Still
trying to make these at least one a week. I need more letters to make
it happen but I also need email clients to treat all text equally and
not create these headaches where the text comes in different sizes and
colors and formats. It’s 2006 and still text is hated like I’m still
PVNE69a@prodigy.com in 1994. And here we go with the letters!
Hall of Fame? (SEND A LETTER)
Mike: Hello, sir. As a long time lurker and fan, I welcome you back! I really
love this site(and as a stay home caregiver to an elderly alzheimer-stricken
grandmother, its a big part of helping me maintain my own mental health! In the
midst of the madness all around me, the snarky, obnoxtious antics of the CHUD
crew helps pass the time and keep a smile on my face.) I do hope your return is
a sign the fun will be amped up another level and the meanness toned
down. As a fan of your past articles/lists(most under-rated, best
kills), I’d like to suggest creating a kind of CHUD/film-geek hall-of-fame.
Each month or so, you, or say Devin or Dave D., honor a classic,
iconic genre film or actor/actress representing what CHUD stands
for(Jaws, Evil Dead, Tom Berenger, etc.). It would be a neat
recurring bit. Anyway, thanks again for creating this really cool site(the
best of it’s kind). Best of luck for many good years to follow!
Nick: My return isn’t some salvation for the site as some feel I portrayed it. I’m back and it adds another facet. The site’s been perfectly fine without me, but I’m having fun with it and I think it adds some different perspectives from time to time. Sadly, someone may be replacing me on the inactive roster but only time will tell how long or who steps up in their stread. As for the ‘Hall of Fame’ idea, I guess it’s a matter of interest. We are bad about keeping our columns alive and I’m hesitant to commit to another right now. If there interest is there, sure!
Reruns & Stuff (SEND A LETTER)
Andrew:
Good Nip/Tuck DVD review. I can't wait for this release, I haven't seen
the 3rd season yet. That stinking soap opera hooks me like nobody's
business.
I think you were a little harsh on The Hunted a while back. Oh sure, it's
crap, but watchable crap and short, to boot. Knives and blood.
Also - I recall a year or three ago you mentioned in an article about
being heavily burnt out on LOTR, and needing to put it aside for a while.
I'm not sure if those were your exact words, but it was something like
that. ...How Peter Jackson had given us a gift of 3 great films, but over
the course of covering them for 3 or 4 years we all needed a break. WE
meaning you and I, since I agreed with you. With these recent CHUD FOTR
Re-runs, I was wondering if you had revisited those films lately, and if
you were planning to share your thoughts or a quick revision of how they
feel watching them after a few years have passed. Could be interesting,
right?
Nick: I reviewed the upcoming new DVD for the first film HERE, and burnout is admittedly still in effect though nothing could sully my love for those films unless Peter Jackson shows up in fifteen years with special editions and then manhandles me with ill-conceived prequels.
More Podcast Interviews (SEND A LETTER)
Alex: Having you back when on the site full-time fills my pants with happy, especially when a new podcast comes my way. Speaking of which, are
there any more celebrity interviews coming our way? I played Episode
Six for a friend of mine the other day, and I was reminded of the
greatness that is the Ted Levine interview (and Mystic Beaver). I laughed so hard Robert Z’Dar came out of my nose. And mark me down as one the assholes who likes the "pulling DVDs from the shelf" segment.
Nick: We did Broken Lizard with the last one and I might be speaking to author James Ellroy and The Rock in the near future. If so, I may very well try to use the recorded interviews as part of the podcast. Honestly, it’s hard to know how many folks actually listen to them so I can only gauge interest by emails and the rather sleepy message board thread. Keep listening, as I think you’ll notice some changes in the near future.
A Vote of Confidence (SEND A LETTER)
Mikey: Nick, Devin, Dave, Eileen, Ian, etc. etc….
CHUD has been so consistent in goodness the past few weeks that I just had
to send you another e-mail. I’ve written before with nothing but praise
because, well, I find everything with your site to be positive. I’ve never
had a gripe. This is by far THE BEST website I’ve ever come across and it
keeps getting better. The exclusives and the interviews are especially
blowing me away. I love you guys and gals. You’re all so wonderful! I’m
gushing!
To Nick: CHUD never faltered when you were gone but damn, it has just
gotten better and better since you became more hands on. Thanks again for
coming back. I look forward to The Chud Podcast like I look forward to a
great movie, tv show, or comic.
Thank you everyone!
Nick: Stuff like this makes the mean stuff folks say on the message board irrelevant.
Blocked (SEND A LETTER)
Cesar: First off I want to say I’m a huge fan of the website.
I’ve been reading you guys for about two years and you’re by far the
best movie site on the net. I just have one small problem: I can’t
access your site on my computer. I have no idea why but for some
reason your site is the only site on the net that my computer can’t
load. Every other movie, porn, sports site you can name works except CHUD. I’ve
had to resort to sneaking onto my boss’ computer at work just so I can
read your site. If you have any explanation for this phenomenon I’d appreciate your feedback.
Nick:
It has nothing to do with us. It may be something you can fix in your ‘exceptions’ tab is you use Firefox, I dunno. You need to kick your network administrator in the gentlemen.
Poles Position (SEND A LETTER)
Ian: Nice work on the Polish posters. The thing that
distresses me is that this really highlights just how conformist, dull, and
uncreative all of the big mainstream movie posters are. Even when they’re
good, they’re still just part of the established, accepted form –
normally photos, lots of actors’ faces, huge text. How mutherhumpin’
cool would it be to have something really off the wall for a horror, sci-fi or
action film? Think what the Poles could have done with Snakes on a Plane,
or Pan’s Labyrinth. I really liked the Mignola teaser poster of the
latter for exactly this reason – too bad the distributor won’t have
the guts to use it for the real ad campaign.
Nick: Apparently, Poland has eased up on the brilliance in recent years but I get your drift. That said, I think the best luck we’ll get is when really connected filmmakers oversee their campaigns or when a really iconic idea (Fight Club, Batman, etc.) is allowed to flourish.
Mouth Decay (SEND A LETTER)
David: Hey Nick! I just had a question I couldn’t seem to
find an answer for so I thought I might try you. I am going to start work on
some zombie costumes for Halloween and am wondering if you might know what it is
filmmakers use as the black/green mouth rinse to achieve the decaying mouth
look?
advance!
Nick: Anyone?
Making Podcasts (SEND A LETTER)
Trudeau: I’m a fan of your
site and I have a quick question about some behind the scenes info
regarding the CHUD Show podcasts. If you don’t mind discussing the
nuts and bolts of the show, I would like to know how many microphones you
use, if you use a mixing board, and what software you use to put it
together. I mean this as a compliment, but the style of your show strikes
me as sort of "no frills" and very casual – one I’d like to emulate on my own
slave-to-a-tiny-budget podcast. If I know that I can have two or three
guys talking into one omnidirectional microphone, that would help me decide what
I should and shouldn’t buy and perhaps keep me from making some purchasing
mistakes.
Nick: Don’t use our method as an example. It’s way more elaborate than it ought to be, judging by the results. Firewire mixing board, Adobe Audition, Direct X filters, and professional microphones ought to yield sexier results. Still, the CHUD Show is a blast and I’d not change too much personally.
Goin’ Polish (SEND A LETTER)
Jason: I work at a bank and I always check out CHUD.COM to pass the time
between old ladies cashing $700 checks from the Prince of Zimbabwe
(whom they are supposed to send half back to so he can flee his war
torn country) and Bogart the Hobo who lives behind the Sparkle Wash,
and this is the funniest thing I have seen in a long time. It should
run daily. Keep up the good work!
Nick: So glad you dug the ‘Goin’ Polish’ column. Typically we don’t get so much nice feedback, instead getting asshole comments like this. So, thank you!