Mondo Anniversaries: 20th and 10th Anniversaries

It's the final countdown of 2010- get in line!

20th Anniversaries

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Okay, I feel old, but good about this one.  I loved the show and loved the movie.  I still kind of like this one a bit.
Bride of Re-Animator: Combs and company up the ante with this freaky sequel.  A decapitated head with re-animated bat wings sewn onto it is just a sample of what this movie offers.
Captain America: This movie is famous for teaching me how to truly be disappointed.  Thanks for ruining everything, you stupid movie!
Edward Scissorhands: While I didn't love this movie at the time, I do now.  Okay, I really just like Vincent Price here- sue me!
Gremlins 2- The New Batch: Speaking of sequels, this one ups the goofiness!  An electric gremlin, a spider gremlin and Hulk Hogan breaking the Fourth Wall are just samples.
The Guyver: I'm in the minority here, but I like this film.  It's full of rubber suits and kung-fu.  That works for me!
Frankenstein Unbound: This obscure little video gem is notable for one fact- it's the last film directed by Roger Corman.  Unfortunately, this time-travel film with Raul Julia as Dr. Frankenstein isn't notable for much more.

10th Anniversaries

X-Men: All of you people who hated Jonah Hex have this movie to blame!  The film made the comic book license a golden ticket, even if people debate the merit of it's sequels.
American Psycho: If you want to see what film made Bale into the star he is today, look not further.  This violent and absurd film shocked viewers, but solidified it's star in pop culture.
Battle Royale: While I think that the film is overrated, so many others don't.  For making people in their early-teens kill each other with a crossbow, the film is at least notable!
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: This is the film that made America rediscover Chinese cinema.  This poetic action film set the bar too high for people other than Jet Li though.
Highlander- Endgame: The deluge of disappointing Highlander sequels ended here for a while.  For trying to mix the film and TV series, they get points for moxie, but lose a million points for actual quality.
Scary Movie: This film set us up a series of dreadful comedies like Date Movie and Meet the Spartans.  As a bonus, it's a parody of a film that pretended to be a satire already!
Ready to Rumble: As a burgeoning fan of wrestling, this movie hurt!  WCW proved that the end was near with this badly-written film that insulted their own fans while also boring them.  Touche!

That's it for this year.  See you in the magical world of 2011!

Mondo Anniversaries: 30th and 25th Anniversaries (plus a note)

This was another banner year for cinema.  Here are a few reasons why...

30th Anniversaries

Airplane!: This film still holds up in my book.  It's slapstick comedy at it's finest, with word-play not seen again until more recent shows like Futurama and American Dad.
The Blues Brothers: Another comedy classic and a must-see for anyone who has missed it.  The album is great too.
The Empire Strikes Back: Do I even need to explain this?  It's the best Star Wars film- bar non.
Flash Gordon!: Awesome effects, a silly plot and a soundtrack by Queen make this a cult-classic.  It has at least two different DVD releases, so you have no excuse!  See it!
Prom Night/Friday the 13th/The Fog: A trio of horror classics all came out this year.  Two of them inspired a few sequels, while all of them got a remake in recent years.
Inferno: Dario Argento's final work with Mario Bava is a triumph of style over substance.  I still don't 'get' the plot, but it is pretty.
The Pumaman: This piece of Eurotrash got famous thanks to MST3K.  Lopsided flying, punching Aztecs and Donald Pleasance make this a hoot- even though it's not a comedy!
The Gods Must Be Crazy: Slapstick comedy and social commentary were never mixed as well as they were here.  Have they ever been since?  That's up for debate, my friends.
Superman II: While we had to wait over 20 years to see this movie done right, the first real appearance of Zod and Superman facing a true set of rivals make this a classic still.  Kneel!

That's going to be hard to top.  Let's see what we've got from 1985...

25th Anniversaries

Back to the Future: This film goes 88 miles an hour and established a film that everyone knew would hold up for decades.  Good call, huh?
Rambo- First Blood, Part II/Rocky IV: Sly had a busy year, putting out two sequels.  One is certainly higher in quality, while the other one made Dolph Lundgren a star.
Day of the Dead: A lot of people debate whether this movie lived up to it's lofty goals.  Regardless, it has a place in history for introducing us to Captain Rhodes.
Gymkata: This anti-classic has a silly plot, bad action and some seriously '80s fashion.  Even the selling point of the movie barely makes an appearance.
Fright Night: Vampires and Roddy McDowall make this film great.  Often overlooked by many in comparison to other horror films, it deserves more notoriety than it has.
Phenomena: Dario Argento shows up again in my favorite film that he has ever made.  The soundtrack, the gore effects and the plot make this a classic.
Return of the Living Dead/Re-Animator: Two zombie cult classics made their debut this year.  Both are known for their comedic value, crazy effects and plots that led to a series of sequels.  No remakes yet though.
Ghoulies: Charles Band helped make his mark in the film industry with this film about killer hand puppets.  This one also led to a series of sequels and, subsequently, Full Moon Studios.
American Ninja: Michael Dudikoff and Steve James made their mark in this very '80s films.  If you want to see the prototype for the genre, this is a great- and fun- place to start.

***One quick note- I'm not going a Best of 2010 list.  For two reasons: 1)The site Anniversary is in February and 2) The site doesn't focus on new releases.  A Best and Worst of Mondo Bizarro- Year Two List(s) will show up then***

Next up, we wrap up this annual series with a look at films celebrating their 20th and 10th Anniversaries.  This is going to make us feel old, right?  Stay tuned...

Mondo Anniversaries: The Films of 1960 and 1970

To close out the year, let's take a look at films celebrating Anniversaries this year.

50th Anniversaries

Psycho: Do I even need to explain why this is a classic?  No?  Good.
Sunrise at Campabello: My mother loves this movie, so I include it here.  That's enough, really.
Ocean's Eleven (Original): One of the most famous heist films to a general audience and a film that inspired a remake series.
Spartacus: Another classic and an example of how diverse Kubrick's film library can be.
Peeping Tom: One of the first films of it's time to be so controversial, despite it being so damn good.
House of Usher/Last Woman on Earth/The Little Shop of Horrors: Corman was busy this year, huh?
Black Sunday: Mario Bava.  'Nuff said.

40th Anniversaries

MASH: Who knew that Vietnam could be funny?  Seriously though, this film is a classic and inspired the show of the same name- also a classic.
Love Story: While I don't care for this movie, a lot of people do.  Love means never having to say you're sorry, after all.
Hercules in New York: The Governor of California got his start here in a film where he was hired for his looks alone and dubbed in, despite speaking his lines in English!
And Soon the Darkness...: Ironically, this rare gem celebrates it's Anniversary in the same year that the remake is released.  Sure, that film was made in 2008, but I'm sure it was worth the wait...
Beneath the Planet of the Apes: While I hate this movie for it's retreading nature and silly ending, it leads up to the film I love most in the series.  See you in the next year's Anniversary list, good Planet of the Apes sequel!
Patton: George C. Scott is so good that he didn't even want his Oscar for this.  That's not the reason, but it is a funnier one.  It's another classic.

Next up, the films with 30th and 25th Anniversaries.  Now we're getting to the ones that I was actually alive for!  Stay tuned...

Mondo Anniversaries: 10 Years!

You never quite realize how long ago some films are until you really look at them. Case in point: today's films.

Star Wars- Episode 1: Ah, the movie that made the whole franchise look simultaneously great and terrible by comparison. Has it really been 10 years since Jar Jar Binks burned his visage onto the celluloid? Has it been 10 years since Jake Lloyd underwhelmed millions? Quite frankly, it has not been long enough!

The Matrix: It is hard to place another film that has so quickly placed two directors/writers on the map so quickly. In addition, it made Keanu Reeves viable again after numerous flops like Johnny Mnemonic. Mind you, most of the ideas were lifted from other sci-fi films (and would later be lifted themselves) and Eastern religion. Even so, this movie is bad-ass and should make no apologies for it. I should also mention that I actually like the sequels, although the MMORPG based on it was a bad idea. Really, guys?

The Blair Witch Project: Yeah, I didn't like this movie then and I don't like it now. I get the appeal of the 'lost footage' angle and seeing a movie that is purported to be real. Of course, this is a blatant rip-off of many other films, including The Last Broadcast (the most recent one to it at the time). In spite of that, I will give them credit for making a hit. How have the follow-ups gone, by the way? Just one bad sequel and a movie nobody saw in 2008? Oh, I see.

Deep Blue Sea: Ah yes, the movie whose greatest moment inspired a whole segment on my page. What's not to love about this movie? Giant sharks- check. Silly characters who take everything seriously- check. LL Cool J with a parrot- big check! This movie still holds up pretty well to this day, even if its CG is a bit dated at times. If you have not seen it, shame on you. Go watch Samuel L. Jackson get eaten already!

The Sixth Sense: This would be another film that put a filmmaker on the map so quickly. The whole movie is built around the twist, although it is mostly a human drama throughout. There is a certain appeal to watching it a second time and seeing if the twist holds up, which it mostly does. A couple of moments are framed in a certain way that doesn't fit, but it's not a deal-breaker. Unlike the guys from Blair Witch, he managed to follow-up on his film well...for a while. Now he's making the live-action version of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Oh well.

Some special shout-outs go to the other films, which include: Payback, Stir of Echoes, The Iron Giant, Godzilla 2000 (in Japan), Dogma, Galaxy Quest, Election, 8mm, The Thirteenth Warrior, Sleepy Hollow, The Muse, American Beauty, Three Kings, Mystery Men, Wild Wild West, The Mummy, South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut.

Secondly, a nod to some of the especially awful films put out in 1999 like Wing Commander, Inspector Gadget (live-action), EdTV, Forces of Nature, The Haunting, K-911, The Rage: Carrie 2, House on Haunted Hill and Universal Soldier: The Return.

Finally, just for Carl, this year was also the 10th Anniversary of Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris.

This segment will return sometime in 2010 to celebrate those anniversaries as well. Stay tuned...

Mondo Anniversaries: 20 Years!

I know that this is one will make a lot of us feel old, but, embrace it. Age ain't nothing but a number. Well, until you hit 50- then you're just plain old! Seriously though, here are the notable releases...

Batman: You had to know that I would include this, didn't you? As a kid, I loved this movie and I still do. Mind you, I have some problems with the execution in hindsight, but that is just part of growing up and becoming a jaded film critic. This movie is still great, even if some of the other films in the series are not so good. For the record, I think that The Dark Knight is a better movie.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: Oh, how I wish this was true! Since an Indiana Jones film is apparently a requirement to show up on my lists, here is this one. This one is great and really embodies the spirit of adventure that the series tried to establish. It is a shame that they lost that for the fourth film, but maybe the fifth one will get it right. Yeah, they are doing one...apparently.

The Abyss: It's ironic to see this movie here as this was another James Cameron film that 'changed the way we saw movies.' It is a shame, however, that some of the special effects in the movie are overshadowed by his re-use of them later in Terminator 2. I don't have to tell you that this is a good film, so I won't.

Meet the Feebles: I really, really love this movie. It is bizarre, twisted and pure genius. Any film that is about puppets and includes an extensive Vietnam War flashback/Deer Hunter parody is a winner in my book. Unfortunately, it has taken us a long time to realize how great this movie is. If you have not seen this movie, do so now.

UHF: I love 'Weird Al' Yankovic and it is a pity that his movie did not do well. Of course, if you look at everything he was up against that year, it's no surprise. This movie satirizes so much of what made the 80s so strange, i.e. Donahue, kid's shows. It has a really strange and warped sense of humor, which is what makes it so great.

License to Kill: While not a great film, it is a notable one for history. It is the last of the Timothy Dalton films and the one that preceded Goldeneye, arguably one of the best ones of the series. After this film failed to connect, the series went on hiatus and fans feared that it would never return. Of course, everyone- save for Dalton- would say that things took a turn for the better.

I want to give a special shout-out to the other films, which include Teen Witch, Major League, Deepstar Six, Leviathan, Field of Dreams, Fletch Lives, Hard to Kill, Heathers, Look Who's Talking, Parenthood, Pet Sematary, Weekend at Bernie's, The Punisher, Cyborg, The Dream Team and When Harry Met Sally...

I also want to give an extra special shout-out to all of the sequels, which include Lethal Weapon 2, The Toxic Avenger: Part II, Star Trek 5, Sleepaway Camp III, A Nightmare on Elm Street 5, Prom Night III, Halloween 5, Friday the 13th: Part VIII, The Fly II, Police Academy 6, American Ninja III, C.H.U.D. II: Bud the Chud, Karate Kid III and Godzilla vs. Biollante.

For the finale of the series, let's look at some of the movies celebrating their 10 year anniversaries. Ah, fresh ones. Stay tuned...

Mondo Anniversaries: 25 Years!

This one will really tug at the heart-strings of all you '80s movie buffs, so let me get right down to it.

Red Dawn: Obviously a sadder induction than expected with Patrick Swayze's death this year, but it does not detract from the film's appeal. Nostalgia makes us forget that this movie is over two hours long, features a dozen characters & is a tad melodramatic. Also, despite being about the common man winning the fight, they cannot succeed until a soldier joins their fight. Even so...WOLVERINES!

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: This cult classic has been diagrammed by every weirdo with an internet connection (my brothers!), so a plot summary is unnecessary. What is interesting to note about the film, however, is how it teased a sequel in its closing credits. This is really more of a joke about the film's serial nature, but good luck explaining that to any twenty-something watching it for the first time!

Beverly Hills Cop: The film that put Eddie Murphy on the map was nearly a Stallone vehicle. No, really. The original draft was a straight-action film starring the iconic actor, but he dropped out to do Cobra. What we ended up was a fun, sarcastic movie that proved that some films only work once, not three times!

Police Academy: Speaking of not working three times, how about a film that popped out seven sequels, a live-action series and a cartoon show. The original film is a good example of how you put together all of the cliches for an 80s comedy. It also made a star of Steve Gutenberg, although that did not stick.

This is Spinal Tap!: The film that every rock band- and most people that play Rock Band- love is celebrating an anniversary this year! This set-up the prototype for a series of films by Christopher Guest that would make people laugh for many years and still do. It dared to turn up the awkwardness level to 11!

Top Secret: If you have not seen this gem of the Zuckers' film catalog, you owe it to yourself to do so! In a rare comedic role, Val Kilmer plays an avatar of Elvis Presley's movie character that entertained people for 20 years. The whole film is a combination of both an Elvis parody (see the songs and swagger) and a WWII spy film parody! I defy you to find another film like that, let alone one that features Peter Cushing with a giant eyeball. Seriously, watch this movie!

Sheena: Lastly, a film that is most notable for reminding us of how hot one woman can be. Tanya Roberts is so hot in this movie that you can almost forget that the zebras are merely painted horses. The plot...is really not all that important. You get a topless scene with Tanya Roberts- do I really need to sell you on this?

I also have to give a shout-out to all of the other big movies from 1984, including Purple Rain, Starman, Sixteen Candles, The Terminator, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Romancing the Stone, Night of the Comet, Repo Man, The Last Starfighter, Indiana Jones & The Temple of Doom, Gremlins, Ghostbusters, C.H.U.D., Bachelor Party, Firestarter and Silent Night, Deadly Night.

Why couldn't I have been cognizant of films then? Dammit!

Up next, a look at the films of 1989. Can it get close to matching this?

Mondo Anniversaries: 30 Years!

We're getting into movies that were still made before I was born, albeit closer than any ones so far. So what kind of movies did 1979 bring us?

Alien: It's sort of sad to mention this anniversary with the recent passing of writer Dan O'Bannon, but this movie still a notable achievement. It showed just what you could do with the right director, camera-work and props. A classic through and through.

The Muppet Movie: Another sad one to celebrate since Jim Henson as been dead, although his death was quite a while ago. How many people would have thought that the Muppets could work on the big screen? It really takes a creative guy to make this work and work so well.

Caligula: Ah, this hallmark of indecency, sneaky production work and chacenery is celebrating 30 years as a film. I'm sure that Helen Mirren and Peter O'Toole are proud to have this on their resume, considering the additional footage added by the man behind Hustler. Interesting stuff.

Meatballs: While not quite as much of a classic as some other 1979 films, this one is notable for having Bill Murray in it and spawning three sequels...with other people in them.

Phantasm: How many of you are surprised to read how old this movie is? I, for one, think of the films as 80s classics, but forget that the first is technically a '70s movie. In spite of this, the movie is remembered quite well. How many new horror series' do you think we will say the same thing about in 20+ years?

Star Trek- The Motion Picture: The mission- to boldly disappoint filmgoers everywhere. Instead of taking five years, this only took two hours of long, expansive space shots and a so-so plot to achieve. It did, however, take three years to return fans faith to the series with 1982's The Wrath of Khan.

Other notable films include Apocalypse Now, Dracula (with Frank Langella), Murder by Decree (an all-star Sherlock Holmes movie), The Life of Brian, Mad Max, HAIR, Escape from Alcatraz, Hercules in New York, The Black Hole, 10, The Amityville Horror and All That Jazz.

I also want to give a special shout-out to 1979's presentation of two long-forgotten sequels: More American Graffiti and Beyond the Poseidon Adventure. Can't we ever get beyond The Poseidon Adventure!

Next up in the series, the films from George Orwell's favorite year: 1984. Will this list be the cream of the crop or just crap? Stay tuned...

Mondo Anniversaries: 40 Years!

As we close out the year, I want to take a look back at the anniversaries of films. Today's subject: films celebrating their 40th Anniversaries.

Godzilla's Revenge- Yeah, let's try to forget this one. We don't need to recall the film where Godzilla's son can talk and befriends a small boy in a parallel story to his own. Oh yeah, it's all a dream too. Good times.

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage- That's more like it. This kick-started Argento's 'Animal Trilogy' and his career in the Giallo market. Good stuff.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service- For all of you who complained about the Quantum of Solace's 'action over story' approach, check out this movie. James Bond gets all sappy, battles Kojak and even gets married. Of course, she dies in the ending and is never really mentioned again, making this whole movie: Entirely Pointless.

Death Rides A Horse- This little Public Domain film stars John Phillip Law as a cowboy- isn't that enough? On top of that, he has teamed up with Lee Van Cleef (a pro at those) in a revenge tale. If someone ever makes a good print available (the current one is very gray), check this baby out.

I also have to give a shout-out to some other films of note: The Magic Christian, The Wild Bunch, Once Upon A Time in the West, Blood of Dracula's Castle, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, Gamera vs. Guiron & They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

Next up, the films of 1979. Can they match up to the quality so far? Stay tuned...

Mondo Anniversaries: 50 Years!

We forget just how old and timeless some things are until we stop to think about them. I want to bring some focus to a group of films that have celebrated/will celebrate their fiftieth anniversary in 2009. Here are the notable ones...

Attack of the Giant Leeches- This film about rednecks who are besieged by a group of giant leeches is a classic. Sure, it sucks- but it's got rednecks, a shotgun and leeches. That's a hat-trick right there.

The Alligator People- Who can forget this classic film starring Lon Chaney Jr. and Beverly Garland? Okay, most people have. It's not good or all that interesting, but...where was I going with that?

The Return of the Fly- The much lauded sequel to the classic film and one of the few in any series to ever go from color to black & white. I'll spare you the whole story here (until my review), but it involves a man, a plan and a half-hamster man.

A Bucket of Blood- This low-budget, ironic film about how people view art holds up pretty well to this day. As far as Corman films go, this one is good, even if it can be really forced at times.

Plan 9 From Outer Space- Ironically, this *classic* had it's anniversary in the same month as my birthday (July). In a way, that adds to my love of this movie. It's like I share some sort of weird, hidden connection with it. That or it is just a coincidence.

I want to give a shout-out to the other films that share this honor. Those include The Angry Red Planet, The Mouse That Roared, The Hound of the Baskervilles (with Cushing and Lee), Terror in the Midnight Sun, Hercules Unchained, Teenage Zombies, The Killer Shrews, The House on Haunted Hill and The Tingler. What a year for strange films!

Next up, some films celebrating a 40th Anniversary this year. Can it top their big brothers? Stay tuned...