Sisu - The scoop and digest

Known for Big Game and Rare Exports, writer-director Jalmari Helander goes Nazi hunting.

Jorma Tommila - Aatami

Aksel Hennie - Bruno

Jack Doolan - Wolf

Mimosa Willamo - Aino

Onni Tommila - Schϋtze

Summary

Sisu is a Finnish word that cannot be translated.

It means a white-knuckled form of courage and unimaginable determination, manifesting itself when all hope is lost.

1944.

World War II is coming to an end.

Finland and the Soviet Union have signed the Moscow armistice which decrees that Finland must disarm the Nazis and drive them out of Lapland.

At some point later, a woman captured by a Nazi convoy describes former Finnish commander Aatami Korpi (nicknamed Koschei, the "Immortal" by the Russians), as 'one mean motherfucker', and somebody not to mess with.

SS Obersturmführer Bruno Helldorf ignores warning and goes after him.

Silly boy.

One man death squad

I've not had so much fun in 90 minutes since Nobody.

Director cites First Blood as a huge influence, but unlike Aatami, John Rambo doesn't directly kill anybody.

Of course, former Green Beret was a bloodthirsty psychopath in David Morrell's original novel.

While definitely not a comedy, how Nazis are taken by minefield was hilarious.

By total coincidence, principle really reminded me of Red Dwarf IV episode Meltdown (less the gore).

Beau Is Afraid - The scoop and digest

Writer-director Ari Aster gives his 2011 short Beau the feature-length treatment.

Joaquin Phoenix - Beau Wasserman

Nathan Lane - Roger

Amy Ryan - Grace

Stephen McKinley Henderson - Therapist

Hayley Squires - Penelope

Denis Ménochet - Jeeves

Kylie Rogers - Toni

Patti LuPone - Mona Wasserman

Summary

The extremely anxious and paranoid Beau prepares to leave an unidentified crime ridden city for Washington to attend his mother's funeral.

However, he misses flight after his luggage and keys are stolen.

And so begins a bizarre and fantastical journey, where anything is possible and nothing makes sense.

Fear, guilt and humiliation

3 hour Kafkaesque tragicomedy drags, but worth sticking with.

Some sections are meant to be funny, and it helps if you laugh.  If not, experience may become literally a nightmare.

Phoenix gives another powerhouse performance, but the main talking point is giant penis monster, (revealed to be Beau's father).

According to Mona, 'he' died upon ejaculating inside her.

Not even a dangerous dose of Zypnotycril could rationalize situation, let alone explain it.

Caverns of Coincidence

I've decided to reboot an ancient friend.

Dino Crisis 2 (2000)

During intro, David's bazooka scores a direct hit, depriving T-Rex of an eye.

Return to Jurassic Park #3 (1995)

Grant rescues Sonya by blasting Rexy in the...

I'm not saying this hasn't happened elsewhere, but even so.

Brain Dead 13 (death sequence) vs Mortal Kombat II (Dead Pool fatality)

Am I high on acid?

Maybe.

Kanary¹ - Space Harrier (1985) vs Osibisa - Osibisa (1971 album²)

Dragon insect is similar to winged elephant, yes?

¹Only encountered in third stage Amar, and names of regular enemies were anonymous until PC Engine/Turbografx-16 port.

²Art by Roger Dean.  A variation featured on Woyaya.

Mudy Crystal is the second boss in SNES entry Darius Force (aka Super Nova), and was modelled on a Portuguese man o' war. 

Cool.

Dungeons & Dragons

Grell was created by Ian Livingstone and introduced in White Dwarf #12 (April/May 1976). 

The weird part.

Monster Manual 4th Edition (2008)

Because I can.

Pulstar - Neo Geo (1995)
Armoured squid thing only appears in final stage Life or Death. 

Mars People debuted in Metal Slug 2 (1998).

Mysterio

Marvel Comics

Jake Gyllenhaal's suit was altered for Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Blue lights are like the helmet of Advanced suit found in Dead Space 2.

It

Pennywise's preferred form was based on Ronald McDonald, Bozo the Clown, Clarabell the Clown and infamous serial killer John Wayne Gacy.

Apart from outfit being more colourful, 1990 miniseries is very faithful to source material.

God bless Tim Curry.

Check this out.

In Richard Wenk's Vamp, Grace Jones' bloodsucker Katrina mesmerises punters with a sexy dance routine at a sleazy After Dark nightclub.

Aww, they'd make such a cute couple.

Stephen King first conceived story in 1978.  He began writing 'it' in 1981 and finished in 1985.

Novel was originally published on 15 September 1986, and Vamp came a few months before on 18 July.

The truth makes shit even weirder.

Slap was modelled on Daryl Hannah's Pris in Blade Runner.

HA HA HA!

Deadlights

Anybody seduced by creature's sea of destructive lights is paralysed with fear, and even killed.

Miniseries

But more importantly.

It (2017)

The 3rd Birthday (2010)
Parasite Eve moved from the PS1 to PSP, and there hasn't been one since..
Presenting a cut scene of the Twisted.

Sure this is just for effect, but three lights surrounded by teeth?

Man, I'm on overdrive.

Hot Fuzz (2007) vs Metal Slug³ (1996)

³Illustration by Naohisa Yamaguchi.

But wait.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1984) #34 - September 1990
Joey stars in Toitle Anxiety.
Story, art and cover by Rich Hedden and Tom McWeeny.

Despite being incredibly similar, I don't buy for a second that Nao Q knew Rambo-esque lunatic existed.

Finally, a bit of classic British comedy.

Blackadder II - Chains (20 February 1986)
Baldrick comes to Queenie's fancy dress party as a pencil case.

Gag evolved in the final episode of Goes Forth.

Goodbyeee (2 November 1989)
In a desperate attempt to be invalided off to Blighty, Blackadder feigns insanity by employing an old trick picked up in the Sudan - wearing a pair underpants on his head and sticking a pencil up each nostril.

Wubble.

This was kinda stolen for Bottom.

Burglary (8 October 1992)
Eddie's been sleep doodling again.

And the blockbusting kicker.

National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)
Ahead of his midterm grade of 0.0, John 'Bluto' Blutarsky briefly does the same thing.

Whether Richard Curtis and Ben Elton copied set piece remains unknown.

Psycho Spoof Beast #7

The Magnificent Seventh rides into town.

Coppertone

Original sign was created in 1958 by Tropicalites.
After it was lost in a fire, pin-up art painter Joyce Ballantyne Brand recreated artwork a year later, using her daughter Cheri as the model. 

National Lampoon #35

Garbage Pail Kids - Ultra Violet (alter ego Tanya Hide)

Tennis Girl

In September 1976, aspiring photographer Martin Elliot persuaded his then 18-year-old girlfriend Fiona Butler to pose for a series of cheeky pictures.  He sold said image to Athena and publishing giant first used it as part of a calendar for the 1977 Silver Jubilee; the same year Virginia Wade won the Wimbledon ladies' singles title.

A licence was negotiated to distribute photo as a poster, and from 1978, over 2 million copies were sold at £2 each (equivalent to £14.68 today).

Davis Cup World Tour - Mega Drive advert

Shameless UK - S6 E12
Exit shot shows Lillian walking towards a door after winning a game of tennis in Wii Sports.

Gladiatress
Poster couldn't be more blatant.

Broadening legacy.

Detectorists - S1 E4

The IT Crowd - From Hell (S3 E1)

Max Reload and the Nether Blasters

Ultimately expendable, but retro gamers should have fun.

Konicom was probably based on the Konami logo (2003-present).

World War Poo: It's the Shit! is modelled on Worms.

Ignoring E, I and T, the balance of Coexist car sticker is:
C (Pac-Man), O (Dreamcast logo), X (Xbox font) and S (Sega font).

I am certain the following was inspired by Golden Axe.

Choose your hero vs Select player

Result is a makeshift Tyris Flare (Liz), Ax-Battler (Max) and Gilius Thunderhead (Seth).

Nether Realm end boss vs Death Adder

Christ I'm good.

American Gothic - Grant Wood

Nan Wood Graham (left) and Byron McKeeby (right) served as models.

One of the greatest examples of American pop culture got around.

Some you'll know, others not.

Miscellany

Garbage Pail Kids - Dick Hick (alter ego Barnyard Barney)

Dirty Shirley - Dirty Shirley

Novels

American Zombie Gothic: The Rise and Fall (and Rise) of the Walking Dead in Popular Culture

On the Justice of Roosting Chickens: Reflections on the Consequences of U.S. Imperial Arrogance and Criminality

Rot & Ruin

Video games

Worm Whomper

Back to the Future: The Game - Episode 3 - Citizen Brown

Sly 2: Band of Thieves

Tattoo Assassins

Television

The Simpsons - Bart Gets an Elephant (S5 E17)

Darkwing Duck - A Brush With Oblivion (S2 E12)

Desperate Housewives - title sequence

Green Acres - title sequence

Tiny Toon Adventures - Going Places (S2 E2) - That's Art Folks! segment

Film

Dinner for Schmucks

Men in Black

Night at the Museum 2

Robots

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Film posters

For Richer or Poorer and American Gothic

Hide and Creep and Men & Chicken

Motel Hell and Say Uncle

Son in Law, Suburban Gothic and There Goes the Neighborhood

Comic covers (except marked with*)

Elektra: Assassin #7 and Clive Barker's Hellraiser: The Dark Watch Vol.2* (#5 overall)

Hellstorm: Son of Satan #2 and MAD #374

MAD #514 and She-Hulk Vol. 2 #11

Star Wars Vol. 2 #57 and The American #8

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Mirage Studios) #16* and Viz #229

Alf #37 and Army of Darkness (2009) #19

Crazy #28, Knights of the Dinner Table #156 and MAD Super Special #44

Until next time.