Metropol’s 31 Days of (Hammer) Horror Double Feature: The Hound of The Baskervilles (1958)/The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1958)

Metropol’s 31 Movies of (Hammer) Horror Double Feature: The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)/Dracula (1958)

Metropol’s 31 Movies of (Hammer) Horror: The Abominable Snowman (1957)

Metropol: Bits and Pieces

Hey everyone!

It’s been a while since I written a Metropol column, my summer got jumbled up and obligation to other things got the better of me. But now I’m back and I’ve got a whole bunch to talk about. For those of you who are fans of the site and especially this column, I’d like to thank you for your good words and patience during my “hiatus” It is really appreciated.

Enough of the sappy stuff, let’s get things started.

Metropol: Flowers For Elly Kedward

In October of 1994 three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland, while shooting a documentary

…A year later their footage was found.

And with these few words, thus started one of the most influential films for the 21st Century.

Metropol: Triple Feature of Drive In Goodness!!

Over here in the US,  it’s Independence Day or as we like to call it,  The Fourth of July.  This is the part of the year where we celebrate the birth of the nation by gathering to watch copious amounts of gunpowder explode in the  air, going “ooohhh” and “aaahhhh”  in the process.  Some people go off camping and bring their own fireworks to have their own shows. Others hold big barbecues with friends, family and neighbors just to hang out and enjoy each other’s company. Me! I show drive in features.

The Drive In,  in my opinion, is the most American thing I can think of culturally. For those who haven’t seen one, it’s just like the picture above.  A really large parking lot with a huge ass screen in front.  You paid admission at the drive-through entrance, pulled up to the closest and most comfortable lot and hang the speakers that were available off the car’s windowframe. The drive-in was the merging of two great love affairs at the time.  Cars and movies. The car culture in the 50’s was booming among the young as the car  became a symbol of freedom.  The drive in facilitated that idea with the help of Hollywood and in a way, Hammer Film would not have gained exposure in the US nor would American International Pictures (AIP) be able to inadvertently create grindhouse cinema nor even cease to be thanks to the youth who always went to the drive in.

My first memories as a human was that of the drive in. I must have been two or three at the time and my parents I believe were watching a double feature of a women in prison (WiP) film staring the beautiful Barbara Steele and what seemed to be a satanism flick. Back during that time, drive ins were losing out on clientele due to the advent of the multiplex theater. High property value was killing them off, so many of them became rural grindhouses in order to just pay the morgage.  The very last drive in double feature I seen was in the  80’s. It was Clash of the Titans and Russ Mulcahy’s Highlander.  Such great memories.  The smell of popcorn and barbecue. The sounds of revved engines and crickets during the silence……. good stuff.

Enough jibber jabber! Let’s get going!!  Admission is free after the break!

Welcome! Try our yummy snacks at the concession stand!

Metropol: My Loathe Affair With Ehren Kruger

courtesy henshin online

Recorded from The Metropol Theater after listening to Dave and Barry’s review of the latest Transformers movie,  I let everybody in on my little beef with The chief screenwriter of the film, Ehren Kruger.

Metropol – click to listen

Hey! If you have any comment or you’d like to ask a question or two feel free to either leave it in the comment box or email me at metropol.mail@gmail.com Love to read from you.

GS Reporter: Royal Blake

Metropol: Why Studio DVDs Make Me Want To Shave My Head.

I'm more then that. But I'm no Coolduder.

Hey everyone. For those who are still new to Metropol, I’m a big fan of Exploitation films and it is through Exploitation that I’m also a big collector of DVDS. I buy almost anything from your $5 bargain bin DVD to your 460 DVD box set. If it interests me, has a nice set up and is at a decent price, I’ll normally buy it. Lately, I’ve been noticing the major studios trying to reach out to the collector community. Some have done it through box sets of what they probably deem “throwaway” titles, thinking they’re throwing a bone out for the collector to want more. Others have done Special Editions. All of them have in some way failed. It frustrates me to the point that I want to rip my hair out by the roots. It’s so simple, a kindergartner can get it. I’ll explain as simple as possible.

As a collector, I’d like to say to them that we would like to buy their products, but they need to change several things before they get mine or someone else dollar. I’ve had a lot of problems with studio DVDs, but I’ve decided to focus on three of them that really stick in my craw.  You can read about them after the break.

Metropol: What Is Grindhouse?

Hi. My name is Roy Blake and I’m a fan of exploitation media. A lot of people don’t what that means these days, so I give them a bit more simpler version of what “exploitation media” is.

I’m a fan of Grindhouse film.

Metropol: Friday the 13th to April Fool’s: A Glympse At Holiday Horror

With the Friday the 13th remake, I thought I’d cover the whole phenomena, but then I realized that ever other Tom, Dick and Harry would be doing something similar. Some I’m doing something totally left field and showing you it’s place in a sub genre known as Holiday Horrors.