The latest episode of the
Mihmiverse Monthly Audiocast has arrived!
This month, host writer/director Christopher R. Mihm gets excited about the forthcoming "
Queen of Snakes"
world premiere, discusses how you can help keep the Mihimverse films on Amazon, and reveals some tantalizing secrets about the new movie in development, "
The Phantom Lake Kids in The Beast Walks Among Us!"
Also included: "
The Kansas City Crypt" with
Monster Movie Kid Rich Chamberlain, a little recap of the "month that was" at
Monster Kid Radio, and another "joke" from Dr. Bob Tesla of
Midnight Monster Movies with Dr. Bob.
To download an .mp3 of the audiocast, click
HERE, visit
archive.org where the file is stored or download it free from
iTunes!
Otherwise, if you'd like to listen to the episode right from this browser window, click the play button on the player below!
The
Mihmiverse Monthly Audiocast is hosted by writer/director Christopher R. Mihm and is focused specifically on what's going on
RIGHT NOW in the Mihmiverse. In addition, Mr. Mihm will discuss the monster movie-making process, touch briefly on the future of the 'verse, pontificate on random subjects, and be joined by guests from within and without the Mihmiverse.
PLUS, each episode will include something unique you won't find anywhere else!
Welcome to the
Mihmiverse Monthly feature where we talk to
YOU, the fans! Every month, we choose a random Mihmivite and ask them a few Mihmiverse-related questions in an attempt to get to know them better and find out what they
REALLY think about the films of Christopher R. Mihm!
This month, we interview Joe Richards!
Introduce yourself to the Mihmiverse!
My brother and I share an old farmhouse in mid-Michigan. It's the same farm house we grew up in with our parents, grandparents, an uncle, and the four of us kids. Our closest neighbors were our cousins about a mile down the road. Get-togethers with our cousins and other neighbors were common and usually consisted of hot chocolate and sledding down the barn hill in the winter, kites and tree climbing in the spring, baseball in the field with old tires as bases in summer, and hoops with the rim attached to side of the barn in fall. After-school often included old movies on television like Abbott and Costello, Charlie Chan mysteries, and Johnny Weismueller as Tarzan. Our uncle introduced us to the drive-in back in the day.
Trained to teach. I now work in a residential setting that houses abused and neglected boys who are trying to reunite with family or have no home to return to.
When and how did you discover the films of Christopher R. Mihm?
About six months ago, I concluded there was so little mainstream film that peaked my interest I began looking for movies we used to watch together as a family, either at home on a rented VHS player or at the drive-in. We even rented video disc players when they were available! It was a big deal to go to the rental store and get the machine and movies.
Looking for old Harryhausen, Corman, Romero movies and being a fan of the old Universal monsters (especially the Wolfman and the Creature from the Black Lagoon), I was noticing a "late night" theme. A search for "late night movies" lead to writer/director Christopher R. Mihm's 2014 film, "
The Late Night Double Feature," and I was hooked! It had the look and feel of the movies I would watch with my family on weekends, and it made me instantly want to share this experience with others! Upon Watching more of the films of the Mihmiverse and losing myself in the well-written stories and, quite honestly, the artistry of the films, I wondered why it had taken so long for me to discover these movies!
If you had to pick just ONE, which of the Mihmiverse films would be your favorite?
Choosing just one film is difficult! As an introduction for others, I always recommend "
Danny Johnson Saves The World." Anyone can watch that and it works as a family film. My personal favorite would probably be "
Terror from Beneath the Earth." I love everything about that film. The acting is great, the story is well written, the banter is funny, and it is also a caring presentation of family and community coming together for the greater good. Is that making too much of it? There is an innocence and concern that is captured that just seems to be glossed over in so many films now, if it even exists. "
Guns Of The Apocalypse" is also a strong contender. There is something about every film that makes it kind of special!
Tell us how you, in particular, show your "Mihmiverse pride!"
I often use social media to share links and information about the films because it is an easy way to get the word out. I make specific recommendations to specific people who I believe would appreciate Mr. Mihm's films and let them know how to view them. Basically, I tout the films and tell people about them all of the timehighlighting the fact that this is independent, community-based filmmaking and an excellent example of what can be done when one really puts their mind to something and tries! Also, I stress that these films are a fine example of people who love the genre and treat it with respect, rather than ridiculing it or belittling others who appreciate it.
Where would you like to see the Mihmiverse go in the future?
I would love for these films to be shown more often in smaller community settings. To see people who appreciate these films make the effort to think out of the box and find ways to introduce these films to their communities as events and gatherings. My hope is writer/director Christopher R. Mihm will continue to be successful with these films and garner a larger and larger audience, all while never losing that sense of community. Lastly, I'd love to see Mr. Mihm spend time developing new ways to expand the artistic community locally.
Want to be interviewed for a future edition of the
Mihmiverse Fan Focus? Send an email to
info@sainteuphoria.com and let us know! Maybe next month the subject will be
YOU!
CLASSIC MOVIE OF THE MONTH
Queen of Blood (1966)
Directed by
Curtis HarringtonStarring
Basil Rathbone,
Dennis Hopper and
Judi Meredith
First contact with an alien species is made and while the alien envoy is en route to Earth, its spacecraft crashes on Mars. A rescue mission is launched and, upon locating the wreckage, scans indicate no signs of life...
EXCEPT, an intact escape pod is found on the Martian moon Phobos and the crew finds something
DID survive: a green, humanoid female! As they escort the mysterious woman back to Earth, members of the crew start turning up dead, with their bodies drained entirely of blood! Retro sci-fi thrills, chills, and scares ensue! The film is pure mid-1960s science fiction and is vaguely reminiscent of the "king" of that particular era: the original "
Star Trek" series. Oversaturated candy-colored lighting and costumes create a distinct look and feel, with some of the special effects footage taken from a couple of Soviet films. All things considered, "
Queen of Blood" is an entertainingly cheeseball experience. Highly recommended!
Christopher R. Mihm
What's Canoe With You?
Who doesn't love the Canoe Cops!? Over the years, the Mihmiverse has featured them in a variety of ways. Below are 7 questions. If you can answer them correctly...well, I think I've said too much already.
NOTE: Answers to the questions below
INCLUDE "
The Monster of Phantom Lake: The Musical!"
1. In what 4 films do the Canoe Cops appear?
2. Two actors have played Sven. Name them.
3. What is the Canoe Cop motto?
4. In "
The Giant Spider," what was the name of the character (played by Cherie "Rhuby" Gallinati) in charge of the Canoe Cop Ladies Auxiliary?
5. By what nickname are the ladies of the auxiliary known as?
6. Award-winning writer Stephen D. Sulllivan wrote a book about the Canoe Cops. What was the title?
7. What song are the Canoe Cops famous for?
Scroll to the bottom of the Mihmiverse Monthly for the answers.
Mike Cook
Man Explores Space!
Welcome once again to
The Retro-Spective! I hope you are enjoying it each month. This month, we are going to talk about man venturing out to explore among the stars. This is the setting of writer/director Christopher R. Mihm's film, "
Destination: Outer Space," and contains a story clearly inspired by several sci-fi movies of the era of "drive-in cinema." The following is my attempt to dig a little deeper into this specific genre. Let take a look...
Maybe the best "man in space" movie of the '50s is "
Forbidden Planet." Released in 1956, this film boasts a writing credit for William Shakespeare. The story is (very) loosely based on Shakespeare's "
The Tempest." A great story backed with state-of-the-art special effects made this film stand out from the pack and it has now gained status as one of the greatest science fiction films of all time. It also gave us the first appearance of Robbie the Robot. Robbie would go on to appear in many other films and TV shows and was the basis of the robot in "
Lost in Space." Fun fact: the Walt Disney Company was called in to provide the special effects of the "id" monster.
 | "Forbidden Planet" (1956) |
|
While "
Forbidden Planet" may be considered the best, the era gave us many other examples that fit the subject of this month's column. 1958's "
From the Earth to the Moon" gave us Joseph Cotton and George Sanders in a tale of a rocket to the moon that takes place right after the Civil War. Based on a story by Jules Verne, it has a bittersweet ending that elevates it above a lot of 1950s sci-fi.
"
Rocketship X-M" (1950) starred Lloyd Bridges as the captain of a rocket crew flying off to explore Mars. I don't want to give it away, but "
Cave Women on Mars" owes a debt to this film. Another bittersweet ending shows mankind's drive to explore outweighs the dangers of space exploration.
Mars was a popular destination in the movies of the 1950s. In 1951's "
Flight to Mars," an American team of space explorers find and are captured by the last of the dying Martian race. Rumor has that this not-quite-classic film was shot in only five days!
Traveling to outer space has never stopped being a popular subject for movies. From "
2001: A Space Odyssey" to "
Planet of the Apes," "
Alien," and "
Interstellar" (and many others), Hollywood has enjoyed trying to depict the enduring allure of space exploration. These voyages are fraught with danger, aliens, and the human desire to overcome all obstacles. All of this is also true about the 2010 Mihmiverse film, "
Destination: Outer Space."
It's the story of Captain Mike Jackson (the son of Professor Jackson from "
The Monster of Phantom Lake") and his test flight of the Earth's first faster-than-light speed rocket. Early Mihmiverse regular Josh Craig stars as both Captain Mike and his father, the good Professor.
A personal Mihmiverse favorite of mine, Catherine Hansen, appears as the beautiful and mysterious space pirate Yureena Null. Always a solid performer in the Mihmiverse, Ms. Hansen turns in another great performance. I always enjoy seeing her on screen and this is no exception, particularly because it's the first time she appears in a Mihmiverse movie!
Several Mihmiverse regulars are heard but not seen in this movie. If you listen carefully, you will hear the voices of Mike Cook, Shannon McDonough, and writer/director Christopher R. Mihm. Though we don't hear his voice or see his face, Michael G. Kaiser appears as several creatures. "
Destination: Outer Space" is the first film to include contributions by monster creator Mitch Gonzales and the man steps into several monster roles, as well (including multiple Oculons and Ominai Crusaders).
Robots, strange alien races, and monsters from mysterious worlds all come together to make this a classic thrill ride of adventure. Will the brave Captain Jackson make it back to Earth? The only way to find out is to watch! You can get your own copy of "
Destination: Outer Space at
sainteuphoria.com. It is currently available on DVD and will soon be released on
Blu-Ray!
AND, if you happen to be in the Dallas/Fort Worth area on April 14th, Christopher R. Mihm will personally be hosting a screening of the film at the Alamo Drafthouse in Richardson! I will also be there, so please stop by and say hello!
Thank you for reading! See you next month!
Michael J. Cross
Did you know that "
The Monster of Phantom Lake: The Musical!" is now available to be performed by schools and theatre companies nationwide?!
We offer carefully prepared materials of similar (or higher) quality than what you would receive from one of the big Broadway theatrical licensing companies. However, our independent licensing model allows us offer individualized service catered to your organization. When you decide to license a show with us, the success of your production becomes our number-one priority! Heck, the authors might even fly out to see one of your shows!
Production packages include scripts, orchestra books, and conductor/accompanist scores (condensed and full score options), all professionally printed in a beautiful and clean format. We even include rehearsal backing tracks that fully match the music printed in the libretto and on the cast recording CD! This is a great option for productions where using a live orchestra isn't possible, for "black box" style theaters, or when your group doesn't have a rehearsal accompanist regularly available.
We also include free logos for use in your advertising materials, and we can offer personalized graphic design as well as transpositions of vocal and orchestra parts on demand. Visit
monsterofphantomlake.com to hear songs from the show, learn more about the script, and request a quote, perusal script, or license agreement.