A to Z Challenge – M – Cult Classics: Mad Max, Manos, Manhunter, Marillion, Metallica, and more! Plus New PAN Movie Poster and Superhero Movie News

Today I am visiting the awesome Julie Musil, author and writing tips extraordinaire. I’m covering ‘The Differences Between a Series and a Stand Alone Book.’

A to Z Challenge – Cult Classics – M

Movies-Music-Sci-fi Book-Bloggers-Dragon Term

Movies –

Mad Max
This 1979 top-grossing Australian film held the Guinness record for most profitable film for year. It spawned two sequels (third one coming this year) and launched Mel Gibson’s career.

Manhunter
This stylized thriller, based on Harris’ book Red Dragon, achieved cult status after star William Petersen’s success on the show CSI. It is one of director Michael Mann’s finest films.

Manos: The Hands of Fate
Dubbed one of the worst films ever made, it achieved cult status when Mystery Science Theater 3000 featured it in 1993. RiffTrax also did a live show of Manos.

Music –

Marillion – Season’s End
This was the first album to feature singer Steve Hogarth and spawned the classic song, Easter.

Metallica – Master of Puppets
Released in 1986, it was the first thrash metal album to be certified Platinum. It went six times Platinum and paved the way for many other metal bands.

Science Fiction Books –

Make Room! Make Room! – Harry Harrison
This 1966 book explored the consequences of overpopulation and was made famous by the film Soylent Green. (Which changed many aspects of the novel.)

The Martian Chronicles – Ray Bradbury
This 1950 collection of short stories covers the colonization of Mars. It was adapted to film, radio, graphic novels, and a television miniseries.

Bloggers –

Melanie Schulz
Do you enjoy mysteries and thrillers? Want to follow the journey of a successful indie author? Then you need to meet the very special Melanie!

Morgan Shamy
Are you in need of some cheer? Do you want to connect with the most genuine and spiritually grounded writer on the Internet? Then the amazing Morgan will dance her way into your heart!

MsMariah at A Space Blogyssey
Are you a Wonder Woman fan? Enjoy super heroes and science fiction? Want to meet the ultimate geek girl? Then MsMariah is that special person who will delight you with her movie and geek knowledge!

Mail4Rosey
Do you enjoy giveaways? Want the scoop on the latest? And a chance to win it? All with the personal touch of someone who really cares? Then you need to meet the very special Rosey!

Dragon of the Stars Term –

Mounting tension
Aden’s world is disrupted by war. The situation grows more dire when his home planet of Hyrath is invaded. Their only hope for survival – find the legendary ship, the Dragon. Can Aden find it in time to save his people?

Dragon of the Starsis out now!
Check out the site What Are the Kargrandes? for clues as to how they tie into the story.

Movie News

From Blastr: 

Scarlett Johansson promises 'complex psychological twists' in Captain America: Civil War

Mark Ruffalo reveals the real reason why we haven't gotten a solo Hulk movie, talks Civil War

Olivia Munn signs on for X-Men: Apocalypse as the psychic mutant Psylocke

And from Jo Blo, the new poster for PAN, due out July 24, 2015:

Seen the movies? (I hope you had MST3K/RiffTrax help with Manos!) Fan of the bands or the books? Familiar with those special bloggers? Excited about all the superhero news? And are you ready for another Peter Pan film…?

Don’t forget to visit Julie Musil!

Important A to Z Challenge Guidelines, My A to Z Theme, and Sad Songs Blogfest!

The A to Z Challenge starts Sunday!

For those of you participating, here are the basic guidelines:

Post on a topic or word that matches the corresponding letter of the alphabet, starting with “A” on Sunday, April 1, then every day except Sundays after that.

Visit fellow Challenge participants starting with the blog immediately following yours on the sign up list. Aim to visit five blogs a day; more if you have time.

Keep posts SHORT!

Turn off word verification. Make it easy for others to leave comments.

Make it easy for others to follow you.

Use the official A to Z button. Link back to the A to Z BLOG.

Have fun and make new friends!

My theme for the Challenge? I’ll get to that in a minute…

First, it’s the Sad Songs Blogfest, hosted by Spunk on a Stick’s Tips

Disappear by Dream Theater from Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence

Song tells the unbelievably sad tale of a man sitting by his wife’s bed as she passes away. Song almost guaranteed to make me cry every time. (And I never want to be in that position. My wife is in big trouble if she dies first.)

After Me by Marillion from Season’s End

Song takes you to the depths of heartache before the uplifting ending. Saddest line – “There’s a stray dog she feeds that she found in the street and he loves her to hold him but he won’t let her keep him. And he claws at the door to be let out at night and she makes do without him and she worries about him.”

Collapse the Light into Earth by Porcupine Tree from In Absentia

It’s a song about someone who’s gone through a very traumatic event. It’s a metaphor for a breakup. The poor man sings about how the light has collapsed in the spot where his lover should be.

Losing it by Rush from Signals

The saddest song about aging you will ever hear. “The writer stares with glassy eyes, defies the empty page, his beard is white, his face is lined, and streaked with tears of rage. Thirty years ago, how the words would flow, with passion and precision, but now his mind is dark and dull, by sickness and indecision, and he stares out the kitchen door, where the sun will rise no more.”

Now, my theme for the Challenge!

Last year, my theme was featuring blogger buddies whose blog title corresponded with the letter of the alphabet. Everyone really seemed to enjoy it so I decided to put a little twist on it this year.

My theme – I have selected a word for each day and will present to you blogger buddies who fit that description, along with movies, music, etc. My theme is to give back, highlight some awesome bloggers, and have fun in the process.

The only downside is that I have a lot of blogger buddies. (Note sidebar which is still missing some blogs.) I won’t be able to mention everyone, but I will try to highlight some cool people.

I’ll also be posting short bits of Ninja News, so if you have anything exciting happen, new book release, anything – leave a comment and I’ll mention it the next day.

So, you never know who I will be highlighting on a given day!

Oh yeah, and I’ll be announcing my next solo Blogfest during the Challenge (first one since Worst Movies Ever – whoa!) and it’s really going to surprise you.

Any questions about the A to Z Challenge? Any sad songs on your list? Want to guess what my next blogfest will be? Do you like my theme for the Challenge? Care to share your theme? I’ve been hearing about some good ones…