One
is a black-hearted, totally merciless scourge of the Universe – and the other
is the Predator… (© Dr Karl Shuker)
On this spinning speck
of cosmic dust that we call Planet Earth, if I'm known for anything it's
probably as a zoologist, media consultant, and author specialising in
cryptozoology and animal mythology (at least that what it says on my website
and on my ShukerNature blog!). In addition, however, I've
always had a passionate interest in the movies, watching and enjoying a diverse
range of cinematic genres down through the decades that include (but are by no
means confined to) monster movies, animation (especially Disney), musicals, science
fiction, fantasy, classic comedies, super-hero franchises, and much more too. Such
themes also characterise my TV viewing tastes.
During the isolating but
very necessary Covid-19 lockdown measures that began in England during March
2020 and which meant spending virtually all of my time indoors at home, I found
myself not only watching many more movies than I normally do but also preparing
mini-reviews of them that I posted for fun on Facebook and elsewhere. To my
surprise but great delight, these have attracted considerable interest,
enthusiasm, and countless Likes from social media friends. So much so, in fact,
that following a suggestion and kind encouragement gratefully received from longstanding Facebook friend Terry Cooper, I have decided that it might be worthwhile expanding them in fuller reviews, preserving them,
and adding others to them in a blog of their own. There they will be permanently and
readily accessible for reading by all interested online movie fans, together
with expanded versions of various movie (plus a few TV) mini-reviews that I'd written in
earlier pre-Covid times, as well as those that I shall be writing in the future
in what I hope will be a long-running ongoing series.
So here it is – Shuker
In MovieLand. I hope that you will enjoy visiting this brave new world of mine
in blog form, and browse through my movie contemplations, commendations,
criticisms, witticisms (should you happen to find any!), and other assorted
film-related fun and folderol. Also, please do feel free to post any thoughts and
comments of your own beneath my mini-reviews, plus any relevant information
that you would like to share concerning the movies under consideration. Last of
all, but by no means least of all, please don't forget to follow and subscribe
to my new blog, because it will feel so lonely out here by itself in this big
old bloggerverse if you don't. Thank you kindly!
To launch Shuker In
MovieLand, I shall shortly be posting my very first SIML mini-review – one that
I wrote a fair while ago about what had previously been for me an extremely
elusive film that I'd always wanted to see but had never managed to do so
before (regular readers will find that this will be a common, recurrent theme
here, as I'm nothing if not tenacious when it comes to identifying and tracking
down mysterious movies that had hitherto perplexed or evaded me). Don't miss
it!
And to view a complete listing of all of my
Shuker In MovieLand blog's other film reviews and articles (each one instantly
accessible via a direct clickable link), please click HERE!
UPDATE: Tuesday 12 January 2021 - Today I was devastated to learn that my above-mentioned good friend Terry Cooper had passed away suddenly from natural causes during last weekend. God speed, Terry, thank you sincerely and very gratefully for your many years of friendship - preserved forever as bright, golden memories that I shall always treasure; and also for planting in my mind the precious seed of an idea that sprouted forth to yield this present blog - it is absolutely true to say that had it not been for you, Shuker In MovieLand would never have existed. God bless you, Terry, rest in peace and know that you will always be remembered and loved by so many friends, of whom I am proud and honoured to be one.
Please click here to read my full tribute to Terry that follows my review of the 2019 BBC TV mini-series of The War of the Worlds - Terry and I shared a love of science fiction and monster movies, and this was the first review posted by me here on Shuker In MovieLand since receiving the extremely sad news of Terry's passing.
My good friend Terry Cooper – RIP Terry (© Terry Cooper)
Glenn Cunningham from Facebook here,Please review The Relic,1997 film when you can.
ReplyDeleteYou'd find the subject at least interesting,if not the film itself
And maybe you watched it.
Hi Glenn, Thanks very much for being my blog's first Follower and for posting its very first reader's comment! Yes, I have The Relic on DVD but haven't watched it yet, though I fully intend to as it is definitely my kind of movie. Interestingly, there is another movie also sometimes entitled The Relic, which is all about a new species of giant rat-like rodent discovered living underground inside a cemetery. I have watched that and have reviewed it, so I'll be uploading my review here. All the best, Karl
DeleteI know there might be up to 3 films with that title,as with any film actually,and even band names.
DeleteFew people on Earth know that there are 3 Iron Maiden bands for example.
I did not know about Rat Relic film,definitely my type to to own.
Thanks as well,and for the 14 years of friendship,to my disbelief,that it has been that long! Myspace Days!
Wow, 14 years! Where does the time go? And yes, I certainly remember us becoming friends on MySpace - whatever happened to that site? I know that it's still around but I haven't checked in for several years, Facebook soon becoming the go-to social media site in its stead, as far as I could see anyway. And no, I didn't know that there were 3 Iron Maiden bands (if I'm honest, I didn't even know that there were 2).
DeleteI go on Myspace once a year or every 18 months.
DeleteTerrible site,most of my images and anything of the past,gone.
I think it's primarily a music page now,for music artists to promote their music.Big names at that to my surprise,as who even uses Myspace anymore?
The very last time that I visited my page on MySpace, most of my images and music tracks had gone too, which is why I never went back. It had taken me a long time to upload and post all of them, so it was very sad to discover so many of them missing.
DeleteThis is great Karl, I have been reviewing horror movies and spaghetti westerns for a short while now for Gonzo. I would be very interested if you reviewed Baby, Secret of the Lost Legend.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much Carl, glad you like my new blog! I haven't watched Baby for many years, last time was on TV, but I recently purchased it on DVD, so it would be good to watch it again and when I do I'll definitely review it here. Thanks for the suggestion.
DeleteI'll be watching this space with intetest.
ReplyDeleteI'll be watching this space with intetest.
ReplyDeleteThanks!!
DeleteMr.Shuker looks like you are an actor?Is this your real name?
ReplyDeleteSadly I'm not, but yes, it's my real name.
Delete