The Terrible Catsafterme

If I were ever to achieve the office of the President (which most likely isn’t going to be happening), I’m not sure if I’d rather be thought of as one of the most unknown U.S. Presidents, or one of the worst U.S. Presidents. Franklin Pierce has somehow managed to achieve both. Despite his messy haircut and the fact that he wasn’t even considered a candidate for the Presidency during the election of 1852, he was elected to the highest office in the land and remained so for one term from 1853-1857. A Northerner with Southern sympathies, our 14th President entered the Presidency a thoroughly sad and depressed man, after losing his only surviving child during a train accident weeks after he was elected President. Obviously this disturbing event was enough to take Pierce’s mind off his job running the nation. Pierce was eventually abandoned by his own party and wasn’t nominated by the Democratic Party to run in the next election. Read the rest of this entry »

I honestly have no idea how the character of Elvira – this mistress of the dark – seeped into the national consciousness. It’s a mystery to me. To date, I can’t recall seeing one thing that she actually did. Not that there aren’t things. Oh, there’s the guest commentary she did for WrestleMania 2 back in 1986, there are TV specials in which she acts as ‘hostess’: VH-1 documentaries, E! True Hollywood Stories, even a Playboy Halloween special. But I really don’t think I ever saw any of it. Well…maybe the wrestling thing. Of course, Elvira is just a character played by Cassandra Peterson, who even outside of the character has starred in some things too: Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Cheech & Chong’s Next Movie, and even a bit part in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever. But’s it’s Elvira that has brought her all the fame. Read the rest of this entry »

It wasn’t long ago that I put up another posting about a menacing liquid metal killer from the Terminator franchise, and now I’m ready for one more. This one was the T-1000 from Terminator 2: Judgement Day, introducing the world to one of the scariest villains you’d ever hope to meet – a killer who could take the shape of anyone or anything, usually something sharp and capable of piercing a victim’s body at will. It was also one of the most advanced special effects coup to date when the film came out in 1991. I for one was ecstatic to get the chance to meet the actor who played him, having missed at least one opportunity in the past. Read the rest of this entry »