tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70988926007555738362024-03-13T07:01:21.131-07:00the blood & the bladeFilm, Music, Life...and an unrelenting love for chocolate milk.the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-14920464705653835252009-12-18T11:24:00.001-08:002009-12-18T11:32:54.669-08:00...And Now Dan O'Bannon?? Good Grief!<a href="http://screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/obannon.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 205px; height: 250px;" src="http://screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/obannon.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Dan O'Bannon, writer of <em>Aliens</em> and director of <em>Return of the Living Dead</em>, passed away today. While he wasn't working much in the last 15 years or so, his contributions to genre film will undoubtedly be missed. RIP...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />A couple of notable O'Bannon films:<br /><br /><strong>Return of the Living Dead</strong> (Director)<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wylpeAXYcBQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wylpeAXYcBQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><strong>Lifeforce </strong>(Screenplay)<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/G32tVg4Ld6g&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/G32tVg4Ld6g&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><strong>Dead & Buried</strong> (Screenplay)<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8ZmlEh34unM&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8ZmlEh34unM&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-34851307648392016452009-12-01T11:43:00.000-08:002009-12-01T11:52:43.733-08:00Paul Naschy (1934-2009)<a href="http://www.ciudaddelaluz.com/es/saladeprensa/noticias/PublishingImages/200090530PremioBalagueroPlaza/Naschy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 420px; height: 280px;" src="http://www.ciudaddelaluz.com/es/saladeprensa/noticias/PublishingImages/200090530PremioBalagueroPlaza/Naschy.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Long-time Spanish horror autuer Paul Naschy (Jacinta Molina) passed away today after a long battle with cancer. Sad times indeed. From fearnet:<br /><br /><em>Paul Naschy, often referred to as 'the Spanish Lon Chaney' has lost his battle with cancer at the age of 75.<br /><br />Naschy's career began in the 60's when he created the werewolf character Waldemar Daninsky, a character that he played in over 12 films. While Naschy is primarily known for his films from the 60's through the 80's (titles like Dr. Jekyll vs. the Werewolf, Horror Rises From the Tomb and Panic Beats), Naschy never stopped working (writing, directing, producing, acting) right up until his death. In 2004, Naschy wrote and starred in a semi-autobiographical film called Rojo Sangre about a down on his luck veteran actor.</em><br /><br />His list of films is immense and vastly varied in quality, but I've never seen one I didn't have a lot of fun with. Here's his IMDB page, and a video of a DVD collection that is a great little vignette of his work:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/p-Ol6TPH61c&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/p-Ol6TPH61c&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />RIP Mr. Naschy.the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-70577314412666000462009-10-23T06:53:00.000-07:002009-10-23T09:38:52.769-07:00Mess Off With Your Damn Ass-Kissing Academy Award Grab!<a href="http://www.notablebiographies.com/news/images/unmk_0000_0005_0_img0051.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 426px; height: 285px;" src="http://www.notablebiographies.com/news/images/unmk_0000_0005_0_img0051.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Alright. That's it. I've had it with hollywood biopics. Seriously, about half the films coming out these days are either biopics or remakes. Or sequels. And it's kind of depressing...<em>nay</em>, it's incredibly depressing.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.slantmagazine.com/images/features/oscars/actress_2006.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 175px; height: 175px;" src="http://www.slantmagazine.com/images/features/oscars/actress_2006.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Don't get me wrong. I love a well-done, interesting 'based on a real life' movie as much as the next guy (<em>Milk</em> was one of my favorite films of 2008, for instance), but it's become a bit outrageous just how calculated these films have become in terms of Oscar preparation and star-power. I mean, think about it for a second - how many actors/actresses have won best actor awards for playing a real life person just in the last ten years alone? The mind boggles. OK, now - try and think of ones who have won that didn't play a character based on someone in real life? Depressing indeed.<br /><br />Just off the top of my head this year alone we have <em>Julie and Julia, Coco Before Chanel, Che, The Informant, The Great Buck Howard, Public Enemies, Hunger</em>, <em>Notorious</em>, and to a certain extent <em>Watchmen</em>. <br /><br />What i prefer is a character that is wholly new and vibrant. Someone you've never seen before...someone unique and fresh and exciting. Anyway, it's just so prevalent that when I see new films arising, like <em>Amelia</em>, I just can't get excited regardless of the subject matter. I honestly can't help but think these types of films are made and conceived with the idea that it'll be an Oscar shoe-in and that's the sole motivation for plunking these tripe biopics in our laps every fall/winter without fail...but maybe I'm just being my usual pessimistic self...er...let's just wait and see who's nominated for this year, though, and make our judgement then. I hope I'm proven wrong.<br /><br />*sigh*<br /><br /><a href="http://www.channel4.com/film/media/images/Channel4/film/M/monster_xl_01--film-B.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 306px; height: 230px;" src="http://www.channel4.com/film/media/images/Channel4/film/M/monster_xl_01--film-B.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Since 2000:<br /><br /><strong>Best Actress Oscar Winner</strong><br />Julia Roberts - <em>Erin Brokovich</em><br />Nicole Kidman - <em>The Hours</em><br />Charlize Theron - <em>Monster</em><br />Reese Witherspoon - <em>Walk the Line</em><br />Helen Mirren - <em>The Queen</em><br />Marion Cotillard - <em>La Vie en Rose</em><br /><br /><strong>Best Actor Oscar Winner</strong><br />Adrien Brody - <em>The Pianist</em><br />Jamie Foxx - <em>Ray</em><br />Philip Seymour Hoffman - <em>Capote</em><br />Forest Whitaker - <em>The Last King of Scotland</em><br />Sean Penn - <em>Milk</em><br /><br />That's over half the best actor/actress awards given to biopics...the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-38214259964618285472009-10-14T10:32:00.000-07:002009-10-14T11:30:54.199-07:00Great ExpectationsGee Whiz, two weeks between posts? Welcome to the den of lavish slackery and subtle procrastination. I guess one of the things about having a blog is actually writing in said blog on a regular basis. Gadzooks!<br /><br />So, I'll take a moment in between my rash of other projects/workings to say a few words about a random topic: <em>expectations</em>. They are all around us. They affect everything we plan for, and often stuff we don't. <br /><br /><a href="http://hopeforyourfamily.com/files/2009/08/expectations.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 249px; height: 241px;" src="http://hopeforyourfamily.com/files/2009/08/expectations.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Think about it - how often do you say something like "that restaurant was not nearly as good as I thought it would be" or "the trailers made that movie look way better, man!" or even "that movie was WAY better than I was expecting"?? I, myself, hate expectations. I deliberately will not watch trailers or read internet buzz about a film if I think I'll like it. Honestly - I even close my eyes or switch the channel if a trailer comes on. I like to go in blind and with my own preconceived notions about the film...which most of the time translates into open-mindedness for even the most dismal-looking of films (okay, I admit that I had bottom of the barrel expectations for Zombie's <em>Halloween 2</em>, and it more than met them, but rules were made to be broken, no?).<br /><br />So whats the deal, then? Why is this so? It is so freakin' random...I mean, some films you know suck balls, but are a fun ride anyway...and some films are critically lauded and you think suck balls. I suppose personal taste has a big influence on this, but I also think it's how we approach things in our day-to-day life that matter as well. I tend not to get too worked up, unless its something special (even Christmas is fun, but not so outrageously exciting as in my early youth)...and whether this is pessimism or just laziness is open to interpretation. ;)<br /><br />Anyway, it's just interesting to me that if I put a highly-anticipated movie off, or if it takes it's time getting to North America, then the more time I have to stew about it and get my expectations up...and in turn, how disappointing it usually is...hence why I enjoy searching out the 'diamonds in the rough' more often than not.the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-53164539330592427272009-10-01T11:39:00.001-07:002009-10-01T11:43:28.324-07:00Upcoming Flicks<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UniiSyP4Wbs/SsT3qRgJ3XI/AAAAAAAAAEw/RZKAC7rd-KU/s1600-h/paranormal-activity-movie-poster1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 219px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UniiSyP4Wbs/SsT3qRgJ3XI/AAAAAAAAAEw/RZKAC7rd-KU/s320/paranormal-activity-movie-poster1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387703359866789234" /></a><br /><br />Paranormal Activity (2009)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSSqxrh5kp8&feature=fvst">Trailer</a><br /><br /><em>After a young, middle class couple moves into what seems like a typical suburban 'starter' tract house, they become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be somehow demonic but is certainly most active in the middle of the night. Especially when they sleep. Or try to. </em><br /><br />Getting lots of buzz lately and touted (by fairly reliable sources) as being one of the scariest movies since Blair Witch - it certainly seems in the same spirit of BWP, so who knows???the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-48201740021539251062009-09-30T09:39:00.000-07:002009-09-30T10:53:10.208-07:009<a href="http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/9-movie1-239x300.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 300px;" src="http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/9-movie1-239x300.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Ugh.<br /><br />Here's a good example of one of my least favorite types of film: the underachiever. This could have been so much more. The potential was definitely there, but it is so obviously an exercise of style over substance...to the point where the script needed a faux-trendy 'dark' animation to give it basic credibility. Oh, and how about we tack on a bunch of A-List actors to do the voices? Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly, Christopher Plummer...and Crispin Glover? <em>Youch </em>guys.<br /><br />It's pretty sappy, hollow and poorly written. Scenes jump around with barely an ounce of useful exposition or character development, and the most interesting part (the background of the little machine dudes and their creator) is glossed over and hardly touched upon.<br /><br />But I guess it's nice to look at. The creativity is all squeezed out and stretched thin on the giant (and admittedly impressive) machine baddies, especially the frightening snake creature that captures the little cloth doll dudes and sews them into it's belly, only to regurgitate them later for the boss machine...and the cat-skull beast thing is also quite imaginative.<br /><br />Otherwise, <em><strong>9</strong></em> seems like a film chopped to pieces in post-production. It's missing pivotal moments that may have taken away from the action, but would have served to connect the viewer most closely with the story and the movie as a whole.<br /><br />Here's hoping for an uncut/director's cut version on the DVD...the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-80965107784205838312009-09-25T11:24:00.000-07:002009-09-25T11:47:08.634-07:00Captain's Log...er...I mean, Director's Log...<a href="http://www.experiencela.com/Uploads/20060713141848-9678.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 432px; height: 306px;" src="http://www.experiencela.com/Uploads/20060713141848-9678.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I've begun taking a course in 16mm film production and I figure some reflections are in order. It's basically a boot camp in making a short film from scratch, with all the details on my lonesome shoulders. I guess I'll try and keep a bit of a log once I start actually filming the short I am intending to produce, but for now here's just some initial thoughts.<br /><br />I suppose I bitch and moan and champion film enough that its about time I buckle down, shut up and make one myself. And while I am excited to be involved with the process and get my hands dirty, I know damn well the amount of effort and time this will take...especially since this is going to be filmed on 16mm, with all the post-production and editing and literal cutting-and-pasting to go along with it. Getting right in there and handling the film is about the most exciting propect I can think of, and translating my love of film into a creative outlet is something deep and meaningful for me at this junture of my life.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.pirate.co.uk/files/images/mitchell-S16-main-w.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 252px;" src="http://www.pirate.co.uk/files/images/mitchell-S16-main-w.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />So what to film?<br /><br />I am limited only by imagination, of course, but thats a decieving notion. Realistically, I am limited by budgetary and production constraints (basically, for this project, thats no money and about 20 minutes of 16mm film stock). However, within that framework, imagination is definitely key. It's not about simply choosing a topic or idea, but taking those constraints and turning them to your advantage. Some of the best films are made under pressure and with a limited budget. It forces directors to be creative. They can't just throw money into something hoping a solution can be bought and easily formed.<br /><br />Obviously, I know what you're thinking - I'm going to film a horror flick. And of course I am! Something nice, short and tense. Something with minimal gore and loads of atmosphere. Something that reflects the true motivation of the best of horror films. The possibilities are endless...and I'm starting my script soon, so the masterpiece will soon be underway. <br /><br />I'll keep ya posted. That's if you don't see me accepting my Oscar first ;)the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-59246316538198124602009-09-17T21:33:00.000-07:002009-09-23T11:30:21.776-07:00Contraband<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://pixhost.ws/avaxhome/c6/aa/000eaac6_medium.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 211px; height: 300px;" src="http://pixhost.ws/avaxhome/c6/aa/000eaac6_medium.jpeg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I've been delving into some interesting sub-genres as of late, and finding some incredible gems. Spaghetti Westerns are quickly becoming some of my very favorite movies...and I'm starting in on the awesomeness which is the <em>Poliziotteschi </em>films. For those unaware (ie: everyone reading this), <em>Poliziotteschi</em> are sort of low-key, grimy crime flicks with lots of blood & guts, typically from Italy in the late 60's through to the 80's (wiki article <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poliziotteschi">here</a>).<br /><br />Case in point, we have Fulci's <em>Contraband</em>. Now, I am familiar with the auteur's catalog (too familiar, perhaps, for a giant hack, but i digress), and have been consistently disappointed with his output beyond his major horror and giallo works. However, <em>Contraband </em>was a breath of fresh air. I won't lie - this film isn't for everyone. In fact, it's hardly for anyone except a select few familiar with the sleazy Italian works of the 60's and 70's. I, however, loved loved loved this flick. It's chock full of ridiculous machismo and testosterone, and has the usual Fulci gore, but also has a fun and interesting story to back it up.<br /><br />Having only seen a few of the other films available in the Poliziotteschi sub-genre (region 1 DVDs are very difficult to find for most of them) this, along with Castellaris' <em>The Big Racket</em> truly has me excited to find more and more. If you're willing to take a sleazy, chessy chance, I highly doubt you'll be disappointed with this entry. Great stuff!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rRxILtG4qjI&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rRxILtG4qjI&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-24797707213055128612009-09-16T10:55:00.000-07:002009-09-16T11:30:47.641-07:007th Inning Stretch<a href="http://roberthood.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/of-the-dead.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 350px; height: 322px;" src="http://roberthood.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/of-the-dead.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I love this time of year. Love it. It's like the 7th Inning Stretch of the seasons. Summer is taking it's time to close its sunny doors, yet winter is still a ways off. Halloween is quickly approaching. Fall is soon upon us.<br /><br />And it's my favorite movie time of the year. Typically, of course, Summer and Christmas are the 'big' movie release seasons...blockbusters fill the cineplexes. Oscar candidates begin their campaign. But for me, this time of year rocks. Film Festivals abound (or have just completed, with critical acclaim or disdain following quickly in their tracks), which inevitably birth the best of the best indie, cult and horror films. <a href="http://www.fantasiafest.com/2009/en/">Fantasia Festival</a> looked ace as usual with a tonne of international flavour making its North American or World premiere. <a href="http://www.tiff.net/default.aspx">TIFF</a> is happening as I type this, which has morphed into arguably the largest and most important festival of the year (it's generally considered a sounding board for Oscar noms). <br /><br /><a href="http://johnnyvengeance.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/antichrist-poster-218x300.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 218px; height: 300px;" src="http://johnnyvengeance.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/antichrist-poster-218x300.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>This year has certainly spawned some doozies that are making their mark quickly and smashingly - Von Trier's <em>Anti-Christ</em>, Tarantino's <em>Inglourious Basterds</em>, Park Chan-wook's <em>Thirst</em>, Herzog's redux of <em>Bad Lieutenant</em>, Romero's <em>Survival of the Dead</em>, Gilliam's <em>The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus</em> (Heath Ledger's final film)......and on and on and on<br /><br />Horror films are typically 'dumped' this time of year. Those with lower expectations are shown. And, hence, the movies I love the most are most likely to appear this time of year. Of course, you have to wade through the shit too...Zombie's Halloween 2 was a veritable abomination (it showed promise, but that's hardly saying anything as it's the director's 4th major release...he 'showed promise' with <em>The Devil's Rejects</em> as well...hmmm). And even the DVD shelves are loaded with great releases and sales just in time for October 31st.<br /><br />There's a certain amount of 'rounding out' i think. I can tolerate the giant blockbusters as long as the quiet, poignant movies are given their due. It's like the karma of filmdom...I put up with all that garbage most of the time, but I figure that I dedicate enough of my life to watching this type of cinema and the universe owes me a Fantasia Festival now and again...the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-7800615909675831702009-09-07T11:05:00.001-07:002009-09-07T11:11:52.894-07:00Upcoming Flicks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://nonsuchbook.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/08/06/fant_mr_fox.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 231px; height: 320px;" src="http://nonsuchbook.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/08/06/fant_mr_fox.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Fantastic Mr. Fox</span> (2010, Wes Anderson)<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2igjYFojUo"><br />Trailer</a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Mr. Fox, Mrs. Fox, and all their fox babies live under a hill under a tree, along with Badger, Rabbit, Weasel, and all of their families. To make ends meet, every night, Mr. Fox steals a meal from one of the three crooked farmers--Boggis, a chicken farmer, Bunce, who has a little bit of everything but only eats duck liver, and Bean, who farms turkeys and apples and subsists solely on apple cider. With his keen sense of smell, and the farmers' distinctive diets, Mr. Fox has no problem evading them.<br /><br />After so much treatment, the greedy farmers band together to end Mr. Fox. They ambush him at the base of his hole in the hill, and while Mr. Fox survives, his tail does not. Thus begins an obsession on the part of the farmers. They first try to dig the foxes out, but they are outdug by eight sets of paws. Then, they move to starving them out. This is unfortunate, as no other creatures living under the hill (though now more of a valley; a bulldozer was involved at one point) can get out, either. Mr. Fox is not a very popular figure until he chances across the idea of digging under the farmhouses...</span><br /><br />Animated film based on the Roald Dahl story and directed by one of my absolute favorite directors, Wes Anderson (<span style="font-style:italic;">The Royal Tenebaums, Rushmore</span>)...with the voices of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Anjelica Huston, Willem Dafoe...and on and on. I am usually not an animated film guy, but this looks amazing.<br /><br />Seriously, check out the trailer. The animation looks quirky and Anderson-esque and has some very funny scenes...the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-36750343573904366052009-09-05T14:40:00.000-07:002009-09-05T15:26:55.729-07:00A Vicious Circle<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UniiSyP4Wbs/SqLlpt64v5I/AAAAAAAAAEQ/cu408b1Bp8A/s1600-h/cinema_film_reel_322.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UniiSyP4Wbs/SqLlpt64v5I/AAAAAAAAAEQ/cu408b1Bp8A/s200/cinema_film_reel_322.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5378113409897774994" /></a>It's remarkable to me how closely many great movie moments mimic life. It's what makes them inherently great moments, naturally. I can recite specific scenes from a wide variety of films that connect deeply with me and that I admire greatly in some way, shape or form. There is a scene in <em>Garden State</em>, for instance, where Zach Braff and Natalie Portman are in a friend's pool discussing life that just <em>gets </em>me. It is so true and simple that despite the disconnect I feel from the characters the rest of the movie, I like to think I can understand them in context...or connect with them in some way. And perhaps more importantly, that they understand <em>me</em> (albeit in some existential way), if you can grasp what I am saying.<br /><br />Anyway, that's not quite as interesting to me in general terms than the exact opposite of the idea. I mean, I have related more moments in my life to movie scenes than I can begin to fathom. It happens daily...hell, nearly <em>hourly</em> with me. Or at least, my mind makes the connection whether I verbalize it or not. Interesting. Film mimics life, but in the same vein i've become accumstomed enough to so many films and they have become such an entrenched facet of my existence that the opposite seems to be true as well. Life, for me at least, mimics film...or, more broadly I suppose, life mimics art. For some people it's TV shows (<em>The Simpsons</em> and <em>Family Guy</em> seem especially prone to this amongst folks from our generation) or music, but I bet most people can recite many more relevant film anecdotes that mirror some happening in their life. I dunno, it's just an intriguing concept to me how natural a process this seems to me, and just how much it actually happens on a day to day basis.<br /><br />Maybe I'll make a film someday about this cycle - one scene mimicking another in a strange, perverse pinwheel of a script. I guess that would be the ultimate string of great 'connecting' moments for me, if you think about it: the perfect circle of film and art, art and film, and on and on and on...the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-80057410639901486392009-09-02T09:12:00.000-07:002009-09-02T09:34:26.624-07:00Documenting My Love Affair With 70's & 80's Trashy Movies, Part II<strong>2) Giant Walls of Blinking Lights!</strong> For real, though...I hesitate to call these 'computers' 'cause I'm not even sure that's what they were meant to be. Most of the time there aren't even screens or buttons, just a mosaic of blinking bulbs that would make the most complicated carnival ride blush. I mean, this was an actual staple of set design since sci-fi was put on film and we are just in the last ten years moving away from it. How can it not be a source of pure hilarity? Here's some fun examples:<br /><br /><em><strong><span style="color:#990000;">Escape From New York</span></strong></em><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UniiSyP4Wbs/Sp6alMJXdPI/AAAAAAAAADw/g_hfpJI_BcY/s1600-h/ESCAPE05.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 133px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376904968833299698" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UniiSyP4Wbs/Sp6alMJXdPI/AAAAAAAAADw/g_hfpJI_BcY/s200/ESCAPE05.jpg" /></a>This is the 'command station' that Carpenter dreamed up that basically only functions to keep an eye on Snake as he infiltrates the futuristic gangs in Manhattan to steal back Donald Pleasance from Issac Hayes. But really, I am willing to forgive and forget seeing as it's Tom Atkins and Lee Van Cleef posing in front of it. But frankly, that amount of on-screen awesomeness would negate anything any director could have done, so perhaps the point is moot...?<br /><br /><em><strong><span style="color:#990000;">Wargames</span></strong></em><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UniiSyP4Wbs/Sp6bEE5WWqI/AAAAAAAAAD4/m64GyKRHwEY/s1600-h/wopr21.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 106px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376905499463015074" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UniiSyP4Wbs/Sp6bEE5WWqI/AAAAAAAAAD4/m64GyKRHwEY/s200/wopr21.jpg" /></a>Seriously...WOPR? (It stands for <em>War Operation Plan Response</em>). Loved this movie as a kid, though. This 'supercomputer' (okay, so this one is in fact a computer of some sort) calculates outcomes of war scenarios, back when the Russians posed a viable threat to the US. Of course, in the end it can't even win a game of tic-tac-toe, but I'd leave it in charge of the largest nuclear arms program on the globe anyday, especially since it's got all those pretty lights!<br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;"><em><strong>The Last Starfighter</strong></em><br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UniiSyP4Wbs/Sp6b9zejmTI/AAAAAAAAAEA/kThfjYgbgII/s1600-h/80s-laststarfighter-still.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 98px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376906491219646770" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UniiSyP4Wbs/Sp6b9zejmTI/AAAAAAAAAEA/kThfjYgbgII/s200/80s-laststarfighter-still.jpg" /></a>You get extra points if you've seen this one. Basically, it's about a kid from a trailer park who masters the sole arcade game at the local convenience store...only to find out the game is actually a training module for an alien space ship. He is whisked away by a guy in a low-rent Delorean and becomes the key factor in an intergalactic battle against some baddies who threaten...something nice about the good guys. The 'space ship' scenes are appropriately humbling.<br /><br />There are SO many of these I could write an entire blog on that subject alone, and they never cease to make me chuckle.the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-470034216772313252009-08-31T09:44:00.000-07:002009-08-31T09:52:22.835-07:00Evil Dead: The Musical<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.pitofhorror.com/newdesign/promo/evildeadmusical/edmus1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 286px;" src="http://www.pitofhorror.com/newdesign/promo/evildeadmusical/edmus1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><a href="http://infini-tropolis.com/articles/evil_dead_musical.htm"><br />Evil Dead: The Musical</a><br /><br />Above is a link to an article I wrote recently about the whole Evil Dead Musical experience. Enjoy!the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-48772957182071004032009-08-25T10:08:00.000-07:002009-08-25T10:53:38.912-07:00Combat ShockTo me, one of the most exciting things about DVD since it's very inception has been the ability to access films that only a select handful of folks have been able to find (and up till recently only on shoddy bootlegged VHS - take Jodorowsky's catalog, for instance, which has been recently updated to beautiful DVD status...even though <em>Santa Sangre</em> is still in limbo. Humph.). And, not only is this available to the masses via internet outlets and download sites, the films have also been given some much-needed TLC, with picture quality and sound upgrades that are often remarkable, considering the originals the companies have to work with. Screw the blockbusters and the Blu-Ray they rode in on, give me a re-vamped underground cult gem over them anyday.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.fatally-yours.com/wp-content/uploads/CombatShockDVD.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 262px; height: 375px;" src="http://www.fatally-yours.com/wp-content/uploads/CombatShockDVD.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Case in point, I picked up a copy of <em>Combat Shock</em> on a recommendation from a couple friends who know my exceedingly warped taste in film. And, well, it certainly didn't disappoint. Let me preface this by asserting that I am not exactly the biggest of <a href="http://www.troma.com/">Troma</a> fans, but given the fact that it was merely a presentation by the company, I wandered into it with high expectations. This DVD marks a re-release of the film, including the theatrical and uncut version (originally known as <em>American Nightmares</em>) and a bevy of extras.<br /><br />The film revolves around the nightmare life of a Vietnam vet as he adjusts (or absolutely does not adjust) to life back in the real world. He has a wife and deformed child to support, while slowly around him the world unravels and he quietly and quickly loses his marbles. The repurcussions of his flashbacks and nightmares reach a fever pitch when he hits absolute rock bottom. Let's just say the finale is as violent, bloody and downright nihilistic as any I have seen.<br /><br />I won't get too in depth with a review or anything, other than saying <em>Combat Shock</em> is a definite diamond in the rough. Rarely have I seen a film with this budget meet and surpass it's lofty vision and deliver a unique and thoroughly shocking experience. Of course, you probably know already if this movie is for you, and if so, go out and find it right this second. Anyone else with a passive interest in cult films may find it a bit...outrageous, but it's highly recommended from me. What a great find.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IfUIA4uF8q4&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IfUIA4uF8q4&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-10872985755285654902009-08-22T09:51:00.000-07:002009-08-22T11:18:08.752-07:00Anatomy of the Living Dead<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eg04Zz3CERw/R7y3CqlStMI/AAAAAAAAAHU/Ypqm-qGWOu4/s400/zombi2-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_eg04Zz3CERw/R7y3CqlStMI/AAAAAAAAAHU/Ypqm-qGWOu4/s400/zombi2-3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I was bound to address it sometime, so here goes. What in the hell is it with people and zombies, man? For real! What was once a laughed-at sub-genre of obscure films is now as mainstream as apple pie. Each year there are numerous movies released and each year this number seems to grow. Mainstream books are being written (<span style="font-style: italic;">World War Z</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Pride & Prejudice & Zombies</span>...and next up, <span style="font-style: italic;">Abraham Lincoln: Zombie Hunter</span>), video games are sprouting up everywhere (<span style="font-style: italic;">Resident Evil</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Left 4 Dead</span>), there are even annual 'zombie walks' where folks raise money for a good cause by...dressing up as zombies and...walking? And at the Fringe Theatre Festival here this season there are two plays centred on the eaters of flesh. Heck, it seems that every freshman filmmaker has to make a low-budg, indie zombie shocker at some point in their career.<br /><br />Okay, so I admit to being a bit of a snob here. I've been watching and loving zombie movies since i was a kid. I was a zombie more times for Halloween before 15 than most are in their lives. It's admittedly heart-warming to see those flesh-eaters getting so much acclaim as of late, but...why? See, I get the allure of other undead folks, like Vampires. They seem pretty fun and glamorous and stuff. And angsty, too, i guess. And they always seem to have such good skin. But zombies are the exact opposite, save the whole being dead thing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://horrorsociety.com/uploads/george-romero.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 190px; height: 243px;" src="http://horrorsociety.com/uploads/george-romero.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Experts postulate some theories. Zombies may be a 'mascot' for the global recession and a world threatened by terrorism. In film (and recently in book form), the living dead have always been utilized to lampoon society - the most popular example, Romero's <span style="font-style: italic;">Living Dead</span> Trilogy, is at it's very heart an exercise in social commentary. So it makes some sense that we would understand a zombie outbreak in terms of our own society going to shit. Or, well...I can at least understand that idea. I don't really know if I myself equate the undead with sky-rocketing unemployment and the tanking of the auto industry, but i digress...<br /><br />For me, I suppose, there is just something inherently zany and plain <span style="font-style: italic;">fun </span>with zombies. There are infinite types and shapes of zombies, and their mindless need for flesh makes for some amazing leaps in special effects make-up and prosthetics. Plus, they represent that quintessential underlying threat of being cornered. Housed in. Every zombie scenario inevitably involves humans holing up somewhere, with undead hands tearing and ripping at their fortifications.<br /><br />So deep down we're all frightened of dying alone? Is this an indictment of our essential need for freedom? I am not sure, but if this growing genre of pop culture means George Romero will keep making Living Dead films, then count me among the flesh-eating, mindless hordes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.necromaticmedia.com/images/zr_dotd1985_02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px; height: 250px;" src="http://www.necromaticmedia.com/images/zr_dotd1985_02.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Here's my self-indulgent, personal 'essentials' zombie movie list, in case you wanted to really explore the genre:<br /><br /><ul><li style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Romero's Dead Trilogy (<span style="font-style: italic;">Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead</span>)</li><li style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-style: italic;">Zombie</span> (aka <span style="font-style: italic;">Zombi 2</span>)</li><li style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Cemetery Man (aka Dellamorte Dellamore)<br /></li><li style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Re-Animator</li><li style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-style: italic;">Dead Alive</span></li><li style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Return of the Living Dead</span></li><li style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-style: italic;">Let Sleeping Corpses Lie</span></li><li style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-style: italic;">Shaun of the Dead</span></li><li style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-style: italic;">Burial Ground: The Nights of Terror</span></li><li style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-style: italic;">White Zombie<br /></span></li><li style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-style: italic;">I Walked With a Zombie</span></li><li style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Serpent & the Rainbow</span></li><li style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="font-style: italic;">Night of the Creeps</span></li><li><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Tombs of the Blind Dead</span><br /></span></li></ul>the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-62724711662012613552009-08-17T17:19:00.000-07:002009-08-17T17:26:39.348-07:00Upcoming Flicks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Y5TwdoOLPTI/Sd5iJ6fnvNI/AAAAAAAAGG4/NNjoYUBZzvo/s400/hisss041009.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Y5TwdoOLPTI/Sd5iJ6fnvNI/AAAAAAAAGG4/NNjoYUBZzvo/s400/hisss041009.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><a href="http://hisssthemovie.com/"><br />Hisss</a> (2009)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX4IC1m9Pb4">Trailer</a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">It is the year 2008, an American man, named George, packing high tech gear, and evil intentions, makes the arduous journey into the heart of the forbidden forest. He captures a male cobra the size of a large python when he's at his weakest, while mating. Little does he realize when they embark on testing this mysterious creature in their high-tech lab, what horror and destruction awaits him....</span><br /><br />From the daughter of David Lynch. Looks pretty crazy man. And awesome.the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-89024080328281925292009-08-15T09:25:00.000-07:002009-08-15T10:07:19.473-07:00You Knew It Was Coming...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.mvzilla.com/images/covers/1/349063.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 195px;" src="http://www.mvzilla.com/images/covers/1/349063.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>So it's my birthday today, and i suppose I should write a little something in honor of that. Not sure I really care in the grand scheme of things - I don't feel any different than I did yesterday, and with the exception of an impending hangover, tomorrow won't be any different than the usual.<br /><br />The last couple of years have been a strange experience for me, emotionally and mentally. I feel I've matured more in the last little while than a large portion of my twenties. I stand back more often and observe...reflect...take stock of things. 30 was not a fantastic year for me, but I pushed through hoping that 31 would fair better.<br /><br />I still feel lost out there though, man. Blank. On a lifeboat with no land in sight. I thought perhaps I'd have a direction or future set-up by now, but it seems that my lack of motivation has been impeding that progression. Actually, no - not lack of motivation, that's not accurate. I am not a lazy person at all. It's more lack of specific <span style="font-style:italic;">want </span>in my life. What I mean is that I have the where-with-all and gusto, but I am totally and utterly lost as to what it is that i should pursue. It's kind of pathetic, but true. And here I sit, single, with a job that has no real future, living in a basement suite. <br /><br />But strangely, I am not unhappy. Sure, i get as moderately depressed as the next guy, but I have adjusted - things could always be worse, that's for damn sure. But that cold hard acceptance has got to stop somewhere. I feel the foundation cracking. I don't know if there are such things as birthday resolutions, but I'm going to work at it this next year, chipping away at that foundation. I can't be a f*cking House Manager the rest of my life, regardless of how much I love the people around me and often, the job itself.<br /><br />Anyway, cheers to those lost and humble thirty-somethings out there. Keep pluggin' away and bit by bit things will become clear. I hope so, for my own sake too.the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-65793128428026452372009-08-11T18:20:00.000-07:002009-08-11T21:10:37.308-07:00Love, Control, and a Whole Load of BS...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.schauraum-fabrik.de/kuenstler/SEIFERT/LOVE_HURTS.GIF"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 442px; height: 287px;" src="http://www.schauraum-fabrik.de/kuenstler/SEIFERT/LOVE_HURTS.GIF" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I have a short and thoroughly unprofound philosophy on love and relationships. Maybe this is why I struggle with the physical <span style="font-style:italic;">emotions </span>involved with this whole complicated concept, which are not just 'love' but run the whole gamut from lust to jealousy, envy, hatred and beyond. It's like trying to jam a square peg into a round hole - my philosophy being the peg, real life being the hole. Here, you'll see why:<br /><br />My deal is this: <br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />You can't control who you fall in love with</span>. Period.<br /><br />And in turn, you can't just presume someone will fall in love with you. What did <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrZwGGKGkuU">Jack</a> say? "<span style="font-style:italic;">Lord knows that this world is cruel, and I ain't the lord, no I'm just a fool, learning lovin' somebody dont make them love you</span>." That's the crux of it, no? There's no rhyme or reason, no master plan to make the ladies or guys drop at your knees. That's what heartbreak is all about. And yes, of course I've fallen for girls who don't reciprocate, and yes it is a bitch, and often the opposite is just as bad. But I am who i am, and unless I do something profoundly stupid, I at least get it. It's me, but it's nothing really specific about me. Kind of understand what I am saying? I don't have the power to change her mind, before or after shit hits the fan.<br /><br />To a certain extent this lack of control often scares the shit out of me. What if i fall in love with the totally wrong person and get screwed? What if the wrong person falls in love with me? There are so many 'what ifs' that it worries at my head like an itch sometimes.<br /><br />So then, why do I feel most of the time that finding that 'someone' is just something that <span style="font-style:italic;">happens</span> to all of us? Realistically it is an irrational and nearly impossible concept, given my outline above, but I don't think I'll ever stop obsessively pondering it. And I bet everyone reading this does too - even those already in love have their own set of worries. Love is rarely infinite and unconditional, although we are all hoping for that deep down, aren't we? Hoping for the control to make it so. Frankly, that would be too f*cking easy, and life just doesn't work that way. In fact, when you fall out of love, or conversely, when love f*cking smacks you down in the worst way, you sow that into your soil and you use it to grow stronger roots. Make you more aware. Beef up your arsenal for the next battle. That part you <span style="font-style:italic;">can </span>control, or it will eat you alive.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.planestupid.com/files/images/break-up.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 350px; height: 270px;" src="http://www.planestupid.com/files/images/break-up.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Optimism hasn't been my strong point throughout my life. But I am learning. Love can screw you over, but you are often not at fault. Love may simply disappear into a puff of smoke after a short time, but it's usually out of your power. Of course, it's all more complicated than my 'philosophy' dictates so heavy-handedly, but it creates a nice fuzzy lens with which to view those events that happen in relationships and heck, at the very least it puts things into perspective at the worst of times.<br /><br />Funny then how two random people so totally out of control can come crashing into each other seemingly out of nowhere, and fall head over heels like it was meant to be, eh? Huh...that damn square peg again.the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-9261904474190691302009-08-09T21:46:00.000-07:002009-08-09T21:57:53.577-07:00Upcoming Flicks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img.omgstars.com/1143.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 324px; height: 480px;" src="http://img.omgstars.com/1143.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">A Nightmare On Elm St. (2010)</span><br /><a href="http://www.nightmareonelmstreet.com/"><br />Official Site</a><br /><br />I hate to be the guy...but this is one remake out of the hordes and hordes and HORDES of horror 'revisionings' that might actually benefit from a face-lift. Don't get me wrong, i love the original, but Freddy was never frikkin' <span style="font-style:italic;">mean</span> enough for my warped tastes. His status as an icon was always bigger and better than the films themselves anyway. Don't believe me? Go watch 2-7 and see what i mean. Eesh.<br /><br />And frankly, Craven's already bent over and taken it for <span style="font-style:italic;">Last House on the Left</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">The Hills Have Eyes</span> remakes, so what dif does it make now?<br /><br />(While on the subject,I am going to have a giant shit fit when <span style="font-style:italic;">Suspiria </span>comes out, just to warn everyone...I may have to lock myself up someplace safe with a big bottle of rye to get past the thought of someone soiling Argento's masterpiece).the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-30954892647079277322009-08-07T13:47:00.000-07:002009-08-09T21:38:12.605-07:00Documenting My Love Affair With 70's & 80's Trashy MoviesAnyone who knows me can attest to my love for cheesy, sleazy exploitation films from the 70's & 80's. There is just something insane and hilarious about the way filmmakers envisioned things back then, and how they went about putting these things on film. Anyway, I'm starting a list of things that almost always pop up in films from the era that I find either amazing, funny or just plain bizarre....or all of the above. They just <span style="font-style: italic;">do not</span> make movies like those anymore.<br /><br /><strong style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">1) Rampant Zoom Lens!</strong> - It seemed to be a favorite of the Italian schlock horror, usually characterized by a super-fast pull up to an actor's face or a close-up being yanked away to full frame. For what effect, I am still a little unsure, but any horror movie made in Europe pre-1985 inevitably has some amazing zoom shots. And when I say amazing, I mean...well...horrifically bad and awesome.<br /><br />Check out the trailer for Fulci's <span style="font-style: italic;">House by the Cemetery</span> below. Zoom everywhere! (NSFW, has a few gory moments)<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zbIiJeCpCgY&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zbIiJeCpCgY&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Or this bad boy, <span style="font-style: italic;">Burial Ground</span> (note the subtle spelling error at the beginning...i love this shit!):<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VOOwXX-uuso&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VOOwXX-uuso&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />And these are just the trailers! Love it.the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-61591365004492429052009-08-05T21:00:00.000-07:002009-08-05T21:49:40.294-07:00Ghosts of Ourselves, The Bitch That is Memory<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://baxterking.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/ghosts.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://baxterking.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/ghosts.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Ever wonder about ghosts? Real, or not? Fact, fiction, somewhere in between? <br /><br />I don't really give it much credence myself, other than the odd pang of acceptance or a thoroughly unfounded <span style="font-style:italic;">need</span> to believe. Hell, I love horror movies, and I find there is something in me that at some deep level wants to imagine there are ghosts...while my ridiculously rational side rejects it outright. I am a skeptic by nature. There is always an explanation....or rather, my mind automatically flounders for one. It's silly sometimes. Maybe that's part of the reason i love those films in the first place; they provide fodder for my morbid imagination.<br /><br />But people, man...people are haunted. Worse than any building or graveyard. More than anything else, people are formed and disformed, twisted and righted, bloodied and bludgeoned by what haunts them. Things that other folks do, or events that unfold around you outside of your control are one thing - but humans are most haunted by themselves. By bad decisions. By missed decisions. By wrong choices; even outcomes of seemingly right ones. Strange. As ultimately lonely beings, the one ghost in our lives that is the most tangible is our own person. I get it. I comprehend that. But what the f*ck is that <span style="font-style:italic;">all about</span>?<br /><br />You gotta wonder where along the way in our humanity this sort of thing became internalized. I hate things about myself. So do you, I'd be willing to bet. It's like the souls of decisions past stay with us, waiting to be resolved like our glowing friends do in the movies. And, of course, they rarely are resolved. Lost loves never found. Friends, lovers, enemies hurt. Important words not said in time. Missed opportunities. You can forgive others, but how often can you forgive yourself?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u87/jmscot/___Inner_Demons____by_YoukaiYume.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 252px;" src="http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u87/jmscot/___Inner_Demons____by_YoukaiYume.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>I don't know where I was really going with this, other than to say it adds up, whether you can count them all or have forgotten most. They define us. Make us who we are...or just as often, who we aren't. So then, are we just a collection of ghosts? Are our personalities and beings simply years of these strange souls stewed together into some sort of bubbling, frothing witch's brew?<br /><br />I'd like to think getting older means recognizing these ghosts...those spirits that stay with us like bad omens. If not, then where's the room to grow with a head jammed full of this shit? Ya gotta make space somewhere, and cleaning out those old skeletons seems like a good start to me.<br /><br />I try to think that, but i don't know if believe it. My mind's grasping for a more rational explanation.the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-31001393931864849382009-08-03T10:26:00.000-07:002009-08-03T10:38:17.298-07:00Upcoming Flicks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u87/jmscot/HouseOfTheDevil_postera.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 468px;" src="http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u87/jmscot/HouseOfTheDevil_postera.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.thehouseofthedevilmovie.com/">The House of the Devil</a> (2009)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.thehouseofthedevilmovie.com/">Trailer</a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">College student Samantha Hughes takes on a babysitting job at a remote mansion. The pay is good, but Samantha quickly realizes that she is trapped. As a lunar eclipse darkens the night sky, her employers carry out a horrific ritual with Samantha at the centre.</span><br /><br />Reviews from Fantasia have been really good. Sounds pretty generic, but who knows? I'll certainly be in line if and when it comes to theatres...<br /><br />Plus, I love that fucking poster. All kinds of win.the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-43999274076244645822009-07-31T09:14:00.001-07:002009-07-31T20:51:36.066-07:00I am not a film snob, y'all just watch shitty movies!The notion of what defines a 'good' and 'bad' movie is an intriguing one for me. Almost everyone can agree what a really bad movie is. <em>Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus</em>, for instance is a terrible movie. Anyone thinking otherwise needs to lay off the glue-sniffing. Youtube it, you'll thank me later. Okay, but what defines a good movie? A placement in IMDB's top 250? A 90+ percentage on rottentomatoes.com? A cult following? Box office success? Critical acclaim? I mean, come on...the last two almost always clash.<br /><br /><a href="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f145/goth_kid7666/st1-fulcilives_bumper.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 350px; height: 108px;" src="http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f145/goth_kid7666/st1-fulcilives_bumper.gif" border="0" alt="" /></a>Then I'll throw another wrench into things, as I am a guy who often loves 'bad' movies, albeit for all the wrong reasons...you know, the 'so bad they're good' low-budget flicks. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucio_Fulci">Lucio Fulci</a> is one of my favorite directors, but I highly doubt any serious students of film would even acknowledge him as anything other than a hack (which he was, I make no apologies, but he has a singular tone and atmosphere to his movies that has never, and will never be replicated).<br /><br />To me, there are a few important 'criteria'. <strong>1)</strong> The perfect melding of all my favorite elements - score, lighting, cinematography and atmosphere - are incredibly important. I'd even take that mix over story or plot. <strong>2)</strong> Pure love of film translated onto screen - what I mean is that a great director is just flaunting style with grace and bop-you-on-the-head panache, straddling the line between self-indulgence and unadulterated exuberance for the craft. Everything from Jodorowsky's <em>El Topo</em> to Fellini's <em>8½</em> qualify here. <em>Watchmen</em> is also a good example. <strong>3)</strong> Rewatchability. Hey, I like <em>The Usual Suspects</em> as much as the next guy, but it loses it's appeal after one or two viewings. Give me <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Lynch">Lynch </a>or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Cronenberg">Cronenberg </a>anyday over that kind of stuff.<br /><br />And of course, <strong>4)</strong> Emotional connection. The ones you tear up to, cover your eyes in terror, laugh at until your sides hurt. The ones with moments so real you want to kiss the director for making something so perfectly authentic. The films themselves don't have to be perfect, but the moments, the dialogue, even the characters themselves you could encounter on your next trip to the grocery store, or mirror your own memories/emotional states.<br /><br />So that's a lot of things to love...and maybe that's why i love the medium so much - I am not limited to one genre or critical pigeonholing to enjoy what i watch. Film is art, folks, and is infinite in it's depth and possibility. I won't limit myself to Apatow comedies or Tarantino-esque action flicks.<br /><br />OK, so here's an exercise: come up with a list of your 10 favorite movies. They don't have to be in order. Seems easy, no? Riiiight. I would be willing to bet that everyone (all 2 of you) would have entirely different lists.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u87/jmscot/suspiria1-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 333px; height: 193px;" src="http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u87/jmscot/suspiria1-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Here's my current, most-likely-will-change-at-the-drop-of-a-hat list, not in order (minus <em>Suspiria</em>, which is undoubtedly my all-time fav movie):<br /><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Suspiria<br />Re-Animator<br />Rushmore<br />2001: A Space Odyssey<br />The Good, the Bad & the Ugly<br />8½<br />Mulholland Dr.<br />Magnolia<br />Zombi 2 (aka Zombie)<br />Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion</span><br /><br />Here is a link to a great little article on top movie lists on <a href="http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/07/the_greatest_movies_ever_made.html">Roger Ebert's Blog</a>.<br /><br />And yes, sadly, I'll judge you by your favorite movies ;) As Nick Hornby said in High Fidelity:<br /><br />"It's no good pretending that any relationship has a future if your record collections disagree violently or if your favorite films wouldn't even speak to each other if they met at a party."the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-13119890948112963942009-07-30T09:11:00.000-07:002009-07-30T09:17:55.945-07:00Upcoming Flicks<a href="http://www.wildaboutmovies.com/images_7/Pandorum_000.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 325px; height: 482px;" src="http://www.wildaboutmovies.com/images_7/Pandorum_000.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><strong><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1188729/">Pandorum</a> (2009), </strong>starring Dennis Quaid<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMEhkTxs3_E">Trailer</a></strong><br /><br /><em>Two crew members are stranded on a spacecraft and quickly - and horrifically - realize they are not alone. Two astronauts awaken in a hyper-sleep chamber aboard a seemingly abandoned spacecraft. It's pitch black, they are disoriented, and the only sound is a low rumble and creak from the belly of the ship. They can't remember anything: Who are they? What is their mission? With Lt. Payton staying behind to guide him via radio transmitter, Cpl. Bower ventures deep into the ship and begins to uncover a terrifying reality. Slowly the spacecraft's shocking, deadly secrets are revealed...and the astronauts find their own survival is more important than they could ever have imagined.</em><br /><br />A little horror/sci-fi mix might be just what the doctor ordered.the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7098892600755573836.post-48955827838985705252009-07-22T07:20:00.000-07:002009-07-22T12:19:41.813-07:00Coincidence, or "Revelations on Vacation"I recently had a conversation with someone who was reading a book based on the premise that there is no such thing as a coincidence. Or, that perhaps we should look at coincidence differently than a simple random act of the universe. I think it was one of those Deepak Chopra-type deals - you know what I mean - the 'new age' spirituality genre that has exploded in the last ten-ish years or so, probably bolstered by a population increasingly sceptical about organized religion. I have nothing against this 'genre', but color me a little bit skeptical.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://inlinethumb01.webshots.com/14336/1175988604025974737S425x425Q85.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 425px; height: 318px;" src="http://inlinethumb01.webshots.com/14336/1175988604025974737S425x425Q85.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />So, it is a little disconcerting to me that this notion of coincidence not being random has become increasingly prominent in my life as of late - maybe it's because I am starting to push into my 30's and I'm trying to grasp at some sort of feasible future now that I am mature enough to actually deal with the whole concept...or perhaps it's because, with that idea always in the back of my mind, that I simply notice it more often and let it really sink in. I mean think about it - look back at the moment that you met your significant other. Or, for that matter, lost one. Do you consider it coincidence? In that light, is loving another person simply a random coincidence? I bet most would look back at it and consider it an event simply integrated into their life arc.<br /><br />Life does not seem to me to be random, at least not always. Things happen in a definable, linear way (think about an obituary - looking back on a life makes sense in this respect). There are small occurances that shape your entire future, and huge ones that don't seem to impact us on a larger scale, and vice versa. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/14540000/14545774.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 169px; height: 280px;" src="http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/14540000/14545774.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a>It's like a <span style="font-style:italic;">Choose Your Own Adventure</span> book. Recognize the coincidence and embrace it. I'm not saying there is some sort of over-lying pre-destiny, or that there is fate at play here - those that know me know I am deeply skeptical of all things 'spiritual' - but that by taking a moment to think about those happenings in your life you can really put things in perspective. And from there it is becoming easier for me to use moments of inspiration as way-points on this aforementioned linear life arc.<br /><br />Coming 'round full circle, I guess there have been some epiphany-like times the last little while, and some real revelatory moments that in the past I either would not have noticed, or simply brushed off as blips on an otherwise straight-arrow existence. My vacation, and the context in which I left for it, has provided me with some time to reflect and also recognize some of these moments along the way. I sort of regret not taking more time to revel in these moments in my youth, as this is the real root of that familiar feeling of time flying by, especially through vacations or holidays or other such times.<br /><br />Or...maybe you've read this and agree that I am just getting old and prone to these rather boring inner-reflections. <br /><br />Or better yet, maybe you just happened upon this rant by coincidence...?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://aura1.gaia.com/photos/12/118121/large/0603-01gaia1998.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 480px; height: 364px;" src="http://aura1.gaia.com/photos/12/118121/large/0603-01gaia1998.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>the merchanthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06216978743065063934noreply@blogger.com0