The Arc the Lad Collection was brought to American shores in 2002 by the Working Designs publishing company. It compiles the first three Arc the Lad games, plus the additional side-game “Arc Arena,” where monsters caught and tamed during the first two games are pitted against each other for rare rewards. The Collection is infamous for…
Alien (1979) from 20th Century Fox What: After receiving a distress signal in the far-reaches of space, commercial miners are dispatched to investigate. When one of the crew is infected by a parasite, they unwittingly bring aboard the ship a mysterious being that hunts them down one by one. Who: Then relative newcomer Ridley Scott directs one…
Retconning, a term often encountered by even the most casual of fans, is one of the most significant, game-changing ideas in the world of entertainment (comics, television, etc.), and yet most people don’t know it from the kind of clubs Tiger Woods uses on the golf course. This essay will explain what retconning is. Simply…
Dredd (2012) from DNA Film Productions Author’s Note: Lest my readers be confused, this is a special edition of the “Retro Review” series in that this film is not retro at all. The reason for this is two-fold. First, the British sci-fi comics series about Judge Dredd, set in post-apocalyptic America, are fairly important in…
The Day of Blood continues. –Count Spatula Teen Wolf (1985) from MGM Who: Written by Jeph Loeb (who went on to write for Smallville, Lost, and Heroes, among other shows) and Matthew Weisman (Commando, 1980s Teen Wolf TV series), starring small, spunky, sincere Matthew J. Fox as the boy-turned-werewolf, and featuring make-up and SFX by Christopher Biggs…
In celebration of Disney’s Star Wars Weekends, we’re releasing Retro Reviews of the original Star Wars movies! Stick around all weekend as we take you on a journey through your favorite trilogy! —D. Alexander, The Editor Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) from Lucasfilm Ltd. Who: Directed by Irvin Kershner (RoboCop 2, Never Say Never Again), introducing Billy…
In celebration of Disney’s Star Wars Weekends, we’re releasing Retro Reviews of the original Star Wars movies! Stick around all weekend as we take you on a journey through your favorite trilogy! —D. Alexander, The Editor Episode IV: A New Hope (1977) from Lucasfilm and Twentieth Century Fox Who: Directed by George Lucas (American Graffiti, Raiders of the Lost…
Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (1985) from Kennedy Miller Productions The Fast Facts: Who: Directed by Australians George Miller (Mad Max, Mad Max: Road Warrior) and George Ogilvie, acted by scruffy Aussie Mel Gibson, and with an eye-catching performance by non-Aussie Tina Turner. What: The third in the Mad Max series about a rough and ready…
Predator (1987) from Twentieth Century Fox The Fast Facts: Who: Directed by John McTiernan (director of Die Hard, The Hunt for Red October), starring the scruffy, cigar-chomping Arnold Schwarzenegger, and with award-winning music by Alan Silvestri. (And Shane Black, now known as a director, acted a part as well!) What: A half-dozen US commandos and…
