FINAL GIRL explores the slasher flicks of the '70s and '80s...and all the other horror movies I feel like talking about, too. This is life on the EDGE, so beware yon spoilers!

Mar 5, 2010

awesome movie poster friday - the 2008 edition, part three!

What, you thought the 2008 edition would end after installment #1? Or #2? Not so, friendos! What can I say- 2008 was a pretty stellar year for horror.

Okay, so the truth is, I've yet to see Cold Prey 2. I really dug the first one though, so I'm going to assume that I'd like the second one just as much. Sequels are always as good as the originals, right?

Of note: on the first poster for The Broken, Lena Headey's name is spelled wrong. No one caught that??























Mar 4, 2010

Friday the 13th Victim of the Week: Annie

Sit right back and you'll hear the tale of...

Annie (Friday the 13th, 1980)

She may not have been THEEEE first victim in the Friday the 13th series, but good ol' Annie (Robbi Morgan) was certainly the first victim to let audiences know that hey, this is Friday the effing 13th, and it ain't no Halloween.

We first meet the impossibly adorable, impossibly perky Annie when she strolls into town bearing a giant backpack and a smile. She asks some locals how much farther it is to Camp Crystal Lake, a query that earns her some decidedly "Bitch, please." looks from everyone within earshot.

Undaunted, Annie hops into Enos's truck for a ride closer to her final destination (pun totally intended). Rather than heed the trucker's cries of "Quit!" or Crazy Ralph's cries of "It's got a death curse!" warning her about Camp Blood, Annie climbs into Mrs. Voorhees's Jeep of Doom to continue her journey.

Annie begins to talk excitedly about her upcoming stint as the camp's cook- it's long been her dream to work with children (not kids- that makes them sound like little goats) and she just can't wait to get to Camp Crystal Lake! You know Mrs. Voorhees had a fucking vice grip on the steering wheel the whole time, thinking to herself, "If you love children so much then WHY DID YOU LET MY JASON DROWN 20 YEARS AGO?"

When the Jeep of Doom zips on by the turnoff for camp, Annie begins to think things might be a bit hinky.

After her suggestion that the driver...you know, stop driving the wrong way is met with the pedal pressed to the metal, Annie knows that something's hinky and she takes a leap outta dat Jeep. Go, Annie, go!

Hobbling admirably on a twisted ankle, Annie heads into the woods in an attempt to escape the driver, who's now become her pursuer. Unfortunately, Annie trips one too many times; plaid meets plaid in a battle to the death! Okay, it's not so much a battle as it is one person ignoring pleas for mercy and opting to make with le slash-slash.





Friday the 13th is now roughly 30 years old (holy crapping crap) and though it may not seem so shocking nowadays, scenes like this one made the film groundbreaking. It wasn't the first slasher flick, but Friday's graphic violence set it apart from its predecessors and marked it as the first true entry in the slasher cycle. Subtlety and artistry were gone, and explicit gore was in. Friday the 13th was crass, silly...and yes, it was scary. As far as I'm concerned, it's still all of those things three decades on. R.I.P. Annie!

killer tracks

One of my favorite things about horror movies is the all-too-rare "completely effing incongruous song". Now, I'm not talking about a misguided soundtrack, or the awful generic heavy metal that is constantly droning throughout most indie horror flicks.

Tangent: what's up with that, anyway? Are directors afraid of silence and/or ambient noise? TURN OFF THE MUSIC, IT WILL BE OKAY.

Sorry, had to get that off my chest. Now, what I am talking about, Willis, is the random song that doesn't much fit with the mood or atmosphere of the film whatsoever. This song may have you scratching your head. This song may pull you out of the moment- but the rarest of the rare pulls you out of the moment with straight-up awesomeness. Such is the case with these, my five favorite WTF? horror movie songs. I listen to them on my iPod because I am that hip (tell me I'm hip!). Here they are, in total countdown to YESSSS! order.



Before we get to The Cow Who Can Act, we're treated to some truly bizarre music during the opening credits: "Peaceful Verde Valley" by Dorsey Burnette. I'm not sure what kind of mood this song is supposed to establish, exactly: perhaps the peace of our verde valleys is meant to be ironi-tastic. Who cares? You know you want to sing along.



Listen: Killer Party

WHY ISN'T KILLER PARTY ON DVD?

Phew, had to get that out. This 1986 movie might suffer from a case of the "What the Fuck Am I?"s- is it a slasher? a possession movie? a musical?- but what it doesn't suffer is a lack of I love it-ness. It's such a product of its time...and if you love 80s horror as much as I do, you'd be a jerk not to love Killer Party.

Oh my God, this song is so good! It accompanies both the opening and closing credits...and best of all, it's sung by the actresses who play the three leads (Vivia, Jennifer, and Phoebe).

WHY ISN'T KILLER PARTY ON DVD? I feel like starting an internet petition.

Listen: Creepshow

Short and oh so sweet is this little interlude in the opening story, "Father's Day", which finds Cass and Hank getting down. Thoughts:

1) I should have included this in my AMC column about horror movie dance scenes
2) Cass was total 80s white hotness
3) I love that this is recorded right from the movie and you can hear Cass's bangles...bangling
4) What the fuck kind of dance was Ed Harris doing, anyway?


I know plenty of people who dig this David Hess-flavored rape-fest of a movie, but it's not really to my taste. What is to my taste, however, is this amazing track that accompanies a rapist-rapee dance sequence during a party at said house on said edge of said park. How can such a great song come from such a terrible film? How??

Listen: Maniac

One of these days I've got to write up some sort of review of Maniac, a film frequently slapped with the "misogynist" label- erroneously slapped, in my opinion. It's a fine line between being misogynist and being about misogyny, and I find Maniac to be in the latter category. It's not an easy movie to watch, and it's certainly not an overall pleasant experience- though it does contain some of the best stalking scenes in all of horrordom.

Whatever Maniac may be, however, it does clearly feature the MACK DADDY of fucking great incongruous horror movie songs with "Showdown". Amidst all the graphic violence, there's a scene that features sweaty creepster Joe Spinell breathing heavily while the object of his affection, Caroline Munro, photographs fashion models (that's her spouting direction and encouragement in the song). So so so sooooo good. Yippee...ki yo...ki YAAAAAAAAY!

Bonus track!

Listen: mystery song

Can you name the horror movie that features this track? I cannot, so if you know, set my mind at ease, won't you? It's the least you could do.

EDITED TO ADD: You guys rule! Mystery solved: It's the opening track for Cannibal Ferox, which I've never seen. That's some serious what-the-fuckery.

Mar 3, 2010

Bloggenaire: Andre Dumas, The Horror Digest

Andre Dumas did not write The Three Musketeers, although it would be easy to get her confused with Alexandre Dumas. I believe that he, too, was a "cat enthusiast" and "blood lover". Or maybe I made that up- who knows? on't be so uptight. Anyway, Andre runs herself a fine blog over at The Horror Digest. She just wrapped up a fantastic series of horror-related tributes for Black History Month and she's racking up an impressive list of reviews rather quickly.

Every time I visit her blog, I expect the banner to say "Where horror movies are reduced, reused, and recycled", but it never does.

1) What's the key moment that led you to click that "Start Your Blog" button?

Unemployment. Somewhere along the 3rd month, sitting around wearing no pants just wasn’t fun anymore.

2) Please describe your blog in no more than 3 sentences. You must include the words / phrases "morbid", "aesthetic", and "electromagnetic".

Despite having an electromagnetic black background, the Horror Digest is not morbid. It is a blog devoted the aesthetic nature of horror rather than the nature of boobs.

3) Bearing in mind that opinions are subjective (except mine because I'm always right), do you enjoy movies that are generally considered "bad"? Why or why not?

YES. I love bad movies but only if they are good bad movies, like Showgirls (but only the version with digitally added clothing) and Wild Things.

4) Did you know that there exists one variety of carnivorous parrot? It's true. They live in the mountains of New Zealand, and they eat the fat surrounding the kidneys of sheep- WHILE THE SHEEP ARE ALIVE. It's horrible.

Sounds like a good horror movie I just saw called Carnivorous Parrots of New Zealand. You should check that one that out.

5) What's the one- ONE- horror movie you love so much you want to stick it down your pants?

Oh boy. Ooooh jeez this is hard. I’m having trouble concentrating cause the woman using the copy machine just farted and I can’t breathe but ummmm ok if I have to choose…..Suspiria!

6) Adrienne Barbeau. Discuss.

If she could have just found a better babysitter than stupid old Mrs. Kobritz I would have liked her better. But yeah she’s okay.

7) Why should people bother to read your blog?

Because I like cats, potato chips and horror movies…honestly how can you go wrong?


8) Where does Jigsaw get all the money he needs to build all those traps and buy all that warehouse space? Better yet, does he have some sort of engineering background? He must, right, if he designs all that crap?

Jigsaw is what I like to call an asshole. Just because you have cancer doesn’t mean you can do that to people OK?!! He did tell me that gets his money from Google Adsense. I know what you’re thinking and the answer is-yeah, he gets a lot of hits.

9) Several theories regarding the reasons why people would subject themselves to watching horror films (when they're so, you know, traumatic) exist. Which is closest in line with your feelings on and reactions to the genre? Feel free to elaborate. Or don't, see if I care.

a) RELIEF THEORY: The unpleasant feelings of distress cause more stimulating feelings of relief when the unpleasantness passes- the stressed arousal caused by fear becomes pleasurable arousal later on.
b) CONTINUOUS REWARD: The excitement felt during the film is the appeal in and of itself.
c) SOCIAL THEORIES:
1) Stereotypical gender roles are reinforced: men act as protectors, women need protection.
2) Violating social norms- watching "deviant" entertainment- is exciting.
3) Experiencing heightened emotions with others makes us feel like we "belong" and we're truly part of a group.

B. I refuse to elaborate because I have to pee.

10) Which year produced better horror movies: 1977 or 1981? Why?

Clearly based on my which horror movie would you put down your pants answer I will be picking 1977.

11) What the eff is up with those French and their crazy horror flicks?

Let me get something straight right now. I freaking love French horror movies. They are the new Asian horror and by far the best movies that are coming out right now period. You feel me?

Andre Dumas, living blogger. Or Alexandre Dumas, dead author. Dammit, it's so confusing!

12) What's your favorite Animals Run Amok movie?

Well I know technically they are arachnids, but Arachnophobia wins it for me. It’s pretty funny you guys! (and scary too!)

13) If Jason Voorhees is on a train heading east at 80mph and Leatherface is on a train heading west at 65mph…why the hell would anyone ever watch Rob Zombie's Halloween?

If a new Papa Ginos hadn’t just opened up across the street from me yesterday I would have answered this differently- but the answer is I don’t know man.

14) What are your funereal wishes?

To have John Landis read my eulogy which would just be a gigantic love letter to him from me. I already wrote it.

Andre Dumas, always looking for new perspectives on that one nude.

15) Why do I have such a fondness for Shelley Hack? It's not like she's really done much to deserve it, but there it is.

Because she’s a hottie. Plus she was pretty fab in the Stepfather.

16) You're on a sinking ghost ship that's being piloted by a witch. What are your last words?

I can’t answer this until I know whether she’s a good witch or a bad witch.

17) Asking about your funereal wishes and your last words means nothing, I swear.

Oh it means something alright. It means you knew what my funeral wishes were and that you wanted everyone else to know just how much John Landis cares about me. It’s okay, I understand.

18) Do you know where I can get some lye?

Depends on what you want to use it for. If you’re just looking to cure some eggs or pretzels, a food grade lye would be pretty easy to find as long as it’s meets the requirements outlined by the FDA. But if you’re trying to clean your drain out (which I know you are because you keep killing people in your bathtub) then you would need a lower grade lye which can be trickier to find. So no I don’t really know anything about that.

19) Weren't you glad when THAT JERK in THAT HORROR MOVIE got what was coming to him?

People really need to start cutting David Copperfield some slack. If you think doing a magic show on a moving train is so easy, then you try it.

David Copperfield, preparing to cut his OWN slack.

20) Overall, what’s your favorite era of horror films?

The 70s by far. Groovy, beautiful, original, GREAT. Good stuff all around.

21) Would you rather be:
1) a vampire
2) a witch/warlock
3) a werewolf
4) a Frankenstein (and yes, I know technically it’s “Frankenstein’s monster” but “a Frankenstein” sounds better)
5) a Jaws

Jaws. I’m terrified of sharks so if I was one then maybe I could get over that fear. Hopefully I won’t be as stupid as that other jaws and gladly swallow a pressurized air tank. Dumbass. Also sharks have no enemies- except “killer whales or orcas” but I refuse to believe that Free Willy could eat Jaws that’s just….that’s just ridiculous!


22) If you could turn back time- if you could find a way- would you take back those words that hurt me, so I’d stay?

If you’re referring to when I said you were killing people in your bathtub then no, I meant those words. If you are referring to when I said you weren’t as cool as me then yes, I wish I could take it back.

23) What's something you want people to know about you or your blog that I didn't ask?

I once tried changing my background color to white and my font to blue. It didn’t work out.
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Big thanks to Alexandre Andre! Kids, if you're a horror blogger and you want to be featured here, then read and find out how. Meanwhile, keep your dial set to Final Girl for another exciting episode of...THE BLOGGENAIRES!

Final Girl Film Club 34: The Choosening

Gather 'round, yon children, as the Final Girl Film Club takes a wondrous trip back to a time when black & white was where it wuz at and Sid Haig had a hairless face! Lo, my friends, let us watch and discuss Jack Hill's 1968 blackcomedisploitation classic...SPIDER BABY! Or, The Maddest Story Ever Told. Hey, whatever floats your hereditary neurological disorder.

It's on Netflix instant watch and available for cheap in all the world's finest stores. Why, I got a copy on VHS for the low, low price of one dollar! Or, The Maddest Price of One Hundred Pennies.

EDITED TO ADD: You can download Spider Baby for free from the Internet Archive. Now you have no excuse not to participate. For that, you can thank reader The Dreaded Rhubarb!

The film: Spider Baby
The dude date (typo that stays): Monday, April 12

monster quickie

Here's a brief review that was going to be published elsewhere, but ended up lost in the shuffle. Sometimes this happens when you travel on the Information Superhighway- it's perilous. This is unlike my usual Final Girl reviews, but I'm posting it/them as a public service. I'm sure you've seen the DVD double feature reissue of Uninvited (1988) and Mutant (1984) at the store or on your gramma's movie shelf and you didn't know what to think about it. You'd never read any reviews of them anywhere, so you weren't sure if they were worth your time...well, I'm here to help because that's what I do. Don't live in fear, my friends. Read on and be at ease.

Here’s a hokey creature double feature that finally proves beyond a reasonable doubt what horror fans have known forever: industrial toxic waste- be it puke yellow or neon green- inevitably turns living beings into blood-thirsty monsters. As a society, we should be thankful that this DVD now exists to warn the ignorant. As horror fans, however, “thankful” may not be the right term, exactly.

First on the docket is Mutant, which begins like all the best movies do- that is, with some angry rednecks running some city boys off the road. With their car in a ditch, the fluffy-haired brothers have no choice but to hike into the one-stoplight town in search of a tow truck, and it’s soon evident that angry rednecks will be the least of their worries. The rest of the local populace is largely missing, and then, they’re turning up dead…and they’re turning up undead, transformed into zombies of a sort. What, did you think they’d actually be mutants?

While the movie is sort of fun in a Dawn of the Dead lite meets CHUD lite way, it’s seriously hampered by the lack of effects. The zombies, as such, are strictly of the blue-faced variety and the gore is all but non-existent. It does, however, have the balls to feature a children-on-child feast scene, so that’s worth something.

Rounding out the disc is Uninvited, undoubtedly the stronger film of the two. Genre stalwarts George Kennedy and Clu Gulager find themselves stuck aboard a yacht with a bunch of frizzy-haired Spring Breakin’ college kids…and even worse, with a pissed-off radioactive cat, on the run from a science lab. While an angry tabby might be easy to handle, this one has…well, it has another, much angrier cat growing inside of it, like a vicious feline Russian nesting doll. Cat #2 busts a move out of Cat #1 from time to time to dispatch the boaters by biting them, scratching them, and as you might expect, poisoning their blood. Veins pulsate, boils boil, blood bleeds, and both cats alternately look like rugs and puppets.

Personally, I don’t see how you can go wrong with a horror movie featuring George Kennedy and a radioactive house cat…except, you know, the movie isn’t actually any good. Neither is Mutant, but hey, that doesn’t mean they’re not enjoyable. Sometimes a big slice of ‘80s cheese is exactly what hits the spot.

Mar 2, 2010

Hereticalosity

I am of the mind that The Exorcist is one of the best horror films ever made. Yes, it scares me and it always has. I know there are people who find it laughable and dull and not scary at all. I cannot concern myself with these people, because they're jerks. JERKS I SAY. The fact is, William Friedkin's 1973 film is an absolute classic- take away all the horror elements and it's still a fascinating study of religion, faith, medicine, and female sexuality. I will say as I've always said, however: if Regan's post-possession behavior is any indication, Pazuzu is pretty lazy.

Maybe my feelings on that will change after this viewing of the follow-up, Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977), directed by John Boorman. That's right, my friends, somehow I've never seen this, one of the most reviled films in the history of...film. Oh, I've seen teeny bits here and there: Regan in some weird headgear acting all tranced out, Richard Burton yelling about something, Louise Fletcher being NOT Ellen Burstyn. I imagine this movie will be as terrible as it's said to be, although I may be pleasantly surprised. Either way, however, you're coming along with me. That's right, it's time for another one of my famous* live blog reviews, so let's dig in and get our Pazuzu on!

*not at all famous

  • Man, these opening titles make me think about how much I love The Exorcist. It's so damn unsettling...wait, Ned Beatty is in this?!
  • Okay, so we start with a Spanish-speaking girl who's apparently possessed...Father Richard Burton stands around doing nothing and the girl sets herself on fire. Way to go, Father Richard Burton!
  • Aw, Regan's all grown up and tying her shirts to show her tummy! And she's tap dancing in short shorts to "Lullaby of Broadway". She's so normal now!
  • Regan only remembers being sick and having nightmares when she was in D.C...apparently she doesn't remember all the cussing and the crucifix up the hoo-ha. I don't blame her for blocking it all out. Still, Dr. Louise Fletcher wants to hypnotize Regan to MAKE her remember. Is that a good idea? My zero training in psychiatry says NO.
  • Alright, Father Richard Burton is supposed to investigate the death of Father Merrin. Apparently the church doesn't like all the "devil talk" that Merrin was throwing around. Wouldn't they use it to draw more people to the church's teachings, rather than cover it all up? I'd think it would drum up some good business for 'em.
  • Ooh, Regan's got her hypnotic headband on. Strobe light time! She's literally going cross-eyed as she gets all tranced out. Awesome.
  • I miss the Linda Blair years.
  • This hypnosis machine is sweet. People can link their minds and, like, go places and stuff. The cross-eyed thing is embarrassing, but still.
  • Flashback! Oh my...oh my God. Can't they just use footage from the original movie, rather than re-enacting it? It's so bad. So bad. And tap-dancing Regan is dueling with possessed Regan over...well, they're both grabbing Louise Fletcher's breast. It's all very uncomfortable. That's REALLY not Mercedes McCambridge doing the voice. Bleeearggh.
  • Okay, I guess they're supposed to be battling over her heart. But really, they're copping a lot of feels here.
  • Actually, lady, Regan does NOT draw well. Sorry to be harsh, Regan, but it had to be said.
  • Father Richard Burton is trying to beat a flaming cardboard box to death with a crutch. It's really not helping. But Regan's drawing was so prescient! Except for the crutch part.
  • In Regan's dreams, Pazuzu takes her to...Africa? Tatooine? Aw, I guess it's Africa. Or, you know, a soundstage.
  • LOCUSTS!
  • Regan, noooo! Don't fall off the roof! Although killing Regan would be a rather Scream thing to do, if you know what I mean.
  • Alright, Father Richard Burton has gone back to the Georgetown house to investigate. As you might expect, there's a locust hanging out in Regan's old bedroom. Well, that was anticlimactic.
  • Back to Africa. Father Merrin is battling Pazuzu, who's possessed a boy, and swarms of locusts, which...is how Pazuzu gets about, I'd imagine. I wish he'd also battle this fucking Kmart Ladysmith Black Mambazo soundtrack that's happening right now...
  • LOCUSTS TERRORIZE SOUNDSTAGE VILLAGE, NEWS AT ELEVEN
  • James Earl Jones has magical leopard breath.
  • IS THAT DANA PLATO???
  • I looked it up. That is indeed an uncredited Dana fucking Plato as the shy, stuttering girl.
  • "What's the matter with you?" "Oh, I was possessed by a demon." "..." "It's okay, he's gone."
  • Regan's kind of annoying in a "golly gee!" sort of way, isn't she?
  • Ugh, this extended Africa sequence where Father Richard Burton goes off in search of James Earl Magical Leopard Breath Jones is pretty boring.
  • But now it's all better: The Sparkly Top Hat Tap Dance Revue is GO! What a strange interlude.
  • Is Sharon in love with Regan or what? She so is.
  • Regan says "Please don't drug me, Jean..." while sounding completely fucking drugged.
  • Oh God, I want to fast forward all the Africa scenes. Can I do that? Or will I miss too much?
  • While I think a sequel to The Exorcist is rather unnecessary, there maybe COULD have been a decent sequel that dealt with Regan's post-traumatic life. Maybe some sort of abuse or rape allegory. Or maybe Regan's dealings with religion in the wake of her ordeal. The Exorcist II is not that movie.
  • James Earl Magical Leopard Breath Jones has a locust hat! It looks like something you'd get at Disneyland, or perhaps the Orkin Bug Zoo.
  • "If Pazuzu comes for you, I will spit a leopard." That's comforting. I need to incorporate that into my life. "If this traffic doesn't let up, I will spit a leopard."- that sort of thing.
  • Father Richard Burton is kind of possessed by Pazuzu...or maybe Actor Richard Burton is drunk and trying to go to his happy place...
  • Oooh, everyone's heading to Georgetown for the big Showcase Pazuzu Showdown!
  • Locusssstssss! Crashing cabs! Exorcist II: The Heretic is a white-knuckle thrill ride I'll never forget!
  • Regan doesn't seem too bothered to come face to face with her possessed self...
  • Okay, Sharon just set herself on fire, Father Richard Burton wants to get it on with a sexified Pazuzued-out Regan, and Louise Fletcher is running around a soundstage.
  • The house is coming apart! The Mirror Has There are two Regans! It's all a weeeeee bit over-the-top. It makes the head-spinning, pea soup-spewing finale of the first look subtle.
  • Regan is spinning against the the locusts! She's winning!
  • When did the Kitty Genovese incident happen in New York? Did Georgetown learn nothing from it? For fuck's sake, a car crashed through a fence, a house came down, there was a fire, people died...AND NOT ONE PERSON ON THIS STREET HAS COME OUTSIDE.
  • Oh wait, they're all there at once. I guess time was standing still while the Regans duked it out.
  • Okay, that wrapped up REALLY FUCKING QUICKLY. Guess everyone's gonna be fine! Except Sharon, who ended up Extra Crispy Recipe.
Well, that wasn't very good. It wasn't near the debacle I thought it was going to be (or it's been made out to be), but it didn't come close to achieving its lofty goals about the nature of good and evil and the duality within mankind. It's a bit of a mess, though the blinking hypnosis machine is quite the product of the late 1970s, as it was the dawning of the age of New Age. And, of course, let's not forget The Sparkly Top Hat Tap Dance Revue. Or Dana Plato, R.I.P.

PAZUZU!

Mar 1, 2010

Film Club: Uzumaki

True (and possibly gross) story: A long time ago in a galaxy...well, in this galaxy, I lived with someone. One fine evening this so-called Co-Habi-Tron 2000 got a stomach bug and barfed. Barfed on the way to the bathroom. Now, I've not had a stomach bug since 1st grade and I've never had food poisoning. I'm not a vomiter, unless...yes, there have been some alcohol-related times but what can you do? I live on the edge, and I always fight for my right to party.

Ahem.

Anyway, this sudden display of not being in control of one's body completely freaked me out. It broke my brain. Really. I became paranoid about catching the stomach bug. I spent the next 2 weeks fixated on perceived feelings of nausea: "Am I gonna throw up? Am I gonna...yes, I think...ohh...I'm...eh, never mind." I never got that bit of flu (awesome) and I never barfed, but no matter: as I said...brain broken. I got paranoid about eating in restaurants for fear of food poisoning. As everyone else in the world has had it at one time or another, I grilled everybody: What's it like? How did you know you had it? How long did you have it? Where did you eat? Whenever someone at work said he had the "flu", I had to ask if it was a cold or a puke thing. I couldn't watch anyone barfing in movies or shows or what have you.

I don't know why it happened or why it continued so long. It was ridiculous. Then all of a sudden I was better. Brains are funny that way, I guess.

Another true (less gross, more juvenile) story: There is an office building along the highway near my hometown that has windows on one side laid out like this:


To me, this place has become known as The Tit Building. Generally people don't know what building I'm talking about when I mention it as a point of reference...but I cannot unsee the word "TIT" spelled out in its windows. It baffles me that it got past the blueprint stage.

I tell you these two anecdotes not simply because my life is so incredibly fascinating...no! I tell you because both anecdotes came to mind while I was watching Uzumaki (2000), the tale of a small Japanese town that falls under the curse of the vortex.

It all starts innocently enough. People "act a bit funny". A man spends several hours quietly videotaping the swirl of a snail's shell. Soon enough, however, many of the citizens of Kurouzu are completely obsessed with the vortex pattern- like, obsessed to the point that they begin to harm themselves in some incredibly grotesque ways. Everywhere they look, they see the spirals. Their brains are broken by the curse, and the only hope, it seems, is to remove all signs of the spiral from their environment. That sounds easy enough, but ask yourself this: is a life without Pecan Spins a life worth living?

Uzumaki starts out as a bit of a kooky fairy tale; the music is exceedingly incongruous with the action, and it almost plays as a horror-comedy. By the time the words "There is still a spiral in your ear..." are spoken, however, it crosses over into the land of dread and mindfuckery. In a word, it's creepy.

None of it is really explained, so you're going to be left with questions in the end, like: Why is the town cursed, exactly? And...how do people turn into giant snails...? But this is an imaginative, bizarre just take the ride kind of horror film, and as such it's both unsettling and entertaining. The idea that thoughts can become obsessive to the point where they lead you to break as many of your own bones as possible- and you think it's a capital plan- is truly terrifying. I'm glad I got over my weird puke obsession when I did.

Yes yes, I'm sure Junji Ito's manga that provides the basis for this film is better than the film itself. I've never read it, although I know I should. And I will, one of these days. You don't need to remind me, Bossy!

Film Club Coolies, y'all!
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Parry Game Preserve
firthofforth
In One Ear...
Sinema Obscura
The Horror Section
Va's The Cinema Experience
The United Provinces of Ivanlandia
Pussy Goes Grrr