The Myers House, NC

I wanted to give a shout-out to some Halloween fans who have managed to bridge film with reality: the owners of the Myers House, in South Carolina, have managed to recreate the famous house from Halloween (1978) and have turned it into a must-see attraction. Along with the highly detailed recreation, they have branched into film and have made Judith, a short film that chronicles the last night of Judith Myers, the sister of Haddonfield's one and only Boogeyman...

http://www.myershousenc.com/judith.htm

Jude..With Zombies?

Just recently, I started penning a parody of the Thomas Hardy novel and its subsequent film adaptation with Kate Winslet (which is how I discovered it.) So, what began as a literary parody in the vein of "Herbert West: Reanimator," ended up turning into a semi original tale involving a businessman trying to reconcile with his feeling towards his cousin as zombies ravage the countryside, threatening to end their existence. Will he profess and ultimately consummate his feelings? Or, will he become another servant of the Undead, ready to devour her? Or...the list goes on and on.

I Spit On Your Grave...Again!

Yes, you heard me ladies and gentlemen. Hollywood is remaking one of the most controversial video nasties: I Spit on Your Grave. It's due out sometime this year, and the trailer has just been released. Jeeze, Hollywood will remake anything that moves.

Here is a promotional poster I designed for my friend and I's band, Bloodwerk. Our sound is a mixture of Danzig and Bauhaus. And the lyrical content of our songs is entrenched in the macabre. Enjoy.

Bloodwerk...

Louie Hendrix: Guitar, bass, backup vocals.

Joel Frehn: Keyboard, Vocals.

Just recently, I stumbled across a strange, but very enjoyable gem on Youtube. Now, I have to preface this by stating that I am not a fan nor supporter of impersonations. In fact, I simply dislike the idea of someone trying to carbon-copy a performance of someone else. But, with that said, I was blown away by the following video. It answers the question of "...what would have happened if Mark Hamill was the Joker in The Dark Knight?" Turns out, it would be quite superb, since the actor channeling Hamill captures the essence that made his iteration of the Joker second to Ledger's. Enjoy!

Mark Hamill as the Joker

Today's been a successful one, overall: I just started working on editing and assembling act 1 of my novel, Wampyr. The problem is that I wrote it out of sequence, writing each of the character chapters in the cyber cafe during my lunch and dinner breaks. So, now I have a massive stack of chapters on the table in front of me, a pen in one hand, and a can of lemon-lime soda in the other, and I am ready to take on this daunting task.

Just recently, I watched Madhouse, one of Vincent Price's last horror films. Here is my review of it.

With Hollywood shamelessly drowning us in its cookie cutter releases - "Clash of the Titans," "How to Train Your Dragon" and "Hot Tub Time Machine" - I felt inclined to search through my library of films and locate an obscure or old release to review. Finally, I located an entry that

met both of my criteria: "Madhouse."

This 1974 contribution from Vincent Price and Peter Cushing chronicles the rise and fall of a late night horror movie host, Paul Toombes. The film opens at a premiere of one of Toombes' films (which consists of footage excised from Price's cinematic collaborations with b-movie god, Roger Corman,) and his discovery of his murdered wife immediately after the reception.

Toombes has a nervous breakdown from the trauma and spends a few years in an asylum. Later, when he is released, he is approached by his friend Herbert Flay (Cushing) and a television executive to resurrect his infamous character for a new television series to capitalize on the cult following of the character, Doctor Death. Toombes is nervous about reprising the character: he blamed it for the murder of his wife and does not want to tread the patch of darkness within himself. However, after being assured of a limited appearance on the show, he accepts the offer.

All seems to be faring well until murder occurs again, suggesting that the "Doctor" is at his devilish work once more. This attracts the attention of a bumbling Scotland Yard detective who investigates the murder by watching Toombes' filmography.

Yes, this is indeed where the unintentional humor arrives. Instead of having the detective provide comic humor to balance the atmosphere, he ends up like the clown policemen in "Halloween 5" and only ends up making the situation even more awkward. However, this humor continues into Toombes' world as well: the victims are dispatched with an array of weapons including a pitchfork and a mattress.

The second and third act of the film tracks the murders and the subsequent investigation into them. At first glance, this seems to be typical slasher-faire; yet, it violates all of the rules of the genre and alienates the audience even more, instead of satisfying them with the novel approach. If, however, one is interested in seeing an intelligent slasher that breaks the rules, I heartily recommend "Midnight Movie," a 2008 direct-to-video release that puts the current studio releases to shame.

What the film really has is a plot that is lifted from a film made within a year of it, "Theatre of Blood." Both films chronicle the fall of a protagonist - in this case, a Shakespearean actor, played by Price, who was cheated of a trophy - and their campaign of terror upon a group of people. In this case, there is no particular justification for the murders.

We later learn, courtesy of a revelation in the final scene, that Flay conducted the murders because he wanted to helm the role of Doctor Death, since he created the character. Even though this particular scene was supposed to be shocking, it renders the thinking audience members frustrated, because it seems as Mr. Spock would say, illogical. Why not take out Toombes? Why drive him mad, bring him back to sanity and to his career and then try to drive him mad again?

Thus, this raises the question: why bother watching this film?

First and foremost, it is Price's performance. He captures the fractured nature of Toombes perfectly and works well with Cushing, who also reprises his Count Yorga character in one scene.

Secondly, the sets and costumes are remarkable, considering this was an independently funded and on-the-fly made film.

Finally, the film is surprisingly suspenseful: one actually becomes caught up in the chase sequences, pining for a look or clue to as to the identity of Doctor Death. Logically, a film with plot holes to fly a 737 through should not have suspense, but "Madhouse" paradoxically creates it, making up for what it lacks.

Now, compared to mainstream cinema, as well as its brethren in the slasher subgenre and horror genre, it is not the diamond among the coals. But this crudeness is what redeems it: it fulfills the goal of cinema - to create an escape from reality, in this case for eighty or ninety something minutes, and provides a fine mixture of suspense and comedy. And, this combination is what makes it great to watch on a Friday night, when you are burning off the frustration from work or school and need something to shut the brain down for a period of time.

That is why b-films exist; not to make an artistic, social or political statement, but simply to cause thinking to cease when watching a film, which by definition is what films are supposed to do.

This is my review of the Wolfman (2010).

* * *

“The past is a wilderness of horror.” This dialogue from Anthony Hopkins in “The Wolfman” summarizes Hollywood’s foray into remaking and reimagining several major franchises. Yet, where all of its precursors failed- “Friday the 13th,” “The Fog” and “Halloween”- “The Wolfman” triumphs, saving a film that seemed destined to fail because of its troubled production history and catapulting it into the ranks of the best horror releases of the past decade.

What is it that separates director Joe Johnston’s latest film from the rest? It’s quite simple: it returns to and embraces its source material’s roots.

“The Wolfman” tells the tale of Lawrence Talbot (portrayed by Benicio Del Toro,) who returns home to his native Blackmoor, England after learning of his brother’s death. However, instead a supernatural menace with xenophobic overtones, Talbot discovers a Hamlet-like setup involving his father, Sir John, who is brought to life and menace by Anthony Hopkins. (The film’s ties and parallels with “Hamlet” are more pronounced in some instances, like when we learn that Lawrence was actually a Shakesperean actor who was helming the lead role in a touring production.)

What makes the plot solid, however, is its incorporation of all the themes and elements of Expressionist and Gothic horror, which were prevalent in varying degrees in the original. However, in this film, the audience is given all of the trappings: mental asylums, Gothic mansions, fog-enshrouded moors and frightened villagers with a mob-like mentality.

Yet, all of these wonderful visuals and sets would be incomplete without performances to activate them. Luckily, the film boasts solid performances by Del Toro and Hopkins, who capture the tension of a strained father-and-son relationship quite well. According to Hopkins, he based his performance on his father, who was “… a pretty red hot guy, but he was also cold. I learned from that, and I liked that coldness because it was harsh, and he taught me to be tough.”

Del Toro also brings complexity to the table in his performance of Lawrence, who grapples over the division between man and animal. The beauty of it is that the audience is left wondering throughout the film over how much control he has over his duality. In essence,

did the fatal bite introduce a new form of evil into him, or did it simply endow him with the wolf claws?

The duo’s performances are also supplemented by that of Emily Blunt as Gwen, the love interest and Hugo Weaving, as Francis Abberline, a Scotland Yard detective. What’s also interesting is that

Abberline was based on the real life Frederick Abberline, an investigator whose career grew and fell with the Jack the Ripper investigation.

These wonderful performances only compliment the visual effects of the film, a rare marriage of both elements (yes, “Transformers,” I’m referring to you.) Prosthetic and makeup effect artist Rick Baker brings this terrifying beast to life with his prosthetic and mask arrangements that hint at what the creature could have looked like in the preceding film, had there not been a limited supply of yak hair thanks to World War II.

However, the only downside to all of this is that the transformation sequences are digitally rendered, but the result is not lousy and actually appears convincing. The only instance of questionable CGI craftsmanship involves a bear. For reasons unknown, the production company opted out of renting a live creature and decided to utilize an animated animal they had on file. Thankfully, the beast’s screen-time is about a minute total, which mostly eliminates it from being a distraction.

Another area in which the film flourishes is in its soundtrack. Composer Danny Elfman created a score in the same vein as Wojciech Kilar’s score for “Bram Stoker’s Dracula.” It works by creating a hauntingly beautiful musical landscape. It’s hard to believe that Universal Studios almost replaced his period appropriate score with an electronic score done by Paul Haslinger. With the help of Elfman, however, the film takes off, having a score that adds extra menace to the images of the fog-choked English moors on a full moon.

“The Wolfman” is one of the best horror reboots, as well as cinematic contributions by Joe Johnston. After delivering the mess that was “Jurassic Park III,” Johnston has finally found the perfect formula and franchise to offer his unique vision. Even though he has hinted at returning to filming dinosaurs, his true calling is with the old Universal Monsters.

I give the “The Wolfman” an A- as a horror film and reboot. If I were to judge it as a regular cinematic entry instead of a genre contribution, however, my rating would descend, since horror pictures are not in the same realm as regular cinema. In essence, “The Wolfman” takes us on a terrifying journey through the English countryside, to the rooftops in London and into the darkness of the human soul.

Alice in Wonderland

This is my review for Alice in Wonderland, when it was released.

***

According to filmmaker David Cronenberg, in order to remain faithful to a novel, you have to betray it. This belief, which was made in reference to his own film adaptations, is prevalent in Tim Burton's blockbuster version of "Alice in Wonderland." The film pays homage to the works of original author Lewis Carroll, but is not a direct cinematic version of the book.

One of the first major alterations to the source material is the circumstances surrounding Alice's entrance into Wonderland, which in the film, is referred to as "Underland." In the novel, Alice chases a vest coat-wearing bunny down a magical rabbithole to escape boredom; in the film, she chases the rabbit, trying to escape her arranged marriage. This alteration is one of the new trademarks by director Tim Burton, who previously examined arranged marriages in Victorian London in "The Corpse Bride." It can even be considered a sister-piece for the film, since they share the same plot, cast and ending.

The alterations also include the state of Underland: when Alice had previously visited it and left with amnesia, the Red Queen took over and started enslaving the inhabitants, not unlike the villainess of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." So, it is up to Alice to fulfill the prophecy: to acquire the Vorpal Sword and to ensnare the Jabberwocky, the Queen's attack-dragon. That is pretty much the extent of the story. However, the film does offer some intellectual food: it examines the debate over free will and predestination, but does not offer a conclusion.

Narrative decisions aside, the film is distinct from all of the preceding adaptations because of the world Burton creates for the viewer. The Wonderland here is a lush, animated place like Pandora, but with speckles of Mordor thrown into the midst. In the hands of other directors, the contrast would have been paradise versus hell, in terms of the landscape. But, with Burton, he makes everything frightening and comforting, capturing the duality of the text. The contrast is not limited to the visuals, either. The film shows the whimsical characters and their circumstances - whether it be the dark undertones of implied decapitation, the absurdity of Alice changing height or her character ending up naked almost every fifteen minutes.

Populating these dark and wonderful places are the Burton Regulars. Much like John Carpenter and Rob Zombie, Burton has his own set of players who he continually recycles and are cast in unsurprising roles in the film for the most part. Johnny Depp portrays the eccentric Mad Hatter, who spends his time indulging in slapstick
humor that would make the Stooges proud or reciting riddles he doesn't know the answer to. Helena Bonham Carter, Burton's domestic partner, takes on the role
of the Red Queen, offering snickers and terror. But, Alan Rickman ended up with a shocking role; instead of voicing the Jabberwocky, which was voiced by Christopher Lee, he takes on the character of the Blue Caterpillar, an opium-using creature offering veiled prophecies.

Adding soul to the lifeblood of the film is none other than Burton's cinematic-lifetime collaborator, Danny Elfman. Elfman offers a score that is not as epic and loud as his previous contribution in "The Wolfman" (which was arguably an influence of his hero, Bernard Hermann.) The soundtrack is subtle and adds extra hues to the content on screen, though it can be rousing at times (the final confrontation on a large chessboard) or mournful (when the Hatter recounts his tale). The score itself is not required to carry the film, unlike "The Wolfman," but works along with it, providing a diverse and organic arrangement.

So now, a question arises: how does one evaluate this film? Well, that's very akin to asking, like the Mad Hatter, how is a raven like a writing desk? On one hand, the film captures the spirit of Lewis' works and ends up more truthful than previous adaptations. Those who want a page-for-page retelling should view the previous incarnations, but should avoid the 1976, x-rated musical. On the other hand, it is not one of Burton's best. He has departed from his style -- which is a hybrid of German Expressionism, Gothic Art and Edward Burra -- and ended up painting a Burraesque feature. However, he will be returning to his original style: he will be directing a stop motion animation adaptation of "The Addams Family," which, like Alice, will undoubtedly be the penultimate adaptation.

Herbert West: Remaker?

This is one of the articles I have contributed to the collegiate paper, The Juniatian. In it, I examine Hollywood's trend towards remaking and rebooting intellectual properties, instead of creating and fleshing out new ones.

*****

Remake. If there is one word in the world of cinema that can trigger both excitement and dread, it is this term that has now become a genre with its own branches: reboot, prequel, and seaquake. Sadly, this has become the dominant genre in Hollywood: studios are willing to shell out hundreds of millions of dollars for a reintroduction of an established franchise or character, but are leery about giving a director with an original idea a 15 million dollar budget. During my search into the heart of the phenomenon, I learned several truths about our film-going society as well as the genre itself.

It began with a superhero film. Even though there had been previous entries that had paved the road for remakes to come, there was one film that kick-started the engine and sent it ripping down the cinematic thoroughfare. The film, which launched Christian Bale's career and grossed around 373 million dollars worldwide, was none other than "Batman Begins." Suddenly, the removal of the stain left by the Schumacher precursor opened the eyes of studio executives including Bob and Harvey Weinstein, Alan Horn and Brad Fuller, along with many others. Now was the time to venture out into the cinematic cemeteries, dig up the remains of their deceased franchise and allow the long awaited lightning (audience interest) to perform the necessary resurrection.

Following the success of his blockbuster child, Warner Brothers executive Alan Horn applied the electrodes to another franchise: Superman. "Superman Returns" stormed the box office, taking in around 300 million dollars worldwide, and earning mostly negative reviews. But, this roadblock did not stop the remake machine: it plowed right through it. After all, who cares about critical reception when you're basking in around 5 times the operating budget of a third world nation? Afterwards, countless remakes flooded the direct-to-DVD market, festivals and theatres nationwide. However, the next major reboot was in an opposing genre: horror.

On Aug. 31, 2007, Rob Zombie's retelling of John Carpenter's "Halloween" slashed through cinematic screens, making a killing of 80 million dollars on a 15 million dollar budget. This Weinstein Brothers prodigy inspired producer Brad Fuller of Platinum Dunes to get his assembly moving at full speed; the first products were the seaquakes -- sequels to his remake of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," -- and then a reboot: "Friday the 13th." The film did well, which created a path for the next Dunes' remake: "A Nightmare on Elm Street," which is to be released on April 30.

So, in this maelstrom of remakes, it is hard to make sense of how original content is discouraged, but a subsequent rehashing is encouraged. One might argue that aside from the studio mentality, (which Alan Moore summarized as ". . .Hollywood [being] run by accountants,") it is becoming increasingly difficult to draw audiences to theaters. In the dawn of the Pirate Bay, online entertainment and television, audiences are faced with many other accessible entertainment options that are becoming increasingly available and successful. Or, in these economic times, it can be a bit of a pinch having to shell out 20 dollars for an uncertain film. Thus, this results in the studios having to use old franchises to provide something that the audience is familiar with; something that an older generation can introduce to a younger one. This is one of the reasons why Freddy, Batman, Jason, the A-Team and many others will never die: they have become ingrained in the public consciousness and will be passed down from studios and their familiar audience to a younger one.

Yet, while those who are opposed to remakes never consider these facts, there is another important section of history that is being ignored: remakes have always been around. Take, for instance, Universal Studios' presentation of "Dracula," which was made only nine years after F.W. Murnau presented his with "Nosferatu"; or take the Hammer Studios' updating the Universal Monster classics; or, Disney presenting "Hamlet" through "The Lion King." The list goes on and on.

One has to realize that remakes are an inevitable occurrence in Hollywood; but, eventually, this nitrous-powered machine will run out of fuel and coast along to the side of the road and await future activation. So, critics and fans can complain all they want, but remakes are going to be with us for a little while longer.

But, the fact that these properties are being remade does not take away from the fact that the original films still exist and will not be replaced. In fact, the critics are not being forced to accept the new interpretation as the penultimate presentation; in fact, they should attend a matinee screening and give the film a chance.

Why? The truth is that not all of the executives are artistic sharks; in fact, some of them are fans like us who love something and have a job to maintain. Producer Brad Fuller responded to the allegation that he was "remaking A Nightmare on Elm Street for money" by posting on his blog,
"... I have always wanted to produce movies; it's been a lifelong dream of mine. The measure of my success, however, is determined by the amount of money our films make for the studios . . . and, the box office numbers continue to show that viewers want to see what we are putting out."

Impatiently Waiting

It's been almost two years since the last issue of Halloween Comics' "The First Death of Laurie Strode," was due. Naturally, I had heard the news of Devils' Due financial woes, but unintentionally underestimated it: during Free Comic Book Day, I spoke with the owner of the comic book store regarding the matter. He checked and informed me that DDP had canceled all of the Halloween titles, and was releasing very few titles. Now, there are rumors that the comics along with the staff have migrated to a new publisher, but no confirmation has been issued. The only event that has happened was the Halloween Comics website moving over to a new server and having the design revamped. If you haven't already, I highly reccomend reading their titles for the Halloween mythology: they are better than the sequels. However, they are difficult to find: Nightdance has been issued as a trade paperback that you can buy on Amazon; The First Death of Laurie Strode #'s 1-2 can be found on eBay, with # 2 on Amazon; and Halloween: 30 Years of Terror can be found on eBay as well. If you are financially strapped or cannot secure any of them, no worry: on the website, they have two eBooks available for free download - "Sam" and "White Ghost."

Now, I am not trying to sell them, but am promoting the wonderful writing: Stefan Hutchinson has mapped out an entire story arc for the series. In each entry, you will find a piece that fits to a corresponding place on the puzzle. So, until we are entreated to a fully release, enjoy what's available--it's good good.

*Note: for those of you unfamiliar with the series, the comics series takes the first film, the second, H20, and Resurrection into continuity; the others are disregarded, but will be tied together in a future anthology release, Mark of Thorn.

Full Dark, No Stars

Stephen King has officially announced the titles and summaries for his upcoming short story collection, Full Dark, No Stars, which is tentatively due this coming November.

According to his website, the stories are:

"1922

The story opens with the confession of Wilfred James to the murder of his wife, Arlette, following their move to Hemingford, Nebraska onto land willed to Arlette by her father.

Big Driver
Mystery writer, Tess, has been supplementing her writing income for years by doing speaking engagements with no problems. But following a last-minute invitation to a book club 60 miles away, she takes a shortcut home with dire consequences.

Fair Extension
Harry Streeter, who is suffering from cancer, decides to make a deal with the devil but, as always, there is a price to pay.

A Good Marriage
Darcy Anderson learns more about her husband of over twenty years than she would have liked to know when she stumbles literally upon a box under a worktable in their garage."

I am eagerly awaiting this collection...I hope it'll be a return to his tone, instead of a second volume of Different Seasons. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy all of his works, but since Nightmares and Dreamscapes, I haven't found a collection from him that delivers a heavy punch. Here's to hoping.

Blu-Ray...The Final Frontier on a Forbidden Planet in a Galaxy of Terror

Good news to our fans of sexploitation, Roger Corman, and slug rape out there:

Shout! Factory, the company that has brought cinematic gems such as Amazonia: The Catherine Miles Story, Castle of Freaks, as well as the Elvira hosted releases to DVD, has announced its upcoming releases. For their Roger Corman collection, they will be releasing Galaxy of Terror (which has notoriety for its worm-rape scene involving Taafe O'Connell,) as well as Forbidden World. According to the press release, we can expect the following extras in our seedy packaging in BD:

Special Features: Forbidden World

Disc 1:

New anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) in high definition transfer from the Inter-Positive films elements of the R-rated theatrical cut
Interview with producer Roger Corman
Interviews with cast and crew
A look at the special effects of Forbidden World featurette
Original theatrical trailer
Additional New World trailers
Disc 2:
The never-before-seen, unrated Director’s Cut (4:3 - Full Frame)
Audio commentary with director Allan Holzman


Special Features: Galaxy of Terror
Commentary with Cast and Crew
New Worlds featurette
The Crew Of The Quest featurette
Planet Of Horrors featurette
Future King featurette
Launch Sequence featurette
Extensive photo galleries
Theatrical trailer with commentary from writer/director Joel Olsen
Original screenplay


If you're interested in additional information, feel free to check the webpage at

http://www.shoutfactory.com/browse/318/roger_cormans_cult_classics.aspx

Shout! Factory, the company that has brought cinematic gems such as Amazonia: The Catherine Miles Story, Castle of Freaks, as well as the Elvira hosted releases to DVD, has announced its upcoming releases. For their Roger Corman collection, they will be releasing Galaxy of Terror (which has notoriety for its worm-rape scene involving Taafe O'Connell,) as well as Forbidden World. According to the press release, we can expect the following extras in our seedy packaging:

Special Features: Forbidden World

Disc 1:

New anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) in high definition transfer from the Inter-Positive films elements of the R-rated theatrical cut

Interview with producer Roger Corman

Interviews with cast and crew

A look at the special effects of Forbidden World featurette

Original theatrical trailer

Additional New World trailers

Disc 2:

The never-before-seen, unrated Director’s Cut (4:3 - Full Frame)

Audio commentary with director Allan Holzman

Special Features: Galaxy of Terror

Commentary with Cast and Crew

New Worlds featurette

The Crew Of The Quest featurette

Planet Of Horrors featurette

Future King featurette

Launch Sequence featurette

Extensive photo galleries

Theatrical trailer with commentary from writer/director Joel Olsen

Original screenplay

If you're interested in additional information, feel free to check the webpage at

Special Features: Galaxy of Terror

Commentary with Cast and Crew

New Worlds featurette

The Crew Of The Quest featurette

Planet Of Horrors featurette

Future King featurette

Launch Sequence featurette

Extensive photo galleries

Theatrical trailer with commentary from writer/director Joel Olsen

Original screenplay