RAD BASTARD ALERT: JOHN CARL BUECHLER.
Posted on October 21, 2024 Leave a Comment
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about rubber puppets, as you could probably tell from the last article on this site about The Boglins. I don’t think these little freaks would have ever seen the light of day without their biggest inspirations paving the way. Of course I’m talking about demonic, pint-sized creatures such as the Ghoulies, Critters, Hobgoblins and Gremlins. Unforgettable legends of the silver screen, no doubt.
When it comes to creature effects and old school blood n’ guts, the big names that immediately come to mind are Tom Savini, Greg Nicotero, Stan Winston, Rob Bottin and Rick Baker (with good reason!). These gentlemen are responsible for creating some of the most groundbreaking and memorable practical effects of all time. Most of the monsters and splatter scenes they’ve been involved with still look remarkable (and better) than the digital technical effects today.
One name that doesn’t get thrown around as much as it should is the late-great father of slimy creatures both small and large: John Carl Buechler.
One glance at this rad bastard’s portfolio of projects he’s been involved with and your brain will start to melt like a droopy, acidic goo that a Ghoulie would pop out of. John not only expertised in SFX but was a director, producer, screenwriter and actor for some of our most beloved scary flicks in the genre.
Let’s spotlight some of JCB’s talented contributions to the horror genre and beyond.
#1 THE DUNGEONMASTER (1984)
JCB’s credits: Director, Writer, Special Make-up Effects
– This was John’s debut as an actual director and man, this one has it all. A major highlight is the band W.A.S.P. being featured prominently in a performance scene with Blackie Lawless doing his signature torture rack theatrics and all!
#2 RE-ANIMATOR (1985)
JCB’s credits: Special Make-up effects
– If you know anything about Re-Animator, the special effects are in a class by themselves. Heralded as the one of the great mad scientist movies of all time, John’s contribution to this classic film is part of the reason why it’s aged so well.
#3 GHOULIES (1985)
JCB’s credits: Special Make-up effects
– This first installment in the Ghoulies movies is somewhat forgettable EXCEPT for the final scenes with the actual Ghoulie creatures causing havoc, which is purely made possible by John’s expertise. I love how slimy and disgusting they appear, which only made viewers demand more Ghoulies which they would deliver in future sequels.
#4 TROLL (1986)
JCB’s credits: Director, Writer, Special Make-up effects
– The first Troll movie doesn’t get the recognition it deserves because of the outlandish, cult-obsessed sequel that followed after. This is John’s second directorial delivery and you can tell in this movie he’s sharpened his skills in both effects and directing abilities. The creatures look straight out of a high-dollar, Jim Henson style production and the movie itself is a great one!
#5 ELIMINATORS (1986)
JCB’s credits: Special Make-up effects
– I’m not exactly sure what John did exactly in terms of effects in this movie but I hope to God it’s something to do with the character “The Mandroid”. He’s like a dollar store version of Robocop and I’m not saying that’s a bad thing at all.
#6 TERRORVISION (1986)
JCB’s credits: Special Make-up effects
– Another release from Empire Pictures that John was a part of. This is a goofy monster movie with incredible, big, squishy monster effects! A great soundtrack and another W.A.S.P. reference that John probably had nothing to do with but it’s still thrilling to see.
#7 FROM BEYOND (1986)
JCB’s credits: Special Make-up effects
– This is proof why digital effects will never, ever hold a candle to practical, in-your-face disgustingness such as what you find in Stuart Gordon’s From Beyond. Plus, scream queen Barbara Crampton in a lingerie scene.
#8 GHOULIES II (1987)
JCB’s credits: Special Make-up effects
– This is easily my favorite of the Ghoulies movies because it is a non-stop thrill ride from the start. From the carnival setting, to Phil Fondacaro (my favorite little person actor of all time) to the soundtrack (W.A.S.P. again!), to the Ghoulie monsters having a ton of screen time and not holding back, this is a movie that has it all.
#9 FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VII: THE NEW BLOOD (1988)
JCB’s credits: Director, Special Make-up effects
– A huge moment in John’s career even if the movie itself didn’t crush at the box office. It’s been well documented that The New Blood had been cut down significantly with all the edgy blood and gore being stripped during editing. However, that doesn’t stop Jason Voorhees from becoming his most “zombie-ish” in this installment, which John did a phenomenal job creating. This also provided actor Kane Hodder the ability to showcase how demented Jason had become.
#10 A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 4: THE DREAM MASTER
JCB’s credit: Special Make-up effects
– To me, this is the last gasp of actual terror in the Nightmare on Elm Street movies and the last time Freddy would get really gnarly, at least for a long time.
I’m leaving out a number of projects John Carl Buechler was involved with, but this list of favorites clearly shows what this man brought to the table during his career right up until his early death at only 66 years old. His work will live on forever! Now I strongly urge you to cue up a movie marathon of horror flicks he was a part of and watch the master at work!
BAT BOGLINS ARE REAL.
Posted on October 15, 2024 1 Comment
Bat /bat/ noun: a mainly nocturnal mammal capable of sustained flight, with membranous wings that extend between the fingers and connecting the forelimbs to the body and the hindlimbs to the tail.
Boglin /boglin/ noun: a family of grotesque, monstrous hand puppets with realistic-like flesh released by Mattel in 1987.
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The idea of “BAT BOGLINS” was conceivably the best creature fusion since Jeff Goldblum accidentally transformed into a hideous human fly in 1986’s The Fly. Just imagine for a moment…your Boglins have wings. The dream of pretending to fly them around the house and laying waste to your sister’s American Girl collection is almost too good to be true.
Let’s back up for just a second. Everyone remembers The Boglins, so they need little introduction around here. We’ve been singing their praises for years and Uncle T has some serious nostalgia for these little creatures. My original childhood Boglin which was “lost” for many years actually was returned to me almost two decades later (a story for another time). Boglins are easily one of the coolest toys to ever exist. If you love Gremlins, Critters or Ghoulies and part of your childhood was wondering what it would be like to actually hang out with one of these little monsters in your bedroom, Boglins were the answer.
Boglins had quite the resurgence years ago in the collector’s market and original creator Tim Clarke has been hard at work this entire time bringing back the monsters in their original form. If you’ve been following Tim and his co-creator Maureen Trotto’s work, it’s been a long process trying to get the toys remade, reproduced and packaged in their signature, cage-like boxes, just the way they should be. It’s impressive to say the least.
Up until just a few years ago, “Bat Boglins” were all but an idea that never got off the ground. A concept and prototype were due to be produced but never made it to stores. UNTIL NOW!
Yes folks, it’s quite a time to be alive because Bat Boglins are real.
Revamped, remastered and more ruthless than ever, these creatures of the night are here to scare the bejesus out of your entire family (while also being your friend). For a very fair retail price of around $30.00 on Amazon you can own a Bat Boglin, which there are three of at the moment (Orlock, Drak and Vlad).
For the month of Halloween, I had to treat myself so I purchased Vlad at a still-functioning toy store at my local mall. To be completely honest I had forgotten Bat Boglins had actually launched and were available. When I was browsing through the store and saw this purple and red bastard looking out from his cage, I knew he would be flying home into the TNUC cave.
I’m thrilled to report that these “new” Boglins are virtually identical to the 1980’s run. From the stretchy skin to the realistic eyes and the ability to control their facial expressions, everything is the same! Only now there’s more options to complete your insane asylum of Boglins. So many times companies cash in on the nostalgia but fail to really capture the likeness and charm of the original product. This is NOT the case and hats off to Tim Clarke and co. for putting in the work and making it happen. Check out the full line at TheBoglins.com.
“Bat Boglins simply shouldn’t be. Although Boglin legend tells of these winged creatures, who would swoop down from the highlands to carry small animals (and sometimes young Boglins) away in the dead of night, these are the kinds of stories one tells children in order to get them to behave. There has, in fact, never been a confirmed sighting until VERY recently. Looks like the stories are true.”
– Bogologist Field Guide (4th Edition)
BLOODSUCKER ROCK.
Posted on October 9, 2024 1 Comment
At dawn they hide. At dark they wake. At night they search for blood…rocking until daylight.
So what are your favorite vampire rock bands? What songs quench your nightlight bloodlust as you tear through the cemetery on your dirtbike? Or as you head downtown in a stolen hearse to that sleazy afterhours club by the docks?
Here are Uncle T’s “top 13” song rankings when it comes to black leather, trench coats, aviators, motorcycles, pale skin, blue lighting, thick fog, damp streets, industrial warehouses, bats flying above and sucking blood from the necks of guitars!
#13 LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH • METHOD TO MY MADNESS
#12 THE MARCH VIOLETS • SNAKE DANCE
#11 GERARD MCMANN • CRY LITTLE SISTER
#10 THE MISSION • WASTELAND
#9 T.S.O.L. • SILENT SCREAM
#8 THE SISTERS OF MERCY • BLACK PLANET
#7 CONCRETE BLONDE • BLOODLETTING (THE VAMPIRE SONG)
#6 THE MISSION • SERPENTS KISS
#5 THE SISTERS OF MERCY • FLOOD II
#4 GHOST DANCE • LAST TRAIN
#3 THE SISTERS OF MERCY • MORE
#2 BAUHAUS • BELA LUGOSI’S DEAD
#1 THE SISTERS OF MERCY • LUCRETIA MY REFLECTION
Now before I get crucified for not including bands like Type O Negative or The Cure, I put them in a different category outside of vampire rock. To me it begins and ends with The Sisters of Mercy. Always has. Always will. They have a sound that couldn’t be more perfect for moonlit nights, raising hell and being immortal. This list could easily have been all SOM. Vamp out!
ABANDONED CRYPT IN THE WOODS.
Posted on October 7, 2024 Leave a Comment
It was an early September afternoon that I went hiking through a rural corner of Eastern Connecticut to find an abandoned crypt.
I had read about (2) ancient stone structures that were supposedly located in close proximity of each other, but had only actually found one of them which was directly next to a path in the woods. The first was a small “hobbit hole” opening on a hill which you would need to get down and crawl through to see inside, resembling a root cellar inside. This abandoned crypt however, was not easily found. As if the locals in the town are going out of there way to keep this piece of history a secret.
Thanks to my pal over at Ghost of New England, I was given walking directions to find the old tomb in the woods which I was asked to keep private for reasons unknown to me. Even with instructions, it was very challenging to find. There was no path, no markings and I had almost given up until I made a final attempt by just walking through random areas of thick brush, dense trees and a mess of bugs and cobwebs. Suddenly there it stood, shrouded by trees and overgrowth.
Uncle T doesn’t really spook easily when finding these ancient creepy locations and I’ve never seen a ghost or apparition in my life. However I’d be lying if I said the quietness of the area and the appearance of this crypt didn’t give me an uneasy feeling. I kept looking over my shoulder into the woods as if something was going to be there. Mind you, this was around three o’clock on a sunny afternoon. As I walked towards the chamber I couldn’t shake this cold eeriness in the air.
The open doorway was approximately five foot in height and inside was clearly enough space for a family burial to exist. In what I could gather from the little information available, the crypt was never completed and thus never actually used for a final resting place. The story behind the wealthy farmers who owned it has been lost to history.
The inside construction of meticulously placed stones to make the ‘arch’ was impressive to see. Until I looked down and saw a racoon skull and called it a day.
With all do respect to the family of farmers who this crypt once belonged to, I had to include this painting by artist Ken Barr because visuals like this one are where my imagination was going on my drive home after discovering this mysterious crypt in the woods.
THE RED GODS CALL.
Posted on October 1, 2024 1 Comment
“The slow fire spreads from the blazing maples to the gold of the birches on our high slopes. The threat of winter is not yet upon the land, but rather a sense of awakening from the sultry bondage of summer—and the Red Gods call. The smell of burning leaves in the still dusk, the bells of night-wandering cattle, brittle limbs on enormous moons, mists aglow in the valleys—these and a hundred such will always be New England October. And to them even the dullest heart must make some answer.”
—“October,” by Ben Rice, October 1945, Yankee Magazine
WELCOME TO HALLOWEEN SEASON: 2024.
These days how I cherish Halloween and Autumn has evolved. While we all appreciate the retail stores going all out for the season as they get creatively competitive with their $300 dollar skeletons, witches and clowns, there’s just something so corporate about it at the end of the day. It’s all entertaining as hell and I love it — but it doesn’t quench my thirst for the real down to earth stuff.
Hayride smell. The crunch of leaves under boots. Rotting apples falling from trees. Moonlit cornfields. Walks at dusk. A rusty scythe. The old town church with the steeple. The old town burial ground. The old town werewolf. Driving aimlessly through country roads. Pumpkins on stone walls. The local DIY haunted house. Horror movie marathons. Tales from a creepy, old book. Apple cider donuts. A hearse driving by.
My words may not be as poetic as Ben Rice’s of 1945 — but this is what I’ve got for you. To me, this year is all about getting back to the essence and purity of our favorite holiday. The little moments count…and they usually come without notice.
I remember back a few Octobers ago I was watching Pet Sematary (1989) one evening. The living room was a bit stuffy so I opened up all the windows to get a feel of that 62° weather outside. The cool night air filled the room and within seconds and it became an immersive movie experience. There we sat watching Pet Sematary with chilly winds blowing in and it goes down as one of the best movie experiences of my life. For a movie I’ve seen 900 times.
Another moment was driving home from visiting a horse cemetery a few years back (yes a horse cemetery in Littleton, New Hampshire). We stumbled on a beautiful and haunting small town a few miles away with virtually no people existing. TNUC’s Halloween Mixtapes were playing in the car and it felt like we were the only people on the planet. We had no GPS directions or any planned route. Just taking random roads to see where they would lead. Right as the next song started, we pulled onto a street called COFFIN LANE and gazed out at the foliage behind it. Spooky season stars aligned and what a moment it was.
You can’t really predict or plan out events like that. They just sort of happen in the moment but it’s what I’m always chasing during the season. Aside from splatter flicks and fun-sized candy, that is.
As for around these parts, expect plenty of ghosts, goblins, werewolf transformations, pentagrams, grim reapers, foam tombstones, graveyard guitar solos, monsters, gigantic gorillas and sexy girls in 3D bikinis! You know, the usual.
Check out this year’s “Harvester of Sorrow” artwork by Sarah aka @slushiehellhound! Can’t thank her enough! The TNUC Manimal sure knows his way around a moonlit cornfield.
Happy hauntings this October, disciples. Stay close!
SEPTEMBER’S EROTIC THRILLS IN THE NIGHT: THE NIGHT EYES SERIES.
Posted on September 18, 2024 1 Comment
With sincere apologies for skipping an Erotic Thrills In The Night entry for the month of August, now Uncle T is really in for it because we’re forced to make up for it by reviewing NIGHT EYES parts 1 – 3.
If you’re a fan of erotic thrillers, you unquestionably know about Night Eyes. Even the most casual movie viewer at least has heard of Night Eyes. Why? Because people walked by these VHS box covers at virtually every movie rental store during the 1990s. As a kid, these covers were my personal introduction to steamy cinema and softcore erotica, long before finding my friend’s uncle’s Playboy stash and even before calling late night 1-900 hotlines (and abruptly hanging up the phone).
Night Eyes (1990)
The first in the series stars erotic thriller king Andrew Stevens alongside Tanya Roberts, with Stevens being a home security guard who’s “hired” to protect a David Coverdale-looking rockstar’s estranged wife during their messy divorce. As we quickly find out in this film franchise, Andrew Stevens’ character Will Griffith is the worst security guard of all time. The rockstar ex-husband is a perfectly burnt-out, miserable musician who’s way past his prime. His ego and all his money makes him a monster towards his ex-wife. Security expert Griffith sympathizes and of course his horniness takes over, with the security guard and mistreated woman left in the house to make sure his nightstick still works — if you know what I mean and I think you do. The erotic scenes are off the charts in this one and it proves that Andrew Stevens really paved the way for the straight-to-video erotic thriller genre.
Night Eyes II (1991)
Andrew Stevens. SHANNON TWEED. If saying those two names back to back doesn’t give you a slight tingling sensation, you better check your libido. Night Eyes 2 is the continuing story of security guard Will Griffith, who this time is hired to protect a foreign diplomat after an assassination attempt. The diplomat’s wife is played by the empress of erotica Shannon Tweed who of course becomes involved with Griffith because Griffith can’t help falling for these neglected housewives immediately after he’s installed his surveillance home security systems. Unfortunately this sequel was too predictable with the only memorable scenes being Shannon Tweed working out and a sexual encounter featuring a bowl of raspberries…
Night Eyes III (1993)
Oh boy. Here’s where things get a little confusing but mighty entertaining. Shannon Tweed returns for the 3rd installment but she plays an entirely different character! All while looking exactly like the blonde bombshell that is she is (and not in disguise). This time she plays a mega TV star on a cop show called Sweet Justice. Tracy Tweed (her real life sister) plays her partner on the fictional TV show. When Shannon starts being stalked by a relentless ex-boyfriend who’ll stop at nothing, she hires a bodyguard and you guessed it — it’s everyone’s #1 security guard Will Griffith! Sexual, animal attraction quickly ensues between Tweed’s character and Griffith. Not only does Andrew Stevens star in the movie once again but he also wrote and directed this entry! Night Eyes 3 is probably the most interesting and dare I say “thought out” movie of the series.
Before I get ripped apart by the Night Eyes faithful, I fully realize there is a fourth movie titled Night Eyes 4: Fatal Passion which is on my watch-list.
These movies are difficult to track down as they have become almost completely lost in the home video market (even streaming). This is the case with so many erotic thrillers of the era. They fell in a strange time where VHS was still reigning supreme but the once the DVD market came into play, many of them didn’t make the crossover. Perhaps it’s because so many titles were lumped into the “softcore” or “adult” universe. This is unfortunate because erotic thrillers have much more to offer. It’s interesting to think about all the low budget movies in the horror genre that initially bombed and went nowehere — now decades later getting the gold treatment and resurgence. That’s due to the horror community being such a tight and powerful group of movie lovers. The erotic thriller community needs to step up. I’m here to support.
Hopefully you can track down the Night Eyes movies and pay your respects to Andrew Stevens, a guy who the genre would not be the same without. One interesting thing to note is that the “story” of Night Eyes reportedly was inspired by Stevens’ affair with one of Rod Stewart’s ex-wives. As Night Eyes director Jag Mundhra explained in an interview with rediff.com “One night, as Andrew was quietly slipping out [of Stewart’s house], a security guard came up to him and said, “Goodnight, Mr. Stevens.” He then realised that the entire house was bugged.”
‘Erotic Thrills In The Night’ is a monthly chronicle into the forgotten world of the erotic thriller movie genre. These sultry titles and steamy VHS covers were at their absolute peak during the early 1990’s but as years progress, they fall deeper into the abyss. Inspired by the recent documentary We Kill For Love, this monthly feature will attempt to resurrect these films and keep you on the brink of seduction. We can’t predict what indecent behavior will be committed or how much illicit, unprotected, promiscuous activity will ensue, but prepare for a wild ride with lots of saxophone.
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