MAY 31, 2012 3:06PM
The May Phantasmagorical, 2012
Wherein
ChillerPop presents a short, unwordy lazy roundup of the month in
phantasmagoric, creepy, spooky, speculative, fantastical, wonderful,
science-fictiony, monstrous, psychotronic and strange...and stuff like
that...
Howdy friends. In my never ending yet futile quest
not to fall off the blogging map (and Open Salon map) I am here with my
monthly. I am now inhabiting a new home, no more back-breaking moving or
unpacking- yayy - and so I hope to step it up this summer with more
posts.
But I'm still
quite behind in cinematic pursuits. This summer I am dedicated to
seeing Dark Shadows, The Dark Knight Rises, Cabin in the Woods, and
Prometheus....DAMMIT!
I saw Avengers of course, and absolutely loved it, and don't have much more to gush about than you've read in various other places.
Now The Dark Knight Rises - I posted a comment on another OS blog that its trailers suggest some kind of S&M tone poem (or is the movie also about Occupy Wall Street,
as suggested by what Anne Hathaway's Catwoman breathily whispers into
the ear of Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne?). Everything is dark like a
dungeon, everyone is clad in fetish gear, angry and bound with
restraining "equipment", with a villain that looks like he came out of
some scummy "snuff film panic" genre movie (see Nic Cage's 8MM),
And I don't know whether to hail what the Bat-fans call the
"Nolan-verse" with it's so-called gritty realism or look back to the
colorful, groovy, joyous mod pop-art of Batman of 1966? And why should I love that and yet hate 1998's Batman and Robin? A possible future blog post.
Oh yeah - how does this all tie into 50 Shades of Grey?
I mentioned moving, and among all the stuff we had to
rediscover and get rid of were countless of my wife's YA novels. This
led me to reread an old - classic? - Lois Duncan's Summer of Fear.
Now
picture a lazy spring afternoon in rural Connecticut in what I believe
was 1982, where I'm playing in my room and I hear noise from the
television. I walk over to the living room and I see my mother - who
couldn't sit through any kind of horror movie to save her life -
absolutely riveted to a 3-in-the afternoon movie on Channel 9. "Esta es
una bruja!" my mom exclaimed gleefully. And when your own mom is
fixated on what appears to be a movie about an evil witch, how do you
not sit down and watch it with her? But it doesn't stop there. My
sister joins in. She thinks she's seen it before. Then my dad walks in
at the goofy finale.
Soon, Wes Craven's Summer of Fear (then billed as Stranger in Our House)
becomes a fond family memory for me, although the rest of my family
does not remember this moment at all. "Stranger in Our House" was
directed by horror master Craven, and stars a whiny and poodle-haired
Linda Blair, a young and lovely and un-nanny-ish Fran Drescher, and Lee
Purcell, the titular stranger, who after much research I found out is a
former it-girl, successful producer and Scientologist.
With
adult filters and refined taste, you may find "Stranger in Our House"
silly and predictable and not worth your time. I think it's well done
as a suburban sunlit thriller of its time. Craven did a good job being
faithfull to the novel and making us want to see how everything unfolds
despite the incessant whining of Linda Blair's character. I feel the
same way about the novel Summer of Fear, which I had to read in hidden embarassment then since it was very much ensconced in the girly YA world.
And what about the witchcraft horror genre? Is it
often used as metaphors for teen girl anxieties and competition?
Another blog post I promise to NEVER deliver!
Warning: SPOILERS FOR STRANGER IN OUR HOUSE IN YOUTUBE CLIP - I mean a big huge one, like, the whole ending....
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Comments
I love the Mom
story...And hey -- I once had that poodle hair thing going on. Boy, was
it scary! I want you to know Iwait with baited breath for each
month-in-summation... I always have a list ready for viewing after
reading your post!
Hi Chiller! *waves madly* That is an awesome story about your mom.
I am sooo looking forward to the new Batman. And I attempted to read 50 Shades of Grey when it was free fanfic. Meh.
I am sooo looking forward to the new Batman. And I attempted to read 50 Shades of Grey when it was free fanfic. Meh.
I'm glad you're settled
in your new abode. Here's a topic for you: where's Linda Blair now? It
seems the last movie I remember her in was "Repossesed" with Lesilie
Nielson. R
Congrats on the new home and settling in. That’s also a terrific family memory/story.
As for *that* poster featuring the “whiny and poodle-haired Linda Blair” ... I was pretty much frozen to the spot in mortified fascination upon contact. I’ll write you more about it — I may never be the same. As for the clip: the incorporation of the paper cutter gets top marks, and how “Rear Window” of Linda to utilize flashbulbs as a defense tool. Sadly, she wasn’t quite as whiny in this scene as I was hoping for.
We saw “Dark Shadows” and really enjoyed it but were apparently among six people who did. It was pretty funny if you ask me. Always look forward to your monthly installments, Chiller!
As for *that* poster featuring the “whiny and poodle-haired Linda Blair” ... I was pretty much frozen to the spot in mortified fascination upon contact. I’ll write you more about it — I may never be the same. As for the clip: the incorporation of the paper cutter gets top marks, and how “Rear Window” of Linda to utilize flashbulbs as a defense tool. Sadly, she wasn’t quite as whiny in this scene as I was hoping for.
We saw “Dark Shadows” and really enjoyed it but were apparently among six people who did. It was pretty funny if you ask me. Always look forward to your monthly installments, Chiller!
Oh I remember Lois Duncan. I loved her...must hit the library soon.
Hi everyone - sorry for the delayed responses
KC, as always, thank you! But i worry I am steering you down the wrooong path!
Midwest Muse - I think it's pretty hysterical that 50 Shades of Grey started out as Twilight fanfiction. Picturing pure, overwrought Edward and Bella in S&M is.....funny. I heard it's not great porn to begin with. Great to see you!
Trudge - an excellent topic. From what I've seen, Linda Blair looks to have moved on from her troubled periods in the 80's and 90's. She's very involved in animal rights causes and uses her fame and notoriety to support it, and from all appearances she seems like a lovely person. I think there's a documentary - and it might even be on youtube - titled "Didn't You Use To Be Satan?" which is about the effect that The Exorcist had on her growing up. Oh - and as for "Repossesed", one of my favorite reviews of "Exorcist: The Beginning" - one of two prequels, and a truly execrable one - contains the line "the possessed person looks and acts exactly like Linda Blair did....in Repossesed."
VA - all that said, I'm sorry I've permanently traumatized you with that poster! I'll try not to post old posters of Hell Night, Witchcraft IV, Zapped 2, Chained Heat and Savage Streets!
Hyblean Julie - Lois Duncan's a very interesting writer. She's a groundbreaking master of YA gothic and for a period in the 90's the culture was paying her homage, even tho she wanted no part of it. Very tragic story regarding her daughter, too.
KC, as always, thank you! But i worry I am steering you down the wrooong path!
Midwest Muse - I think it's pretty hysterical that 50 Shades of Grey started out as Twilight fanfiction. Picturing pure, overwrought Edward and Bella in S&M is.....funny. I heard it's not great porn to begin with. Great to see you!
Trudge - an excellent topic. From what I've seen, Linda Blair looks to have moved on from her troubled periods in the 80's and 90's. She's very involved in animal rights causes and uses her fame and notoriety to support it, and from all appearances she seems like a lovely person. I think there's a documentary - and it might even be on youtube - titled "Didn't You Use To Be Satan?" which is about the effect that The Exorcist had on her growing up. Oh - and as for "Repossesed", one of my favorite reviews of "Exorcist: The Beginning" - one of two prequels, and a truly execrable one - contains the line "the possessed person looks and acts exactly like Linda Blair did....in Repossesed."
VA - all that said, I'm sorry I've permanently traumatized you with that poster! I'll try not to post old posters of Hell Night, Witchcraft IV, Zapped 2, Chained Heat and Savage Streets!
Hyblean Julie - Lois Duncan's a very interesting writer. She's a groundbreaking master of YA gothic and for a period in the 90's the culture was paying her homage, even tho she wanted no part of it. Very tragic story regarding her daughter, too.
I'm just gonna say it: you are so cool!
I just saw Stranger on Neftlix free streaming. Didn't you think it was predictable?
Hi Dianne - huh, funny.
I tried looking for it on netflix streaming, couldnt find it. Sure,
its predictable. I'm not claiming its a great movie. I do think the
suspense and pace were well done. Thanks for reading.
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