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Folks, I don't know about you, but I personally think that 2026 has been shaping up to be an absolutely awful year for our favorite celebrities: word reached the World Wide Web over the weekend regarding the passing of voice actor John Leeson.
His name may not mean a great deal to some, but Whoovians definitely recognize it because Leeson served as the voice of the lovable robotic Doctor Who companion K-9. It was a gig he landed all the way back in the year 1977 and continued to visit all the way through this year when he brought the pooch to life in podcasts and audiobooks. Granted, he definitely did a bit more in the Whooniverse so far as voice acting is concerned, but it's his singular presentation of K-9 that fans will likely always remember.
Frankly, I was a bit unaware that K-9 was still around. I knew of him from '77 as well as a few appearances within some Doctor Who episodes since and the like, but -- as I live on this side of the pond (as they say) -- I was almost oblivious to the character living on in such fashion as audio dramas. I might have to do some digging into seeing if any of these are available as I do so love listening to stuff like that as I drift off to sleep each night. It's great that robot has enjoyed such longevity, especially given the fact that the entire Who franchise seems to be a bit mismanaged these days ... so far as TV installments are concerned.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of John Leeson.
May he rest in peace ...
-- EZ
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As I've mentioned in a previous post, I've had very limited design capabilities with my web-hosting services over the last few days; so apologies to the readership as I'm playing a bit of catch-up this morning with respect to some of these posts.
Last week, word reached the World Wide Web regarding the passage of actress Elke Sommer. This blonde and beautiful actress hailed from Berlin, Germany; and -- without a doubt -- she grew to become a screen siren alongside some equally lovely ladies through her screen presence in the 1960's and 1970's. For what it's worth, her presence always came off a bit tongue-in-cheek to this watcher, meaning that she was even more endearing for never having taken herself and her legendary good looks all that seriously. IMDB.com reports that her upgrade from a regular actress to that of a sex symbol was a natural progression; and, of course, when the world wants more of a good thing it's only natural that Hollywood come a'callin'. It did, and the rest is history.
Still, I want to say that I don't think she achieved on American screens what I believe she did internationally. I believe I'd read some commentary to that effect at some point; and I've no reason to suggest the opposite is true. As a matter of fact, I think she likely found more attention on American television than she perhaps did in theatrical roles; but I'll admit that even the 1960's are a dim memory given that I only lived through half of that decade.
As for her forays in the Realms of the Fantastic?
Savvy fans might know her contributions to such projects as Baron Blood (1972), Lisa And The Devil (1973), The House Of Exorcism (1975), The Six Million Dollar Man, The Astral Factor (1978), Fantasy Island, and Severed Ties (1991).
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Elke Sommer.
May she rest in peace ...
-- EZ
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Synopsis
High school student Ai sees her world collapse when a strange cult-like mentality gradually turns people around her into mindless followers who can transform simple gymnastics routines into a nightmarish dance of death. Written and directed by Yûta Shimotsu (Best Wishes to All), and starring Anna Yamada, Yuzu Aoki, and Pierre Taki.
About the Director
Yûta Shimotsu was born in Fukuoka Prefecture in 1990 and studied mechanical engineering at Saga University. During this time, he began directing commercials and short films, for which he received multiple awards. His short film DREAMING TO ACCEPT REALITY (2020) was screened at numerous international film festivals and served as the basis for his feature film debut BEST WISHES TO ALL (2023 / NC ’24). His second feature, NEW GROUP (2025 / NC ’26), was screened at various festivals including the Fantasia International Film Festival and the Sitges Film Festival.
Director: Yûta Shimotsu
Writer: Yûta Shimotsu, Momoko Sahara
Cast: Anna Yamada, Yuzu Aoki, Ren Komai, Danhi Kinoshita, Arisa Sasaki, Kano Rogers, Jun Hosoi, Ryo Matsumoto, Tomomitsu Adachi, Natsuko Sakakura, Takashi Shimizu, Tomoya Maeno, Taki Pierre
Producers: Tsuyoshi Kobayashi, Shinya Himda
Executive Producers: Takeshi Kikuchi, Takehiko Sasaki, Junji Igarashi
Cinematographer: Toru Nishioka
Language: Japanese
Run time: 82 min
"It’s a most entertaining slice of weirdness...braced by an underpinning of social commentary that supports and enhances its bizarre visual and narrative pleasures."
- Michael Gingold, RUE MORGUE
"Yûta Shimotsu creates an incredible, unpredictable body horror masterpiece that doubles as an indicting satire of Japan’s society."
- Daniel Kurland, BLOODY DISGUSTING
"A daring and utterly confident trip into the pitfalls of societal norms and going with the oppressive flow; Its creativity is undeniable."
- Bianca Piazza, MOVIEWEB
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Like so many of you, I took the news regarding the passing of Patrick Stewart with utter shock.
As often happens, these celebrities or dignitaries we follow do get to live part of their lives behind closed doors; so I wasn't aware that the talent had fallen on ill health in the slightest. The announcement came like a punch to the gut; and it sent reverberations across all of media. Here was the man that so many knew as 'captain,' and he had spent so many years on screens big and small larger than life. Certainly, he couldn't die. Alas, mortality is truly that which binds us all together; and his passing is one of those unfortunate milestones that'll stick around for some time, I suppose.
Some time during the 1990's, the wifey and I had the opportunity to see Sir Patrick Stewart on the theatrical stage. While Star Trek: The Next Generation was on summer break, Sir Pat and a few of his small screen regulars -- Gates McFadden, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, and Colm Meaney -- put together a theatrical production of Tom Stoppard's 'Every Good Boy Deserves Favour that swung through Chicagoland whilst we lived up that way. We bought tickets -- as did a number of Trekkies, Trekkers, and general Trek enthusiasts -- and sat pretty close down front. Actually, I recall telling my wife we were in seats "close enough to be spit on" by those mightily projecting Thespians. So we got the chance to see Stewart and his mates in a different format entirely. It was understandably magical for those of us who like that sort of fare.
Of course, as the man aged, I think he, too, kept reaching back for his youth. The latter Star Trek: The Next Generation movies struggled to find wider audiences because they didn't let the characters age as had their players. I've read that some of this was owed to demands made by Stewart and others, wanting their faces to appear somewhat synonymous with 'action stars' instead of the more thoughtful and heartfelt pursuits of the franchise's earlier years. There's even been some suggestion that the Picard series faultered a bit, significantly owed to the actor's insistence on the series being structured around his fictional personae. Thankfully, those requirements were relaxed at least so much that Picard: Season Three gave us somewhat of a reunion. While I personally didn't much care for the program, I'll concede that it was great having the band back together again.
As I often say in articles like this, I praise the stars that we'll always have these episodes and movies to remember folks by; and those same sentiments will likely have me putting on a few episodes of The Next Generation in the foreseeable future. The show had so many wonderful stories, and Stewart's grace and composure was clearly a guiding hand at the helm for so many. His talent is generational, and it will be missed.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Sir Patrick Stewart.
May he rest in peace.
-- EZ
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Hey there, and Happy Sunday to all regular SciFiHistory.Net readers!
For those of you who've been following along (and I know a few of you have), life hasn't exactly been super spiffy behind-the-scenes the last few weeks. As I mentioned in the previous post on the MainPage, I'd developed some serious issues with my website host, one that I've been with for well over a dozen years. Again, I don't like airing any dirty laundry, but let's just say that their design portal -- one which had worked nearly perfectly for so very long -- all of a sudden became a bit wonky. Things weren't doing what they'd done forever, and I did my part as a paying customer to alert them to the issues, to work with them, and remain patient for solutions. When it became clear that none were forthcoming, I figured it was time to begin investigating alternative platforms. Honestly, I didn't want to change -- none of us welcome creating our own turbulence -- but they eventually forced my hand.
So effective immediately SciFiHistory.Net is being housed elsewhere. I've just moved everything over -- well, with a single exception, but that lingering thread is something that can be resolved later -- and this is the very first attempt at getting something new and live to the site's MainPage. If you're reading this, then all is presumably well once again! If you're not reading this ... then what are you reading and where did reality go?
In the meantime, I'll start adding new posts and Daily Citation Page updates as time permits. The silly season is just about upon us, and -- like so many of you -- I have some other activities this time of year that will keep me away from the Information Superhighway. But keep your eyes peeled as I do have a review or two in the hopper along with some other news that'll show you that the Realms of the Fantastic continue to live long and prosper in the far corners of the universe.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks even more for sharing ... and thanks for being a fan of SciFiHistory.Net!
-- EZ
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From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“A dozen British soldiers, lost in a Mesopotamian desert during World War I, are menaced by unseen Arab enemies.”
Take note, military film buffs: 1934’s The Lost Patrol is not your ordinary war film.
In fact, it many ways the flick directed by Hollywood legend John Ford from a script by Dudley Nichols, Garrett Fort, and Philip MacDonald might be the antithesis of the traditional wartime effort. You see, this ragged band of British soldiers rarely come face-to-face with a mortal enemy: though they’re definitely out there hiding in the sand dunes, the combatants are fundamentally reduced to almost specters, goblins, or villains. The script rather deftly positions these two sides in opposition but vastly reduced the amount of action (it’s almost non-existent on one level) to the point of absurdity … and this is because perhaps conflict of this type rises to the level of absurdity itself.
The setting is World War I, and a patrol of Brits are making their way across the vast desert when – in an answer to their prayers – they stumbled upon an oasis almost perfect for their use. They’re given fresh water and afforded a good night’s sleep only to discover in the morning that a few of their men have fallen victim to sniper fire. Lo and behold, they’re slow to learn that the enemy has practically led them here for the purpose of surrounding them and leaving them no way out. Like the players in an Agatha Christie mystery, the men are brought down one-by-one, unable to escape even the elements of living in a wasteland they’ve never traversed.
Like any war picture, The Lost Patrol certainly could be said to make many thematic points. War is hell – arguably an exercise in futility depending upon one’s perspective – and the script certainly underscores both the lack of humanity as well as humility of the men undertaking such a deadly campaign. Also, I’d be remiss if I failed to point out that – not unlike Horror / Thrillers of any cinematic era – Patrol capitalizes on such plot threads as surviving against all odds and even gives lip service to camaraderie developed between characters who likely would have little to do with one another except for being thrown together into this catastrophe. But where the film truly earns its best medals is the obvious study of how paranoia slowly and mercilessly invades the minds of even the most rational man: it rather loosely explores why some break while others endure, and there’s a fabulous sequence involving the always great Boris Karloff kinda/sorta becoming a Christ allegory near the final reel.
You see, there’s no big engagement here. There’s no grand battle set to stirring music where a lone soldier marches up a hill to sacrifice himself for the greater good of civilization. Instead, Ford’s film questions nationalism that leads some into acts of lunacy; and he gives the wartime experience a dose of theatrical realism it hadn’t quite seen since the inception of film. Once you strip away a cause and simply focus on the day-to-day, it grows easier to raise concerns about how far good men are willing to stray from the course at the risk of their own humanity. Even this isn’t handled with a heavy drumbeat, making Ford’s examination of conflict much more tenable and relatable than so many other directors have tried to explore over the years.
The Lost Patrol (1934) was produced by RKO Radio Pictures. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been handled by the fine folks at the Warner Archive. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can still assure readers that … this is John Ford – a verified master behind the camera – and you’re a fool if you think these images aren’t worth the time or money. From what I’ve read, this was one of the earlier efforts to make use of wide open spaces – something he’s revered for doing uniquely well – and even incorporated an Academy Award nominated score to punctuate each emotional moment. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Well, there are a few extras – cartoons – drawn from the era; but there is, sadly, nothing picture specific. A bit of a miss, if you ask me.
Recommended.
The problem in viewing a war classic like The Lost Patrol (1934) so many years after it first came to bold theatrical life is that it’s somewhat paled by comparison to so many other efforts in the passage of time. Still, I challenge viewers to give it a spin: at a lean and mean 73-minutes, it’s a modest investment into one of the better psychological stories of yesteryear wherein men stumbled in their quest to be the very best when confronted by insurmountable odds. Though Karloff’s descent into madness might not seen as monumental today; and, yet, back then it probably sent a few shivers down spines. As always, Ford’s cinematography is top notch.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at the Warner Archive provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of The Lost Patrol (1934) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
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press release
to pre-order
click the above 'never let go' poster
Rating: R for strong violent content and grisly images
U.S. Release Dates: November 11, 2026
Running Time: 101 minutes
Cast:
Halle Berry (Monster’s Ball, X-Men franchise), Percy Daggs IV (“The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey”), Anthony B. Jenkins (The Deliverance), William Catlett (A Thousand and One), Matthew Kevin Anderson (“The Flash”), Christin Park (“The 100”)
Directed by: Alexandre Aja
Written by: KC Coughlin & Ryan Grassby
Synopsis: From visionary director Alexandre Aja (Crawl) and the creative minds behind “Stranger Things” comes this psychological horror-thriller.As an evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, a mother (Oscar® winner Halle Berry) and her twin sons find their only protection is their house and their deep-rooted family bond. Needing to stay connected at all times — even tethering themselves with ropes — they urge each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival.
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Year of Production: 2024
Title Copyright: Never Let Go © 2024 Summit Entertainment, LLC. Artwork & Supplementary Materials ®, ™ & © 2026 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Closed-Captioned: No
Feature Run Time: 101 minutes
Subtitles: Spanish, French, English SDH
Format: 2160p Ultra High Definition, 16x9 (2.11:1) in a 1.85:1 container in Dolby Vision®
Audio: English Dolby Atmos, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Audio, English Descriptive Audio
Special Features:
-Making Never Let Go
-Creating Momma’s House
-Tethered Together
-Deleted Scenes
-Theatrical Trailer
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in memoriam
As I often remind folks, a great many talents might only appear sparingly in what we cherish as genre projects; but I do try to remember them, especially when they've made an impact on audiences near and far. That's why it saddens me this morning to report the news of the passing of actress Susan Saint James. Clearly, her resume largely represents another time and another place to so many -- especially 'old dogs' such as myself -- but this Emmy-winning actress certainly deserves a small nod from SciFiHistory.Net today. As a talent, she was always a bit ... well ... looney, maybe ... but she was about as good-spirited a player (in roles, at least) that I can recall.
As for her visits to the realms of the Fantastic? She had a few. In 1978, she enjoyed a role in a somewhat conventional TV-grade Horror known as Night Cries, a lady who's baby has died but is still behaving 'problematically' for her. In 1979, she appeared opposite the funny George Hamilton in Love At First Bite, a vampire-themed Comedy. Lastly -- very late in her career -- she enjoyed some modest screen time in The Haunting Of Bly Manor (2020) and Amazon's Upload.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Susan Saint James.
May she rest in peace.
-- EZ
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in memoriam
For those of you who grew up on an island, he played Chekov, a kinda/sorta upstart Starfleet addition to the original crew in Trek's second season. There is plenty out there on the Information Superhighway that's been written about his casting; and, basically, it goes back-and-forth between the stories of creator Gene Roddenberry wanting to have a Davy Jones lookalike on the bridge to the speculation that incorporating a Russian into the bridge crew would demonstrate just how far nations had gone to mend fences at a time when the Cold War was still raging in reality. Whatever the case may be, he brought a sense of sometime reckless youth and strong nationalist pride to the series; and more power to him for landing such a gig so early in his career.
But that isn't the reason I have the most respect for the guy.
Honestly, I forget when it was -- sometime in the late 1980's or early 1990's -- but it seemed as if the entire cast of regulars for the original Trek started to turn on franchise megastar Bill Shatner. From what I recall, Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura), George Takei (Lt. Sulu), and even long-time Shatner pal Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock) kinda/sorta started ragging on the fellow castmate for trying to monopolize both screen and script time with every project. The scuttlebutt (again, as I remember it) was that they insisted that Shatner was demanding to take over bits and pieces of scenes and even whole dialogue for his character -- the captain of the ship and one of the big reasons fans come to these adventures in the first place -- and they were understandably bitter about it. But ... did they have to air these grievances so publicly? Couldn't they bury the hatchet in some way or, minimally, keep their rivalries respectful and private? From what I remember, Shatner denied the allegations, but the whole thing turned into a really bad incident of dirty laundry.
Now ... the only one who was willing to sit down and actually discuss this matter with Shatner was Koenig. He appeared on an interview show that his captain hosted; and the two of them had an occasionally spirited but respectful conversation about the conflict. Shatner was apologetic over anything he recalled being remotely near the talking point, but Koenig -- in a rather humble fashion -- just kept politely telling him that it was in the past and nothing needed to be said about it. While the two never quite reconciled the matter, it was very clear that Koenig wasn't holding a grudge and perhaps even wanted nothing to do with the disagreement any longer. He had made his peace, and he didn't want to perpetuate an unnecessary grudge any further.
The truth here is that, fundamentally, Koenig couldn't just been being polite. Granted, some years had gone by; and the way Hollywood work can be so hard to come by for franchise regulars might have left the actor bitter. Yet, in his own words, he had chosen to move beyond such petty business, something I'm well aware that Nichols and Nimoy took to their graves (for all I know). Regardless of what Koenig may've held in his heart -- which is his affairs, not mine -- he demonstrated the kind of mercy I think is admirable in human beings whenever I see it. He chose the better route to personal satisfaction and happiness; and that's exactly why I admire him to this day.
Alas, none of us lasts forever; and word reached the World Wide Web just today regarding the man's passing.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Walter Koenig.
May he forever rest in peace.
-- EZ
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As I’ve confessed many times on SciFiHistory.Net, a lot of conventional chillers just don’t do much for me. While I’ve been told by many that I gravitate toward more cerebral Horror – the kind of set-up and circumstances wherein you kinda/sorta have to think about things a bit – I can still appreciate the jump scares and boundless frenetic energy needed to make a truly inspired thrill ride work. The problem – at least, so far as I see it – is that rarely does the average Horror film challenge me strongly enough to embrace both the terrifying aesthetic and some solid relatable characters. Like I said, I can appreciate the journey; but I do require a bit more scenery than most.
Thankfully, 2026’s The Cycle is exactly the experience I can point to and say, “There it is.”
Written (in part) and directed by Jordan Downey – along with scripting and cinematography assist from Kevin Stewart – the film is a stark reminder that terror is best ratcheted up on the back of talent who hit their marks, a central story that twists in ways that perhaps few see coming, and a measure of practical atmosphere (i.e. locations, real sets, and in-camera trickery) that combine effortlessly into one cohesive whole. This doesn’t mean that the film’s perfect because there were a few sequences I didn’t understand in movie time – there’s an early flashback that plays out with some misdirection that kept me confused until roughly midway (when it finally got explained) – but for those of you who grew up loving the classic series The X-Files this is about as good a return to form as I’ve seen in years. That speaks volumes.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“A daughter unravels her father's dark past after his body, missing for 36 years, is found at a horrific crime scene.”
Fans of traditional werewolf stories – the kind which these days is usually ruined by the gratuitous overuse of computer-generated graphics – need to run (not walk) to The Cycle, an incredible throwback to the days wherein the transformation from man-to-wolf is rendered almost as frighteningly as are the predator’s seminal kills. The Cycle not only makes fantastic use of practical special effects to have audiences wincing in delight but also – if we could be so lucky – see a resurgence of that lost art from to screens big and small. Sure, it might be a bit more expensive; but it’s so damn stirring whenever it’s done right. And, yes, The Cycle gets it grimly perfect.
Meg (played by Deborah Ann Woll) is the product of a broken home who – for no particular reason – grew up fascinated with the science of forensics. At the start of her professional career, she’s become one of the specialists broaching the frontiers of death with her job at the state’s body farm. When a local sheriff – Ian (Will Hochman) – discovers one body at a animal attack crime scene that doesn’t belong, he seeks out her assistance not only because she’s the expert but also as the deceased is tied directly to her: it would seem that Meg’s long-absent father Peter (David Myers Gregory) has finally resurfaced. However, he’s dead … and the circumstances surrounding his demise pose questions that defy conventional logic.
Against the wishes of her mother Joni (Gretchen Corbett), Meg joins Ian and his law-officer-father Marks (Jeffrey Donovan) in trying to crack the case; and this is where Downey and Stewart’s script actually grows more absorbing. Rather than tie matters up neatly, there’s a second surprise twist – an unexpected death – that sends The Cycle careening in a somewhat completely different direction. While still a puzzle needing an answer, it’s the kind of problem that takes a bit of time to grow accessible. It shouldn’t take long for watchers to realize that what happened – and is now continuing to happen – is a far deeper threat, one that’ll stretch the bounds of what rational people believe possible. The genius of it all is the question: “Where do I go for answers when science fails?”
Woll is perfectly cast as the forensic pathologist who’s perhaps a bit too brainy for her own good. Like The X-Files’ intrepid FBI Special Agent Dana Scully, Meg stays focused on facts and reality defining the breadth of her work; and she finds herself on untested ground when the bits and pieces she’s studied, learned, and put to good use miss the mark. Doggedly, she maintains the kind of persistence that keeps her digging for an answer that ultimately fits the problem, even if arriving there risks herself and her personal reputation. She knows the truth is out there, and she’ll stop at nothing to get it.
Similarly, I can’t give enough praise to veteran character actor Donovan. For those unaware, he’s the guy who made TV’s Burn Notice (2007-2013) event viewing throughout much of its run; and – dammit all – someone needs to give this guy a brainy franchise not unlike The Cycle and let him work some magic once again. Rather than relegate him to just another badge-wearing force for good, Downey and Stewart’s script (again) give their character something greater to be: he’s a father balancing the grief of not one but now two broken family relationships that serve as the motivation for him to, finally, do right by his blood. Fortunately, he’s perfectly suited to step into a loose partnership with Meg, creating a fascinating father/daughter dynamic that would be incredible to see again.
Now – as can happen – The Cycle gets a bit existential in its big finale, along with getting a bit girl-bossy, and some might pick nits over the fact that there’s two endings in here instead of one. However, I found that there was enough narrative reason for both, making its biggest sin a forgivable one.
The Cycle (2026) was produced by BondIt Media Capital and Tea Shop Productions. A quick search of Google.com states that the film is presently available for streaming on AMC+ and Shudder. As for the technical specifications? Wow. Both director Downey and Stewart deliver the kind of dark and moody atmosphere required to make the film quietly pulse and loudly rage when needed: it’s the kind of look that classic Horror has done for ages, and it still resonates whenever it’s tried. Plus, they’ve recaptured the feel of 1981’s An American Werewolf In London in a way that is just phenomenal to see again. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Alas, as I viewed this one via streaming there were no special features to consider.
Strongly Recommended.
If anything, then The Cycle (2026) definitively proves that stories like The X-Files are still possible – perhaps a bit derivative – though storytellers might have to work a bitter harder at crafting them or finding ways to strip away some of the gloss of living in modernity to still make them work. While some might find elements of the tale a bit convenient, there’s still no denying the fact that it’s all structured organically around these characters and their universe; and that’s what makes it a compelling and riveting watch. Woll and Donovan make for a compelling pair to watch; and thankfully they avoid the usual trappings of romantic entanglement, instead choosing the solid father/daughter dynamic needed to make this story truly go bump in the night.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Shudder provided me with complimentary streaming access to The Cycle (2026) for the purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ