Darryl Revok

First appearance: Scanners (1981)

Turns out there's a real weird birth defect associated with the old analgesic Ephemerol. Psychic powers! Now there's two groups of people looking for these psychics, known as Scanners. One is ConSec and it's owner Dr. Paul Ruth, the guy who invented Ephemerol and tested it on his wife,  who is hoping to train these psychics to uses their powers for espionage. The other is lead by Darryl Revok, a scanner, who's using his company Biocarbon Amalgamate to send more Ephemerol to pregnant women in hopes of creating an army of psychic babies! Can former bum and troubled Scanner, Cameron Vale, help ConSec stop Revok from creating an army of fellow Scanners?
Most people know it as "That movie with the exploding head."
Another strange Canadian sci-fi/horror flick from director David Cronenberg from the 1980s. A little slow in parts but worth seeing for its strange mix of spy and monster movie conventions.
I think it might be my favourite Cronenberg movie.

Ricky Coogin

First appearance: Freaked (a.k.a. Hideous Mutant Freekz, 1993)

On his way to help the E.E.S. (Everything Except Shoes) Corporation promote Zygrot-24, Ricky Coogin and his pal Ernie cross paths with a group of anti-Zygrot-24 protestors lead by the attractive environmentalist, Julie.  Having tricked Julie into believing they are environmentalists too, on their way to protest Zygrot they head into the wilds of Santa Flan, where a side trip to Elija C. Skruggs' Freekland changes their lives. Mutations and mutilations ensue!

The creature designs in this are hilarious. Mr. T plays a Bearded Lady. Keanu Reeves plays a dog!
Not really a movie for everyone, most people probably won't really get the appeal to it. It's weird, juvenile and occasionally a little gross, but with a message: "Even if you don't like macaroons, you should probably eat one if everyone else is doing it."

I actually remember going to see Darkman on its opening night and seeing posters and banners al over the theatre announcing the release of Hideous Mutant Freekz. My friends and I decided to make sure we could get to the theatre to see HMF when it came out. Sadly it never did. A few years went by and I saw a videotape at the local Videoflix called "Freaked" and thought to myself "That looks kinda familiar." Since there weren't any other horror flicks new that week I gave it a shot. Much to my surprise it turned out to be Hideous Mutant Freekz. Turns out the studio was scared about how weird the movie was so they pulled it's theatrical release re-named it and eventually dumped it onto VHS.

"Evil" Ed Thompson

First appearance: Fright Night (1985)

Charley Brewster is convinced his neighbour, Jerry Dandridge, is a vampire. He comes to this suspicion after seeing Jerry bite a woman on the neck and then bundling a human shaped garbage bag into the back of his car.
Turns out Charley is right.
Unfortunately since nobody believes him, he seeks the help of horror host and ex-horror film actor, Peter Vincent. Fortunately for the sake of a plot, Mr. Vincent doesn't believe him either. Eventually everyone (except Charley) is proven wrong and they all have a most Frightening Night.

Fright Night's a fun slice of '80s horror. Evil Ed and Peter Vincent steal any scene they're in. You may find Ed's laugh irritating at first, but it grows on you. He's such a strange character you can't help but enjoy his reactions to anything said to him. Peter Vincent is just as fun to watch. He's played by Roddy McDowell so you know pretty much how he's going to play things.
There's a sequel, which I've seen but remember nothing about. A comic book series that lasted 22 issues and (spoiler) brought Ed back to life. There's also a remake from 2011. It's not bad but it's also not as fun as the original. Mostly because the remake's Ed isn't as weird. There's as sequel to the remake, but I haven't seen that. I hear it's better than the remake.

Zap Rowsdower

First appearance: The Final Sacrifice (1990)

A young man, Troy, continues his father's quest to discover the lost city of Xiox! On the run from hooded cult members, he takes refuge in the back of a crummy pick up truck. The truck belongs to the impressively named Zap Rowsdower, a down on his luck former cult member (spoiler, sorry). Together this team sets out to avenge the death Troy's father, find the lost city of Xiox, redeem Zap Rowsdower, and save the world?


This weird, no budget Canadian adventure film received attention from the fantastic TV show Mystery Science Theater 3000 exposing the world to the incredible mulleted hero Zap! I'd love to see the movie un"riffed" just for fun. Normally I'd include the trailer for the movie with this little write up, unfortunately the movie isn't that popular or something so I can't find a trailer. I highly recommend you check out the MST3K episode, I think its one of their best.

Freddy Krueger

First appearance: A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Something's killing teens in their sleep in Springwood, U.S.A. Adults don't believe their kids are being stalked and killed in their dreams by the creepy Janitor they incinerated after he escaped legal prosecution for "child killing." Are the kids right? How come none of the parents were arrested for this act of vigilantism? Can you really beat Freddy just by turning your back on him and saying "You have no power over me" like you can with the Goblin King Jareth?

I've always found the Elm St. series a little strange in it's inconsistent tone. The first movie's creepy, the second movie is strange, the third gets a little super heroy, then it tries mixing the super hero action type stuff with creepy, Then Freddy becomes some kind of murderous clown. It's like they really don't know what to do with the concept. That didn't stop Freddy from becoming an instantly recognizable character and house hold name.

This is the second time I've tackled ol' chewing gum face. Looking back through my old Monstar drawings I thought I'd up date a couple of my favourite characters that I think I feel like drawing again.

Trailer time!

Pamela Voorhees

First appearance: Friday the 13th (1980)

A bunch of horny teens get killed at a summer camp they're trying to re-open. You see, at some point in the past some kid drowned in the lake because a bunch of horny teens were behaving like a bunch of horny teens instead of doing their jobs as camp counsellors and that kid's mom wasn't very happy about that. She takes matters into her own hands.
But did her child actually die when they drowned in the lake?  Who's killing the teens? If you haven't figured it out you didn't look at the image at the top of this synopsis nor have you paid any attention to any pop culture references pertaining to this particular slasher movie franchise.
I still don't understand why after 10 movies in the franchise they decided it needed to be re-booted. There's no hard continuity through out the series. The basic premise of the movies is pretty simplistic, its really a series that can just exist in a world of infinite sequels. Unless your plan is to focus on Mrs. Voorhees again. Jason's pretty much a modern legend now and there's no need to re-tell his origin story.
So if you're out there thinking of making a new movie about Jason Voorhees, just make it a sequel stop trying to retell his origin, the fans want more they don't want rethinking of what makes the hulking masked morality lesson tick.
But enough of my ranting.
Trailer!

F. W. Colqhoun

First Appearance: Ravenous (1999)

After a mission goes terribly wrong during the Mexican-American war, Second Lieutenant Boyd's courage fails him and he plays dead as the rest of his unit is massacred around him. The bodies of his fellow soldiers are transported back to the Mexican headquarters. While buried under a pile of his fellow soldiers he is suddenly struck with a sense of bravery and he captures the Mexican command.
As reward for this he is promoted. Unfortunately for (now Captain) Boyd his commanding officer learns of the cowardice that lead to the victory and sends him to Fort Spencer in the Sierra Nevada Mountain range.
While at the fort a stranger named Colqhoun shows up. He claims he was part of a wagon train that became lost and was reduced to cannibalism to survive. The people at the fort mount a rescue attempt, but is this Colqhoun all he appears to be?

This is definitely one of my favourite movies about cannibalism. I really enjoyed the use of native myths used to describe what was happening to some of the characters. It's also got a really interesting score, not something you hear all the time. The gore seems strangely understated and yet not for the week of stomach. I think because the director was a vegetarian the scenes of people enjoying steaks and big Old West meaty meals are handled in a way that really makes the food unappetizing, just to keep you in Boyd's headspace for much of the story. You may not want to eat stew after watching this movie.