It’s interesting how certain experiences from childhood can stick with you and shape who you become. One memory that stands out for me happened fifty years ago, in 1976, which was our nation’s Bicentennial year. Back then, I was just a young boy living in Texas when reports started to come in about strange 'flying monsters.' These stories both fascinated and frightened me.
During that year, every day, the news would share new sightings of this creature. I remember in the summer, I was so scared to go outside and play, worried that the monster might swoop down to get me or carry me off somewhere. Although my online searches now show that most sightings were reported near the Texas-Mexico border, I recall hearing stories from all over the state. People described the creature in many different ways—from something that looked like a flying dinosaur to something resembling a dragon with bat-like features or even a gorilla. Those memories still linger with me today.
Texas Myths and Legends explores unusual phenomena, strange events, and mysteries in Texas’s history. Each episode included in the book is a story unto itself, and the tone and style of the book is lively and easy to read for a general audience interested in Texas history. The more than a dozen stories answer questions such as: Is the "Navidad Wildman"—aka Bigfoot—alive and well in Texas? Was the creature in one Texas woman's freezer the legendary blood-sucking beast known as the chupacabra? Just what are the mysterious Marfa Lights? Manifestations of otherworldly beings? Can they be explained scientifically? Is Jefferson the most haunted city in Texas? Or should the title go to San Antonio, which has enough ghosts to warrant at least three advertised ghost hunt tours? From rumors of Jean Lafitte's buried treasures to the hanging of Chipita Rodriguez and the love story of Frenchy McCormick, Texas Myths and Legends makes history fun and pulls back the curtain on some of the state's most fascinating and compelling stories.
During one of our journeys west from our home in central Louisiana, we ventured into the Lone Star State and explored the city of Lufkin. While Lufkin may be on the smaller side with a population of 34,074, it boasts a variety of attractions, including some impressive museums. After considering our options, we chose to spend the afternoon at the Naranjo Museum of Natural History, and we were genuinely amazed by the size and quality of the exhibits.
Filmmaker Hiroto Yokokawa, the creative force behind 3Y Films, the independent Japanese studio known for its imaginative projects like The Great Buddha Arrival (2018), Nezura 1964 (2022), and Hoshi 35 (2023), is on a thrilling new adventure with his latest film, Fukuiraptor! This exciting project aims to capture the magic and wonder reminiscent of the Jurassic Park series.
Written By: Ken HulseyDo dinosaurs still walk among us? While science strongly suggests they don't, every now and then, we hear of a fascinating sighting from some isolated corner of the world that sparks our imagination. A recent intriguing discovery in Cambodia might just add a twist to the chapter of our planet's prehistoric history.
Director Luke Sparke (Occupation Rainfall, Bring Him To Me) continues filming his latest project, PRIMITIVE WAR, based on the cult-followed book by Ethan Pettus. In the film, a squad of 1968 Vietnam War soldiers discovers that dinosaurs have been unleashed in the jungles.
Vulture Squad, a recon unit, is dispatched to an isolated jungle valley to investigate the disappearance of a Green Beret platoon, only to discover they are not the only ones there. This prehistoric sci-fi film boasts dinosaurs that are more scientifically and historically accurate than those in other similar movies. Additionally, it blends action, survival-horror, and war elements into a compelling narrative.
In the early 1970s’ Amicus Pictures (Owned by Milton Subotsky and Max J Rosenberg) decided to pump so life into the declining British fantasy film industry by bringing the works of Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs to the big screen. The company’s rival, Hammer, had abandoned its standard horror films for features starring half naked women in an attempt to put more bodies in the seats and the time seemed right for Burroughs strait forward action tales to fill the void.
The first of the four Burrough’s stories to be produced by Amicus would be an adaptation of the short story “The Land That Time Forgot” which was first published in Blue Book Magazine in 1918. Milton Subotsky had first penned a screenplay for the film back in the early 1960s’ but this first draft was initially rejected by the late Burrough’s estate. It was under their prodding that the script was rewritten by Jim Cawthorn and Michael Moorcock. Their dialogue heavy, light on the action script however didn’t meet Subotsky’s approval so it was reworked yet again.
The film began production at Pinewood Studios in April 1974 with a mere $750,000 budget that had been put up by American International Pictures in exchange for the American distribution rights. This extremely low budget forced the film-makers to settle for cost cutting measures in the effects department. Hand puppets were used for the films dinosaurs in many scenes where costly stop motion animation had intended to be used. The effect looks primitive when compared to modern CGI effects, but for the time period in which it was created the effects in The Land That Time Forgot faired well against most rival productions.
Script problems and hand held dinos were not the only problems the production would face in its early stages. Originally Stuart Whitman was cast as the American engineer Bowen Tyler but Samuel Arkoff of AIP protested. Their next choice, Doug McClure, finally agreed to take the role after initially passing on it. McClure was billed as the perfect leading man by Kevin Connor. A reputation he had earned as the lead on the TV Western “The Virginian.” On the set however McClure earned another type of reputation after his tendency to hit the bottle caused him to miss a couple of days shooting and punch a hole in producer Johnny Dark’s office door. Despite this McClure was considered a nice guy by his costars. He even held the hand of a nervous Susan Penhaligon (cast as biologist Lisa Clayton) during the explosions of the films volcano erupting climax. John McEnry, who played the German U-boat Captain von Schoverts, was continually acting up on the set due to his belief that the production was beneath him as an actor. This lead to his voice being dubbed over by Anton Diffrin due to his demeanor and lackluster tone. Aside from this however none of the other off screen troubles manifested themselves in the finished product.
The films plot is a strait forward Burroughs adventure story. The survivors of a torpedoed allied cargo ship turn the tables on their attackers and seize control of their U-boat. The Germans manage to damage the ships compass and instead of steaming to a neutral port the group finds itself of the coast of the legendary island Caprona where time has stood still since prehistoric times. Forced to venture ashore in search of food, supplies and fuel the crew encounters a bevy of dinosaurs that intend on making sure no one escapes alive. As in all good adventure stories of this type just about everything and everyone the group encounters is set on doing them mortal harm and danger lies behind every turn. The groups focus is a simple a straight forward one. Keep from being eaten and figure out a way to get off the island before it consumed in a river of molten rock. Seems all good dinosaur flicks have to end in some kind of volcanic catastrophe and this film is no exception even though Moorcock had originally written it with a different ending.
The Land That Time Forgot (1975)
Amicus Pictures
Directed By: Kevin Connor
Written By: Edgar Rice Burroughs, Jim Cawthorn, Michael Moorcock, Milton Subotsky
Here is a great looking family film from South Korea that is very much in the style of the "Land Before Time" movie series.
Synopsis:
After the great disaster of the Cretaceous Period 80 million years ago, a Tarbosaurus named Speckles lost all of his family but his youngest son. Unlike his father, Mak-ne is scared and timid and is always being picked on by other dinosaurs. One day, Mak-ne is abducted by 3 Deinonychuses and Speckles embarks on an adventure to start looking for him. On his way, he meets Songgot who is looking for his daughter and a friendly herbivor named Sai. Together, they continue their journey until Speckles finds clues about the whereabouts of his son Mak-ne. However, a mutant dinosaur appears in front of them. Will Speckles be able to save his son?
Dr. Ian Malcolm: God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs.
From Slash/Film
There would’ve been no Jurassic Park without Jeff Goldblum‘s Dr. Ian Malcolm. Well, not really, but it’s certainly hard to imagine. As soon as the chaos mathematician stepped into frame with his tinted glasses, leather jacket, and addictively weird laugh, we all knew it was an icon in the making. And then when he bared his chest after getting attacked by a dinosaur, he cemented his place on thousands of teen girls’ bedroom walls.
But, according to Goldblum, the character almost didn’t make it into the movie. There’s no dinosaur more horrifying than that prospect.
In a video interview with Vanity Fair, Goldblum revealed that Dr. Ian Malcolm was nearly cut from Jurassic Park.
When Goldblum’s met with Steven Spielberg, the director dropped the bomb that the character of Ian Malcolm might be merged with Sam Neill‘s Dr. Alan Grant. Here, Goldbum describes the meeting with all of glorious Goldblum-isms:
“I [read] that Michael Crichton book — Ian Malcolm, wow! Smart, funny, interesting character. [Spielberg] was so nice… but he said, ‘You know, there’s a sort of movement afoot… to have that part removed from the script. So since we’ve had this meeting, there’s this little wrinkle that may… render this moot.’ I kind of said, ‘Well, gee!’ I felt moved to advocate for my inclusion!”
Thankfully, Spielberg and the Jurassic Park team saw the light and kept Dr. Ian Malcolm in the movie. I mean, when you see Goldblum, how could you not?
Almost four months before Universal unleashes Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, directed by J.A. Bayona, the studio is making plans for a third installment of the rebooted dinosaur adventure movie series.
Jurassic World 3 will be penned by franchise newcomer Emily Carmichael along with Colin Trevorrow, director of the 2015 reboot and co-writer of Fallen Kingdom.
The studio has set a June 11, 2021, release date for the movie.
Trevorrow is returning to executive produce the new chapter along with Steven Spielberg, the filmmaker behind the original movies in the 1990s.
Frank Marshall and Pat Crowley are returning as producers.
Plot details are being kept locked in a canister, but Carmichael and Trevorrow will work from a story concocted by Trevorrow and writer partner Derek Connolly. Carmichael co-wrote the upcoming Pacific Rim Uprising and most recently rewrote The Black Hole for Disney and director Joseph Kosinski. Carmichael came to Spielberg’s attention when she set up the family action-adventure Powerhouse at Amblin Entertainment.
“It’s important to this franchise that we welcome new creative voices to keep our storytelling fresh and alive,” Trevorrow said Wednesday in a statement. “I’m thrilled with the tension and beauty J.A. has brought to Fallen Kingdom, and I know Emily will add another layer of emotion to the concluding chapter of our trilogy.”
Jurassic World rebooted Jurassic Park, the popular trilogy that adapted the best-selling Michael Crichton novel. The 2015 movie — fueled by the star power of Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, combined with nostalgic hunger — was a roaring success, grossing over $1.6 billion worldwide.
Adventures Into The Unkown #130 - February 1962 - ACG Comics
We have a copy of this comic book in our online store - HERE
For as Long as You Live!" (script by Richard Hughes as "Shane O'Shea," art by Paul Reinman); "White Streak" (art by John Forte); "What's Behind That Superstition?" (script by Hughes as "Greg Olivetti," art by Ogden Whitney); and "The Boy With Second Sight.
History:
Adventures Into the Unknown was an American comic-book magazines series best known as the medium's first ongoing horror-comics title. Published by the American Comics Group, initially under the imprint B&I Publishing, it ran 174 issues (cover-dated Fall 1948 - Aug. 1967). The first two issues, which included art by Fred Guardineer and others, featured horror stories of ghosts, werewolves, haunted houses, killer puppets and other supernatural beings and locales. The premiere included a seven-page, abridged adaptation of Horace Walpole's seminal gothic novel The Castle of Otranto, by an unknown writer and artist Al Ulmer.
Unlike many American horror comics of the Golden Age, it weathered the public criticism of the early 1950s and survived the aftermath of the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency hearings of April and June 1954 when the comics industry attempted self-regulation with a highly restrictive Comics Code.
Star Spangled War Stories #134 - September 1967 Issue - DC Comics
We have a copy of this issue at or online store! - Check it out
"The Killing Ground" by Robert Kanigher and Neal Adams
An issue that very much resembles the movie Godzilla vs The Sea Monster sees soldiers fighting giant monsters on a remote island. - DC Comics
History:
Initially, Star Spangled War Stories was a retitling of Star-Spangled Comics, and continued the numbering of its predecessor with #131. That lasted until #133, when DC rebooted the numbering with issue #3 — even though there had already been three issues before that. The end result was that there are two separate comics numbered as Star Spangled War Stories #132 — one issued in 1952 and one issued in 1967. "The War that Time Forgot" was an ongoing feature introduced by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Ross Andru in issue #90 (May 1960). The Unknown Soldier became the lead feature in #151 (June–July 1970).
Star-Spangled War Stories ran for over 200 issues from 1952 to 1977. The series ended with issue #204. With #205, the numbering resumed under the title of The Unknown Soldier.
Welcome to Jurassic World, a fully operational luxury resort where tens of thousands of guests explore the wonder and brilliance of Earth’s most magnificent living prehistoric marvels and interact up close with them every day.
Situated on an island off the coast of Costa Rica and constructed around a bustling Main Street, Jurassic World is a state-of-the-art wonder full of astonishing attractions. Kids ride gentle mini Triceratops in the petting zoo, crowds cheer as the aquatic Mosasaurus leaps from a performance pool to snatch a great white shark dangled as a snack, and families gaze with fascination as dinosaurs of every shape and size roam again, all displayed and safely contained for the guests’ amusement.
In the early 1970s’ Amicus Pictures (Owned by Milton Subotsky and Max J Rosenberg) decided to pump so life into the declining British fantasy film industry by bringing the works of Tarzan creator Edgar Rice Burroughs to the big screen. The company’s rival, Hammer, had abandoned its standard horror films for features starring half naked women in an attempt to put more bodies in the seats and the time seemed right for Burroughs strait forward action tales to fill the void.
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