For some, the year 1990 would prove to be just your average year. Some were still spinning out from the decade before with its acid wash jeans, video rentals, and big hair. Some though, like me, were having their minds filled with the wild imaginations of Stephen King and this year would prove to be the year that Pennywise entered our homes.
Such was the wildfire of nightmares born out of the miniseries written by Lawrence D. Cohen and Tommy Lee Wallace (the latter also taking on directorial duties), that it spread a combination of love and fear into the school playgrounds, and fuelled the flames deep in the heart of this reviewer.
It’s little wonder that a worthy documentary would surface at some point to please the minds of those that were so shaped by this two-part serial. The bewilderment may be more from the fact that it took so long for someone to actually get it greenlit. Thankfully an Indiegogo project was set up which would see director Chris Griffiths team up with producers John Campopiano and Gary Smart to bring the project to fruition.
Pennywise: The Story of It is exactly what you would hope from a 2 hour documentary dedicated to the making of the mini-series, with Wallace and Cohen cast their thoughts and views, looking back at the time and the impact that it had on popular culture. He’s not alone to appear of course, as we have the great Tim Curry (Pennywise), along with other cast members Richard Thomas (Bill), Seth Green (Richie), Dennis Christopher (Eddie), Adam Fairazi (young Eddie), Tim Reid (Mike), Brandon Crane (young Ben), and Emily Perkins (Beverly), to nam but a few. Plus special effects makeup artist Bart Mixon among others that were behind the scenes. There were some notable absences from the Losers club, but none more heartfelt at their loss than Jonathan Brandis (young Bill) and John Ritter (Ben) who both respectfully are acknowledged for their input into the movie from both cast and crew.
The passion is clearly shared by those involved in the making of the miniseries, in the way that they are so animated about it in their interviews. It was incredibly warming to see such dedication to the miniseries being laid out and reviewed retrospectively from a team that were united with the same passion that I share for the miniseries, even to this day.
Saul Muerte
Pennywise: The Story of IT is currently screening with a 30-day free trial of Screambox, available on iOS, Android, Prime Video, YouTube TV, Comcast, and Screambox.com.
For more thoughts on the original miniseries, you can also listen to the SOH team’s alternate commentary below:
Australian Director Andrew Traucki certainly has a taste for aquaphobia with his breakout feature hits Black Water, and The Reef. Back in 2020, he decided to revisit his croc shock feature with the sequel, Black Water: Abyss. Now is the turn of the shark, with a delve back into the reef with a twist in the tale for The Reef: Stalked.
His hook is in telling the story of Nic (Teressa Liane), who is still in the breaches of surviving the trauma of her sister’s murder. Nic tries to reconnect with the world by submerging herself into an old pastime on a kayaking adventure with her younger sister, Annie (Saskia Archer), and her two friends, Jodie (Ann Truong) and Lisa (Kate Lister). Before long the predator of the ocean makes its presence known and begins to hunt them down without backing down once it latches onto their scent.
The topic of trauma is a gripping one and presents and interesting premise for Traucki to grapple with and I applaud him in dabbling in this terrain to weave together an incredible story about survival against the odds and placing it in a shark horror feature.
The premise, and the topic may have been a stretch too far to blend them together with a sense of ease, as too often the focus shifts on the unrest between the two siblings rather than the fear itself. It’s a tough balancing act, because you want to establish a connection with your audience by building on the characters’ exchange with one another. Unfortunately I felt that the dialogue and performances were waning; a crying shame as Traucki has proven up to the task before, especially in his feature debut, Black Water, thrusting his female protagonists played by Diana Glenn and Maeve Dermody through the ringer, with grit and determination.
The lack of grit is all too evident here, and the leads spar off each other from one scenario to the next without too much substance to wade through.
So what of the shark?
When it appears there are flashes of images to spark fear in the audience but it never comes across as sinister enough and murky as a result. The one moment where your heart spins for a moment, is when some children are caught in the mix with their life in the hands of fate. In this instance, you are willing for them to survive and here Traucki shows his hand at playing with the audience’s heartstrings. A sign that he still knows how to play that card and its not completely lost at sea.
The Prognosis:
Shark movies are always a tough gig to sell, and Andrew Traucki does his best to repeat his formula from his 2010 feature, The Reef with a notable and worthy attempt at looking at the impact of trauma.
I really wanted to like this film and champion homegrown Australian cinema but despite some notable moments, the result is a stretch too far with performances and dialogue not weighing up to the potential that a strong subject like trauma deserves.
Saul Muerte
The Reef: Stalked is released in Australian cinemas from Thursday 28th July.
It’s been a while since I’ve been compelled to comment on the passing of cinemas’ greats, but upon learning of David Warner’s departure from this world, I was moved to write a few words about this great icon of the celluloid screen.
For me, my first encounter with the actor would be on the small screen, possibly on a copied VHS, for the film TRON in his triple credited performance as Ed Dillinger / Sark/ Master Control Programmer. The latter’s monotonous and sinister tones still resonate today such was the impact of Warner’s vocal performance.
Of course, as my movie experience enveloped, and with it my fascination with the horror genre, I grew to learn of his more infamous roles that took place beforehand. This is not to forget his involvement in the controversial Sam Peckinpah flick Straw Dogs which saw him take on the role of ‘a mentally deficient man’, Henry Niles and the shaky-yet-morally integral platform that Dustin Hoffman’s David Sumner chooses to stand upon to defend his cause.
With a couple of years away from the role that would cement his place in horror history though came a notable turn for Amicus Productions’ anthology film, From Beyond The Grave in the segment called The Gatecrasher. Here, Warner plays Edward Charlton, a man who buys an antique mirror, holds a seance, and then goes on a killing frenzy… as you do, before succumbing to the true horror.
It is of course in 1976 when Warner made his mark as the doomed photographer, Jennings in The Omen. His captured images foretelling the deaths of characters including his own now iconic one, The death scene may be the most memorable part to his character, but the role of Jennings was a grounded and necessary part of the revelations in juxtaposition to Gregory Peck’s Robert Thorn. It is Warner’s ability to instill a sense of integrity that makes the shock of his demise all the more harrowing.
There would be some notable non-horror roles in the mix, but once again he would show another side to his on-screen presence as Dr. Alfred Necessiter in The Man With Two Brains to show his knack for maniacal comedy.
Warner would even don one of horror’s most iconic characters in the Creature from a tv adaptation of Frankenstein, before appearing as the father character in Neil Jordan’s The Company of Wolves. By the late 80s’ he would appear alongside Zach Galligan (who was hot following Gremlins) in Waxwork.
Such was Warner’s presence on screen that it wouldn’t take to long for him to be called upon in successful franchises such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Secret of the Ooze, Tales From The Crypt, Star Trek: Next Generation, and Twin Peaks,
It would be in the mid 90s when he would work for the first time with John Carpenter in Body Bags that would lead on to his cameo as Dr. Wrenn in In the Mouth of Madness, one of Carpenter’s lesser known masterpieces. He would also cameo for Craven as drama teacher Gus Gold in Scream 2; the same year he would play villainous character, Spicer Lovejoy for a certain James Cameron movie about a doomed cruise ship. You may have heard of it.
There would be further notable twists and turns through his career, and I’m a doing a disservice to his talents here to skip through them with ease, but will address that his turn as Professor Abraham Van Helsing in Penny Dreadful and Professor Cavanaugh were worthy additions to the genre.
It is without doubt that David Warner had an immense impact on film and tv across all mediums. For this writer, he will be always remembered. A true performer in every sense of the word who brought all his characters to life with great rectitude and credibility.
Having established a cornerstone of horror through what is commonly termed as nordic noir, it’s about time that another European country should stake a claim with that dark, folk storytelling. So, the Dutch step forward with something lurking in the peat bogs in the north of the Netherlands.
The entity in question seems to be honing in on Betriek (Sallie Harmsen) and her family, or those that she comes in contact with, suggesting that there is more than meets the eye to this mysterious presence that up til now has lain dormant. The last time it arose was when Betriek was a little girl as presented in our prologue sequence when something is heard above the room that she is playing in, only to then see blood seeping through the cracks aloft. It also seems that an archaeological dig has unearthed the being known as the titular Moloch, and now anyone that stands in her path will succumb to torment.
Admittedly this film is a bit of a slow burner, but director Nico van den Brink (Sweet Tooth) is able to craft enough intrigue and mystery to the tale, fuelled with some great performances, well structured characters that you actually care for, and the added mark of something that feels like an age-old story. The narrative ducks and weaves like a crime thriller, with our lead protagonist denying yet puled into this mystery that plagues her family. Just how far she is willing to dig, will determine their fate.
The Prognosis:
Too often, when European folk horror is presented with a slow burn, the content dries up and becomes pale. Moloch though is a cleverly crafted tale with strong characters and enough twists to keep you on tenterhooks. A surprising and comforting darkly Gothic story presented from a welcome new source.
Saul Muerte
Moloch will be streaming on Shudder ANZ from Jul 21st.
“I wouldn’t recommend that film to my worst enemy”
What a tantilising phrase to hear someone say coming out of a movie. An older woman also in earshot took the bait and asked the couple, “I’m sorry, but what film is that?”.
“Men”.
Alex Garland, famed novelist of The Beach and writer of many Danny Boyle films of the 00’s has become one of the most interesting writer directors working in genre Film & TV. As a creator he takes wide swings and Men may be his widest swing yet.
After the death of her husband a woman (Jessie Buckley) retreats to the countryside to process and heal this unimaginable tragedy but as she settles in her airb&b she is confronted by the deepening details of the death as well as the ratcheting pressure, looks and unsolicited opinions of the local men of this quaint little English town.
All of the men, bar the deceased husband, are played by Rory Kinnear. I had expected for a slew of different characters, a real scenery chewing showcase a la James McAvoy in Split, and there is a little of that. Kinnear has plenty of fun in parts but the film’s scale actually feels very small and focused. We never really get a good sense of the community which is often one of the key points of any folk horror story. The grandest display of the community as a whole would be one scene in the local pub. An almost uncanny valley sense of dread follows us when there’s more than one Rory Kinnear in a scene.
Jessie Buckley plays our protagonist, and we are so deeply with her throughout the entire film, watching her and her grief unfold. Buckley has been riding a wave of interesting and deeply introspective roles in the last few years (The Lost Daughter & I’m Thinking of Ending Things). She carries the film because she is our only consistency.
The film is gorgeously shot by Rob Hardy, Garland’s previous collaborator on Annihilation and Ex Machina, images of ponds and fields remind you of a Monte. We begin with an apple being plucked from a tree, and landlord of the rented house joking about forbidden fruit. The symbology plays centre stage in Men. The red walled interiors of the home, the apple tree out front, the abyssally long decommissioned train tunnel in the woods and the bald naked man running out of said tunnel. Daffodils in particular are a strong motif which starts, mids and ends the film, these weeds with the potential for explosive spreading, a true meme, self replicating toxicity.
Men is in fact so drenched in symbology that I honestly missed most of it in the moment, lost in the surreal dream of the tone and pacing of the film. It feels like a half-formed thing, filled with intent but without the hallmarks of classic storytelling that can make something like this more digestible. There is no mistaking that Garland had no intent on being easily digestible with Men. The closest experience I can liken this to is Aranoski’s Mother. Garland seems to be more and more interested in this kind of territory, with the last 15 minutes of Annihilation and most of Devs springing to mind.
The ending of the film is becoming something of a filmic legend already which is always impressive and I won’t spoil it here but its pretty horrific and truly one of the most bizarre sequences in a “mainstream” feature film that I’ve seen in a very long time.
The Prognosis:
This sadly ranks at the bottom of my Alex Garland list but I’m happy to have a filmmaker like him making interesting, weird and original works that I can watch in a dark movie theatre with a bunch of strangers losing their minds. 3/5
The latest horror series offering from streaming platform Netflix is a variant of the popular 1990s video game, Resident Evil. The franchise has seen several instalments beyond the gaming platform bearing seven feature films and an animated tv series. Fans of the aroe-mentioned game may however, find that this version or re-imagining is a far cry from the platform shoot em up that they have come to love as this alternate view of the world bears little resemblance with the exception of the hidden power and evil pharmaceutical company, Umbrella Corporation.
Where loyal devotees of the franchise will grimace at the bastardisation of their beloved world is mainly through the alterations of some of the characters and the choices to place the central storyline creating a very different beast.
This all said and done, the end result is actually quite entertaining, and while the plotline makes some suspicious turns towards its cliffhanger conclusion. (Hopes of a further season left in the balance of popularity).
The premise is split between two timelines, present day (2022) and 2036. The past timeline is centred primarily on two half-twin siblings Billie (Sienna Agudong) and Jade (Tamara Smart – Are You Afraid of the Dark?), daughters of Albert Wesker. When they are relocated to New Raccoon City, they soon discover that all is not as it seems at their father’s place of work. The more they uncover, the darker their world becomes and the further they begin to stray. Can their loyalty and bloodline stand the test of time?
The future timeline in 2036 follows an older Jade (Ella Balinska), part of an underground movement studying the zombies known as zeroes following the apocalyptic humankind; now reduced to just 300 million people worldwide. The biggest big bad Umbrella Corporation are now a strong militia force and they seem hellbent in finding Jade and bringing her back with them.
There are some nice moments or flashes in the pan that elevate this series on occasion, such as Baxter (Turlough Convery) starts off as a man who is just calling the shots, but proves he’s just as badass when it comes to hand to hand combat. Lance Reddick as Albert Wesker, is stoic and commanding in his role and I’ve been an avid fan of his since The Wire.
The more impactful moments come around through older Jade’s plight in the urban wilderness as she struggles from one unfortunate event to another, in her fight to end her tour and join her family at the University.
The Prognosis:
Yes, it has its flaws and its not exactly highbrow fodder, aimed to strain the cranium to its pull potential. What it does offer is entertainment with some notable good humoured quips along the way. When it resonates, it does so well, but needless to say, there will no doubt be an uprising from the Resident Evil faithful, looking for a more truthful adaptation. There will be rage and anger at this adaptation, but perhaps they should just assimilate to change and accept the Joy on offer.
Crafted from the short novel by Joe Hill (Horns), The Black Phone has been given the feature length treatment from a screenplay by Scott Derrickson and C. Thomas Cargill. The novel itself is only 45 pages long, but the writing duo manage to expand on this to produce a descent film that embellishes the characters on display with great success/.
Derrickson (Sinister, The Exorcism of Emily Rose) also takes on directing duries and with this weighty script, manages to accentuate some cracking performances from his lead cast, two of whom are child actors. It is an area often remarked as problematic when working with young actors, primarily in capturing natural performances, but Derrickson shows no such obstacles in the final product.
Mason Thames deserves high praise for his portrayal of 13 year old Finney; a boy who falls into the shadows of American suburbia, often bullied reducing his frame further still. Finney isn’t completely invisible though, and there are those who are aware of his kind-hearted nature. Chief among them is his sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw, another fine performance) who also has a supernatural and psychic gift. She is even more than a one note mystique though as Gwen is a strong, defiant, physical and yet comical character, providing Finney with the crutch he so needs to survive. The question is whether he can survive when Gwen is not physically there to support him. Their relationship and this paranormal link between the siblings is integral to the movie, championing their individual strengths and providing the heart of the film, which beats steady and strong throughout hte narrative.
Once Derrickson spends quality time in allowing the audience to identify and connect with these characters, including a overbearing, drunk father (Jeremy Davies) who is struggling with his own demons, the rug is pulled from under our feet, as swiftly as Mason is swept into the back of a black van by child serial killer nicknamed The Grabber (Ethan Hawke) disguised as a part time clown. There are indicators here that Finney isn’t going to go quietly however, as he manages to cut The Grabber’s arm with a toy rocket.
Hawke is magnificently haunting as the antagonist, pulting out all the stops in making The Grabber a menacing figure. This is further supported by the manner in which he hides for the majority of the movie behind a sinister mask, designed by the great Tom Savini. Underneath his guise, he also harbours a fractured personality; a combination of sombre, playful and destructiive. This range needs to be in the hands of a master for the threat to have any nearing on Finney, and Hawke plays the fearful tune with heartfelt integrity.
When Finney awakens, he finds himself in a soundproofed basement, with just a mattress, a toilet, and the titular black phone. The master stroke to the narrative is through the twist in the tale. This is not a straight forward drama, but one firmly entrenched in a spiritual nature, as Finney soon learns that he is not alone in the basement, but is accompanied by the presence of The Grabber’s child victims. One by one, they make themselves known to Finney, providing him with the ammunition he may need to overpower his kidnapper, and maybe, just maybe win his freedom along the way.
This journey is filled with tension and hope, a balance that Derrickson flicks the audience between, sometimes with some much-need humour to juxtapose the weight of the situation. It is this dalliance that is Derrickson’s gift, keeping his audience hooked until the end.
The Prognosis:
Scott Derrickson once again proves to be a master of the macabre in his latest outing. In weaving together a spiritual tale about finding your inner strength in order to overcome aversity, with some incredible performances from its lead cast, he has produced one of the greatest films of the year.
It is clear from the offset that this psychological thriller is a heartfelt commentary about the post-apatheid impact on South Africa. Director Jenna Cato Bass, who grew up in the troubled country, weaves together her insights into her homeland with a mystical feel that could very well be drawn from her study of magic.
The story unfolds through the eyes of Tsidi (Chumisa Cosa), who is forced to move in with her estranged mother, a woman who has lived a life of servitude, tied to the domestic lifestyle, enslaved to white empowerment. The madam in question is virtually catatonic for most of the movie, and is symbolic of how in spite of how tides have changed in South Africa, the presence and long lasting effect that this gruelling oppression has on Black Africans and widening the race divide.
This trauma is not one that can easily be vanquished and will be passed on from generation to generation, scarred from what transpired and stuck with this demon that resides in the consciousness, tearing apart your mental wellbeing.
The more entrenched that Tsidi becomes in her mother’s lifestyle again, the more embroiled she becomes to the torment and enslaved to suffering. Cosa portrays this anguish with great pose and dignity, fuelling our own heartache as she fights tooth and nail to resist or overcome what is inevitable. Resolution can only be found in unity, but can Tsidi find kinship with her mother and brother, or is the weight of history too overbearing?
The Prognosis:
Good Madam is a slow burn psychological commentary on trauma and oppression. It weaves a delicate balance of torment and hope, slowly dialling up the tension to a dramatic conclusion.
The pace may turn people away but for those who like to be emotionally churned up with a steady transgression, they will be gifted with a well crafted tale.
Saul Muerte
Good Madam will be streaming on Shudder ANZ from Thu Jul 14th.
Lieutenant Jangles is one of those movies that you seriously have to take with a grain of salt. Like an infection boil, it may be tempting to squeeze out the pus and rid the unsightly presence, but its best to let it grow on you and succumb to the natural cause of events.
The writing, directing partnership of Nic Champeaux and Daniel Cordery may on face value feel like a bastardisation of good taste, but between them they have created a lovesong to 1980s Ozploitation action movies. They even set the film during this archaic time, where crime was at an all time high and rules were firmly out of the window.
It’s great to see Brisbane get a bit of lovin’ too on screen, and setting it in the heart of Queensland allows the warm sunshine glows to juxtapose the dirt, ridden and gritty streets that provides the tale of the film.
Our rogue-ish, protagonist and titular character is not the easiest to warm to, with no redeeming qualities whatsoever other than to get the job done, no matter what the cost.
When we’re first introduced to Jangles, he is in the throes of having an actual pissing contest with his partner. Only for the jokes and macho bravado to come to a painful end when his comrade is fatally killed in a gangland shootout.
From here on, we see the rise, fall and redemption of Jangles vengeful pursuit to bring down those responsible. Along the way, we witness crass toilet humour jokes, comedy that could be viewed as incredibly non PC, but to see it through this lens would miss the point of this venture
Lieutenant Jangles wears its heart on its sleeve, and doesn’t shy away from its vision. It gives you all the usual ropes; the hot-headed chief; the buddy cops; the unusual camp, European villain; and the love interest. All these elements play off one another with heightened virosity, amping up each of them to the extreme.
The Prognosis:
It may not suit everyone’s tastes but Lieutenant Jangles does not excuse its position, thrusting the audience headlong into a world where action, law, and order has no rules. All of this is abandoned for balls to the wall entertainment.
You’re either gonna dig it or not, but if you stick with it and embrace it, you cant help but be enamoured by the charm of LJ.
Since its release back in 1958, the infamous scene of cinema-goers running from fear of their lives in The Blob has cemented The Colonial Theatre in film history and brought patrons to its doors to reenact the scene. This has now been embraced on an annual basis where the theatre resides in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania as part of their Blobfest celebrations.
What is this appeal from this gelatinous glob? What causes people to still live out this moment from the celluloid archives over sixty years on. Looks like its time for another retrospective…
The Blob (1958)
Directed by Irvin Yeaworth, The Blob would feature Steve McQueen for the first time in a leading role for a feature film; and let’s face it brings the cool factor in what is essentially a B-Movie science fiction horror film about an alien life form that crash lands on Earth to decimate small town America.
The rift in this case would see a reversal in image of the delinquent American teens. No longer are they outcasts with a grudge against the system, but these representatives of the outskirts of society, are actually the solution and bastions of hope in a world surrounded by Soviet oppression and the impact that the Cold War would bring about. The threat of this entity that would ooze its way around town and consume people, altering them with infectious zeal, and growing larger with every passing day.
McQueen’s teen, Steve is introduced while on a date with his girlfriend Jane (Aneta Corsaut) at lover’s lane when they witness a meteor crash, and they go in pursuit to find where it has landed.
The first to be consumed by the red entity is Barney, and one of the elder citizens of the town, who makes the foolish mistake of poking the meteor with a stick, and having the gloop envelop his hand. Steve and Jane take Barney to the local doctor, little knowing that he will be the next victim.
Time to call in the authorities who are sceptical of Steve’s warnings, putting it down to another wayward prank.
Before long the blob engulfs The Colonial Theatre leading to the afore-mentioned scene of patrons running enmasse, and then turns to another young American icon, in the diner where Steve and Jane are trapped. The solution and salvation comes in the form of carbon dioxide extinguishers, freezing out the creature.
These few flashes of what should have been a forgotten flick with its low grade science fiction storyline would resonate deeply and send ripples across the the drive-in movie scene, one that would be notably replicated 20 years later when screened during Sandy and Danny’s date in Grease.
As the film draws to a close, we’re left with the blob being dumped into the Arctic and the words The End? This open-ended conclusion will lead to the possibility of return, which of course it would do 14 years later with…
Beware The Blob aka Son of Blob (1972)
Unfortunately the sequel would prove to be a train wreck of epic proportions and would be the one and only time that Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing, his Dallas alter-ego) would direct a feature. The issue is that it does too much to replicate the original without making a mark of its own. In doing so, it becomes insignificant and paltry in contrast. Where it tries to add humour, it misfires in a big way, and the trio of drifters consisting of Hagman, Meredith Burgess, and Del Close who are taking over by the blob smacks of wasted talent.
Hagman also seems to miss the point of its origin, by having the entity encroach on the hippie movement as though it is a plague on America’s wellbeing. This seems counterintuitive to the idea that youth are the answer to overcoming evil in its wake. Instead the solution is more of an attack on our media consumption with the Sheriff standing in a pool of blobooze; a symbol of the current state of America, wallowing in the stagnant quagmire that forms the building blocks of its forefathers.
And the least said about the skating rink sequence, the better.
What is interesting though and probably its greatest claim is through Dean Cundey who worked as one of the team in charge of The Blob’s special effects. Cundey would go on to work on The Thing, and Halloween.
It would take a further 16 years before new life would be born out of the blob that would not only find its mark but resonate with a new audience.
The Blob (1988)
Thanks to director Chuck Russell, The Blob would rise again at the height of the 80s home entertainment scene. It also capitalised on the body horror movement with creature effects that was a signature of its time. On its release, it was overshadowed by other features which is a crying shame, as looking back at the film now, it has its own appeal and the humour lifts it above the crowd, marking it as one of the better horror features in the latter end of the decade.
It goes bigger, but perhaps not better than its predecessor. It does boast Shawnee Smith (Saw) screaming her ass off and Kevin Dillon, mullet included, as our troublesome protagonist. He is our rebel against the cause in a world that is now born out of distrust against the regime, filled with conspiracies. Our blob is also manufactured by mankind as a biological weapon, fueling the fire of scepticism, and shifting the film’s threat from outer space to one that is our own undoing.
If this film passed you by, or was missed amongst the crowded horror scene that branched its way into the home movie rentals market, then it is well worth a look.
For this writer, casting my eyes across the three instalments of the franchise with its beats and mis-beats, and the fact that it’s been nearly forty years since the last entry made a wave, is the time ripe for another awakening.
How the blob will manifest if it does resurrect once more is one that intrigues, for its guise and current state of climate, given all that has transgressed since the 80s, would seem to be the perfect fodder for humankind’s demise.
