Pluto Forever!

Hey, screw the scientific community!! Pluto will always be a planet in our astronomy book. (Ain't that right, Charon?)

PLUTO FOREVER!!

Friday Night at the Movies

Hola, all you loonie tunes out there. Professor Fether here. Tarr and I have had a couple of long and grueling -- not to mention downright traumatic -- days, so we're ready to sit back, get all natural-like, put the cooler between us, put the popcorn on the table and watch tonight's movie -- SWAMP WOMEN.

But before we talk about the movie, I have to tell you all I saw the video tapes of our "adventure" searching for the Reffitt Swamp Monster. All I can say is I don't feel responsible for anything that went on during that weekend. I see the evidence before my eyes but I have a hard time believing it really happened. It is truly all a blur to me...if, indeed, it did happen. You'll see what I mean when the tape airs in an upcoming episode.

So, this is one reason I'm ready to sit back and watch SWAMP WOMEN. This gem was made in 1955 and has the singular distinction of being Roger Corman's directorial debut. Shot in black and white. Stars Beverly Garland, Carole Mathews and Touch Conners. Yeah, Touch Connors. He later became known as Mike Conners. Heh heh. Mikey was born with an Armenian name. Something that sounds lots cooler than "Mike." Or "Touch." Well, okay, I do like Touch. Touch Fether. Hey, I like that! Mayb I'll change my name from Damien to Touch. Well, I'll have to think about that. It would ruin my initials. I like PDF. Has a certain ring to it. SWAMP WOMEN was written by David Stern. He wrote all those Francis the Talking Mule movies in the early to mid 1950s. He also wrote the novel to the first one. Hmm. A Francis the Talking Mule movie night wouldn't be too bad. Something to consider. This movie has some of the greatest taglines I've ever read:

Flaming passions against a background of weird adventure!
Scarlet Women Out to Get Every Thrill They Could Steal!
Branded Women! Notorious Women! Scarlet Women! Which is Deadlier?

With taglines like that, ya just gotta love the flick! Hmm, I wonder which is deadlier?

Oh yeah, check out the website. Lots has been added and updated. Start with the S'Newsletter and take it from there.

Everything That You Do

Professor Fether here. Well, Tarr still won't say anything about our trip in search of the Reffitt Swamp Monster. My nightmares are gruesome. Are they glimpses into the past? Or are they just figments of my imagination. Hard to say at this point. Tarr did give me this picture. He said it was taken at Uncle Ray's. I don't remember it. Oh well, It's not the first time and won't be the last. Heh heh! I'll keep badgering Tarr, though. He'll crack one of these days. Much like Inmate 23. There was a tough one. Tarr's love of Experimentation (see the new entry in the Medical Records section of our website) produced some interesting results with that subject. Anyway, Tarr has mentioned taped footage of our adventure. He says Uncle Ray sent it to him. He refuses to show it to me, though. He has it hidden.

Speaking of the website, we've updated a few things.
The aforementioned Medical Records section, Dr. Tarr's records. Get to know the "real" Dr. Tarr.
The S'Newsletter has been updated. There's a new entry by Dr. Z. He reviews the movie NECRONOMICON with his usual critical eye.
Eddie's Place is open...partially. The Poems section is open even though still under construction. We've got all the poems up. Three of them are even audio files for your listening pleasure. They were read by a very good friend of ours, D.L. Holt. Let us know what you think of 'em. We're in the process of producing more. We would like to eventually have all of them as audio files.

Back to the Reffitt Swamp Monster. To get the whole truth about our trip you'll have to wait for the webisode. Tarr says he'll reveal the chronicle of our journey then. That's really funny, though, because I don't remember seeing any cameras around. Oh yeah. I don't remember anything else either. Go figure! It will be out the first week in October. Hey, that coincides with our favorite Horror Convention CINEMA WASTELAND. What a good place to reveal our adventure. That Dr. Tarr can be quite...alert at times.

Last, our new DVD is due to be launched the first of September. It's gonna knock yer socks off. Look for a trailer coming soon!

And, and really, there is gonna be a Psycho Cinema Web TV Show. And it's gonna be cool! It's gonna rock yer...did I say that already? Well, it's true. It's true. What is truth? Or should that be TRUTH?....

Dr. Tarr here. I had to give Fether his evening shot. Heh heh! I do love my job. And since it's Friday night that means it's MOVIE NIGHT. And that means I get to pick the movie. Fether is certainly in no position to proffer an opinion. Heh heh! Hmm. I think I'll choose...

A double feature! Oh yeah! THE KILLER SHREWS. Made in 1959. Yeah, another '59er, eh? Heh heh! This one stars James Best. Yeah, the guy who was on that old TV show THE DUKES OF HAZZARD. Here's the official blurb: On an isolated island, a small group of people is terrorised by giant, voracious shrews in the midst of a hurricane. Sounds good. WRONG! This one's a real smeller, like a liver that's been left out too long. It's gonna be fun! Whattaya think, Prof? Prof? Heh heh. He's drooling...he must like this movie too. And then we're gonna watch I BURY THE LIVING. Made in 1958. Stars Richard Boone. It'll put us to sleep. We're set for the night!

Oh, and as for the Hunt for the Reffit Swamp Monster (or the Reffitt Road Swamp Monster as i like to call it), I'll let you in on a little secret. I really don't know much of what happened either. I guess we'll all have to wait to see the webisode, won't we? Heh heh. Well, okay, I do remember Missy and lots of blood and the monster and more blood...but that's about it. Uncle Ray sure pulled a number on us. Good one, Uncle Ray!

Oop, here comes the movie. No more talking...until the movie starts. Heh heh heh!!

Hunt for the Reffitt Swamp Monster - Part 3

Professor Fether here. What day is it? Sunday...SUNDAY? I've lost a whole week! Let me go back a bit. Back to right after the last post, the audio post. Here's what happened....

I re-entered Uncle Ray's house. Ray and Tarr were seated in Ray's "Recreation Room." (I'll post a picture of that in a future blog. The room is a story unto itself.) Uncle Ray handed me a small opaque glass filled with a dark, viscous liquid.

"Drink this," he said, holding the glass in front of him. I took it.

"What's in it?" I asked.

"Don't ask," Tarr said as he scrunched up his nose. "It doesn't taste bad, though. Actually quite good. I feel good. Just after one drink. I feel good. Do you remember how Jack Burton felt in "Big Trouble in Little China" after he took the elixer? Heh heh!"

I took the brew and quickly downed it. I opened my eyes. Hmm. It did indeed taste good. It had an earthy taste with a hint of sweetness. Very refreshing.

"So, what's it supposed to do, Uncle Ray?" I asked.

Uncle Ray grinned. It was very maniacal. I was impressed.

"Oh, it's a little potion's bin in mah fambly fer lottsa yers," he said between chuckles and snorts. "It ain't nothin' more'n a bitsy brew to help us through the comin' times. It ain't gonna harm ya none. Trust me!" He clucked like a chicken. This immediately ingratiated him to me. I did notice Tarr shrink back and curl his lip at that. We all know how Tarr feels about chickens.

We gathered our equipment. I was indeed starting to feel very good. A bit dizzy but I've been there before, so it was no big thing. Tarr had the camera. Click click. I had the binoculars. (I was going to see the Reffitt Swamp up close and personal. The way I felt I would probably be able to smell the creature.) Uncle Ray had his shotgun. Bang bang.

We exited Uncle Rays' abode. I was in the lead. I was rarin' to go, as Uncle Ray would say.

"Swamy, here we come!" I practically shouted. Or I think I did. Even though everything seemed to be bright and vibrant and alive, it was also blurry and lacking in detail. I vaguely remember thinking, "That brew of Ray's is messin' with my brain." About that time I forgot what I thinking about just as we emerged into the sunlight.

Standing there, almost blocking the path, was a lovely young woman, a stranger to Tarr and me. Uncle Ray introduced her to us as his "special friend Missy." He said she liked flowers a whole lot. He suggested Missy go out into the woods to find some pretty flowers. Missy, who seemed a few kernals shy of a whole ear of corn, trotted off -- yes, she trotted -- to change her clothes.

About this time things get even more fuzzy. I tried to speak but could only laugh. Tarr and Uncle Ray were also laughing so I figured everything must be okay if we're all laughing.



We traveled for quite some time. I remember small lakes, cattails, rushes, croaking frogs. And the Reffitt Swamp Monster. Tarr even managed to get a few pictures of him. None are very good. I suspect he took them with his bad eye. The potion we had so rashly imbibed no doubt made him think his bad eye was now even better than his good one since it stuck out farther.

I remember lots of trees. And glimpses of the monster. And dizziness....and...I can't remember any more. At some point in the woods everything became part of a strange dream. Perhaps more will be revealed -- some day...

We did accomplish our goal. We found the Reffitt Swamp Monster. And we did get a few pictures of it, although they aren't of the highest quality. There was something, though, something disturbing, even for me, that happened. I wish I could remember what it was. I have asked Tarr about the whole affair. He refuses to say anything. He does laugh to himself a lot. I suspect he knows something, or remembers something, that I don't. Perhaps he'll share his thoughts with me on this subject some day.

This is a very tired Professor Fether signing off. Time to get some sleep.

Pleasant dreams, Fellow Inmates. Pleasant dreams. Mine certainly aren't these days...

Hunt for the Reffitt Swamp Monster - Part 2

The Hunt for the Reffitt Swamp Monster-Part 1

Well, Fellow Inmates, the trip of the summer is almost upon us. Yes, I'm talking about our expedition to the wilds of central Ohio where we are going to look for the Reffitt Swamp monster. Our guide is none other than Uncle Ray. Ray has had the pleasure of seeing the Reffitt Swamp Monster a number of times. He assures us he can lead us to it so we can get it on film -- something that has never happened. It's a very elusive creature.

We are leaving tomorrow afternoon and hope to arrive at Uncle Ray's around 5:00pm. He has promised to show us a good time while in his neck of the woods. Which is not too far from Mt. Vernon, Ohio. We're wondering exactly what he means by "a good time." Uncle Ray, you see, is quite insane. Well, yes, we know what you're thinking. Who else would Tarr and Fether hang out with but others who are as crazy as they are. Oh, wait a minute, we're not really crazy. That was a...a joke. Yeah, that was a joke. Actually Uncle Ray is a bone fide Big Game tracker. Yeah. Retired now. And living in the wilds of central Ohio. Well, okay, that does sound a bit far fetched, doesn't it? Well, every word of it is true, my friends. Every word.

Anyway, I'm going keep up this blog while on the trip. So stay tuned. . . and stay sick! (Ah, just had to pay that bit of a tribute to the one and only Ghoulardi...)

P. Fether

Syd Barrett - The Passing of a Legend

A sad note today as I learned that Roger Keith "Syd" Barrett, the co-founder of one of the best and most influential rock groups ever, Pink Floyd, has died at age 60. Syd was one of the most influential guitarists/composers to grace the rock and roll world. His style and vision were truly unique and inspired a whole genre of music known as Electronic or Space music. He co-founded Pink Floyd with Roger Waters in the early sixties and wrote 10 of the 11 songs on their first album. His erratic behavior, caused by a history of mental problems exascerbated by psychelic drugs (especially LSD) let to his eventual mental disintegration. The band was forced to replace him with David Gilmour, who went on to become another seminal rock legend and major influence on the world of rock and roll. Syd spent most of his time after being removed from the band in mental institutions, and, eventually, living the life of a recluse at his mother's home where he continued to write, compose and paint huge abstract paintings.

My personal favorite Pink Floyd songs by Syd are "Interstellar Overdrive", "Careful With That Axe, Eugene" and "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun." My all-time favorite Pink Floyd song "Astronomy Domine" was written by Syd Barrett.

Syd may be gone but his music will play on forever.

Professor Fether

Movie for the 4th

In celebration of the birthday of the good ol' U.S. of A., Tarr and I are going to watch THE GIANT GILA MONSTER. This movie was made in 1959 and shot in black and white. It was written and directed by Ray Kellogg, who also did THE KILLER SHREWS (aka ATTACK OF THE KILLER SHREWS) in that same year. What a work horse! Heh heh! Hey, he also was a second unit director on lots of movies, including BATMAN: THE MOVE in 1966. This is one of our favorite bad movies, so this guy knew what he was doin'! This movie stars Don Sullivan (also did TEENAGE ZOMBIES - 1959, THE MONSTER OF PIEDRAS BLANCAS - 1959, and CURSE OF THE UNDEAD - 1959), and a bunch of other actors who never amounted to much in the fickle world of B movies.

Tagline - Only Hell could breed such an enormous beast. Only God could destroy it!

So, this movie's about a giant lizard that runs rampant in a rural Texas community. There's lots of teen angst, hot rods, wire-frame bras and rock and roll to keep things movin' when the giant lizard isn't on the screen.

We're gonna watch this movie as presented by our very good friends THE BONE JANGLER and NOCTURNA. They are horror hosts Supreme who manage to make even this stinkbomb enjoyable.

Happy 4th to all our Fellow Inmates.

Oh, so why this movie on the 4th? Well, um, because it's hot on the 4th, and, um, it's hot in Texas. Hey, that's as good a reason as any.

LET THE OPERATION BEGIN!

Monkey Brain Fusion Twist

….The custard leaked out from my sock, but I painted two babies green and talked like I was on a walkie-talkie. Airplanes and squirrels were there. I said don’t tell them but Mussolini poked his eyeballs out with Fether’s elbows.
Note to myself. Never ever stop and eat those little purple or green mushrooms when down here. Dr. Tarr

Uncle Roy Hoggins Interview Online

HOI, FELLOW INMATES! Just wanted to drop a note to let you know you can now hear the interview we did with UNCLE ROY HOGGINS. Just click on the S'NEWSLETTER link to the right, and then click the Uncle Roy picture to take you to the HearSay Section of the website. Uncle Roy is one demented fella. We love 'im!

Movie of the night: ISLAND OF LOST SOULS starring Charles Laughton and Bela Lugosi. Pass the popcorn!

Deep in the Bowels of the Asylum

Hi, Dr. Tarr here, still trying to find my way back. Back up to the main floors of the Asylum. Stumbling my way through the luminous fungus-lined corridors of the catacombs beneath the Asylum, still wondering about all these strange little foot prints. Seeing strange incantations and formulae written upon the walls. Wondering what unspeakable things these writings conjure up. Groping my way through the dimly lit passageway, the air cut by sharp sounds (the owners of the foot prints?), the space filled with a noxious, sulfurous odor emanating from some dark nether region. Then I suddenly think: "Damn that Fether and his new French cooking!" I think it's upsetting my delicate stomach, giving me gas again. I must quickly try to find my way out of here before the stench overwhelms me. I really have to quit eating the Professor's cooking!

I wonder what movie he wants to watch tonight? I think I'm in the mood for a Japanese BIG MONSTER movie...got to hurry up and find the way back up. I don't want to miss another movie...

Track of the Moon Beast

Eddie's Place is almost done. Damn, it has proven to be a formidable task. But it'll be worth it, believe me.

Okay, time to grab Dr. Tarr, some beverages, some popcorn, and watch a movie. Tonight's movie is TRACK OF THE MOON BEAST. The copy we're watching is hosted by our good buddy Butch R. Cleaver of the show MEET CLEAVER THEATER. Ah, Butch is a madman after our own hearts and a FELLOW INMATE in good standing of the Aslyum. And believe me, kidlings, the only way to watch this movie is to have a good horror host to help you through it because this is ONE BAD FLICK!! Time to have some fun...

Movies and Beer Night

Professor Fether here. Last night Dr. Tarr and I sat down in front of the TV and popped in the 1965 psychotronic classic "Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster." Oh yeah! What a movie! This flick fits right in to our kind of movie. It has everything: a space monster, a cyborg astronaut, a "butchy" princess, an effeminate henchman, a couple of songs, one music montage (using stock footage obtained from NASA), and lottsa girls in bikinis! See what I mean? As Dr. Tarr so aptly put it, "You'll laugh. You'll cry. You might even throw up!"

Here's the plot: When an atomic war on Mars destroys the planet’s women, it’s up to Martian Princess Marcuzan and her right-hand man Dr. Nadir to travel to earth and kidnap women for new breeding stock. Landing in Puerto Rico, they shoot down a NASA space capsule manned by an android. With his electronic brain damaged, the android terrorizes the island while the Martians raid beaches and pool parties.

Yeah, that kind of sums it up. It doesn't mention that this movie is reputed to have the most stock footage of any movie ever made. Talk about yer padding! They do, though, actually manage to make good use of the stock footage...well, as "good" as anything about this movie.

Probably the funniest character in the movie is Dr. Nadir, played by Lou Cutell. His makeup job is a very bad imitation of the vampire Nosferatu, and he camps it up big time. He even manages to look at the camera a couple of times during his dialog. Cutell also appeared in numerous TV shows and movies, his latest appearance a supporting role in "The Wedding Crasher." he was also the Amazing Larry in "Pee Wee's Big Adventure", one of our favorite (good) movies.

We really enjoyed this movie. We couldn't stop laughing. And the copy we watched, produced by Darksky Films, has one of the best insert booklets every included in a bad movie. It's absolutely hilarious and is worth the price of the DVD ($11.99) alone, if yer interested in movie-making history.

The good doctor and I give this movie 4 severed thumbs! You gotta grab a copy, sit back and laugh yer ass off!

Uncle Roy Hoggins is in the House

Hoi, fellow Inmates, just wanted to let you know that we just did a half hour interview with Uncle Roy Hoggins. Uncle Roy is the host of Stink-O-Rama, a strange show coming out of Independence, MO, which is a suburb of Kansas City. Uncle Roy's show is a whirling hodge-podge of bits and public service films and other short subjects too gross to talk about. Yessir, Uncle Roy is definitely aimed at an adult audience. You gotta check his DVDs out to see what we mean.

The interview was done by phone and will appear soon on our website (see the link in the sidebar).

So keep yer eyes peeled for a peek into the mind of a truly demented human being!

Professor Fether

This Chunk's for YOU!

Ah yes, another day at the operating table. So many parts and so little time.

Movie of the night: "Brain From Planet Arous."

Snack of the night: Blood pudding.

Keep an eye on our website for another interview. This one is with that Kansas City deviant and just plain weird host of the Stink-O-Rama Show Uncle Roy Hoggins.

Stay tuned...

Just Had To Do It

Professor Fether here. Tarr and I decided to spend 6-6-6 in the Confluence Lounge. We figured it was the safest place to be on this day. Then Tarr pointed out that many a strange creature and/or character "pops" into the Lounge on a regular basis. So we decided to have a 666 Party. Pass the bloody martinis and the eyeball stew!

Movie for the evening: "The Devil Bat." Oh yeah!

Deep Within the Catacombs

Dr.Tarr here deep in the catacombs of the Asylum. Man, I forget how big this place is. The reason I am down here is Fether wants to try one of his Hypno experiments again. Last time I tried that with him he made me believe I was a chicken and then he wanted to play Carny Geek. That was a close call.
I love being down here by myself, looking at all of old failed experiments, heh heh. Tapping on the jars to get them to squirm and dance for me. Looking about, seeing all of our old machines, forgetting what half of them do. Hmm, no one's been down here for years, maybe even decades . But it's odd. I keep finding these small little three-toed footprints all over. Wonder what made them. Some experiment I forgot about? Something Fether hasn't told me about? Guess I'll have to ask him if he knows anything about them.
Time to head back up. I feel dehydrated. Time for some therapy...

Friday Night at the Movies

Ah, yes, kidlings, it's time to sit back and watch another great psychotronic movie. Tonight we're gonna watch "Frankenstein's Daughter." It's a "classic" from 1958 shot in glorious black and white. It stars John Ashley, Trudy Morten, Harry Wilson as The Monster, and great supporting actor Donald Murphy as the insane Oliver Frank aka Frankenstein.

Tagline: It reaches from the grave to re-live the horror, the terror! More destructive! More terrifying!

Hmm, yes, nice tagline. Doesn't quite capture the true essence of the movie, though. Heh heh...

The construction of Eddie's Place on the Psycho Cinema website is nearing completion. Interior contents will be sparse at first. But it will grow, it will become the GRAND PUBAH of E.A. Poe websites. IT WILL RULE THE NET! ...Uh, sorry, got a bit carried away there. It is gonna be a very cool place to find all things "Poe."

Okay, time to grab some beverages and a bowl of popcorn. The movie's about to start. Hmm, I think I'll watch MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE starring Bela Lugosi after Frank's Daughter. Ah yeah, another great B flick.

Oh yeah, before I go -- FAT MAN RULES! Go John Boissy! Okay, I have to admit I do have a soft spot for John and his company. It is, after all, called Blue Fez Press. John is obviously a man of discerning taste and high culture. You can get a frustrated glance into John's company by visiting the website www.bluefezpress.com. He's still in the process of making it as killer as his other creations. Check it out, hound him to get some samples posted. You'll be glad you did.

In the meat time, dear Inmates,

LET THE OPERATION BEGIN!

P. Fether

Website Update

Hoi, fellow Inmates. Just wanted to let you know we've updated the website. We've added a very funny interview with wildman Ray Basham, comic book creator, actor and SFX artist. We've also updated the S'Newsletter. As a matter of fact, that's the only way you can get to Uncle Rays' interview. Just go to the site, nav to the S'Newsletter and click on the link to our new section HearSay. This section is where you'll be able to catch interviews we are conducting with various members of the entertainment community. Also check out the other items and tidbits that are new to the S'Newsletter. We've updated Dr. Tarr's Asylum Vacation Trip. We've also added a nifty review of a very funny new DVD called MOLDY'S PLAYHOUSE. I like to describe it as Pee Wee's Playhouse for adults. So check out the review. We've included a link to their site, too. We highly recommend buying this DVD. You'll be glad you did.

Okay, time to get to bed. I've been up all night getting the website updated. Time to rest.

Where did I put those ear plugs? Tarr is in rare form today. The screams are especially piercing!

In the meat time...

LET THE OPERATION BEGIN!

P. FETHER

The Light Hurts My Eyes

Fether here. It's early morning. Been up all night performing creative therapy sessions for new patients. Tarr has retired for the night. It was a long one for him. He's in the middle of a new experiment. Not sure what it is, as he won't divulge it's nature. He'll let me know when he's ready. I do love a mystery.

I do want to mention a new DVD we just perused last evening. It's called "Moldy's Playhouse." It is rated R, and boy they ain't kidding!. We were blown away by this 30 minute foray into a truly warped vision created, directed, co-produced and co-written by Todd Tucker, and co-written and co-produced by Martin Astles. This is one screwed up piece of work, let me tell ya! We loved it! Uncle Moldy is a true Inmate of the highest order. A tip of the fez to Todd for this creation. Look for our review and links in our website's S'Newsletter. We're also trying to get a phone interview with Todd, so keep yer eyes peeled (ah, I love that phraze!) for that.

The trip to Uncle Ray's to seek out the Reffit Swamp Monster is now set for the weekend of July 21. We'll keep you posted here on this blog and also on our website WWW.TARRANDFETHER.COM.

The sunlight is starting to hurt my eyes. Time to rest. It has been a long night...