In the past Bahram had been habitable.
Now they were forced down into the Great Chasm, following the last drops of moisture.
Where once the ghost-angel-giants of Mars had spread their wings on the plains at noon...
Now they slunk in the dripping caves of the Last Pueblo, clinging to the life in those drops.
Twice before great kings had arisen, and sent forth envoys to the people of Earth.
Those envoys were never heard from again.
Keddaj K'arz does not come begging. He comes to save his people.
With a blaster, and a sword.
Monday, October 26, 2015
Frankenstein Saves the World
In the last years of China's last empire, the land was overrun by foreigners.
But one man wasn't there for the tea or the opium.
Victor Frankenstein had come to China...
To save the world.
But one man wasn't there for the tea or the opium.
Victor Frankenstein had come to China...
To save the world.
Another Note About Victor's Treehouse
Establishing shot:
A tour of Victor's many disconnected rooms, scattered about the treetops.
A shot following Victrix (and perhaps Jack Coby), as she wanders from room to room.
"Victor? Victor! Where can he have gone this time? He was expecting you..."
Her voice should have a European rhythm, like Ingrid Bergman or Ursula Andress.
In each of the rooms, we see several things that give us a view into Victor's world.
His fascination: appearances. An obsession: trompe l'oeil still-lifes are everywhere.
Abandoned meals in every room: rotting fruit, forgotten fowl.
We see pitchers, trays, cups, plates, bowls, linen and silver.
Cutlery abounds: swords and sabers, saws and scalpels.
Knives, forks, daggers, dirks, stilletos, pen-knives, letter-openers, and sword-canes.
Another fascination: animals, hunting, and anatomy: Audubon meets Orion the Hunter.
Books lie in great heaps, thick folios, large references, ancient tomes, moldering scrolls.
Some volumes as if suddenly left face down and open to the page when the flash struck.
Hunting trophies are mixed with pinned-up papers as real tableau in imitation of art.
There's a sense of artifice, of stillness, of the representation of life, and yet life stifled.
We see various scientific instruments among the various rooms, wherever last used.
It's a seeming shambles, the work of an obsessive recluse, a scatterbrained addle-pate.
As we follow Victrix about, we should zoom in on the details of these vignettes.
We'll notice the flies hovering about the fruit.
We'll see the dust and mold on the ancient and rotting books.
We'll see the various game birds, hung up for a light lunch or another missed supper.
A half-eaten fish stares at us from its final resting place, a bit of slowly congealing gravy.
We see the rows of carefully mounted butterflies, and the cases of neatly arranged bones.
We see the worktables covered in drawings and bits of bone, shell, feather and sinew.
Behind the artful illusion, we see a bit of the reality, and a lot of the madness.
And then from somewhere, he appears, resplendent and charming, and sets down the skull.
A tour of Victor's many disconnected rooms, scattered about the treetops.
A shot following Victrix (and perhaps Jack Coby), as she wanders from room to room.
"Victor? Victor! Where can he have gone this time? He was expecting you..."
Her voice should have a European rhythm, like Ingrid Bergman or Ursula Andress.
In each of the rooms, we see several things that give us a view into Victor's world.
His fascination: appearances. An obsession: trompe l'oeil still-lifes are everywhere.
Abandoned meals in every room: rotting fruit, forgotten fowl.
We see pitchers, trays, cups, plates, bowls, linen and silver.
Cutlery abounds: swords and sabers, saws and scalpels.
Knives, forks, daggers, dirks, stilletos, pen-knives, letter-openers, and sword-canes.
Another fascination: animals, hunting, and anatomy: Audubon meets Orion the Hunter.
Books lie in great heaps, thick folios, large references, ancient tomes, moldering scrolls.
Some volumes as if suddenly left face down and open to the page when the flash struck.
Hunting trophies are mixed with pinned-up papers as real tableau in imitation of art.
There's a sense of artifice, of stillness, of the representation of life, and yet life stifled.
We see various scientific instruments among the various rooms, wherever last used.
It's a seeming shambles, the work of an obsessive recluse, a scatterbrained addle-pate.
As we follow Victrix about, we should zoom in on the details of these vignettes.
We'll notice the flies hovering about the fruit.
We'll see the dust and mold on the ancient and rotting books.
We'll see the various game birds, hung up for a light lunch or another missed supper.
A half-eaten fish stares at us from its final resting place, a bit of slowly congealing gravy.
We see the rows of carefully mounted butterflies, and the cases of neatly arranged bones.
We see the worktables covered in drawings and bits of bone, shell, feather and sinew.
Behind the artful illusion, we see a bit of the reality, and a lot of the madness.
And then from somewhere, he appears, resplendent and charming, and sets down the skull.
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Makeup Note: The Promethean
Christopher Lee will appear to be a larger, lankier, more robust version of Peter Cushing.
The facial sutures will be similar to those in Revenge of Frankenstein.
We wonder which is the real Victor Frankenstein.
We have seen Victor's brain transplanted into a new body, complete with plastic surgery.
As his goal was to live forever, he's created various iterations of himself.
Which is the original, and which the (im)perfect copy?
The facial sutures will be similar to those in Revenge of Frankenstein.
We wonder which is the real Victor Frankenstein.
We have seen Victor's brain transplanted into a new body, complete with plastic surgery.
As his goal was to live forever, he's created various iterations of himself.
Which is the original, and which the (im)perfect copy?
Cast Listing
Peter Cushing as Victor Frankenstein
other characters in order of appearance
Jimmy Wang Yu as Silver Arm
Gordon Liu as Golden Lion
Christopher Lee as the Promethean
Lau Kar Leung as Mad Monk Drunk Monkey
other characters in order of appearance
Jimmy Wang Yu as Silver Arm
Gordon Liu as Golden Lion
Christopher Lee as the Promethean
Lau Kar Leung as Mad Monk Drunk Monkey
FiC: Tropes
Wuxia http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Wuxia
Set (initially) in Wulin, the Warrior's Forest.
After a brief prologue in a Semi-Rich Sub-Provincial Coastal City.
General setting appears to be Yunnan or Dali, around 1870.
The Warrior's Forest region will be a beautiful area, full of many lakes and rivers.
The Honorable Warriors who live in the region wil be scattered widely, for the land is torn without and within.
Even so, beset by Cultic Conspiracies and Foreign Steampunk Devils, they fight all evil.
These Brave Individuals will battle Bandits and Warlords, Gwailo/Lofan Mechanized Warbots and Crazed Magic Fighters.
Fighters, monks, knights, beggars, thieves, princesses, priests, merchants, craftsmen and healers may become outlaws.
Driven by bonds of honor, loyalty, love and hate, between individuals and institutions, we puppets dance to our fates.
These noble characters operate outside of the unjust laws, corrupt and ineffective government.
They settle differences by force, moderated only by their noble code.
This is the Science-Fantasy story of Frankenstein as the Xianxia, the Immortal Hero.
He is pursuing Taoist Immortality Formulas, without fully understanding their implicit meanings.
Several characters will be using Full-Contact Magical Science to instruct him toward the True Path.
Fantastic elements, as such, will be quite overt, as in ubiquitous and readily evident.
Academy of Evil: Raddak, Rubro and Hadazsp will be plotting against Frankenstein.
Action Girl: Every. Single. One. Victrix. Abraxia. Hadazsp. Bamboo Dancer.
Alas, Poor Villain: Which world-conquering Evil Genius will have a chance to mourn which?
Ambition Is Evil: This is the Frankenstein story, in one trope.
To Be A Master: The master trope of the Frankenstein story, is it not?
Arrogant Kung Fu Guy: Everybody. Even Frankenstein gets some Steampunk Evil Medic/Evil Doctor/Badass Surgeon moves.
Ax-Crazy: Also, cleaver, bone saw, scalpel, etc.
Badass Princess: Abraxia, who takes after Hadazsp. Victrix, Frankenstein's Daughter. Even Bamboo Dancer, we suspect.
Bare-Fisted Monk: Mad Monk Drunk Monkey.
Bastard Understudy: Frankenstein himself, if we believe the Promethean. Abraxia? Victrix? Bamboo Dancer?
Battle Couple: Frankenstein and Queen Hadazsp, eventually. Silver Arm & Bamboo Dancer. Abraxia and the Promethean?
Blood Brothers: Silver Arm and Golden Lion. Frankenstein and the Promethean, in a way.
Byronic Hero: Par Excellence (Frankenstein, Dakkar, Rubro, Hadazsp, even Kaddej K'arz)
Calling Your Attacks: Called out in a video game way, or the traditional methods (bystander, teacher, narrator)
Cast From Hit Points: What story could be more about Life Energy?
Cast From Lifespan: As above.
Charles Atlas Superpower: Frankenstein has been training since boyhood for this.
Chick Magnet: Frankenstein as played by Cushing had a way with the ladies.
Clothing Combat: The better types of Internal Kung Fu use the opponent's own garb to defeat him.
Conflicting Loyalty: Frankenstein and the Promethean. And Hadazsp. And Raddak. And Rubro. Hadazsp and Abraxia. Etc.
Cool Old Guy: Mad Monk Drunk Monkey. Frankenstein the Undying himself, in a way.
Dangerous Forbidden Technique: The entire story is about Dangerous Forbidden Techniques.
Dark Action Girl: Every. Single. One. Victrix. Abraxia. Hadazsp. Even Bamboo Dancer, if it comes to it.
The Dark Arts: The Frankenstein tale is all about The Dark Arts. Prometheus as the Necromancer.
The Dark Side: Frankenstein has shown his many times, in his quest to live forever and discover the Secret of Life Itself.
Deadly Upgrade: The Promethean has undergone this many times, and will again at the climax of the story.
Deceptive Disciple: Frankenstein? The Promethean? Abraxia? Victrix? Bamboo Dancer?
Dragons Up the Yin Yang: Pi-Hsieh. Qilin. Tian Lu. Pi Ya. Leviathan, as Kraken/Draken/Drake/Wyvern/Basilisk/Hydra.
Driven By Envy: Frankenstein assumes anyone who opposes him is experiencing this.
Dueling Dojos: Frankenstein vs. Raddak vs. Rubro vs. Hadazsp vs. Keddaj K'arz. Bamboo Dancer/Drunk Monk vs. Golden Lion.
Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting: Even Frankenstein, especially his Creature, the Aliens, His Daughter. Everybody.
Evil Chancellor: Abraxia? Victrix?
Evil Former Friend: Frankenstein or The Promethean? Rubro?
Foe Yay: Aplenty. Dating Catwoman. Well, Excuse Me, Princess! Villainous Crush.
A God Am I: Frankenstein's Fatal Flaw.
Gun Fu: Western Spy. Frankenstein. The Sky-Amazons of Venus. The Ghost Giants of Mars.
Happily Married: Keddaj K'arz, High-King of the Ghost Giants, Grand Warlord of the Blue Men of Mars
Heir to the Dojo: Frankenstein, Son of the Promethean? Victrix, His Grandest Creation? Bamboo Dancer? Abraxia?
Heroic Sacrifice: All the time. In surprising circumstances, as well as astonishing regularity.
Honor Before Reason: Silver Arm. Bamboo Dancer. Frankenstein himself, at times. Keddaj K'arz, quite often.
Implausible Fencing Powers: Silver Arm but also Golden Lion, Bamboo Dancer, Victrix Odenwald, Hadazsp, Abraxia, etc.
Important Haircut: Every Chinese character, but also the non-Chinese ones as well.
Improvised Weapon: Mad Monk Drunk Monkey and Bamboo Dancer especially, and by all of the others as well.
In A Single Bound: Everyone, but especially the Promethean, Drunk Monkey, Bamboo Dancer, Hadazsp, Abraxia.
Instant Expert: Frankenstein is able to use the tech of Raddak, Rubro and the Sky-Amazons almost immediately.
Interesting Situation Duel: Our entire raison d'etre.
Ki Attacks: Mad Monk Drunk Monkey. Bamboo Dancer. The Promethean. The Sky-Amazons of Venus.
Knight Errant: Frankenstein. The Promethean. Silver Arm. Golden Lion. Drunk Monkey. Raddak. Rubro. Bamboo Dancer.
Kung Fu Sonic Boom: Kaiju Kung Fu leads to many of these.
Kung Fu Wizard: Frankenstein. The Promethean. Drunk Monkey. Bamboo Dancer. Hadazsp. Abraxia. Keddaj K'arz.
Lady of War AND White Mage: Bamboo Dancer
Lonely at the Top: Isn't is, Frankenstein?
Love Dodecahedron: Silver Arm. Bamboo Dancer. Golden Lion. Abraxia. Frankenstein. Hadazsp. The Promethean.
Love Triangle(s): See above.
Manly Tears: We'll see some, for sure. Everyone can't survive in a horror story or a wuxia movie.
Martial Pacifist: Drunk Monkey. The Promethean. Golden Lion. Bamboo Dancer.
Master-Apprentice Chain: The Promethean and Frankenstein. Drunk Monkey and Bamboo Dancer. Hadazsp and Abraxia.
Master Swordsman: Silver Arm. Also, Golden Lion, Drunk Monkey, Bamboo Dancer and Frankenstein himself, as it turns out.
McNinja: The Promethean will bust through walls after sneaking around, but others will as well, like Bamboo Dancer.
Mentor Occupational Hazard: Frankenstein. The Promethean. Hadazsp. Drunk Monkey, even, from Bamboo Dancer.
Old Master: Drunk Monkey. Frankenstein the Undying, of course. Keddaj K'arz, the Ancient Upstart.
One-Man Army: The Promethean, without a doubt, but all the others can be as well.
The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Frankenstein vs. Raddak vs. Rubro
The Paragon Always Rebels: Golden Lion? Bamboo Dancer?
Patriotic Fervor: For the Mythical Land of the Warrior's Forest!
A Pupil of Mine Until He Turned to Evil: Frankenstein and the Promethean believe this of each other. Abraxia? Victrix?
Pressure Point: Frankenstein. The Promethean. Drunk Monkey. Bamboo Dancer. Golden Lion. Hadazsp. Raddak. Rubro.
Pyscho Serum: Frankenstein and the Promethean both use various drugs of his design and manufacture.
Rebellious Princess: Abraxia, but also Victrix and Bamboo Dancer to some degree (all three are rebellious daughters, too).
Recursive Cross-Dressing: Bamboo Dancer.
Redshirt Army: Both the Army of Giants, who Frankenstein "repairs", and the Ghost Giants of Mars, the Zombie Angels.
Rival Turned Evil: Raddak and Rubro.
Roof Hopping: Constantly. Promethean. Bamboo Dancer. Drunk Monkey. Golden Lion. Frankenstein, even.
She-Fu: Bamboo Dancer. Victrix. Abraxia. Hadazsp. Sky-Amazons of Venus. Combat Parkour.
Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism: Ultimately idealistic, in a horrifying way.
Supernatural Martial Arts: Drunk Monkey. Bamboo Dancer. Golden Lion. Queen Hadazsp. The Promethean.
Sweet Polly Oliver: Bamboo Dancer.
Three-Point Landing: But, of course.
Training From Hell: Bamboo Dancer.
Treacherous Advisor: Rubro? Raddak? Drunk Monkey?
Tsundere: Every. Single. Woman.
Wax On, Wax Off: Bamboo Dancer.
Waif Fu: Bamboo Dancer.
Wire Fu: Everybody. Especially Drunk Monkey, Bamboo Dancer, Hadazsp, Abraxia, Sky-Amazons, Frankenstein on Mars.
World of Badass: Frankenstein Kaiju Wuxia. So, yes. Totally.
Worthy Opponent: Drunk Monkey to Promethean. Promethean to Frankenstein. Rubro/Raddak to Frankenstein. Etc.
Villain Forgot to Level Grind: Will be seen repeatedly.
Set (initially) in Wulin, the Warrior's Forest.
After a brief prologue in a Semi-Rich Sub-Provincial Coastal City.
General setting appears to be Yunnan or Dali, around 1870.
The Warrior's Forest region will be a beautiful area, full of many lakes and rivers.
The Honorable Warriors who live in the region wil be scattered widely, for the land is torn without and within.
Even so, beset by Cultic Conspiracies and Foreign Steampunk Devils, they fight all evil.
These Brave Individuals will battle Bandits and Warlords, Gwailo/Lofan Mechanized Warbots and Crazed Magic Fighters.
Fighters, monks, knights, beggars, thieves, princesses, priests, merchants, craftsmen and healers may become outlaws.
Driven by bonds of honor, loyalty, love and hate, between individuals and institutions, we puppets dance to our fates.
These noble characters operate outside of the unjust laws, corrupt and ineffective government.
They settle differences by force, moderated only by their noble code.
This is the Science-Fantasy story of Frankenstein as the Xianxia, the Immortal Hero.
He is pursuing Taoist Immortality Formulas, without fully understanding their implicit meanings.
Several characters will be using Full-Contact Magical Science to instruct him toward the True Path.
Fantastic elements, as such, will be quite overt, as in ubiquitous and readily evident.
Academy of Evil: Raddak, Rubro and Hadazsp will be plotting against Frankenstein.
Action Girl: Every. Single. One. Victrix. Abraxia. Hadazsp. Bamboo Dancer.
Alas, Poor Villain: Which world-conquering Evil Genius will have a chance to mourn which?
Ambition Is Evil: This is the Frankenstein story, in one trope.
To Be A Master: The master trope of the Frankenstein story, is it not?
Arrogant Kung Fu Guy: Everybody. Even Frankenstein gets some Steampunk Evil Medic/Evil Doctor/Badass Surgeon moves.
Ax-Crazy: Also, cleaver, bone saw, scalpel, etc.
Badass Princess: Abraxia, who takes after Hadazsp. Victrix, Frankenstein's Daughter. Even Bamboo Dancer, we suspect.
Bare-Fisted Monk: Mad Monk Drunk Monkey.
Bastard Understudy: Frankenstein himself, if we believe the Promethean. Abraxia? Victrix? Bamboo Dancer?
Battle Couple: Frankenstein and Queen Hadazsp, eventually. Silver Arm & Bamboo Dancer. Abraxia and the Promethean?
Blood Brothers: Silver Arm and Golden Lion. Frankenstein and the Promethean, in a way.
Byronic Hero: Par Excellence (Frankenstein, Dakkar, Rubro, Hadazsp, even Kaddej K'arz)
Calling Your Attacks: Called out in a video game way, or the traditional methods (bystander, teacher, narrator)
Cast From Hit Points: What story could be more about Life Energy?
Cast From Lifespan: As above.
Charles Atlas Superpower: Frankenstein has been training since boyhood for this.
Chick Magnet: Frankenstein as played by Cushing had a way with the ladies.
Clothing Combat: The better types of Internal Kung Fu use the opponent's own garb to defeat him.
Conflicting Loyalty: Frankenstein and the Promethean. And Hadazsp. And Raddak. And Rubro. Hadazsp and Abraxia. Etc.
Cool Old Guy: Mad Monk Drunk Monkey. Frankenstein the Undying himself, in a way.
Dangerous Forbidden Technique: The entire story is about Dangerous Forbidden Techniques.
Dark Action Girl: Every. Single. One. Victrix. Abraxia. Hadazsp. Even Bamboo Dancer, if it comes to it.
The Dark Arts: The Frankenstein tale is all about The Dark Arts. Prometheus as the Necromancer.
The Dark Side: Frankenstein has shown his many times, in his quest to live forever and discover the Secret of Life Itself.
Deadly Upgrade: The Promethean has undergone this many times, and will again at the climax of the story.
Deceptive Disciple: Frankenstein? The Promethean? Abraxia? Victrix? Bamboo Dancer?
Dragons Up the Yin Yang: Pi-Hsieh. Qilin. Tian Lu. Pi Ya. Leviathan, as Kraken/Draken/Drake/Wyvern/Basilisk/Hydra.
Driven By Envy: Frankenstein assumes anyone who opposes him is experiencing this.
Dueling Dojos: Frankenstein vs. Raddak vs. Rubro vs. Hadazsp vs. Keddaj K'arz. Bamboo Dancer/Drunk Monk vs. Golden Lion.
Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting: Even Frankenstein, especially his Creature, the Aliens, His Daughter. Everybody.
Evil Chancellor: Abraxia? Victrix?
Evil Former Friend: Frankenstein or The Promethean? Rubro?
Foe Yay: Aplenty. Dating Catwoman. Well, Excuse Me, Princess! Villainous Crush.
A God Am I: Frankenstein's Fatal Flaw.
Gun Fu: Western Spy. Frankenstein. The Sky-Amazons of Venus. The Ghost Giants of Mars.
Happily Married: Keddaj K'arz, High-King of the Ghost Giants, Grand Warlord of the Blue Men of Mars
Heir to the Dojo: Frankenstein, Son of the Promethean? Victrix, His Grandest Creation? Bamboo Dancer? Abraxia?
Heroic Sacrifice: All the time. In surprising circumstances, as well as astonishing regularity.
Honor Before Reason: Silver Arm. Bamboo Dancer. Frankenstein himself, at times. Keddaj K'arz, quite often.
Implausible Fencing Powers: Silver Arm but also Golden Lion, Bamboo Dancer, Victrix Odenwald, Hadazsp, Abraxia, etc.
Important Haircut: Every Chinese character, but also the non-Chinese ones as well.
Improvised Weapon: Mad Monk Drunk Monkey and Bamboo Dancer especially, and by all of the others as well.
In A Single Bound: Everyone, but especially the Promethean, Drunk Monkey, Bamboo Dancer, Hadazsp, Abraxia.
Instant Expert: Frankenstein is able to use the tech of Raddak, Rubro and the Sky-Amazons almost immediately.
Interesting Situation Duel: Our entire raison d'etre.
Ki Attacks: Mad Monk Drunk Monkey. Bamboo Dancer. The Promethean. The Sky-Amazons of Venus.
Knight Errant: Frankenstein. The Promethean. Silver Arm. Golden Lion. Drunk Monkey. Raddak. Rubro. Bamboo Dancer.
Kung Fu Sonic Boom: Kaiju Kung Fu leads to many of these.
Kung Fu Wizard: Frankenstein. The Promethean. Drunk Monkey. Bamboo Dancer. Hadazsp. Abraxia. Keddaj K'arz.
Lady of War AND White Mage: Bamboo Dancer
Lonely at the Top: Isn't is, Frankenstein?
Love Dodecahedron: Silver Arm. Bamboo Dancer. Golden Lion. Abraxia. Frankenstein. Hadazsp. The Promethean.
Love Triangle(s): See above.
Manly Tears: We'll see some, for sure. Everyone can't survive in a horror story or a wuxia movie.
Martial Pacifist: Drunk Monkey. The Promethean. Golden Lion. Bamboo Dancer.
Master-Apprentice Chain: The Promethean and Frankenstein. Drunk Monkey and Bamboo Dancer. Hadazsp and Abraxia.
Master Swordsman: Silver Arm. Also, Golden Lion, Drunk Monkey, Bamboo Dancer and Frankenstein himself, as it turns out.
McNinja: The Promethean will bust through walls after sneaking around, but others will as well, like Bamboo Dancer.
Mentor Occupational Hazard: Frankenstein. The Promethean. Hadazsp. Drunk Monkey, even, from Bamboo Dancer.
Old Master: Drunk Monkey. Frankenstein the Undying, of course. Keddaj K'arz, the Ancient Upstart.
One-Man Army: The Promethean, without a doubt, but all the others can be as well.
The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Frankenstein vs. Raddak vs. Rubro
The Paragon Always Rebels: Golden Lion? Bamboo Dancer?
Patriotic Fervor: For the Mythical Land of the Warrior's Forest!
A Pupil of Mine Until He Turned to Evil: Frankenstein and the Promethean believe this of each other. Abraxia? Victrix?
Pressure Point: Frankenstein. The Promethean. Drunk Monkey. Bamboo Dancer. Golden Lion. Hadazsp. Raddak. Rubro.
Pyscho Serum: Frankenstein and the Promethean both use various drugs of his design and manufacture.
Rebellious Princess: Abraxia, but also Victrix and Bamboo Dancer to some degree (all three are rebellious daughters, too).
Recursive Cross-Dressing: Bamboo Dancer.
Redshirt Army: Both the Army of Giants, who Frankenstein "repairs", and the Ghost Giants of Mars, the Zombie Angels.
Rival Turned Evil: Raddak and Rubro.
Roof Hopping: Constantly. Promethean. Bamboo Dancer. Drunk Monkey. Golden Lion. Frankenstein, even.
She-Fu: Bamboo Dancer. Victrix. Abraxia. Hadazsp. Sky-Amazons of Venus. Combat Parkour.
Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism: Ultimately idealistic, in a horrifying way.
Supernatural Martial Arts: Drunk Monkey. Bamboo Dancer. Golden Lion. Queen Hadazsp. The Promethean.
Sweet Polly Oliver: Bamboo Dancer.
Three-Point Landing: But, of course.
Training From Hell: Bamboo Dancer.
Treacherous Advisor: Rubro? Raddak? Drunk Monkey?
Tsundere: Every. Single. Woman.
Wax On, Wax Off: Bamboo Dancer.
Waif Fu: Bamboo Dancer.
Wire Fu: Everybody. Especially Drunk Monkey, Bamboo Dancer, Hadazsp, Abraxia, Sky-Amazons, Frankenstein on Mars.
World of Badass: Frankenstein Kaiju Wuxia. So, yes. Totally.
Worthy Opponent: Drunk Monkey to Promethean. Promethean to Frankenstein. Rubro/Raddak to Frankenstein. Etc.
Villain Forgot to Level Grind: Will be seen repeatedly.
FKW: First Draft
It's 1870, in China.
The land is torn by petty warlords, and the people suffer.
Amid these isolated valleys and lonely mountains comes a traveller, a fugitive.
Victor von Frankenstein had built a man, and then made that man into a monster.
Now he would set out to build a monster, and make of it the salvation of mankind.
Here in this land of ancient secrets and dark mysteries, he would revive the dragons from their ancient slumber.
He would bake up Leviathan from scratch, build Behemoth by hand, raise Gargantua from boyhood.
His necessary materials being the ancient corpses of prehistoric monstrosities, he sent agents throughout the land.
They dug up rotted abonimations and sought out forgotten parchments of lost ages.
To finance his operation, he had "liberated" a small warlord's holdings, consolidated under his own protection.
When his Pi-hsieh escapes, and destroys a village, two brothers kill the beast, and set out to find its maker.
Meanwhile, the Baron's original creation has learned of his activities, and come to the East to stop him. Permanantly.
Monsters of Frankenstein AKA Frankenstein in Asia (and Beyond):
The Promethean
Lion Dogs
Bixie (Pi-hsieh)
Qilin (Kirin)
Tian Lu
Pi Ya
Army of Giants
Ghost of the Assam Giant
Gigantopithecus
Gargantua
Pantagruel
Behemoth
Leviathan
Tsiolkovsky Spheres or Metallic Dirigibles
Atomic Amazons of Venus
Giant-Men of Mars
Titles:
Frankenstein's Monsters AKA Frankenstein and the Two Brothers AKA Frankenstein and the Legendary Monsters of China
Frankenstein's Giants AKA Frankenstein and the Army of Giants AKA Frankenstein: Pirate Captain of the South China Seas
Frankenstein's Horrors AKA Giant Monsters of Frankenstein AKA Frankenstein and the End of the World AKA Nemo the Hero
Frankenstein and the Queen of Venus AKA Frankenstein Goes to Mars AKA Frankenstein Saves the World
Style: Hammer Horror mashup with Toho Tokosatsu, Tsubaraya Productions, Corman Studios & Shaw Brothers Wuxia.
Peter Cushing as Victor von Frankenstein AKA Gwythyr Odenwald.
Vincent Price as Robur of the Skies.
Boris Karloff as Prince Dakkar AKA Nemo the Dreamer.
Joan Bennett as the Rocket Queen of Venus, Hadazsp the Magnificent.
Jane Fonda as Princess Abraxia.
Raquel Welch as Frankenstein's Daughter, Vixtrix Odenwald.
Christopher Lee as The Promethean.
Gordon Liu as Golden Lion.
Jimmy Wang as Silver Arm.
Bruce Lee as Inspector Yi.
Directed by Terence Stamp.
Monster animation by Ray Harryhausen.
Puppet animation by Gerry Anderson.
Based on a production design by Roger Corman.
Tokosatsu special effects and monster direction by Eiji Tsuburaya.
Action direction by Chang Cheh, wuxia and martial arts choreography by Lau Kar-Leung.
The land is torn by petty warlords, and the people suffer.
Amid these isolated valleys and lonely mountains comes a traveller, a fugitive.
Victor von Frankenstein had built a man, and then made that man into a monster.
Now he would set out to build a monster, and make of it the salvation of mankind.
Here in this land of ancient secrets and dark mysteries, he would revive the dragons from their ancient slumber.
He would bake up Leviathan from scratch, build Behemoth by hand, raise Gargantua from boyhood.
His necessary materials being the ancient corpses of prehistoric monstrosities, he sent agents throughout the land.
They dug up rotted abonimations and sought out forgotten parchments of lost ages.
To finance his operation, he had "liberated" a small warlord's holdings, consolidated under his own protection.
When his Pi-hsieh escapes, and destroys a village, two brothers kill the beast, and set out to find its maker.
Meanwhile, the Baron's original creation has learned of his activities, and come to the East to stop him. Permanantly.
Monsters of Frankenstein AKA Frankenstein in Asia (and Beyond):
The Promethean
Lion Dogs
Bixie (Pi-hsieh)
Qilin (Kirin)
Tian Lu
Pi Ya
Army of Giants
Ghost of the Assam Giant
Gigantopithecus
Gargantua
Pantagruel
Behemoth
Leviathan
Tsiolkovsky Spheres or Metallic Dirigibles
Atomic Amazons of Venus
Giant-Men of Mars
Titles:
Frankenstein's Monsters AKA Frankenstein and the Two Brothers AKA Frankenstein and the Legendary Monsters of China
Frankenstein's Giants AKA Frankenstein and the Army of Giants AKA Frankenstein: Pirate Captain of the South China Seas
Frankenstein's Horrors AKA Giant Monsters of Frankenstein AKA Frankenstein and the End of the World AKA Nemo the Hero
Frankenstein and the Queen of Venus AKA Frankenstein Goes to Mars AKA Frankenstein Saves the World
Style: Hammer Horror mashup with Toho Tokosatsu, Tsubaraya Productions, Corman Studios & Shaw Brothers Wuxia.
Peter Cushing as Victor von Frankenstein AKA Gwythyr Odenwald.
Vincent Price as Robur of the Skies.
Boris Karloff as Prince Dakkar AKA Nemo the Dreamer.
Joan Bennett as the Rocket Queen of Venus, Hadazsp the Magnificent.
Jane Fonda as Princess Abraxia.
Raquel Welch as Frankenstein's Daughter, Vixtrix Odenwald.
Christopher Lee as The Promethean.
Gordon Liu as Golden Lion.
Jimmy Wang as Silver Arm.
Bruce Lee as Inspector Yi.
Directed by Terence Stamp.
Monster animation by Ray Harryhausen.
Puppet animation by Gerry Anderson.
Based on a production design by Roger Corman.
Tokosatsu special effects and monster direction by Eiji Tsuburaya.
Action direction by Chang Cheh, wuxia and martial arts choreography by Lau Kar-Leung.
A Note: Victor's House
The year is 1870.
The place is China.
Next to a large traditional gated manor, hung up among a group of large trees, as if they had been flung there by a drunken giant, are the scattered rooms of a disembodied Victorian mansion, joined by catwalks and staircases, scaffolding and ladderways: balconies, bedrooms, entryways, attics, nooks, niches, widow's walks, pergolas, patios, cupolas, porches, parlors, sitting rooms, dining rooms, waiting rooms, laboratories, music rooms, drawing rooms, studies and studios.
It looks like he's been building it for a while, and has come into a considerable fortune.
The place is China.
Next to a large traditional gated manor, hung up among a group of large trees, as if they had been flung there by a drunken giant, are the scattered rooms of a disembodied Victorian mansion, joined by catwalks and staircases, scaffolding and ladderways: balconies, bedrooms, entryways, attics, nooks, niches, widow's walks, pergolas, patios, cupolas, porches, parlors, sitting rooms, dining rooms, waiting rooms, laboratories, music rooms, drawing rooms, studies and studios.
It looks like he's been building it for a while, and has come into a considerable fortune.
Set Design: William Harnett & His Contemporaries
Job Lot Cheap - William Harnett, 1878
Take Your Choice - John Frederick Peto, 1885
Take Your Choice - John Frederick Peto, 1885
Still Life with Oranges - Raphaelle Peale, 1818
FU: Manifesto
This blog aims to extend the cinematic arc of Peter Cushing as Victor Frankenstein, beyond the original Hammer Horror films, and into areas as yet unexplored, like the Kaiju movies of Toho and Eiji Tsubaraya, the Wuxia films of Shaw Brothers, Chang Cheh and Lau Kar Leung, and other great adventure fare of the era, including Proto-SteamSpy TV, Verne/Wells KidVenture films, Ray Harryhausen, Gerry Anderson or anything else likely to have been made in the Silver & Bronze Ages of The Rule of Cool Old School.
This extension shall push the hero through not only a world-saving destiny, but beyond to a truly worlds-shattering, sword-and-planet-hopping, alt.gothic obsessive romance, and a giant monster cosmic mega-showdown!!!
Frankenstein. Kaiju. Wuxia.
Giant Undead Unstoppable Monster Death Fist Cosmic Sword Kung Fu Heaven Ocean
This extension shall push the hero through not only a world-saving destiny, but beyond to a truly worlds-shattering, sword-and-planet-hopping, alt.gothic obsessive romance, and a giant monster cosmic mega-showdown!!!
Frankenstein. Kaiju. Wuxia.
Giant Undead Unstoppable Monster Death Fist Cosmic Sword Kung Fu Heaven Ocean
Frankenstein's To-Do List
A Brief Note, from Victor, to Victor
Decorate - Notes on Set Design, and Still Life Artists of the Late 19th Century
Lab Hours this Semester - Visuals of Some Related Creatures
Social Life - Cast Notes, with Pictures
Frankenstein - more Cushing required
Kaiju - continue Toho/Tsubaraya list
Wuxia - Chang Cheh/Lau Kar Leung
Decorate - Notes on Set Design, and Still Life Artists of the Late 19th Century
Lab Hours this Semester - Visuals of Some Related Creatures
Social Life - Cast Notes, with Pictures
Frankenstein - more Cushing required
Kaiju - continue Toho/Tsubaraya list
Wuxia - Chang Cheh/Lau Kar Leung
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