Welcome to Stuff to Blow your Mind, a production of iHeartRadio.
Hey, welcome to Weird House Cinema. This is Rob Lamb.
And I'm Joe McCormick, and today we're going to be talking about Arena from nineteen eighty nine. I gotta say, of all the movies I've ever seen that are a ripoff of Rocky set in a space station full of weird alien creatures, this is the best. It's got to be.
Tops. Yeah, it's a pretty simple concept, but a lot of love went into bringing it to life. So I mean, for the most part, we're just talking when we're talking about Arena. Here again, nineteen eighty nine's Arena not to be confused with other films that have used that title. This is just an old fashioned boxing crime movie, except it's set on a space station, and that space station is occupied by just oodles and oodles of the aliens.
A corniucopia of strange critters. The way I was describing it, I was talking to Rachel about it, and I realized, it's if you decided you wanted to make an entire movie out of the canteena scene from Star Wars.
Yeah, absolutely it it It seems to maintain that level of just of just you know, that this alien intensity that you get in the Cantena scene in Star Wars, just throughout the entire film, just.
Like everywhere you turn, it's like, oh, here's the guy with the weird like the sort of scrotal lobes for the chin, and then here's the guy gets his arm cut off, and the weird dude with the S shaped slughead. They're just everywhere. And then also there there are lots of robots. So this is a movie that's very very cyborg focused. So it's not just weird aliens, but weird aliens with interesting robotic and mechanical implants.
Yeah. Yeah, so there's just there's there's cyborgs. There are aliens there. Alien cyborgs were all in all over the place, with a few humans here and there as well, just to keep it grounded, I guess, in something that that human viewers can understand. But yeah, it's just like there's constantly something cool to look at in this in this film, and it goes we'll get into this as we perceive,
but it goes beyond the alien. The aliens all look incredible, but just like the costuming and set pieces in this picture are also very well done, especially considering like that the place it is budget wise.
Yeah, it's not something at the high budget end of the special effects spectrum, but it's got breadth and depth of special effects, So the makeup effects and every in the and the set design and everything. It's both. It's both wide weird and deep weird.
Yeah. This was one of many Empire International releases that came out from producer Charles Band prior to that folding and then him moving on to the Full Moon Entertainment. And I don't know if you remember this. This box art. I certainly remember this box art. The VHS and probably DVD box art for this film had a real big
fight feel to it. It looked like an old fashioned boxing poster and it just said Arena Tonight, Championship grudge match Man versus Monster, and then it has the head shot of Steve with Steve Armstrong and then the head shot for the cyber Minotaur horn that he's going to battle, and it says for a thousand years, no human has been the champion. He wants to be the first.
I don't think that's true. I think that's one of those many things where there's a promotional bit of copy for the film that totally gets the plot wrong because there's a previous human champion in this movie who's still alive, so it can't have been more than I don't know, a couple decades since there was a human champion.
Yeah, they don't tell us he's a thousand years old. I feel like this film would mention that.
Yeah, I would think so.
All right, well, let's go ahead and listen to a little bit of the trailer audio on this one.
On the Edge of our Galaxy, a battle drug where alien warriors compete for the ultimate prize.
Oh, well, a human you'll battle and the arena?
Now where is the challenger where humans have lost?
You ever thought about the arena site?
It ain't gonna work as guy's a human, what it takes to win? You're talking about arena fighting it it's not for me.
All right, there you go. I think you get it there too. There's a big fight field of this picture.
Yeah. The one thing that this movie didn't really have, and I wish it had had, was like some Rick Flair style, you know, fight monologuing, like the talking up the fights before they happened. There wasn't really any of that that I recall.
Yeah, it's ultimately more based in the boxing world, I think, with just a little bit of kickboxing added into the flare and a little bit like a tiny bit of wrestling added in there, but mostly it's its heart is in the boxing world.
M hm. So who are the people behind this movie?
All right, let's start at the top. The director is Peter Manoogian and this guy was born out of Charles Band's Empire International Pictures. He directed a segment in their second feature, an anthology film titled The Dungeon Master, and
that was his first directional credit. Following work as an assistant director on a string of Band directed films as well as some other pictures such as Galaxy of Terror, he was a production manager on several films, including Humanoids from the Deep and a lovely little nineteen eighty two thriller filmed on Tybee Island right here in Georgia titled The Slayer, which I don't think you've seen this one, Joe.
I've seen It's it's not a super weird picture, so it's not something we'll probably ever talk about here, but it is filmed on Tybee Island. It's a genre film that was made in Georgia back when that meant something. And there's a sequence that involves like an old ruined theater that's really creepy, and today you can go to that theater and its like fully restored, so it's it's a really weird experience. But yeah, The Slayer he was involved in that.
Now you already mentioned this really great box art for this movie. The other thing that I think I'm familiar with this director from is having directed a movie that I haven't seen yet but has one of the best posters in movie history, and that's The Eliminators or Eliminators.
That's right from eighty six. That's another Empire International picture, and that's one that I own but have not watched in full yet. I have a feeling, and we'll come back to it when it's time to return to the work of Minougian.
The poster features a you know that classic rushing at you posture where the main cast is running right into your face, and one of them is a human tank with treads, and I think another one is a ninja, and one of them is some kind of mad scientist. It looks like a really great ensemble.
Yeah, and there's some wonderful connection in that film as well, but we'll save that for a later day. I'm sure we'll get to the Eliminators. Let's talk a little bit about the writers here. It's just kind of interesting that it's this team of writers, Danny Bilson and Paul Demio.
These two got their start in the Charles band Camp with pictures such as nineteen eighty Fours Trancers and eighty six is the Eliminators, and they later got into video game writing and recently wrote the screenplay for the twenty twenty film to Five Bloods by Spike Lee. Yeah, and speaking of the writing behind this, I was looking. I looked up to see what Michael Weldon of a Psychotronic had to say about Arena, and he points out that the plot has a lot in common with the Frederick
Brown short story Arena. That quote had already been done twice on Star Trek and once on the Outer Limits.
So I looked into this and there is the story indeed titled Arena, and it has to do with this situation where these two intergalactic factions are about to go to war and just you know, annihilate each other, or one side will be annihilated and instead an even more advanced civilization becomes involved and makes one soldier from one side fight the other soldier from the other side to decide the whole thing.
This is a robot shox again.
Similar yeah idea, like it comes down to trial by champion and yeah, champion battle. So the Star Trek angle here though, is that you have that classic sixty seven Trek episode Arena. This is the Gorn episode where the exact same thing happens. And if I'm reading this correctly, they ended up crediting Frederick Brown perhaps to do to just plot similarities. I'm not sure if they actually adapted it or it certainly, or it's more of one of these things, like they didn't want to get sued, But
that's the connection there. There was also an Outer Limits episode from sixty four titled Fun and Games that apparently has some similarities to this. But with this nineteen eighty nine picture, I mean, aside from the fact that we are dealing with sort of gladiatorial combat in space with aliens, I don't really see. I don't think there's anything in this film that leads you to believe that this is anything other than entertainment sports, right, is just this is
just sports going on. There's nothing at stake, as it's not like robot jocks, where this is deciding who controls parts of the planet.
There is some sense that the dignity of humankind is at stake, right because aliens. All the good fighters are aliens, and there's this widespread understanding that a human can't really be competitive in the arena anymore. There was this one guy who'd been a fighter previously, but since him there have been no human champions, and humans are just weak and puny and not even worth considering. And if you're trying to make your bracket of the elite fighters.
Yeah, yeah, that's pretty much. That's the only thing that's really at stake here, at least on a more than personal level, is that it's about the prestige of humanity in a universe that largely doesn't seem to need them anymore. But there are a lot of them around for some reason.
I mean, why would you want to have a human boxer on your side when you could have like a twenty foot long grasshopper slug exactly.
Yeah, the alien and cyborg fighters are a lot more interesting looking.
Yeah, but so I guess we should get to who this actual fighter is. And now I don't know what else I'm familiar with this actor from, but he looked familiar, so I should have done the cross check on IMDb, but I never got there with him. But it's this actor who plays the main character, the human fighter, Steve Armstrong, who is just I was trying to decide what exactly his energy is and it is fruit of the loom briefs model.
Yes, it should come as no surprise that he was a model prior to getting into in the cinema. Yeah, his name is Paul Paul Sadderfield, and yeah, he's just He's an incredibly handsome six' four actor with blonde hair and like a flawless. Body he looks like he was cloned out of The frankenfurter. Vats you, know he's just all Like Rocky horror And Flash Gordon hello To.
Beef, yeah, yeah.
He has a he has a certain amount Of Christopher reeves in his, face you, Know, OKAY i see. That, yeah so very handsome chap and it's he apparently got his. Start his first film role of note was playing one of the shirtless kids in the raft segment Of Creep show two in nineteen eighty.
Seven that's. It that's WHERE i know him. From he's the he's the jock guy in. That that would make. Sense, yeah obviously he's not the.
Nerd, now apparently his mother was a, Musician Priscilla, coolidge the sister Of Rita, coolidge and his dad was a firefighter who died in the line of. Duty but then his stepdad growing up was music Legend BOOKER. T jones of the INSTRUMENTAL r AND b funk Group BOOKER t and the MG's. Wow, yeah, okay, Yeah SO i Think paul's perfectly great in, This like he's you, know he's
he's a beautiful human. Specimen he gives a solid. Performance he brings up and this is this is something it's sometimes hard to like really nail down in a, film but he really brings a believable physicality to this. Role you, know like he doesn't just look the, part but he kind of he moves like an. ATHLETE i think he was a former. Athlete SO i found myself kind of buying these scenes where he's you, know kickboxing against massive. Aliens like for some reason it felt.
Authentic, YEAH i will say in his sort of one of the handicaps operating in his favor is THAT i think this script does not ask a lot of. Him you, know it does not require a lot of nuanced emotional. Performance it's like he he mostly just like stands around and then does fights and looks good while he's doing either one and that that's that's about all that is required of Of Steve armstrong pretty.
Much now he has a he has a mentor in this, film and that is the Character.
Shorty, now While rocky Had Burgess meredith to like train him and you, know be be in his corner to sort of bring him up into the world of elite, Fighting, Yeah Steve armstrong Has, shorty who is like a cross Between Burgess meredith And goro because he's got four. Arms but he also he's a he's a Wise. Kraken he's just like a pun, city a pun.
Factory, yes, absolutely this character is a lot of, fun in part because the the four hands gimmick is actually pretty well. Done it's a mix of puppetry and then also like some sight gags involving somebody you, know clearly standing behind the. Actor to add the extra set of, arms as they like give Give Steve armstrong a rub down after a, match so you got four different hands
on him giving him a, massage that sort of. Thing but, this this character is played by an, actor folk musician and uh an and comedian by the name Of Hamilton.
Camp Was Hamilton camp ever a hobbit in The Peter jackson movies because he has that kind of his face looks kind of familiar from that sort of. Context it looks like he might have been hanging around the bar and the shire telling.
Stories he looks like he could. Have I'M i didn't see that OR i don't remember that from HIS IMDb, Page but, yeah he's he is a short. Fella he was he was five two apparently did a lot of like short gags over. Time BUT i mentioned the folk musician. Thing he actually has like a real legit musical. Background he most famously As Bob camp With Bob. Gibson this is like a sixties folk. Duo they did this album at The gate Of, horn which you can you can
find wherever you stream your. Music uh and he, yeah he. Had they had a whole string of albums. Too As Hamilton. Camp and you. Can you can look him. Up he has this beautiful singing. Voice he's doing a lot of these folk. Numbers but he was also he also did a lot OF tv. Work he did a lot of voice. Work if anyone out there ever Watched Dark Wing, duck he was the voice Of Gizmo duck they. Did do you remember this, Character.
Joe i'm not SURE i. Do maybe maybe IF i saw a video.
Like it's Like RoboCop If RoboCop were a duck and had like a like a unicycle motorcycle wheel for his lower.
Half, yeah, oh now that's ringing some. Bells, Okay, YEAH i definitely did Watch Dark Wing, duck so, yeah maybe that's back there.
Somewhere, yep he Was Gizmo. Duck, also this is going to become even more. Important, shortly he appeared On Star Trek Deep space nine playing a farrangi named let's see what was?
It.
Lek he played a farrangi Named lek Okay. R the next character of, note we have this Character, quinn who's like the good boxing, promoter played by A claudia christianably most famous for Playing Commander Susan ivanova on The Sci fi Series Babylon five from nineteen ninety four through nineteen ninety. Eight but she's also a successful voice, actor and she has acted in many of your favorite video. Games if you look her, up you'll see, That oh, yeah she
was in. That she was in. That she's been in several That i've played as.
Well Wasn't babylon? FIVE i never watched? It but wasn't it a show about a space station popular by all kinds of? Aliens?
YEAH i never watched it, religiously like enough to actually follow the larger, plot BUT i remember catching it from time to time and finding it pretty. Exciting you had some good makeup. Though she was not one of the characters that were. Alien she was just a, HUMAN i.
Believe, well i'd say she's good in this. Movie, yeah, yeah she's.
Good you know, again it's not requiring a lot of. Her this movie doesn't require a lot of heavy aet lifting from its acting roles for the most. Part but she's.
Good so now we got to get into the villains who are just. Wonderful so there's this villain called Rogue, or which is one of those things where like you can write the name down when you're writing a, script AND i think it works better on the page than it does when people say it out, loud because every time people say Rog, or it just doesn't sound like a real. Name, yeah Rog, or if that makes any sense on?
It, No, No, YEAH i would agree with. That Rog or is played By Mark. Almeo The this is an actor that everyone has definitely seen in. Something he Played, everett one Of kohagan's goons in the Original Total Recall Oh. Wow and most, notably he played the Sinister cardassian Gold. Ducket is that my saying that? RIGHT i haven't Watched Deep space nine in a long. Time was That?
GOLD i don't? Know or is It?
Ducat i'm not, sure Maybe, Ducot but, anyway Star trek Deep space, nine he was like the Villainous cardassian that showed up all the time In.
Arena he plays like this weird Debonair space vampire Sugar, daddy who's kind of Like Jason isaacs a little bit in vampire mode without that Deep Jason isaac's. Voice.
Yeah he's one of these actors THAT i think of as like a skull first actor who does a lot of acting like their skulls going to jump out of their, face and he also has a really prominent. NECK i read that on the set Of Deep space, nine his nickname was The.
Neck oh that's. FUNNY i didn't notice the neck as, much but now that you say, THAT i sort. OF i was thinking of him as like a, yeah facial bone structure kind of. Actor, yeah a forehead and jawline, first.
Yes so, yeah he makes for a fun lead villain in this a lot of typical villain. Stuff but of, course any villain needs a, henchman and he's got one In.
Weasel weasel is. Great weasel was the highlight of the. Movie, WELL i don't, know there are a lot of. Highlights most of them were, creatures And weasel is a great. Creature he was a human rat, creature, like he's kind of a purple human who has whiskers and rat.
Teeth yeap played by Armand, shimmerman who most of you would probably, recognize at least with makeup on because On Deep space nine he played The Ferangi. Quark, hmmm so this is like the Third Deep space nine connection in this. Film he also did a lot of other. Work he was the principal principal snyder On buffy the Vampire. Slayer oh, okay, yeah and he's done a lot of voice work as.
Well AND i also read that he's A shakespearean scholar and an author who wrote a book with an author by the name Of Michael scott About John dee Titled The Merchant prince that also seems to feature aliens and time. Travel oh kidok so you know that sounds. Fun we mentioned The Last Human champion who is not a thousand years, old and he doesn't have much of a role in. This he's just kind of a now he's just a
homeless bumb wandering the. Tubes but he's played by this Guy Ken, clark who was the lead in nineteen fifty Nine's attack of The Giant, leeches which is a film That Mystery Science theater three thousand fans may, remember.
Or you may have seen it several times and still not remember it.
That had memorable trash bag, monsters AS i, recall like The Giant leashes were like it was one of these very grimy looking pictures that kind of felt, weird it kind of felt real because it was just so.
Grimy was this one of the ones that was just like a blanket over dogs of?
It was of similar. Quality, yes all, Right up, Next Frank welker to creature voices in, this AND i suspect But i'm not. SURE i think he does the voice of our lead boxing Villain, horn who's kind of like a cyber. Minotaur But Frank welker is a name that anyone who's looked at the credits on an animated show where a film will be familiar. With welker is. Everywhere he's voiced. Everything he may even be voicing you right now while you're listening to this.
Show there are a lot of good growling alien voices in, this but we should get more into that later BECAUSE i must admit the version of this movie THAT i, saw the sound wasn't super, GREAT i think BECAUSE i most of the time could not Understand. Horn but we'll have to explain more About horn when we get into the full plot.
Breakdown all, Right, so as we discussed, before the executive producer on this one Was Charles, band and of Course Richard band did the music and then you, know so it's a band picture for. Sure Under Empire. Pictures imprint came out the same year As Robot. Jocks oh, yeah but, again the look of this FILM i think is really. Notable Kathy clark did the costume. Design she's the one who also gave us all of those wonderful jumpsuits and robot jocks and some really signature looks in Other band
produced films as, well Like Metal storm And Terror. Vision SO i feel like there's a, futuristic fun look to the costumes in this that certainly it maybe never looks like high, budget but it also never looks, cheap you, know like you don't feel like you're seeing things duct taped together from the local thrift shop or.
Anything there is a difference between good cheap special effects and good cheap set design and bad cheap special effects and bad cheap set. Design these are the good cheap corner of that. Scatterplot.
Yeah so in terms of the various special effects people and makeup people involved in, THIS i mean that's really one of the most remarkable things about this film is like all the aliens look so. Good so like Even horn is physically played by this Guy Mike, deek who is who is a special effects guy that's worked on a ton of films and occasionally plays. Creatures there's some other key names worth mentioning including the Late John Carl.
Buckler he was the special special makeup effects artist who did special, effects makeup or makeup on such films As, Reanimator friday The Thirteenth part.
Seven he actually Directed friday The Thirteenth part. Seven oh did?
He?
WOW i didn't realize. That, okay, well, yeah, okay even more reason to celebrate his. Name he worked on Various corman And band pictures as.
Well Friday Thirteenth part seven is another movie that IS i don't think anyone could make the argument that it's a good. Movie you probably couldn't argue that about any of The friday, movies but it has wonderful special, effects some of the best of the.
Series that's the one with The Psychic girl Versus, jason, right, yes, okay, SEE i feel like instantly that's the one you can, see like how many of The jason films can you really? Signify like there's the one where he's in, space there's the one where he's In New, york and there's the one where he Fights Psychic, girl.
Right, yeah the in reverse order that's, seven eight and.
Ten, okay, YEAH i mean aside from, that you can, say, okay there's one where he Fights, freddy and then there's one.
Where he there's one where it's Not.
Jason, yeah and then there's the one where he they say he goes to, hell but does he actually go to hell in that?
One that's.
Unclear, okay let's see other people have. Noted Alan monroe is credited as Additional Designer Colon, creature and he's a guy who worked on films Like, Beetlejuice men In, Black Near, dark just to name a. Few David stipes was visual effects supervisor and he worked On Star Trek Deep space, Nine Star trek The Next, generation And Star Trek.
Voyager, okay so we're hitting some familiar nodes over and. Over this seems like this may have been a sort of network recruitment effect.
Here, yeah it really has an embarrassment of riches from the on the special effects. Side because also you've got The Screaming Mad george crew in on this one as.
Well SO i don't know if everyone out there is familiar With Screaming Mad, george but they're A japanese born special effects makeup flesh wizard who seems to have had their hands or claws in a ton of wonderfully fleshy special effects, films including but not limited, To nightmare On Eils Street part three and, Four, Society, Free Big trouble In Little, China, Wow, predator and then he also directed a film Titled The Guy, ver which is kind of
This japanese flesh superhero suit picture that also Has Mark hamill in. It it's a weird.
One.
Uh he also worked On Necronomicon book of The.
Dead, oh is that the one THAT i Was i've been trying to find a copy of but it's out of print like, you or maybe it was never in print in a in the appropriate.
Region, yeah we've asked around about that, one and, yeah it's like what you can get it On GREEK dvd or something like something like. That so, Anyway Screaming Mad, GEORGE i feel like his his work always stands out to, me even IF i even If i'm not sure he's involved in the, PICTURE i CAN i can sense his presence because there's this this sense of the stuff that he. Creates they just feel it feels really, alive you, know
with with synthetic. Flesh synthetic. Flesh, okay and one last weird connection on this, One Victor georzanski was the first assistant director on this, film and he was also the first assistant director on the nineteen eighty six adaptation of The name of The.
Rose.
Wow probably meaningless connection, there but ONE i had to latch.
Onto, Nonetheless, WOW i really did not expect so many solid connections to well known works from this space boxing.
Movie, yeah especially all Those Star trek. Connections it's basically like latched to The it should be just a part of The Star trek, CANNON i think at this point.
Absolutely, Yeah like The enterprise just arrives, there they come, in they have to sort out a boxing commission dispute there without violating the prime. Directive, well, anyway are you ready to get into the full plot? Breakdown let's do, It, Okay so it starts with the opening. Credits you just kind of panning around in space watching the satellite Of love roll by these rocky planetoids that look very much
like the models In Mystery Science. Theater and then suddenly we cut to inside this space station and there's a. Fight it's this sort of boxing match in front of hundreds of cheering, fans and it's between this this gross veiny alien goat man with horns who looks a little Bit Freddy krueger, Ish so Think Freddy krueger goat. Horns, yeah that whole. Thing the other, FIGHTER i think is
even more difficult to. Describe he's some kind of alien lizard man wearing a giant spherical casing like a big garbage can lid around his upper, body and he's got these flailing robot, arms so he's not a. Robot there is supposed to be some kind of organic alien inside it who maybe doesn't have. Arms i'm not, sure because the arms are just the robot arms that are on
the outside of his. Suit but then those arms are not doing, anything so the way the fight goes is his robot arms are just literally just flopping around while the goat man wails on him. Mercilessly and we learn that these fighters are Named horn And. Spinner so the scary goat man Is horn and the robot lizard thing with the flailing arms Is. Spinner and we notice that
each fighter has a colored spotlight shining on. Them one is red and one is, blue and we get an explanation of how that works in a, bit BUT i still never really fully understand. It they say there's like a voiceover that, says in order to balance strength between, species the arena uses The saiko three thousand handicapping. System the handicappers decrease the fighter's, strength and so they, EXPLAIN i think it's that these spotlights somehow make stronger fighters
weaker until they're. Equal does that sound? Right?
Yes, okay that is the SENSE i got from, it and it's Something i'll come back to towards the end of the program here to. Discuss but, YEAH i think the idea is you have different species that are going to be, naturally you, know better at. Fighting it's kind of, like if you have we're gonna have a boxing match
between a human being and A bengal. Tiger, yeah you, know this system would it would make it to where The bengal tiger and a weaponless human could at least have some level of competitive, match assuming the training was in.
Place, okay. Cool and then so we see the fight play. Out horn is just beating On spinner and Then horn eventually wins the surround by Knocking spinner out of the. Ring so it seems like maybe there's some kind of sumo rules in.
Play, yeah there's a sense of sumo and then it's a you, know ultimately about knocking the opponent out of.
Bounce, yeah but, AGAIN i just you, KNOW i said this, earlier but it is so wonder. Like the crowd is just this corni ucopia of bizarre. Creatures It's Star wars canteena scene but multiplied times. Fifty, yeah and then we immediately meet Rogue or And. Weasel so, Again rogue Wor
or is the the the Debonair space vampire. GUY i, MEAN i don't think he's supposed to be a, vampire BUT i say that because he's got the hair and the face of a guy who gets cast as one of these smooth vampires in a movie like in like The twilight series or SOMETHING.
I could never understand stand in this film of his face is supposed to be like if they painted, it or he's supposed to be, greasy like physically. Greasy, well he's very. Shiny, yeah, yeah he's a very shiny, character but NOT i mean not so much that it's completely clear that he's supposed to be some sort of humanoid alien or.
Not, Yeah i'm not quite sure about Rogue, or but definitely The weasel who we see screwing around in the. Crowd he like drops a firecracker on somebody who's selling popcorn or. Something, yeah And Weasel weasel's just a his you, know it's a very nominative, Determinism like he's a weaseley. Guy he has a rat like, face and he's always up to no. Good and then we see Weasel weasel sort of the enforcer for Rog. Or he's sort of his.
Fixer he does his dirty. Business and at Rogue ors say, So weasel goes down and we see him Give horn an injection of something in between. Rounds IT'S i think suggesting that they're giving him some kind of illegal performance enhancing. Drug you, know they're shooting him up with VITAMIN. R and then that Makes horn into a super beast and he just freaks out and runs in there and busts Up spinner really. Bad.
Yeah and not only is he a monster against some sort of Like Freddy krueger, minotaur but he's also at least half, machine you, know heavily cybernetically, enhanced and he's also on some sort of space.
Steroid, Right and then meanwhile we cut away to a different place where we're in a space station diner where the Young Steve, armstrong our hero, again the guy who looks like a fruit of the loom underwear. Model you would see him in a catalog in the nineties showing off his, glutes and he is working as some kind of short order cook in this space diner where everybody's watching The arena fight ON. Tv and he's watching it longingly because you, know it's obvious from the beginning that
he wants to be in. There he wishes it was him beating up On. Spinner BUT i have to, Say Steve armstrong does not look like a short order. Cook he's like too tall to operate the cooking apparatus in front of.
Him. Yeah, yeah he's a very tall. Guy like, again he's like six' four and when he's, up there when he's in there Next, to shorty he just looks like an. Absolute.
Giant Yeah so steve and His buddy shorty are both working in the diner and they're clearly they're overworked and overwhelmed. The customers they're too many customers and, they're Unruly and steve is trying. To cook it looks like he's trying to cook over and, open fire which is kind of strange that would be happening inside a, space Station and shorty is at the counter dealing with, unruly customers and they sort of steal a joke From The Star Wars.
Holiday special, You know shorty trying to get, everything done but, HE'S like i have only got.
Four hands it's one of a few different places in this MOVIE where i thought Of The, holiday SPECIAL though i think in every case it does a better job Than The. Holiday special but, of course how could it do anything, but?
Right, Right yeah, but anyway somehow a fight breaks out in, the diner And then steve has to throw down to defend His, buddy shorty and he ends up kicking this fish head type alien through a bunch of, plate glass And immediately Steve and shorty are informed via like a voiceover that comes on IN the pa system that they are.
Both fired they are TERMINATED for i, DON'T know i guess for getting into a fight at, the diner and so they both lose, their jobs and they walk out of, the diner apparently leaving it, completely unstaffed and this fishhead guy's lying in a bunch, of GLASS and i have to point out here there WAS already i mentioned one Of the. Shorty Puns but i've only got four. Hands, HERE actually i don't know if that's. A pun Sorry
if i'm using the. Words wrong all the, Corny jokes and the next one comes In where shorty he's bringing him rapid fire and one of the things he says is were you? Cloned yesterday but that makes me wonder is there a background in this movie where, in fact no one is quote, born anymore but everyone? Is cloned and also what is what is? The distinction because aren't cloned creatures? Still, BORN yeah i.
Don't know it's just how they it's just how they talk in the future at, this point, because yeah. They don't they don't get into really any world building in. This, on uh, you know aside from just the. Purely visual what you see is what. You get the movie's not going to really hold your hand and explain anything aside from just basically how the.
Fight, works no it's not going To robot jock's lengths to sort of show show you the. Whole, situation yeah, but, anyway so now being out of, The job steve is broke and he gets kicked out of his apartment and so he has to shack Up with shorty and and it turns out AT first i, thought this they like open this weird door in, a HALLWAY and i thought that they were Going into, shorty's HOUSE so i thought
the implication Was that shorty lives in this dank. Access tunnel, but no it turns out they just have to go through this dank access tunnel to get to a place known As, the tubes WHICH is i think it is like the poor part of the. Space station it's where the non rich, inhabitants live and it's kind of. Blade runnery it's just there's like steam and fog everywhere and a bunch of people just hanging around on what would
be the equivalent of the streets inside the. Space station, and anyway while, they're walking we find Out that steve used to be a fighter in what's known as the, human circuit and that he came to the space station hoping that he could fight in. The arena but they lament that there's just no room for human. Fighters now it's all. Cyborg aliens that's the only thing anybody's, interested in and it's widely known that no human could ever be. A, contender.
Again YEAH and i mean more, than, that like how entertaining is it to watch humans battle humans if you've got these other creatures to, Watch, INSTEAD like, i mean would you watch two humans battle if you could watch like a space scorpion and a sea blob battle?
Each, other, No, EXACTLY no i want To see Chewbacca versus job Of, the hut not human. Versus human so they Get to, shorty's apartment they spend. The night the, Next morning shorty's in the middle of cooking something that looks. Really revolting it's just this like, beige slime and they talk about how eggs are an expensive. Luxury ITEM so i, DON'T know i guess that's sort of oblique. World building and then there's a knock at the Door and steve.
Answers it these two goons are standing there and one of them just punches him right in, the face which. Is great these two goons. Bust in They beat. Steve up the fight moves out into the streets again of, the tubes and a big fight, scene ensues.
And Of course steve wins, this encounter and we shortly found find out that these are the goons of another. Boxing promoter These are, quinn's, Goons.
Right So claudia Christian playing quinn shows up and we find out that the fishhead Guy that steve beat up in the diner was actually an arena fighter, elite level and the guys there to Beat. UP steve i guess could you figure? This out were they supposed to be giving him some sort of Tryout at, quinn's prompting or were they just out to get revenge for him beating up one of.
THEIR guys i think it was just. Straight justice that WAS.
What i got out. Of it but, either Way once quinn, shows up she's clearly interested In getting steve into. The arena she wants him on. Her Team, but steve at first he refuses. The call, you know he will not heed the call. To adventure steve just wants a ticket Back, to earth but unfortunately he can't. Afford it so then there is a great Scene where Steve and shorty have to get some money To get steve a ticket Back. To earth so they end up going to a Casino
because shorty has a guaranteed system to win the. Big BUCKS and i gotta say about one of my favorite things about this whole casino scene is that they Got to it's like, a speakeasy so they got to say the password to get in through the. Secret door, you know they open up the little slot in, the DOOR and i love the alien who's operating. The door the Password, is swordfish and the alien who's operating the door has THESE massive i don't know how this like tusk trunk
apparatus coming Way to it's got like a two foot. Long.
Chin, yes, yeah again the awesome alien designs and alien makeup effects are just in every corner of.
The, film Yeah but shorty's got a guaranteed system to win the. Big bucks that's some kind of alien, gambling thing and it doesn't go. SO well i. Don't know do you have general thoughts about this. ALIEN casino i really loved, the SCENE and i have TO say i am Not A last. JEDI hater i Enjoyed The, last JEDI but i was not a huge fan of its casino. See quins this this casino sequence is The better.
Alien casino, OH well I MEAN i i don't remember the casino Sequence And last jedi, as much which maybe that that says something, About IT but, i don't, YOU know i certainly don't remember. DISLIKING it i liked. This one, BUT again i just saw this film the, other day, so yeah it's it's. Really good it also has like a dancing, hologram lady which is another point in the film that reminded me directly Of The Star Wars. Holiday special, oh, right yes but again it's another scene that's just a
feast for. The eyes there's all sorts of crazy stuff, going on lots of cool.
Looking aliens, WELL wait i don't know is the DANCE if i might, be forgetting is the dancing hologram lady in the casino itself or is she only in the bar they go. To afterwards maybe she's in the Bar, after, okay no we'll get to that in just. A, second no first we got to, mention that can you explain the plot here? To me for, some reason violence breaks out in, the CASINO and I don't i didn't understand. Understand WHY maybe i should have gone back and watched.
It again But suddenly weasel's there and people are shooting lasers at, each OTHER and i didn't know who was shooting at who. Or why there's. Some alien there's like this alien with an, aluminum head this like reflective silver METAL.
Had i think those are. The, robocops okay that's, the thing is the cop. Showed up they busted up, the joint and so in, The chaos shorty just grab, some money, Right.
Right, okay yes, All right so they grab the Money and Shorty and steve get out, of there and then they go to, a bar and this is where The hologram. Lady happens so IN my i wonder to what extent this was because of the degraded audio and the VERSION that i watched her if it's like, This Naturally but Steve and shorty sit at a bar and they watched, this singing dancing green, hologram lady and the music that she is singing over is. Audio horror it just it's
like the one of the Worst sounds i've. Ever heard it's the sound of a k hole spiral around the thought of what it's like to.
Be, dead yes this was kind OF what i got out OF the dvd copy of the film, as WELL because i think it's an incident of SOMETHING that, I don't, I can't i don't. Like it it's not like this IS something i enjoy, listening TO but i enjoy encountering it, in films and that is when somebody was clearly called upon to create, futuristic music which is a, unique challenge
like what do? You do how Do you you're going to try and create something that we don't, have now that maybe we wouldn't like now but we would like in.
The future and so a lot of times that in like sometimes they'll just create something that's maybe, you know tying into current trends and fringe trends that, are emerging, you know like if it's some sort of a, cyberpunk film like they'll suddenly there'll be a bunch of like reggae and you'll, be, like okay, you know, all right it's some sort of reggae or maybe they've taken some dub,
or something or it's whatever is popular and. New now but other times they do THIS which i, don't know is kind of like it's sort of, space jazzy but but it doesn't feel it doesn't feel like this could possibly be the music of. The future but you understand what they were trying. To do it's a, like again it's a It's a i'm sure it's a fascinating musical exercise to engage on.
Well what for whatever it was supposed. To be it was like one of the most Awful sounds i've. Ever, heard yeah and just this, Horrible dissonance and everybody's sitting at the bar is clearly just. Watching enraptured they're watching this hologram lady and, they're like she's. So amazing there's this admiral acbar looking dude whose eyes are swiveling around like fan blades and he's sticking his. Tongue, out yes.
That's one of the. Great things like just little moments like this, have extravagant extravagant special effects with the makeup in, That towe like it's not just that there's an alien, Watching, this, like no he's like every orifice of his face is involved in.
The situation in. THIS scene i also really like there's a guy in. The background you don't see, him much but he's sort of in the back whose head just looks like a huge gray clay pot and his eyes are just holes in.
The pot now have We met skull yet at this point or does he show?
Up? Later, OH yeah i think we've. Met skull Skull is, oh gee how to. Describe skull skull looks like one of the Deadites from army, of darkness but with.
Cybernetic, implants yeah he's he's like a cyborg brain augmentation junkie who's also. A hacker, so yeah he looks. Absolutely HORRIFYING and, i say HE but i. DON'T know i know that the actor who played them is, a HEAT but i have no Idea if skull is supposed to be male. Or female AND first i kind of thought maybe this, is like This is, weasel's partner they're life partners, or SOMETHING and i don't think that's. THE case i
think they just. Work, together okay but, But yeah skull is horrendous looking and is part of the whole criminal.
Enterprise here, so Yeah so weasel is on the scene in. The bar weasel shows up and pulls a Gun On steven shorty and takes them back To rogue or for some classic. Villain intimidation the rogu, wars like you owe. Me money steve needs to get money to Pay rogu war. Back for what does he need to pay him? Back for did they steal money from? His? Casino, is yes.
So That Was rogu wor's money that they stole from the busted, up casino Which then shorty used to Buy the. Earth ticket, so yeah So when roguar like brings, him in, HE'S like i want my. Money back you stole it. From me and, HE'S like i have, the ticket and then, he's like this isn't even this doesn't cover the cost of what. YOU stole i want the. Actual money so.
They hold shorty hostage while they Wait for steve to go get the money to. Pay back and there's a great little scene in THERE where i guess the hours are, going by and then you See that Shorty and weasel are both are playing cards with, each OTHER and i think maybe they're both trying. To, cheat yeah but Of course steve comes back and he gets, the money he Bails. Out shorty and where did he get, The, money well it's an advance because he Went to quinn and he promised to ox aliens for, Her.
Right and so now this is basically the. Whole setup how are we gonna get this guy in the ring? Fighting, aliens well now, we're, Here.
Right and now now the movie is just kicked into. Full gear it's in arena mode until. The end SO and i would say maybe the highlight of the whole movie for Me was steve's, first fight which is where he fights a giant dinosaur slug like it's a it's a slug with Sort of tyrannosaurus rex head and little t, rex arms but with giant grasshopper legs And A freddy.
Krueger, face yeah this creature's name is sloth and it. Is incredible it's just An incredible like they were so ambitious in creating and bringing this character to life, on SCREEN and i feel like they really pulled. It OFF like i totally bought this as an. Organic creature it's just it's splendid.
To, Behold YEAH and i, don't know it's it's absurd like watching them Fight because steve is throwing punches, at it. You, know yeah it's like this job of the hut grasshopper is like twenty times bigger. Than him but he does. EVENTUALLY win i think he figured he does some kind of special. Little tactic he targets its nerve or something.
What day like punches it in a nerve on. ITS side I think shorty's like, telling, him like go for the go for the, sensory nerve go for the, sensory nerve and so he does.
Yep bum rock. Yep bum but it's Victory. For Steve so steve wins this first, big fight and, it's fame, it's glory. It's money he's instantly. A celebrity the audience eats, it up and then everything's Coming Up steve armstrong and then like that NIGHT he's i think it's supposed to be, that night he's like at a. Swanky club so he goes from, you know sleeping on couches in, the tubes to being at a swanky.
Club, overnight yeah it's, AND really i guess this is kind of a typical structure for some sort of a boxing or, competition, film right because, what's important first, big match and then you kind of montage all the, middle stuff and then it's going to be the last, big match like the. Championship, match yes, exactly so but there's a there's a FUNNY part i thought when Step and quinn are talking after his first.
Big victory so they're out at the. Swanky club they're in a booth and she starts telling this story about how her father used to run a stable of fighters in. The arena but that was back when it was a, real sport before rogue or turned it into. A business, she says this, with contempt and it's this odd nostalgia for the early days of this brutal. GLADIATORIAL institution i,
DON'T know i don't really. Get it but the message is that the arena could be, a beautiful, noble thing but under rogue or it's all about.
That cash what if this competition used to settle intergalactic turmoil and then it just got too commercial, For everybody like we'll just do it for entertainment and we'll just have actual wars that would.
Make sense he used to be champion warfare like, robot chocks but now or like in the, short story, but yeah now it's just all about rogue or raking in the. Big bucks and so, She said, Quinn says i'm just trying to keep my dad's. Dream alive so we find Out, that Horn remember horn from, The beginning he is Still rogu or's, top fighter and he comes Up to Steve and quinn in the club and menaces them in. Some
ways BUT again i could not understand anything he. Was, SAYING occasionally i picked out the word HUMAN that i assume he was using as a pejorative And horn horn also says his own name. A.
LOT yeah i think this Is A frank, welker voice and he could have just been saying anything and you would know what. He's saying like he's just saying he's great human suck and he's going To beat armstrong in the next.
BIG match i must break HIM or i must. Break you but it's Like gore. O voice yeah so, yeah here but here we go into. Montage mode we're just sort of like quickly Montaging through steve beating a bunch of different. Aliens up it's like the musical Scene In raging bull with the slow, motion FIGHTS and i think at one point it does a split screen it like shows you four different fights at the.
Same, time yeah he's just working his way up, the ranks fighting. Various aliens but then eventually the commissioner of the Arena forces rogor To give steve a chance To fight horn for, the Title and rogor is not happy about this because it's, His, fighter HORN who i don't know why he DOESN'T want, I mean horn should be, fighting people right if he's, the, champion right and if this other, guy's popular you think, like that it sounds
like a big. Money match shouldn't everybody want? That match, but again you just kind of roll.
WITH it i guess it doesn't make a lot, of sense and it Seems like rogor should be. With this, But anyway Rogue or Weasel and skull plan to cheat by hacking into the. HANDICAPPING system i remember the red and blue Spotlights The sea core, three THOUSAND and i really don't fully understand how those are supposed, to work but they're supposed to make the. Fight fair and, they're like we're gonna hack it to make.
It, Unfair well Weasel and skull, are like we can, do this we can hack, into it and And rogu war, IS, like a, that's IMPOSSIBLE AND b i have another plan. That'll work oh.
That's, Right yeah rogue, wors like no one has ever Hacked the. Sekor, Before uh but they're they're going to figure it out Because because skull's got like a computer in uh in his or.
Her, brain, yeah Yeah they're they're, like again they're They're gonna they're all hopped up on the AUGMENTS and i think they can take it.
Down. Right uh in, the meantime there's also a great training Scene where steve fights this giant. Ripped armadillo he wasn't in the. MOVIE much i think it was just. The SCENE but i really Like. THIS armadillo i wanted him to be more of.
A character i think he was supposed to be like a. Stable mate so they're just training together because afterwards, they're, like hey, you know pretty good, in, There kid you doing? All?
Right yeah, but yeah Just imagine armadillo with like. Giant. Muscles yeah but then there's there's this Part where steve has a romance with this lady who Works. For roguar now here's A question i wasn't sure about the. Answer to this woman is somebody who comes And, meets Steve and steve is clearly very interested. In her are we to understand that she was the woman singing in the? HOLOGRAM earlier i think she was.
SINGING earlier i can't remember if she's the hologram woman or she was on stage, and okay she was a performer earlier. For, sure okay but but she is also will find it she's also With. Rogu or She's rogu, or's vixen.
Right and she so she has a brief Romance, with steve but she tries to do. Something devious she tries To get steve to. Drink something it's a it's a toast to the, new championship and obviously it is the opposite of the vibe an r that They're. GIVING horn i don't know what's supposed to be in, the drink but it's it's something That makes.
Steve, weak yeah the long and short of it is she seduces him and, poisons Him and steve just, never think he never even second guesses any of his, Choices here like this just seems like the thing to do when everybody watching it knows exactly what's going, to happen like that that woman is going to, Poison. You steve that's clearly what's going.
To, happen yeah she like comes over with these two glasses and he's just, like yep down.
The hatch but it's implied that she, doesn't well she doesn't poison. Him enough perhaps That's what rogoran is Accusing Of VIX and i, was like you clearly didn't give him, enough poison because he does not.
Die right so he gets to a doctor in time and he's able. To fight so it's the morning of the big Fight between Steve, and horn and the doctors get him in. Shipshape again and so they start, the fight and at first it, seems like, you know it's just an. Even fight they're. Trading blows steve's. Doing good
but then of course there is Meddling by Weesel. And skull they're up there hacking the handicapping system and it looks like they're, hacking WORKS so i guess they either turn it off or they meddle with it in such a way that it that It enhances. Horn's Power so horn really starts getting the upper hand in, the fight And then shorty has to go to. The rescue he like runs up into the catwalks above the fight where the computer system, is Housed And shorty shorty can slam like he Beats up weasel.
Really, good yeah And then weasel does a nice fall to his death off.
The top Oh and skull's head explodes for.
Some reason, oh, yeah yeah it gets Too, much yeah while he's hacking and then has his. Skull explodes and that's pretty pretty nice.
As well so the ending is. Quite predictable it is Victory. For steve Steve, defeats horn and it's very rocky for But Replace ivan drego with this horned goat beast and Replace The soviet union.
With.
Space, yeah again it's just a standard boxing trope plot. Line here. You know you could you can, well imagine like any other some other tropes they could have put, In there like they could easily have done a sequel perhaps where you have like An older steve and he's asked to take a dive in one last fight by the mob and refuses to. Do it that sort. Of thing it's that kind.
Of.
World yeah now there's been this boxing announcer who has has little moments throughout, the movie and the movie ends with, him talking, you know as the crowd is Cheering. For steve it ends with this announcer uttering this very. Bizarre statement, he says as long as There Are steve armstrong's out there in, the universe there will always. Be contenders something about the. Tenses there i'm not, quite sure but. That's.
Arena yeah, so yeah it doesn't really. Mean much it doesn't really have a message, per se but it's just it's a it's a nice movie with just incredibly. Weird creatures it it's a creature fest for.
The, eyes yes it's all about. The creatures that is the reason to watch this movie is.
The creatures so ONE thing i wanted to talk about in reference to this film is just the idea, of having first, of all interspecies fights where you have creatures from, different species, you know the, different planets, different ecosystems fighting.
Each other and again the idea, is, that yes some creatures are just going to be naturally stronger, than others naturally faster, than others and if you want to have fair competition take place between, the two you have to use this, handicapping system this dampening system that makes one of, the fighters like physically weaker so that they can have a.
COMPETITIVE match i thought it was interesting that basically all of the difference between the species is conceptualized just in terms of a difference, in strength like just, muscle strength how hard can they throw, a punch and not like chemical differences like do they? Breathe oxygen do they have like different types of metabolism and, body speed or like
heat and. Cold, tolerances no it's just everything. Breathes oxygen it's all basically like just weird different kinds, of creatures but with standard.
Earth, chemistry yeah yeah. You have they don't get too complicated.
With that it's just the other creatures, are yeah, physically stronger and in some cases they are cybernetically enhanced and also sometimes chemically enhanced, as well and we see all, of that of Course, with horn who's just all gnarled muscle and, cybernetic enhancements and of course bringing in the idea of, a bull you get the idea that he has like bull, Like strength so getting out of the like just purely fantastic side, of this we could say that this film deals with a lot of certainly non
human boxing and interaction between our human hero and these various alien and, Cyborg fighters and in this actually touches on a topic of some, academic interest humanism. And. SPORTS huh i actually ran across a PhD thesis thesis that gets into this, regarding Boxing Specifically Gerard James brady's transhumanism And the transformation Of the Experience and spectacle In the Art of boxing from. Twenty, eighteen okay so is.
The concept, here, that like how would sports be and be affected by people taking into their physical body sort of different types of technological upgrades that might make them stronger or faster.
Or, whatever right what if one boxer in the future is cybernetically augmented or, chemically augmented. Genetically, augmented like what if you end up with one boxer Looking like horn and he's going in fighting an otherwise, human boxer like you would kind of you would. Create this you would be able to turn what we think of as like normal boxing into this. Alien spectacle and then what would?
That mean so it's a it's a long paper that gets into a lot of the nuts and bolts, of this but, In it brady talks about the transhuman quote tipping point, in boxing which he describes as quote the point at which the athlete is unable to identify the actions and therefore the achievements, as his and also the point where the audience is unable to engage verritically with. The athletes so on the, first count the question is at what point is the individual just lost in this world,
of cybernetic genetic and or. Chemical, enhancements horn, for instance seems to, be able seems to be at least half machine at this point he benefits from THESE vitamin. R injections so does the sport reach a Point where horn would no longer feel the victories as his? Own victories does the fight cease to feel like.
A fight he does not, seem to at least in the context of. This movie he thinks those victories are. His victories he won't even he can't stop saying his. Own name he's so proud.
Of, himself true he's seems really into. It, now interestingly this is a point IN the i think we can agree that the more thought Provoking Film robot jock does act ask. This point it does sort of raise his question at, some point, you know at what point is the human inside neither soldier nor pilot but a. Mere, Mechanic right, but again they don't really get into that in.
This film but, But anyway brady argues that there's a point at which the athlete will lose interest in the sport if enough levers are pulled on changing who they are and what. They are and on the, other point the
audience has to believe in it enough for it to feel. Like, REALITY now i think worked in semi worked sports and fights blur the line a, Bit here, but yeah you have to be able to believe in the sport you're, presented with or at least be able to suspend your own disbelief in order in order to.
Watch, It, right, well yeah that's a. GOOD point i hadn't thought about. Work sports so you're talking about sports that would involve like an element of k fabe, or something is?
That, right yeah some, some degree either it's partially worked or it's, entirely worked like.
Professional, wrestling okay so in, professional wrestling is it is a staged theatrical performance that involves athleticism in. The theatricality but obviously people are still interested in, watching it like it's still fun, to watch and so the question is, That's funny like in, professional wrestling you can know that about it and still enjoy. Watching it but if people thought that supposedly real, boxing matches if they were to suddenly discover that it, were worked that seems like that
would make people lose interest. In it, You, know.
Well if you know, it's worked then every match has to, be entertaining.
YOU know, i, mean yeah.
THAT'S true i feel like there are certain demands that are made ON legitimate, i mean there are certain demands that are in place on. Work sports there aren't there as much on, legitimate sports, You know and THEY'RE like i remember seeing it, mentioned, that well when you have a. Shoot match when it's like not a, work match sometimes the wrong, person wins, you know like you can't orchestrate things to that degree if it's just a legitimate competition
for the. Most part, But anyway brady ends up summarizing this idea of this tipping point, by saying in terms, of boxing my instinct is to say that, this point the, tipping point will be reached if and when the fighters lose their appearance of vulnerability and where it seems as though their struggle and determination to hear the sound of the final bell. IS removed i could.
SEE that i mean a lot of the appeal, of sports especially a very personal sport like one on one boxing is a drama and a sort of like you're seeing not just a physical contest like who can throw a, stronger punch but it seems to be a contest of. Individual wills and if you reach a point where it doesn't you're not really seeing a personal in the fighter anymore come through in, their struggle then maybe the sport loses interest for a lot.
Of, spectators YEAH and I think i think this point is really interesting when we think about arena here and perhaps this is an area where one might lean in and sort of to create explanations for what's happening in. The film But because, i'm thinking like that, dampening technology that, handicamping technology the blue and the red lights, in arena maybe they exist to ensure that the boxing is a struggle for even the naturally powerful or cybernetically, enhanced combatants,
you know to keep it. A struggle so it seems like that it's not just about keeping it fair for all the, species involved but making sure that it is in fact a rewarding endeavor for both the fighters and, the audience.
Because the audience want to see, a struggle like they don't want to see just like two machines that are sort of maxed out in their competence executing their functions appropriately until one of them can't do. It anymore they want to see, a, Drama.
Right and so perhaps the dampening technology is there to insure drama and to ensure that that, both combatants or at least one, of them, is, vulnerable right because you don't want to just see meat machines like whaling on. Each other you want to see, this tension this drama of the. Boxing, MATCH yeah i.
BUY that I mean i don't think about things like boxing a. Whole lot but that seems that seems like a reasonable read.
To, ME yeah i know we have, SOME well i certainly know we have some combat enthusiasts, out There and i'm sure we have some boxers, as Well so i'd be interested to hear what any of you have. To, say again that Thesis is transhumanism And the transformation Of the Experience and spectacle In the Art of boxing from, twenty eighteen and it's available online if you look around.
For, It rob should we wrap it? Up there i've really enjoyed Talking about.
Arena, TODAY yeah i guess it's time to wrap. It up first, of all let's touch on where you get. THIS film i think a full version of this film has been up on YouTube for a number. Of years i'm not sure where you were able to, Watch, it JOE but i saw. It, there yeah it, was there AND then i watched it on this wonderful Packet From.
Shout factory they put out a four picture pack titled Sci Fi movie marathon and It includes america, Three Thousand arena Eliminators And The time guardians Which Has carrie fisher. In it and you can get this four movie pack for about, eight bucks so definitely worth. CHECKING out i want TO mention i looked for it for this film here but didn't. See it but we had a Listener Named. GOLDEN sardine i think that that is. Their birthname they wrote in and they wanted to tell us About. Tub tubi.
They said quote at the end Of The robot, jocks episode you mentioned that it was hard to find. On, Streaming well i'm pleased to say that there is a very good resource for streaming trash movies. For free it's Called toob it Has Both robot Jocks And. ROBOT wars i Recently Watched chopping mall after. You reviewed i've been hitting the holiday horror of late with Winners Like, Jack Frost,
thanks Killing and Ginger. Dead man other FUTURE garbage i have my eye On Includes, Puppet Masters Demonic Toys, plus Crossover And. Stay Tuned Is.
Stay tuned a movie or were they Saying To?
STAY tuned I Think stay tuned Is if i'm, not mistaken it is one Of The crossing. Channels films this whole sort of in the wake of cable and, satellite television you had a number of different films come out about people being sucked INTO various, tv channels which is a SUBGENRE that i find. Very FASCINATING but i Think stay tuned was one. Of, those also before we close, OUT here i want TO mention i Don't think i've mentioned this on the, show BEFORE but i have a
Website Titled samuta Music. Dot Com simuta music is the Music in dune which drug addicts listen to correspond with their space. Drug high but that's a sem utamusic. Dot com That's where i've been putting up, blog posts Mostly About Weird house cinema. These days So When Weird house cinema, GOES up i put a little blog, post up and if there's any related MEDIA then i need a LINK to i throw it in there. As. Well nice, all right so. We're got we'll go and close out this
Episode Of Weird. House cinema, as always if you want to support, this show a rate review and subscribe wherever You get stuff to blow. Your mind stuff to Blow your mind is the. Main show Stuff to Blow your mind is the. Podcast feed we just put out a Little weird house every Week, on friday, you know just to spice things up a.
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