don't expect it to tango; it has a broken back

Does anyone understand how amazing ingrid michealson is? I’m having a phase with her right now. Re-listening to her albums back to back and falling in love all over, it’s nice. Also, I’ve continued listening to the cure and, well, all is well auditorily.

One film that i have not seen in a while, but truely love is ‘Re-animator’ (1985). My suggestion is that EVEYONE on earth should see this film. However, I’m no fool. I recognize that this film is laced with VERY traumatic material - the head giving ‘head’ scene is a perfect example of this. Film/cinema is not perfect. I do not aim to imply that it is, but as a student of horror film influence and creation this movie is by far one of the genres most influential. What about Re-animator? What made me think of it? Well as a film itself it is often not respected, and the genre of horror itself is always tossed out as gross, bloody, disgusting, brutal, anti-feminist, sexist, racist, homophobic rubbish that any dignified cinema lover would not treasure. Forgive me for saying so but anyone who really likes cinema would NEVER cast out an entire genre. Everything deserves to be studied and respected for it’s influence regardless of personal feelings. And if you doubt the influence of ‘Re-animator’ not just on horror films but on any genre of film you haven’t seen enough movies. Trust me. For example, a favorite film of most college students, indie kids, cinema studies students, and suburban white kids looking for some tragic story to relate to is definitely ‘American Beauty’. Be mindful this movie, nor any film, was created in a vacum. Even Director Sam mendes and writer Allan ball have seen and or were influenced by horror film. How do i know this? Well for example in a scene in the 1999 Oscar Winner American Beauty that homages Re-Animator, there is a clear sign of horror film knowledge. That lovemaking scene [in Beauty] is shot exactly like the [“giving head”] scene in Re-Animator. They match shot for shot. [Kevin Spacey’s] head is in the bottom corner of the screen moving up her body. And the allusion is no mistake, since in another part of the film, Spacey’s character refers to that “movie, with the body walking around holding its own head. And then the head went down on that babe,” clearly referring to ‘Re-animator’. Given this information i cannot see how people can continue to ignore horror films value. If not on the entire film world then at least in the creation of more “worthy” cinematic experiences.

i stand by my admiration for this film, but not blindly. I recognize its faults and praise its wonders. I’m level headed like that :)

p.s. Castelia Dannae Mercer will be in my arms by 8:10 tonight, and you’re jealous.

this is the most beautiful siren the world has had the pleasure to know; please bow to her.

daylight licked me into shape

Daylight licked me into shape

Hello.

Welll today i have been obsessed with the cure. Their album “kiss me, kiss me, kiss me” is basically amazing and i can’t stop listening to it. I want to go buy it at bullmoose music tonight or tomorrow. So my music fix is satisfied. As for my movie fix, i havent been satisfied but i have a feeling tonight i will be. I’m thinking i’ll watch Aliens. Havent seen it in a long time and im introducing miranda to the whole series. It’s been going well, she likes it i mean.

Things with miranda have gone from amazing to indescribable. She bought me a beautiful standing jewelry box for our anniversary. I have wanted one for soo long, i was so thankful. I’m moving again real soon. I’m so excited to decorate a new room.

uh, im tired, starving, and sick of waiting. When am i going to be the next imfamous horror film scholoar? Speaking of starving, can we discuss how amazing this cupcake looks? please? thanks

two summers ago; i actually smiled.

It'll be two quid, mark

today i’ve been thinking a lot about “Peeping Tom”, made in 1962. Completely perverse & brilliant. So brilliant it ruined michael powells career. Which im sure he’s greatful for now. When your career is ruined, in years you become a genious to critics everywhere. And thoes critics shame the critics before them who called your work rubbish. They called it rubbish, we call is genious. However, theres always a fine line between the two.

So Mark, the main character in the film, carries around a camera. He shoots whatever he sees. The film opens with him filming a prostitute who advises him “it’ll be two quid” for her services. Once alone with her he reveals that one of the legs on his camera stand is actually some sort of ice pick. He slowly leans into her and as this is going on she can see the fear on her own face in the mirror attached to the top of the camera. Mark has made it so the last thing the victims sees before death is their own face frozen in horror. He continues this throughout the film and is eventually brought down. However, this is not whats important about this or any other film. The importance of peeping tom lies in the creation o Mark. The reason that this film ruined micheal powells career was NOT becasue it was perverse and women were being brutalized and killed. It is because unlike the myth created by a white supremist society, the killer in this case was an extremely likeable, sweet, handsome, talented guy. In 1962, this couldnt be. There were specific threats on the world and they did not include the composit character that would eventually become mark. The Haunting (1963) and Psycho (1960) symbolized perfectly what 1960’s audiences were to be afraid of: “ghosts” and the unstable “cross dressing” killer. These are extremes. The 1960’s audience lived on extremes, not that the person next door could be a threat.

I’ll keep thinking, but i know there is something more to this. When was the rise of the serial killer? Was it psycho? Or is that just wishful thinking? I know how much everyone loves to credit hitchcock for EVERY horror film tool, but i like to explore.

This weeks Films:

Rebecca (1940)

Aliens (1986)

The Night of the Hunter (1955)

i practically live in this car with this person :)

Good morning, Sangria.

Woke up at 4 am, a little earlier than normal. But still strange. It has now been 4 months of sleeplessness.  I find myself tossing AND turning all night. without interruption. Then i wake, suddenly, my eyes wide open! No chance of dozing off again.