Entertainment
The 80s Sci-Fi Thriller That Was Filmed Illegally, The Danger Is Real
By Robert Scucci
| Updated
1980’s The Psychotronic Man is one of those films that should go on your watch list if you’re a creative type who deals with crippling amounts of self-doubt. It’s not a great movie. It’s grainy, rough around the edges, and acted just well enough to pass as a forgotten B-movie with a $175,000 budget. Not only was it personally financed by Peter G. Spelson, who wrote, produced, and starred in it, it was also shot illegally, completely outside of the studio system.
At the time of its production, Chicago mayor Richard J. Daley discouraged filmmaking in the city because many movies coming out were cynical, and he didn’t want Chicago portrayed in a negative light. Instead of giving up on his project, Spelson went ahead and made the movie anyway. All of the downtown scenes with shootouts and car chases were done without permission, without notice, and without apology, perfectly illustrating what you can accomplish through guerilla filmmaking.
And we’re not talking about Bowfinger-level trickery either. People could have seriously gotten killed if they found themselves caught in the middle of an unsanctioned chase involving fake police cars barreling through city streets at reckless speeds unannounced.
The Movie Isn’t That Great
What’s unfortunate about The Psychotronic Man is that its production values leave a lot to be desired. The chase scenes are actually solid, all things considered, but the rest of the film plays out like a scrapped episode of The X-Files. While this is a common trap when a single person is running the show (see also: Neil Breen, Tommy Wiseau), there’s still something to appreciate here on a molecular level. Some guy wanted to make a movie, didn’t necessarily know how to, and did it anyway.
The final product, as you would expect, is a total punisher, and you generally have to be a fan of B-movies to even get your foot in the door. You have to squint a little, read between the lines, and imagine the film it could have been with proper studio backing to truly enjoy it.
The film revolves around a troubled man named Rocky Foscoe (Peter G. Spelson), a barber on the verge of a mental break. He drinks heavily, then drives around, blacks out, and loses track of long stretches of time. During these blackout periods, he insists that his car starts flying, but nobody believes him, not even his wife (Lindsey Novak), because he’s the worst kind of alcoholic. When Rocky complains about his issues to Dr. Stenberg (Paul Marvel), his concerns are brushed off because there’s no tangible way to prove his claims.
Desperate to retrace his steps and prove he’s not going crazy, Rocky goes back to the road where he first experienced the phenomenon and has a run-in with an old man who believes him. When Rocky has another episode, the old man attacks him, but Rocky kills him with his mind. No special effects are used for these sequences, so again, you have to use your imagination.
There’s Really Not Much Else To It
As Rocky’s behavior escalates in The Psychotronic Man, everybody eventually catches on, confirming he’s not just some looney drunk trying to justify his blackouts. Once it becomes clear that he’s incredibly dangerous, and that his latent subconscious powers pose a threat to the physical world for real, the chase is on, and everything goes off the rails.
The chase sequences are the best parts of The Psychotronic Man because they’re basically real. Real cars on real Chicago streets. These shots were all stolen and done completely on the sneak. It’s a miracle some random pedestrian didn’t get picked off while these scenes were filmed, and even crazier to think that at any moment the production could have been shut down, with Peter G. Spelson getting thrown in jail for reckless endangerment and breaking God knows how many other laws in the process.
I don’t care whether you like this movie, love it, hate it, or never plan to watch it. It takes a massive amount of balls to just say “screw it” and do the thing you want with no regard for the consequences. For that reason alone, I admire this film because it proves that sometimes all you need to do is take a risk and believe in yourself if you want to see your vision realized. Nobody else is going to do it for you.
But I’d be lying if I said it was even a good B-movie. It’s okay. I don’t regret watching it, and I’m glad it exists. Part of me wishes it had a bigger budget because the concept is cool, but there just weren’t enough resources to hold it together.
As of this writing, you can stream The Psychotronic Man for free on Tubi.
Entertainment
Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on May 31
It’s the Full Moon tonight, and the second this month. This means it is a monthly Blue Moon, which occurs roughly every two or three years.
What is today’s Moon phase?
As of Sunday, May 31, the Moon phase is Full Moon. Tonight, 100% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA’s Daily Moon Guide.
Tonight, with just your naked eye, you’ll be able to spot the Mare Vaporum, Copernicus Crater, and the Tycho Crater. If you have binoculars you’ll also be able to catch a glimpse of the Grimaldi Basin, Posidonus Crater, and the Alphonsus Crater. Finally, if you really want to see more, a telescope will help you see the Apollo 14 landing spot, the Linne Crater, and the Caucasus Mountains.
When is the next Full Moon?
The next Full Moon will take place on June 29.
What are Moon phases?
According to NASA, the Moon takes around 29.5 days to orbit Earth, passing through a repeating pattern of eight distinct phases. Although the same side of the Moon always faces Earth, the portion illuminated by the Sun changes as it moves around the planet. This is what creates the different shapes we see in the night sky, from thin crescents to half Moons and the full Moon. Together, these phases form the lunar cycle:
New Moon – The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it’s invisible to the eye).
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Waxing Crescent – A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter – Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.
Waxing Gibbous – More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon – The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous – The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) – Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent – A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
Entertainment
How to watch Germany vs. Finland online for free
TL;DR: Live stream Germany vs. Finland in a 2026 International Friendly for free on ZDF. Access this free streaming site from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Preparation time is almost over. The 2026 World Cup kicks off next month, meaning participating sides need to build momentum and gain clarity on their best 11. That’s the situation Germany find themselves in as they face off against Finland — it’s all about coming into this summer’s tournament with confidence.
If you want to watch Germany vs. Finland in a 2026 International Friendly for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Germany vs. Finland?
Germany vs. Finland kicks off at 2:45 p.m. ET on May 31. This fixture takes place at the MEWA Arena.
How to watch Germany vs. Finland for free
Germany vs. Finland is available to live stream for free on ZDF.
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ZDF is geo-restricted to Germany, but anyone can access this free streaming service with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Germany, meaning you can access free live streams on ZDF from anywhere in the world.
Lve stream Germany vs. Finland for free by following these simple steps:
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Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
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Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
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Open up the app and connect to a server in Germany
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Visit ZDF
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Stream Germany vs. Finland for free from anywhere in the world
$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Germany vs. Finland without actually spending anything. This clearly isn’t a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select games before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you’ll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for ZDF?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ZDF, for a number of reasons:
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Servers in 105 countries including Germany
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Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
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Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
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Fast connection speeds free from throttling
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Up to eight simultaneous connections
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30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream Germany vs. Finland for free with ExpressVPN.
Entertainment
Until May 31, get Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT for life for $70
TL;DR: 1min.AI gives you lifetime access to AI models like GPT, Claude, and Gemini, but instead of charging you every month, it’s only $70 for life if you buy before May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Most AI tools do one thing well. The problem is that most workflows need more than one thing, and paying separately for a writing tool, an image editor, an audio platform, and a video tool adds up to a lot of monthly bills fast. 1min.AI new all-in-one AI platform that gives you access to the same popular AI models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, but instead of paying for them every month, you can get them all for life for $69.97 (reg. $540).
1min.AI gives you access to a wide range of AI models so you’re not locked into one tool’s strengths or blind spots. On the writing side, you’ll get access to AI for blog generation, keyword research, rewriting, summarizing, paraphrasing, grammar checking, and social media comment generation across LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
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Image tools go well beyond a basic generator, with editing and manipulation capabilities that cover tasks even a professional designer would reach for a separate app to do. Audio handles voice, music, and translation work. Video covers both creation and editing, including tools specifically for YouTube content. Documents can be chatted with, translated, or turned into presentations without leaving the platform.
The Advanced Business Plan includes 4,000,000 credits per month, which works out to roughly 1,112,500 words, 1,186 images, or 37 videos monthly. On top of that, you can earn up to 450,000 additional free credits per month through daily logins, reviews, and referrals, and those credits never expire.
Stop paying every month for apps you can get for life.
Mashable Deals
Through May 31, it’s only $69.97 to get a 1min.AI advanced Business Plan.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Topics
Artificial Intelligence
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