When Netflix will soon dump all of Star Trek, and traditional networks are broadcasting less genre television than ever, where do audiences go to get their fix?
Looking back, the last century feels like the moment genre television quietly defined its contract with the audience. Most of those early experiments arrived in short waves, and like the tides, they came and went. Some returned decades later on specialty stations or streaming platforms. And these days, nearly everything is being tucked into quieter shores. Every so often, the tropes that once defined a series are reskinned for a new generation, which is simply how television writing evolves.
From that first wave, some re-dos leaned into long-form storytelling, while others stayed loyal to the standalone format.
The 70s offered a handful of tests, including Shazam! (1974–1976), Wonder Woman (1975–1979), and The Incredible Hulk (1977–1982). The latter proved that if you give audiences a hero they can empathize with, they will follow even an unresolved quest, like Bruce Banner’s search for a cure. Sadly, many genre series never reached a true conclusion. The Time Tunnel (1966–1967) is only one of several 60s science-fiction shows left without closure.
Diving into Marcel Walz’s Brute 1976, a 70s-inspired grindhouse horror; you’ll face masked killers and a desert full of questions—splatterguard optional, curiosity required.
Cinephobia Coming to VOD Sept 30, 2025
When your car breaks down near Death Valley, get out fast! Marcel Walz’s Brute 1976 is a throwback for fans of 70s grindhouse and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre—so buckle up and prepare for splatter. If that film isn’t enough to scare or intrigue you, only fans of House of 1000 Corpses need to enter here. This movie wastes no time setting the mood and delivering a gruesome spectacle. It’s hot in them thar hills, and I swear they have eyes too!
Although the setup is clever—three models hired for a desert photo shoot—what follows is painfully familiar. Raquel (Gigi Gustin) and her girlfriend Roxy (Adriane McLean) are quickly stranded in Death Valley’s heat. Their introduction checks every slasher box: a sign to a mine, masked miners, and death lurking in the shadows. It works, but it also feels like déjà vu.
A lot of longtime fans are thankful for what Justin Sevakis is leading. In addition to re-releasing a bunch of old AnimEigo titles considered long out of print in new packaging, his video post-production company, MediaOCD, is offering works which haven’t seen North American home video release, like Nobody’s Boy Remi. This operation produces all the Blu-rays for Discotek Media, NIS America, and many more.
This title came out last week. Back in the day, as part of World Masterpiece Theatre on CBC’s French television channel, I viewed a curated selection in what English literature offered. Although I didn’t read the original by Hector Malot, the desire wasn’t there. But with other titles like Sherlock Hound to which I read, to know the differences was essential. In the cartoon, that added sense of whimsy drew me in.
A pot of gold can’t always been found at the end of the rainbow, as far as A Disturbance in the Force is concerned.
Playing May 6, 2023 at the Chicago Critics Film Festival (tickets)
Any fan of the original Star Wars trilogy will sense A Disturbance in the Force at the mere mention of that Holiday Special. Had the timing been better, I’m sure not everyone would want to watch it on May the 4th had it been offered. Most people tend to lament over where it fits in the canon and as for who are the advocates, this excellent documentary by Jeremy Coon and Steve Kozak dares to tell all!
I was amazed at all the arguments unearthed, past and present. It’s perfect at getting into the details of why this show was created and details how every segment came to fruition. Here, what’s delved into brings many generations of fans to speculate and discuss everything you want to know but were afraid to ask.
Everything you want to know but were afraid to ask about what went on behind the scenes and in the evolution of heavy metal is well accounted for in Sean Kelly’s Don’t Call It Hair Metal. This deft exploration of the 80s music scene in 320 page book published by ECW Press is great at delving into the origin of many famous bands from the 70s onwards. From Slade to KISS to Ozzy Osbourne’s solo career after Black Sabbath, the examination even dives deep to reveal something new about each act that I’m a fan of.
This book isn’t about random bits of trivia. It’s an excellent scholarly study on why a lot of bands are still performing. What they produce is for the love of the sound, not the look, or even the glam that shook up the stage to draw in crowds. Alice Cooper is the godfather of the scene for a reason, and we get some great stories from various talents remembering those times.
Instead of exploring the decade as a whole, each chapter deals with a few years at a time. We get even more studies about how talents like Randy Roads developed their signature sound, and the interviews from industry observers and other fellow guitarists only add to the picture. Whether that’s about their heydays or something anecdotal, I’m certainly enjoying this read. It’s best not to power through this book, either, as there’s a lot of terrific quotes from the talents Kelly interviewed.
This author’s journey to the heart of rock and roll is the same as mine when when I discovered heavy metal at an early age. And to hear the stories about how some bands persevered is sweet. Also, to read about what this author believes are the best platinum hits only affirms why I loved one album over another. For me, Def Leppard‘s Pyromania will always be my number one album to put on the turntable. Twisted Sister never came into my radar until “We’re not Gonna Take It,” and watching them transform into a glam act; but after a while, they took the makeup off and went back to the sound that is their roots.
As this book insinuates, it’s not about the hair, but the intention of why each group wanted to make a dent in the industry. Poison and Ratt were huge during this time, and it’s not because of the acts put on stage, their life behind the scenes or something else. Regarding the former, Brett Michaels’ journey is a book in itself, and it’s been looked upon in those documentaries made by VH1.
Even MTV’s influence is recounted here, and without them and the music videos which showed these bands at their craziest (or best), I doubt this era would be remembered fondly. Kelly’s love for the genre and his personal journey makes for the perfect narrative device to move readers year to year, and I suspect writing Don’t Call It Hair Metal took more than a a year to craft. Although the preview edition doesn’t contain any snapshots, that may change when the hard copy finally comes out.
Conan lives the jungle life and is very much a Tarzan boy. But when a mysterious girl washes up on a beach and he rescues her, trouble is coming! In this home video release of Future Boy Conan, fans can enjoy this classic!
Not everyone will recall Hayao Miyazaki worked on various animated television shows before transitioning to making feature-length films. He provided key animation to films like Puss in Boots and Animal Treasure Island. Those haven’t received a Blu-ray upgrade yet, but with the release of Future Boy Conan, it’s safe to assume they will one day come. In the meantime, this product is a must to give to any collector of this filmmaker’s works. Christmas is coming.
GKIDS & Shout! Factory’s release of this whimsical post-apocalyptic style adventure can see how this first-time director whetted his feet as an up-and-coming director. Although he changed a lot of the story–it was supposed to be an adaptation ofThe Incredible Tide by Alexander Key–the problems that later arose meant that for a time, no North American release was possible despite having having an English dub stuck in storage for decades (it was redone for this release).
Looking back, the last century feels like the moment genre television quietly defined its contract with the audience. Most of those early experiments arrived in short waves, and like the tides, they came and went. Some returned decades later on specialty stations or streaming platforms. And these days, nearly everything is being tucked into quieter shores. Every so often, the tropes that once defined a series are reskinned for a new generation, which is simply how television writing evolves.
Cinephobia
Playing May 6, 2023 at the Chicago Critics Film Festival (
![Amazon.com: Future Boy Conan: The Complete Series [Blu-ray] : Hayao Miyazaki: Movies & TV](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81CNlrnrDSL._SY445_.jpg "Future Boy Conan is Swingin on Home Video! 6")