Stargate SG1

The Scourge

Welcome to a new episode of the Stargate Archives and Tim joins me once again and we discuss the Season 9 SG1 episode “The Scourge”. An unprepared SG1 are assigned a last minute mission to “babysit” members of the IOA who are going to visit the Gamma site home of classified scientific experiments, Richard Woolsey is heading the delegation along with representatives from China, UK and France.

The Gamma site is an unremarkable looking complex but houses many ongoing projects including the research into an alien “bug” named R-75 which is proving to be a serious threat to agriculture on the various worlds it has been see upon leading some to believe it may be an Ori weapon. Dr. Myers discovers the bugs have become carnivorous before they breach their containment unit, he is bitten by one and the next day collapses in agony. The base is locked down and Myers ( Tony Alcantar ) is placed in a medical pod to be sent home but then hundreds of bugs burst out of his body and break the seals and flood the base. Faced with this onslaught the IOA and SG1 are sent to a nearby research facility while Colonel Pearson ( John Prowse ) and his men fight to save the base. As the IOA and SG1 along with a couple of marines trek towards well let’s call it safety they learn that the bugs have breached the base and can travel very quickly through the ground attracted by vibration, one of marines falls to the bugs soon after. They take shettle in a cave (surrounded by solid rock which provides safety) but the next morning the other marine is gone and is later found very very dead. A large explosion is heard which signals the base has fallen which negates the option to obtain some 302’s so together the survivors head towards the research base and fighting off bug “attacks” as they near. Sam attempts to establish communications with the Odyssey which they believe will arrive soon to investigate the loss of comms but for now SG1 has to fight for their lives…

The Scourge was selected by Tim who joined me over skype for this episode of the Stargate Archives and is a fairly average episode of the show but doesn’t really shine being in season 9 rather than an early season which was more friendly to standalone stories. That said there was great chemistry between Daniel and Shen Xiaoyi ( Tamlyn Tomita ) and also between Teal’c and Cameron, surprisingly Woolsey also benefited from some good character development. Alas the budget or time constraint didn’t provide the episode with good CGI for the bugs, they were to put it mildly embarrassing given what the inhouse artists were capable of and that really hurt. However over all a solid yet unspectacular episode of SG1.

As always any reviews and ratings as well social media sharing is appreciated and of course if you want to join me on the podcast to talk Stargate or Stargate related media then get in touch and we will sort something out. No idea what I will be doing next but plenty of content that features the main cast to talk about and even more which feature regular and semi-regular cast members so maybe dip back into the scifi/fantasy “b” genre and see what can be found.

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Stargate SG1

Off The Grid

On this episode of the Stargate Archives I am joined by Tim who chose the SG1 episode “Off The Grid” which is the sixteenth episode from the ninth season of the show. A briefing by Colonel Reynolds (Eric Breker) indicates a potentially galactic scale problem with a engineered form of Kassa (space corn) which has extreme addictive properties and is being dealt by factions of the Lucian Alliance. SG1 gate to P6G-452 and Cam decides to play the part of a buyer despite the mission being one of recon only and then covert hence the lack of heavy weapons and other backup.

They talk to a local (Peter New) and are pointed towards the guy in charge and naturally it does not go well, as SG1 reach the gate they are stunned when it is beamed away seamingly using Asgard technology. As prisoners of Worrel (Vince Corazza) the team fail time and time again despite physical abuse to convince him they were not responsible for the gate being stolen and time is running out. Meanwhile after failing to maintain contact with the SGC and with failed attempts to access the planets Stargate General Landry send the Odyssey under the command of Colonel Paul Emmerson (Matthew Glave) to head to the planet and affect a rescue. As luck would have it SG1 are saved mere seconds before being executed. Landry heads off to Area 51 and talks to Nerus played by the late Maury Chaykin and after bribing him with a “feast” he learns that Ba’al is behind the missing Stargates and in a surprising movie he releases Nerus for information given in good faith. Landry however imbeds a tracker on the cases of cupcakes and this leads to a daring plan to assaut the Ha’tak being flown by Ba’al to seize the missing Stargates but then the Alliance show spoiling for a fight…

Off The Grid was a very entertaining episode maintaining its place in the season long narrative while retaining the standalone elements that make it an easy rewatch. The late Cliff Simon as always delivers as Ba’al and Nerus returns as over the top as ever. The Alliance and its officers once again offer a safe opponent and it won’t really be until Universe before they truly find their place although credit to Eric Steinberg and Vince Corazza for the performances.

My thanks to Tim for joining me on this episode and for picking a great episode to watch and chat about. The plan is to record “The Scourge” for the next episode again an episode picked by Tim so stay tuned and of course if you want to join me on the podcast to talk Stargate or anything related then get in touch and we can sort something out. As always ratings and reviews plus any social media sharing is more than welcome or just to say hello but keep on watching Stargate.

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Stargate Theatre

Métal Hurlant Chronicles - Master of Destiny

On this episode of the Stargate Archives podcast we once again visit the Stargate Theatre and watch a member of the Stargate family do their stuff, in this case it is Joe Flanigan in the Métal Hurlant Chronicles episode Master of Destiny.

Métal Hurlant was originally a scifi/horror graphic novel/comic anthology series which was first published in France back in 1974, it initially ran for 13 years and made a brief come back in 2002 for another two years. and was better known as Heavy Metal in the US and other English speaking markets. Métal Hurlant Chronicles was a French/Belgium production which took its inspiration from the stories contained with the comics and had two seasons (6 episodes each) which premiered in France on the 27th of October 2012. The series was shown across Europe and reached the UK and US and despite drawing a cast from across the globe did not generate good reviews or a healthy audience.

In this podcast I am watching and doing a running commentary on the fifth episode of the first season “Masters of Destiny” in which we follow the mercenary Hondo (Joe Flanigan) who after losing his partner Kull (Charlie Dupont) begins a search for a world believed to be the home of an alien race who can predict the day of your death. Unbeknown to him this race do indeed have the ability to see the future and know that Hondo will find them and when he arrives he will meet the woman of his dreams and together they will burn across the stars doing wonderful and terrible things until at the prescribed time their lives will end, on the same day, at the same time, by the same means….

As with The Outer Limits most of the Metal Hurlant stories have a twist or a bite in the narrative and Master of Destiny is no exception and we see the adventures of Hondo and Skarr (Kelly Brook) as they steal, butcher and love each other across time and space as the mysterious alien reptilian race observe and then Metal Hurlant itself arrives heralding the end of things. Metal Hurlant being the last remnants of a dead world but carrying the psychic terrors of its last inhabitants and this entity plays a part in all the stories from the comics and the tv show.

Master of Destiny was an entertaining idea backed by some solid but not spectacular graphics (it was 2012 tv after all) and the casting was acceptable but perhaps the weakest aspect. Naturally the actors cast in the “glamour” roles were stunning and Joe easily worked with the script but we know he can do so much more given the material. The biggest success was the makeup and prosthetics used on the reptiles, it was quite stunning and allowed the actors to emote and look good both in the wide and close up shots.

The two seasons are both on Blu-ray and I’ve owned Season 1 for quite a while and just bought Season 2 for £3.99 so if nothing else they are short form entertaining scifi and hand on heart “Master of Destiny” is not the best from season 1 but it had Joe so that’s why I watched it for the podcast.

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Many thanks for joining me for this visit to the Métal Hurlant Chronicles and as always reviews, ratings and comments are always welcome. If you want to join me on the podcast and talk Stargate SG1, Atlantis or Universe please get in touch or perhaps you want to chat about a “b” movie featuring a Stargate actor then we can do that as well. I have plans to record a couple of SG1 episodes in September and then we’ll see what the rest of the year brings. So visit us on social media and if you are on twitter then follow and support @StargateNow_EU and their year long push for We Want Stargate.

Stargate Theatre

Sea Beast

Here we are again with a new edition of Stargate Theatre part of the Stargate Archives podcast and I am taking a look at the 2008 made for tv movie “Sea Beast” aka “Troglodyte” which starred Corin Nemec and Camille Sullivan. The movie was directed by Paul Ziller and tells of the events in a small fishing community as something from the deep oceans comes to shore and stakes out a hunting and breeding ground.

Whilst fishing in extreme weather Captain Will McKenna played by Corin loses one of his crew, only he sees some strange creature on deck before his friend is dragged off the boat. Upon returning to port he is unaware the creature has hitched a ride on the hull and is now offered an extensive feeding ground to support a new generation of creatures. Will draws some strength from his brother the sheriff who introduces him to a research scientist named Arden played by Camille who is investigating the local environment. The next evening a crewman working late is killed by this creature which has some chameleon properties but leaves traces of some goo like substance, Will recognises it as the same residue from his boat and Arden has some ideas about it’s properties.

As the creature marks it’s ever growing territory the kills mount up until even the most die hard deniers accept the truth that Will has been trying to convey backed by a local fisherman named Ben played by Brent Stait. The creature and its spawn soon begin to play with their food as Will’s daughter Carly, her boyfriend Danny and best friend Erin are taking a few days away from it all on a local deserted island and when Will learns of this it’s up to him along with Arden to defeat the creatures without whatever is at hand.

Sea Beast is a movie I have on DVD, not a great release picture wise it has to be said and I wasn’t going to pay for the Prime rental but that aside the movie for its genre is not too bad. The production value is pretty good, the acting is above average and the movie certainly benefits from some quality talent in the main roles. The combination of budget restricted CGI with a little puppeteering went a long way and the bone chilling choice to show Erin’s death in that manner was both shocking and highly effective, a scene worthy of any big budget theatrical feature. Overall an above average monster movie with a good cast, a solid story and production levels to do it justice.

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Many thanks for listening to the podcast and visiting the website, reviews and ratings for the podcast are always welcome even if this is more of hobby than the fully committed endeavour Gatecast was. If you want to be on the podcast to talk Stargate or maybe a movie which stars our family of Stargate actors then please get in touch, an hour or so over skype is easy to arrange. You can find our social media presence from the links on this website and while we tend to focus on twitter there is large and friendly Stargate fandom out there and growing stronger as we all hope MGM does some with the IP. For now enjoy everything that is Stargate, support the numerous Stargate podcasts which are still releasing regularly and those that may be “on a break” and keep watching sharing your love for the franchise.

Stargate Theatre

Mega Snake

On this episode of Stargate Theatre I’m taking a look at the 2007 made for tv movie “Mega Snake” which stars Michael Shanks as an EMT who has to deal with a “mystical” snake which grows to an enormous size thanks to its diet of fresh meat and it has a taste for human flesh.

Mega Snake was made for the Syfy Channel and was shot in Bulgaria, as the story is set in Tennessee the use of North American actors in the main roles makes sense (accents not withstanding) but given the budget the amount of extras available is obviously the result of the cost savings shooting overseas. The story begins in 1986 and we meet a young Les and his family, his father is a preacher who deals with snakes but Les is afraid of them to such an extent on his first participation results in his fathers death. The story jumps twenty years forward and Les played by Michael Shanks is now an EMT and his brother Duff (John T. Woods) and mother (Laura Giosh) still practice their faith. Duff pays a visit to Screaming Hawk played by
Ben Cardinal who deals with exotic snakes and Duff then steals a particularly rare one and well that’s the beginning of the end for many of the townsfolk. The snake gets loose, eats the kitten and the dog and then kills the mother and then kills Duff and finally goes hunting all around town as Les deals with his ex-girlfriend Erin (Siri Baruc) and his EMT partner Fay (Michal Yannai) who is making a move on him. As the body count mounts Erin is convinced this is the work of a large snake but the Sheriff and Mayor are dismissive especially given the annual fair is only a day away and yes at the height of the festivities the snake strikes and only Les, Erin and Screaming Hawk are in a position to save the town.

Well what can I say, Mega Snake was not a bad movie, about average for this sort of lower budget production and it had a lot of good points such as location shooting, use of extras and limited but acceptable CGI effects. Some of the accents were a little strange and did we need to kill the kitten and the dog (sorry chickens and goats, you are not awwww material) but the human body count/kills were just fine. Overall another solid movie which can offer a brief diversion if you let yourself go along with the fun.

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Many thanks for visiting the website and listening to the podcast, always appreciate the fact someone is taking notice and in that respect any reviews or ratings are most welcome. If you want to join me on the podcast and talk Stargate then please get in touch, pick an episode and we chat about or maybe do a commentary. If there is a “b” movie with strong Stargate links that interests you then yeah we can do that as well. Regardless keep on watching Stargate and talking about it across social media and join us on twitter which we consider our main social media portal but we do have a presence on Tumblr and Facebook along with links for the feeds on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Amazon Music etc etc. We also maintain the old Gatecast website and feeds if you fancy the nostalgia of Mike and Alan.

Stargate Theatre

Deadly Voltage

On this episode of Stargate Theatre I am taking a look at the 2015 made for tv movie “Deadly Voltage” starring Mike Dopud as Jamie and Alaina Huffman as Charlotte. The movie was directed by John L'Ecuyer and tells the story of a family who are taking a trip to commemorate the death of a family member when a freak electrical storm ravishes the land.

Jamie and Charlotte are divorced with two kids but continue to honour the memory of a family member by taking an annual trip to the woods but this year Jamie invites his new girlfriend Megan played by Krista Bridges which causes some strife between them as well as issues with the kids who have not yet taken to the new women in their lives. Jamie takes the kids in his car with Charlotte picking up her mother with the intent of meeting up at the cabin but the weather front deteriorates and continues on its path towards the cabin and surrounding woodlands. Jamie and his daughter go for a hike as his son takes his bike into town to make a phone call to his girlfriend (mobiles have been confiscated by Jamie) and this is when the weather takes a turn and the thunder and lightning intensifies beyond any normal storm. As the lightning strikes the land and ball lightning creates havoc along with quiet a few deaths the family has to survive and seek out one another cumuliating with Jamie using his research to counter the immediate threat to his family and the local community.

Deadly Voltage is a rather slow paced movie which relies on an awful lot of stock weather footage and seemingly endless shots of vehicles driving down roads and passing various types of trees. The cast overall are more than upto the demands of this tv movie but are let down by a weak script and direction that doesn’t try to counter the pacing issues. That said the final quarter of the movie does pick up as the threat of the storm reaches its peak and you realise that if the movie had this pace all along then this would have been something to really take pride in. As a fan of Mike Dopud and Alaina Huffman this was a let down and more so because I bought the movie on Blu-ray as a first watch but at least the production is solid and with limited effects does not take the viewer out of any moment. I can not really recommend the movie unless you have an afternoon to while away and have an interest in any of the cast and even then you may find yourself picking up your tablet everytime we get a scene of a car driving around and around.

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My thanks for visiting the website and listening to the podcast, this wasn’t a highlight of Stargate Theatre but not every "b” movie regardless of the budget or intent proves to be a hit or at least entertaining. Any thoughts are most welcome and as always if you want to join me on the podcast to talk Stargate or have a movie (featuring Stargate actors) you would like to chat about then get in touch and we’ll sort something out. Reviews and Ratings are always welcome and sharing via social media appreciated, that aside keep enjoying your Stargate (in any form) and let anyone you know that this is a great franchise which is long overdue for a return to the small screen.

Stargate Theatre

Metal Shifters

Here we are again for another Stargate Archives podcast and a Stargate Theatre presentation of the 2011 tv movie “Metal Shifters” aka “Iron Invaders” aka “Iron Golem”. The movie was written and directed by Paul Ziller with the music provided by Christopher Nickel and Stunt Coordination by Glenn Ennis. There is also a bumper crop of actors who have appeared in Stargate (hence picking this movie) so we have the two main leads Kavan Smith and Nicole de Boer along with the Sheriff ( Paul McGillion), Ethan (Colby Johannson), Harry (Don Thompson), Tony (Chris Gauthier), Max (Jesse Moss), Deputy Jenny (Chelah Horsdal), Cowboy (Scott McNeil) and the Corner (Alvin Sanders).

The movie begins with a scene showing a Russian satellite being struck by a meteor which sends debris into the atmosphere eventually crashing into a small farm in the town of Redeemer which is currently undergoing a drastic economic crisis. That helps greatly in the budgeting of the movie since you then don’t need many extras and the financial problems of Jake the main character (played by Kavan) is the catalyst for much of the events in the town. Jake and his brother Ethan find the satellite debris and sell it to a local scrap dealer named Earl played by the late Donnelly Rhodes who incorporates some of the metal into his golem sculpture. Alas the meteor was carrying some sort of sentient (?) virus which animates the golem and sends it on a killing spree for the metallic compounds it needs to survive and only found in human blood. The movie shows us the trail of death and the trouble many of the characters have in convincing anyone else of what they have seen and ultimately the last survivors of the town find themselves holed up in and around the local tavern as the golem attacks.

Metal Shifters was obviously a budget restricted production with it seems the majority being spent on the cast which proved to be a wise decision, the acting was very good across the cast and the producers were also able to make the most of the location shooting and the demands for a larger than life robot/golem on the rampage. Credit to the people behind the robot/golem, it was a blend of practical and CGI and had the feel of stop motion animation which added to the reality of the creation which is why this movie works and I have to recommend it.

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Many thanks for visiting the Stargate Archives and listening to the podcast, I’m having fun watching some of these movies although I have no idea what the listeners and subscribers think. Of course if you want to let me know what you think then feel free to get in touch and if you want to be on the podcast to talk Stargate or a Movie with Stargate links then skype a headset an hour or so is all that is required. Ratings and reviews for the podcast are always welcome and don’t forget there are many more Stargate podcasts out there and with the recent Amazon purchase of MGM then who knows there may be more Stargate to talk about sooner rather than later.

Stargate Theatre

Abominable Snowman

On this episode of Stargate Theatre I am taking a look at the 2013 made for tv movie “Abominable Snowman” aka “Deadly Descent” which stars the former Stargate actor Chuck Campbell and co-stars Adrian Paul from Highlander fame. The movie follows the exploits of Brian Tanner (Chuck) who lost family and friends in the mountains surrounding his hometown which is a region with a rather high death rate often attributed to avalanches and ravines. However when he witnesses a tragic event at close quarters he takes it upon himself to seek out the threat in the mountains even to the point of abandoning family and friends and heading alone armed with nothing but a 9mm and his courage.

Brian’s sister Nina played by Lauren O'Neil is concerned when Brian disappears and with no luck from local authorities she calls friends of the family and of Brian who all have served in the military. When they arrive they learn that Mark (Adrian) flew Brian into the mountains the day before and despite an incoming storm he agrees to fly the group to the same place and pick them up at a later date. Nina and her associates begin to explore the mountain but find little evidence of Brian and then an avalanche strikes seriously injuring one of the party. The head down the mountain with their injured comrade and take shelter at Chalet/Hotel which is closed for the season and that is where they find Brian preparing for his encounter with the beast that inhabits the mountain. Naturally Nina is not happy with Brian and his selfish acts especially given that two search and rescue men have already died and now their friend is hurt. However as Brian explains his research and shows them his plans to entice the beast into the trap they have no choice but to go along as the storm continues to rage. You will not be surprised to find out that the plan does not work exactly as Brian intended, the bodies start dropping the beast gets to stock up it’s larder.

Abominable Snowman is a very well shot movie, the decision shoot in Bulgaria plays off with some stunning mountain/snow scenes thanks to great cinematography and simple but competent stunt people and directing. The little CGI that is used in the movie is the weakest aspect of the production, the helicopter is a little embarrassing and the beasts or yeti’s lack detail and finesse but I guess serve their purpose. None of the actors are really pushed and Chuck carries the movie well, Adrian has little to do and his drunk scene was pretty bad but amusing to hear his native accent creep in now and again. Overall not a terrible way to spend an hour or so but the movie could have been so much better with not much more effort but who knows how the budget was allocated.

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Many thanks for joining me on this movie watching adventure and if you would like to be on the podcast to talk Stargate Theatre or Stargate proper then please get in touch and we can sort something out. I’m not sure what is up next but it’ll be interesting so stay safe and keep on watching and sharing all things Stargate.

Stargate Theatre

Dragon Wasps

My thanks for joining me on this latest trip down the rabbit hole that is “b” movies that feature or star former Stargate actors, in this episode of the podcast will be taking a look at the 2012 movie Dragon Wasps which starred Corin Nemec and Benjamin Easterday.

This movie follows the adventures of two young women (Gina Humphries & Rhonda Guiterrez) who are attempting to track down Gina’s father who has gone missing while doing genetic research in the Belize jungle. Unprepared for the rigors of the jungle Gina (Dominika Juillet) and Rhonda (Nikolette Noel) eventually come across a US military unit commanded by John Hammond (Corin) ably supported by his second Willy Meyers (Benjamin). Gina convinces John to search for her father but soon after entering the jungle proper the unit comes under fire from a local drug lord and his men known as Jaguar (Gildon Roland). As the battle rages the two groups are attacked by very large wasp like creatures and with many dead and wounded the battle lapses and John makes the hard decision to take his seriously wounded man to the villagers controlled by Jaguar for medical attention as he would not survive the journey back to base. Alas despite being cooperative on the surface and helping the soldier Jaguar intends to sacrifice the US soldiers as he believes this keeps his people safe from the wasps but Gina discovers the truth that it is the cocaine leaves that act as a naturally deterrent. The next day Jaguar secures all the US personnel except for Meyers and readies them for the sacrifice, John managers to distract him and Meyers opens fire, alas with high odds against them the only ones to escape are John, Meyers and Gina as Rhonda gets taken by the wasps. They three of them flee from Jaguar who has to deal with a swarm of wasps attacking his people and head towards the wasps nest located thanks to the gps trackers the missing soldiers were wearing. Armed with C4 they enter the nest and find the fate of those taken by the wasps, they are used to incubate young dragon wasps but for some reasons Gina’s father has not been infected, they rescue him but with limited C4 John decides to stay behind with his fallen men and destroy the nest. As Gina and Meyers leaves the nest they see Jaguar and his men enter, soon after the nest is blown with apparently no survivors…

Dragon Wasps is a pretty straight forward story, there was no real complexity in the script which works out pretty well given it provides the actors even the less experiences ones to perform well. It also might indicate the production chose to prioritise the CGI and Location Filming since both of them are way beyond what you would expect from this type of movie. The location shooting in Belize is gorgeous and even when green screen/compositing is used it is done to very good effect. The CGI for the large dragon wasps is also very detailed and impressive, the swarm is let down by lack of detail but overall many aspects of the production are top notch. The movie as it stands comes highly recommended even the digital muzzle flashes (my personal bugbear) are not too annoying and hats off to Corin who co-produced and Benjamin who was also the stunt coordinator.

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Stargate Theatre

Loch Ness Terror

On this new episode of Stargate Theatre part of the Stagate Archives podcast I am taking a look at the 2008 tv monster movie “Beyond Loch Ness” aka “Loch Ness Terror” which starred Brian Krause (James) with Carrie Genzel (Karen Riley), Niall Matter (Josh Riley) and Don S. Davis (Neil Chapman).

The movie opens upon the shores of Loch Ness in 1976 as Michael Murphy played by Paul McGillion leads an expedition to locate the Loch Ness Monster. He finds a huge egg in an underwater cavern but when he brings it to the surface the mother follows which naturally leads to carnage as his assistant played by David Lewis is attacked followed soon after by Dr Murphy, his young son witnesses the deaths which sets his life on a course leading eventually to Lake Superior many years later.

We are introduced to many of the local residents of the town through some solid exposition and plot points including Sheriff Karen Riley and her son Josh as well as Deputy Neil Chapman and the sacrificial lambs aka local teenagers which included Neil Denis playing Chad and Serinda Swan as Caroleena. The other major player in Uncle Sean played the veteran Donnelly Rhodes who is mildly obsessed with the idea of aliens and monsters to the point that his family (Karen and Josh) are concerned for his health and well being. Sean convinced there is something in the lake chumps the local waterway and alas draws the attention of the beast which looks very similar to the animal that killed Michael Murphy. It’s at this time that a now adult James Murphy comes to town and hires Josh to take him out onto the lake, he claims he is a Cryptozoologist but carries himself like some sort of bounty hunter or Clint Eastwood wannabe.

Poor old Sean learns the hard way that his suspicions were correct and the teenagers who pick a very bad time to camp on a deserted island in the lake have to deal with “Nessie” and her spawn. As the body count mounts up the local authorities are finally convinced the threat is real and take to the water to track down the beast while Josh heads to the island to find his ex-girlfriend Zoe. The battle is joined when the nest is discovered with James bringing all his high tech toys to the party but Nessie and her youngsters are no easy targets and make the humans pay for every bit of blood spilt!

Beyond Loch Ness is perhaps the most entertaining movie I have watched for Stargate Theatre and a lot of that has to do with solid production value and a decent script and acting talent. The use of CGI is hit and miss but for the most part above average and the decision to use puppets for close up shots works surprisingly well, would have been even better if skin tones were the same for the CGI and puppet creatures. The DVD is nicely presented with a informative behind the scenes feature so if streaming isn’t your thing then physical media offers some extras. Brian eat the scenery in every scene which these sort of movies allow for and every cast member contributed to the whole especially some of the actors who we know from roles many years further down the line. A highly recommend “b” monster movie.

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I hope you enjoyed my look at Beyond Loch Ness and if you watched the movie that good for you. Any thoughts or comments I’d love to hear and if you want to join me on the podcast to talk Stargate (pick an episode and we’ll sort out the details) or a “b” movie with Stargate links then get in touch and we can sort something out. I’m not sure what I am going to be looking at next but there were some candidates found when I searched through my DVD collection so stay tuned and feel free to help me promote the podcast on social media and more importantly to promote Stargate in all its forms.

Stargate Theatre

Chupacabra vs The Alamo

On the latest Stargate Theatre we take a look at the 2013 tv movie “Chupacabra vs The Alamo” aka Beast of the Alamo which stars Erik Estrada and Julia Benson with Aleks Paunovic, Zak Santiago, Nicole Muñoz and a few other faces we’ve seen in Stargate. The movie was made for the Syfy channel and is set in and around the Alamo in San Antonio as a rash of deaths beginning with the slaughter of some cartel members puts extreme pressure on DEA agent Carlos Seguin (Erik) and his new partner Tracy Taylor (Julia).

Investigating the strange deaths leads to the discovery of a strange canine like creature and while those in power (including Carlos) dismiss the idea of the mythical Chupacabra being responsible after the death of Agent Perez (Aleks), Agent Taylor along with Dr. Michael Fielding (Matthew Harrison) continue to gather evidence. The Chupacabra pack then attack a party on the high school grounds and then directly attack the home of Carlos and kill his daughters friend and leaving Sienna (Nicole) in hospital. With more reports of animal attacks coming in and the National Guard a day away from deploying Carlos goes to his estranged son Tommy (Jorge Vargas) who leads his own criminal crew to ask for help (men and guns) to protect the people of San Antonio, for family Tommy agress and the group are bolstered by off duty DEA and SWAT personnel led by Commander Wilcox (Zak).

They track the Chupacabra pack and engage them in a derelict building but the humans have walked into a trap, battered and with over 50% casualties the group evade and then barricade themselves in the Alamo where Crockett (Chad Krowchuk) allows them to use the vintage weapons to defend themselves along with one or two grenades and C4. Faced with overwhelming odds the humans fight to the last with only one chance to defeat the vicious pack with no guarantee any of them will survive.

Chupacabra vs The Alamo was an entertaining movie but not a good movie and the lack of budget ($2 Million) for certain aspects was jarring but they didn’t skimp on acting talent even for smaller roles. Erik naturally is perfect for this role, an alpha male with some charisma with the rest of the cast being big players in the Vancouver acting community and it was great to see so many faces from Stargate including David Nykl in a very small role. The green screen for showing Erik riding his motorbike was poor to say the least, I suspect insurance and production complexity limited the shots they could get with him and the bike and while a double was used we did see Erik doing his thing in a few scenes. The Chupacabra design was uninspiring and the CGI pretty poor but the animation merging with the stunt work was very good and they used some fast movement and editing to good effect. Overall this is worth a watch and spot the actor.

Thanks for visiting the site and listening to the show, if you want to join me on the podcast to talk Stargate or a movie with Stargate links then please get in touch, I normally record just audio using skype and a headset so a pretty easy process. At time of writing I have yet to decide what I will cover next but lots of DVD’s to sort through and always Prime which is packed with “b” movies.

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