The End Of An Era

Look everyone its been fun but I think its time to switch over to a new blog. This blog can be found here: http://madman731.wordpress.com/ and its pretty awesome, or so I like to think that it is. Anyways this is where you can find me now. This blog was a good starter one, and I enjoyed my time here, but I'm due to move on to newer pastures. If you want to follow my new one, great, but if not I appreciate your time, if you spent any here that is heh. While I might be tempted once in a while to make another post here, I doubt that I will. I'll still keep this one up, and I still can't believe its getting views every once and a while. Regardless of how the other blog turns out, this one has some memories that I'm leaving behind. Cheers.

Head Crushing 101

What happens when a prisoner named Riki aka Ricky is left to rot in a prison? Why as explored in the aptly named Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky, he proceeds to use his macho extreme kung fu skills to deadly effect. Story here is irrelevant, although from the loose plot and flashbacks its clear that Ricky became a master of the deadly arts because of his uncle, using them to seek revenge and taking five bullets in the process. This is not a movie so much as it is a video game brought to life on the silver screen, a display of Ricky's ability to take immense and outlandish pain while slaughtering his enemies on the bloody field of combat. The film's creators have no pretensions about the type of movie they are making, and hey we even get a scene where Ricky cries out in the rain-a Shawshank Redemption moment before The Shawshank Redemption was ever adapted on film.

You know what you are getting into when you see a man's head crushed, exploding into thousands of pieces upon impact. Ricky faces minor henchmen, dispatching them while dying numerous times and then getting new "lives" to their surprise. He even levels up a couple of times, thus feeding into the movie's distortion of reality, a staple of most action and martial arts films. The film naturally throws in a boss battle even, because what's a video game without the hero having to combat a massively grotesque enemy who's the last thing standing in their way? Plus there's even a bit of the overworked prisoners rising up to defeat their corrupt capitalistic masters, although that naturally gets cast aside mostly in favor of badass fight scenes and body parts getting crushed. You haven't truly experienced cinema until you have witnessed a hero proudly displaying the head of his vanquished foe, apparently. 91

TV Time

So I've decided that next year I will be focusing only on viewing TV shows, or at least going mostly that route. I'm burned out from watching movies and my time is more limited these days so TV fits well into my schedule instead of of movies. Here's what's currently on my Netflix Instant Viewing queue for shows:

1. Arrested Development (2003-2013): 4 seasons, currently on Season 4 Episode 8: Red Haring
2. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984-1994): 4 seasons, currently on Season 1 Episode 6: The Speckled Band
3. Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997-2002): 7 seasons, currently on Season 6 Episode 14: Older and Far Away
4. The League (2009-Now): 3 seasons, currently on Season 3 Episode 11: The Guest Bong
5. Lost (2004-2010): 6 seasons, currently on Season 6 Episode 8: Recon
6. Nikita (2010-Now): 2 seasons, currently on Season 1 Episode 3: Kill Jill
7. Parks and Recreation (2009-Now): 4 seasons, currently on Season 1 Episode 1: Pilot
8. Scandal (2011-Now): 1 Season, currently on Season 1 Episode 1: Sweet Baby
9. South Park (1999-Now): 15 seasons, currently on Season 1 Episode 8: Damien
10. Torchwood (2006-2009): 3 seasons, currently on Season 3 Episode 1: Children of Earth Day 1
11. Twin Peaks (1990): 2 Seasons, currently on Season 2 Episode 11: Masked Ball
12. The X-Files (1993-2001): 6 seasons, rewatch, currently on Season 6 Episode 16: Alpha

November Viewings-TCM Edition: 

 November 2nd- Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky (1991) at 1 AM-90  

November 8th- Breathless (1960) at 7 PM  

November 16th- Simon of the Desert (1965) at 12 AM
Savage Weekend (1979) at 1 AM See
No Evil (1971) at 3 Am

 November 17th-
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974) at 7 PM  

November 23rd- Suspicion (1941) at 3:15 PM  

November 25th- L'Atalante (1934) at 2 AM  

November 30th- Touchez Pas Au Grisbi (1954) at 10:15 PM
Five Million Years To Earth (1968) at 12 AM

Hell Hath No Fury Like A Woman Scorned

Deviating slightly from the novel, which was Stephen King's first and is utterly amazing, Carrie (1976) still remains an excellent adaption and is utterly terrifying, matching the book in terms of a really high eerie level and being just as unflinchingly bleak as the book managed to be. Carrie and her mother's utterly horrific relationship is depicted in the same fashion as it is in the book, and the scene where she is utterly humiliated by her classmates in the shower is fully intact. While I am not a particularly big fan of the movie's ending, the rest of the movie remains completely engaging, a horror classic that is still relevant. And which has been remade a few times, with a 2013 remake coming up that has great potential, even if it fails to live up to the Brian DePalma's version.

 One of my favorite moments in this movie however is Carrie's rage manifesting itself when a kid taunts her: she responds by causing the kid to fall off a bike. Rather simplistic, yes, but also serving as a chilling reminder of her ability. We feel sorry for her while also at times forgetting that Carrie has powers beyond hers or our understanding. The film even goes beyond the obvious lesson of "Don't mess with a teen capable of moving objects with her mind," turning life into a tragedy, something that the book also did so incredibly well. The fact that a few bad apples stop Carrie from true happiness (along with her evil fundamentalist mother) is rather sad, yet a cold reminder that life does not often result in happy endings. Small towns breed small minds, and Carrie's oppressors are indeed fools who only too late realize what they have unleashed.

When it comes to the film's ending my main beef is that the book's ending is far superior. Its more odd and creepy, residing in the land of matter of fact and is thus more pleasing. Yet this does not detract from the fact that DePalma's version is near perfect, and manages to channel King's words about a girl who possessed a gift that turned out to be a curse, concluding in tears even though it did not have to be this way. Poor Carrie White, a victim of circumstance of sorts, never able to move on to a better life and a less cruel place. Times may have changed, but high school unfortunately has not. 95

It Gets Dark Late At Night

Since its been recovered only as a series of stiles, London After Midnight (1927) feels a bit unsatisfying. Too bad since it has a great title and Lon Chaney is really creepy in this movie, embodying a creature with gigantic sharp teeth and piercing eyes, surrounded by fellow ghouls in the crumbling remains of an old mansion. What occurs in this odd piece turns out to be quite unexpected, which is a good thing, yet I felt cheated a little. Since this is a movie from the silent era a remake would almost be warranted, or at least a movie that uses the title while being far more interesting. There has not been a more misleading title since Jason Takes Manhattan in horror history, and while I'm not sure if this is a horror movie its got a high enough creepy factor to qualify as such. Regardless, its good that I took a chance on this movie, and TCM was cool enough to feature a lost piece of cinema that was thought lost to everyone.

A final note: interestingly enough this was one of the highest grossing Chaney/Browning collaborations. I'm sure that Chaney being his usual awesome self was enough to get people into theaters, but I would like to go back and time and see this movie as it actually was. That would be a treat. 65

Post Election Coverage 2012: MadMan Style

Depending on who you voted for yesterday, by now you are either really depressed or incredibly happy. Perhaps your more like me, who voted third party but really did not like Mitt Romney, so hey its good that he lost. Regardless there are many who will read way too much into the results and make statements filtered through bias. I of course am going to be one of those people, only I don't care about Obama winning reelection so much as I do about the lesser races, the ones that turned out to matter just as much. I am referring to the fact that gay marriage and weed legalization were big winners yesterday, which affirms more so than Obama's win that America truly is changing.

If you are a white rich male this terrifies you. Your kind is slowly but surely being left behind by the race of the country, which is a good thing for the rest of us. Naturally you still have Fox News to spin, lie, and obscure the truth, yet its only a matter of time until the majority starts tuning them out as well. I'll admit I am a white male, however I am not concerned about an America that has the potential to be more diverse than ever before. In fact, this makes me happy, simply due to the fact that America has always been a melting pot of different religions, cultures, races and creeds. Tuesday night seemed to affirm this, especially since Fox News trotted out people who decided to do what they've bashed liberals for doing: playing the race card.

No I'll agree that this is not the America of the 1950s, and I'm glad. Only a white upper class male would want to live in a world where minorities and women have little or no rights, and homosexuals are persecuted for daring to be who they are. Where as the 2008 election resulted in some Democrats (namely James Carville, who wrote a book about how the Democrats could and should rule supreme for decades) declaring they would be the top dog turned out to be false (the GOP still holds many governorships and still controls the House of Representatives) 2012 is much different. I actually think that this time around Obama's victory and the fact that the Democrats keep the Senate and gained House seats signifies that the Republican Party is in serious trouble. Big trouble, in fact.

Especially when they trout out post campaign ads such as this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7D0d7ztLY0&feature=youtu.be which completely goes against the current reality. How has the conservative movement grown stronger after two straight presidential losses? Election night did not go well for the GOP, although they still have that faint hope of taking over Congress in 2014. The message I truly got out of Tuesday's results is that the GOP has to change or die, and for the love of God please send out a halfway decent candidate in 2016 for president. Mitt was a terrible choice, and that's why he lost. Keep that in mind, Republicans. As for the Democrats, well don't get too excited since Congress is still divided and Obama barely won the popular vote. Its going to be a bumpy next four years.

Seek The Dragon

Peering into the soul and heart of a monster often ends with the innocent doing the searching becoming the very thing they were hunting. So goes the warning, which Will keeps in mind as he desperately pursues a serial killer on the lose, a man who slaughters his victims without warning. This chase could not only cost Will his life, but also his soul, a fact that he keeps in mind despite not abandoning the chase or holding off even though his wife, his friend and colleague, and others warn him. Obsession is sometimes a dangerous and powerful motivator, despite the risks involved. Chasing someone who kills due to it being in their nature is the same as joining the locals on a safari hunt for a tiger that feeds on humans. The animal just might wrap its jaws around your neck and squeeze.

This feeling of paranoia, of searching for a madman is expertly showcased through well shot and lit scenes. The amazing use of color, the framing of shots, all underlying the mind and psyche of the film's characters. The deliciously 80s soundtrack, lush and electronic, only further homes in that point, the rather bleak chase leading Will towards the so called "Tooth Fairy," a man who views himself as more than just a human being consisting of flesh and blood. Hannibal Lecktor is present in this film, yet he serves as a mere vessel for the main killer, who looks to him as a master teacher in the art of inflicting pain upon others. One man only comes to realize too late that he is to be another example of how easy the task of human slaughter comes to certain people.

Buried within all of the chaos is a fine philosophical discussion, particularly in a scene between Hannibal and Will in which Hannibal imparts his so called "Words of Wisdom." The survival of the human race feels at stake here, the battle for its very soul hanging in the balance, boiled down to a cop, a woman, and a killer. That essence drives Manhunter, makes it more than just a typical slasher movie, and is why it is the direct equal to the also excellent Silence of The Lambs. In fact, one could argue that this movie is the better of the two, diving into the bleak heart of human nature. Man is both darkness and light, the two of them coexisting within, and perhaps only in women lies salvation. 95

He Just Wants His Pot of Gold

There's very little that's even remotely scary about this movie, and yet I couldn't stop watching. Horror is successfully molded together with comedy in Leprechaun, a film that is not serious at all and therefore in being endlessly campy achieves, well, some type of halfway decent end result. Just look at that gif of the evil title character rooming the halls of a hospital in a wheelchair. Oh wow. I'm at a loss for words, because how on earth do you respond to something like that? We are talking about a movie that has a character being murdered via pogo stick. POGO. STICK. I have to hand it to the little guy, he's sure creative about his kills. The fact that they made at least five-six movies, or that there was a series at all, might be a little depressing to certain people, but based on what I just watched I have a desire to view them all. Even the second journey to the hood one that I've heard is beyond godawful.

Before Friends came out Jennifer Anston starred in this, and she wants you to forget about this movie. I never will, simply because at one point the leprechaun drives around in a little car, and previously murders some poor slob of a cop simply for the guy stopping him and making fun of his height. Never mess with a leprechaun, take his gold, or poke fun at his appearance. Hell hath no fury like a leprechaun scorned, and he spends the entire movie trying to get back the treasure that was stolen from him. Leprechaun (1993) is the feel good comedy of the 90s, an example of dialing up pure cheese to eleven and never looking back. Oh and I still want a Chucky v. Leprechaun movie, which would be not only hilarious but also completely epic. We're overdue for that one. 75

Fog Clouds The Mind and the Soul

A fog settles over the land, covering everything in its wake and clouding the earth, obscuring people's sight. Hidden within this strange mist are creatures, and where they have come from is anyone's guess, but they are vicious and attack without mercy. One thing comes to mind during all of this, as people begin to cower in fear, lashing out in different ways: "This is how the world ends." No mercy, no quarter given, a menace completely inhuman and uncaring. In this universe, you die in multiple horrible ways, all of them ending with you screaming as your flesh is torn apart by monsters from somewhere unknown. One thing is also certain: when people are cornered in a small area, things will escalate rather quickly no matter how many sane or rational folks are present. This is a rather cynical viewpoint, yet unfortunately as darkly noted by the film's characters in a scene where they acknowledge how easily humanity unravels in a crisis.

Some have made note of how this movie is a post Sept. 11th commentary on America and the lines that divide us. That is certainly notable, particularly since one of the characters brings up race and others mention religion and politics. One would hope that in a situation as presented in The Mist that they would be rational, however too many people would end up freaking out and responding wrongly to the problems at hand. Furthermore other elements of horror movies are at work here, particularly the original 1968 classic Night of the Living Dead, and also John Carpenter's The Fog (1980), and their influences are rather noted, in addition to many past monster movies-since after all that's what The Mist is, a well made modern creature feature.

A man is forced to make a choice, and this decision will haunt him forever. A people give into a fanatic who ends up almost destroying them all, leaving them to wonder how they could ever let someone like that brainwash them. The skeptic doesn't get beyond the parking lot, making the audience wonder about said person's fate in addition to what happened to the group that was foolish enough to follow that person into the white murkiness that has enveloped the area. All drawn together by a situation appearing to be really outlandish yet oddly believable, existing in the realm of the possible however impossible it may be. This is really the magic of Stephen King, melding reality with fantasy, fact with fiction. The best adaptations of his work, such as this one, meet that requirement head on. 95