Ben Lathrop
@benlathrop13.bsky.social
Expat Iowan, former Horror Host and present Librarian & Author.
(He/Him)
BenLathrop.com
http://getbook.at/HorrorShow
(He/Him)
BenLathrop.com
http://getbook.at/HorrorShow
Howard Berger came to talk at my college and brought a bunch of small props from KNB’s recent projects. He autographed this Polaroid of Jeff’s Rush’s head for me. (Says “heads off!”)
October 18, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Howard Berger came to talk at my college and brought a bunch of small props from KNB’s recent projects. He autographed this Polaroid of Jeff’s Rush’s head for me. (Says “heads off!”)
Interestingly, the "Powermasters" (one word) sub line of the Transformers came out in 1988. "Power Master" (two words) is used by Lionel as the name of a model train control unit, but I wonder if there was a closed door trademark claim.
September 16, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Interestingly, the "Powermasters" (one word) sub line of the Transformers came out in 1988. "Power Master" (two words) is used by Lionel as the name of a model train control unit, but I wonder if there was a closed door trademark claim.
And then there's the toys -- Detailed, motorized vehicles with articulated mini-figures at a $7 price point (about $20 in today-dollars) and larger scale vehicles at $15.
September 16, 2025 at 6:46 PM
And then there's the toys -- Detailed, motorized vehicles with articulated mini-figures at a $7 price point (about $20 in today-dollars) and larger scale vehicles at $15.
Power Masters - the lost '80's toyline I just became obsessed with.
September 16, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Power Masters - the lost '80's toyline I just became obsessed with.
"No More Tears" was one of the first cassettes I ever bought. I literally wore it out from constant play that summer. RIP Ozzy🤘
July 22, 2025 at 7:29 PM
"No More Tears" was one of the first cassettes I ever bought. I literally wore it out from constant play that summer. RIP Ozzy🤘
But there's also a great sequence where street clothes Kosugi infiltrates a big cargo ship and wrecks a small army of dudes in suits with guns while unarmed...AND Sho's son Kane Kosugi is back - with a NINJA BMX BIKE.
May 21, 2025 at 1:02 PM
But there's also a great sequence where street clothes Kosugi infiltrates a big cargo ship and wrecks a small army of dudes in suits with guns while unarmed...AND Sho's son Kane Kosugi is back - with a NINJA BMX BIKE.
Pray for Death (1985) - Uneven Sho Kosugi revenge story. Lots going on - The opening ninja-action scene where Kosugi plays a TV show idol of his two sons is more intense than the final fight, and his costume at the end - even though he sells it - is pretty silly.
May 21, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Pray for Death (1985) - Uneven Sho Kosugi revenge story. Lots going on - The opening ninja-action scene where Kosugi plays a TV show idol of his two sons is more intense than the final fight, and his costume at the end - even though he sells it - is pretty silly.
If only they'd had a shot to make a Larry Hama G.I. Joe movie back then - Dudikoff as Snake-Eyes, Sho Kosugi as Stormshadow, Steve James as Stalker...maybe like Claudia Christian as Scarlet?
May 19, 2025 at 7:47 PM
If only they'd had a shot to make a Larry Hama G.I. Joe movie back then - Dudikoff as Snake-Eyes, Sho Kosugi as Stormshadow, Steve James as Stalker...maybe like Claudia Christian as Scarlet?
I'd heard that Cannon Films was working on making a Spider-Man movie in the 80's and had Dudikoff pegged for the lead. Pretty solid casting, actually. He gives kinda James Dean-ey vibes, and can also kick bad guy's faces.
May 19, 2025 at 7:47 PM
I'd heard that Cannon Films was working on making a Spider-Man movie in the 80's and had Dudikoff pegged for the lead. Pretty solid casting, actually. He gives kinda James Dean-ey vibes, and can also kick bad guy's faces.
...and they replaced Steve James's character with a pretty generic intelligence operator played by Dwayne Alexandre. He's fine, and gets to blow up a helicopter in a cool way, but I wanted more Curtis & Joe ninja buddy action.
May 19, 2025 at 7:47 PM
...and they replaced Steve James's character with a pretty generic intelligence operator played by Dwayne Alexandre. He's fine, and gets to blow up a helicopter in a cool way, but I wanted more Curtis & Joe ninja buddy action.
The two American Ninjas never even team up properly, which seems like it should have been a given.
May 19, 2025 at 7:47 PM
The two American Ninjas never even team up properly, which seems like it should have been a given.
There's some cool "Max Max" rip offs, a super-ninja with metal eye patch, and even a (fake out) American Ninja vs. American Ninja duel, but on a whole it doesn't really maintain the energy of the first two entries in the series.
May 19, 2025 at 7:47 PM
There's some cool "Max Max" rip offs, a super-ninja with metal eye patch, and even a (fake out) American Ninja vs. American Ninja duel, but on a whole it doesn't really maintain the energy of the first two entries in the series.
American Ninja 4: The Annihilation (1990) is a real mixed bag and kind of disappointing. The plot line is new, but basically repeats itself. First with the special forces dudes Sean goes to rescue, then when Joe is called to rescue him. But that means Dudikoff is back, which is a big win.
May 19, 2025 at 7:47 PM
American Ninja 4: The Annihilation (1990) is a real mixed bag and kind of disappointing. The plot line is new, but basically repeats itself. First with the special forces dudes Sean goes to rescue, then when Joe is called to rescue him. But that means Dudikoff is back, which is a big win.
They should have just put Steve James in the lead - he's the best part of this one, and should be an honorary ninja after the last two. Bradley may have had more martial arts experience than Dudikoff, but is lacking the same screen presence.
May 19, 2025 at 7:47 PM
They should have just put Steve James in the lead - he's the best part of this one, and should be an honorary ninja after the last two. Bradley may have had more martial arts experience than Dudikoff, but is lacking the same screen presence.
American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt (1989) uses the same, admittedly rad, plot of an international bad guy making an army of super-ninjas, but doesn't recapture the magic. Some of that might be the replacement of Dudikoff's Joe Armstrong with David Bradley's "new" American Ninja - "Sean Davidson"
May 19, 2025 at 7:47 PM
American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt (1989) uses the same, admittedly rad, plot of an international bad guy making an army of super-ninjas, but doesn't recapture the magic. Some of that might be the replacement of Dudikoff's Joe Armstrong with David Bradley's "new" American Ninja - "Sean Davidson"
American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (1987) is probably my favorite of the series. Steve James' "Curtis Jackson" character is more like a partner than a side-kick and the climax - even though it looks like it was shot in my college dorm complex - pulls out all the stops.
May 19, 2025 at 7:47 PM
American Ninja 2: The Confrontation (1987) is probably my favorite of the series. Steve James' "Curtis Jackson" character is more like a partner than a side-kick and the climax - even though it looks like it was shot in my college dorm complex - pulls out all the stops.
But I don't know that I'd ever actually watched it all in one setting? It could just be where my mind is at these days, but I really enjoyed it.
It's corny, and the cultural appropriation is unchecked, but Michael Dudikoff is great.
It's corny, and the cultural appropriation is unchecked, but Michael Dudikoff is great.
May 19, 2025 at 7:47 PM
But I don't know that I'd ever actually watched it all in one setting? It could just be where my mind is at these days, but I really enjoyed it.
It's corny, and the cultural appropriation is unchecked, but Michael Dudikoff is great.
It's corny, and the cultural appropriation is unchecked, but Michael Dudikoff is great.
The Amazon Alexa in our kitchen must've heard me call Ninja III the ultimate Cannon Film out loud, because the algorithm delivered a brutal counter argument: American Ninja (1985)
Being a kid who was obsessed with G.I. Joe and had unfettered access to Chicago's WGN, this one was definitely familiar
Being a kid who was obsessed with G.I. Joe and had unfettered access to Chicago's WGN, this one was definitely familiar
May 19, 2025 at 7:47 PM
The Amazon Alexa in our kitchen must've heard me call Ninja III the ultimate Cannon Film out loud, because the algorithm delivered a brutal counter argument: American Ninja (1985)
Being a kid who was obsessed with G.I. Joe and had unfettered access to Chicago's WGN, this one was definitely familiar
Being a kid who was obsessed with G.I. Joe and had unfettered access to Chicago's WGN, this one was definitely familiar
Had to close out with Ninja III: The Domination. I feel like if I were pressed to say what one motion picture was the most perfect synthesis of one studio's output, I would be sorely tempted to say it's this one for Cannon Films. Totally bonkers, but does have more of Kosugi as a good guy.
May 19, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Had to close out with Ninja III: The Domination. I feel like if I were pressed to say what one motion picture was the most perfect synthesis of one studio's output, I would be sorely tempted to say it's this one for Cannon Films. Totally bonkers, but does have more of Kosugi as a good guy.
Naturally, I followed it up with Revenge of the Ninja (1983) a MASSIVE improvement and incredibly entertaining. They wisely put Mr. Kosugi in the lead and generally turns all the dials to "11." The last 20 mins or is practically a stand alone silent action movie.
May 19, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Naturally, I followed it up with Revenge of the Ninja (1983) a MASSIVE improvement and incredibly entertaining. They wisely put Mr. Kosugi in the lead and generally turns all the dials to "11." The last 20 mins or is practically a stand alone silent action movie.
It started with Enter the Ninja (1981), which I hadn't watched in maybe 20 years. Has some creaky moments, but the action is pretty solid and Sho Kosugi steals the show.
May 19, 2025 at 7:47 PM
It started with Enter the Ninja (1981), which I hadn't watched in maybe 20 years. Has some creaky moments, but the action is pretty solid and Sho Kosugi steals the show.
I watched a Ninja movie on Amazon, and now it keeps recommending more and more Ninja movies and I can't stop myself.
May 19, 2025 at 6:43 PM
I watched a Ninja movie on Amazon, and now it keeps recommending more and more Ninja movies and I can't stop myself.
Even small-time guys like me got their intellectual property taken by Meta's plagiarism-robot. And they're going to get away with it. It's so discouraging... www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
March 20, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Even small-time guys like me got their intellectual property taken by Meta's plagiarism-robot. And they're going to get away with it. It's so discouraging... www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
"I was what you call 'ragged' - I wasn't gonna be no man's friend today."
I discovered "Loveless" over the weekend - If I had seen this at 20, it would have become my whole personality.
I discovered "Loveless" over the weekend - If I had seen this at 20, it would have become my whole personality.
March 17, 2025 at 3:39 PM
"I was what you call 'ragged' - I wasn't gonna be no man's friend today."
I discovered "Loveless" over the weekend - If I had seen this at 20, it would have become my whole personality.
I discovered "Loveless" over the weekend - If I had seen this at 20, it would have become my whole personality.