Random Ramblings from the Vault...
I'll be damned if I can remember the last time I saw a "mainstream" theatrically released horror film with as much balls-to-the-walls gore as Piranha 3-D. It even had me getting a bit queasy at times, which is a good thing. And that opener with Richard Dreyfuss? Worth the price of admission, even with the horrendous CGI.
- Recently had a chance to pop in The Brain That Wouldn't Die during one of my late-night battles with insomnia. Never realized how much lurid, sleazerific stuff that flick had going on. 1950s stripper catfights? Sign me up.
- Speaking of stuff you miss on first viewing, after a re-viewing of A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge, I can't believe they were ever able to get the movie made, what with all the gay subtext going on. I've said it before, and I'll say it again--that's a daring, egregiously underrated horror sequel if ever there was one. Sure beats the hell out of soul pizzas, I can tell you that.
My excitement levels continue to rise for AMC's The Walking Dead. I literally have seen nothing thus far that would lead me to expect anything but greatness from the new series, set to debut in October (I'm assuming as soon as Mad Men finishes up.) I'd love to do a week-by-week episode review, but I'm assuming everyone and their mother will be doing the same thing. Hear that, blogosphere? I call dibs on the Walking Dead episode reviews! Ahem, glad that's settled...
- If anyone's looking to get me a birthday/Christmas present this December, might I suggest the book Final Exits by Michael Largo, winner of the 2006 Bram Stoker Award for best non-fiction book? Cool, thanks.
Am I the only who still has trouble getting through the opening credits for Tales from the Darkside in a darkened room all by myself? Just wondering.
- My most recent sidebar poll, regarding which vampire you would allow to bite you, has really got me thinking. That's got to be one of the most fascinating aspects of the vampire legend, don't you think? That a victim would be so under their power as to allow themselves to be bitten, regardless of the risk involved. Quite a fascinating concept, no? I think the morbid drive toward self-destruction is one of those themes at the very heart of much of horror.
- One upcoming project that has certainly piqued my interest is Guillermo del Toro's Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. The recently released trailer has me more intrigued than ever. The original is easily my favorite horror TV movie of all time, but there's certainly a lot of room for improvement, especially with someone with the proven genre chops of Del Toro involved. Bring it on.
A recent Facebook debate got me thinking (I'm really doing far too much thinking these days)... I think the world can be divided into those who think Alien is the superior film to Aliens, and those who prefer James Cameron's sequel to Ridley Scott's original. As for me, I've always been in the former camp--Aliens is a terribly entertaining action flick, but Alien...ah, that's just sublime film-making right there. I also take the same stance with regard to the Terminator films. The first one is a taut little sci-fi thriller that has stood the test of time; the sequel, a bloated, dated cheesefest.
- Are you a zombie in the general New York vicinity? Well, there just so happens to be a zombie crawl coming up in October that you might want to be a part of. It's the Village Invasion, descending on Saugerties, New York on the evening of October 16. Organized by the demonically delightful Cruella Moxham (an upcoming Visceral Visionaries victim/subject), it's sure to be a brain-munching bonanza. Get more info here...
Speaking of demonically delightful, I'd like to thank the amazing Kristy Jett of The Blood Sprayer and Fright Rags, who despite having a blast all weekend at the Monster Mania convention in New Jersey, still managed to find the time to randomly put me on the phone with Joe "Mark" Seely and Erika "Greta" Anderson of Nightmare on Elm Street 5 fame. Possibly my most surreal experience since riding around Cleveland in a rental car with Mr. Perfect and the Big Boss Man...
17 comments:
Please say at some point on that ride along Curt Henning said "And now you're going to see a perfect three point turn".
Mike for the win!
That said, The Brain the Wouldn't Die is another film that traumatized me as a kid. That effin woman's head on the cookie tray, and that monster in the closet ripping off people's limbs...great stuff.
At least you were wise enough to not take that trip down to Cobb County Georgia...
Otherwise, I completely agree about Alien/Terminator. the sequels are fun, but bloated is a great word for them - especially T2.
You're not alone when it comes to getting through the opening credits for Tales From the Darkside. I always have to hide underneath my blanket.
You're my hero for riding around in a rental car with Mr. Perfect and the Big Boss Man! That's awesome!
Ditto vis-a-vis Terminator. I used to avoid the first one as a youngster, but I've recently fallen back in love with it, and the more I watch T2 the less I like it. Though I'm still undecided on the whole Alien vs. Aliens debate. They both have their pluses and minuses. Plus I'm firmly in the Alien 3 alternate cut camp anyways.
Great post! I've never been a fan of the Alien movies since I can't stand sci-fi, give me a good devil possession anyday. Even though T2 was cheesy I still loved it.
That intro from Tales From the Darkside is truly fab, I love it.
And yep, it's eerie as hell.
And I'm in your corner with the Alien debate. While the sequel is quite good, I will always prefer the original. Always.
Original Alien is the best, by far.
Gah, these other Emilys are beating me everywhere!
1. I too loved Piranha. Big gross fun.
2. Freddy's REvenge is definitely the most interesting of all the mainstream slasher sequels. It's fascinating.
3. The Walking Dead can have my babies. Or reverse that, whatever, I too am excited for it.
4. The Tales From the Darkside opening is super. A lot of the episodes have aged dreadfully, but those 40 seconds of "The dahhhhhhhhk side" still get me too.
I was always creeped out by the opening for Tales from the Darkside. Unfortunately, except for one or two episodes, I always found them to be uniformly terrible, and the opening credits were the only scary thing going on.
I do recall one episode called, I think, Cutty Black Sow, that was scary, and I think there was another called "The Yattering & Jack," the only value to which was that it was a Clive Barker adaption.
As for the Alien/Aliens controversy, I offer a different perspective. While some may think this hyperbole, I treat the Alien franchise like the Godfather series of movies: the first two are wonderful, if different movies, of about equal weight, but all that comes afterward is utter trash.
I, too, agree that The Terminator is superior to all that come after it by a long sight. I never cottoned to the sequels. I found T2 to be "a bloated, dated cheesefest," T3 more of the same, and the most recent iteration to be the movie they should have made immediately as the sequel, but without the tortured origins of the main character.
Mike, I can tell you they did spend a lot of time telling me about what a lunatic the Ultimate Warrior was... And Morgan, kudos to you for even knowing who those guys are!
Ms. Intravia, there are now officially two blogging Emilys, so we will have to start using last names. I'm also tickled pink at your support for Nightmare 2.
I was amazed Piranha got the R rating, with not only the gore but the nudity as well.
"Don't be Afraid of the Dark" scared the crap outta me when I saw it during it's first run on ABC. Nightmares. That one and "Trilogy of Terror" with that fetish doll.
I'm with RayRay in regards to the Alien vs. Aliens debate.
I'm glad to hear someone else say they like both Alien and Terminator over their respective sequels. I feel the same way about NotLD and, though this is straying from the conversation a bit, Star Wars.
I don't know, man, for my money it isn't the gore of Piranha that made it awesome. It's the megawatt star power.
When Christopher Lloyd raised him arms above his head and started shouting, I knew I would passionately love the movie. It was glorious. And I honestly thought I would never stop laughing. I still laugh when I think of it now.
And yes, Alien kicks the withered ass of Aliens. 'Nuff said.
I keep hearing about Jerry's death scene in Piranha. Bleck.
Piranha's would have eaten Jaws in under 5 seconds flat.
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