This is How I Discovered ‘Heavy Metal’

I have always been fascinated with the arts. As a child, I was obsessed with the works of Ralph Bakshi, Don Bluth, the puppeteering of Jim Henson’s creatures from Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock and The Dark Crystal and the Filmation cartoons that brought this 80’s kid He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and She-Ra Princess of Power.

Another jewel in my beloved treasure trove was discovered by pure accident.

My mom and aunt took me and my cousin to the drive in so the adults could watch “Stir Crazy” and laugh at the antics of Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. At four years old, we were completely uninterested in sitting still in the backseat of the car or this film.

We turned our attention to the back window and saw what our little minds interpreted as a “cartoon”. We couldn’t hear it, but our attention was completely focused on the animated sexy Sci-fi film “Heavy Metal” and completely rocked my world from that moment on.

Heavy Metal introduced me to artist such as Frazzeta, Vallejo and many more. I couldn’t get enough. Forget the fact that I can barely sketch stick people or even draw a straight line, I consumed all of these artists works.

Today, I find myself binge watching “Love, Death & Robots” because it is as close to “Heavy Metal” as I can get in this new decade. I am happy to see that Netflix has released the Season 2 trailer, with a “Season 3 renew already in the cards (and arriving sometime in 2022)”, according to Uproxx.

Your ears are not deceiving you, if you can’t quite put your finger on that track that is included in the trailer. If that haunting tune sounds eerily familiar, it is “Reborn”, which is on the “Hereditary” original motion picture soundtrack.

I think this season is going to be full of all kinds of surprises and look forward to being able to watch the show, complete with sound, from the comfort of the couch instead of the back window of a car at a drive in. However, I will always treasure that fond and twisted introduction that bought me a one way ticket to midnight.

Flash Gordon is the Hero We All Need

When I was a kid, I was captivated by the 1980’s movie Flash Gordon. I’m not sure if it was because Queen did the soundtrack or it was set on another planet, but it damn sure made a big impression on me.

King of the impossible, right?

This is where I first was introduced to the character Prince Vultan and the other Hawkmen, who I thought were completely amazing. Big dudes who could fly – hell yes, I was there for it.

Gordon’s alive?! Indeed.

To this day, if this movie is on, I’m going to watch it and if you’re around me, you’re going to have to watch it, too. We can geek out on this cult Sci-Fi together, or maybe not, and then I’ll have to rethink everything.

“He’s for every one of us. Stand for every one of us. He’ll save every one of us. Every man, every woman, every child with a mighty Flash.”

Even as I write this, I am listening to this soundtrack. It is so beautifully done and just a lot of fun with the mix of synth sounds and movie clips. I feel like I’ve left Earth for a little while. It’s like an audio-cation away from the hustle and bustle.

“Just a man, with a man's courage
He knows nothing but a man
But he can never fail
No one but the pure in heart may find the golden grail”

That is his power. He’s an ordinary man with a heart of gold. He convinces two opposing leaders to join forces to combat the real enemy.

Flash, I love you.