State of the Midnight Address, Vol. 6 - From Midnight, With Thanks!

Hey everybody, welcome to another dose of ramblings from The Mike.  I have a busy weekend and week in front of me, and though I do have a couple of posts and reviews up my sleeve for then, I wanted to get into the Thanksgiving spirit before I missed the chance.  So here's a few things I'm awful thankful for at the moment.

The fine folks over at Kindertrauma, one of the world's most jaw-droppingly cool horror blogs, recently invited me to host an episode of their Friday tradition - Kindertrauma Funhouse.  As a big fan of both the blog and random horror puzzles, I'm extremely honored to have had this opportunity, and it was a lot of fun!   You can check out the game here, and of course check out Kindertrauma any time!  Big thanks to Unkle Lancifer and Aunt John for their support of FMWL!

In other outside ventures, near the end of October I participated in the Halloween Top 13 series of posts over at the fantastic blog The Lightning Bug's Lair!  Check out my contribution in which I rattle off 13 horror remakes I love (OK, maybe a few are more "kind of like"), and of course check out TL Bugg and the site in total!  Big thanks to him for the chance to contribute!

A big thanks has to go out to those who have provided FMWL with materials for review, whether they be books, trailers, or screeners!  Speaking of, don't forget that I've got a review coming up for Stephen Irwin's novel The Dead Path - which I recently gave away a copy of and can assure you is quite fantastic.  To those who have helped keep me in fresh material, thank you much!

Branching off from that, a thank you must be given to all the amazing independent filmmakers I've come across who have provided truly inspiring films. Among them are the Soska Twins of Twisted Twins productions, who will be releasing the trailer for their new film, American Mary on December 11at their official site.  I'm sure I'll be bringing it to you all as part of my new Indie Spotlight series!

(Speaking of our Indie Spotlight series, if you're an indie genre filmmaker who's out there looking for exposure, let me know and I'd be happy to cover your stuff!  Just grab our contact info of the side and let it rip!)

And naturally, I must give thanks for all the other blogs that have provided inspiration for me, and for you, our readers. I couldn't begin to name names without forgetting someone, but know that all of you have been a gift to me on a daily basis.  My primary goal at FMWL has always been to spread my love of genre and cult cinema, and having so many people appreciating these films and taking the time to read my thoughts has been a humbling and rewarding experience.  From the bottom of my Blob-loving heart, a big thanks to you all!

And with that out of the way...let the Thanksgiving Dance party begin!

State of the Midnight Address: Vol. 5 - More '70s Cultness, Communes, Falling Crests, and MORE!

It's been a while since I've taken a moment to share some of the finer things going on in FMWL's world.  Let's change that, because there are a lot of exciting things going down.

• First off, I'd just like to say that the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man is one of the most amazing monsters ever seen.  That's all I've got to say about that.

•  FMWL's '70s Cult Project came to an end last week, and I'm happy to say it went better than I ever thought it would.  But after the final bell, one of the original Midnight Warriors went out of his way to send me a list of some of his own cult favorites from that decade.  That man is Zach of ZforZombies.com, and he offered one heck of a five-pack!  Many thanks to Zach!  

Zach's Five Cult Classics

The Crippled Masters (1979) - Some of the most WTF chop socky cinema you'll find ever.

Pinnochio's Birthday Party (1974) - This was creepy when I first saw it, and it's still friggin creepy.

Inframan (1975) - Power Rangers can suck it sideways. Here Kaiju Monsters are just beaten, they're straight murdered.

The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1974) - Almost as awesome as Clash of the Titans. Almost. (Note from The Mike: CAROLINE MUNRO!)

Zombi (1979) - It may be cliche at this point for a horror fan to drop this reference, but it's a classic for a reason through and through. Find me a better soundtrack, I dare you.

•  A large amount of you asked if FMWL would host an '80s Cult Project as the '70s version closed.  To put it simply, not happening anytime soon.  That project was by far the most time consuming thing I've done at FMWL, and I simply don't have it in me to do another one right now.  Maybe someday...

•  In supremely awesome independent horror news, The Commune - which I reviewed here and pleaded for help about here - will be available via Netflix THIS TUESDAY!  That's right, Tuesday September 14th is the day whence one of the most interesting and unsettling horrors in my recent memory will be available to the public! Congrats to director Elisabeth Fies and the rest of the folks involved with The Commune!  And, to the rest of you, enjoy the show!

•  In FMWL news, I have to admit that I've been slightly disappointed with myself lately.  The Random Horror Throwdown had become a weekly feature here over the past few months, but lately I've just lost the handle on that post I previously had.  Gonna keep trying to work it back in, as I know a lot of people loved those posts, but only if I can do it right.  

• Speaking of those Throwdowns, you may remember that I was asked to contribute to Flickchart: The Blog shortly after my first RHT occurred back in May.  I recently wrote my second piece over there, in which I discuss the mainstream reaction to modern independent horror films, particularly The Last Exorcism.  I'm really proud of that post, and you should check it out too.  Just click on the image below!  (Or, click HERE.)
  

• Last but not least, I want to give a shout out to one of my favorite horror fans, and a good real-world-friend, Mr. Russ "R.D." Penning.  Russ blogs a bit over at Dead End Drive-In, but is more interested in the filmmaking side of horror.  Rightfully so, as he's written a script that is being shot this weekend, entitled Crestfallen.  I am very excited to see what comes of Russ' project, and would like to take a moment to publicly wish him - and everyone else involved in Crestfallen - the very best as they set out on their filmmaking adventure! 

And finally, I once again feel the need to thank everyone who has read FMWL and become a follower of the site.  I am extremely humbled by all the feedback (in comments, messages, emails, etc.) from people who have enjoyed the site, and I truly feel blessed to have crossed paths with each of you.  From the deepest part of my midnight lovin' heart, I thank you all. 

Peace; I'm outta here.

State of the Midnight Address: Vol. 4 - June is the Awesomest Month!

Hey everybody, it's that time of month again. There's currently a storm raging outside my windows, a fire burning in my heart (wait, what?) and a can of Ravioli calling me from my cupboard. That can mean only one thing...it's time for another State of the Midnight Address! Here's what's going on in FMWL's world right now....

• First up, as usual, I need to thank some people. Recently, FMWL hit 100 followers! And more over, we're now at 103! Am I overly excited about having three digits in that column? You betcha. Of course, now the pressure's on, as I've got more than five score people to entertain. I'll try my best not to let you all down. To all of you, who make me excited to post something new nearly every day (even when I don't!), I send out a hearty thanks!
  

• I want to send my condolences out to the late Dennis Hopper, and his survivors. Mr. Hopper was always a favorite actor of mine, particularly in Hoosiers (my favorite sports movie, by far), Red Rock West, Speed (Pop quiz, hotshot!), and True Romance. But of course, it wouldn't be FMWL if I didn't mention his darker turns in Blue Velvet, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, and Land of the Dead. You were one of a kind, Mr. Hopper.

• May lagged a little behind the last three months in the number of posts I got out there, and I apologize dearly. It was a stressful month at my real world job, which doesn't look to be getting better immediately. But I won't let them keep me down, I assure you.

• I'm proud to say that my most recent new feature, the Random Horror Throwdown, has been a lot of fun for me to write over the past few weeks. I'm glad to see that many are pleased with these posts too, and I plan to keep it going on a weekly basis for the foreseeable future. The Midnight Movie of the Week posts have been my baby since the beginning of the year, but I'm glad to have this feature going forward as a counterpoint to it. (By the way, it might not always be a Random Horror Throwdown, I'm looking at some other genres I can debate too.)

• In addition to these Throwdowns, I'm also excited to say that I've been asked to contribute to Flickchart: The Blog because of them. I know I mentioned this a couple of weeks ago, but I wanted to make sure that anyone out there who's unfamiliar becomes familiar with Flickchart; which is definitely the most addictive movie ranking site ever. Go there, befriend TheMike31 (aka, me), and put together a pretty awesome list of your favorite movies!

• Recently there was a bit of drama involving several horror blogs out there, and a lot of people, including myself, became very annoyed. As a writer I fight to be taken seriously, even in my silliest of posts, and the kind of behavior shown - which I felt reflected back on all horror bloggers in a negative manner - frustrated me considerably. However, I do not wish to spend my blogging time on matters such as these - except for addressing the fact that I will not be dealing with them here. If you're looking for something more scandalous in a blog, I'm afraid I won't be able to meet your expectations.

• What has two thumbs and is psyched out of its gourd for Splice to open this weekend? THIS GUY! A review will be up quicker than you can say Jack Robinson....or at least as quickly as possible.

• If you haven't checked out The Bloodsprayer yet, you're severely missing out. I predict big things for this site, which has amassed a Dream Team of writers from blogs across the horror scene. They'll make us all proud, and someday soon.
  

• On behalf of my family, I also would like to thank everyone who took the time to read my posts on The Masha on Mother's Day and Clownhouse on my sister Mamada's birthday. They very much appreciated the posts, and were excited to hear that several readers felt the same way.
  

And, the big topic...June. My favorite month. In fact, it's so my favorite that I'm proclaiming it AWESOMENESS MONTH at FMWL! I've got a few exciting things up my sleeve, which may include:

• The return of The Midnight Warriors!
• A celebration of The Mike's birthday!
• A new Audio Commentary!
• More inductions into FMWL's Hall of Fame!
• And, quite possibly....a Blogathon!

EXCLAMATION POINT! Again, thank you so much to everyone who's reading, and stay tuned! All you midnight warriors and lovers of justice might just make June so exciting that I'll be dancing on the bed like the kid in this picture!

(Yes, that's the first picture of myself unmasked that's ever appeared on FMWL. Don't act like you're not impressed!)

State of the Midnight Address: Vol. 3 - The Mike SPEAKS!

Good evening folks! Normally, this is the part where I write about how things are going at FMWL....but since I'm feeling a bit special....you all should listen to me talk about how things are going instead.

State of the Midnight Address: Vol. 2 - The Horror Community, Goals, and Lists of Buckets of Blood

The above image, found through a simple Google Images search of the word "horror", is one of the internet's newly popular "demotivators" - jokes designed by the most cynical and sarcastic minds out there. It comes from a site named "101 Reasons to Stop Writing", which appears to be aimed at writers of fiction. However, ask any horror blogger if they've ever come to a point where they've considered shutting their cyberdoors, and most of the time they're quick to recall moments of despair. Last time I did one of these posts, I shared how I stopped writing due to frustrations in early 2009, and I've heard many other bloggers, even some of the most respected bloggers I know, share similar stories. It's a fact of life for those of us who're trying to share our passion, and I personally have had enough of people trying to rain on our parade.

When I started writing, I never intended to be part of the horror blogging community. For starters, I didn't plan to write primarily on horror (though I was sure I'd skew that way). But I also, to be honest, really had no idea there was such an active horror blogging community out there. I've always took pride in my independence as a fan of cinema, and when I started writing this site my goal was simply to throw my opinions out into the abyss and see what happened. It was soon after that I realized - what I was saying didn't matter. This wasn't because I was wrong, or because I was bad at what I was doing (though I'm sure some found it that way, but hey, that's their opinion). It was because I wasn't connected to anything. I had about five readers who checked in once in a while, and I had NO clue where I could go with this blog - let alone where I wanted to go.

After months of inactivity with my focus on other venues, a moment came last fall when I suddenly was looking at my free time in a fresh light. And when I started to ponder what I really wanted to be doing with my time, writing and talking about the movies I loved was the best thing I could think of. Thankfully, I had made a few acquaintances that opened the door to the horror fan world for me...and things escalated quickly. Through the people I've met in the horror blogging community, and despite the drama that occasionally sidetracks them, I've been reminded of how much I really love sharing my thoughts with others.

To anyone out there who's trying to get a similar feeling, I urge you to find a way to get involved in the horror community. It's a huge heap of folks, and there are always some people you simply won't mesh with, but we're the only thing that can keep each other relevant. Through the people I've read from and conversed with I've acquired countless ideas for my blog, formed new opinions on old favorites, and found new favorites I may never have come across. Each of us have our own set of goals, but we need to realize that a little help from a like-minded soul is never a bad thing. Personally, I'm more than willing to offer any help to someone who's seeking it, because, like Cat Stevens said, "baby, baby, it's a wild web -and it's hard to get by just upon a smile."

That said, a recent trend in the blogosphere has been the creating of a "Blood Bucket List" (see these folks for details). From my understanding, it's a list of things you hope to accomplish before your blog shrivels up and you become an accountant. Since I've been talking about my goals at FMWL, I'm gonna offer up a few short (since I've already spouted five paragraphs of drivel) items that would be on my list, the first of which I've already covered - I'd like to help members of the horror community support their peers' goals (while staying true to my lone-wolfish ideals). After that, I've got the following things on my list.1) I want to attend Blobfest in Phoenixville, PA. If you've been around this blog much, you know how I feel about Blobs (I'm for them). The original The Blob was one of my first horror loves, and I want to visit the town and theater it was filmed in and see the film on the big screen while experiencing Blobamania. I had planned to go this summer, but I'm not sure I'm going to be financially able to pull it off. Regardless, I'll be there someday.
2) I want to host something. Or at least, do a commentary or two. I would love, love, love the opportunity to be able to present a movie I really love. Quite honestly, that's what my primary focus is here, especially with my Midnight Movie of the Week series. I want to shout from the mountains and let everyone know that I LOVE THIS MOVIE AND I WANT TO SHARE IT WITH YOU ALL! And while writing is a blast, I'd love to do it through spoken word too.
3) I want to write a book detailing everything I've ever thought about Halloween....and its sequels/remakes. I love John Carpenter's Halloween more than I love most anything. I've gone off on tangents about it at random times in random places for random reasons, and someday I want to put all my ramblings together in one coherent place. And yes, I'd cover the rest of the series, from the first moment of doom (the sister subplot being introduced in the sequel) to Rob Zombie's urinal cake-ish remakes.4) I want to be viewed as someone whose opinion on these films is valid....even if I do overuse '80s slang and run-on-sentences and parentheses. I don't care if people agree with me, I'll be the first to admit that I ramble and occasionally entirely miss the point of a movie, or that I simply don't find a movie gripping for stupid reasons at times. And yeah, I'm gonna say totally and awesome a lot. But I want people to be able to look through my convoluted words and respect that I am someone who deeply cares about what I'm doing and strives to improve their output one day at a time. Because if I didn't believe I could do it, I wouldn't be doing it.

That's it. Until next time, my fellow midnight explorers, I urge you all to hold strong to your beliefs and goals, and don't stop searching for the things you'd like to cross off your Blood Bucket List. Peace, I'm outta here.

State of the Midnight Address: Vol. 1 - Quick Thoughts from The Mike

As a new month begins, I'm again reevaluating where I'm at in blogging. The first two months of 2010 have been really exciting for me and the blog, and I thought I'd take some time to send an update from my underground lair, so you all can know what to expect as the blog rolls forward.

• For starters, a gigantic THANK YOU to everyone who's been hitting the blog in February. Between the Bloody-Disgusting contest, the three new theatrical horrors I've been able to review, and the slew of cool bloggers I've come to know through their sites, Twitter, and Facebook, it has been an extremely rewarding month for me. It was around this time last year that I grew tired of my first attempt at running the blog, and I think it's safe to say that I'm having a lot more fun this time around. But I couldn't do what I'm doing without everyone that's been providing me inspiration and ideas, so all of you deserve a bit of thanks.

• That said, the discussion board on From Midnight, With Love's Facebook page is open, and waiting for any suggestions you all have for the site. Also, you can always email me at frommidnightwithlove@gmail.com if you have suggestions. I'm aware that I can get a little obscure at times, and I'm working on that, but I hope you've enjoyed reading about some of the movies I've tried to bring light to.

• I haven't mentioned it here yet, but I did recently make the Blu-Ray upgrade - a gigantic step for someone who's dropped a small fortune into the DVD market. My first purchase was, of course, my favorite horror film - Halloween (anyone who mentions Rob Zombie so gets e-punched) - and last night I got in my first real horror viewing on the Blu with Dario Argento's The Bird With Crystal Plumage. If you haven't seen Argento in Blu, I do recommend it so. (Of course, if you haven't seen Argento on DVD, try that too.) But seriously, click that image below to see what Blu can do for you.

• Going along with the above, excpect a few posts on Italian Horror in March. No real reason, except that I just pulled in a ton of titles from the likes of Argento, Bava, Fulci, and more and am looking to give that movement a closer inspection. You've been warned.

• As for the future of FMWL in other terms, look for the Midnight Movie of the Week posts to continue, and I hope to put together a few more Twilight Zone posts and Midnight Top Fives in the near future. I've been hoping to do another "Why Midnight Movies Matter" essay soon, but have yet to come up with something that grabs my attention. Also, look out for a couple of features on The Mike to potentially pop up on some other blogs soon, and of course for the reviews you've come to expect.

That's about all I've got for the evening, but I wanted to let everyone know how grateful I am for their support, and that I can't wait to see where we go from here. Here's to many more midnight viewings of justice!