Michigan Tech Motorsports (MOTORS) is a student-run organization at Michigan Technological University dedicated to designing, building, and competing with a Formula-style race car. The team consists of undergraduate students from various engineering disciplines who come together to gain hands-on experience in designing and fabricating a high-performance vehicle. MOTORS is part of the Formula SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) competition, which challenges students to design and build a small-scale Formula-style race car within certain specifications. The competition consists of both static and dynamic events, including design presentations, technical inspections, acceleration tests, autocross, and endurance race. The team must not only demonstrate the performance capabilities of their vehicle but also their engineering design process, cost analysis, and marketing strategy. The Michigan Tech Motorsports team takes part in the event every year, continuously improving their design and performance.
Tony Franciosa plays a detective who's on the trail of a murderer whose mutilated and predominantly male victims are found encased in silken cocoons.
Wise-ass private detective Mark Higbie is fighting an uphill battle after a drinking buddy of his ends up another victim of a mysterious killer with a penchant for puncturing the chest of her victims and draining them of blood. Tony Franciosa plays a detective who s on the trail of a murderer whose mutilated and predominantly male victims are found encased in silken cocoons.
The Michigan Tech Motorsports team takes part in the event every year, continuously improving their design and performance. The team's car, named Masvot, has evolved over the years with the incorporation of new technologies and engineering innovations. The team utilizes advanced software tools such as CAD and simulation software to optimize the design and performance of the vehicle.
It Came From The Tube: CURSE OF THE BLACK WIDOW (1977)
Look, anyone who knows me is aware of my severe lack of fondness for spiders, as well as my love for movies about them. (I am riddled with inconsistency.) 1977 was a vintage year for arachnids; in addition to one of my all time favorite movies, Kingdom of the Spiders, the small screen offered up the telefilm Curse of the Black Widow, a Dan Curtis effort that never fails to entertain. Just keep the buggers away from me, okay?
Originally broadcast September 16 th as part of The ABC Friday Night Movie, Curse went up against Logan’s Run/Switch! on CBS, and the much tougher competition, NBC’s The Rockford Files/Quincy, M.E. For those not inclined to have Jack Klugman yell in their face for an hour, Curtis’ Curse offered a fun, goofy alternative.
Let’s crack open our cobwebbed faux TV GUIDE and have a look see:
CURSE OF THE BLACK WIDOW (Friday, 9pm, ABC)
A private eye investigates a series of murders in which the victims are mysteriously wrapped in spider webbing. Anthony Franciosa, Patty Duke, Donna Mills star.
We open in a seedy California bar as the regulars, including P.I. Mark Higbie (Franciosa – Tenebrae), encounter a European woman named Valerie who needs a ride home. One of the gents obliges, and meets his demise at the hands (and glowing eyes) of Valerie right in the parking lot. Enter Lt. Gully Conti (Vic Morrow – Humanoids from the Deep) and medical examiner Ragsdale (Max Gail – Barney Miller), none too keen to let Higbie in on the investigation.
But he does his own digging, and finds out that there have been several murders through the years in the same area; men wrapped in a silken cocoon with two huge puncture marks in their chest – and all their blood drained. Oh, and replaced with black widow venom. Into his life comes Leigh (Mills – Knots Landing), who wants Higbie to find out why the cops are questioning her about the bar death. Well, as it turns out Leigh was either married to, or dated, every one of the punctured spider beaus. Our intrepid sleuth presses further, and finds out that Leigh and her twin sister Laura (Duke – The Swarm) were in an airplane crash as babies, and one of them was bitten several times by a horde (cache? Gaggle? Pod?) of black widow spiders. Perhaps there’s something to the Native American folklore of the Spider Woman who preys during the full moon…
You simply have to be on board with Dan Curtis to enjoy Curse of the Black Widow; ubiquitous throughout the ‘70s, if you watched the daytime soap Dark Shadows, the Carl Kolchak TV movies The Night Stalker and The Night Strangler, the theatrical (and personal favorite) Burnt Offerings, and Karen Black’s TV tour de force Trilogy of Terror, you were weaned on a whole lot of Curtis, be it as a producer and/or director. While he always put together top notch talent, he was underrated as a director; not the most visually stylish perhaps, but he always drew solid work from his casts and could tell a hell of a story.
Much like this one. One part ‘50s giant monster movie, two parts Raymond Chandler, Curse has enough plot for three horror films yet somehow Curtis makes it all work. Is it silly? Of course it is. How could the tale of a femme fatale cum giant spider be anything but? His work is firmly focused on character, even if they’re thinly drawn; Curtis knows he’s giving us outlines here, but so do a lot of noirs that deal in types, not people. Look at the character names: Higbie. Gully. Leigh and Laura Lockwood. Ragsdale. Higbie’s assistant, played wonderfully by Roz Kelly (New Year’s Evil) is called Flaps. The teleplay by Robert Blees (Frogs) and Earl W. Wallace (Witness) knows exactly what it is, unapologetically so; they lean into the ridiculous even while the actors play it straight, making it even funnier. Curse often plays like a stretched out Kolchak episode without Darren McGavin; and while that may seem disappointing, it still offers as much charm as Curtis can cram onto the screen.
Franciosa is especially energetic as Higbie, Duke shows off a few new flavors I never noticed before, and if Morrow is in, so am I. My favorite bit part is awarded to that legendary Native American actor *checks notes* Jeff Corey (Battle Beyond the Stars), who offers up an exposition dump near the end, caterpillar eyebrows and all.
As for that ending: Curtis lets it all hang out in a fiery climax, and if you were just sticking around to see a less than convincing monstrous arachnid, you’re in luck. Curtis makes no apologies for that either, nor does he hide it. Curse of the Black Widow has no time to wallow in its shortcomings; when you’re this busy being entertaining, why bother?
About the Author - Scott DrebitScott Drebit lives and works in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He is happily married (back off ladies) with 2 grown kids. He has had a life-long, torrid, love affair with Horror films. He grew up watching Horror on VHS, and still tries to rewind his Blu-rays. Some of his favourite horror films include Phantasm, Alien, Burnt Offerings, Phantasm, Zombie, Halloween, and Black Christmas. Oh, and Phantasm.
Wise-ass private detective Mark Higbie is fighting an uphill battle after a drinking buddy of his ends up another victim of a mysterious killer with a penchant for puncturing the chest of her victims and draining them of blood. He’s hired on by Leigh Lockwood, the fiancé of the dead dink, and the Vic Morrow led police force are trying to keep everything quiet. A witness points to a man-sized spider and Mark’s friend on the force is is tracking a lead rooted in folklore about a woman who can transform into a giant spider. Interesting that a mysterious seductress was escorted by Mark’s buddy to her car before vanishing into the night. It ties back to Mark’s client, who…
In addition to engineering skills, MOTORS also provides students with professional development opportunities. Members gain experience in project management, teamwork, leadership, and communication skills. They learn to work in a collaborative environment, following strict deadlines and budget constraints. The Michigan Tech Motorsports team is highly regarded in the Formula SAE community and has achieved numerous accolades and awards over the years. Their dedication, passion, and hard work have put them at the forefront of student engineering organizations. The experience gained from the team prepares students for careers in the automotive industry and propels them towards success in their professional lives. Overall, Michigan Tech Motorsports is not just a student organization but a platform for students to apply their engineering knowledge, gain practical experience, and develop essential skills. The team's commitment to innovation and continuous improvement sets them apart and makes them one of the top competitors in the Formula SAE competition..
Reviews for "The Impact of Michigan Tech MASVOT on Manufacturing Jobs and the Workforce"
1. Samantha - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Michigan tech masvot". The plot was all over the place and I couldn't connect with any of the characters. The pacing was really off, and it felt like there were too many unnecessary scenes that dragged on forever. Overall, I found the movie to be confusing and frustrating to watch.
2. John - 1 star - "Michigan tech masvot" was a complete waste of time. The acting was so bad, it was painful to watch. The dialogue was cheesy, and the storyline was predictable and cliché. I couldn't wait for it to be over, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
3. Emily - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Michigan tech masvot" based on the trailers, but it turned out to be a letdown. The script lacked depth, and the characters were one-dimensional. The movie dragged on and didn't have enough action or suspense to keep me engaged. I was hoping for a thrilling experience, but I was left feeling bored and unsatisfied.
4. Michael - 2 stars - "Michigan tech masvot" had a lot of potential, but it fell flat for me. The cinematography was impressive, but the story felt disjointed and hard to follow. The pacing was slow, and the movie seemed to take itself too seriously. I kept waiting for something exciting to happen, but it never did. Overall, I was underwhelmed by this film.