AC/DC: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (1976) - Song Review

Official Score = 3 Devils

There are a surprising amount of great Rock 'n Roll music out there! I mean really, just a crap load! And the bands... Forget about it! Rather you like Black Sabbath's, 'Iron Man' (1971), Elvis Presley's 'Tutti Frutti' (1956), or something more contemporary...  Like say... Disturbed's, 'Asylum' (2010), there is just a lot out of truly awesome head banging rock 'n roll out there to listen to!

And there is one song, this song I have to admit is the song that started it all for me, when I became a fan of AC/DC's this song brought me in to the fold: That song being, 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap' (1976), from their album of the same name!

AC/DC doing, 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap' live!

Now why pray tell is this such a good song? Honestly? Because to me, I felt like this song had a little bit of a different vibe to it... One that I felt, (and still do feel,) make this song an awful lot of fun... That being the slightly more 60'sish style rock music that came out of the counterculture movement... But with the darker, more heavier edge that would become a growing staple in rock/heavy metal during the 1970s and onward!

In the end though, I will admit this, when it comes to this song... It is great, there is no getting around that, but I have now been listening to AC/DC for almost a decade now, and where as it is not their best song to come out, it is still a classic, and if you give it a try, I think you might find that you really like it!

For the true fan, the lyrics to: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap by AC/DC!

well if you're having trouble with the high school head
he's giving you the blues
you want to graduate but not in his bed
here's what you gotta do
pick up the phone, I’m always home
call me anytime,
just ring, 362436 oh
I lead a life of crime

dirty deeds done dirt cheap, dirty deeds done dirt cheap, dirty deeds done dirt cheap
dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap
dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap

you're got trouble in your life of love
you got a broken heart
he's double dealing with your best friend
that's where the teardrops start
pick up the phone, I’m here alone
or make a social call
come right in forget about him
we'll have ourselves a ball

dirty deeds done dirt cheap, dirty deeds done dirt cheap, dirty deeds done dirt cheap
dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap
dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap

if you got a lady and you want her gone
but you ain't got the guts
she keeps nagging at you night and day
enough to drive you nuts
pick up the phone
leave her alone
it's time you made a stand
for a fee
I’m happy to be
your back door man

dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap, dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap
dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap, dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap

concrete shoes, cyanide, T.N.T.
done dirt cheap
neck ties, contracts, high voltage
done dirt cheap
dirty deeds, done dirt cheap, dirty deeds, done dirt cheap
dirty deeds do anything you want me to
done dirt cheap
dirty deeds
dirty deeds done dirt cheap

Getting To See A Classic Horror Movie With Fresh Eyes

By the way... If you thought that I meant, 'fresh eyes' in the literally sense... Well you are kind of right... Just not in the disgusting way!

No... What I mean is this... One of the things that I really like to do, and is sort of a tradition that I have had since I was a teenager is to get a whole bunch of really great junk food and then watch a whole bunch of great horror films... And you know what, if you haven't tried it yet... If you like horror movies, I would recommend giving it a try... It is freaking awesome!

Watching horror movies on Halloween can be a real killer experience!

This Halloween though was one with a little bit of a twist! You see, my wife and I got to enjoy my Halloween tradition together this year... But in years previous we have ended up watching other genres of films... Fun, but it really needs to be with horror movies... you know?

Well this year when we were arranging it, my wife was all in for watching some fun horror  movies... And you know what? It was a total blast!

Now you might be wondering why I am sharing this little bit of personal information... Well the reason being is that we got to watch some awesome classics that I hadn't seen in years!

You see, for me, because I review movies all the time, and there are so many out there to review, I generally don't get much of an opportunity to re-watch classics that I have loved for quite a few years, and when I got to watch, Halloween (1978) and, The Omen (1976)... I got to say, it brought me back to the days of when I first watched both of these movies for the first time... Boy was it awesome!

Watching these movies for the first time in years was a total blast! 

And the reason that I mention all of this to you horror fans, is because where as it is true that even today that there is a lot of amazing horror movies that are coming out... I have noticed a trend with a lot of the younger generation of well (not just horror movie fans, but movie fans in general,) that they generally seem to tend to ignore the classics and stick exclusively to the newer films!

And well, I will say that  there are  some great reasons for going with newer movies, don't forget to check out the classics, they can scare the hell out of you just as well as the new ones, and in my opinion are just as good, and in most cases better then the newer movies out there!

So did I check out some classics with fresh eyes? Sure... For the newer generation, give it a try... I think you will find there is some truly amazing horror movies out there that have come out in the last hundred years that are just as good, if not better then some of  the horror movies that have come in the last 14 years!

Five Great Classic Rock Songs From The 70s!

As far as music goes... Well there is a lot of great music out there that has spanned really the last 100 years! But as far as Rock 'N Roll is concerned, well... The 50s had some great Rock 'N Roll with people like, 'Elvis Presley' and the 60s had greats like, 'The Beatles', and so I thought it was about time that I started highlighting some of the great music from some of these eras, and so I thought I would start with Classic Rock, and more directly with the 1970s!

So I hope you enjoy: Five Great Classic Rock Songs From The 70's!

At number 5: AC/DC with, 'T.N.T.' from their 1976 album of the same name:

At number 4: Aerosmith with, 'Sweet Emotion' from their 1975 album, 'Toys In The Attic':

And next up at number 3: The Who with, 'The Punk And The Godfather', from their 1973 album, 'Quadrophenia':

And at number 2: Alice Cooper with, 'School's Out' from his 1972 album of the same name:

And last but certainly not least, at number 1: Led Zeppelin with, 'Kashmir' from their 1975 album, 'Physical Graffiti':

There are a lot more great songs from this era, but I thought that I would highlight these because these songs really are some truly classic rock songs!

Claudia... A Vampire Long Gone, But Never Forgotten

"Locked together in hatred. But I can't hate you Louis. Louis my love, I was mortal till you gave me your immortal kiss. You became my mother, and my father, and so I'm yours forever. But now it's time to end it, Louis. Now it's time to leave him."

- A quote from: Kirsten Dunst (Claudia) in: Interview With The Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)

Claudia... A devilish little Vampire girl that has stolen the hearts and minds of Vampire Chronicle fans for decades!

Alright for most of you, I imagine you guys probably have no idea who this is, (Considering the series that she is a part of has not seen any new additions in either the movie or book form for more then a few years now...)

Well that's fine, a little bit about her back story is this... (There is a book specifically devoted to Claudia's back story that I haven't read, but she plays a largely relevant role in, 'Interview With The Vampire' (1976)... So I can tell you what I know about her through this, as well as from the movie...)

Anyway, back in the 19th century, when Louis & Lestat (two of the more important characters in this story,) are having a particularly hard time, Lestat ends up going out in search of a companion to make their duo in to a trio... In comes, Claudia (their little Vampire child...)

 Louis (Played by: Brad Pitt ), Lestat (Played by: Tom Cruise) & Claudia (Played by: Kirsten Dunst) in 1994's big screen adaption of the novel, 'Interview With Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles'!

But as time went on, the Vampire, 'Threesome', became a Vampire, 'Twosome'... And the way that Lestat was disposed of being something that the Vampire community generally frowns upon... Well that led to her end in the first novel...

I hope that I haven't given to much away, and I will admit that i'm not giving her back story as much justice as it deserves... But this character was cut short... The way that Anne Rice wrote her character, was extremely... dare I say it... profound?

Yeah I said it... And even though I know profound is kind of a stretch for a character in a book, especially for a, 'Vampire'... but this little girl vampire along with Louis, helped keep that story going extremely well through out the time that she was in the book... And the movie... So much so that I would say some of the best moments of each was when she was in it in some capacity!

This little one certainly steals the show in the first of the, 'Vampire Chronicles'!

As a matter of fact, I almost felt like after her time in either the book or the movie was over, that at that point would be a good time for both to begin to wind down... And I think that, that is at least part of why both were so good! I mean there was still some more good reading and good watching in the movie form, but in the end, both wound down after Claudia's end quite nicely!

Kirsten Dunst as: 'Claudia', along with Brad Pitt as: 'Louis' & 'Tom Cruise' as: Lestat, in a scene from: Interview With The Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994):

AC/DC: T.N.T. (1976) - Song Review

Official Score = 3 Devils

When I was a kid, one of the things I used to hear about and kind of watch on TV is the concept that the older people get, the more they complain about young people and the music that they listen to... Well I have to be honest, I don't know if this is true or not, because I grew up with people who mostly listened to the type of music that most older people complained about anyway!

As a matter of fact, my best friend got me in to listening to, 'Metallica', his parents helped get me in to Megadeth, and my mom got me interested in listening to, AC/DC... And one of the first songs that I listened to that I found that I really enjoyed is: T.N.T. from their 1976 album of the same name!

AC/DC doing, 'T.N.T.' live!

Written by Angus & Malcom Young, with Bon Scott, and produced in 1975, this classic song has been enjoyed by audiences all over the world for generations now... It can be heard in all sorts of media, and has been for many years, including on TV in such shows as, 'That 70's Show', on the soundtrack for the video game, 'Tony Hawk's: Pro Skater 4', and that is just a couple of examples!

In the end, AC/DC are true masters, and it definitely shows in this song, and if you haven't heard it yet, then I do recommend doing so, it is more then well worth it... I thought so, and if you like this type of music, then I think you might as well!

Five DC/Marvel Crossover Comics Worth Mentioning

One of the things that I had wanted to see in horror movies is a crossover between some of the leading horror movie villains, and what that would be like... That was part of the reason why I was glad when Newline released, Freddy Vs. Jason (2006)!

Well before they released that I came to discover that this is a little bit more widespread in the literary community, and so I thought that it might be kind of fun to let you guys know about some of the comic books... Because let's be honest, wouldn't be cool to see a crossover between like, 'Star Trek' &, 'Godzilla'?

Well here we go! At number 5: Superman Vs. The Amazing Spider-Man (1976):

An awesome comic!

 At number 4: Archie Meets Punisher (1994):

Archie & The Punisher... Either a match made in hell, or the death of Archie...

At number 3: The Incredible Hulk Vs. Batman (1981):

Batman Vs. The Incredible Hulk... Who do you think is going to win?

At number 2: JLA/Avengers (2003):

The Justice League & The Avengers... Hell yeah! A good movie, eh?

At number 1: Darkseid Vs. Galactus: The Hunger (1995):

2 masters of disaster... Who do you think is going to win?

KISS: Detroit Rock City (1976) - Song Review

[caption id="attachment_557" align="alignright" width="307"] Official Score = 3 1/2 Devils[/caption]

I hate to say it, but when I was a kid I used to make fun of the band, 'KISS'... I found their make up to be completely odd, and a little feminine, so when I was a kid I used to make fun of them... But the truth is they are actually a pretty awesome band!

KISS, which stands for: 'Knight In Satan's Service' has a very awesome sound that was definite very defining of the music of the late 70s through the 80s. I found this out when I decided to pick the movie, Detroit Rock City (1999), which tells the story of a couple of High School guys and their misadventures as they are heading to a KISS concert... (As coincidence would have it, it turns out that the song I am reviewing here is part of the movie!)

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="350"] A fantastic single![/caption]

And as for Detroit Rock City, this song, which was the third single from their 1976 album, 'Destroyer', a single that did not do well with critics but was truly a fan favorite (title which has remained to today, is a song that has appeared in a couple of the music based video games, including: Rock Band, and Guitar Hero 2. It has also been seen in a lot of other media venues as well as sporting events!

And as far as this song goes, it has a solid beat, that really does kick some butt! And as far seeing live... It can't be any better, if you haven't done so, I highly recommend it, it is a fun one!

http://youtu.be/CaQ0jrYW9MQ

Carrie (1974) - Stephen King - Book Review

[caption id="attachment_325" align="alignright" width="263"] Official Score = 3 Devils[/caption]

Before I got in to the written works of Stephen King, I started off watching the movies that were based on the books that he has written... One of my favorite movies that was made based on his novels is the mini-series movie, The Stand (1994)!

This movie has what I would say is some of the greatest actors of the 80s and early 90s in it it, including: Rob Lowe (St. Elmo's Fire), Gary Sinise (Apollo 13th) & Molly Ringwald (The Breakfast Club), and that is to name a few... Included in the fact that this movie had a great cast, it also had an amazingly fun story that showed civilization as it collapsed, and the final battle between good vs. evil, and how the survivors would have control of the Earth!

The reason that I mention this is the fact that there is another movie that was based on Stephen King's first novel, that I ended up really liking as well, that movie being, Carrie (1976)!

This movie not only had an amazing cast, but it also  had an awesomely fun story that told of how Carrie White (Played by: Sissy Spacek in the movie)... A high school girl that is an out cast by everyone in her school, and the rest of the town... Due to her crazy religious zealot of a mother (played by: Piper Laurie in the movie)... All of the kids in the town and pick on her, and generally speaking... her life is absolutely horrible!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Carrie White with one of the few people in the world that seems to like her![/caption]

What everyone doesn't know is that Carrie White has certain special powers... But they will... Oh boy will they!

You see one of her fellow students feels bad for a prank that all of her friends played on Carrie, and decides to give her a night that she will never forget when she gets her boyfriend to take Carrie to the prom... Well there is another student that wants to get even with Carrie... And in the end the student body and the rest of the town will never forget the name, 'Carrie White' forever!

In the end, the book tells the same story... But takes a fascinating look at a committee that has been brought together by the government to investigate what happened, and to talk to the survivors of the night Carrie went to the prom!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="182"] This was one of Stephen King's first novels![/caption]

In the end, this novel is an interesting fun one that works well taking place both in the present and in the past... And if you read it, I think you might find that you really like it as well!

The Omen (1976) - David Seltzer - Book Review

[caption id="attachment_330" align="alignright" width="220"] Official Score = 2 1/2 Devils[/caption]

You know, a lot of people generally don't tend to put lot of stock in books that are based on movies... I mean why read the book, when you could see the movie? Doesn't it sound like the studio is just trying to gain a little more hype? Well you know what? In the case of, 'The Omen' it was?

In truth, this novel, which was written by: David Seltzer (who wrote both the novel and the screenplay), told the story in a lot of the same respects as the movie... I,e... 'The anti-christ comes to Earth in the form of a child of a rich man and his wife that are set up politically, and how after strange coincidences begin to occur for the family in regard to the kid, the father ends up going on a journey to discover the truth about his child... And what he must do to stop the anti-christ and the ends of days...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Gregory Peck (Roman Holiday), Lee Remick (Experiment In Terror) & Harvey Stephens (Gaugauin The Savage) in a scene from, 'The Omen' (1976).[/caption]

That was nice and all that, but the truth of what made this novel a lot of fun, is that they were able for me to expound on the whole concept... What I mean by that, is that when it comes to movies, you are generally bound to the realm that the filmmakers create (and for the most part that is really cool), but the other side of it for me, is the novelized form...

What I mean by that in a novel, you have the chance while reading to sort of imagine the stuff that you (or really anyone) may have missed, or if you thought that one of the characters in the movie was wrong for the part, then you could kind of insert in their place that person you thought might have been right for the part, etc...

In the end that is the main thing that I liked about this particular novel... I felt that the filmmakers made a fantastic movie that would lead to a fantastic film series, but in the end, I enjoyed reading it and being given the opportunity to get a feel for almost how the story would be for me on a more personal level... So give it a try, I did, I loved it, and you might like it as well!

Some Awesome Horror Writers And A Novel They Wrote For Halloween 2013

Horror movies are always a staple of the Halloween tradition for those who have finally gotten to the age where trick or treating has lost the merriment that it had when you were a kid... But I thought what with having done a top 5 movie list last year for some great horror movies, I thought that I would take a different turn and take the tradition back to it's roots and do a list of some great classics to read by the fire this year!

So here is my list of the, 'Some Amazing Horror Writers And A Novel They Wrote For Halloween 2013'.

Number 5: Various Writers. Star Trek: Invasion Series...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="315"] A fun read for the trekkie in your life this Halloween![/caption]

The truth is, is I found this entire series of novels to be extremely engrossing and a hell of a lot of fun... I like how the story involves and takes place over the 4 main generations of star trek (at that time, 'Enterprise' hadn't been released yet). and involved all of them directly! The are not particularly scary... (although I imagine in the right setting, and with the right person they can be...)

Now the only problem I imagine with this series is the fact that unless you are a Star Trek fan, or are expecting a chiller, this probably is not it, but they are a hell of a lot of fun, and are definitely worth reading if you are a trek fan and happen to be home this Halloween!

Number 4: Robert Louis Stevenson for, 'The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde (1886),

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="435"] Robert Louis Stevenson - Author.[/caption]

This book... This book was truly something for me... As a matter of fact I think this maybe the story that helped re-ignite my love of the horror genre... I mean this story is the truly classic tale of a kindly scientist who takes his potion and transforms in to a monster!

The truth is, is this tale was told in different variations a lot in the 19th century, but I have to admit that this one was particularly awesome and a classic story that lives on forever. The problem with this novel is the fact that it is also very old and if your not in to that, then you might find this one to be dated and pointless.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="264"] A great novel for the classics fan in all of us![/caption]

The next one that I am mentioning here is one that is a little unorthodox, but it does have it's merit  believe it or not is actually a surprisingly fun novel, which involves Buffy The Vampire Slayer, both in the TV show and the original movie... But in written form, and I personally think that if you are home this Halloween evening, and you are a, 'Buffy' fan, then this is a must...

So with out further adieu, and coming in at number 3 we have: Christopher Golden for, 'Sins Of The Father' (1999).

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="180"] A true classic for the Buffy fan this Halloween![/caption]

This one is a fun tale that tells of how Buffy's old flame ends up popping back in to the Slayer's life for one more mission when a rock Demon ends up going after the Slayer, and while a major group of Vampires is chasing down Giles!

And at number 2 we have: Stephen King for, 'Christine' (1983).

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="350"] Stephen King - Author[/caption]

Now I will admit that I am a little biased when it comes to Stephen King novels... I mean his books are just an amazing fun time, and since I figure y'all already know how much of a fan I am of his work that I would put this novel in a number 1... (This time I thought that I would give the torch to another amazing works of fiction, and give this one the number 2 spot...)

In all fairness though, Christine, a novel which tells the story of a possessed '58 Plymouth Fury ends up in the hands of a high school kid, and after that, his whole out look begins to change, and it will be up to those friends the car hasn't already killed to save the kid, before the car and the kid become to inseparable!

In truth, maybe not in this category will this book be giving the one the number #1 spot, but it does deserve it! I mean this book is so good, that when I was in Boarding School I ended up reading about half of it in 2 days, and when I was sent home to live with my family again, I went straight out and bought it, and finished the other half within 24 hours!

In the end, this is another truly awesome novel that would be fun to read if you happen to be home alone for this Halloween!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="197"] A truly awesome novel... Something great for this Halloween![/caption]

Anne Rice for, 'Interview With The Vampire' (1976).

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="297"] Anne Rice - Author[/caption]

If you haven't read this novel, then let me say that for a horror fan, this book will start you on a series that truly kicks ass!  The style in which Anne Rice introduces her characters, and paints a picture of their lives before they were turned, and after, is nothing short of absolutely one of the better times I had reading!

And Interview With The Vampire, a novel which tells the story of a tortured Vampire who decides to spill the beans to a writer about his personal history is a truly emotional ride, that I think you might both love and hate... And trust me when I say that I rarely find myself getting emotional about books, but this one is just truly awesome!

In the end, if you haven't read this book yet, and happen to be home this Halloween, then check this one out, you might end up really liking it!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="305"] Interview With The Vampire... A great read this Halloween![/caption]

Well Fright fans, that's all I got for the time being, but I hope you enjoyed this list, and if you do happen to be home alone this Halloween, then I hope this list helps!

Star Wars: From The Adventures Of Luke Skywalker (1976) - Alan Deane Foster And George Lucas - Book Review

[caption id="attachment_330" align="alignright" width="220"] Official Score = 2 1/2 Devils[/caption]

Now you may not think this to be the case, but it is quite true... You ever hear the old saying, 'a movie based on a novel is never as good as the book'? Well I will be honest and say that, that statement is not always true, as a matter of fact I would say that there are a few Tom Clancy novels that I have read that tended to be better in movie form then they were in book form!

Despite that it is mostly true that novels that were turned in to movies tend usually to be better in written form then they are in movie form, with that said though, I hate to say it, but some times the reverse is not true (some times it is as well), but in the case of the novelization of the Star Wars movie, the movie in my opinion was better then the book!

You might be wondering why this is, I mean after all this book is based on the movie and should have the same story line and everything right? Well the truth is, is that this novel does actually have the same story line as the movie, the problem with this novel is that for me it lost the enchantment that comes with being able to envision the world that you are reading about in your imagination!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600"] The novelization of the movie, 'Star Wars' may not be as good, but if you haven't seen this movie yet, then it maybe a good place to start![/caption]

With all of this in mind though it is a fun book, and if you happen to have not seen the Star Wars movies yet at all... Or haven't at the very least seen the first movie in the original series, then I think you guys might find it to be interesting... Story wise this story has a lot of myth and wonder, suspense, action and heck even romance...

So if you haven't dived in to this series in movie form yet, or at the very least haven't seen the first movie yet, then check this out, you might find out that you really enjoy it... And it may even help introduce you to the movies as well!

Interview With The Vampire (1976) Anne Rice - Book Review

[caption id="attachment_325" align="alignright" width="263"] Official Score = 3 Devils[/caption]

Now here is another terrific writer of horror, Anne Rice!  I mean this woman is just a truly terrific writer that has painted a world of horrors, myth and wonder the likes of which I would honestly say that haven't been seen (with her brand of horror writing) since H.P. Lovecraft!

Now the first time I had actually heard of this amazing writer's work was actually not in the books that she had written, but in the fact that when I was just barely out of the single digits that I had gone to see the movie, Interview With The Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994), (which as it turns out was a pretty awesome movie that starred, Tom Cruise (Mission Impossible), Brad Pitt (World War Z) and a young Kirsten Dunst (Spider-Man) to name a few of the truly awesome actors and actresses from this movie!)

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600"] This movie was truly amazing... But no where near as good as the book![/caption]

Well you know what? This movie was a truly amazing masterpiece of horrific drama, that hearkened back I feel to the concepts that Bram Stoker tried to instill when he wrote, Dracula (1897)! But in all truth, as good as this movie was, the book was even better! You see this book is based on a narrative as being told to a writer, by an actual Vampire  by the name of, 'Louis de Pointe du Lac', and how Louis takes the reader through his life, from when he was still alive and a wealthy but bitter and depressed man, through being changed in to a Vampire by, 'Lestat de Lioncourt', and the rest of his journey through out his immortality!

 This book is truly awesome, and as a matter of fact was so well written that I couldn't put it down... As a matter of fact, after reading this novel not long afterward I spent a couple of months collecting up the whole series... (which are all, also really cool, but we will get to those in later reviews...)

You might be wondering why these books are so good... Well simply speaking, I think the truest sign of a great author is their capacity to keep the reader engaged and interested through out the story... And not only does Anne Rice do that through out, 'Interview With The Vampire' but she keeps you enthralled! I mean you almost kind of follow the story as if Louis is really reciting his life to you!

[caption id="attachment_759" align="aligncenter" width="199"] A truly amazing book![/caption]

The only other thing that I would say about this novel is that this novel has a fair amount of strong sexual overtones, and if you find that to be offensive, then this may not be the series for you, but if you can either get passed it, or don't have a problem with it, then I think that you might find that this one is a pretty solid novel, and is a strong backing for a great series to follow!