Ahoy, squirts! Quint here. For years I've toyed with the idea of doing a Summer companion to the Holiday Gift Guide. In the last 10 years I have received many requests for another guide, but I've always resisted it for a few reasons. First and foremost, I'm very proud of the Holiday Gift Guide and wouldn't want to lessen what makes that monster of an article feel so special every year.
I'm also really lazy and even the mere thought of mounting a second guide of the size and scope of the one I do every November makes my fingers ache.
However, the time has come to give this thing a shot. There are too many pre-order items that sell out before November and stuff that gets just plain too old to include by the end of the year, so here we go with the first Summer Geek Guide.
This breaks down very similarly to the Holiday Guide and yes there are some cool contests sprinkled throughout.
Each item will fall under a broad category (Blus, Toys, Music, Art, etc) and then further broken down by price: Cheap ($24.99 and under), Moderate ($25.00-$70.99), Expensive ($71.00-$249.99) and For The Super Rich Only ($250.00 and up).
My intent when starting this was to go about half as big as the Holiday Gift Guide, but as usual the further down the rabbit hole of awesome geek items I went the more I just had to put into the guide, so my Summer Guide baby grew a bit bigger than I anticipated. It's not as huge as the Holiday Guide, but it's close.
This thing takes a long, long time to put together and I tried to keep the prices as current as possible, but it's possible some have shifted from writing these sections to when it sees print, so don't be too mad if the prices aren't 100% accurate.
As usual, many of the items linked carry and affiliate tag, which means I get a little kickback if you click through and order something. It's always a big help whenever you guys do that, so thanks in advance if you do.
Now, let's get to the fun stuff! Part 1 of the Summer Geek Guide covers Blu-Rays/DVDs, Art and Geek Apparel! Let's ggggggggooooooooooo!
DVDS/BLUS
Cheap ($24.99 and under)
William Friedkin has made this release and restoration a personal crusade for years and this amazing transfer is the final result. Released in digibook form, Friedkin's often overlooked masterpiece Sorcerer finally has its day in the sun. Featuring post-Jaws Roy Scheider, sweating dynamite and the most fucked up bumpy roads that exist on God's green earth, this is one of the most intense films ever made. This is a must own for any self respecting movie geek. $22.99
Cheap Thrills is one of my favorite movies in recent memory. It's a hell of an audience movie, so why not impress your friends by gathering them all together and watching this macabre dark comedy. Afterwards you can start betting each other to do really depraved shit! For the low price of a pinky finger you can probably have the Blu-Ray paid off by that first viewing. It just makes economic sense. $21.21.
Slightly less dirty, but no less fun is the Tom Hanks '80s comedy classic Bachelor Party, which just hit Blu-Ray for the first time. I love funny Tom Hanks. That was my first introduction to him, so I'll always have a soft spot for Bachelor Party/Big/Dragnet/Money Pit/Splash style Hanks. Bachelor Party isn't exactly what you'd call his most polished comedy, but Hanks is so hungry to prove himself here that he's a ridiculous ball of energy in every shot, making it impossible not to love the flick. $12.74
Blazing Saddles 40th Anniversary Blu-Ray. It's incredible to me that this movie is 40 years old. It's as biting and fresh as anything hitting screens today. You know, I actually brought this into my 9th grade English class back in those barbaric VHS days and convinced my teacher to let the class watch it. She only looked up from grading papers once, around the 40th utterance of the n-word, and said, “I really don't like that word,” and went back to grading. Flat out hilarious, if you don't already own it now's the time. The price is right, you get the important bonus features from the previous Blu release, a new featurette and little postcards with images from the movie. It's twue, it's twue, it's twue! $16.99.
Kenny Powers ends his story in epic fashion with this final season of the fantastic Eastbound and Down. It's a hell of a series that I kind of can't believe made it four whole seasons. I guess HBO ain't TV, like they say, but an awfully likeable fuckhead like Kenny leading a show is still damn peculiar. Jody Hill and Danny McBride go together so damn well and I hope we get more adventures from them in the not too distant future. $24.96.
It's another year, so there's another version of Sam Raimi's Evil Dead available on home video! This time his classic balls-out low budget horror classic is available in a nifty Steelbook format Blu-Ray. If for some weird reason you don't already own any of the other 2,000 editions of Evil Dead on Blu, then this is the one to grab. The price is right and steelbooks look so lovely on the shelf, don't they? $12.99.
If you're thinking of crossing Michael Caine watch this movie and you'll think twice. Harry Brown drew a lot of comparisons to this earlier Caine masterpiece of revenge, but it's not a wart on the ass of this flick. Erase all memory of that woefully misguided Sylvester Stallone remake and add this newly released Blu-Ray to your collection for only $9.96.
Amistad isn't usually brought up in most conversations about Spielberg films, but it's a testament to his career that he can make a movie as good as this and have it be considered “lesser Spielberg.” Finally on Blu, you can get Amistad for $15.96.
Life Aquatic is generally considered lesser Wes Anderson, but man do I love this movie. Weirdly I wouldn't disagree that it's low on the Anderson list, but much like Spielberg's Amistad it speaks volumes of how good a filmmaker he is if this zany and hugely entertaining tale of bearded Bill Murray hunting the shark that ate his friend is one of his worst movies. Criterion has released this title with a brand new transfer and new bonus materials. A steal at $24.98.
We're not done with Criterion Wes Anderson yet, by God! Fantastic Mr. Fox also recently underwent the Criterion treatment, including an all new digital transfer. You've all seen this, I'm sure, so you don't need me to go on and on about how cool it is that Anderson paid homage to great heist films with stop motion animals. It's great and one of those movies that only seems to get better with each viewing. $24.74.
I loved Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson's throwback to the screwball comedies of the '30s and '40s. The best thing about this gorgeous, hilarious movie is that it'll turn people onto some great stuff, like The Thin Man Series or the films of Preston Sturges. Anderson has the Tarantino-like ability to make hyper-stylized throwbacks that are 100% his own personality. Grand Budapest is no exception and I love it all the more because of that. $19.96.
ONCE is one of the most unique, touching and realistic music-driven romances ever made and now it's finally on Blu-Ray in this Amazon exclusive release. The film was shot on video on a low budget, so the real reason to have a high def version is for the sound. The music won a well-deserved Oscar. I worry that this title will fade from the radars of even folks like you guys who pay close attention to all sorts of movies. Hopefully now that it's on Blu that'll keep it visible for many more years to come. $15.99
Plastic Galaxy: The Story of Star Wars Toys is exactly what you'd think a doc with that title would be. I'd wager this one will strike a powerful nostalgia chord with most of you guys reading this. Filled with interviews with fans, professionals and the folks who were at Kenner during the summer of '77, this DVD is gonna be right up the alley of 99.9999999% of the people reading this. $21.00
I couldn't resist following up the Star Wars toy doc with the brutally honest look at nerd culture indie Zero Charisma. One of the interesting dilemmas we geeks are faced with these days is that we're now mainstream. The biggest movies are all genre or based on a comic book and gaming culture has become something of a broad term thanks to consoles. Parents can be gamers now. Even worse, popular people and jocks are proudly calling themselves nerds. It sucks that pretty people are full blown geeks now because that was our one advantage with the geek girls. We might be pudgy, but goddamnit, we know the title and issue Wolverine made his debut and can spout off the name, release year and director of all of your favorite movies. Zero Charisma deals with the ever-changing geek world in a darkly comic way. Nerdist ended up picking this up (which is funny because the closest we get to a bad guy in the movie is totally a riff on Chris Hardwick). It's quality, low budget stuff. Give it a shot. $19.99
Spike Jonze's Her is wonderful, a film of great depth and superb character work. There were quite a few decent awards flicks last year, but this is one of the few to own. You'll want to revisit this incredibly touching exploration of two minds perfect for each other... even if one of them happens to be an operating system. Also, it features one of the coolest video games I wish was real. $22.99
PRE-ORDER, July 8th. The Raid 2 is so damn good. When I reviewed it out of Sundance I said that if the first Raid was Assault on Precinct 13 then the follow up was The Godfather 2. Gareth Evans totally widened the scope, making Raid 2 bigger in every possible way. The story is a crime epic, the action is more diverse and insanely choreographed and the emotion is cranked up to 11. It's one of the most fun I've had in a theater this year. $24.99
Stephen Chow's Journey to the West might not be as perfect as Kung Fu Hustle or Shaolin Soccer, but holy shit is it nuts. The film lives in the same live-action Looney Tunes universe as his other directorial outings. It's essentially about a group of demon hunters doing what demon hunters do. I was predisposed to like this one since the first third plays like a fucking insane remake of Jaws. This one flew under the radar of a lot of folks, but if you're in the mood for something weird and fun, look no further than Journey to the West. $17.99.
Touch of Evil is flat out amazing, an all time classic noir directed by Orson Welles. I first saw this as part of a film appreciation class. The same prof also showed us Sunset Blvd, so you can tell he knew his shit. Touch of Evil isn't “Classic film homework.” It's not something you suffer through to feel more educated about old movies. Welles' technique was decades ahead of its time and the story is so full of twists and turns and seedy characters that it hooks you in early (wowzers, what an opening) and keeps you hooked. This Blu has three cuts of the flick: theatrical, a preview cut and a reconstructed cut from Welles' personal notes. A must own title. $20.86.
Speaking of must-own classic noirs, Double Indemnity hit blu recently. If you've seen it you know why need to own it. If you haven't, just click below and fix that shit immediately. Directed by the great Billy Wilder and starring Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray (you won't see him as the goofy Disney dad after watching this) and Edward G. Robinson. $17.95
Keeping the Billy Wilder train rolling, we have the Blu of Criterion's Ace In the Hole release. Kirk Douglas stars as a desperate, horrible newspaperman who... well, if you haven't seen it yet, I won't ruin it, but I will say considering today's 24/7 news cycle this movie is an even more scathing critique now that it was upon release. $23.51
Before zombies were undead cannibals they were voodoo resurrected slaves. White Zombie is the perfect pre-Romero zombie flick. A bit slow, but propelled by Bela Lugosi's wild-eyed performance. I haven't checked out this release, but I have read some reviews that are over the moon on the transfer. $22.98
The new Man With No Name Trilogy blu release comes with the brand new 4k transfer of The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. It's really cheap right now and comes in at significantly less expensive than the previous MWNN Blus, so if you don't own these already, this edition is the one to get. $19.99.
The best movie that should have been awful of 2014! Put that on the eventual re-release poster, WB! The Lego Movie is so damn good and counter culture that I can't believe it exists. The twist it takes in the third act is next-level awesome. This one will be getting many, many, many revisits on Blu from me. Probably you, too, since you are cool like me. $17.99.
Now we're getting into the new Scream Factory releases. Boy, do I love this company and this year they have some flat out amazing releases, both out now and pending. Let's start with Ravenous. I loved this movie when it came out, but I haven't watched it since, so you bet your bottom dollar I'm gonna pick up this Scream Factory release. My memory of it is that it's a totally wrong and totally fun dark comedy with a fantastic cast who... well, pretty much all want to eat each other. Yep, I'm really excited to revisit this one. $19.99
If you have ever lamented the lack of Clint Howard leading man roles, look no further than 1981's weird geek-with-computer-summons-Satan flick Evilspeak, which got a fancy Scream Factory release. You know, I've never thought to double feature this with Prince of Darkness (which is another title that got a great Scream Factory release, by the way), but you bet your ass that's gonna happen soon! $22.98.
Speaking of weird Scream Factory releases, how about Werner Herzog's remake of Nosferatu starring Klaus Kinski? You know the story, but there's a particular brand of weirdness only Herzog can bring that's on full display here. $19.99
Slumber Party Massacre is cheesy '80s slasher filmmaking at its very best. Yes, there are boobs, blood and a crazed killer going after young girls with an incredibly phallic weapon, but what sets it apart is the high level of humor threaded throughout. The movie is winking at you the whole time, fully self-aware, but not afraid to actually be a horror movie first. $22.47.
My obsession with Sleepaway Camp began when I was about 14 years old. I was in the habit of combing through the horror section at the local video store and on one trip to visit my grandparents in New Mexico I found a title I hadn't seen before. On the surface, Sleepaway Camp is an amateur hour Friday the 13th cash-in. POV killer going crazy at a summer camp, etc. But there's a whole lot more going on under the surface including an ending which is about the very definition of jaw-dropping. The movie is so earnest that the amateur filmmaking becomes sincere instead of awful. Plus, if the filmmakers had known any better they wouldn't have gone so crazy in the last act and it'd be just another forgotten camp slasher movie. It's an amazing film, one that I absolutely delight in introducing to people. Scream Factory did it up proud. If you are a horror fan that hasn't seen Sleepaway Camp and somehow haven't had this movie ruined for you by now, then just watch it. Don't read any more about it. Just watch it and prepare to be amazed. $22.45.
Moderate ($25.00-$70.99)
PRE-ORDER July 8th. For further proof that Scream Factory is after my heart, they're putting out the not-talked-about-enough killer croc black comedy LAKE PLACID next month. Oliver Platt, Bill Pullman, Brendan Gleeson and post-Jackie Brown Bridget Fonda all are after a huge croc and on the way they capture our hearts. Or at least my heart. I'm a weirdo. A-class bickering, some really tense underwater terror and the movie that made us acutely aware that Betty White was a filthy old broad. Can't wait to check out this release! $29.93.
PRE-ORDER July 1st. The Final Terror is notable mostly for its pre-stardom cast which includes Rachel Ward, Daryl Hannah and Joe Pantoliano. I haven't revisited the movie since my teen years, but I remember it being a fun camp horror flick. The fact that Scream Factory chose to release it means I'm excited to revisit the flick. $26.99.
PRE-ORDER, July 8th. Walter Hill's Southern Comfort is getting a brand new transfer for the upcoming Scream Factory Blu release and if that doesn't excite you then I think maybe you accidentally clicked on the wrong site. Deliverance deservedly gets a lot of credit, but it's not the only great backwoods thriller ever made. Featuring one of the manliest casts ever (Keith Carradine, Powers Boothe, Peter Coyote, T.K. Carter and Fred Ward to name a few) make sure this release is on your radar this summer. $27.98.
PRE-ORDER, July 22nd. Ginger Snaps predated the teenage werewolf trend. If Twilight had been more like this story of sisterhood and self-discovery it wouldn't be such a joke to most of the world. But then again it probably wouldn't have been nearly as popular amongst the lecherous mom and horny tween girl demo. Scream Factory is releasing this one next month and they're including new interviews with the creative team behind the film. This flick was successful enough to spawn a few okay sequels, but this first movie is the real deal. Independent genre done right, with smarts and a gleeful sense of fun. $29.93.
Moving out of the Scream Factory releases and onto Criterion's recent slate, starting with Howard Hawkes' awesome Red River. It's Criterion so you know it's going to treated well, but this release is great even by their standards. A new 4k transfer of the theatrical cut (Hawkes' preferred version), a 2k transfer of the longer cut and new celebrity-packed bonus features about the flick. The movie itself features one of John Wayne's best performances as he drives cattle across the dangerous 19th century west. A must see for film fans and done up the Criterion way. $26.99.
PRE-ORDER, June 24th. Criterion's release of The Beatles' A Hard Days Night is one of my most anticipated home video releases this summer. This movie is a miracle. How many teen sensation rock group movies have there been since the '50s? A lot. How many have been good? Very, very few. What makes A Hard Day's Night even more miraculous is that it filled to the brim with counterculture humor well before the public knew how weird the Beatles were. This is pre-open drug use, pre-Ravi Shankar, pre-Yoko and yet this film is flat out hilarious, off-kilter and filled with humor just subtle enough to slip by the ratings board, but broad enough to be plainly obvious if you're paying attention. For instance, did you ever notice what John Lennon does with the bottle of Coca-Cola he's handed on the train? He mimes sniffing it! It's a great film filled with great music and I can't wait to see all the bells and whistles Criterion puts onto this sucker. $27.59.
I have not yet seen Douglas Sirk's classic melodrama All that Heaven Allows, but I'm well aware of its reputation. Jane Wyman plays a widow who falls in love with her young gardener, played by Rock Hudson. Naturally this is frowned upon, so she's torn from being acceptable to society or pursuing her own happiness. I'm very much looking forward to finally erasing this film from my sadly long “You haven't seen that?!?” list. Criterion has a brand new 2k transfer of this title and you can pre-order it for $32.89.
PRE-ORDER, July 15th. Criterion is putting out Scanners. Holy shit! The flick gets a David Cronenberg-supervised 2k transfer, a new documentary about the film's groundbreaking physical effects and even a new chat with man-god Michael Ironside. Does this mean we're not that far away from a Criterion release of The Dead Zone? One could only hope... $33.96.
PRE-ORDER, July 15th. I'll be the first to admit that minimalism in film isn't my favorite, but when it's done right you get an all-time classic like Robert Bresson's Pickpocket, which Criterion is release this July complete with a new transfer and a bunch of bonus material. $33.96.
PRE-ORDER, July 22nd. Criterion's got the original Norwegian INSOMNIA on the docket this summer. Christopher Nolan later famously remade the flick with Al Pacino and as much as I dig that movie, you have to see the original if only for Stellan Skarsgard's performance. Fascinating movie made even more fascinating when comparing it to a remake by a master filmmaker. $33.96.
PRE-ORDER, July 29th. The Big Chill works magic. I'm living proof. I showed the movie to the girl I would end up losing my virginity to on one of our first hang outs. If that's not proof of this movie's ability to work miracles I don't know what is. I know a lot of people write this one off as privileged rich white people problems. It might be my inner rich white person (my outer person certainly doesn't have too much money trouble), but I connected with this one immediately, even as a young man. It was one of the first dramas I watched in my preteen years that showed me that a serious movie can still be laugh out loud funny, too. Plus, what red-blooded heterosexual male isn't ridiculously attracted to Meg Tilly in this movie? I'm sure that helped my younger self invest in this one, too. Anyway, it has one of the great film soundtracks and some of the most charismatic actors of a generation being charismatic with each other. Kevin Kline, Jeff Goldblum, Glenn Close, William Hurt, Jobeth Williams and Kevin Costner's hairline (he's the dead guy in the opening credits). Criterion's got new interviews and Lawrence Kasdan supervised 4k transfer. $33.96.
The Nutty Professor 50th Anniversary release comes in one of those big packages filled with bric-a-brac that I love so much. Here you get a few reproduction books, one of Jerry Lewis' script and another of his storyboards, plus a bunch of other fun stuff, but the real reason to own any of this stuff is for the movie itself. Jerry Lewis was super on-point in this movie. It's a gloriously absurd Technicolor explosion that highlights the screwball genius of Lewis when he's firing on all cylinders. $35.69.
I had no idea what Death Kiss is, but when I saw this Kino cover all my movie nerd senses began tingling. Looking into it, this 1932 flick reunites the three stars of Dracula, including Bela Lugosi, in a whodunit set in Hollywood during the shooting of a movie. How darn awesome does that sound? Pretty darn awesome. $31.46.
Lon Chaney's Hunchback of Notre Dame is one of the most famous early movie makeup effects and boy is it still effective nearly 100 years after its release. This is definitely something more for the serious cinephile considering it's a silent film that doesn't star either Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin, but word on the street is this is a fantastic HD transfer. If you're ever going to own this film, this is the edition to get. $30.10.
Probably the best limited special edition in this guide... The Drafthouse Films release of doc The Final Member that comes with an actual penis. If you don't know about the movie, it's about two men vying to be the first to donate a human dick to an Icelandic Phallological Museum. Yep, a museum all about wieners that has a specimen from every species except for human being. For $39.00 you get the Blu-Ray and your very own bull penis. $25.46 for the regular, non-bull dick edition.
Cosmos is fantastic and with only its first season has already had a big impact on exciting the next generation. I recently went out to stargaze at one of the prime spots with next to no light pollution with a friend and his kids. His six year old was pointing out constellations and excitedly telling me about the big bang, paraphrasing the stuff Neil Degrasse Tyson said on this show. That probably gives creationists the heebie-jeebies, but it's really only good news that something out there is inspiring a whole new generation of potential scientists. Tyson is the perfect person to lead us through complex ideas because he has the mutant superpower to explain complicated scientific theory in a way even dummies like me can understand. Cosmos is more than a show, it's a public service. $29.99.
We're living in such a brilliant era for TV right now. HBO is still at the forefront of the longform series with stuff like Game of Thrones and True Detective, which just hit Blu. Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson make the best not-really buddy cops ever here in this wicked little story that covers the gray area of human nature... There's some pretty dagnasty evil fuckers in this, don't get me wrong, but there are no cowboys in white hats. The heroes are diiiiiiirty. Great TV and I can't wait to see what direction they end up going with in next season. $39.96.
PRE-ORDER, July 8th. I have no idea why this Blu-Ray is so expensive, but I imagine it'll drop in price once it gets closer to release. I can say that Jodorowsky's Dune is a fantastic look at the batshit crazy movie we almost got when surrealist Alejandro Jodorowsky came within an inch of making DUNE in the '70s. Jodorowsky himself is a fascinating interview and as someone semi-obsessed with movies that didn't happen this doc is like catnip. If Jodorowsky had actually made this film, it would have been spectacular... either a glorious trainwreck or a masterpiece. Great doc. $34.99.
I'm a little afraid to revisit Monsters because I'm sure this series is quaint and cheesy now, but damn did I love it when I was a kid. I watched Monsters and Tales From the Dark Side religiously when I was growing up. After many years, the Complete Series of Monsters has been released to DVD. That's over 1500 minutes of genre TV on 9 discs. Ah, screw it. I'm sure a revisit will at the very least be nostalgic fun, like when I went back through Tales From the Dark Side. $64.86.
Twilight Time is a specialty releasing company that puts out limited edition Blu-Rays. The original Rollerball is an outstanding flick featuring James Caan at his manliest maneuvering through the type of dystopian future that could only be imagined in the '70s. It's a crime that it's not more widely available while that awful remake can be had easily. Twilight Time agrees and released this blu. Limited to 3000 units, if you have any inkling to own this, scoop it up now! $29.95.
The Mechanic is another flick that might be more well known because of a recent remake... The Jason Statham movie is pretty solid, but it still falls short of Michael Winner's original Charles Bronson vehicle. This Twilight Time limited edition comes with the HD version of the movie as well as an isolated track for Jerry Fielding's awesome score. $29.95.
The Train is a hell of a flick. I ended up catching it during my A Movie A Day run and damn is it good. I mean, it's Burt Lancester starring in a John Frankenheimer movie, so you know it's got to be good, but I don't think you're prepared for just how big in scope this thing is. It's about a French trainyard worker who does everything he can to keep the Nazis from stealing a trainload of French art and history. Amazing, underseen film that gets a limited edition release thanks to Twilight Time. $29.95.
I recently revisited Used Cars in the lead up to that crazy epic AICN Legends interview with Kurt Russell. Early Zemeckis/Gale with a full bore shot of charismatic Kurt Russell leads to this incredibly funny zany piece of entertainment. This Twilight Time edition is the only available HD version of this title, limited to 3000 copies and it comes with two isolated score tracks (the one used in the movie and a rejected score) as well as a port of the absolutely fantastic commentary from Zemeckis, Gale and Russell from the DVD. $29.95.
The final Twilight Time disc I'll highlight here is Sam Peckinpah's Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia starring the late, great Warren Oates. This is one of those movies that was completely rejected upon release, but when cinephiles look back on it they see it for the masterpiece it is. Love it or hate it, it's pure Peckinpah and the only film of his he was completely content with when it hit theaters. Check it out if you haven't seen it yet. You'll be glad you did. $29.95.
Expensive ($71.00-$249.99)
PRE-ORDER, July 29th. The Twin Peaks Complete Mystery Blu Set promises to be the must own home video release for weirdos this year (and I count myself in that group, so relax). 10 discs, every episode plus Fire Walk With Me as well as 90 minutes of extended and deleted scenes from that film. There's new material with David Lynch reminiscing about the series as well as Log Lady introductions to each episode. Jam packed, no? $119.99.
Previously available in a limited edition set or via individual seasons, now you can finally own Blu-Rays of the entire run of Breaking Bad in one complete set. 16 discs, 2500+ minutes of one of the best stories ever told via TV. This show was magic and amazingly only got better season by season and managed to have a satisfying finale. Great stuff that demands to be owned. $160.99.
PRE-ORDER, June 24th. Season 6 of Star Trek: The Next Generation in high def is coming very soon, much to the delight of many fans who hold this season up as one of the best of that series. It's a bit pricey for my liking, but if you're a fan and need this in high def it's not super crazy considering you're getting almost 1200 minutes of Trekky goodness. $116.98.
PRE-ORDER, July 29th. Shout Factory is releasing this Herzog Collection which gathers together 16 Herzog films, many of which have never reached Blu-Ray before, in one spot. Titles include Even Dwars Started Small, Land of Silence and Darkness, Fata Morgana, Aguirre, the Wrath of God, The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser, Heart of Glass, Stroszek, Woyzeck, Nosferatu, Fitzcarraldo, Ballad of Little Soldier, Where the Green Ants Dream, Cobra Verde, Lessons of Darkness, Little Dieter Needs to Fly and My Best Friend. $149.99.
PRE-ORDER, September 23rd. The Limited Edition Halloween Complete Series is already starting to sell out at certain suppliers, so that's the reason I'm listing it here... If you want it, now's the time to place your order. It seems to be made to appeal to completionists because it's gathering together every single Halloween movie in one place, including the Rob Zombie films, as well as the producer's cut of Halloween 6 (ie the Paul Rudd Halloween movie). I myself pre-ordered it and then realized I already own the first three on Blu and those are the only ones I feel strongly about. But I'm still happy I did because of that inevitable day when I get it I'll go through the entire series movie by movie, which I've never done. I don't have much use for the Zombie films, but what the hell? I have Indy 4 and Alien: Resurrection in sets, too. $118.96.
ART
Cheap ($24.99 and under)
This 12x16 art of the Enterprise on canvas lights up. IT LIGHTS UP, PEOPLE! And it's cheap, which makes it the best bargain in this section. Light up Enterprise wall art... if that don't beat all... $22.20.
Moderate ($25.00-$70.99)
This is a minor miracle! There are two Mondo prints that you can buy at your leisure, not have to fight a million poster collectors over the second they drop! And they're good posters, too. The first, above, is Ken Taylor's Das Boot. I think it looks great and I'm a sucker for posters for deserving movies that don't always get a lot of love. There are a million Predator geek posters out there, but how many for a super long, tense anti-war German submarine movie like Das Boot? Not many. But you can get yours for $50.00 (regular) and $75.00 (gold variant).
Children of Men is one of my favorite movies of the last decade. It floors me, hits me dead center emotionally and plays like one long, brilliant magic trick of filmmaking. Ken Taylor has a poster for that one as well and it's still available in the Mondo store. It measures 21.5x36 and is limited to 375 pieces (regular) and the variant is limited to 200. $50.00 (regular), $75.00 (variant).
It's rare that a JC Richards print doesn't sell out immediately. I was actually worried that by the time I wrote this up and posted that it would be gone, gone, gone, but it isn't. JC Richards does Blade Runner in a piece called “Fiery the Angels Fell.” This giclee is limited to 100 pieces and measures 10x28. $40.00.
You're not seeing double! This is a different Limited Edition Blade Runner themed print. It captures the same moment in a different way. Art, am I right? This one's by Matt Ferguson and is limited to 100 pieces and measures 16x20$40.00.
Mark Hammermeister (awesome name, by the way) did this piece as a tribute to Roger Corman's Tales of Terror and it's mega cool. Anything that puts Peter Lorre at the center of a poster gets extra bonus awesome points. This Artist Proof measures 13x19 and will run you $50.00.
The first of many Gremlins/Dante related art pieces in the guide this year. The only way Eugene Kaik's above piece would be better is if it was Mr. Futterman breaking pulling the Uncle Sam. He hates them foreign Gremlins! But still, cool print. Limited to 40 pieces, measuring 13x19. $40.00.
This David Grizzle portrait of Stripe is kinda creepy. He's tapped into an alternate reality in which Gizmo Poo-Doo was hunted, killed and made into a decorative fur. I don't like that reality. The one in which their love of vintage Disney animation destroyed most of the Gremlins is much better. Limited to 35 prints that measure 13x19, this piece'll run you $35.00.
Why Phoebe Cates hates Christmas is goddamn dark and random that it kind of pushes the movie from Great into Brilliant territory for me. The fact they repeat that in Gremlins 2 with another holiday makes me want to read the story about every awful holiday event in her life. This print by Sam Gilbey measures 18x24 and is limited to only 25 pieces. Get it now. You don't want to know how Hero Complex Gallery delivers if you order it for Christmas... $40.00.
Piranha is so damn fun and I'm glad it wasn't overlooked by the Hero Complex guys as they put on their Dante Gallery recently. This is a cool print by Nathan Chesshir! Measuring 18x24 and released with only 20 copies this is a really limited limited edition. $50.00.
There were a few Howling prints at the Hero Complex show recently, but this one, by Andrew Swainson, is my favorite. Simple, creepy, mostly werewolf... you know, what the kids like! This screenprint is limited to 40 pieces and measures 15.5x35 (aka hope you like custom framing size). $40.00.
The Burbs doesn't get nearly the amount of love it deserves. Matinee, either, but that's another discussion. The above poster is pretty righteous, I have to say. Matthew Rabalais created it and the Hero Complex folks put it out. 18X24 and limited to 30 pieces, it can be yours for a mere $45.00.
Expensive ($71.00-$249.99)
Explorers is a weird movie that tickles all the right nostalgia bones in my body. Don't try to visualize that. It's weird and makes me regret I used those words together in a sentence, but I'm too lazy to go back and try to think up other words that get to the same point. This beautiful print is a variant, limited to 25 copies, done by Casey Callender. As an added bonus if you buy this variant you get a signed Thunder Road replica schematic! $100.00.
You don't think I'd let this Summer Guide slip by without a single Temple of Doom item, do you? Accomplished by artist Steve Thomas for Acme Archives, this piece depicts the moments before the beginning of Temple of Doom as Indy enters Club Obi-Wan... with the fedora. Don't think about it, it's cooler this way. Limited to 150 hand-numbered pieces and measuring 13x19, this piece can decorate your lovely home for $89.00.
Alex Ross + Star Wars? Be still my beating heart! You can get your hands on a 13x20 limited edition giclee of Ross' crazy colorful and rad as hell art signed by the man himself! How cool is that? A bigger size is available, but it's crazy expensive. You can check out both by clicking the picture above, but the 13x20 piece will run you $195.00.
He ees Vigo! That, my friends, is a 1:1 replica print of the Vigo the Carpathian painting from Ghostbusters 2. 1:1, meaning it's 4.3ft by 7ft. This is massive and the absolute perfect addition to any nursery or child's room you may have. No guarantees Vigo won't possess your baby. Thank you, Etsy stranger, for doing this for the world. $135.00.
For The Super Rich Only ($250.00 and Up)
We're done with prints. We've moved on up into Rich Stuff with original art! This piece, titled Mogwai, by Brian Hebets is pretty great. It looks like it's a black velvet painting, doesn't it? Don't think it is, but it's still cool all the same! $400.00.
APPAREL
Cheap ($24.99 and under)
Warning, this Inflatable Boba Fett Jetpack is made for kids, so it'll look silly if you are a grown man and want to talk around in public with this on your back. Well, sillier, I mean... if you're a grown up walking around in any piece of Boba Fett's outfit in your day to day then you're gonna get looks, let's face it! $15.24.
Lego Slippers are a little more easy to wear. One, it's a one size fits all thing, unlike the kid's Boba Fett pack above, and two, you usually wear slippers in the privacy of your own residence so there'll be a lot less judgmental looks. Plus even if you wear these out, everybody love Legos. They'll think you're a crazy person for wearing slippers to the grocery store, but the geek judgment probably won't come into the equation. They're also available in red, but a little pricier ($17.71). The blue ones are $14.16.
I'm going to recommend these only because it's a neat concept that comes off as both cute and serial killer-ish. As a general rule I don't endorse any male over the age of 14 wearing flip flops out in public. At best it screams fratboy, at worst it shows off some wildly ugly, unkempt gnarly toenails. Ladies care about their foot appearance, so I don't have a problem with them wearing flip flops, but dudes... keep it at the beach and pool areas, please. Thank you. $12.95.
I know it's early to start thinking of winter weather gear (except for my geek brothers and sisters in the southern hemisphere, of course), but now's the time to stock up before everybody is fighting over the scarves, sweaters and all that. This is a Mathematical Scarf. The one on display features the Pi symbol, but you can also get scarves with the infinite symbol and the Golden Ratio on it. People will think you're smart and/or had a good tutor in high school if you are wearing this scarf come Fall/Winter. $24.99.
If math scarves are too nerdy for your neck, maybe these Game of Thrones scarves are in order. Although I wouldn't trust anything with House Stark's sigil on it to protect your neck from anything if you catch my drift. $20.98.
On sale right now is this sweetly geeky Iron Man Arc Reactor LED ring that actually lights up. It doesn't shoot any repulser rays... at least the Amazon page doesn't say it does. If only the Mandarin had this ring of power, maybe he wouldn't have been such a fuck-up! Linked is Ring Size 10, but 8 and 12 are available as well.$12.88.
This Spidey Sense tee-shirt actually alerts you to threats sneaking up behind you with a clip-on vibrating motion detector that goes on the back collar. This might not be best if you actually live in a big metroplex like NY as it will always be going off, but if you are a costumed vigilante fighting crime at night and weren't bitten by a radioactive member of the animal kingdom, it couldn't hurt to have this shirt watching your back. $19.99.
Now you too can own stock in Pied Piper... or at least this shirt. Being a walking billboard is actually cool when you're supporting a show as good as Mike Judge's Silicon Valley. There's also a Hooli Shirt available, but screw that conglomerate! Pied Piper FTW! Both are available in sizes S-XXL. $24.99.
The Lion King is 20 years old this year (crazy, right?) and Disney is putting out this limited edition T-Shirt to celebrate. These Disney limited clothes things are no joke. I bought a limited Haunted Mansion t-shirt that I regret wearing not because it's silly or childish, but because it now sells for triple the price! So, if you like Lion King buy this shirt and wear it proudly knowing not a whole of LK fans have what you have. Or if you want to start your kids' college fund, buy this shirt and don't wear it. Whichever you like best. $24.95.
Moderate ($25.00-$70.99)
Great idea for a watch or GREATEST idea for a watch? Having John Cleese on your wrist is awesome in the first place, but to have his Ministy of Silly Walks legs be the clock's hands? Brilliant! $42.00.
From the fine folks at ThinkGeek comes this Classic Arcade Watch. Wear a vintage arcade cabinet on your wrist! Asteroids are the dials that tell you what time it is, the fire button lights up the watch and the joystick does... well, nothing, but it's there. $49.99.
Can't go wrong with a classic! Spider-Man watch. Simple. Striking. Nerdy as shit. Perfect for this guide! $29.99.
What's this? What's this? It's another timepiece! Last watch, I promise. But it's a cool one, so quit being so critical, damn! Anything Jack Skellington is automatically cool (or at Hot Topic), but this ceramic watch is even more cool than usual. Currently on sale for $49.99.
Have you ever thought to yourself that slippers are cool and all, but just don't make enough noise? Well, then these robot slippers are for you. Pretend you're the Terminator stalking Sarah Connor while on your way to the fridge or that you're Ripley confronting the Alien Queen when you go up to tuck the kiddies in for the night. Vrrrrr-clunk, vrrrr-clunk! $29.99.
Godzilla mask. It's not brand new, but... it's a Godzilla mask. I haven't seen it before or else it would have been in a previous guide. GODZILLA MASK! You can be man in (partial) suit! $37.00.
PRE-ORDER, July 2014! If you want to be a more contemporary Godzilla then this hoodie is for you. Added bonus: it will also keep you warm and hide your face when you hold up that liquor store on the corner! $39.99.
Here's a great idea for a geek hoodie: The Don't Open Dead Inside door from the pilot episode of The Walking Dead. Now, this comes from HerUniverse.com, so I don't know if it's specifically made for ladies or not, but that really only impacts the size chart because for some reason the people who make clothes like to make it as difficult as possible when figuring out if something will fit you. The image itself is asexual. Or mega-sexual if you wear it to a convention (male or female). Anyway, it's $60.00.
Here's a messenger bag that totally not an unofficial replica of cool shit you see in Stanley Kubrick's 2001. That's why it's called the Space Odyssey Bag and not a Stanley Kubrick Bag For Things From 2001 And Stuff... I'm not good at coming up with names, but you know what I mean! It's pretty rad for a shoulder strap bag. It can carry a laptop and moon rocks and the original tape that Kubrick made of the fake moon landing! On sale for $34.99.
Casual Friday at the office? This Chain Mail Necktie says nay! $38.95.
I so desperately wanted to include anything Rick & Morty in this guide, but I think they were surprised by the success of that show because it seems like there's no official merch out there. So, I'm pretty sure this Mr. Meeseeks Can Do shirt is unlicensed, but get off your high horse! You buy shit off of TeeFury and ShirtPunch, right? Same thing! Except if Dan Harmon is reading this then, totally don't buy this shirt, you monster! What were you thinking?!? $25.52.
I have a bone to pick with this vest. Yes, it's cool for Doctor Who fans who always wanted to cosplay as Sylvester McCoy, but couldn't find a sweater vest with a bunch of question marks on it, but damn it... why does this exist yet I can't get a sky blue sport coat with little white anchors on it? Mayor Vaughn in Jaws rocked it hard and I want it, but noooooooooo! I'm a little bitter, granted, but I am genuinely happy for Doctor Who fans. Maybe my dream of having Mayor Vaughn's jacket will be realized soon... The 7th Doctor's Vest will run you $69.99.
I know some ladies read this guide and I always feel like I leave them out when digging up geek apparel. I think most of what I include is unisex, but still. There's a wide geek world of female apparel out there, so I'm going to list a few here, starting with this red Dalek dress! $34.50.
If you want a different style, this Dalek dress from Her Universe is also available. Go with what you're comfortable in, ladies. You show up to a comic book store wearing any Doctor Who themed dress you will have your pick of the geek dudes. Or geek ladies. It's the year 2014, it's all good. $31.45.
The only way to outgeek a Doctor Who dress is a Star Wars Dress. R2 can be represented on your person and all will be right in the world! $31.49.
Man, that dress girl must have a hell of an agent! She's everywhere. This Star Wars dress is a little different, but even cooler than the R2 one. It uses the artwork from the original sheet set released with the movie. So, it's kind of like The Sound of Music, but instead of drapes your clothes are made out of nerd bedsheets. Much cooler, I think! $48.00.
If you don't want to commit to a full dress, then this R2 circle skirt is probably for you. Ranging in sizes S-4XL, any type of body shape can swing around that loveable astromech droid! $35.00.
Now we're onto leggings. This set shows off your love of the Empire, which probably means you're a tough chick that likes your significant other to have a little dark side in them. Sizes available are S-3XL! $30.00.
First off, Vault 101 Leggings Girl, I love you. Secondly, Vault 101 Leggings Girl, will you marry me? Thirdly, why not? I'd be good to you! All you'd have to do to keep me happy is continually wear Fallout 3 related merchandise. Okay, I'm done. Sooooo... Bethesda's cashing in on the current leggings craze (it's real!) and have created this Vault 101/Fallout 3 themed leggings set, sizes S-XL. If you want to be my girlfriend, this is a hell of a way to get my attention, FYI. Anybody? Anybody? Bueller? Bueller? $60.00.
Expensive ($71.00-$249.99)
For you video game fans: Here's a Team Fortress Pyro sweater! Carrying around all that ammo and stuff gets cumbersome, so if you want to have the look of a badass without the discomfort, then this sweater is for you! $84.99.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PART 2 OF THE SUMMER GEEK GUIDE COVERING BOOKS and VIDEO GAMES!
