Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Geeks.
SNL Sketches Made Into Movies
Following a balmy Cold War winter, the spring of 1976 came in dry and would lead to global droughts. April 24 was a Saturday, and a show known as NBC’s Saturday Night was wrapping up its first season. Part way through, the camera cuts to a shot of producer Lorne Michaels at his desk:
By Stephen Hamilton10 years ago in Geeks
Jim Henson Interview
Jim Henson's lovable gang of Muppets (a combination of the words “marionette” and “puppet”) has made him the most celebrated and successful merchant of fantasy since Disney. In it's prime on television, The Muppet Show was the highest rated syndicated show in the US, and attracted 235 million viewers in 102 countries. The series ran from 1976 to 1981, totaling at 120 episodes. Success didn't stop with TV, either. There wasn't a piece of merchandise on the market that didn't have its Muppet equivalent: dolls, books, clothes, household appliances, calendars, records, linen, art objects, even jewelry. As if all this weren't enough, Henson and his team launched into feature filmmaking with The Muppet Movie in 1979 and nine spinoffs.
By Geeks Staff10 years ago in Geeks
History of Cosplay
Cosplay is one of the most awesome things about anime and comic cons but the practice that is readily associated as a Japanese phenomenon, originated in America. Once referred to as costuming, the first documented instance of cosplay occurred in 1908 when Mr. and Mrs. William Fell, a Cincinnati, Ohio couple, attended a masquerade ball in costumes depicting Mr. Skygack and Miss Pickles, martians from a newspaper comic that first ran in the Chicago Day Book.
By Patricia Sarkar10 years ago in Geeks
Scariest 80s Horror Movies
Mullets, leg warmers, and parachute pants weren’t the only scary things about the 1980s. In fact, the 80s are considered the golden age of horror movies because of how many fantastic films were produced during the decade. Whether you fancy a slasher flick, a paranormal haunting, or sci-fi horror, you can bury yourself under the covers and watch any of these 1980s horror films for a great scare. However, you might never sleep again if Freddy Kruger gets to you. The movies produced in this decade not only broke ground on their own but also spawned sequels which grew into franchises, some of which continue on to this day. One of the reasons horror films from the 80s are still considered masterpieces is how unique they were at the time. The writing was top-notch, the budget was low, and the expectations were higher than the clouds. Films such as Friday the 13th, Child’s Play, and The Evil Dead set the bar for horror films so high that the films we see today just don’t seem to match. But who knows? Maybe high-quality horror films will come back from the dead just like Jason Voorhees.
By Geeks Staff10 years ago in Geeks
Best Guest Stars on 'The Love Boat'
Ahoy, matey! International sensation The Love Boat aired on ABC from 1977 to 1987. With 10 seasons and a 1990 TV movie titled The Love Boat: A Valentine Voyage under its belt, the comedy series had many guest stars as blink-and-you-miss-it characters. We’ve picked the best of the best guest stars you may have missed while watching the show.
By Stephen Hamilton10 years ago in Geeks
Best Vampire Comics
Vampire stories are in our nature as a species. No matter what country or ethnicity a person may come from, their ancestors sat together and traded stories about supernatural beings with inhuman capabilities—some drank the blood of living creatures in order to live, while others could not stay in direct sunlight. Whatever the vampire of your country of origin may be, one thing is for certain—vampires have inspired a lot of comic books. Here are our favorite vampire comics and why we can’t get enough of them.
By Heather Johnson10 years ago in Geeks
The Walking Dead’s Best Comic Book Characters
Adaptation from print to live action often results in changes. Sometimes those changes happen because elements in the source don’t translate well to the new, faster-paced medium. Other times, it’s a creative choice from the new creatives such as the screenwriters, directors, or the producers.
By Tara Edwards10 years ago in Geeks
History of Deadpool
Captain America is as American as apple pie and hand guns. Captain America is the favorite superhero of every goody two-shoes out there. Yet for those that are a little more badass, Captain America is nothing compared to antihero Deadpool. Born as Wade Winston Wilson, he is a normal person with a highly dysfunctional family who was once a volunteer test subject of the Weapon X program. You might ask yourself, did he really volunteer? But, when you have cancer, and the government promised to give you a regenerative healing factor, then it must sound like a good idea. I mean, not to any sane person, but when you are wild and mentally unstable like Wade, sure. Deadpool's powers and personality traits combine to make him an unpredictable mercenary, the merc with a mouf. M-O-U-F. Two fists, two swords, four guns, and a number of other weapons that seem to appear from his "magic satchel." In other words, a total badass.
By Stephen Hamilton10 years ago in Geeks
Sci-Fi in South Africa
The typical African narrative has been one of tragedy, one of political unrest, or one of a number of situations that create emotional dramas. So, when Neill Blomkamp’s sci-fi District 9 brought concepts from a genre that was often limited to New York and Los Angeles to African landscapes, it was perhaps not surprising that it was met with critical acclaim.
By Stephen Hamilton10 years ago in Geeks
Retro Toys Return
Remember when toys were exciting and innovative? Not the toys of today, but the REALLY innovative toys of the past—the ones that were so different and so thrilling that toy companies couldn’t keep up with the demand for their amazing products? Toys are a beloved part of childhood. An old toy found in an old attic, once lost but never forgotten, can bring back a whirlwind of memories of happier, more innocent days. While some toys have been left behind in the dust of more technologically advanced products, others have been able to stand the test of time.
By Heather Johnson10 years ago in Geeks
Best Post Apocalyptic TV Shows
Portrayals of what life may be like after a world catastrophe have always been present in art. However, after the creation of nuclear weapons, the possibilities for the end of the world likely became much more interesting to writers and creators. After all, it’s much easier to think about the apocalypse when one wrong conversation between world leaders could lead to a nuclear end for the rest of us. Such appears to have been the case in entertainment for the past 20 years, where various post apocalyptic TV shows, movies, comic books, and novels appear every few months. Below is a list of some of our favorite post apocalyptic TV shows.
By Stephen Hamilton10 years ago in Geeks
