UNDERSTANDING THE DARK TOWER UNIVERSE (in seven minutes!) James Van Fleet 2022-04-08 | NOTE: This graphic is available to purchase as art at my Etsy shop.etsy.com/shop/HorrorFilms101?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1234498711SUMMARY: Ever wondered how exactly Stephen King's "Dark Tower" universe fits together? Great news! Here's a video that shows how the story of Roland's ka-tet grew over time and crashed into the worlds of "Salem's Lot," "The Stand," "11/22/63," and countless more. Click play and watch the world bloom like a rose made up of nerd-ass circles and lines.MUSIC:Axletree"Reservoir Sunset," "Goldfinch: Flight to the North"youtube.com/c/AxletreeMusicREFERENCE:BirthMoviesDeath"The Stephen King Multiverse"youtube.com/watch?v=sAoIdV7939MCRITERIA AND CAVEATS:1. Core locations (Derry, Castle Rock, 'salem's Lot, and Mid-World) are included only if they're present in a story; being mentioned is not enough.2. Core characters can be included if they're mentioned, as with Flagg in "Hearts in Atlantis" and the Crimson King in "Black House."3. I deliberately limited myself to 12 connecting elements so the graphic would be legible and appealing to the eyes.4. Some seemingly-absent connections are due to technicalities (the car's owner in "From a Buick 8" is theorized but not verified to be a Low Man, and the Ritual of Chud in "IT" and "Later" is a psychic battle, not a todash one). But at least one ("Gwendy's Final Task") is a consequence of me learning about it when I was 99% done with the video. Oh, well.
Was The Empire Strikes Back Critically Divisive? James Van Fleet 2019-12-05 | Many fans claim that, in 1980, the critics of the time were mixed, even divided, on "The Empire Strikes Back." But is this true? Welp, I got curious. So I checked regional newspapers, old film journals, library microfiche, and slowly pieced the information together. The answer make shock you! (Most critics liked / loved it.)0:00 Was "Empire" Divisive?0:51 The 10 Reviews from StarWars.com1:38 The 29 Reviews from Aggregators3:43 The 50 Reviews I Found6:35 SKIP HERE FOR THE RESULTS!IMPORTANT NOTE: It's in no way my intention to offer this up as a weapon in fandom battles, least of all as a way to drag "The Last Jedi." If y'all turn this into a shitshow, I swom to John I will post a video where all I do is talk about how rad that movie is.SPECIAL THANKS:- Many people reviewed earlier drafts of this, and I'm grateful for their feedback, which made this a stronger piece of work. You know who you are.- The Los Angeles Public Library, for their online newspaper resources and for letting me use microfiche like I studying the people who used to live in my house before they died horribly and started haunting the hell out of me.- Michael Kaminski of "The Secret History of Star Wars"; this site offers a breakdown of (some) critic ratings along with reviews of the original three films. Tons of useful information.http://fd.noneinc.com/secrethistoryofstarwarscom/secrethistoryofstarwars.com/index.html
Musical Callbacks in Metroid Prime: Echoes James Van Fleet 2019-03-21 | Ever played a "Metroid" game and thought, "Hey, wait just a damn second, this sounds familiar"? Chances are you heard one of the countless remixes, tweaks, and audio easter eggs hidden through the series. Cool, right? (Right.) Here are the links found in "Metroid Prime: Echoes."Entries So Far:"Super Metroid" - youtu.be/2t7X6eSrAe0"Metroid Prime" - youtu.be/7a8RSS6tnjw"Metroid Fusion" - youtu.be/Ml3rz_ZAV9A"Metroid Prime: Echoes" - youtu.be/CbAsAAN14G4Background artwork used with permission:Mephmmb: deviantart.com/mephmmbSuperstupidy: deviantart.com/superstupidyRobTromans: deviantart.com/robtromansRirth: deviantart.com/rirthRazputin93: deviantart.com/razputin93Thanks for watching, and feel free to subscribe if you enjoy what you saw![Please note: I ignored callbacks between "Prime" and "Echoes," as many themes repeat without significant variation, and that makes for a boring-ass video. You don't need me to prove that the Space Pirate theme matches to the Space Pirate theme.]
UNDERSTANDING PRIMER (in six minutes) James Van Fleet 2018-06-22 | NOTE: This video was produced before writer-director Shane Carruth's abusive behavior toward Amy Siemetz was made public. I have not monetized this video and will not do so at any point in the future."Primer" is a great mind-bender of a film with some clever style and story touches, but some viewers, including me, get tripped up by its complicated (re: batshit) time travel mechanics. This video lays out the path of Aaron and Abe as a (hopefully) comprehensible and accurate journey.Special thanks to ambient artist Carl Sagan's Ghost - you can listen to his music here:carlsagansghost.bandcamp.com/music
ExtraCinematic - Shadow of the Colossus in Kong: Skull Island James Van Fleet 2017-11-16 | The first of a mini mini-series on extra-cinematic influences on cinema - think sculpture, paintings, stock footage, and in this first example, video games!Jordan Vogt-Roberts' "Kong: Skull Island" races through two hours of viciously entertaining (and borderline-nihilistic) jungle adventure, sneaking in plenty of visual gags and referents, from the blunt "Apocalypse Now" borrows to a helmet that evokes Mega Man.This shot offers an unmistakable nod to one of the most critically praised video games of all time; specifically, the first time your character sees one of the 12 colossi in "Shadow of the Colossus."- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Opening/Closing Music:Rusalka, Op. 114 - 'Song to the Moon' - Antonin DvorakPerformed by Zaira Soriamusopen.org/music/2701/antonin-dvorak/rusalka-op-114-song-to-the-moonAttribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)
The Last Jedi Teaser vs. The Force Awakens Teaser James Van Fleet 2017-04-15 | If the "Last Jedi" teaser trailer feels familiar to you, that's because it has the exact same rhythm, sound cues, and many of the same image beats of the globe-smashing "Force Awakens" Teaser #2 (with a quick opening BOO! moment borrowed from the "Force Awakens" Teaser #1).Lucasfilm/Disney has figured out how to make a "Star Wars" trailer, and they are sticking like hell to that formula. (And honestly, why shouldn't they?)NOTE: "a little Rey" can mean more than one thing. ;)NOTE 2: Commenters have pointed out the Alliance symbol references the EU, not the OT. My bad - a consequence of rendering this at the end of a 16-hour day and trying to get it out before other comparison videos flooded the market.Links to original teasers:The Force Awakens Teaser #1 - youtube.com/watch?v=erLk59H86wwThe Force Awakens Teaser #2 - youtube.com/watch?v=ngElkyQ6RhsThe Last Jedi Teaser #1 - youtube.com/watch?v=zB4I68XVPzQ
Musical Callbacks in Metroid Fusion James Van Fleet 2016-06-05 | NOTE: new video up for "Metroid Prime: Echoes!" at youtu.be/CbAsAAN14G4Ever played a "Metroid" game and thought, "Hey, wait just a damn second, this sounds familiar"? Chances are you heard one of the countless remixes, tweaks, and audio easter eggs hidden through the series. Cool, right? (Right.) Here are the links found in "Metroid Fusion."Entries So Far:"Super Metroid" - youtube.com/watch?v=2t7X6eSrAe0"Metroid Prime" - youtube.com/watch?v=7a8RSS6tnjw"Metroid Fusion" - youtube.com/watch?v=Ml3rz_ZAV9ABackground artwork used with permission:kirzalidbrando's deviantart page:http://krizalidbrando.deviantart.com/gallerySoulStryder210's deviantart page:http://soulstryder210.deviantart.com/galleryBlargen69's deviantartpage:http://blargen69.deviantart.com/galleryThanks for watching, and feel free to subscribe if you enjoy what you saw!
Musical Callbacks in Metroid Prime James Van Fleet 2015-11-25 | Ever played a "Metroid" game and thought, "Hey, wait just a damn second, this sounds familiar"? Chances are you heard one of the countless remixes, tweaks, and audio easter eggs hidden through the series. Cool, right? (Right.) Here are the links found in "Metroid Prime."Entries So Far:"Super Metroid" - youtube.com/watch?v=2t7X6eSrAe0"Metroid Prime" - youtube.com/watch?v=7a8RSS6tnjw"Metroid Fusion" - youtube.com/watch?v=Ml3rz_ZAV9A"Metroid Prime: Echoes" - youtu.be/CbAsAAN14G4Background artwork used with permission:SSKablooie's "Samus Landscape" - http://sskablooie.deviantart.com/art/Samus-Landscape-541705223Zebes' "Samus in Crateria" - http://zebes.deviantart.com/art/Samus-explores-Crateria-167763630Smolb's "Parasite Queen" - http://smolb.deviantart.com/art/Parasite-Queen-495013567JoelChan's "Chozo Ghosts" - http://joelchan.deviantart.com/art/Metroid-Prime-Chozo-Ghosts-189902238GuilhermeRM's "Samus Portrait" - http://guilhermerm.deviantart.com/art/Samus-Portrait-431342678Thanks for watching, and feel free to subscribe if you enjoy what you saw!
Horror Films: A Montage James Van Fleet 2015-11-02 | NOTE: This montage is a spiritual sequel to a previous one I made, "Science Fiction: A Montage" (youtube.com/watch?v=IRpHeqzKb-s).Ayway, loved horror films since I downed "The Evil Dead" and "Dawn of the Dead" one Bradburyian early teenage weekend. Call this an honorific to the horrific, a tribute to terror, a... um... salute to... the sinis... look, just watch the damn thing, okay?I recommend turning off the annotations and just letting the images wash over you like so much crimson copper-smelling blood.
Musical Callbacks in Super Metroid James Van Fleet 2015-09-13 | Ever played a "Metroid" game and thought, "Hey, wait just a damn second, this sounds familiar"? Chances are you heard one of the countless remixes, tweaks, and audio easter eggs hidden through the series. Cool, right? (Right.) Here are the links found in "Super Metroid."Entries So Far:"Super Metroid" - youtube.com/watch?v=2t7X6eSrAe0"Metroid Prime" - youtube.com/watch?v=7a8RSS6tnjw"Metroid Fusion" - youtube.com/watch?v=Ml3rz_ZAV9A"Metroid Prime: Echoes" - youtu.be/CbAsAAN14G4Background artwork used with permission:mixxedstuff's "Phantoon" - http://mixxedstuff.deviantart.com/art/Phantoon-246745141Methuselah3000's "Chozo Engraving" - http://methuselah3000.deviantart.com/art/Chozo-Engraving-415659411kritken's "Kraid Returns" - http://kritken.deviantart.com/art/Kraid-returns-544144174AndrewMartinD's "Battle in Norfair" - http://andrewmartind.deviantart.com/art/Battle-in-Norfair-392336278Thanks for watching, and feel free to subscribe if you enjoy what you saw!
A Tribute to Mad Max: Fury Road James Van Fleet 2015-08-01 | Uhr... a tribute video for "Mad Max: Fury Road."'cause it's an awesome movie.
Man of Steel + Batman v. Superman Metropolis Battle James Van Fleet 2015-07-12 | Combining the footage from the new "BvS" trailer with Bruce Wayne in Metropolis during the climactic battle from "Man of Steel."
Connecting the Evil Dead Series James Van Fleet 2013-04-08 | NOTE: I recommend hiding annotations the first time you watch this.Ever wondered how much crosses over between "The Evil Dead" and "Evil Dead II"? Or how much "Army of Darkness" borrows from its predecessors? Curious to see the legacy awaiting Fede Alvarez's remake? Look no further.The annotations make clear the similarities and provide a bit of trivia (some of it known to most devotees of the films).If you enjoyed this, there's more fun to be had at Horror Films 101.
Science Fiction: A Montage James Van Fleet 2013-02-20 | NOTE: I recently made a spiritual sequel to this, "Horror Films: A Montage" (youtube.com/watch?v=2O1I6_J0Dqg)You want science fiction movies? You got science fiction movies. Nearly 150 of them. From "A. I." to "X the Man with the X-Ray Eyes," from 1902 to 2012. Grab a snack, sit back, and enjoy.I highly recommend turning off the annotations and just enjoying the images or seeing how many you can identify.[All clips less than 10 seconds long, in compliance with Fair Use. "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity" courtesy of Archive.org, and is free to use (link: http://archive.org/details/Jupiter_337).]
