I'm a bare bones kind of fellow, and so I was quite taken with this little charm. This skull is carved from a block of wood and then connected to a cord so that it might be hung up almost anywhere. It's crafted in Japan, and The Living there often use them as keychains or to dress up cell phones, knapsacks, and purses.
I, personally, like to hang them all around my abode. They add such a festive whimsy any time of year, and guests are always pleasantly surprised to discover one peeking out at them from the most unexpected places.
If you'd like one or two of your own, you can find them at J-Box. Their ad banner can be found right on this page, and once there, you'll be looking for the Box Tree Skull Netsuke item SZ134.
The Asphyx came out sometime around 1973, but I don’t remember seeing it until much later in the 80’s. It left an impression, though I’d forgotten the name, and for years I wondered just what that crazy film had been. When you see the movie, you’ll wonder how the name could have slipped my mind. I make no excuses.
I’d rate this film a guaranteed must-see for all fans of Gothic Horror.
It’s true that the movie is not without its flaws. The dialog, for example, is often laughably bad. Certain makeup effects are absolutely pathetic—I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll leave it at that.
However, Sir Robert Stephens gives a charged performance. He really carries the film with only the aid of beautiful period sets. And understand, the sets are truly gorgeous. If you can view the film in widescreen, please do so. There are DVD copies available now that have done a great job of restoring the color and sharpness of the original.
Also of note are the special effects. For 1973, they are pretty good even if simple. The overall combined effect of the sets and special effects puts the Gothic in Gothic Horror. The atmosphere is excellent, and that’s what really stuck with me all these years. One final note about the Asphyx itself: Is that thing Slimer’s ugly stepsister, or what? When you see the floating critter, you can’t help but think of Ghostbuster’s little green mascot. I’ve often wondered if the firehouse crew got the idea for Slimer from this film. Anyone have proof?
Final Verdict: Quotable stumbles aside, this is one to own.
Let's kick the lid off with a little movie review.
Phenomena (originally titled “Creepers”) came out in 1985, and it was a must see for me, because I like to catch anything with Donald Pleasence in it (though I sometimes ask myself “why”: afterward). This film, while simple and far from scary, has its merits.
For one thing, we learn that The Don can’t speak with a Scottish accent for more than three seconds without blowing it.
We also learn that the young Ms. Connelly, who grew into quite an attractive woman, had some disappointing stick legs back in the day.
Upon viewing the film, we also discover that while bugs are prominently featured on the movie posters, they don’t pop up often in the movie itself. In my opinion, that’s a good thing. Not wanting to give any spoilers, I can say that the bugs are still a very important part of the plot. In fact, the movie could not move forward in the same way without them. This could have been another “bug attack” movie, but it didn’t turn out that way, and I’m grateful.
Also on the plus side is the absolute train wreck of an ending. By “train wreck,” I refer to the individual elements that had all been barreling toward the climax coming together in a massive pileup. I honestly laughed out loud. It would not have been surprising if a large safe or grand piano had fallen out of the sky during the final action sequence.
While you’re watching, take note of the soundtrack. Actually, you’d have a hard time missing it. While the volume sometimes spikes in an annoying way and the music doesn’t seem to fit the movie at all, it was a pleasant surprise. For those of us old enough to remember, most of the movie’s pieces are so extremely 80’s, they cause flashbacks. More than once, I wondered if David Bowie would make a singing appearance via some Labyrinth connection with Ms. Connelly. Most of the pieces are done by a group called Goblin. Look them up. They’ve scored Italian films for years. Call me strange, but I’d actually like an MP3 of the ending theme. It made me stay to read the credits.
Final verdict: If you’re knocking out the classics, don’t skip this one. If nothing else, there’s a monkey in it, and we all like monkeys, right?
