Twitch Users Are Making A Decent Living By Live Streaming

Like most people, I always thought Twitch was a platform that is reserved for the gaming community. After all, that’s what the website is most famous for. However, I’ve recently found out that the platform is actually a hub for all things live streaming. Surprisingly, Twitch users are able to make a lot of money for what they do, here’s how. 

Twitch Bits

The basic type of viewer donation that is built into the platform is known as Twitch bits. Users viewing a stream can pay a small (or big) donation toward the livestreamer if they choose to, and Twitch takes a percentage of that amount. Of course, more viewers means more potential for such donations. So, many livestreamers will use StreamOZ to get Twitch followers organically and thus increase their potential revenue. While Twitch bits are available for all Twitch users, some may opt to add a patreon account to receive viewer donations in the form of a premium subscription. 

Affiliate Marketing

As with any platform on the internet, Twitch users make use of affiliate marketing programs to earn extra money. Of course, this again depends on a sizable fanbase, but it also adds the fact the the viewers would need to trust the livestreamer’s opinions enough to purchase something based on their recommendations.

Selling Merchandise

For Twitch users that have a substantial follower count, it is worth it to try selling any type of branded merchandise. However, this does not account for a major portion of their earning because merchandise is usually sold as exclusive and isn’t a permanent offer. 

Sponsorship Deals – Brand Marketing

Once Twitch users gain enough followers, they attract the attention of businesses that are looking to market their brands on Twitch. Many will strike a deal with sponsors, agreeing to promote their product or increase brand awareness for the products in exchange for monetary compensation. As with any type of social media platform, this type of deal is usually the most lucrative way to earn money through social media. The drawback is that the sponsors will control much of the creative process and the specific marketing messages that the users must use to promote their products. Nonetheless, it remains a goal for many Twitch users to be contacted by sponsors and be able to successfully negotiate a highly profitable sponsorship deal. 

Summary

Overall, Twitch users are able to earn a hefty paycheck at the end of the month by combining several of the aforementioned methods. It isn’t easy to be successful on Twitch, but once the ball gets rolling, the road to success seems to be simple enough. Twitch users are interested in a variety of topics, and not just sports or gaming, so don’t be discouraged from joining the platform as a livestreamer and trying to earn some money by focusing on the hobbies you are interested in. There is bound to be a community of people on Twitch that share your interests, so go ahead and start livestreaming with no hesitation.  

Book Review: “Forever Nerdy: Living My Dorky Dreams and Staying Metal” By: Brian Posehn

“Forever Nerdy: Living My Dorky Dreams and Staying Metal”
Author: Brian Posehn
Da Capo
Hardcover: 304 pages

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

Brian Posehn is a successful and instantly recognizable comedian, actor, and writer. He also happens to be a giant nerd. That’s partly because he’s been obsessed with such things as Dungeons & Dragons, comic books, and heavy metal since he was a child; the other part is because he fills out every bit of his 6’7” frame. Brian’s always felt awkward and like a perpetual outsider, but he found his way through the difficulties of growing up by escaping into the worlds of Star Wars, D&D, and comics, and by rocking his face off. “Forever Nerdy” is a celebration of growing up nerdy and different. Being a nerd hasn’t always been easy, but somehow this self-hating nerd who suffered from depression was able to land his dream job, get the girl, and learn to fit in. Kind of.

Those familiar with Brian’s long standing comedic work will surely know what they are getting into even before reading page 1. “Forever Nerdy: Living My Dorky Dreams and Staying Metal” is a fun read chalked full of awkward yet at times relatable experiences of a kid/adult trying to find their place in life. From losing his father at a young age to feeling like an outcast at school Brian tells his story through black horned rim glasses recounting various pivotal moments in his life with his signature dry/slow paced delivery which had me cracking up time and time again. From stories of his mom taking him to see “Jaws” and “Star Wars” to his love of Kiss and comic books Posehn shares these memories in detail making you feel like you too were there. Even with darker subject matter from his childhood Brian’s wit shines though making want to keep reading page after page.

Posehn was a nerd before it was cool and “Forever Nerdy: Living My Dorky Dreams and Staying Metal” is total proof and its nothing to be ashamed of. Chapter after chapter the author keeps you laughing with ho-hum accounts of his life and career and whether you are a fan of his comedy or share a similar taste in pop culture and music this book is for you and/or would make the perfect gift for a loved one this holidays season.

A Tribute To John Lennon Benefits Local Families Living with Disabilities

Imagine John, a benefit concert for Lift Disability Network, will be performed Saturday, May 21st at 6:00pm on the lawn of The Bear Club at Keene’s Point in Windermere, FL.

Lift Disability Network’s desire is to elevate life in the disability family. Their passionate mission is to inspire individuals and families living with disabilities to discover a new vision for their future. They do this through camps, community events and groups and family care. The Imagine John benefit concert, hosted by Promoting People, will raise funds to help Lift Disabilities provide a permanent home for their outreach and service activities in the West Orange County community.

The artist, Carm Castiglione is a versatile singer and songwriter. He was been performing in cover bands for over three decades, and has impersonated artists such as Maurice Gibb (Bee Gees), John Lennon and Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) across North American venues. He writes and produces audio for film and licensing placements as well as arranges and composes Classical sheet music. Castiglione is also a secondary school music educator in Canada.

Tickets are available for $40.00 online at liftdisability.net/imagine-john/ or at the door the night of the event. Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair. Light hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be available for purchase.

Come enjoy a great evening of music and fun and elevate life in the disability community at the same time.

When:              Saturday, May 21, 2016 | 6:00 PM
Where:             The Golden Bear Clubhouse at Keene’s Point
Tickets:            General Admission:  $40      
https://liftdisability.net/event/imagine-john/

Reserve your tickets: (407) 228-8343 at the door May 21, 2016.

 

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Book Review: Lita Ford “Living Like A Runaway”

“Living Like a Runaway”

Author: Lita Ford
Publisher: Dey Street Books
Hardcover: 272 pages
Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

“Living Like a Runaway” provides a never before glimpse into the life of musician Lita Ford. The child of immigrants, she had a near idyllic southern California upbringing until she was thrust onto the hedonistic rock and roll scene at the age of just 16. With nearly unmatched skills, Lita along with Joan Jett, Cherie Currie, Sandy West, Jackie Fox and under the guidance of Kim Fowley brought the band the Runaway’s to a meteoric rise during the mid to late 1970’s. After the groups break up Lita go on to see tremendous success as a solo artist in the 1980’s. Fearless, revealing and, compulsively readable the long awaited memoir from a true rock pioneer is finally here.

“Living Like a Runaway” is a quick read that keeps the reader’s attention over the course of its 272 pages. Ford speaks candidly about her upbringing and how she was thrust at an early age in to the male dominated hard rock music scene. The book covers the early days of the Runaway a group who had to practically fight for everything they had before ultimately imploding after only 3 albums. From there Ford recounts her career as a solo artist from not knowing where to start to her chart topping duet with Ozzy Osbourne. It is all here. The part of the book that really struck me as odd as over the books 15 chapters Ford has no problem speaking of past sexual encounters with various hard rock legends however when it comes to explaining more of her issues related to former band members and the divorce which left her alienated from her two sons Ford quickly skirts around the issue either saying she doesn’t understand or in the case of the later includes a statement flat out saying she is refusing to talk about it. In the age of the internet where nothing is private what is the sense of putting out a “tell all” type memoir if that’s not exactly what you are going to do? At least you are able to tell your side.

Despite whatever the reasons were for omitting certain details the book is still a decent read for fans of Lita and her works. With not a lot of behind the scenes info on the Runaway’s especially there time in Japan, Lita Ford’s “Living Like a Runaway” does an ok job filling that void.

 

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Blu-ray Review “Hell of the Living Dead/Rats: Night of Terror (Blood Soaked-Double Feature)”

Actors: Margit Evelyn Newton, Franco Garofalo, Ottaviano Dell’Acqua, Geretta Geretta
Directors: Bruno Mattei, Claudio Fragasso
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Blue Underground
DVD Release Date: August 26, 2014
Run Time: 198 minutes

“Hell of the Living Dead”: 4 out of 5 stars
“Rats: Night of Terror”: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

When I see an announcement from Blue Underground, I can’t help but get excited since they always find a way to release some crazy cult classics that I loved growing up. Case in point, their new ‘Blood-Soaked Double Feature’ Blu-ray, which includes both “Hell of the Living Dead” and “Rats: Night of Terror”. These are great Italian horror films that deserve a great release. I remember the first time I rented these on VHS and was drawn in by their fantastic boxes when I walked down the horror isle. So these were a great trip down memory lane.

Both of these films are directed by the legendary Italian director Bruno Mattei, who is also known for “Emmanuelle in Prison” and “SS Extermination Love Camp”. When you think of ’80s Italian shockers, these are always two that come to my mind. They are jam-packed with over-the-top gore, twist endings, humor and still hold up today. It’s been a while since I have seen these films but they are still just as fun and shocking.

Official Premise “Hell of the Living Dead”: An accident at a chemical plant unleashed a horrific virus, and an elite SWAT team is sent to New Guinea to investigate. But when they arrive on the hellish island, they discover a plague of flesh-eating zombies as well as a beautiful female reporter who practices nude anthropology. Can the commandos survive this cannibal rampage, uncover a shocking government secret and still find time for occasional cross-dressing before the ravenous hordes of the living dead infect the entire world?

Official Premise “Rats: Night of Terror”: In the year 225 A.B. (After the Bomb), a group of post-apocalyptic bikers discover an abandoned research laboratory filled with food, water…and thousands of rats. But these are no ordinary vermin; these are super-intelligent mutant rodents with a ravenous appetite for human flesh. Can a bunch of heavily armed but not-too-bright human scavengers survive a night of terror against the most hungry and horrific predators on earth?

Blue Underground didn’t just throw these on Blu-ray, they really delivered them with some extra love. These were both given brand-new high definition transfers from their original uncut and uncensored negatives. These films have never look better personally. Blue Underground could have just dropped these on a disc and called it a day but instead, they really make sure they were giving a solid release to the fans. These films also come with solid DTS-HD Master Audio Mono tracks, both films sound great. So if you are a horror fan, these are a must.

In terms of special features, there is some decent content. There is a newly-produced documentary called “Bonded By Blood”, which includes interviews with Co-Writer/Co-Director Claudio Fragasso and Stars Margit Evelyn Newton, Ottaviano Dell’Acqua & Massimo Vanni. There is also an interview with Director Bruno Mattei in the extras “Hell Rats Of The Living Dead”. Other than that there are some Theatrical Trailers and Poster & Still Galleries included here.

Sworn Enemy’s Sal Lococo talks about new album “Living on Borrowed Time”

Sal Lococo is the lead singer for the New York hardcore band Sworn Enemy. The band is set to release their first new album in 5 years titled “Living on Borrowed Time”. Media Mikes had the chance recently to talk with Sal about the album the current state of the hardcore music scene and what type of tour plans the band has in place to support their new release.

Adam Lawton: Can you give us some info on the new album?
Sal Lococo: The new album has 11 tracks of basically ripping your head off music. Sworn Enemy hasn’t really deviated from their formula for writing so don’t let the fact that this record has new players on it change your thoughts

AL: With that said the album has a much heavier sound when compared to the bands previous albums. What do you think was the main contributing factor to that?
SL: I’m sure that has a lot to do with 2 different guitar players from our last release. They have a different writing style from Lorenzo and we can hear the subtle difference but all and all it still has that Sworn Enemy sound

AL: With almost 5 years between the new album and the previous release do you find it hard to reconnect with the bands fan base?
SL: From the shows we have been playing over the past 5 years I haven’t seen that at all. I think most of our fans were just waiting for us to get back on our feet and release some new material after most members left the band.

AL: Traditional hardcore seems to be a bit of a rarity these days. What is your take on the current HC scene?
SL: To be honest I’ve been out of the loop when it comes to music so I’m not really sure what is going on with the HC scene maybe you can fill me in on what’s going on. (Laughs)

AL: Can you tell us about the bands upcoming tour plans?
SL: The new record comes out May 13th and our tour starts May 17th at this year’s Black and Blue bowl. We are all looking forward for the show as well as the upcoming tour. We also have plans to head back to Europe at the year’s end and then we want to try and be part of some bigger US tours to get us right back in into the swing of things

AL: Besides the new album and subsequent tour do you have any other projects in the works you would like to mention?
SL: Right now the only project me and the guys will be working on is getting Sworn Enemy back into top form. Once we accomplish that then we can talk about other projects

Blu-ray Review “Better Living Through Chemistry”

Starring: Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Michelle Monaghan, Ray Liotta, Jane Fonda
Directors: Geoff Moore, David Posamentier
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Universal Studios
Release Date: April 15, 2014
Run Time: 92 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: N/A

“Better Living Through Chemistry” is a film that came out of nowhere for me but packs an amazing cast. Sam Rockwell was amazing in “The Way Way Back” last year. I fell in love with Olivia Wilde due to her role in “TRON Legacy”, Michelle Monaghan was great in HBO’s “True Detective”. Then wrapping up the cast is Ray Liotta, who is always great and Jane Fonda, who is a legend. The film is a fun dark comedy but takes its self a little too serious. I enjoyed this but I consider it a one-timer. It is just a shame that all that talent didn’t have the power to drive this film further.

Official Premise: Rockwell stars as Doug Varney, a small town pharmacist with an overbearing wife (Monaghan) and an uneventful life running the drugstore he bought from his insufferable father-in-law. Following a chance encounter with a lonely trophy wife (Wilde), Doug embarks on an exhilarating drug-and-alcohol-fueled affair with the most glamorous woman he has ever met.

Universal Studios is behind this release giving the film a combo pack release with a Blu-ray + Digital HD UltraViolet Copy. The film comes stocked with the typical comedy 1080p transfer and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. It is nothing special yet not bad either. There are no special features are included on this release, other than a digital copy which is really no longer considered a special feature these days.

 

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DVD Review “Birth of the Living Dead”

Actors: George A. Romero, Larry Fessenden, Mark Harris, Gale Anne Hurd, Elvis Mitchell
Directors: Rob Kuhns
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: First Run Features
DVD Release Date: January 7, 2014
Run Time: 76 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

“The Walking Dead” is one of the hottest shows on TV right now. It is a world wide phenomenon. But this zombie madness all started back in 1968 with George A. Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead”. Originally when I heard about “Birth of the Living Dead”, I thought “another documentary?” but I was really pleasantly surprised. The documentary is smart, sharp and very informative. There are a very small list of interviews included, which I feel works for this film because it keeps Romero front and center, as he should be. Highly recommended for any horror fan!

Official Premise: In 1968 a young college drop-out named George A. Romero directed Night of the Living Dead, a low budget horror film that shocked the world, became an icon of the counterculture, and spawned a zombie industry worth billions of dollars that continues to this day. Birth of the Living Dead shows how Romero gathered an unlikely team of Pittsburghers policemen, iron workers, teachers, ad-men, housewives and a roller-rink owner to shoot a revolutionary guerrilla style film that went on to become a cinematic landmark, offering a profound insight into how our society worked in a singular time in American history.

This film delivers some impressive special features. There is an extended interview with George A. Romero, which runs just over 30 minutes. I liked listening to his stories and they interview is quite interesting. There is an audio only extra called “George A. Romero at the Museum of Modern Art, June 16, 1970”, which runs about 10 minutes. Lastly there is also a feature “Bill Hinzman and the World Record-Breaking Monroeville Zombie Walk”, which is worth the price of the DVD only.

 

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Blu-ray Review “Great White Shark – A Living Legend”

Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: BBC Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 23, 2013
Run Time: 50 minutes

Special: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Anything related to shark, count me in.  With Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week” right around the corner, “Great White Shark – A Living Legend” arrives at the perfect time. This episode was originally filmed for “Natural World” on BBC. If you can’t get that from the cover art we get to go up close and personal one of our most feared predators in our oceans. I mean who doesn’t love shark.  I am absolutely fascinated and eat up anything I can get on these amazing creatures. My main concern is that this only runs 50-minutes but it is entertaining and there is a bit of knowledge shared here but nothing out of this world.  If would recommend this for hardcore shark fan. Come on in the water!

Official Premise: Get up close and personal with one of the most vicious predators of our oceans, the Great White Shark! We think of great whites as fearsome aquatic killers, but do we know them as well as we think? In this presentation from BBC’s acclaimed Natural History Unit, Mike Rutzen, the world’s foremost great white shark diver, follows great whites as they feed, at proximity never before achieved. Mike’s unique ability to communicate with them using his body language allows him to swim amongst them unscathed. Mike explores why occasionally attack people. He also challenges the view that their feeding is unstructured and frenzied, to prove instead that they obey the subtle rules of a complex form of social hierarchy.

Even though it is short, BBC still delivered a very nice Blu-ray presentation for “Great White Shark: A Living Legend”. The episode looks amazing with its 1080p high definition in 1.78.1 widescreen.  The colors are sharp and the detail is very impressive. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is also quite great. Since there is no action in this film, the score and music still delivers  a great surround experience and takes advantage of this track. In the special features department, there is only one extras included, called “Smart Sharks: Swimming With Roboshark”. This 50-minute documentary is narrated by David Attenborough and looks into the life sized mechanical shark designed by Andrew Sneath. This as a good companion to “Great White Shark – A Living Legend”.

Blu-ray Review “The Amazing Adventures of the Living Corpse”

Actors: Lee Perkins, Marshal Hilton, Maria Olsen, Michael Villar
Directors: Justin Paul Ritter
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
Release Date: June 18, 2013
Run Time: 88 minutes

Film: 1.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1/2 out of 5 stars

“The Amazing Adventures of the Living Corpse” is a feature film version of the cult underground Dynamite comic series, “The Living Corpse Exhumed” by Ken Haeser and Buz Hasson. I have been to many comic conventions and have seen these guys there. The animation is terrible. The voice cast is amateur and almost laughable. The zombie genre has some pretty high standards recently and this film just doesn’t meet those. I found myself actually tempted to turn the film off many times as well, which is rare for me. This might work well with the convention scene but otherwise steer clear!

Meet John Romero, the decaying corpse with a conscience, wracked with guilt and ready to kick ass. In his first frenzy of undead hunger, he’ll infect his own wife and slaughter his young daughter. But now this reluctant brain-eater must brawl his way through the wretched fiends of Hell itself to protect his surviving son from the horrors of the living. Get ready for a limb-ripping, flesh-chomping animated battle from beyond the grave, based on the hit underground graphic novel from Dynamite Entertainment.

The Blu-ray presentation of “The Amazing Adventures of the Living Corpse” is not as bad as the film itself. Even though I was not a fan of the animation the CG still looks decent despite its very low production feel. The Dolby True HD 5.1 audio track also works well with the film’s sound design, but nothing that blows you away for sure. The score is very mellow and not that memorable either. The only special feature on the release is a downloadable PDF for a “The Living Corpse: Haunted” comic. Come on people, this is an example of a good comic series getting ruined by a low quality poor film version.

DVD Review “Night of the Living Dead: Resurrection”

Directed by: James Plumb
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Lions Gate
DVD Release Date: April 30, 2013
Run Time: 90 minutes

Film: 1 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

I understand that “The Walking Dead” has made zombie’s hot again but can’t we come up with a new idea here.  Why does everyone have to mess with George A. Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead”. If you are going to deliver a “Brand new take on the horror classic”, then I suggest you actually have seen the original film first. I have seen hundreds of rip-offs, remakes or related zombie films and yet I have never seen a more boring and poorly made film as “Night of the Living Dead: Resurrection”.  I was literally twiddling my thumbs. The zombies are terrible and laughable.  All around I won’t be recommending this to any Romero or horror fans and I will burning this DVD after this review.

Official Synopsis: Based on George A. Romero’s classic “Night of the Living Dead”. In 2012 the deceased have risen from their graves once again with the instinct to feed on the living. As academics speculate on the scientific cause of this phenomenon theologians point to the Armageddon foretold in the Book of Revelation. As the cities are overrun and civilization crumbles a family takes refuge from the undead army in an isolated farmhouse in West Wales. But the greatest threat is already among them as they fight to stay alive.

“Night of the Living Dead: Resurrection” is only being released on DVD and I understand why.  The transfer on the film looks like it was shot on a broken iPhone.  It is blurry and out of focus in various parts. The transfer is in widescreen with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The 5.1 Dolby Digital audio track is nothing special. The film features barely any underscore, which only adds to the the film dragging. There is no suspense added at all.  The special features are nothing special either.  There is a cast and crew commentary track, which I wouldn’t recommend unless you love the film.  There is also a trailer gallery included. Terrible extras for a terrible movie. You’ve been warned.  Don’t let the title of  “Night of the Living Dead” draw you in.

Lita Ford talks about music, touring and album “Living Like a Runaway”

Lita Ford got her first taste of success with the 70’s all-girl group The Runaways. After the groups break up Lita ventured out as a solo act in the 1980’s penning such hits as “Kiss Me Deadly” and the legendary duet “Close My Eye’s Forever” featuring Ozzy Osbourne. In 2012 Lita released a new album titled “Living Like a Runaway” which has thrust her back in to the spotlight. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Lita recently about her career and her upcoming spring/summer tour.

Adam Lawton: In the past year or so your career has undergone a resurgence. What do you think has caused that?
Lita Ford: My career has taking this leap for I think many reasons. I had been in the industry for many years and then I disappeared. In the time I was away raising my two boys people still hadn’t forgotten who I was. I am a part of the soundtrack to people’s lives. That’s something that just never goes away. Coming back I feel like I am on a more adult level now and the music has matured.

AL: Personally what do you think has been the biggest change in the industry from when you first started in 1975 to how things are now in 2013?
LF: Things have kind of come around in one big circle. That seems to be how a lot of things are. I started my career during the punk era with bands like The Sex Pistols, Blondie and The Ramones. That was a really awesome time. That led in to bands like Van Halen and Motley Crue which was the beginning of another heavy metal era. This new era of heavy metal was similar in how it came about in the way Black Sabbath did in the mid/late 60’s. The metal in the 80’s was a new kind of metal but still metal.

AL: Do you feel the perception of women in heavy metal music has changed it all since the 80’s?
LF: I think it has to a certain extent. It hasn’t changed 100% and is not completely normal. It has progressed and moved down the path a little bit further. When I started there were no real true female metal icons. There was no one to look up to as an artist. These days I have teenagers looking up to me for encouragement and inspiration. Now I am their icon. I never had something like that. I had people I looked up to like Richie Blackmore and Jimi Hendrix but no females.

AL: You have been heavily involved with Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp. Can you tell us how you got involved with that?
LF: The program was started by David Fishof and he invited me to be a part of it. I ended up going down to speak with David and I also got to check everything out. I had a blast! The whole thing was just awesome. I am glad to be a part of it. I am a great teacher which I think comes from being a mom. There is no better teacher than a mom. I get to try and bring out the best in each of the campers who attend the program no matter what level they are at which is really cool.

AL: Can you tell us about you upcoming Spring/Summer tour?
LF: I will be going to Australia which I am very excited about. I love going there. The aussie’s are fucking nuts! I love them. We are also going to be hitting Scandinavia which is another really great place. It’s so beautiful there.

AL: Can you tell us about some of the other projects you have in the works?
LF: We just finished work on a video for the song “Mother” which should be coming out around Mother’s Day. Vicki Blue who played bass in The Runaway’s did an incredible cinematic work on this video. It is very heartfelt and you will probably need a tissue by the time you are done watching it. I am working on a book for Harper-Collins that right now is still in the early stages of things. The idea of the book is the story of a female rocker who faces a number of ups and downs. It’s a different take on Rock and Roll. Most of the books that are out there now are all based on guys. I have quite a few stories from my career that can be written about so the book will be very real. B.C. Rich just released the first Lita Ford signature Warlock guitar which is available at most Guitar Centers around the country and we are also planning some more U.S. shows with Vince Neil and Bret Michaels.

Blu-ray Review "Mimesis: Night of the Living Dead"

Actors: Sid Haig, Courtney Gains, Allen Maldonado, Taylor Piedmonte, David Schwager
Director: Douglas Schulze
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
DVD Release Date: February 12, 2013
Run Time: 95 minutes

Film: 2 out of 5 stars
Extras: 1 out of 5 stars

“Mimesis” is a very clever homage to George Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead”…for the first 30 minutes. It plays out scene for scene at first…before it crashes and burns into a modern killer flick. I have to give it to them for trying to be original here but they lost focus in the second half. They also got horror genre favs like Sid Haig and Courtney Gains to make a brief appearance. They are listed on the back of the box as “starring” but one scene doesn’t constitute starring. Horror fans, I would say watch this if you want find it free or on Netflix but otherwise, I would steer clear.

Official Premise: A group of horror fans find themselves unwilling participants in a living nightmare that pays homage to a classic horror film. Seven complete strangers whose only common link is a love for classic era horror films are invited to attend an exclusive “horror fan” party at a remote farm. But as the sun sets, these strangers soon find themselves within a real life version of the 1968 George Romero cult horror classic “Night of the Living Dead”!

The Blu-ray presentation looks good enough with its 1080p transfer. The DTS TrueHD 5.1 track work well with the score and suspense in the beginning. I got tired real quick with the speed up/slow down shots throughout the whole film. This isn’t “The Matrix”, you know! The only special feature listed here is an audio commentary track from the Director/Co-Writer Douglas Schulze and Co-Writer Joshua Wagner. I love their passion for the genre but it still doesn’t make it up for it’s disappointing third act.

DVD Review “More Brains! A Return To The Living Dead”

Directed by Bill Philputt
Starring: Cast of Return of the Living Dead
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 240 minutes

Overall score: 4 out of 5 stars

If you are horror fan then it’s simple… you love zombie movies. Everyone loves zombies. It is something about them every since George Romero brought them into the spotlight in the late 60’s. “Return of the Living Dead” one the horror gems and has become a major cult classic and legacy in the genre. The film has spawned four sequels and has one hell of a following. The feature “More Brains! A Return To The Living Dead” proposes itself as the definitive “Return of The Living Dead”. It does that in fact and more. It focuses solely on the first film and comes together as a great documentary. The team behind this film has done previous genre documentary like “His Name is Jason” and “Never Sleep Again”. This one definitely stands out as their best work.

This film gathers amazing interviews from the cast and crew of the film starting with Writer/Director Dan O’Bannon, Co-producer Graham Henderson and the cast Clu Gulager, James Karen, Don Calfa, Beverly Randolph, Thom Mathews, John Philbin, Jewel Shepard, Miguel A. Nunez Jr., Brian Peck, Linnea Quigley, Allan Trautman, as well as many of the special effects team. It presents some amazing stories from the film that I never knew as well as archive footage from the shoot. The stories are fun and it looks like the cast/crew is having a really good time. I honestly can’t wait to see what these guys are going to do next. Would love their take on a documentary about “The Exorcist” or “Halloween”.

The special features are packed and include ANOTHER two hours of footage. The first is called “A Conversation with Dan O’Bannon: The Final Interview” and it covers his experience working on the film. Great stuff. Next up, we have coverage about the 2nd and 3rd films in “They Won’t Stay Dead: A Look at Return of the Living Dead Part II” and “Love Beyond the Grave: A Look at Return of the Living Dead 3”. I think the coverage from the second film is a bit of a downer, it seems like it was a bad experience. I think about Roy Schneider talking about “Jaws 2” compares to “Jaws”. The third film has always had a special place for me and I love Brian Yunza. I am surprised but not shocked that there is no mention at all on the disc about the 4th and 5th film in the series. But like any respecting horror fan, I just ask myself…”What 4th and 5th film?” The music video for Stacey Q’s “Tonight” is cheesy but you can’t help but love that song (and think about the graveyard dance scene). “Even More Brains: Deleted Documentary Interviews” covers alternate footage cut from the film but it works really well. I am happy with the flow of the film though and think it was well cut. “Return of the Living Dead in 3 Minutes” features the cast today revisiting lines from the film during their interviews. Very funny. “Resurrected Settings: The Filming Locations Today” takes us back to the sets from the film and it is cool to see where it was shot.

DVD Review “The High Cost of Living”

Directed by: Deborah Chow
Starring: Zach Braff, Isabelle Blais, Patrick Labbé
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 97 minutes
Distributed by: Tribeca Film

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

I do not think I ever saw one episode of “Scrubs”…but nothing against Zach Braff, just never got into it. For some reason this film stuck out to me and I felt that I should see it. It turns out that this film hits very close to home for me with having a pregnant wife currently…you will find out more about that down below. Tribeca Film has really become a reliable and great distributor and have been releasing some great films. This film has a great story and a wonderful cast, who give some really powerful performances.

The story is about a fast-living drug dealer named Henry (Zach Braff) who accidentally hits a pregnant woman, Nathalie (Isabelle Blais) while driving recklessly and flees the scene. Due to guilt Henry, tracks her down, only to find that she lost her child in the hit and run accident. Henry tries to fix things and make things better, even though she doesn’t known the truth about that night. Is Henry able to save Nathalie or is it too late for both of them.

Zach Braff wasn’t good in this film but REALLY good. It was a very powerful role and he nailed it. Isabelle Blais was very intense and delivers the emotional role quite well. The two of them have great chemistry and really make this film, since it is really only about the two of them. The only bonus features on the disc is an interview with Zach Braff, interesting but not outstanding. That is my only complaint with Tribeca Film DVDs is that they do not pack any of their releases with major extras.