth 2' story but the changes made the story new and different. Crisis has a bigger cast than Earth 2 using an extended cast of dc characters and their evil counterparts and is set more on Earth 2. There are other differences between the film and the graphic novel, for instance they have taken out Owlman's sidekick and all the innuendos that came with it, the relationships between the members of the Crime Syndicate is also different but this does not detract anything from the story. The film also gives an idea of the infinite size of the multiverse where as the graphic novel was writern just before DC started their '52' universes so they seemed to tone down the size of everything, consternating on just the two Earths.

The extended cast brings more variety to the fight scenes although my favourite was still the Wonder Woman vs Super Woman (nothing like a couple of super powered women fighting :) ).

There are is also good nod to some of the classic DC series such as Wonder Woman acquiring the invisible jet.

Over all Crisis on two Earths is an entertain take on the 'evil twin' but, as it was set in an evil universe there was a noticeable absence of beards.

The Stuff - 1985

 Title - The Stuff
Language - English
Genre - Horror, B-Movie

The Stuff bad, its so bad its good. Its one of those films that, even though you know it is ridiculous you cant stop watching.

The Stuff starts with miner noticing a white substance bubbling out of the ground, he puts his finger into the ooze and, as you do he decides to see what it tastes like and finds that it is delicious. Now we jump forward a bit and find that there is a new yoghurt like dessert on sale, it is the best selling pudding in the country and is called 'the Stuff'. The Stuff seems to be the perfect food, it tastes great and helps you loose weight, it also seems to be addictive and, as people eat more of it they seem to be entranced and controlled by an outside force.

Nor every one like the stuff one such individual is Jason a young boy who's family are addicted to the stuff. One night, when looking for a snack he opens the fridge to see the stuff moving around after this he sets out to try to destroy all the stuff he can find and gets caught smashing up a supermarket.

Around the same time David 'Mo' Rutherford, an industrial saboteur is employed by a business man to find the secret of the stuff and to stop the manufacture of it. Mo Teams up with Charles W 'Chocolate Chip Charlie' Hobbs, a junk food suppler who's company has been forcibly bought from under him by the company that makes the Stuff & Nicole the advertising exec in charge of marketing the Stuff.

The team of 4 trace the source of the Stuff a mine and fight to stop the production of the evil substance.

As I have said the Stuff is so bad you find yourself watching it till the end but it does seem to have a few problems. The Script is bad but you expect that from a B movie but there does seem to be a bit of a problem with the editing especially at the beginning of the movie, the film seems to jump around a bit with Mo tying to trick Nicole into giving him the secrets of the Stuff and then, for no apparent reason telling her who he really is with the relationship jumping around, in some scenes they don't get on then they seem to switch from being two people working together to a couple and back again. Some of the scenes try to be quite atmospheric and nearly pull it off giving off a 'Body snatcher's' vibe.

All in all the Stuff is worth a watch if you have nothing better to do, with some quite good effects and a fairly unbelievable story line it is a good way to kill a couple of hours. Just remember to check the contents of your pillows before going to sleep.

Sekirei – Pure engagement (season 2)

Title -

Sekirei – Pure engagement (season 2)

Language - Japanese
Genre - Anime, Ecchi, harem

I have to say this is still one of my favourite anime and season 2 did not disappoint.

First A quick overview for those who have not seen season 1 (may contain spoilers):

Hiroto Minaka found the Sekirei, along with advance technology and has formed the MBI Corporation

Sekirei are (possibly) alien women who were found off a new island of the coast of Japan

There are 108 Sekirei

Each Sekirei has their own powers but are more powerful once they are winged, this is when a Sekirei meets and kisses their ‘Ashikabi’

Ashikabi’s are humans who can bond with a sekirei, as a rule they do not know about the Sekirei until they meet one

An Ashikabi can have more than one Sekirei but a Sekirei can only have one Ashikabi although, if the Ashikabi is killed the Sekirei can find another one

A Sekirei loves their Ashikabi

Hiroto has released most of the Sekirei as part of the ‘Sekirei plan’; this is a game which will result in the Sekirei fighting until there is only one remaining (think Highlander), the first stage of the ‘plan’ is for all the Sekirei to find their Ashikabi and become winged. There is an unwritten rule that a winged Sekirei will not fight a non-winged one most follow this rule

Series one and two follow Minato Sahashi, who finds out that he is an Ashikabi when a Sekirei named Musubi falls out of the sky and lands on him. At the end of the first season Minato & his Sekirei (he now has 4) help an Ashikabi and his Sekirei escape from Tokyo, which has been sealed off by the MBI so they don’t have to take part in the plan.

See my early review for more on season one

The first episode of season two is a bit poor but it only serves as a catch up, the remaining are, at least as good if not better than the first season. The story continues a little after the end of season one where the MBI have increased the lock down of Tokyo due the escape, other Ashikabi/Sekirei teams are trying to escape but none are successful; there is also only one Sekirei left un-winged. Hiroto, the head of the MBI sends all active Ashikabi a, message saying which part of Tokyo the Sekirei is in, drawing them all into one place in the hope of winging her. Once the final Sekirei is winged the second stage of the Sekirei Plan is activated and, under directions from Hiroto any Ashikabi who’s Sekirei has not got a kill only has a week to get one or all his Sekirei will ‘cease to function’.

The Series also has the two story lines continued from season one of the Sekirei Uzume (the veiled Sekirei) who is being used as her Ashikabi is ill in hospital and another Ashikabi is helping with the treatment, as long she helps him, this story line is completed in season 2. The second continuing storyline is that of Yukari, who is Minato’s younger sister and her Sekirei, Shiina as they search for Kusano, Yukari is unaware that Minato is also an Ashikabi (Minato also does not know that his sister is one) and that Kusano is one of his Sekirei.

There is more action in the second season of Sekirei as the plan is moved into its second stage which should please a lot people as there are a few reviews saying that the first season was to slow and we are introduced to and see a lot more Sekirei and meet a few new characters, including Minato’s mother. The humour and ecchi nature of season two is as good as that in season one and the story kept me hooked. There are still a couple of story threads left open and the third phase of the Sekirei plan was started in the final episode so it looks quite good for a third season, heres hoping.

As a last note, there are a couple of OVAs on the second DVD although they seem to be set between the two seasons these are a bit of fun and a good excuse to see (most) of the main Sekirei at least topless so an added bonus for any ecchi lovers out there (me included)