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My Lazy Summer
...has been a lot less lazy lately. But thanks to the library, my friendly neighborhood video store, and various online sources, I've been able to set aside times at night when I get to see lovely, delicious horror movies. (At least, when my mother and I aren't going to the movie theatre to watch "Mamma Mia," but I'll pretend I never said that. I know I'm female, but I think most of my friends forget that.)
EYES WITHOUT A FACE!!!!!!!!!! I loved this. Not only is that one chick in this (Alida Valli from Suspiria and The Spider's Strategem), but this film is so amazing I couldn't believe it. The French really have been doing it right from the beginning. This is so classy and perfect and almost seems like it isn't a horror movie. It's gothic, very eerie, and it's got the father doing this for his daughter. Also, I've always been a big fan of blood & gore being implied rather than shown, ESPECIALLY in cases where it's going to end up looking fake. It's easier to imply than to spend hours on makeup and special effects that will someday be laughed at. Also, I loved that everyone seemed to have their own theme song in this movie. Really, really awesome. I've always like old horror movies like this.
My friend and I rented "Session 9" because we wanted something actually scary, and I'd heard a lot about this one. Also, it was between this and "Urban Legend" WHICH, by the way, I still want to see. I heard about this movie from somewhere, but I can't remember who from. It's some famous person's favorite movie. Some author, I think. I keep thinking Chuck Palahniuk, but then I think.... but really.... would this be his favorite movie? It's driving me nuts, though. Oh wow, I was right. I just looked it up. (Also, this has nothing to do with movies, but why are my eyes watering? .... oh, my mom's chopping onions.) I thought this movie was pretty eerie, but it's really a night movie. It would be completely ineffective during the day. I liked that the characters were not complete morons like characters can often be in a horror movie. Pretty spooky though, and though the twist was somewhat unoriginal the very last line still managed to send shivers down my spine.
We also rented "Turistas." I actually don't watch a lot of new horror. I don't ever go to the movie theatres to watch horror movies, usually because the ones that are out don't seem all that great (except for "The Midnight Meat Train" - I would DEFINITELY go see that if it was playing anywhere nearby). I remember when this one came out and I saw a preview for it. If I had told myself then that I would watch it a year or so later, I wouldn't believe it. But I did watch it, and I didn't hate it. I didn't particularly like it, either. For some reason, I just didn't consider it to be a horror movie. Like "real horror." The beginning is supposed to set the tone and create foreshadowing, but it didn't faze me in the least. I was sitting there and usually I feel at least a little bit queasy or unsettled if there's an opening like that or a scene somewhere in the movie like that scene, but I remember being completely aware of not being frightened or grossed out or really anything in the least, except for possibly indifference. Also, a lot of the time what makes a horror movie scary is having someone do something for absolutely no reason other than because they are absolutely sadistic. In this case, I won't lie, the guy has a pretty good reason to do this stuff. He's right. The gringos invaded their country. I think that if I was in Brazil, though, in a situation that seemed like it'd end badly, I'd think of this movie and be scared. In real life, people do things for a reason. But in the film world, the less of a reason there is, the scarier the movie is.
I am also reading the book "The Ruins" because I'd like to see the movie and I'm indulging in one last horror book before I go back to school on the 31st. When my friend and I were at Blockbuster renting those last two movies, I almost checked out either "The Ruins" or "Rogue," but, surprise of all surprises, everyone's (least) favorite video store has a clever new ploy to put all their hardworking, independent-owned counterparts out of business: "charge $5.43 for new releases and 99 cents - $1.99 for everything else. There was no way I was going to spend almost 6 bucks on a rental movie, geez, even a horror movie! I'll wait till I'm back at school and my netflix is started up again.
On the subject of reading, I finally got an issue of the August Rue Morgue. I got it around the 11th, I think, but I don't know if I mentioned it. I got it when I was driving (I WAS DRIVING!!! Hah - this is a big deal for me. I'm 19 and just learning how to drive) home from Eastern Washington and we stopped at the Barnes & Noble in the Tri-Cities. This issue is loaded with goodies. Not only does it focus on Pumpkinhead, it goes into the Clive Barker movies that are being made. The Midnight Meat Train, Book of Blood - and there was one more. Then there was something about the short story Pigeons From Hell, and southern gothic art. And Thriller on the back page. This is probably the second-best issue of the summer, right after the May issue on French gore. At least in my opinion. Close after the August issue is the June issue, on Japanese horror, and then the Hellboy one - for some reason, I wasn't big on it. Maybe because I have no real interest in seeing the movie.
When I get back to school, one of the first things I'll do it get my Friday night film club going again. Most of what I show is horror, but I also show random obscure movies. I don't think I've mentioned this before either, but I'll end this blog entry with the movies we watched last year in film club.
Pink Flamingos
Suspiria
The Devil's Backbone
Funny Games (the original, though it doesn't exactly matter)
Cannibal Holocaust
Blood and Black Lace
Man BItes Dog
Cemetery Man
The Iron Rose
El Topo
Sleepaway Camp
Ma Vie En Rose (little gay boy, not Edith Piaf)
Eraserhead
Cinemania
Sisters
Favorites: Pink Flamingos (I love John Waters), Suspiria (duh), Man Bites Dog, Cemetery Man, The Iron Rose, Sleepaway Camp (again, duh), and Sisters. I'll tentatively add Cannibal Holocaust to the favorites too. I don't think I ever want to see that poor turtle being torn apart ever again, but I'm glad I watched this. This was one of the movies I was too afraid to see until I decided to show it in film club (Man Bites Dog and Pink Flamingos were two others on that list - so were Irreversible and Audition, and I saw those this year too!). I'm really glad I saw it. It had a great (scary) message and I enjoyed it a ton more than "House On The Edge of the Park" which, if I'm not being a dumbass, is done by the same guy - Ruggero Deodato.
With that, it's time for dinner. Maybe I should ask my mom if we can cook ourselves a turtle. :D
- -I have no problem with Mamma Mia. Is it true what I've seen in the trailers? That Pierce Brosnan can't sing...at all?
-I like Urban Legend, but part of that is because one of my personal passions is urban legends. I live at www.snopes.com. So I enjoyed seeing a killer twistedly reenacting them. (And I love the twist) I'd avoid Final Cut though, the sequel. It's a definitely visible step down.
(I'd make a Flight of the Conchords reference on the chopping onions, but i'm not sure you'd get it.)
-Oh blockbuster's plan's even more insidious than that. Notice how newest releases are two day? A video store I loved (now closed) used to make EVERYTHING a 7 day rental. Plus it was cheaper. However, I've gotten lucky. I keep getting those scratch cards that reveal Buy one get one rentals for donating to childhood cancer research. Tonight I returned Rogue and The Wizard of Gore (remake). I liked Rogue a lot, but I thought it was a touch overhyped (but just a touch). The Wizard of Gore REALLY surprised me though. I haven't seen the original, but I know what it's about and like, and this really felt like a different, deeper film. It's a touch misogynistic though (as was the original) and you'd have to be able to get past the gratuitous nudity (it stars four of the suicide girls who basically serve little purpose (other than one) than being props for Crispin Glover to slice and dice on stage.
-Reason's important for me in horror too. While Hostel didn't scare me (again shock-horror thing I put in that comment on the splatter thing), I liked the movie a lot, particularly the totally bloodless scene in the locker room where you see what goes through the american's mind before he goes to kill his victim and you hear how he's in it for the adrenaline rush. Scariest moment in the movie, and not a drop of blood.
-Congrats on driving. This weekend's the festival of fear. I wish I could go see Craven, Hooper, Dourif, Kaufman (again
), Deodato (again ), etc. I shall survive with Robert Englund, Jeffrey Combs, Jake Busey, and John Kassir though, among others....and i'll get to see Mother of Tears before its dvd release in september. 
-Yes, deodato did house on the edge of the park. I need to see Cemetary Man, I want to see A Dirty Shame (the non-neuter version (John Waters)), and I really want to see Sisters and it's recent remake (direct-to-dvd). I've been told i need to see David Fincher. Also, seeing Wizard of Gore has put me in a mood to see all of HG Lewis's oeuvre...but I don't own any so I'd have to order them...theyd have to go through the randomizer...oy. I just ordered the cult classics Maniac Cop and Street Trash.
-Audition is such a dark little movie. So crazy how it builds to that wacked out climax. Recommendations I have for your group: Imprint (Miike's WHACKED OUT masters of horror ep), Jenifer and Pelts (argento's two non-giallo entries if you haven't seen them yet), a movie that I reviewed last weekend that will hopefully be up on the site soon( the French film 13 Tzameti), and a great french dark comedy that they're getting ready to rerelease in a special edition, Delicatessen. - I must ask, was Eraserhead good? I've been told it was phenomenal, but then again on the other hand I've been told it was incredibly boring.
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