October 2012 - Black Dog Video

Black Dog Newsletter for Week Ending November 5th

October 30, 2012/0 Comments/in Newsletter/by Darren

Halloween is finally upon us. I don’t know about you, but to me, it seems this Halloween has dragged on forever and has become a bit of a chore. I’m usually a huge Halloween guy but this year, I dunno, some of the magic seems to have disappeared. Maybe it’s because it’s become so popular – Spootacular Savings here Ghosteriffic Gadgets there. Ugh. Too many people see it as nothing but a big party where they can don the latest “sexy” costume. You know, just because you put the word sexy in front of something, doesn’t actually make it sexy. Like “Sexy Big Bird”?! Come on. All these cheap-ass fireworks places popping up that sell lame, really expensive explosives – since when did Halloween become about blowing shit up? So many houses with bad decorations – happy ghosts, pumpkin garbage bags, cheap plastic crap – where’s the scary? I know these are trivial things to be discussing, what with all the earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, flooding, poison monkeys, giant lizards, brain-eating hobos, rude children, hairless dogs, goat-men, Snooki’s and so forth that plague the planet, but this is the one season I look forward to. Maybe it’s the lack of scary movies I’ve watched recently, maybe I’m just getting old. I dunno. I saw some Christmas decorations for sale in the Superstore yesterday. Part of me died a little. Again.

Nothing says Halloween like a Sexy Idiot Bird or Sexy Clown Fish

When I think of Halloween I think of nights like this (A photo I took Monday night outside my house).

Be sure to check out our Facebook Page or Twitter thingy to keep up on our list of over-looked horror gems. I’ll run down what we’ve done so far later in the newsletter in case you might want to watch something good and terrifying this week. For whatever reason (money reasons of course) in order to get updates from Facebook sites, liking it isn’t enough you have to do this now…

New Releases for Tuesday October 30th

The Campaign – Two doofus’ battle it out for public office in this comedy starring Mittens Romney and Barak Obama. Wait that’s real. The synopsis for this film is two doofus’ battle it out for public office in this comedy starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis. Also on the Blu Ray. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omcm3VCVpag[/youtube]

Ruby Sparks – From the director of Little Miss Sunshine (even the box art looks similar) comes this tale of a lonely writer who creates the perfect female character who he thinks will love him and then he wakes up the next day to find out she’s real. Yes, I agree that synopsis sounds brutally cloying and dull but from what I’ve heard the flick is supposed to be surprisingly good. I wrote a story one time about a guy who had crabs, then the nest day I woke up to find out that I had crabs. So I guess anything is possible when you’re a writer. Also on the Blu Ray. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HzVkK8f9ws[/youtube]

Safety Not Guaranteed – From the producers of Little Miss Sunshine comes this fine little indie effort that finds the awesomely dour Aubrey Plaza as a magazine intern hot on the trail of a guy who put an add in the paper looking for a partner for his time travel escapades. I had a great time watching this excellent flick even though my stereo wasn’t working and I couldn’t hear any of the music in it. There’s a scene when the guy turns on his portable music player and nothing is heard. It was then I realized something was wrong. I bet it’s even better with music! I bet the music featured some really cool hipster tunes! [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE94RKIE7xQ[/youtube]

Turn Me On, Goddammit! – A 15 year-old Norwegian girl wants to get laid really bad. I’m sure that there’s a joke in there somewhere. Won a bunch of awards at various film festivals and it seems that most everything that comes out of Norway lately has been solid so it may be worth a look. I’m sure the perverts will be lining up to get this one and I’m sure they’ll be a little disappointed when they find out it’s a Norwegian comedy. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tfu99WkSrs[/youtube]

Coming Next Week

360
Arthur Christmas
Booker’s Place: A Mississippi Story
Dinotasia
Even the Rain
Kiss Me
Trishna
Your Sister’s Sister

For your Halloween enjoyment we’ve been running a daily horror film recommendation (on the Facebook as mentioned above) highlighting films that you may not have see or heard of but that we think they are something that should not be missed. Here’s what we have so far (only 2 more to go!)

Trick ‘r Treat
Shutter
Triangle
The Devil’s Backbone
Inside
The Haunting (1963)
Drag Me to Hell
I’m Not Scared
Eden Lake
The Woman
I Saw the Devil
Cemetery Man
The Innocents
Uzamaki
Dead Snow
Rogue
Session 9
Martyrs
Frontier(s)
Bug
Psycho 2
The Orphanage

Poor New York, always getting the stuffing knocked out of it in the movies and real life. Hang in there…

That’s it for this week. I hope that everyone has a fine Halloween (Happy Halloween doesn’t sound quite right, does it?).

Black Dog Video

Welcome to Black Dog Video!

Black Dog Newsletter for Week Ending October 29th

October 23, 2012/0 Comments/in Newsletter/by Darren

Last week I was lamenting the reliance that we (I) have on technology. Stupid, necessary technology. Monday morning I had a busy slate of things to do. Went to the Commercial store only to find that the computer wasn’t working. Blank screen. Took the monitor home to try it out, it was fine. Unplugged everything yadda yadda. Still nothing. Opening in and hour and a half. Trot the machine down the street to the local repair place. They hook it up and viola, it’s working perfectly. Maybe it IS the monitor. Go back to the store and bring it down. No problemo. Happy and bewildered at the same time. Go back to the store and hook it all back up – the mouse doesn’t work. WTF?! New mouse. Everything seems fine. Whew! This morning. Same thing all over again. Had to get the damn thing fixed. No computer for the first two hours of being open. Hello stress, haven’t seen you in a couple of days. I hate the fact that I am so at the mercy of the computer gods to run the stores. What did video stores do 50 years ago before computers? And don’t get me started on the iPhones with their built-in obsolescence and all that. I mentioned this to the nice young woman who I bought my new phone from and she just kind of stared at me, blinking. We’re one sun spot or giant solar flare away from chaos.

Our former employee, friend of the store and Cinemuerte founder Kier-la Janisse has a written a book! House of Psychotic Women. You should buy and read it. It’ll be available in real book stores real soon (it’s available on Amazon right now). http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15766600-house-of-psychotic-women

New Releases for Tuesday October 23rd

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter – I was hoping/ thought this was going to be a documentary but alas, it’s a big loud dumb movie where the president battles a scourge of vampires who threaten to win the civil war for the South. Of course it’s preposterous and silly and all that but it is also fairly entertaining – just check your brain at the door please. It has a scene where a vampire throws a horse at Abe Lincoln, so it has that going for it.! Don’t think I’ve ever seen a horse thrown at anyone before, in the movies or in real life. And since when can vampires just apply some sunscreen and don a pair of shades and walk around in the daylight? Also on the Blu Ray. The 3-D Blu Ray available at Cambie St. location. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZp7eBStN1U[/youtube]

Cochon de Gaza – Palestinian fisherman finds a pig in his net. Not what he expected, right? What’s a guy to do in the land where pigs are not viewed as the tasty magical animals that they are in other parts of the world? Join Jafaar on his misadventures as he tries to unload the unclean swine on his unsuspecting friends, family, Jewish neighbors and whoever he can find to take the oinker off of his hands. (Sorry couldn’t find a trailer with English subtitles)

Eddie the Sleepwalking Cannibal – Canadian comedy about a painter with painter’s block (is that a thing?) who discovers a muse for his art when he meets the titular character, Eddie. He sleepwalks. He eats people. Comedy, hijinks and much eating, I presume, ensue. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW5U6JBt4Gg[/youtube]

Magic Mike – Steven Soderburg’s latest (man how many films a year does this guy pump out? He’s like the American Takashi Miike!) delves into the world of hunky men who shed their clothes for a living. An older veteran peeler takes a young buck under his wing to school him in the fine arts of partying, scoring with the ladies and make some easy dough. Sounds kinda Boogie Nightsish. Heard good things. Also on the Blu Ray. (Sorry ladies and some gents, no 3-D) [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVRZNd9Vczg[/youtube]

Rec 3: Genesis – Not quite the wedding day the young couple were expecting as their celebration turns ugly, not by the usual bickering family members and drunk revelers, but by hordes of flesh eating, blood-thirsty zombie type guests. Let the carnage begin. Just curious, but who brings a chainsaw to a wedding? Loved the first one and number 2 was pretty good, so we’ll have to check this one out. Also on the Blu Ray. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7WgQH6qyiI[/youtube]

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World – Steve Carell and his really skinny neighbor, Keira Knightley, take a road trip together for some reason as an asteroid is about to destroy the earth. Again with the earth shattering asteroid. Seems that there has been a dearth of things hitting the earth and destroying it as of late. Is there something that they’re not telling us? Also on the Blu Ray.[youtube] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7FKVAuDv8M[/youtube]

Old Stuff Just In

Fear and Desire: Stanley Kubrick – A rare early work by Kubrick has been unearthed!

A New Leaf – Great old Walter Matthau comedy directed, written and starring Elaine May.

Coming Next Week

Brave
Ruby Sparks
The Campaign
Safety Not Guaranteed

Black Dog Newsletter for Week Ending October 22nd

October 17, 2012/0 Comments/in Newsletter/by Darren

Hello. First off let me apologize for the possible messed-up format of last week’s newsletter. I included a few photos from my Mexico trip with some “witty captions” that were supposed to align with each photograph. Unfortunately I’m not too well versed in the use of something called “tabs” on the computer and the result may have jumbled the photos and said witty captions. They were pretty funny, trust me. I remember back in the day, about 12 years ago or so, back before there were any computers, when we published a paper copy of what was then called The Black Dog Yak. It was only a monthly as it cost money and required a bit more effort, but it was fun and what you saw is what you got. Sometimes I get nostalgic and miss the days before all this technology invaded and controlled our lives. Shortly after I moved to Vancouver back in the mid-90’s I saw a commercial where a manly-man type dude was riding a horse in the woods talking on a cell phone. I thought it was the most ridiculous thing I’d seen, like really, who’d want to ride one of those giant, flesh-eating monster beasts?! Hah! I vowed right then never to get a cell phone. I just couldn’t think of any situation that I would ever need/use it. I think that now I’m on my 3rd or 4th one. I’m a sad old man.

Anyhoo, we’re half way through the month of October – Halloween month – and if anyone is interested in some good horror film recommendations, go on over to our Facebook Page and “Like” it or follow us on what the kids like to call the Twitter for a daily Black Dog Halloween Film Pick! Good stuff. As the end of the month draws nearer I’ll have some recommendations in the newsletter as well.

And…we still have a couple of Blu Ray copies of Prometheus for sale and a stupidly low price of $19.99. Only a few left at each store. Get ’em while you still can.

New Releases for Tuesday October 16th

Chernobyl Diaries – A bunch of nubile coeds go on vacation in the wasteland of Pripyat, the former home to the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor because, like, who wouldn’t want to go there – I hear it’s lovely in the spring. You remember that place, they had some sort of meltdown bugaboo a few years back? Well it seems that all that nasty radioactive stuff has turned the former workers into blood-thirsty mutant zombie dogs or something like that. Mayhem and carnage, I presume, ensue. Also on the Blu Ray. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygmVZaYgbn8[/youtube]

Dark Horse – The latest from the always creepy, weird and fantastic, Todd Solondz (Welcome to the Dollhouse, Happiness) tells the story of a blossoming romance between a kind of a loser (the Dark Horse of the title) and a strangely depressed woman. Expect a lot of uncomfortable, awkwardness throughout. Yes please! (May be late on the shelves) [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsB2NyqQZr4[/youtube]

LCD Soundsystem: Shut Up and Play the Hits – Music doc chronicling LCD Soundsystem’s final show last year. I can’t believe I missed that tour when it rolled through town. It was down in Stanley Park and would have made for a great night. Now they (him) are no more. Makes me sad. I’ll have to get drunk and watch this very loud. Blu Ray only at the moment, DVD should be here asap. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tK7ERRrpzo[/youtube]

Mad Men Season 5 – More Mad Men doing their Maddest Man things. One of the best shows on the TV, but I don’t have to tell you that. Did you miss Don Draper? Do you need some handsomeness in your life? Well he’s back! Also on the Blu Ray [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vesjh3LXSKM[/youtube]

Madagascar 3: The Reckoning – Some talking animals invade Europe and, under the guise of working as circus folk, hatch a plan to kill the Queen of England and eat her festering carcass. Or something like that. Also on the Blu Ray. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVEinXUrEp0[/youtube]

Moonrise Kingdom – Another gem from Wes Anderson. A couple of children escape their perceived oppressive oppressors and hide out in a tent on a beach where they make out and go swimming. Great cast makes up for my lame description. If you like the Wes Anderson, you’ll like this film. Also on the Blu Ray.[youtube] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N8wkVA4_8s[/youtube]

Neil Young: The Reckoning – Neil Young returns to the place of his upbringing with a thirst for bloody vengeance against the thugs killed his family and stole his innocence. Then he goes to Massey Hall and plays a nice concert. Filmed by Jonathan Demme. Also on the Blu Ray. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukmfbLpK0PM[/youtube]

Red Lights – Paranormal investigators Sigourney Weaver and Cillian Murphy launch an investigation into Robert De Niro, a famed psychic who may or may not be evil. Didn’t they see Angel Heart?! He’s the freakin’ devil! Of course he’s evil! Also on the Blu Ray. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vatOw6FquzU[/youtube]

That’s My Boy – Adam Sandler, sigh (not a good sigh either) plays an obnoxious man-boy-child asshole (no, it’s not a documentary) who re-enters his son’s – Andy Samburg – life. Hilarious hijinks, I presume, ensue. Also on the Blu Ray
Red Band Trailer – [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoWkFkWiiTc[/youtube]

Coming Next Week

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
After Porn Ends
Magic Mike
Eddie the Sleepwalking Cannibal
Fear and Desire
Rec 3: Genesis
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
Cochon de Gaza

Black Dog Newsletter for Week Ending October 15th

October 10, 2012/0 Comments/in Newsletter/by Darren

Yes I’m back and all refreshed (sort of – ate way too much rich food and nice wines and cold beers this silly Thanksgiving weekend). Hope that you all survived without the newsletter for a couple of weeks. Or in other words, I bet no one even noticed it’s absence. Anyways I won’t bore you with details of my trip but here’s some stuff I did in Mexico;

Things I did in Mexico; ate lots of tacos, enchiladas, moles, sopas and everything in between. Drank my weight in margaritas, at least twice that in cervazas, walked about 1,147 KM, went on a paddle boat ride from hell (boats were insanely hard to peddle, especially in the hot sun and wearing jeans while a undersized life jacket choked me to near passing out. We had rented the blasted thing for an hour but were back at the dock after 25 grueling minutes. Of course Gus kept saying “go faster”), went on an awesome boat ride through a canyon where we saw some crocodiles, monkeys, birds, tourists and lots of floating garbage. Checked out a fairly depressing zoo – lets face it, most if not all zoos are fairly depressing, toured Frida Kallo’ house (beautiful!), urinated in Leon Trotsky’s house (what a depressing abode), suffered the worst toilet seat in the world in our hotel, went to the most amazing library, went to a weird “heavy metal” market, saw a man with a track suit that looked like a giant ruler, watched a odd parade that consisted of kids either playing drums or dressed up as creepy monsters/religious figures and old men that were either drunk or well on their way, raised my blood pressure with a few terrifying cab rides, discovered that traveling with a seven year old is not as much fun as it sounds, saw some awful, crushing poverty, listened in anger as insanely loud church bells rang at 6 am and then every 15 minutes after that for 2 hours on a saturday morning – what kind of god wants its peasants to get up at the crack of dawn? A cruel, humorless bell-loving god, that’s who! Watched both the New York and Miami versions of CSI (the Miami one is far worse)’ read the Led Zeppelin biography, and pondered my wife’s perplexing question. – if you drop your sunglasses in a Mexican restaurant’s toilet, can you ever wear them again?

See those sharp bits of vinyl? Underneath those lay the real horror – wet, gross absorbent sponge. Think of how gross that is. Think of it!

Library from the film Brazil.

And yes it came with a matching top.

One freaky parade!

All in all it was a fine interesting and fun trip. Good to be home though.

I don’t usually solicit charity stuff here as I don’t believe in charity (just kidding of course) but I’m playing in a charity ball hockey tournament with some famous hockey players and rock stars this Saturday so if you’d like to help cross-check cancer in the face, your donations would be much appreciated. In addition, if you donate $20 or more I’ll toss in a free rental at either Black Dog locations! Win-win right? You get to help face-wash cancer and nab a nifty film for your viewing pleasure. Thanks ~ Here’s the link… http://rhcc.akaraisin.com/pledge/Participant/Home.aspx?seid=4876&mid=9&pid=903444

Oh and one more thing – over yonder on the Black Dog Facebook page I’m doing a little thing were I post a daily horror film recommendation in honour of Halloween month! I’m aiming to highlight some great little scary numbers that you may not have seen. “Like” the page and hopefully like the recommendations.

Oh and one more thing as well. Seems I over ordered Blu Ray copies of Prometheus and my lame distributor won’t let me return them so we’ll be selling them off – about 5-6 for each store – for a paltry $19.99 plus tax. (thats $5 cheaper than Best Buy). They are what’s called a “Rental Exclusive” so there’s no special features or anything.

New Releases for Tuesday October 9th

A Cat in Paris – Oscar nominated animated fare finds a cat in an unnamed town (wait, I think that it’s Paris!) who has to rescue a little girl from some gangster’s clutches. I wish I had some clutches. Got to get me some clutches! Supposed to be quite amazing. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zayGVHDOBg[/youtube]

Crazy Eyes – Party guy meets the girl of his dreams – Crazy Eyes. Better than Crazy Legs or Crazy Nose Hairs I guess. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPDGO0reuhg[/youtube]

Excision – Creepy, nasty, and altogether (from what I’ve read) excellent little horror number about a freaky girl who wants to become a surgeon and has vivid depraved dreams of necrophilia. Cool. We’ve all had those dreams. Right? Right? Hello? Red Band trailer -[youtube]http://youtu.be/SB6dARkyl8g[/youtube]

The Giant Mechanical Man – Good natured rom-com about a couple of people who work at a zoo (probably a fairly depressing one) who fall in love. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5D8JMsPk3o[/youtube]

Prometheus – Here’s a film that’s both fun and disappointing at the same time. Fun because it’s a big loud ambitious sci-fi number that chugs along at a pretty good pace but ultimately disappointing because it doesn’t really make all that much sense. Considering the talent involved and the fact that they had over 30 years since the original Alien to come up with a coherent and involved story and this is the best that they could do, I was a bit let down. If you like the Alien universe, you’ll have to check it out for sure. Also on the Blu Ray. After watching it, I’m sure you’ll have a few questions of your own as to what you just viewed. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sftuxbvGwiU[/youtube]

And after you watch it watch this funny take on the film – [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x1YuvUQFJ0[/youtube]

The Raven – John Cusak plays a gun wielding Edgar Allan Poe on the trail of a vicious (is there a non-vicious version?) serial killer who is inspired by Poe’s stories. Uh-huh. Also on the Blu Ray. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZb2pLKiYEk[/youtube]

Rock of Ages – Cheesy love story + cheesy 80’s tunes + cheesy Tom Cruise = a boatload of fromage. Also on the Blu Ray. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USxhXb5VC5E[/youtube]

Seconds Apart – A pair of telepathic twins terrorize and slaughter their classmates. Usually it’s just one twin who’s the bad one. Too bad this wasn’t a documentary. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AcHXgqeqmo[/youtube]

Old Stuff Just In…

ET – The Extraterrestrial – Blu Ray

Coming Next Week

Red Lights
Mad Men Season 5
Chernobyl Diaries
Madagascar 3
Neil Young – Journeys
That’s My Boy
Moonrise Kingdom
The Firm – Complete Series
Dark Horse

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Archive for month: October, 2012

New Releases for Tuesday October 30th

Coming Next Week

New Releases for Tuesday October 23rd

Old Stuff Just In

Coming Next Week

Recently Viewed and Recommended

New Releases for Tuesday October 16th

Coming Next Week

Recently Viewed and Recommended

New Releases for Tuesday October 9th

Old Stuff Just In…

Coming Next Week

Recently Viewed and Recommended

Video Store on Commercial Drive

Memberships are here!

Where To?

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