A fine blend of all things Nuts: Multimedia Collections, Toys, Foods, Concerts, Occasional Petting Zoo Visits, etc.

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

The HAMMER Frankenstein Collection

Universal Studios denying Hammer the use of their trademarked monster make-up actually worked in the British company’s favour. It forced them to shift the focus from the monster to the creator—the man for whom the entire franchise was named—and in so doing enabled them to better explore the nuances of character that defined the Baron. That they managed to have Peter Cushing star in all but one of the films was the icing on a fortuitous cake.

Films on In a Nutshell:
01. The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
02. The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)
03. The Evil of Frankenstein (1964)
04. Frankenstein Created Woman (1967)
05. Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969)
06. The Horror of Frankenstein (1970)
07. Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974)

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

The Killer Vehicles Collection

Subgenres are beneficial to their parent genre. Without them there's a risk we'd get inundated with even more clones. That’s almost as bad as accepting whatever’s popular at any given time; i.e. pure hell for me. The killer vehicle subgenre is an odd one. I mean ‘killer’ as in the vehicle has a mind of its own, occupied with murderous intent or demonic vengeance, not that it looks sexy. Although, it can fit into both categories, I suppose. Mostly they’re B-Movies, yes, but not always bad movies, even if the concept is pretty bat-shit crazy. Here’s what we've got so far:

On In a Nutshell:
01. Killdozer (1974)
02. The Car (1977)
03. Death Ship (1980)
04. Christine (1983)
05. Maximum Overdrive (1986)
06. Trucks (1997)

This one doesn't quite fit the definition but it’s too similar not to get an honourable mention:
01. Duel (1971)

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

The Ringu Collection

I've read Koji Suzuki's original Ringu (1991) novel in translation. It's good, but the concept around which the story revolves works better as visual media. Yes, you can take that as meaning the film is better than the book if you want. However, you then have to ask: which film? It was adapted multiple times over a short number of years, some of which spawned sequels, forcing you to be aware of the running order. My advice would be to begin with what I consider the most successful trilogy: numbers 02, 04, and 06 in the list below, in that same order. If you're still intrigued after that, then check out the others.

Foreign Language Films on In a Nutshell:
01. Ring: Kanzenban (1995)
02. Ringu (1998)
03. Rasen (1998)
04. Ringu 2 (1999)
05. The Ring Virus (1999)
06. Ringu 0: Birthday (2000)
07. Sadako 3D (2012)
08. Sadako 3D 2 (2013)

English Language Films on In a Nutshell:
01. The Ring (2002)
02. The Ring Two (2005)
03. Rings (2017)

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

The Tokusatsu Collection


Tokusatsu is the Japanese word used to describe a genre of live-action entertainment that is primarily characterized by its heavy use of special effects. Two such long-lived franchises are Super Sentai (used as source footage for America’s Power Rangers adaptations) and Kamen Rider (which has also been utilized in two US productions). Whereas variously themed teams will depend on each other’s strength in Sentai, Riders typically have limited interactions with one another, often facing conflicts within themselves even as they work to put the world to right. Some viewers find value in the effects and fight choreography, while others seek the meanings underlying the human-drama on display. Both are valid reasons why the genre shines.

TV Series on Nut Box:
01. Kamen Rider and Super Sentai Series

Films on In a Nutshell:
01. Dedicated toku movies, crossovers, and v-cinema specials

Music on Nut Suite:
01. Toku music

Friday, September 4, 2015

The Conquer Yourself Collection


"What is he?"

"He is you. Your Opposite. Your Negative."

For some people in this world the most daunting and terrifying foe they will ever face is themselves. Appropriately, these pieces of media have their heroes facing off with what they see when they look in the mirror (or, in one case, enter it). Dark, Shadow, Nega, Mad, The Memory of…—all terms that simply denote that the destructive part of one’s own nature has been given physical form and a confrontation is inevitable.

Who will win?

The outcome is literally in your own hands.

Films on In A Nutshell:

TV Shows on Nut Box:

Video Games on Nut Load:

Music on Nut Suite:

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

The John Wyndham Collection

Perhaps best-known for giving the world creepy plants and creepy children, John Wyndham’s stories were about more than just invading horrors hiding in familiar forms. They were thought-provoking explorations of a dominant species' response to crises, using relatable tools that were themselves metaphors for many other things, each conceived in a markedly British, post-war frame of mind. The filmed versions may lack the same kind of layering depth, but are still mostly enjoyable on their own terms.

Films on In a Nutshell:
01. Village of the Damned (1960)
02. The Day of the Triffids (1963)
03. Children of the Damned (1964)
04. Village of the Damned (1995)
05. Quest for Love (1971)

TV Series on Nut Box:
01. Chocky (1984)
02. Chocky's Children (1985)
03. Chocky's Challenge (1986)
04. The Day of the Triffids (2009)