Under The Silver Lake: Or, “The Revenge Of Peter Parker” — Fantasy Merchant

“Our world is filled with codes, subliminal messages from Silver Lake to the Hollywood Hills.” –Comic Man, “Under The Silver Lake” 2018’s Under The Silver Lake, starring two-time Spider-Man Andrew Garfield, is the nexus-point where Comic Book CULTure and Conspiracy CULTure meet. Spoilers ahead! via Under The Silver Lake: Or, “The Revenge Of Peter Parker” —… Continue reading Under The Silver Lake: Or, “The Revenge Of Peter Parker” — Fantasy Merchant

Spider-Man And Venom As Alien Archetypes — Fantasy Merchant

“Because the visitor experience is so incredibly strange, the imagination filters and forms it around whatever cultural materials are at hand, be these pulp fiction covers or ancient Mesopotamian goddesses.” –Jeffrey J. Kripal, “Mutants And Mystics” “I found something very bad. And I have been…taken.” –Eddie Brock, “Venom” Is there no more iconic pop-culture symbol […]… Continue reading Spider-Man And Venom As Alien Archetypes — Fantasy Merchant

Fangirlia: The Horror Genre And Me — Fantasy Merchant

The lead image for this post features 1950’s horror host Vampira and “friend”—said friend dressed like a mummy James Dean. For the creepy context to this photo, check out my posts “Sex and Death: The Brief Friendship of James Dean and Vampira” and “Did James Dean Fake His Own Death?” Since I was a little […]… Continue reading Fangirlia: The Horror Genre And Me — Fantasy Merchant

Retro Review: The Groovy Forgotten 60’s Superhero Movie “Fearless Frank” — Fantasy Merchant

Fearless Frank seemed one of those light, super-goofy 1960s movies I was most likely going to have to shut off just because of the sheer corn; so I hesitated to check it out for quite some time. Finally, I decided to take the plunge. While this bizarre take-off on the superhero craze— not to mention […]… Continue reading Retro Review: The Groovy Forgotten 60’s Superhero Movie “Fearless Frank” — Fantasy Merchant

Did The Ouija Board Curse Its Creator? — Fantasy Merchant

The title of this post is, admittedly, a bit “clickbaity”—William Fuld didn’t technically create the Ouija Board we are all familiar with. But like any Capitalist worth his salt, he recognized a good thing when he saw it; officially putting his name on the board, and suing everybody else who made one. Also…of course we […]… Continue reading Did The Ouija Board Curse Its Creator? — Fantasy Merchant

“I thought there was no girl:” The Queer Masculinity of Joy Ride — Bloodlust and Bourbon

By Hannah Cunningham *contains spoilers for Joy Ride* Fellas, is it gay to pretend to be a woman to flirt with a man over a CB radio? Fellas, is it gay to entice a man into the motel room next to yours so you can listen to his sexual frustration when he realizes there is […]… Continue reading “I thought there was no girl:” The Queer Masculinity of Joy Ride — Bloodlust and Bourbon

The Invisible Man — ASSHOLES WATCHING MOVIES

Lots of movies have been rescheduled due to COVID-19’s impact on world box offices, but a few movies were released just as things got tricky and got short shrift releases. Movie studios are fighting back but they’re basically inventing their responses as we go so right now they’re experimenting with what people at home might […]… Continue reading The Invisible Man — ASSHOLES WATCHING MOVIES

Covid Horror Movie Review Project (CHMRP) — Solens Svard Reviews

Other than the occasional Black Mirror update, I’ve had trouble getting the motivation to write. Even after shutdowns began, I didn’t get the writing bug like I nearly expected. Then this week something got me. via Covid Horror Movie Review Project (CHMRP) — Solens Svard Reviews