Attack of the 60 Foot… (The Giant Spider, 2013)

There was a time when giant bug/arachnid films were the rage. And the Giant Spider brings back several characters we have met going as far back as the Terror Beneath the Earth. The titular spider is no doubt some kid’s pet that crawled into the irradiated caves that populate the Mihmiverse and got to be bigger than a tank.

The monstrous Spider works it’s way through the countryside, devouring people. A group of scientists and military work fervently to stop the creature’s rampage. Returning to the Mihmiverse for the film are Dr. Edwards (Terror From Beneath the Earth & Attack of the Moon Zombies) and Dr. Gabriel (Attack of the Moon Zombies). These are fun recurring characters because Michael Cook (Dr. Edwards) and James Norgard (Dr. Gabriel) are very entertaining. They know when to ham it up and when to dial it down. The thing that really makes any of Mihm’s films work is that the characters are largely played straight. There is not a lot of “I am trying to act badly”. Folks bring sincerity to the roles, which is where the amusement comes in. These scientists are delivering pretty weak science, yet, with real conviction.

The effects for the Giant Spider are really strong. They are, of course, a combination of green-screen and a regular sized tarantula and a model creature. The close ups of it’s face are a model (puppet?) but it is a fun “monster” version of our nightmares. The green-screen work is not seamless, nor should it be. It mimics the look of a movie era probably the best of all of the Mihmiverse films to this point.

While most of the Mihmiverse films tend to feel very distinctly 50’s, the Giant Spider kind of straddles a line between the 50’s and 60’s. Especially with the logo (the only splash of color the film) and the theme song. The theme song is very much a sixties proto-punk sound.

Christopher’s films are never overly long, but the Giant Spider is one of the shortest. And this is really in service to the film. It moves at a good pace and is pretty tight in it’s storytelling. The Giant Spider has long reigned as one of my personal favorites in the works of the Mihmiverse.

October 25, 2017 0

Not of This Earth (Attack of the Moon Zombies, 2011)

Set in the future of Cave Women on Mars and Destination: Outer Space, Attack of the Moon Zombies takes place in the Jackson Lunar Base. A new scientist arrives and while he is being given a tour, finds a unique item…a plant. After he seems to die from exposure to spores, the inhabitants of the base move on. But while preparing for an autopsy, the young man wakes up…changed. Slowly, scientists are disappearing, being changed into the moon zombies.

It becomes a race against time as the survivors try and find a way to stop the zombies and escape.

All the films, of course, have had ties to each other. But Attack of the Moon Zombies really feels as if it ties the Mihmiverse films together. While Josh Craig appears as neither Jacksons, his Professor Jackson is mentioned (but has been upgraded to President). One character is related to the Deputy from Terror From Beneath The Earth and Dr. Edwards also returns.

The zombies look pretty good (the Mihmiverse films started to show a vast improvement in the makeup and costumes around Destination: Outer Space). One of my favorite in-jokes the film has is its naming conventions. The Captain is named Herman Frehley, but constantly demands to be called Ace. The Administrator’s last name is Ripley. But observant viewers will notice that several characters are named after the characters of the old Buck Rogers TV show.

Attack of the Moon Zombies moves at a decent pace and is a lot of fun to watch.

October 23, 2017 0

Galaxy of Terrors (Destination: Outer Space, 2010)

Captain Jackson is back! Trapped on a mysterious planet, Captain Jackson is trying to get home but gets pulled into an epic adventure. He must fight alien hordes, find a secret base that must be destroyed.

Writer and Director Christopher R. Mihm explained that he went into this film with a “what if”. What if…Ed Wood had made Star Wars?

The spaceships are obvious models and green screen work. But it feels like the limitations are less financial here and more sticking to the premise of being a fifties sci-fi b-movie.

The alien make-ups are actually quite good. Or, rather, entertaining. There are aliens with big eyeballs for heads that shoot laser beams from the eyes. There is a scene paying homage to the Star Wars cantina scene where the filmmakers clearly had a lot of fun populating the bar.

Does Destination: Outer Space answer the What If? Yeah. It feels like it came from the era, and it is a lot of fun. The film is loaded with fun references to sci-fi like Star Wars and Star Trek. The “high-tech” robot A.D.A.M. looks especially like a fifties idea of an advanced robot. The film promises more adventures with Captain Jackson in the end (with a soft cliff-hanger). We shall see if he ever returns.

October 22, 2017 0

Up From the Depths (Terror From Beneath the Earth, 2009)

He is all ears and teeth and he’s from hell! Alice is trying to find her young brother Danny in a local cave network. Instead, she runs into a mysterious stranger. Alice and Danny’s father Stan runs to the sheriff’s office when his children never return home. With the help of local Geologist Dr. Edwards, they try and find the children, only to discover a giant mutant bat creature.

The creature is able to paralyze its victims and is collecting our heroes to have as a meal.

As with any 50’s era horror, the monster is the result of science. In this case, atomic testing is done in the caves.

The sets for this film are very simple. It is the caverns or the police station. So, in some ways, this almost resembles a play. This is the first film in the Mihmiverse to not feature Professor Jackson (or even his son Captain Jackson), but he is represented by his wife, who brings Dr. Edwards the scientific device that will help save the day.

The music in Mihm’s films really evoke the films of the fifties. It can be overdramatic, sometimes even goofy. It almost always hits the right tone for the film, and that is true here.

The Bat Monster, as prior monsters, looks a bit slapped together with arts and crafts style. It has large unblinking eyes and teeth that look a bit like plastic. In spite of this, there are some nice shots of the creature. Specifically a full reveal as it steps from the shadows.

Terror From Beneath the Earth carries on the b-movie monster tradition fairly well. While a bit more serious than It Came From Another World, it still has its moments of fun.

October 21, 2017 0

It Conquered the World (It Came From Another World, 2007)

The A-Rockin’ Scientist Professor Jackson is back!!! Along with the Canoe Cops!!!! Wait one second…

Associate of Professor Jackson Dr. Frasier is in the woods when he witnesses a meteorite fall to earth. He goes to investigate and appears to be attacked by a force from the meteor.

Professor Jackson is called in to determine what has happened to Frasier. He goes out and is assisted by the Canoe Cops, Sven and Gustav. They locate Dr. Frazier, who seems unaware of just how long he has been gone. They bring him home and Professor Jackson runs tests to see if he is okay. But of course, he isn’t. Because there would not be a frickin’ movie if he was fine. Frasier is possessed by an alien intelligence that seeks to rule the earth. He uses mind control on the Professor’s girlfriend and escapes to set his diabolical plans in motion.

Again, Professor Jackson must save the world..but can he stop the evil alien fiend being that has possessed his dear friend?

This one has it all. A ping-pong ball eyed alien! Romance! A Canoe Paddle Battle! Science! Josh Craig returns to the role of Professor Jackson, this time with an even more pronounced Shatner inspired vocal pattern. It is a bit over the top but is also a lot of fun.

Like the Monster of Phantom Lake, the budget reads in the film as “No Budget”. As noted, the evil alien is actor Mike Mason with what look to be ping pong balls for eyes. As a semi-sequel, Jackson and Elizabeth are the only characters to return. The film acknowledges his love interest Stephanie…with a single line noting she is dead.

This one has more jokes slipped into it, as well as a musical number. This time around it is a slickly produced song…but played off as being performed by the cast. There are split screens, clearly different singing voices and far more instruments than the cast members are playing (the song was performed entirely by Mihm).

It Came From Another World is an enjoyable romp.

October 19, 2017 0