The Last of Us - Episode 3

Long, Long Time

Written by Craig Mazin

Directed by Peter Hoar

10 miles west of Boston, Joel and Ellie begin hiking to Lincoln.

Coming across a mass of human skeletons, Joel explains that about a week after Outbreak Day, FEDRA evacuated small towns and transported people to a QZ.

But if there wasn't enough room, excess were killed.

September 30th, 2003.

Hardened survivalist Bill (Nick Offerman) lives in his underground bunker and regularly goes looting.

Four years later, Bill takes a shine to Frank (Murray Bartlett) and romance blossoms.

Spinning on to 2023.

A terminally ill Frank asks Bill to help him die.

On Frank's 'final' day, they get married and during dinner, both take a lethal dose of sleeping pills and retire to the bedroom.

Bang goes any interaction between Bill and Ellie then.

Some time later, Joel and Ellie stockpile Bill's weapons and supplies.

They take his truck and leave for Wyoming to find Tommy.

When Bill Met Frank

Apart from guest leads giving fine performances, I can't understand why most are having kittens.

In the game, off-screen, Frank hung himself after being bitten multiple times to ensure he couldn't turn.

Rather than love story primarily taking centre stage, playing out the above towards the end would've been far more effective.

Do we buy that Bill built a resource happy neighbourhood all by himself?

I'm calling bullshit.

Why has universe's danger magically subsided?

Finally, Bill leaving ass completely exposed to raiders was so fucking DUMB.

On a sad note, prolific TV actress Annie Wersching (who provided voice and performance capture for Tess) has died aged just 45.

R.I.P.

Plane - The scoop and digest

Jean Francçois Richet is probably best known for Blood Father and loose remake of Assault on Precinct 13.

Time for action to take off.

Gerard Butler - Brodie Torrance

Mike Colter - Louis Gaspare

Yoson An - Samuel Dele

Evan Dane Taylor - Junmar

Summary

Former RAF pilot Captain Brodie Torrance flies for Trailblazer Airlines and on his way to Tokyo.  Passengers include prisoner Louis Gaspare, who's being extradited to stand trial for murder.

Oh, geezer was in the French Foreign Legion (obviously).

Aircraft is struck by lightning and electrical malfunction forces an emergency landing on a remote island in the Philippines.

When Junmar's gang of ruthless separatists take crew and survivors hostage, Torrance and Gaspare team up and fight back.

Brawn without brains

Premise is just as stupid as title (we're in the air for less than 30m), but this does what it says on the tin.

Butler and Luke Cage leaving a trail of destruction in their wake is bloody good fun.

However, body count is sparse compared to Rambo or Commando, mainly because shit doesn't get going until the end.

Junmar's head losing argument with oncoming plane was hilarious and probably worth the admission alone.

Who or what will Butler save us from next?

Only time will tell.

Nosferatu: Silent Symphony

F. W. Murnau's unauthorised adaptation of Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula set the benchmark for gothic horror and still stands tall today.

Draw those curtains and stake yourself in for a fangtastic story.

Shadow of the Vampire - 2000

Fictionalised account on the making of 1922 original starred John Malkovich and Willem Dafoe as F. W. Murnau and Max Schreck respectively.

Nosferatu - 2019

David Lee Fisher's lesser known version places Doug Jones in the title role.

Nosferatu Re-Animated - 2020

Cartoon with a contemporary art style and updated OST?

Why not?

Nosferatu the Vampyre - 1979

Werner Herzog's brilliant remake is a classic in its own right.

Two video game adaptations followed.

Nosferatu: Quest for the Vampire - 1984

Precious little to say, apart from text adventure was brought by Omni Software (UK).

Nosferatu the Vampyre - 1986
Piranha's isometric effort is composed of two parts and faithful to source material.
After Jonathan Harker escapes the castle, Lucy lures Nosferatu to her bedroom to kill him.

There's no 'death by sunlight' sequence and just a congratulations screen.

Lazy bastards.

Vampire in Venice - 1988

Name only sequel was directed by Augusto Caminito and Klaus Kinski (uncredited).

Kinski sexually assaulted actresses Elvire Audray and Barbara De Rossi during filming.

Unrelated

Nosferatu, Super Famicom - 1994 and SNES - 1995

Seta's Prince of Persia clone has Kyle travel on horseback to big bad's castle and rescue his true love Erin from vampire's clutches.

Dying at least eight times triggers bad ending.

After Nosferatu is defeated, Erin bites Kyle, as she's already been turned off-screen.

Serene face, concealed eyes, in fearsome bite unlife lies a victory lost, defeat it is when rewarded with fatal kiss.

Macabre outcome is foreshadowed by continue screen, with Erin displaying fangs.

Creepy.

Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachi, PC - 2003

True end boss in first-person shooter is actually Lord Malachi, represented as a huge skeletal dog.

Vampire Vengeance - 2020

Developed by POE Games, Spectrum homebrew has Count Orlack feed on his enemies.

Comics

Nosferatu (Druillet) - January 1989

Nosferatu - May-July 1991

Silent Screamers Nosferatu 1922 - October 2000

Batman: Nosferatu - March 1999

Nosferatu Wars was collected as a one-shot in 2014, but originally appeared in Dark Horse Presents (2013) #26-29.

Nosferatu #1 - Si Vis Pacem - July 2016

Nosferatu #2 - Para Bellum - September 2016

Music

The following albums feature a track called Nosferatu.

Blue Oyster Cult - Spectres

Dark Funeral - We Are the Apocalypse

Hugh Cornwell and Robert Williams - Nosferatu

Name of hardcore punk band Graf Orlock refs Count Orlok.

The music video to Queen & David Bowie's Under Pressure incorporates footage of Nosferatu.

Films

The following feature an excerpt.

Scream 2

King of New York

Vampire's Kiss

Dracula's Widow

Cover art

Ghost - If You Have Ghost

Radiators - Ghostown

Castlevania

Akumajō Dracula - X68000
Geezer is preserved in a carbonite-esque block of ice.

Weird.

Rondo of Blood

Fifth stage The Devil Flies By Night features a ghost ship.

Konami may have had Death Ship in mind.

Shaft debuted in said entry and Dracula's loyal servant is basically a parallel of Knock, who in turn is a derivative of Renfield.

Symphony of the Night

Olrox (Orlok in the Japanese version), rules the upper part of castle.

Count Orlok

For some reason, the following rings a bell.

Barbarus - Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

Contrast

Lords of Doom

Two more.

Kurt Barlow - Salem's Lot
Definitely inspired.

Petyr - What We Do in the Shadows (film)
An obvious parody.

But this is just taking the PISS.

Valak debuted in The Conjuring 2.

Annabelle: Creation's post-credits scene teased spin-off/prequel The Nun.

Is it me, or does demonic nun look different?

She'll be back for upcoming sequel.

Shadow

Count ascending staircase is unquestionably one of cinema's most iconic moments.

Enjoy a magnificent medley.

Aliens/Vampirella - issue 4

Frankenweenie

Home Alone

Hotel Transylvania

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Nosferatu: Si Vis Pacem

RoboCop - 1987

The Shining

The Simpsons - Treehouse of Horror VI
Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace

Wes Craven's New Nightmare

The Next Big Thing
Very easy to miss, but a picture depicts 'something'.

Finally.

Dracula - 1986
The first computer game to be rated by the BBFC was slapped with a 15 certificate.
Anyway, why the FUCK are we staring at Orlok?

HA HA HA!

Miscellany

A bite of everything.

Count Orlock - Dracula 3000

Max Shreck - Batman Returns
Made for film character's name is a nod to...

Nosferatu (Alexander Ashford) - Resident Evil Code: Veronica

Lollipop Chainsaw
Rock 'n Roller Zombie Lewis Legend strums a Nosferatu guitar.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Fake film Nose Ferret 2: A Symphony of Horror is a play on words.

Spongebob Squarepants - The Night Patty
Krusty Krab employee appears in several episodes, including Slappy Daze, Captain Pipsqueak and Graveyard Shift.
He also forms part of mini-game in DS effort Spongebob's Truth or Square.

The Simpsons - Treehouse of Horror XXIV
Opening sequence conceived by Guillermo del Toro spoofs a variety of horror and sci-fi films, (including all of his own).

Dracula: Crazy Vampire
Front row, bottom right.

(Ahem).

House of Wax - 1953

Vincent Price mimics Max Schreck.

Fright Night - 1985

It might look comical, but Jerry rising upright from coffin recreates...

Glorious stuff.

The Last of Us - Episode 2

Infected

Written by Craig Mazin

Directed by Neil Druckmann

Jakarta, Indonesia

September 24th, 2003

Mycology Professor Dr. Ibu Ratna is asked by military police to analyse a specimen identified as Ophiocordyceps.

While examining human corpse, fungal growth inside mouth is still alive. 

She laments no medicine exists and bombing the city is the only way to prevent infection spreading further.

Present day.

Ellie explains doctors at a Firefly base across town are working on a cure and whatever happened to her is key in developing a vaccine.

After Clickers attack at the Bostonian Museum, Tess reveals bitemark.

She covers room with gasoline and grenades as Joel and Ellie flee.

Rather than FEDRA soldiers shooting her off-screen, a monster gives her a kiss, resulting in an explosive climax.

Boom

Joel and Ellie's relationship has officially begun, with the former giving as good as he gets on the sarcasm front.

Anna Torv was superb and barring a flashback scene, it's a shame we'll never see character again.

Production design and visuals of overgrown world are nothing short of astonishing.

Actors portraying Clickers (presumably dancers) smash creepy movement and emit an appropriately terrifying sound.

Did creative decision of replacing spores with tendrils make sense?

Probably.

Hot damn, I'm digging changes so far.

The Last of Us - Episode 1

HBO series is finally here.

Pedro Pascal - Joel

Bella Ramsey - Ellie

Anna Torv - Tess

Gabriel Luna - Tommy

Merle Dandridge - Marlene

When You're Lost in the Darkness

Written by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann

Directed by Craig Mazin

1968.

On a talk show, epidemiologist Dr. Neuman warns that as the world gets warmer, fungus could evolve to survive high body heat, leaving humans vulnerable to infection.

2003.

Austin, Texas.

During the early hours of September 27, Sarah wakes to an emergency news broadcast and finds her neighbours have been killed by an infected cannibal.

Amidst the chaotic panic in town, Joel and Sarah are cornered by a soldier who's ordered to execute them.

Tommy takes him out, but a fatally wounded Sarah dies in Joel's arms.

2023.

The Cordyceps pandemic has devastated civilisation.

In the ruins of Boston, survivors work for rations in a FEDRA managed quarantine zone.

Marlene leads rebel group the Fireflies, who are at war with military dictatorship.

Leaving the QZ in search of Tommy, Joel and partner Tess take smart-mouthed Ellie (initially Veronica) along for the ride.

After Ellie reveals she's been bitten and apparently immune to infection, trio enter a biological containment area.

Sublime start

I don't want to get too carried away, but pilot was fucking awesome.

Whether you're an ardent fan or new to post-apocalyptic universe, either faction will be grinning from ear to ear.

Casting, performances, visuals, set-pieces, music, screenplay etc kicked ass, and subtle deviations to cut scenes/gameplay ensure sequences are not entirely beat for beat.

Ignoring race swap (which isn't really a problem), Nico Parker could've easily been your typical bitchy kid, but not so.

When 'that' scene is plays out, it left me feeling nearly as emotional as game did.

'Probably' everything that ripped off Commando

To avoid any confusion, I'm covering Mark L. Lester's ultra-violent, tongue-in-cheek action classic, not unrelated Capcom arcade of same name (also released in 1985).

Den D (aka D-Day)

Known as Commando: The Return in Germany, Mikhail Porechenkov starred and directed 2008 remake.

Despite some cosmetic differences, shit is largely shot-for-shot, but at least makes no attempt to disguise the fact.

Oh, English title doesn't refer to the Normandy landings, but to the Day of Desantnik, which is celebrated every year in Russia on 2 August.

Anyway, let's party.

Sound bites

Golden Axe

Before he's captured, Matrix grabs a goon's rifle and whacks him over the head.

Sega decided to use peculiar squawk as a death scream.

Operation Wolf 3

"DON'T SHOOOOT!"

Yep, civvies say that a lot in Lethal Enforcers wannabe.

More importantly, enemies use Sully's scream, after Matrix 'lets him go'.

Cover art

Navy Moves vs Poster 1

In 16 bit versions, McArra¹ speaks.

Alright!

Yes, he's a man of few words.

¹Name is a play on macarra, Spanish for pimp.

Fusion 2 vs Poster 2

I tip my beret.

Tooling up

Others took note.

Fire Force

Magic Pockets

Different, but same principle.

Look Who's Posing

NAM-1975 - manual

Turok

Mercs

Dogs of War

Total Carnage

Finally.

Contra III: The Alien Wars (NA) and Contra Spirits (JP) vs Super Contra arcade flyer (NA)

I know it's the same franchise, but I do find it odd that Konami presumably used cheesy actor as template for stage complete screen.

Miscellany

Leon and Krauser - Resident Evil 4 vs Matrix and Bennett

Point made, yes?

Last Alert aka Red Alert

Operation Thunderbolt

Best of all.

Braddock: Missing in Action III

Check out sequence involving Braddock, a grenade and explosion.

Which is absolutely NOTHING like:

HA HA HA!

WTF?

Komando 2
As far as I'm concerned, Slovakian developer Ultrasoft skipped Komando.
Anyway, while artist did a pretty good job of erroneously depicting Schwarzenegger in Commando clone, adding a bloody bullet hole to chest for dramatic effect is just bizarre.

Your Sinclair, issue 1 (January 1986)
Once again, representation is delusional. 

The above was impressively copied from:

Rick and Morty - Rickdependence Spray (S5 E4)

At one point, a marine states:

"They say cutting a sperm's throat is like running a warm knife through butter."

Which is extremely similar to Lenny Juliano's Soldier trying to talk tough:

"Slitting a little girl's throat is like cutting warm butter."

Probably a nod, but who knows?

Operation Wolf

Presenting the grand finale.

Ignoring animals, innocents (and other shit), Taito's lightgun monster is basically an unauthorised adaptation of 'Matrix vs Arius's army'.

Intro

Randomly, Matrix (sorry Roy Adams) loading Uzi is identical to rifle close-up near the beginning.

Film briefly goes first-person.

Stage 1 complete screen wraps shit up.

Communication Setup

This appears to have been inspired by Matrix remotely detonating C-4.

Because I can.

PC Engine port re-imagines arcade.

Okay guys, time to let off some steam.