tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61943885025311593812024-03-14T00:47:15.617-07:00Horror Film AestheticsBy Thomas M. Sipos, author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786465727/communistvampire">Horror Film Festivals and Awards</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-47497553568349282362024-01-14T01:21:00.000-08:002024-01-14T01:21:41.298-08:00David J. Skal, R.I.P.<p> </p><p>Several horror icons whom I admire have died these past several months. I just now learned that David J. Skal (1952 - 2024) <a href="https://twitter.com/super_cassette/status/1743987484747317487">died after being hit by a drunk</a> driver in Los Angeles. <br /><br />I first encountered Skal through his book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0140240020/communistvampire">The Monster Show</a>.
A self-described "cultural history of horror," his book is informative,
filled with original insights, and well written; a breezy, entertaining
read, mercifully free of academic jargon. The prose is literate yet
accessible to lay readers, the way film criticism should be always.<br /><br />I later read his <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/158234230X/communistvampire">Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of Halloween</a>,
as part of my research for a class I taught at The Learning Annex about
Halloween haunted houses. It was great preparation for my lecture.<br /><br />I
only met Skal once, in the fall of 2001, at Burbank's Dark Delicacies
horror bookstore. Several writers were there for a book-signing,
including me and Skal. I had brought <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0140240020/communistvampire">The Monster Show</a> for him to sign, which he did. I still prize that book with his inscription.</p><p>To my surprise, he bought a copy of my book, <a href="http://communistvampires.com/halloween.htm">Halloween Candy</a> and asked me to sign it. I took it as his way of encouraging a fellow writer and fan who was hardly in his league.<br /><br />Overall, Skal was a fine historian, a skilled writer, and a gracious man.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPEGmu2eyaQpz7yebDO3zYNIxmfEyyvOwfIqLHgnPtTHsVIBclDaVLBrA8it80fgAQyjbrRQjelkbRMiSQVlov06q-xpSKV3Ayh0ZopLD1sLIzcQ2MAINwKEn7g2bStOVvcjLzbJe4SID4TX8096O4pLsPnFHsNcbZkezlKBecge2umGNmpsqJqN3x1Ce/s3733/David%20J.%20Skal's%20inscription%20in%20The%20Monster%20Show%20to%20Thomas%20M.%20Sipos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3733" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSPEGmu2eyaQpz7yebDO3zYNIxmfEyyvOwfIqLHgnPtTHsVIBclDaVLBrA8it80fgAQyjbrRQjelkbRMiSQVlov06q-xpSKV3Ayh0ZopLD1sLIzcQ2MAINwKEn7g2bStOVvcjLzbJe4SID4TX8096O4pLsPnFHsNcbZkezlKBecge2umGNmpsqJqN3x1Ce/w518-h640/David%20J.%20Skal's%20inscription%20in%20The%20Monster%20Show%20to%20Thomas%20M.%20Sipos.jpg" width="518" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-15697045568671169682021-03-01T11:50:00.001-08:002021-03-01T11:50:10.878-08:00Stagefright Uses Editing to Disorient and Unnerve<p>The editing in Michael Soavi's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00LFN00GU/communistvampire">Stagefright</a> (1987) effectively disorients the audience, thus unnerving them and making them more susceptible to shocks and fear.<br /><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sG7jvuf2P64/YD09m7h3ZXI/AAAAAAAADY0/F5rLQqqa0uc6J3aD6681hFx34zr0MwGqACLcBGAsYHQ/s1698/Stagefright%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="1698" height="216" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sG7jvuf2P64/YD09m7h3ZXI/AAAAAAAADY0/F5rLQqqa0uc6J3aD6681hFx34zr0MwGqACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h216/Stagefright%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p>A mad slasher (wearing an owl mask) is stalking six people trapped in a theater. Alicia (Barbara Cupisti) runs into the shower room, where she finds Laurel (Mary Sellers) lying in the left stall, bloodied but still alive. Alicia hears the slasher approaching from the hallway.</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xwRlihN5QYc/YD0-FpMraNI/AAAAAAAADZA/oeoC8EQQ87oQN0OUjKfKYqeDn33tFiWxwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1698/Stagefright%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="914" data-original-width="1698" height="215" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xwRlihN5QYc/YD0-FpMraNI/AAAAAAAADZA/oeoC8EQQ87oQN0OUjKfKYqeDn33tFiWxwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h215/Stagefright%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a> <br /></div><p> </p><p>Cut to the slasher in the hallway.</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OPBB_3glIUs/YD0-kF0pG5I/AAAAAAAADZI/DSfzkZyZ66IbZM27Jq-KxaP87h9LpHMRwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1673/Stagefright%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="1673" height="224" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OPBB_3glIUs/YD0-kF0pG5I/AAAAAAAADZI/DSfzkZyZ66IbZM27Jq-KxaP87h9LpHMRwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h224/Stagefright%2B3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Cut to Alicia, having heard the slasher, closing back the curtain on Laurel in the left stall, then hiding in right stall.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pzrj6IvFayo/YD0-w-VPrVI/AAAAAAAADZM/NyvwcBA2lgUUrQnwNk-Cjb0ESpsTzQk7gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1696/Stagefright%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="926" data-original-width="1696" height="219" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pzrj6IvFayo/YD0-w-VPrVI/AAAAAAAADZM/NyvwcBA2lgUUrQnwNk-Cjb0ESpsTzQk7gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h219/Stagefright%2B4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Cut to Alicia in the right stall, pulling the curtain closed.</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6ZB-KVsa99o/YD1ALYWsabI/AAAAAAAADZk/OjUw758o-Y8Q9bBzKm5YEnSdtDYjMagRQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1694/Stagefright%2B5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1694" height="217" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6ZB-KVsa99o/YD1ALYWsabI/AAAAAAAADZk/OjUw758o-Y8Q9bBzKm5YEnSdtDYjMagRQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h217/Stagefright%2B5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Cut to the slasher entering the shower room. Two curtained stalls before him. Laurel on left (behind the bloodied curtain). Alicia on the right.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XSOnR5rk9qk/YD1Acs5vsOI/AAAAAAAADZw/ZzzHSzaclxIQZj0vt-fQTZrPwr3zO9AVQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1693/Stagefright%2B6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="1693" height="217" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XSOnR5rk9qk/YD1Acs5vsOI/AAAAAAAADZw/ZzzHSzaclxIQZj0vt-fQTZrPwr3zO9AVQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h217/Stagefright%2B6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Cut to Alicia in the stall.</p><p> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8eaJhLBr5RM/YD1ApZZJEZI/AAAAAAAADZ0/RfHHL-m1P8oak7i7rwakiLQuLvfG2oYGQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1696/Stagefright%2B7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="1696" height="217" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8eaJhLBr5RM/YD1ApZZJEZI/AAAAAAAADZ0/RfHHL-m1P8oak7i7rwakiLQuLvfG2oYGQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h217/Stagefright%2B7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Cut to the slasher's POV (point of view), coming toward the two shower stalls.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-izE0nPzgUsY/YD1BAa8pQjI/AAAAAAAADaE/QK26y_Oy8tIXxzIqTBJ_ONUrehrzqicSgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1697/Stagefright%2B8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="1697" height="216" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-izE0nPzgUsY/YD1BAa8pQjI/AAAAAAAADaE/QK26y_Oy8tIXxzIqTBJ_ONUrehrzqicSgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h216/Stagefright%2B8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p>Cut to the slasher's silhouette across the curtain. He is drawing near.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DGZI2ZyNHNk/YD1BQ1LJrHI/AAAAAAAADaQ/7SsPrk6XEV0ezVv-woKQDhqwrv0XagmrACLcBGAsYHQ/s1694/Stagefright%2B9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="1694" height="216" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DGZI2ZyNHNk/YD1BQ1LJrHI/AAAAAAAADaQ/7SsPrk6XEV0ezVv-woKQDhqwrv0XagmrACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h216/Stagefright%2B9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p>Cut to Alicia's worried expression. Her <i>eye line</i> is directed at the curtain. Her acting and the eye line match implies that the silhouette is her POV. That the slasher is approaching her stall.</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-szAtAqNRf80/YD1BpyQVBQI/AAAAAAAADaY/smdFfXBCocQafforRqZhVQTiwnrHu5GDgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1698/Stagefright%2B10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="921" data-original-width="1698" height="217" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-szAtAqNRf80/YD1BpyQVBQI/AAAAAAAADaY/smdFfXBCocQafforRqZhVQTiwnrHu5GDgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h217/Stagefright%2B10.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br />Cut to Alicia backing against the wall. Her <i>staging</i> reinforces the notion that the silhouette is against her curtain.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7uvU5OtXREU/YD1B_yDKHMI/AAAAAAAADag/d1bz8h-VLscrWnYygWJXs5xacIDG1E_qACLcBGAsYHQ/s1696/Stagefright%2B11a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="1696" height="216" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7uvU5OtXREU/YD1B_yDKHMI/AAAAAAAADag/d1bz8h-VLscrWnYygWJXs5xacIDG1E_qACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h216/Stagefright%2B11a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7lSAh8j8XkY/YD1CHLM2X3I/AAAAAAAADak/yiC3UTsboLYJM6vnBkGYGKSyCGWxP3FigCLcBGAsYHQ/s1695/Stagefright%2B11b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="1695" height="216" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7lSAh8j8XkY/YD1CHLM2X3I/AAAAAAAADak/yiC3UTsboLYJM6vnBkGYGKSyCGWxP3FigCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h216/Stagefright%2B11b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Cut to slasher drawing nearer to the curtain. Close enough that his owl mask is visible. Then in the <i>same shot</i>, he yanks aside the curtain.<p></p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p0RxmfYA-NA/YD1CUTRkEpI/AAAAAAAADas/3IwN90bpb60Rit96h0sj0nmq2GQdpvCqgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1696/Stagefright%2B12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">.<img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="1696" height="217" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p0RxmfYA-NA/YD1CUTRkEpI/AAAAAAAADas/3IwN90bpb60Rit96h0sj0nmq2GQdpvCqgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h217/Stagefright%2B12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p>Cut to a close up on Alicia. <i>Her eye line</i> is directed toward the slasher in the previous shot. She appears to be looking at him.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HqhbS0Pvd_o/YD1Cq6hHHKI/AAAAAAAADa8/d9ZYSm3Lsxs73NMbmRTjRpronGzqsJ9PACLcBGAsYHQ/s1699/Stagefright%2B13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="1699" height="216" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HqhbS0Pvd_o/YD1Cq6hHHKI/AAAAAAAADa8/d9ZYSm3Lsxs73NMbmRTjRpronGzqsJ9PACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h216/Stagefright%2B13.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p>Cut to the slasher drawing nearer. The mask's eye line directed at Alicia in the previous shot.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BJ_51GkcFBU/YD1DGFW_IpI/AAAAAAAADbM/aJ0HG3sgkOovIbFECBzQZV7RIYc83RtXQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1700/Stagefright%2B14a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="923" data-original-width="1700" height="217" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BJ_51GkcFBU/YD1DGFW_IpI/AAAAAAAADbM/aJ0HG3sgkOovIbFECBzQZV7RIYc83RtXQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h217/Stagefright%2B14a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2-CDm38e0bc/YD1DPjOzVaI/AAAAAAAADbU/fniO5-mSMV8NjdMlfeWJXIorfjuAx1NogCLcBGAsYHQ/s1698/Stagefright%2B14b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="923" data-original-width="1698" height="217" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2-CDm38e0bc/YD1DPjOzVaI/AAAAAAAADbU/fniO5-mSMV8NjdMlfeWJXIorfjuAx1NogCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h217/Stagefright%2B14b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p>Cut to Alicia's POV of the slasher looming over Laurel. In the <i>same shot</i>, he raises Laurel, who looks toward Alicia in the right stall.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KPAVnIos9RU/YD1DkQfyl4I/AAAAAAAADbk/g2zwA63Z1qICMdX1q6uNeNe_A09FFeeUACLcBGAsYHQ/s1698/Stagefright%2B15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="1698" height="216" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KPAVnIos9RU/YD1DkQfyl4I/AAAAAAAADbk/g2zwA63Z1qICMdX1q6uNeNe_A09FFeeUACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h216/Stagefright%2B15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p>Cut to Alicia looking back at Laural, eye line match to Laurel.<br /><br />Thus <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00LFN00GU/communistvampire">Stagefright</a>'s editing has fooled us. The POV shots, eye line matches, acting, staging, and editing suggested that the slasher was approaching Alicia's stall. But it was Laurel's. He still doesn't know that Alicia is there. She is still safe.<br /><br />For more examples of how editing can disorient an audience, see my posts on <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2010/08/vacancy-s-editing-spatially-misleads.html">Vacancy</a> and <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2011/02/editing-unnerving-shot-sequence-in.html">Galaxy of Terror</a>.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">===============</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For more information on editing in horror films, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-28380556478713961552021-02-25T15:37:00.005-08:002021-02-25T15:40:59.724-08:00Inconsistent Dialog in Death's Door (2015)<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">As
I've discussed in recent posts, bad writers often </span><span style="font-style: normal;">have
characters </span><span style="font-style: normal;">spout clichés and
catchphrases</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> that </span><span style="font-style: normal;">are
inconsistent with their previous statements or behavior, because it's an easy way to fill up pages with dialog. Even good writers fall
into this trap, because clichés and catchphrases come naturally to
people. But good writers should delete these in
subsequent rewrites.</span><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">In
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00YAZND32/communistvampire">Death's Door</a> (2015), a group of young people trespass into a deceased
magician's house for a night of partying. Naturally, the house traps
them inside. Ghostly manifestations and grisly
deaths ensue. The survivors search for clues as to what's happening,
and how they might escape.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span></p><p style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6sqSXkimC7M/YDgzf-eL0lI/AAAAAAAADYk/grYLoV22VyIS-E9GvDTNlrr1q5y7QpiKQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1400/Danielle%2BLilley%2Bin%2BDeath%2527s%2BDoor.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1400" height="264" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6sqSXkimC7M/YDgzf-eL0lI/AAAAAAAADYk/grYLoV22VyIS-E9GvDTNlrr1q5y7QpiKQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h264/Danielle%2BLilley%2Bin%2BDeath%2527s%2BDoor.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">While
some young folk search through boxes, perusing old
scrapbooks of newspaper clippings, Suzanne (</span>Danielle Lilley)
says, <i>"Maybe we shouldn't be doing this. This is all private
stuff."</i></p><p style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i>Huh?</i> </p><p style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Suzanne <i>trespassed</i>
into this house along with everyone else. The film had no scenes
showing any hesitation on her part. Indeed, when we first meet
Suzanne, it is <i>she</i> who is pressuring her more timid friend
into coming along.</p><p style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Thus it's <i>out of
character</i> for Suzanne to now feel scruples about invading
anyone's privacy. Nor do any previous scenes provide motivation for her
to have "matured" morally. Indeed, the recent
hauntings and killings in the house provide additional motivation in the opposite direction -- for Suzanne
to search the boxes for clues to escape the house.</p><p style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">So why did Kennedy
Goldsby write this line of dialog? <i>Filler. Thoughtless filler</i>.
Goldsby has several of his nondescript characters in the bedroom, and he
likely felt a need to give them each something to say. So he had Suzanne
say, <i>"Maybe we shouldn't be doing this. This is all private
stuff."</i> </p><p style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">After all, it's
what some people would say if they saw someone looking through
someone else's private belongings.</p><p style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Except that Suzanne is no longer just
anyone. She has an <i>inner life</i> -- personality, emotions, habits,
morals, motivations <i>-- </i>as established by the previous scenes. But
Goldsby has forgotten his previous scenes. He seems to have focused solely on whatever scene he's currently writing. And he failed to notice Suzanne's inconsistency in subsequent
rewrites.<span style="font-style: normal;"></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00YAZND32/communistvampire">Death's
Door</a> is a treasury of bad dialog: fillers, clichés, catchphrases</span><span style="font-style: normal;">,
and inconsistencies. The characters are nondescript and
interchangeable, lacking unique voices. Much of their dialog can be
randomly redistributed among them, without changing the story. They
shout and argue for no purpose other than to fill up time and try to create
"suspense." But as their arguments lack proper motivation,
their constant bickering is annoying rather than suspenseful or
revealing.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00YAZND32/communistvampire">Death's
Door</a> does have good make-up effects. It's an enjoyable film if you're
in the right frame of mind; if you just want to see a random group of
young people killed in gory fashion, and can do without a clever
story or <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2010/12/writing-horror-characters-are-car-in.html">engaging characters</a>.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For more examples of poorly motivated
characters and inconsistent dialog, see my posts on <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2021/02/inconsistent-dialog-in-dark.html">The Dark</a>, <a href="http://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2021/02/poorly-motivated-and-contradictory.html">Lake Fear 3</a>, <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2011/08/dark-floors-poorly-motivated-characters.html">Dark Floors</a>, <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2017/06/in-search-of-lovecraft-suffers-from.html">In Search of Lovecraft</a>,
<a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2018/04/prometheus.html">Prometheus</a>, and <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2018/06/directorial-and-writing-mistakes-in.html">The Haunting of Marsten Manor</a>.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">===============</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For more information on writing in horror films, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-36016952471206644002021-02-23T18:57:00.007-08:002021-02-23T19:14:04.643-08:00Setting Up Twists in Twists of Terror<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Low-budget horror films often spring
<i>arbitrary</i> surprises on viewers. The slashers' identities in
<a href="http://communistvampires.com/horror/House%20of%20Death.htm">House of Death</a> (1982, aka <a href="https://communistvampires.blogspot.com/2008/01/no-last-girl-in-house-of-death.html">Death Screams</a>) and <i>Girls
Nite Out</i> (1982), are arbitrary surprises because there was no
dramatic setup; no clues pointed in their direction. Some viewers
might have guessed, but only due to their familiarity with genre
conventions (i.e., He was <i>too obviously</i> innocent, or, She
<i>couldn't</i> be the killer so naturally she <i>probably is</i>).</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Mysteries must play fair with readers
and viewers by providing clues before revealing the killer. That's
the purpose of the genre: to present a solvable puzzle. But horror's
primary purpose is to scare, and a dearth of clues can make an
unknown killer more frightening. If you can't guess his identity, he
can be anyone.</p><p>Yet all storytelling requires some
logic, even if only a kind of surreal "dream logic." (Dario
Argento and <a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/2011/lynch2.html">David Lynch</a> are masters of dream logic.) So while horror
is more flexible on logic than some other genres, there is a breaking
point. Too many <span style="font-style: normal;">arbitrary </span>surprises,
and audiences will roll their eyes, and have difficulty in <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2011/05/so-bad-its-good-vs-suspension-of.html">suspending their disbelief</a>. On the other hand, the more entertaining a film, the
more forgiving audiences are about any flaws, including plots holes,
stupid characters, and arbitrary twists.</p><p>The Canadian TV movie <i>Twists of
Terror</i> (1997) is aptly titled. Each tale in this horror anthology
has a "surprise twist." While the twists are unoriginal and
sometimes excessive in number, they are mostly well set up, and the
film is entertaining enough so we can forgive the strains in logic.</p><p> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iPbmtd2Cbjw/YDW-SnQdStI/AAAAAAAADXs/9U2tr_R0dk4LG14WmOs7a0Zw_rbVLb4lACLcBGAsYHQ/s1200/Jennifer%2BRubin%2Bin%2BTwists%2Bof%2BTerror.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="1200" height="209" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iPbmtd2Cbjw/YDW-SnQdStI/AAAAAAAADXs/9U2tr_R0dk4LG14WmOs7a0Zw_rbVLb4lACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h209/Jennifer%2BRubin%2Bin%2BTwists%2Bof%2BTerror.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In "The People You Meet," a
young couple, Joe (Carl Marotte) and Amy (Jennifer Rubin), celebrate
their honeymoon over dinner. They express love for each other, though
there are intimations that all was not always well. Later, they
suffer a car accident at night. Rednecks kidnap them, tying up Joe in
a shed. He urges Amy to escape, which she does.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">After she darts out of the shed, Joe
berates the rednecks. <i>Surprise!</i> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Turns out Joe hired the rednecks to
stage the accident, and rape and kill Amy so he could collect on the
insurance. Joe <i>hates</i> Amy. The rednecks leave the shed to hunt
down, rape, and kill Amy.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">They return with Amy, unharmed, who
then mocks Joe. <i>Surprise!</i> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Turns out Amy knew that Joe hated her,
as she hates him -- <i>and</i> she was having an affair with the very
same redneck Joe hired, so she knew about Joe's plans. The redneck
now kills Joe.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">This is a bit much. Screenwriter John
Shirley did drop some clues about problems in the marriage over
dinner, so we can believe Joe plotting against Amy. But Amy's affair
with the redneck feels arbitrary (a second twist for its own sake)
and ridiculous. Still, because "The People You Meet" is
entertaining and energetic, we can overlook the silly double twist.
</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mx0P4cBKieo/YDXACZs-izI/AAAAAAAADYE/rT-GZ_x6adoH78KnA1EwKcJHMVYoJRUUACLcBGAsYHQ/s1197/Twists%2Bof%2BTerror.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="855" data-original-width="1197" height="286" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mx0P4cBKieo/YDXACZs-izI/AAAAAAAADYE/rT-GZ_x6adoH78KnA1EwKcJHMVYoJRUUACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h286/Twists%2Bof%2BTerror.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>In "The Clinic," Mr. Rosetti
(Nick Mancuso) is bitten by a dog at night. He stumbles upon a
hospital and enters for emergency care. But the doctor, the nurse,
the ambiance are strange and creepy. In the end Rosetti discovers
that he's in an insane asylum -- and the lunatics have taken over.
<i>Surprise!</i> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Again, not unexpected. Both the
ambiance (similar to that in <i>X-Ray</i>, aka <i>Hospital Massacre</i>,
1981), and genre conventions, promise a dark surprise. Nor is the
specific surprise all the surprising. We've seen this same "twist
ending" in <i>Asylum</i> (1972) and <i>Don't Look in the
Basement</i> (1973).</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">But the surprise was logically set up
by the atmosphere created by creepily soothing doctor, the
hyper-sexualized nurse, the deserted hallways and hints of gore. And
the story was entertaining.
</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kIPVFsybhMU/YDXAZJY9eQI/AAAAAAAADYU/Mz2lst8P_8g0TXU4XVeZIk4yA-r4OQi8ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1183/Francoise%2BRobertson%2Bin%2BTwists%2Bof%2BTerror.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="1183" height="288" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kIPVFsybhMU/YDXAZJY9eQI/AAAAAAAADYU/Mz2lst8P_8g0TXU4XVeZIk4yA-r4OQi8ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h288/Francoise%2BRobertson%2Bin%2BTwists%2Bof%2BTerror.png" width="400" /></a></div><p> </p><p>In "Stolen Moments," Cindy
(Francoise Robertson) is a sexually and emotionally repressed woman
seeking romance. She has difficulty connecting with men. She instead
lavishes her affections on her many pets. Then she meets Barry
(Andrew Jackson), a yuppie in a singles bar, and agrees to meet him
at an empty house later that night. Is Cindy in danger?</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">She meet Barry. They have passionate
sex. Cindy thinks it's love. Then Barry brings out his male buddy.
Barry wants them to gang bang Cindy. <i>Surprise!</i> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Turns out Barry is a creep. But then he
speaks tenderly to Cindy. Maybe he's not so sleazy? Cindy agrees to a
threesome to please Barry. But afterward, Barry is cold to Cindy,
saying it's time to go home. <i>Surprise!</i> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Barry really is sleaze. As Barry is
getting dressed, he hears a scream. He finds his friend's freshly
killed corpse. Cindy looks terrified. Barry thinks there might be a
prower. Then Cindy knocks Barry out with a hammer. <i>Surprise!</i> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Turns out Cindy is the killer. Has she
snapped because they used her? But when she goes home, she has an
entire bulletin board with tokens from her past victims. <i>Surprise!</i> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Turns out Cindy is a serial killer. As
a newspaper headline confirms the next day.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">None of this is surprising to those
familiar with genre conventions, so these surprises are not arbitrary. Both Cindy and Barry emitted warning signals. Cindy was
repressed, neurotic, with too many pets. A classic 1990s, neo-noir
femme fatale in the body of a prude. And Barry was too smooth
talking, sensitive, and handsome. A stereotypical blond yuppie
sleazeball pretending to be Mr. Perfect. From the start, I knew it
was 50/50 that Cindy was the villain.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Once again, an entertaining story. </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">===============</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For more information on writing in horror films, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-58444385512452932242021-02-10T03:12:00.004-08:002021-02-22T18:45:33.716-08:00Inconsistent Dialog in The Dark<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Bad writers often <span style="font-style: normal;">have
a character </span><i>spout clichés and catchphrases</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
that are inconsistent with their personalities or previous
statements, or pointless within the context of the story. Writers do this
because clichés and catchphrases are an easy, thoughtless way to
fill up a page. Such writers are too lazy or sloppy to
write appropriate dialog, or to keep their story and characters in mind while writing.</span> </p><p style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Even good writers
can make this mistake, because clichés and catchphrases come
naturally to people, writers included. But, while inappropriate
clichés and catchphrases might infect a first draft screenplay,
writers should be careful to delete them in subsequent rewrites.</p><p style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://communistvampires.com/horror/Dark.htm">The Dark</a> (1979) is
great fun, as I explain in <a href="http://communistvampires.com/horror/Dark.htm">my review</a>. But for all its merits, it also
provides an example of a character who contradicts herself with
clichés and catchphrases.<span style="font-style: normal;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Zoe
(</span>Cathy Lee Crosby) is a TV reporter who covers fluff, but is
eager to do hard news. She sees her potential big break when a serial
killer (actually, a space alien) starts terrorizing Los Angeles.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ARsl-eTwQ10/YCO92F0s9uI/AAAAAAAADXc/A0lHqqm0VrYqQxaIH4irRRCNRJT4sxnzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s776/Keenan%2BWynn%2Band%2BCathy%2BLee%2BCrosby%2Bin%2BThe%2BDark.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="361" data-original-width="776" height="186" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ARsl-eTwQ10/YCO92F0s9uI/AAAAAAAADXc/A0lHqqm0VrYqQxaIH4irRRCNRJT4sxnzQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h186/Keenan%2BWynn%2Band%2BCathy%2BLee%2BCrosby%2Bin%2BThe%2BDark.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In one scene, Zoe accuses Detective
Mooney (Richard Jaeckel) of not doing enough to stop the killer. But
moments later, when Mooney responds by talking tough, Zoe switches
and accuses him of being too tough. <i>"Thirty-two caliber
justice?"</i> she accuses.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">So, is Zoe a tough-on-crime crusader?
Or a bleeding heart liberal? She takes both sides in less than a
minute. Why? Perhaps the writer wanted Zoe to sound strong and
spunky, and thus was mindlessly filling Zoe's mouth with zingers,
however inconsistent.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Of course, it's possible that Zoe is
spouting inconsistent zingers because she's a disingenuous, yellow
journalist who'll say anything to make a splash. In which case,
that's her <i>character</i>. She is motivated not by any philosophy,
but by her ambition. She'll say anything to embarrass Mooney,
consistency be damned. In that case, the <i>character is consistent</i>
(even if her lines are not) and the script is fine.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">But that is not the case. Zoe is
clearly a heroine we are meant to admire, so the scene is poorly
written.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Zoe is supposed to be smart, but she's
not very. She pontificates on TV that it's "ironic" that
the daughter of horror novelist Roy Warner (William Devane), who
writes gore, was killed in a gory fashion. Warner later accuses Zoe
of implying that it was "poetic justice." Zoe insists that
she meant ironic, but that's because she's illiterate. Irony requires
incongruity, so it would have been ironic if Warner's books had
promoted peace.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Zoe is supposed to be smart
and idealistic, yet as written, she sounds illiterate and ego-driven.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I won't blame screenwriter Stanford
Whitmore. After I wrote my initial review of <a href="http://communistvampires.com/horror/Dark.htm">The Dark</a>, Whitmore
emailed me [on August 13, 2004]:</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">"I wrote [<a href="http://communistvampires.com/horror/Dark.htm">The Dark</a>] on spec as a
piece that my friend, DP Bill Butler, would use to get his foot in
the directing door. My script was an experiment meant to take
advantage of Bill's camera, which would render the repeatedly
gathering dark remindful of the score for Jaws. An initial deal was
made with Dick Clark's company, and when that fell out, some thief
stepped up to single-handedly take over the script, fire Tobe Hooper,
and invent a monster shooting death rays. The upshot was the WGA
bringing suit on my behalf for monies owed, whereupon said producer
skipped town, putting a cherry on top."</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For more examples of poorly motivated
characters and inconsistent dialog, see my posts on <a href="http://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2021/02/poorly-motivated-and-contradictory.html">Lake Fear 3</a>, <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2011/08/dark-floors-poorly-motivated-characters.html">Dark Floors</a>, <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2017/06/in-search-of-lovecraft-suffers-from.html">In Search of Lovecraft</a>,
<a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2018/04/prometheus.html">Prometheus</a>, and <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2018/06/directorial-and-writing-mistakes-in.html">The Haunting of Marsten Manor</a>.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">===============</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For more information on writing in horror films, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-56184242157181645492021-02-08T01:35:00.004-08:002021-02-22T18:46:16.748-08:00Poorly Motivated Characters and Inconsistent Dialog in Lake Fear 3<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Acting guru <span class="module__title__link"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00H47KN7M/communistvampire">Konstantin Stanislavski</a> </span>taught that
characters have <i>inner lives</i> that motivate their behavior at
every point in a story. A character's actions should be consistent
with his desires, goals, personality, and changing situation
throughout a novel, play, or film. It's how an actor should approach
a role. It's how a writer should write a character.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For every scene, the writer must ask,
<i>If I want this character to do X, how can I motivate the character
to do X?</i> If no believable motivation can be created, the
character should <i>not</i> do X.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Some reasons for poorly
motivated characters:</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">1. <i>Writers treat characters like
puppets on a string, serving the interests of the plot, even when the
character's actions contradict their previously established inner
lives.</i> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">2. <i>Writers fill a character's mouth
with clichés and catchphrases, because the writer is too lazy,
thoughtless, or untalented to construct sharp yet believable lines.</i> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Poorly written stories are full of
characters who simply <i>"decide"</i> to do this or that.
Slasher films are famous for characters who <i>decide</i> to go for a
walk alone in the dark woods, after everyone else has mysteriously
disappeared. The character might even have been afraid to go out 20
minutes earlier, when the writer wanted the character to stay indoors.
But now that the writer wants the character to be killed,
the character changes his mind and <i>decides</i> to go for a walk.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">This is the puppet on a string,
devoid of an <i>inner life.</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
Audiences, sensing that something is <i>off</i> about the character, that the character is ridiculous, have difficulty <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2011/05/so-bad-its-good-vs-suspension-of.html">suspending their disbelief</a> and
<a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2010/12/writing-horror-characters-are-car-in.html">empathizing with the character</a>. Instead, they simply laugh when the
puppet is killed onscreen.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Poorly
motivated characters often spout </span><i>self-contradictory dialog</i><span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sqbMN4NfVMs/YCEGJaciXlI/AAAAAAAADXI/vtFMRbZlPhwVvw9ERi-TA0jp-DsimSMEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1329/Devi%2BKhajishvili%2Bin%2BLake%2BFear%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="1329" height="224" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sqbMN4NfVMs/YCEGJaciXlI/AAAAAAAADXI/vtFMRbZlPhwVvw9ERi-TA0jp-DsimSMEgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h224/Devi%2BKhajishvili%2Bin%2BLake%2BFear%2B3.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /> </span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g0RY1hYTPgQ/YCEGNoHMe2I/AAAAAAAADXM/e74goZdqnuI_mLolMMd2_VPWQ-Wa7yZmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1330/KateLynn%2BE.%2BNewberry%2Band%2BShanon%2BSnedden%2Bin%2BLake%2BFear%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="1330" height="224" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g0RY1hYTPgQ/YCEGNoHMe2I/AAAAAAAADXM/e74goZdqnuI_mLolMMd2_VPWQ-Wa7yZmwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h224/KateLynn%2BE.%2BNewberry%2Band%2BShanon%2BSnedden%2Bin%2BLake%2BFear%2B3.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">In
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B07FQ5WPNB/communistvampire">Lake Fear 3</a> (a bad film on </span><i>many</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
levels), Revel (Shanon Snedden) is seeking her missing sister. Her
friend Chloe (KateLynn E. Newberry) thinks it's a lost cause. So she
hires TV psychic Vincent (Devi Khajishvili) to put Revel's mind to
rest about her sister.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Chloe's request is itself an astonishingly poor piece of writing.
She instructs the psychic, </span><i>"She (Revel) needs closure. Just make
something up for all I care. She needs this."</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Really?
</span><i>Just make something up?</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
So Vincent can claim that Revel's sister is alive in Toronto,
married to a millionaire, or that she was tortured to death in Chicago --
doesn't matter.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;">But
writer Gerald Crum is determined to make his bad script worse.
Sitting down with Revel and Chloe, Vincent asks about the sister,
</span><i>"So, ah, how did she go missing?"</i> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Chloe snarkily interjects, <i>"Isn't
that your job?"</i> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Meaning, Vincent is supposed to be psychic. He
should know how the sister went missing.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">But wait a minute. Chloe <i>knows</i>
Vincent is a fraud. She <i>hired</i> Vincent to lie to Revel. Chloe's
<i>motivation</i> is to give Revel closure. So why is Chloe <i>undermining</i> Revel's faith in Vincent's
psychic abilities? Chloe paid good money for Vincent to lie, and now
Chloe is sabotaging his ability to lie.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">My guess is that writer Crum was focused on the scene, in making Chloe sexily snarky, and forgot about the previous scene. He was treating Chloe like a puppet,
having her serve the current scene (here is where you <i>"decide"</i> to
be sexily snarky), and he forget about Chloe's <i>inner life</i> and
<i>motivations</i> as established in previous scenes.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Also, Crum might have thought that
Chloe's putdown of Vincent's psychic abilities was a funny bit of
dialog. Crum's focus was on the <i>scene</i> and the <i>line</i>, not
on Chloe's <i>character</i> -- her <i>inner life</i> and <i>motivations</i>.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B07FQ5WPNB/communistvampire">Lake Fear 3</a> is full of bad dialog, poor
characterization, and awful acting. (The makeup effects are good.) An especially egregious example of bad dialog occurs after demons attack the trio and Revel is killed. Chloe and
Vincent find themselves with Remington (Joshua Winch), who knows about demons. Crum thinks this is good time for his
characters to engage in an argument.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Bad writers often have characters
engage in <i>poorly motivated arguments</i>, because they think it's
a good way to create tension, suspense, and drama. And during this pointless argument ...</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Chloe snaps at Vincent, <i>"Like
you're one to talk. You're just a fraud."</i> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Vincent replies, <i>"Oh my God.
That's called being an actor."</i> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Chloe says, <i>"Okay, yeah. Well,
if you would have told me and my friend that you were just an actor,
we'd be hundreds of miles away by now. But no. You needed your fifty
dollars."</i> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Huh? Chloe <i>knew</i> Vincent was a
fraud. She hired him to <i>"Just make something up."</i> She even admits to paying him $50. So why is she in the same breath saying <i>"if you would have told me and friend you were just actor, we'd be hundreds of miles away by now."</i><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Apparently, writer Crum isn't paying
attention to anything he'd previously wrote. His focus is always on his current scene, ignoring whatever came before. And he's filling up
every scene with whatever lines sound snarky, cool, funny, or dramatic -- to hell with the context of the story, or consistency of character.<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Viewers who are still paying attention
at this point are rolling their eyes.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For more examples of poorly motivated
characters, see my posts on <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2011/08/dark-floors-poorly-motivated-characters.html">Dark Floors</a>, <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2017/06/in-search-of-lovecraft-suffers-from.html">In Search of Lovecraft</a>,
<a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2018/04/prometheus.html">Prometheus</a>, and <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2018/06/directorial-and-writing-mistakes-in.html">The Haunting of Marsten Manor</a>.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">===============</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For more information on writing in horror films, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-86558379734273257172021-02-06T21:03:00.004-08:002021-02-08T00:38:13.217-08:00The Pragmatic Aesthetics of Primer<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics</a>, I devote
much space to discussing what I call "<a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2014/09/psychic-sue-pragmatic-aesthetics-in-use.html">pragmatic aesthetics</a>."
This is when a filmmaker puts his financial shortcomings to aesthetic
use. For instance, perhaps unable to cast first rate actors for his
film, he writes a script about bad actors preparing for an upcoming
play (e.g., <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B017S3Z1KU/communistvampire">Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things</a>).</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ B000C05YIG/communistvampire">Primer</a> (2004) is a low-budget science
fiction film about quantum physics. The film is noteworthy partially
because it inspired a later cycle of sci-fi thrillers about quantum physics
(e.g., <i> I'll Follow You Down, Singularity Principle, Third Contact, Paradox</i> [two films with that title, both released in 2016], <i>Anti-Matter, Soft Matter, Collider, </i>and <i>Expulsion</i>).</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mt8acPPifcQ/YB92BjroSUI/AAAAAAAADWs/EHdPDRATVJ8DGGKDLNSFGqAIb2UlmwvWQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Primer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mt8acPPifcQ/YB92BjroSUI/AAAAAAAADWs/EHdPDRATVJ8DGGKDLNSFGqAIb2UlmwvWQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/Primer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /><p></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ B000C05YIG/communistvampire">Primer</a> is also an example of <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2014/09/psychic-sue-pragmatic-aesthetics-in-use.html">pragmatic aesthetics</a>. This was brought to my attention by an IMDB film review written by "<a href="https://www.imdb.com/user/ur3320660/?ref_=tt_urv">flat6</a>":<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">The reason to love [<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ B000C05YIG/communistvampire">Primer</a>] is that
it's utterly defiant of the expectations of the traditional movie
experience.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">* It can't resort to a beautiful cast,
shiny special effects, gorgeous scenery. Indeed, the cast is wooden
in its acting, which turns out to work because that's how normal
scientists and engineers (and people in general) are, flawed
communicators.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">* The settings are drab, out of focus,
rushed and cheap, which turns out to work because that's what being
efficient with your resources means for an inventor.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">It doesn't matter if the makers of
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000C05YIG/communistvampire">Primer</a> were forced into this style by their budget (as opposed to
consciously "pulling off" this look and feel). All that
matters is that in the end, it turns out to work beautifully with the
plot and the story.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Although he doesn't use the term, flat6
makes a pretty good case that <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ B000C05YIG/communistvampire">Primer</a> makes use of <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2014/09/psychic-sue-pragmatic-aesthetics-in-use.html">pragmatic aesthetics</a>.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">===============</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For more information on pragmatic aesthetics in horror films, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-27389529978784570392021-02-05T22:59:00.002-08:002021-02-05T22:59:13.004-08:00Long Shots and Staging in The Woman in Black<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">It has been said that <i>"Comedy
is a long shot, tragedy a closeup."</i> The idea is that closeup shots allow an
audience to more easily empathize with a character. When we see a
character's agonized face, with agonize with them. Conversely, long
shots emotionally distance us from a character, so that when they
suffer, when they slip and fall, we laugh <i>at</i> them rather than
<i>with</i> them.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">But there is no firm rule for a shot's
emotional impact. Much depends on how the shot is used in the context
of the film; its story, characters, genre, themes, style, etc.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B08H6M8R1Z/communistvampire">The Woman in Black</a> (1989) is an
old-fashioned, English ghost story set in a rural town in 1925. The
ghost herself (played by Pauline Moran) is usually seen from a
distance, in extreme long shots. Writing for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/aug/07/the-woman-in-black-britain-horror-film-herbert-wise">The Guardian</a> (August 7,
2020) Andrew Male reports:</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> <br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">By the conventions of the modern horror
film, the woman in black is seen rarely and – with one big
exception – from a distance. <i>“I deliberately didn’t show her
close up,”</i> the late Wise told journalist Tony Earnshaw in 2015,
<i>“because then the audience can construct a face which is
horrible to </i><i><i>you</i></i><i>, your personal horror.”</i> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Herbert Wise is citing the old horror
rule that what the audience can imagine is scarier than anything a
writer can describe or a filmmaker show. But as with the previous
rule, I don't think it's always true. However, this rule worked very
well for Robert Wise (no relation to Herbert Wise) in <a href="http://communistvampires.com/horror/Haunting.htm">The Haunting</a>.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Actually, contrary to Male's claim of
"one big exception," the ghost in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B08H6M8R1Z/communistvampire">The Woman in Black</a> is
twice seen in closeups.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The first time, a half hour into the
film, Arthur Kidd (Adrian Rawlins) is wandering about a deserted
family cemetery. He stops when he senses something behind him. He
jolts aside and sees the ghost in the distance. We thereupon see the
ghost framed in extreme long shot, then medium shot, then closeup, then (as she walks toward Kidd) in extreme closeup.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W5Q1HOlI9cs/YB478tR4tOI/AAAAAAAADVs/gSzHUXgoW14qvFyxIUZZx3rVZyuP_DMjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1278/Adrian%2BRawlins%2Bin%2BThe%2BWoman%2Bin%2BBlack%2B1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="1278" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W5Q1HOlI9cs/YB478tR4tOI/AAAAAAAADVs/gSzHUXgoW14qvFyxIUZZx3rVZyuP_DMjgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/Adrian%2BRawlins%2Bin%2BThe%2BWoman%2Bin%2BBlack%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DzGq1oXnQ5I/YB48RABTejI/AAAAAAAADV0/PCEvAo5CjwADslNk_H_6alZj-wx2uxNnwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1276/Adrian%2BRawlins%2Bin%2BThe%2BWoman%2Bin%2BBlack%2B2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1276" height="226" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DzGq1oXnQ5I/YB48RABTejI/AAAAAAAADV0/PCEvAo5CjwADslNk_H_6alZj-wx2uxNnwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h226/Adrian%2BRawlins%2Bin%2BThe%2BWoman%2Bin%2BBlack%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y_Qh0_zIi_0/YB48XEjRJZI/AAAAAAAADV4/vPNLnmk_pxsT5u89itKcsXi1yjeExNxLQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1281/Adrian%2BRawlins%2Band%2BPauline%2BMoran%2Bin%2BThe%2BWoman%2Bin%2BBlack.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1281" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y_Qh0_zIi_0/YB48XEjRJZI/AAAAAAAADV4/vPNLnmk_pxsT5u89itKcsXi1yjeExNxLQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/Adrian%2BRawlins%2Band%2BPauline%2BMoran%2Bin%2BThe%2BWoman%2Bin%2BBlack.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-btfImCjjtto/YB48dNSQLNI/AAAAAAAADV8/Q8h0ToobhD03y9JYrH5zoN2e4uEAaq_nACLcBGAsYHQ/s1278/Pauline%2BMoran%2Bin%2BThe%2BWoman%2Bin%2BBlack%2B1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1278" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-btfImCjjtto/YB48dNSQLNI/AAAAAAAADV8/Q8h0ToobhD03y9JYrH5zoN2e4uEAaq_nACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/Pauline%2BMoran%2Bin%2BThe%2BWoman%2Bin%2BBlack%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-khLz6DcOpMg/YB48igqO2DI/AAAAAAAADWE/m4buNeG1uroDsxbvyjFLfbLX5mqnE9_ggCLcBGAsYHQ/s1281/Pauline%2BMoran%2Bin%2BThe%2BWoman%2Bin%2BBlack%2B2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="1281" height="224" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-khLz6DcOpMg/YB48igqO2DI/AAAAAAAADWE/m4buNeG1uroDsxbvyjFLfbLX5mqnE9_ggCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h224/Pauline%2BMoran%2Bin%2BThe%2BWoman%2Bin%2BBlack%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JOAdc38IgAA/YB48oyc00GI/AAAAAAAADWM/lXk7WArlNkEaw2t8XifqIcQF-BBng4wGACLcBGAsYHQ/s1282/Pauline%2BMoran%2Bin%2BThe%2BWoman%2Bin%2BBlack%2B3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1282" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JOAdc38IgAA/YB48oyc00GI/AAAAAAAADWM/lXk7WArlNkEaw2t8XifqIcQF-BBng4wGACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/Pauline%2BMoran%2Bin%2BThe%2BWoman%2Bin%2BBlack%2B3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Apart from the shot framing, this scene
is also admirable for its staging. As Kidd wanders about, he is
surrounded by a barren landscape. It's obvious that he is alone. He
pauses, as if he suddenly senses a presence, then rubs the back of
his neck. He jolts around. The ghost is suddenly there behind him.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Most likely, actress Pauline Moran was
lying on the ground, then rose while Kidd stood still, the shot
staged in such a manner that Rawlins was blocking her, so that Moran
seemed to have appeared from nowhere. A clever example of how low
budget filmmakers can use staging to manifest a ghost, if they are
unable to afford visual effects.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"> </p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hUf92oGoeeE/YB49Yn_k4DI/AAAAAAAADWg/fOaZt4Hyleo4hmw85A5LTvelTegif7OrACLcBGAsYHQ/s1286/Pauline%2BMoran%2Bin%2BThe%2BWoman%2Bin%2BBlack%2B4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="1286" height="221" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hUf92oGoeeE/YB49Yn_k4DI/AAAAAAAADWg/fOaZt4Hyleo4hmw85A5LTvelTegif7OrACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h221/Pauline%2BMoran%2Bin%2BThe%2BWoman%2Bin%2BBlack%2B4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The second closeup of the ghost, some
76 minutes into the film, is likely the one that Male refers to as
the "big exception." It makes for quite a scare. See the
film.</p><p>================== </p><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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For more information on framing and staging in horror films, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-51305956313054875172020-10-16T14:15:00.004-07:002021-02-06T21:15:18.119-08:00Trash Horror Defined: The Example of Cold Blooded<p>Both Trash Horror and Horror Trash are common terms. I'll use Trash Horror in this post, because I'm focusing on horror films and so "trash" is the qualifier.<br /><br />How to define the Trash Horror subgenre? Many Trash Horror films are funny, but not all, so while Trash Horror and Comedic Horror overlap, each subgenre has its own defining criteria.<br /><br />A great Trash Horror film is a glorious failure. Several elements are required.<br /><br />* The budget is usually minuscule.<br /><br />* Production values are rough. Actors can either chew scenery or do an impression of wood, but they must never display emotional depth, subtlety, or talent. (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B008CYDDWI/communistvampire" target="">Re-Animator</a>'s stellar cast disqualifies it as Trash Horror).<br /><br />* There should be <i>ambition</i> -- a filmmaker whose vision extends beyond his abilities.<br /><br />* And for true Trash Horror greatness, that vision should be <i>outré</i> -- too crazy for anyone to take seriously.<br /><br />* Nevertheless, there must be <i>sincerity</i>. As with the Great Pumpkin's choice of pumpkin patches, great Trash Horror displays sincere artistic effort and love of horror.<br /><br />* Finally, the result must <i>entertain</i> (e.g., <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0053TWVWI/communistvampire">Blood Feast</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00701QS7Q/communistvampire">Don't Look in the Basement</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002XL2YI/communistvampire">Horror High</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0053TWVS2/communistvampire">Basket Case</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B013C6OWM0/communistvampire">Shock 'Em Dead</a>.)<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NkWKEUy8ZG8" width="320" youtube-src-id="NkWKEUy8ZG8"></iframe></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p> </p><p>Kidd Tommy's <i>Cold Blooded</i> pays homage to both <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002XL2YI/communistvampire">Horror High</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B013C6OWM0/communistvampire">Shock 'Em Dead</a>. Set in the 1980s, it's the tale of Moonie (Teva White), a young mad scientist who also manages her boyfriend's rock band. Then Rick (Nolan Potter) dumps Moonie for a hot blonde, and she concocts a potion that turns Rick into a lizard-man -- leading to rock & roll stardom and a trail of dead bodies.<br /><br />But it would be inaccurate to call <i>Cold Blooded</i> a failure in the true Trash Horror sense. The film is also a "genre parody" -- a film that painstakingly mimics past genres, eras, and cinematic styles. Examples include <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00006IUKZ/communistvampire">Shafted</a> (1970s blaxploitation), <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001UZCPDE/communistvampire">Isle of the Damned</a> (1970s Italian cannibal horror), <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000Y2Q9TA/communistvampire">Automatons</a> (1950s robot sci-fi), <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000069HZD/communistvampire">Man of the Century</a> (1930s musical comedies), and <a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/2015/francesca.html">Francesca</a> (1970s Italian giallo). What these films have in common is a love for their source material.</p><p>That same love shines through <i>Cold Blooded</i>. Writer/director Tommy's film looks to have been shot in the 1980s and distributed on VHS. You have the hair styles and fashion, the hair band, the video store, and the color bleeds and tape glitches one expects when watching an old VHS tape.</p><p>Essentially, Tommy set out to make a film that's <i>"<a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2011/05/so-bad-its-good-vs-suspension-of.html">so bad it's good</a>."</i> That's not as easy as it sounds. Directors who make an <i>intentionally</i> bad film rarely produce a film that <i>"<a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2011/05/so-bad-its-good-vs-suspension-of.html">so bad it's good</a>,"</i> but more often a film that's <i>"so bad it's unwatchable."</i> Their films lack sincerity. We sense the cast and crew got lazy because they thought bad filmmaking didn't require effort. The results on screen are more often slipshod than entertaining.</p><p><i>Cold Blooded</i> is not true Trash Horror, but a <i>painstaking</i> parody of Trash Horror. Which, ironically, because of its <i>sincere effort</i> at parody, succeeds as both parody and as Trash Horror. It's actually Trash Horror, once removed. (Are you still with me?)</p><p>Kidd Tommy does an excellent job capturing the look, the sound, the vibes of the 1980s. Plus, she successfully depicts it through the direct-to-video prism of that era. Finally, she tells an entertaining story with engaging characters -- despite the actors' hammy performances, we are <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2010/12/writing-horror-characters-are-car-in.html">emotionally invested</a> in Moonie and Rick. We care what happens to them.</p><p>================== </p><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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For more information on defining and demarcating the subgenres of horror, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</div>
</div>
<p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-70958936797856175692020-06-17T23:36:00.002-07:002020-06-17T23:38:18.686-07:00Mobile Camera and Staging Enlivens The Vast of Night<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Stage plays adapted to film can appear
static. Long scenes with people just sitting and talking can weary an
audience. Thus, filmmakers will sometimes try to liven up events by
breaking single location scenes into different locations, taking the
characters outdoors for a walk as they continue talking. Or they'll
have the camera roam for a bit, inserting a few brief action shots
for an interlude to break the monotony of all that talk.
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<i>The Vast of Night</i> (2019) is a
talky film. Although its topic of alien abduction carries much
potential for action, it has many long, static scenes of people just
sitting and talking.</div>
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In one scene, Fay (Sierra McCormick) sits at
switchboard for ten minutes, listening to the radio or talking to
people over the phone. Ten minutes is a long time to focus on one
person just sitting in tight quarters, talking or listening.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It <i>can</i> be interesting, if
there's an engaging character in an intriguing situation. And Fay is
engaging. But however good the scene is, it <span style="font-style: normal;">might
</span>be even better if things were livened up.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Director Andrew Patterson uses a mobile
camera and staging (actors walking or driving about for long
stretches) as active interludes between his long, static scenes.
Breaking up things before stupor sets into the audience.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0nYiR5Mbi7c/XusKedzI8WI/AAAAAAAADP8/Xyts06SAr6wpDSyatZFnBikzRnX3CcFAgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Jake%2BHorowitz%2Bin%2BThe%2BVast%2Bof%2BNight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1600" height="166" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0nYiR5Mbi7c/XusKedzI8WI/AAAAAAAADP8/Xyts06SAr6wpDSyatZFnBikzRnX3CcFAgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Jake%2BHorowitz%2Bin%2BThe%2BVast%2Bof%2BNight.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>The Vast of Night</i> opens with a
long take, a mobile camera following Everett (Jake Horowitz) as he
enters a high school gym, walking about, talking to several people,
following a teacher downstairs to the basement, then up and out
again, into the parking lot.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Patterson uses several long takes for
this scene (some over two minutes in length) while a mobile camera
instills a sense of anticipation and excitement. Thus the film is
mostly a series of long, static scenes of people talking --
discussing aliens, government conspiracies, and lights in the sky --
interspersed with long interludes of the camera roaming about.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AbWH50n657w/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AbWH50n657w?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sometimes Patterson's mobile camera <i>follows</i>
people. But sometimes it appears to be <i>seeking</i> something. In
which case, these mobile shots serve a <i>secondary</i> purpose.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
At one point, the camera glides quickly
over the dark streets of this small New Mexico town, nobody in sight. Because of 1, the story's context, and 2, no human
is present, and 3, the camera moves faster than any human can run, it
<i>feels</i> as if we're seeing events from the POV of unearthly
being. An alien, perhaps? This appears not to be the case, but the
feeling is there nonetheless. And it adds to the film's eeriness.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">=============</span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
For more information on cinematography and staging in horror, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-88526231914831594262020-04-24T08:47:00.000-07:002020-04-24T08:47:22.226-07:00Zooms Lens Put to Imaginative Use in Shadows of Fear<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The "Sugar and Spice" episode of TV's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004WEPV8Q/communistvampire">Shadows of Fear</a> uses the zoom lens in an imaginative way for an interesting effect.<br />
<br />
Anne's (Sheila Hancock) husband, Victor, is having an affair. She's known it for a while. She found a letter to Victor from his mistress. But tonight Anne has other problems. Her son hasn't come home. She has reason to believe that Victor picked up the boy from school. But why would he? And where are they now? <br />
<br />
As the night wears on, Anne wonders if she should call Victor's mistress (her phone number was in the letter) to see if Victor and their son are with the mistress. But neither Victor or his mistress know that Anne knows about them. If he and the boy are not there, Anne will have revealed her knowledge to the mistress for nothing.<br />
<br />
In the following scene, Anne breaks down and phones the mistress. The camera zooms closer to Anne's face every time the phone rings.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxqKwdbKNLzVs4K5o-huXHh99rlm1YblLM8_FKKcfWDca_ief67AmLKf0yV5gXOGXfqI7hckYLvi4JiTHpk-w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Ringing and zooming work together in mutual support. Anne wants to talk to the mistress, yet doesn't want to talk to her. Ever been there? Where you dread talking to someone, yet are anxious to do so? Each time the phone rings, Anne expects and wants the mistress to answer, yet is relieved when she doesn't.<br />
<br />
The zooming heightens this tension. We only zoom during the phone rings, each zoom bringing us closer to Anne's tense face. It has been said that <i>comedy is a long shot; tragedy a closeup</i>. Seeing a character up close helps the audience to identify with that character and empathize with her emotions. And horror is a genre that requires <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2010/12/writing-horror-characters-are-car-in.html">strong audience empathy</a> with the protagonist.<br />
<br />
Apart from heightening tension and character identification, the zooming in "Sugar and Spice" serves another purpose. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004WEPV8Q/communistvampire">Shadows of Fear</a> featured plays that were videotaped on TV sound stages. Back in the 1970s, TV cameras were larger and more unwieldy than today. None of that handheld, shaky-cam style of shooting permitted by later, smaller cameras.<br />
<br />
As a result, TV shows that were shot on sound stages in the 1970s were "stagy" and "static." The zooming in "Sugar and Spice" is an example of an innovative director trying to liven up the visuals in what is essentially a stage play.<br />
<br />
"Sugar and Spice" was directed by Patrick Dromgoole.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">=============</span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
For more information on sound and cinematography in horror, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</div>
</div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-79970830021010041362020-04-05T14:15:00.001-07:002020-04-05T14:16:22.392-07:00Creative Lighting in Boris Karloff's Thriller<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
An admirably creative use of lighting
appears in a 1961 episode of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003NOGNQU/communistvampire">Boris Karloff's Thriller</a>, "God
Grante That She Lye Stille."</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Margaret (Sarah Marshall) is a young
woman possessed by a witch's ghost. In the end, the witch is defeated
and expelled from Margaret's body. Margaret then lies exhausted in
bed, attended to by Edward (Ronald Howard), a doctor who has fallen
in love with Margaret.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Margaret and Edward speak. Edward helps
Margaret sit up in bed. They hug and make plans for their future.
Then Margaret is set back down in bed, whereupon she dies.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Observe the lighting in this scene.
Margaret is initially brightly lit. But when she is set back down on
bed, she is placed into darkness.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bMP6EYI3mK8/XopJVXH2jgI/AAAAAAAADM8/XuuUGFaAmgEsFbxOBmGy3nXJTzNXkmEggCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Sarah%2BMarshall%2Band%2BRonald%2BHoward%2B5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="1075" height="298" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bMP6EYI3mK8/XopJVXH2jgI/AAAAAAAADM8/XuuUGFaAmgEsFbxOBmGy3nXJTzNXkmEggCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Sarah%2BMarshall%2Band%2BRonald%2BHoward%2B5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is no logical reason <i>within
the story</i> for this sudden darkness. All the presumed light
sources in the bedroom should still be functioning. This change in
lighting <i>nondiegetic</i> in that it doesn't originate from within
the story.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Aesthetically, the change in lighting
is symbolic and emotional. A subtle way of symbolizing the life
leaving Margaret, while also conveying the emotional pain felt by
Edward (and hopefully by us, the audience).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This change in lighting is subtle,
because I doubt that many viewers consciously noticed it. It more
likely affected them solely on an unconscious, emotional level. I
myself wasn't sure the lighting had changed when I first saw this
episode. Rather, I did a double take, thought it might have changed
but wasn't sure, then replayed the scene. Of course, this would have
been impossible in 1961 when the episode first aired.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The cinematographer was Benjamin H. Kline. Directed by Herschel Daugherty.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">=============</span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
For more information on lighting for horror, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-47932029046453414002020-03-08T23:21:00.001-07:002020-03-08T23:21:21.832-07:00Admirable Use of Extreme Long Shots in It Follows<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Extreme long shots</i> of people
often disempower them on screen. A tiny astronaut seen against the
vastness of space, or against a vast alien spaceship (e.g. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00MBNYMDU/communistvampire">Alien</a>,
1979), emphasizes the astronaut's vulnerability. So too when we see
tiny urban campers walking or rafting amid a vast, untamed wilderness
(e.g., <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00JJOY47I/communistvampire">The Final Terror</a>, 1983).
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00VAVNM6W/communistvampire">It Follows</a> (2014), extreme long shots achieve the opposite emotional effect: they empower
the monster that's stalking its victims.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is because of the context of the story.
Jay (Maika Monroe) is being stalked by a monster. This monster is an
enigma. Jay knows little about it, other than that it takes on the
appearance of people. It can resemble anyone, even a loved one, and
change its appearance at any time. Some clues that a person is
the monster are that 1. the monster cannot talk, and 2. other people
can't see it. Some less reliable clues are that the monster usually has a
deadpan expression, though its expression can turn hostile. And it
usually walks toward you in a slow, steady gait, though it can pause.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Anyone can be the monster. Anyone can
be a threat. To <i>know</i>, one must examine the person up close. If you
call out, does he respond? Is her expression friendly or deadpan? (Alas, to get near enough to the monster, to see if it <i>is</i> the monster, can be fatal.)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Any tiny person in the distance, coming
in Jay's direction, is a <i>potential</i> threat. Of course, most
people will not be the monster. This uncertainty means that the audience will be unnerved at the sight of anyone in the distance
approaching us. We have no way of knowing which passerby is actually the monster.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9aL_uuKpe0Q/XmXTOgw1XyI/AAAAAAAADKg/wTS0mQlQOGUrBY2xu2woyyDopQpXHqDCgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Maika%2BMonroe%2Bin%2BIt%2BFollows%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="1600" height="175" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9aL_uuKpe0Q/XmXTOgw1XyI/AAAAAAAADKg/wTS0mQlQOGUrBY2xu2woyyDopQpXHqDCgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Maika%2BMonroe%2Bin%2BIt%2BFollows%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Consider when Jay goes to the lake.
She is sitting in a chair, conversing with her friends. A woman
emerges from the foliage in the distance.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This scene is well staged, in that
Jay and her friends are all sedentary. Only the unknown woman
moves. Because she is the only movement on screen, she catches our
attention.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
At this point, Jay is in a medium
long shot, the woman in extreme long shot. Because she is so tiny on
screen, she is an enigma. We can't discern her expression. She walks
casually, as any normal person might. But the audience is unnerved,
especially because Jay is unaware of the woman's approach. If it is
the monster, her friends won't be able to see her. And if they did,
they might think nothing of it; they don't fully believe in Jay's monster stalker.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The scene is well played out. As the woman
approaches Jay from behind, Jay continues talking to her friends, Kelly (Lili Sepe) and Paul (Keir Gilchrist). Kelly lies on a blanket in front of Jay. Paul is seated to Kelly's right.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EV0reYT1Cgk/XmXUaU8W0dI/AAAAAAAADLE/cxS_RcuU-9kh7D-2GXzYulzwfEYqJx6wwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Lili%2BSepe%2Bin%2BIt%2BFollows%2B10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="1600" height="176" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EV0reYT1Cgk/XmXUaU8W0dI/AAAAAAAADLE/cxS_RcuU-9kh7D-2GXzYulzwfEYqJx6wwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Lili%2BSepe%2Bin%2BIt%2BFollows%2B10.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fXbPr99Gv58/XmXUfrwzJQI/AAAAAAAADLI/P740Y_AXEYEP1smyKEFc0fmDUw4pxn7qACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Maika%2BMonroe%2Bin%2BIt%2BFollows%2B11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="1600" height="171" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fXbPr99Gv58/XmXUfrwzJQI/AAAAAAAADLI/P740Y_AXEYEP1smyKEFc0fmDUw4pxn7qACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Maika%2BMonroe%2Bin%2BIt%2BFollows%2B11.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l8yjtIJqEuE/XmXUl_uk4PI/AAAAAAAADLQ/IiFSRC24xrYO5nDGt5PPLsvP8ZFQRp64gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Maika%2BMonroe%2Bin%2BIt%2BFollows%2B12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="1600" height="176" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l8yjtIJqEuE/XmXUl_uk4PI/AAAAAAAADLQ/IiFSRC24xrYO5nDGt5PPLsvP8ZFQRp64gCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Maika%2BMonroe%2Bin%2BIt%2BFollows%2B12.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
When Jay's hair is lifted, Jay initially thinks nothing of it. It
might be the wind. But her friends, and the
audience, sees that the person doing the lifting is invisible, thus
the monster.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
(Although the monster was visible to us before, it might be that the monster is now invisible because we are seeing it from Kelly's point of view.)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Throughout the film, the monster is
often (not always) seen in an extreme long shot. This empowers the
monster not only because it makes it difficult to tell if it really is the monster, but also because it helps to shroud the
monster in mystery. It is often true in horror that the more
enigmatic is a threat, the more threatening it is. The less we know,
the harder to defend or fight against it. The less we know, the
more unnatural it seems; the more it feels like an Other.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00VAVNM6W/communistvampire">It Follows</a> ends with a similar, and very
effective, use of extreme long shot. The monster might be dead, but
can Jay really be sure? She walks with Paul, who
is now also cursed. We see them together on an ordinary
suburban street. Then we see them from behind. When we see them again from
the front, there is a man behind them in the distance, walking in the same direction. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mSWAUpzf9N4/XmXU3GQKqpI/AAAAAAAADLc/BsuM9TOmdcAB1vkjj42xzyAm0RFfEHO8wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Paul%2BGilchrist%2Band%2BMaika%2BMonroe%2Bin%2BIt%2BFollows%2B13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="734" data-original-width="1600" height="182" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mSWAUpzf9N4/XmXU3GQKqpI/AAAAAAAADLc/BsuM9TOmdcAB1vkjj42xzyAm0RFfEHO8wCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Paul%2BGilchrist%2Band%2BMaika%2BMonroe%2Bin%2BIt%2BFollows%2B13.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yte2CUzv3vk/XmXU8c56NqI/AAAAAAAADLk/8ffq-9LS7lg-58zqzymMzR_CzCO-qmh0wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Paul%2BGilchrist%2Band%2BMaika%2BMonroe%2Bin%2BIt%2BFollows%2B14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="1600" height="177" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yte2CUzv3vk/XmXU8c56NqI/AAAAAAAADLk/8ffq-9LS7lg-58zqzymMzR_CzCO-qmh0wCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Paul%2BGilchrist%2Band%2BMaika%2BMonroe%2Bin%2BIt%2BFollows%2B14.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s1742cYnwo8/XmXVDtXu25I/AAAAAAAADLo/_mNorwKkrWU3UVBw7WsG9bMEhntWXlBhwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Paul%2BGilchrist%2Band%2BMaika%2BMonroe%2Bin%2BIt%2BFollows%2B15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="711" data-original-width="1600" height="177" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s1742cYnwo8/XmXVDtXu25I/AAAAAAAADLo/_mNorwKkrWU3UVBw7WsG9bMEhntWXlBhwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Paul%2BGilchrist%2Band%2BMaika%2BMonroe%2Bin%2BIt%2BFollows%2B15.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This unknown man's presence is unsettling both because he's in an extreme long shot (making him an enigma), and because his appearance is sudden. Of course, he <i>might</i> be a neighbor who exited his house while we were watching Jay and Paul from behind. Who knows?
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The end.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">=============</span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
For more information on framing and staging, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-55673043739896594812020-02-29T23:30:00.003-08:002020-03-01T00:33:05.445-08:00Acting Errors in The Fear of Darkness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
When creating a character on film, it's
important for an actor to ground the <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2011/03/realistic-acting-enhances-supernatural.html">character in reality</a>. The more
real the character feels to an audience, the easier for the audience
to <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2010/12/writing-horror-characters-are-car-in.html">empathize with the character</a>, and thus <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2011/05/so-bad-its-good-vs-suspension-of.html">suspend their disbelief</a>
regarding the supernatural events the character experiences.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Little things are important. Details
enhance, or subvert, the audiences' sense that the character, and
events on screen, are real. A viewer might not even know why he
didn't like a film, only that it didn't feel right.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B017RR6HUU/communistvampire">The Fear of Darkness</a> (Australian
2015), Skye (Penelope Mitchell) insists that an extra dimensional
entity killed her boyfriend. The police think that Skye killed her
boyfriend; that she is insane. They've placed Skye in the care of
Sarah (Maeve Dermody), a psychologist who's trying to heal Skye.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B017RR6HUU/communistvampire">The Fear of Darkness</a> is reasonably
enjoyable, albeit mediocre and unoriginal. But one thing
especially irritated me. Sarah kept removing her eyeglasses. Anyone who's experienced near-sightedness,
and thought about it, knows that Sarah's behavior rang false. And
once I thought about it, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Every time
Sarah removed her glasses reminded me that it was only a movie.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Why does Sarah wear glasses? Presumably
because director Christopher Fitchett wants us to think that Sarah is
smart. She's a doctor. A scientist. Why, she's so smart, she even
wears glasses!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
That's an old trope. Put glasses on a young,
pretty actress, so we all think she's smart. But okay.
So Sarah wears glasses. But she is too young to be <i>far-sighted</i>.
So she must be <i>near-sighted</i>. In which case, actress
Dermody should <i>behave</i> as would a near-sighted person.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Far-sighted</i> people use reading
glasses to magnify materials that are up close, like words in a book
or on a computer screen. They <i>remove</i> their glasses to look at a
person across a room, because even slightly longer distances appear
sharper without reading glasses.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But <i>near-sighted</i> people wear
glasses all day. They put them on in the morning, and keep them on
until bedtime. To a near-sighted person, everything, near or far, is
shaper with glasses.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Yet Sarah treats her glasses as would a
(much older) far-sighted person. She's always putting them on and
taking them off. Here are two examples, among many:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eyE6rIY7410/Xltpf5Czk_I/AAAAAAAADJM/3SFiUiD0vtsnlPTSA9yGlbkeC84MYQ38ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/The%2BFear%2Bof%2BDarkness%2Bwith%2BMaeve%2BDermody%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="1276" height="216" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eyE6rIY7410/Xltpf5Czk_I/AAAAAAAADJM/3SFiUiD0vtsnlPTSA9yGlbkeC84MYQ38ACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/The%2BFear%2Bof%2BDarkness%2Bwith%2BMaeve%2BDermody%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4iSuDBSdaTM/XltpkIZZ20I/AAAAAAAADJQ/ElA-DjUd02cLx3N67mcIfX1nYuFpTL3KgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/The%2BFear%2Bof%2BDarkness%2Bwith%2BMaeve%2BDermody%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="1278" height="215" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4iSuDBSdaTM/XltpkIZZ20I/AAAAAAAADJQ/ElA-DjUd02cLx3N67mcIfX1nYuFpTL3KgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/The%2BFear%2Bof%2BDarkness%2Bwith%2BMaeve%2BDermody%2B3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sarah wears glasses to read some
papers. But then she removes them to look at people across a
conference table. This is how a (much older) far-sighted person uses
reading glasses. But near-sighted people need glasses for both
reading <i>and</i> seeing people across a room.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now <i>this</i> scene is doubly fake ...<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yYAaanK8dS8/Xltqj3T11PI/AAAAAAAADJg/vVa3EMAcx4QIIZR6zrOJuld_01mXxI1hACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/The%2BFear%2Bof%2BDarkness%2Bwith%2BMaeve%2BDermody%2B6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="1274" height="216" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yYAaanK8dS8/Xltqj3T11PI/AAAAAAAADJg/vVa3EMAcx4QIIZR6zrOJuld_01mXxI1hACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/The%2BFear%2Bof%2BDarkness%2Bwith%2BMaeve%2BDermody%2B6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We begin with Sarah reading a
computer screen. So <i>now</i> she
<i>doesn't</i> need glasses <i>of any kind</i> to see a computer screen? But she needed them in previous scenes.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VCNYDLSz7-Q/XltqvPXiRuI/AAAAAAAADJk/S6J9-Qczm6YCbwckzoTotwpurvBj6I9vgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/The%2BFear%2Bof%2BDarkness%2Bwith%2BMaeve%2BDermody%2B8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1273" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VCNYDLSz7-Q/XltqvPXiRuI/AAAAAAAADJk/S6J9-Qczm6YCbwckzoTotwpurvBj6I9vgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/The%2BFear%2Bof%2BDarkness%2Bwith%2BMaeve%2BDermody%2B8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Then something interesting appears on
screen. Sarah puts on her glasses. Why? To get a closer look?
Nonsense! If she could see the screen well enough to use a search
engine, she does not need glasses for "a closer look."<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YIKykX8xppg/Xltq_49GepI/AAAAAAAADJw/XQ1F434DmtkO2mnSCEUSsgPiKziMo4x9QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/The%2BFear%2Bof%2BDarkness%2Bwith%2BMaeve%2BDermody%2B9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="1274" height="220" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YIKykX8xppg/Xltq_49GepI/AAAAAAAADJw/XQ1F434DmtkO2mnSCEUSsgPiKziMo4x9QCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/The%2BFear%2Bof%2BDarkness%2Bwith%2BMaeve%2BDermody%2B9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
And then, wearing glasses, Sarah sees
something far across the room, apparently in the mirror. Well, that
makes sense. A near-sighted person would need glasses to see far
across the room.<br />
<br />
So Sarah gets up -- and removes her glasses! -- as she approaches the mirror. Why? To
get a better look? From far across the room? Again, nonsense. She saw the entity <i>with</i> her glasses. Why take them off now? Being near-sighted, the
room would go blurry once Sarah removes her glasses.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9YjggZpFIg4/XlttS_qkmaI/AAAAAAAADKI/0ef9jdvjGUEICEypDlrn9s2ybDtP3c3jgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/The%2BFear%2Bof%2BDarkness%2Bwith%2BMaeve%2BDermody%2B10%2Bn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1282" height="217" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9YjggZpFIg4/XlttS_qkmaI/AAAAAAAADKI/0ef9jdvjGUEICEypDlrn9s2ybDtP3c3jgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/The%2BFear%2Bof%2BDarkness%2Bwith%2BMaeve%2BDermody%2B10%2Bn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eCICoPJlzgY/XltrOTjkkPI/AAAAAAAADJ4/dhFDX9NY1IA1NJ4pELy1aGTzIfHBWyW2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/The%2BFear%2Bof%2BDarkness%2Bwith%2BMaeve%2BDermody%2B11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="1277" height="215" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eCICoPJlzgY/XltrOTjkkPI/AAAAAAAADJ4/dhFDX9NY1IA1NJ4pELy1aGTzIfHBWyW2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/The%2BFear%2Bof%2BDarkness%2Bwith%2BMaeve%2BDermody%2B11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I don't know who is responsible for
Sarah's constant eyeglass play, Dermody or Fitchett, but Sarah is thoughtlessly mimicking elderly movie scientists, who
often remove their (reading glasses) when looking up from some
papers. But neither Dermody or Fitchett asked themselves, <i>why</i> do
elderly people remove their glasses?<br />
<br />
Because they're <i>far-sighted</i>, which the
young Sarah cannot be.<br />
<br />
But if she can't play with her glasses, that leaves Sarah with only two realistic options. Either lose the glasses -- <i>But then how will we know that
Sarah is smart?</i> Or keep her glasses on throughout the film,
never removing them -- <i>But then we won't see Dermody's pretty
face!</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">Either option would work. But because horror films are entertainment, and attractive actors are a selling point, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B017RR6HUU/communistvampire">The Fear of Darkness</a> reduces eyeglasses to a "smart girl"
prop (i.e., an optional accessory) on a pretty face, at the expense of creating a more
<a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2011/03/realistic-acting-enhances-supernatural.html">realistic character</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: normal;">===============</span><br />
<br />
For more about the performances of actors in horror, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.<br />
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-68104176826122011282019-01-17T02:09:00.005-08:002021-05-04T04:17:22.583-07:00Two Problems with "Proof of Concept" Short Films<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hollywood
calls them "proof of concept" (POC) films. Short films that
are a sample of an (as yet) unproduced feature film to potential
investors. A POC short film aims to "prove" that its story
will look great expanded into a feature. </span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some
POC films also showcase the intended feature films's cast. But
sometimes a different cast is used in the actual feature, for
artistic or financial reasons. For example, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002FUI4U6/communistvampire">Grace</a><span style="font-style: normal;">,
whose POC I saw in 2007 at a </span>film festival<span style="font-style: normal;">.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">It's
common for filmmakers to submit POC films to festivals, hoping to win
awards and thereby entice investors. But while </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">POC
</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">films
might occasionally interest investors, they generally fail as short
films. This is because, like a short story, a pleasing short film
should be self-contained. It should have a beginning, a middle, an
end. And </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">engaging,
<a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2010/12/writing-horror-characters-are-car-in.html">well-defined characters</a></span><span style="font-size: small;">.
A dilemma facing those characters. And a final resolution. </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Closure</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Too
often, POC films lack closure. They leave viewers hanging. We get the
sense that the </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>real
story</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">
begins after the film ends.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Roger
Sampson's </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Visitor</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">
(2017) is such a film. It opens with Dr. Price (Ashley Felkner)
examining a pregnant woman, while explaining her new experimental
drug. Dr. Price says, </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>"It
will help women, who couldn't be mommies before, to have children."
</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">We
later see Dr. Price at her home, talking to her voice recorder,
repeating the wonders of her new drug. She is pleased that the FDA is
expected to approve it soon. </span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We
then cut to what appears to be an alien spaceship descending to
earth. We intercut shots of the alien craft's decent with shots of
Dr. Price at home, strangely affected. She falls into a zombie like
trance, eats glass, and exist the house. The End.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Huh?
What did I just see? This ten minute film was mostly just exposition
about Dr. Price's new wonder drug. Then the alien ship is introduced
and Dr. Price leaves home. <i>What was that about?</i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
is clearly a POC film. Want to know what happens to Dr. Price? How
the aliens are connected to her new drug (if at all)? You'll have to
watch the (as yet nonexistent) feature film.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">POC
films can usually be spotted </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">through
this lack of closure. There is exposition. Characters are set up and
introduced. A great conflict or problem (often upcoming and always
unresolved) is broached. Then ... The End.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Becca
Flinn-White's </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The
Candlelight Witch</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">
(2018) suffers this same problem. In this six minute film, two
children and a babysitter are alone on a dark night. The babysitter
relates an urban legend about a witch. The witch appears and kidnaps
the babysitter.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Whereupon
</span>one child asks, <span style="font-size: small;"><i>"So
what do we do?"</i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
other replies, </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>"Get
her back."</i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
End.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MrHbvnPJiIM" width="560"></iframe></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once
again, I sensed that now </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>begins</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">
the real story: the struggle to regain the babysitter from the witch.
But you'll have to wait for the (as yet unproduced) feature film to
see it.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
have confirmation that </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Visitor</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">
and </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The
Candlelight Witch</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">'s
are POC films. But I can usually spot them just from this lack of
closure, which leave me emotionally dissatisfied. Seeing </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Visitor</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">
or </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The
Candlelight Witch</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">,
I feel as if I've left the theater ten minutes after the film began.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A
satisfying film need not resolve </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>every</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">
problem. Many fine horror films end with an implication that the
threat lives on. But a </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>self-contained
cycle of dramatic events</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">
should be resolved. </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Halloween</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">
(1978) had closure even though Michael Myers was still alive and
would return, because Laurie Strode's night of horror had ended.
Tomorrow was another day. Nothing in </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Halloween</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">
mandated that Myers continue to terrorize Strode in </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Halloween
2</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But
a well made POC short film needn't lack closure. Some are not merely
advertisements for planned feature films, but stand on their own
artistically.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Becki
Pantling's </span><a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2018/10/off-duty-s-creative-lighting-depicts.html"><span style="font-size: small;">Off Duty</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">
(2018) is a seven minute film about a psychic police officer. Its
story is self-contained. The officer arrives at an investigation and
resolves the problem. I didn't know it was a POC film until I'd read
it marketing materials.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Perhaps one reason that <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2018/10/off-duty-s-creative-lighting-depicts.html"><span style="font-size: small;">Off Duty</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">
works as a short is because it promotes an intended TV series rather
than a feature. So really, </span><a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2018/10/off-duty-s-creative-lighting-depicts.html"><span style="font-size: small;">Off Duty</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">
is an </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>episode</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">
from an intended series. TV series usually offers some closure with
each episode, even if some dilemmas are left unresolved until the
following episode. </span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
does not mean that a POC short for an intended feature film must lack
closure.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another
problem with some POC </span>films is that they start <span style="font-size: small;"><i>well
into the story</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">.
Yes, it's generally a good idea not to have too much exposition; to
begin a film with the drama already in progress. But some POC films
take this too far.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ozlem
Altingoz's </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Birth</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">
(2018) feels like the later scenes of a feature. Maybe she choose to
film these scenes for her intended feature because they're especially
effects laden. (See, investors, how cool this will look when it's
finished?) But as a viewer, I felt as if I'd arrived very late to the
film. That I </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>should</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">
know what was going on, but didn't.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
was annoyed by this lack of back story. Some mystery is good, but
</span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Birth</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">
inundated me with too many unexplained details. A possessed wife, an
expectant baby on the way, a son's vague accusations against his
parents ... </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">how
did these all connect? </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">Who
are these people? What brought about this situation? What are they
talking about?</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
ending failed to answer any of my questions. It only raised more
questions. Which, I assume, would be explained in the upcoming
feature.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There
is nothing inherently wrong with a "proof of concept" short
film. But do tell a self-contained story. Explain what needs to be explained. And give us closure.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">============ </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">For more about structure in horror films, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-73304658133298955782018-10-10T14:39:00.001-07:002018-10-10T14:44:14.327-07:00Off Duty Uses Creative Lighting to Depict the Supernatural Realm<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div align="LEFT">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">In <i>Off Duty</i>,
Police Constable Layton (Becki Pantling) investigates a haunting in a
warehouse. It's something she performs "off duty," perhaps
because the higher ups would frown upon her psychic gifts. She can
commune with ghosts.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Off Duty</i> is a
spooky little ghost story, creepy and atmospheric. A British horror
short which successfully captures that <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B01729J1O2/communistvampire">X-Files</a> vibe. A police
procedural with a serious tone and unexpected, original twists. PC
Layton isn't just a ghost hunter. She's a vigilante.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">The lighting is
especially impressive. DP Jamie MacLeod uses two distinct lighting
setups. One for the normal world and one for the astral realm that
Layton enters. Warm yellow lights for normalcy. Cold blue lights for
the astral plain.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DF9ES1YI-s8/W75qN43PUZI/AAAAAAAADCc/E77qmfi-ABcJgy_edgY2faME9Mobq-URQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Becki%2BPantling%2527s%2BOff%2BDuty%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DF9ES1YI-s8/W75qN43PUZI/AAAAAAAADCc/E77qmfi-ABcJgy_edgY2faME9Mobq-URQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Becki%2BPantling%2527s%2BOff%2BDuty%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DF9ES1YI-s8/W75qN43PUZI/AAAAAAAADCc/E77qmfi-ABcJgy_edgY2faME9Mobq-URQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Becki%2BPantling%2527s%2BOff%2BDuty%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="700" height="310" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DF9ES1YI-s8/W75qN43PUZI/AAAAAAAADCc/E77qmfi-ABcJgy_edgY2faME9Mobq-URQCEwYBhgL/s640/Becki%2BPantling%2527s%2BOff%2BDuty%2B3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">The concept is similar
to the lighting schemes used in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0788XRYJZ/communistvampire">Insidious</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B076HTKKXC/communistvampire">Stranger Things</a> (to
depict "The Further" and the "Upside Down,"
respectively), but simpler and on a much lower budget. Thankfully,
Pantling and MacLead avoid the use of green nightvision. Ghost hunter
films should give that a rest.</span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT">
<br />
===========</div>
<div align="LEFT">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">For more about lighting in horror films, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-81205360966130873922018-07-19T19:48:00.001-07:002018-07-19T19:48:45.326-07:00The Case Against Film Subtitles: Dubbing Is Better<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Back
in film school (NYU) I was taught that, regarding foreign films, true
</span></span><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">cinéastes</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
prefer subtitles over dubbing. This is why lowbrow exploitation films
(<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B005VU9LKE/communistvampire">Godzilla</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B008DRKJ76/communistvampire">Zombi 2</a>) are dubbed, whereas highbrow art films (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00GPPXOTS/communistvampire">Jules and Jim</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B01KGR17ZS/communistvampire">Breathless</a>) are subtitled.</span></span> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The rationale is that an actor's voice
is part of his performance. Dub the actor, and you can no longer
appreciate the film as performed by that actor. It becomes a new
film. This is especially obvious with certain actors who have highly
distinctive voices, such as Clint Eastwood and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
If you've seen films with their voices dubbed, you not only hear,
you can <i>feel</i> the difference.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6p3nmyTICo0" width="560"></iframe></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nevertheless, I prefer dubbing.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sure, I prefer Schwarzenegger in his original voice. But that's because he's speaking English, a language I understand. I might not appreciate his voice as much if he were speaking German and I had to read subtitles.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The notion that an actor's performance
is better preserved with subtitles, rather than dubbing, is overrated. It's
true that dubbing dilutes an actor's performance, but in a way, so do
subtitles. This is especially true with films that are dialog
intensive -- a lot of dialog, quickly spoken, to the point that the
actors are practically speaking over each other.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Subtitles dilute an actor's performance because, when I watch a dialog heavy film, I
can't actually <i>watch</i> the actors. Streams of sentences
incessantly fill the bottom of the screen. No sooner do I finish
reading the text than a new word dump appears. I
can't keep up. I repeatedly pause the DVD to read the
dialog. Then I unpause, and pause again, so I can read the next batch
of sentences. It's like flipping through pages. I'm no longer
watching a film. I'm reading a book.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How then can I focus on the actors'
performances? Their facial expressions, reactions, or even their
voices? You can't appreciate a vocal performance when you hear it
broken into bits from constantly pausing the DVD.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another distraction is the surprisingly
large number of misspelled words and incorrect punctuation in many subtitles. I've seen
<i>we're</i> spelled <i>were</i><span style="font-style: normal;">,
and </span><i>I'm</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> spelled </span><i>Im</i><span style="font-style: normal;">.
I saw a film in which a mad scientist was conducting </span><i>experiences</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
rather than </span><i>experiments</i><span style="font-style: normal;">.
One character said </span><i>"I was a theft."</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
when he clearly meant </span><i>"I was a thief."</i> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Among foreign horror films, inept
subtitles are the rule rather than the exception. It's rare that I
see a film whose English subtitles are in perfect English.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What's the problem? Is there a shortage
of "professional" script translators overseas? Have the big
studios booked the few competent translators? Or do indie horror
filmmakers have such low budgets that they can't afford competent
translators? Maybe they think that translation is easy, a safe item
on which to save money, so they can't be bothered to hire a
professional? Instead they recruit some student intern (for no pay)
who's looking to break into the business, despite his not having
achieved sufficient English language proficiency to do a competent
job.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Every incorrect subtitle, every pause
of the DVD, distracts me, interrupting my <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2011/05/so-bad-its-good-vs-suspension-of.html">suspension of disbelief</a>,
lessening a scene's tension or humor, hindering my
enjoyment of the film.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Unfortunately, subtitles are now the
norm in horror films. It wasn't always so. Italian
exploitation films of the 1970s and 1980s were routinely dubbed. I
think the practice of subtitling horror films began with the advent of J-horror in
the late 1990s.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why is subtitling the new norm? I don't
think it's because distributors have suddenly gained an appreciation for
film as an art form. Rather, subtitling is cheaper than is dubbing.
Either way, you hire a translator for the script. But now you needn't
hire a new cast of actors to perform that script in a foreign
language. The more countries you hope to distribute the film in, the
more money you save.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The rise in the number of indie horror
filmmakers worldwide, along with a concomitant increase in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786465727/communistvampire">horror film festivals</a> to encourage their efforts, is another factor. It's a race to the bottom. If you see your competition getting away with </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">saving money by not hiring
actors to dub foreign dialog, </span>why should you spend extra? Thus have subtitles -- poorly written at that -- replaced dubbing as the new norm.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Horror fans have enthusiastically embraced many dubbed films over the decades. So although contemporary horror filmmakers might say they're opting for
subtitles for art's sake, really, it's to save a dime.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">==================</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For more about sound issues in horror films, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-135978376109526742018-06-20T21:15:00.001-07:002021-05-04T04:19:40.513-07:00Directorial and Writing Mistakes in The Haunting of Marsten Manor<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An early scene in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0018SNYME/communistvampire">The Haunting of Marsten Manor</a> showcases several errors that filmmakers
can learn from. All these errors stem from one problem: the <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2010/12/writing-horror-characters-are-car-in.html">characters</a> behave unrealistically, in ways meant to create drama or to advance the
plot, rather then remaining true to themselves and their situation.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lljC957VRHs/WysYYN43mSI/AAAAAAAAC-8/vGoKU3VEgIYkkRoBKSOC6yp5DZWDKkm9gCLcBGAs/s1600/The%2BHaunting%2Bof%2BMarsten%2BManor%2B-%2BAlan%2BPeterson%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="887" data-original-width="1600" height="220" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lljC957VRHs/WysYYN43mSI/AAAAAAAAC-8/vGoKU3VEgIYkkRoBKSOC6yp5DZWDKkm9gCLcBGAs/s400/The%2BHaunting%2Bof%2BMarsten%2BManor%2B-%2BAlan%2BPeterson%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We are at the reading of a will. An attorney (Alan Peterson) tells Jill
(Brianne Davis) that she has inherited her aunt's house. Jill is
surprised, because she'd never met her aunt.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>"Can I ask you a legal question
about wills?"</i> says Jill.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The attorney gets testy. <i>"A legal
question, huh. Let me guess. Your daddy sent you off to law school,
all bright eyed and bushy tailed, out to make the world a better
place, mmm? Shoot. First question's on the house. After that, $250 an
hour, two hour minimum."</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mXJkKNFMEBA/WysYmGkj-uI/AAAAAAAAC_A/PpVcdJA3fqMw8stHvPyW2gzGeKI2pxUvQCLcBGAs/s1600/The%2BHaunting%2Bof%2BMarsten%2BManor%2B-%2BBrianne%2BDavis%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="1600" height="220" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mXJkKNFMEBA/WysYmGkj-uI/AAAAAAAAC_A/PpVcdJA3fqMw8stHvPyW2gzGeKI2pxUvQCLcBGAs/s400/The%2BHaunting%2Bof%2BMarsten%2BManor%2B-%2BBrianne%2BDavis%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jill stand up, outraged. <i>"I'm not
bright-eyed, because I'm blind. So obviously I can't go to law school
or any school. I can't make the world a better place, because I can't
see it."</i> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ERROR: This exchange is silly. The lawyer's sudden rudeness is unmotivated. He went from friendly to snide in an instant, just because Jill asked a normal question. Besides, it <i>is</i>
his job to answer any question Jill has regarding the will. Jill is his client's heir. He is the <i>paid</i>
executor of the estate. The writers (Dave and Julie Sapp)
either don't know, or don't care, about the law.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So why did they write this exchange between Jill
and the attorney? I suppose it's to "motivate" Jill's anger. The lawyer is rude not because it's true to his character, or
to the scene's context, but because the writers <i>want</i> to Jill to get angry. Alas, they couldn't come up with a realistic trigger. They are treating Jill and the attorney like lifeless props, rather than as characters who behave true to themselves.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The scene continues.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The attorney <i>loudly</i> says, <i>"I am sorry."</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>"I'm not deaf. I'm blind,"</i>
Jill retorts.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The attorney says more quietly, <i>"I
am sorry. Please sit down. What was your question?"</i> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jill says nothing. She's too angry to
care about her question.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bxDnNiLBkRs/Wysc_LIkCEI/AAAAAAAAC_Y/Ra4x1FLDykc2lyofigGsFlKrCUzZPVu5QCLcBGAs/s1600/The%2BHaunting%2Bof%2BMarsten%2BManor%2B-%2BAlan%2BPeterson%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="886" data-original-width="1600" height="221" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bxDnNiLBkRs/Wysc_LIkCEI/AAAAAAAAC_Y/Ra4x1FLDykc2lyofigGsFlKrCUzZPVu5QCLcBGAs/s400/The%2BHaunting%2Bof%2BMarsten%2BManor%2B-%2BAlan%2BPeterson%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>"Okay then,"</i> says the attorney
<i>"Then I will give you the keys to your new place."</i> He has
a document for Jill to sign. He considers it, then gives the document to
Jill's friend, Rob (Ken Luckey). <i>"That's all right if you go ahead
and sign for her."</i> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jill is angry again. <i>"I can
write my name. My hands aren't broken."</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>"Fine,"</i> says the attorney.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> </b>Jill signs the document.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-azvueVlvLmI/WysdXpkMW5I/AAAAAAAAC_k/f9E_LwrB_d8prxsclBlN297yf8FdWvtIwCLcBGAs/s1600/The%2BHaunting%2Bof%2BMarsten%2BManor%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="886" data-original-width="1600" height="221" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-azvueVlvLmI/WysdXpkMW5I/AAAAAAAAC_k/f9E_LwrB_d8prxsclBlN297yf8FdWvtIwCLcBGAs/s400/The%2BHaunting%2Bof%2BMarsten%2BManor%2B4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then the attorney <b>offers the keys to Rob</b>. <i>"Here you go."</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>"I believe those are mine,"</i>
says Jill, hand outstretched.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rob takes the keys from the attorney,
then gives them to Jill.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ERROR: If Jill is blind, how did she
know the attorney was offering the keys to Rob?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Never mind that after Jill's outburst over the document, the attorney would not offer her the keys. They're just keys. If Jill can sign a document, she can certainly hold keys.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But this error is compounded.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The attorney now says, <i>"Here's a copy
of the will. The deed and the address. So forth and so on. Your
papers."</i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Remarkably, the
attorney <b>once again</b> offers the papers to Rob. Once again, Rob takes the papers
and gives them to Jill.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I guess the writers really want to belabor that it's very difficult for Jill to be blind. Everyone thinks she's helpless. Well, we got it with the document. I don't buy that the attorney would then mistakenly hand the keys, and then the papers, to Rob.</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tOq99W5k5kE/WyshWR7S4KI/AAAAAAAAC_0/k0FkKnkqxn41-Umg48KpAbL8u_tbm8_ZwCLcBGAs/s1600/The%2BHaunting%2Bof%2BMarsten%2BManor%2B-%2BAlan%2BPeterson%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="895" data-original-width="1600" height="222" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tOq99W5k5kE/WyshWR7S4KI/AAAAAAAAC_0/k0FkKnkqxn41-Umg48KpAbL8u_tbm8_ZwCLcBGAs/s400/The%2BHaunting%2Bof%2BMarsten%2BManor%2B-%2BAlan%2BPeterson%2B3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> The attorney says softly, looking at Rob, <i>"</i></span><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Good luck to you all. And I'm
sorry about before."</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i> </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>"I can still hear you,"</i> snaps Jill.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ERROR: How did Jill know the lawyer was
looking at Rob, trying to speak confidentially to him? Jill had asked
the attorney to speak softly, stating <i>"I'm not deaf."</i> Why
would she not assume he was simply ... speaking softly as per her
request?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jill "knew" because the writers wanted her to get angry again. The writers are treating Jill as a prop, making her behave in whatever way advances their plot, without any regard for whether Jill's character would say this do that in any particular situation.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A final complaint. Alan Peterson plays the attorney with a really bad, strong, fake Southern accent. Well, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0018SNYME/communistvampire">The Haunting of Marsten Manor</a> is a Civil War themed ghost story. I guess the director wanted to establish that we're in the South.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Despite its faults, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0018SNYME/communistvampire">The Haunting of Marsten Manor</a> is not an awful film. It's a reasonably enjoyable ghost film. It has flaws, as do many indie (and big budget) efforts. But one can enjoy it if one is willing to <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2011/05/so-bad-its-good-vs-suspension-of.html">suspend disbelief</a>.</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For additional examples of bad writing -- where the <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2010/12/writing-horror-characters-are-car-in.html">characters</a> are treated as props, rather than behaving logically and true to themselves -- see my analyses of <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2018/04/prometheus.html">Prometheus</a>, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2017/06/in-search-of-lovecraft-suffers-from.html">In Search of Lovecraft</a>, and <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2017/03/poor-scriptwriting-in-deadly-messages.html">Deadly Messages</a>, and <a href="http://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2011/08/dark-floors-poorly-motivated-characters.html">Dark Floors</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You can also (for now) see </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0018SNYME/communistvampire">The Haunting of Marsten Manor</a> on YouTube. The above scene begins at the 2:08 mark.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vCJZRgm3SAE" width="560"></iframe></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">==================</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For more about writing in horror films, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-54849673872429653752018-06-17T22:47:00.001-07:002021-02-25T16:01:19.459-08:00Contrasting the Visuals in Two MOS Horror Films: Daughter of Horror and The Beast of Yucca Flats<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00164K1NA/communistvampire">Daughter of Horror</a> (aka <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00164K1NA/communistvampire">Dementia</a>, 1955)
and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0748YHRYV/communistvampire">The Beast of Yucca Flats</a> (1961) were made within a decade of each
other. Both films are low budget affairs. Both "feature"
runs at under an hour. Both were shot in black & white. Both were
shot MOS (i.e., without any sound recorded on set). What sound there is
was dubbed in afterwards.</span><br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Despite their similarities, they are
markedly different. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00164K1NA/communistvampire">Daughter of Horror</a> is an admirable work of art.
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0748YHRYV/communistvampire">The Beast of Yucca Flats</a> is schlock This is why it's instructive to
study these films together. Especially their handling of MOS. What
did the first film do right that the second got wrong?</span><br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">You won't find many MOS
films these days. Modern video cameras have built in sound recorders. Not so film cameras in the 1950s. And so, some low budget filmmakers
tried to save money by doing without sound recorders and boom
mics on set, instead shooting MOS and dubbing in the sound during post
production.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EgvCDJAvuRw" width="560"></iframe></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">
</span>
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">
</span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Comparing these two films, you'll
see that <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00164K1NA/communistvampire">Daughter of Horror</a> <i>embraces</i> its MOS limitations. The film has no dialog. Instead, it relies on powerful visuals.</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> Director John Parker's compositions are
beautiful and arresting, borrowing stylistically from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1905674600/communistvampire">German expressionism</a>. His harsh lighting creates extreme, angular shadows, and rich, deep blacks.</span><br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The production design and staging are similarly expressionistic. For one scene, Parker found an impressively gargantuan staircase. In another, the woman enters a nightclub and is creepily and claustrophobically surrounded by what initially appear to be floating arms. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Parker's visual style
creates a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1412814804/communistvampire">surreal</a> sensibility, which is appropriate as we are
allegedly sharing a mad woman's nightmares and/or hallucinations.
(She wakes up, but remains uncertain if it was only a dream, so it could be either.)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cZ96wcqAf08" width="320" youtube-src-id="cZ96wcqAf08"></iframe></div><br /> </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">
</span>
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">
</span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">By contrast, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0748YHRYV/communistvampire">The Beast of Yucca Flats</a>
tries to <i>hide</i> its MOS limitations. The film does its (poor)
best to fool the audience into thinking that sound was recorded on set. There is dialog. But because it was dubbed during
post-production, director Coleman Francis uses several tricks to conceal that the dialog doesn't sync with his actors' lips. When the actors talk, they're always seen from a distance, or obscured in
darkness, or behind an object. Or talking off screen -- whereas filmmakers normally show the actor who's speaking, Francis instead frames the actor who's
listening, the talker being out of camera frame.</span><br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Francis's technique cheapens his film.
An actor's voice carries much of his personality. Because we never
see his actors speak the voices we hear, some emotional
connection with the audience is lost. Better for them never to have
spoken in the first place.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Unlike Parker, Francis doesn't provide interesting visuals. His images are dull.
Mostly people wandering the desert. Still worse, he shot his
film day-for-night (i.e., during the daytime, with the film
underexposed to create a nighttime look). Day-for-night is often used
for wide expanses (e.g., desert vistas) because of the expense of
lighting such large areas. Had Francis rented some generators and lights, he might have had the rich blacks and sharp
shadows of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00164K1NA/communistvampire">Daughter of Horror</a>. Instead, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0748YHRYV/communistvampire">The Beast of Yucca Flats</a> suffers from flat "lighting." Dull, grayish, washed-out.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Apart from dialog, </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0748YHRYV/communistvampire">The Beast of Yucca Flats</a> dubs many other <a href="http://www.filmsound.org/terminology/diegetic.htm">diegetic sounds</a>: wind,
gunshots, screams, and engine noise (from cars and planes). The only <a href="http://www.filmsound.org/terminology/diegetic.htm">diegetic sound</a> dubbed in </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00164K1NA/communistvampire">Daughter of Horror</a> is laughter. Thus does the latter further embrace its MOS limitations.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rf2LORKLEwo" width="560"></iframe></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Both films have music and narration.
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00164K1NA/communistvampire">Daughter of Horror</a>'s narration is more self-aware and
self-referential. The narrator addresses the protagonist. <i>"Run,
daughter of horror, run."</i> By contrast, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0748YHRYV/communistvampire">Yucca Flats</a>'s narrator addresses the audience. The former dynamically interacts with
its surreal world. The latter fills in the narrative gaps created by the MOS limitations, <i>telling</i> us (rather than <i>showing</i>) what we would otherwise have
learned through the missing dialog.</span><br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Narrative gaps are a problem for
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0748YHRYV/communistvampire">The Beast of Yucca Flats</a>, because the film attempts to tell a
traditional horror/sci-fi story about a killer monster. By contrast,
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00164K1NA/communistvampire">Daughter of Horror</a> doesn't have a linear story, but is a subjective,
surreal look at madness. </span><br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00164K1NA/communistvampire">Daughter of Horror</a> was
initially released as <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00164K1NA/communistvampire">Dementia</a> and had no narration. </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b>(The top YouTube clip is without narration, the latter with.)</b> </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Some fans
believe the narration harms the film. </span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Even so, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00164K1NA/communistvampire">Daughter of Horror</a>'s narration
better serves its film than the narration for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0748YHRYV/communistvampire">The Beast of Yucca Flats</a>. The latter's narration aims for a philosophical profundity
that comes off as unintentionally funny.</span><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"> </span><br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00164K1NA/communistvampire">Daughter of Horror</a> should be studied
for tips on how to tell a tale visually. Good to know even if you're making a sound film. As for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0748YHRYV/communistvampire">The Beast of Yucca Flats</a>, well, it's schlock. Even so, it can be entertaining if one is
in the right mood. I was bored the first time I watched. But I
enjoyed my second viewing.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">==================</span><br />
<br />
<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">For more about the use of sound in horror films, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-79683223108698358442018-04-20T23:59:00.000-07:002018-04-28T22:00:21.164-07:00Poor Scriptwriting in Prometheus<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have previously written about a
common problem in scriptwriting. A writer uses his characters to
advance the plot in a certain direction, pushing them toward actions and decisions that contradict their intelligence and
personalities. Characters become ignorant, stupid, or behave
contrary to their nature.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In poor writing, characters are lifeless puppets to advance the plot. In good writing, characters advance the plot in ways that are consistent with their intelligence, emotions, and situations. Their actions are logically motivated.</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B005LAIHXQ/communistvampire">Prometheus</a> (2012), Charlie (Logan Marshall-Green) is a scientist who travels to a distant moon (in another
solar system), hoping to meet an alien race that, he believes,
created humanity. When the spaceship carrying him arrives, Charlie rushes out with his team to explore, despite there only
being six hours of daylight left. Charlie is too eager to wait for the
next day.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iP36RNIxTE0/WtrfffgAwEI/AAAAAAAAC9M/3porsNONxtI7892mY5tjWkq9qQwwC7SuQCLcBGAs/s1600/Logan%2BMarshall-Green%2Bin%2BPrometheus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="265" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iP36RNIxTE0/WtrfffgAwEI/AAAAAAAAC9M/3porsNONxtI7892mY5tjWkq9qQwwC7SuQCLcBGAs/s400/Logan%2BMarshall-Green%2Bin%2BPrometheus.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Charlie finds a barren terrain and what appears to be "a tomb" (Charlie's word) with several dead aliens. Returning to the ship, Charlie becomes depressed
and drunk. He refuses to attend the autopsy of an alien's head,
because <i>"I didn't come for an autopsy."</i>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Is this a scientist speaking? This is humanity's first contact with an alien species, but Charlie prefers to sulk and ignore history in the making, because he's disappointed not
to have met a live alien. His attitude is that of a child, not a
scientist.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But it gets worse. Not only are Charlie's attitude and emotions poorly motivated, but he's not very intelligent
for a scientist. There is no logical reason to believe that the alien
race is dead.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
1. The spaceship just arrived. They've
been on the moon less than a day. The alien "tomb" was
underground. Is it not logical to assume there might be other
places on the moon where aliens are still alive? Perhaps underground? Imagine if an alien
ship landed in the Sahara Desert, and immediately concluded the Earth was barren of all life. Not very bright, is it?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
2. Even if the moon is barren, why
assume the alien race is dead? Why assume this moon is
their home world, the only place their civilization existed?
On the contrary, Charlie already knows these aliens are a
star-faring people. They came to Earth. Is it not logical to assume
they'd be scattered among the stars? That this tiny moon was but
a small outpost of their empire? That the reason they left maps on
Earth directing us to this moon was, not because it was their most
important world, but because it was their closest world to Earth?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
And indeed, this is what the ship's captain (Idris Elba) concludes much later in the
film. That this moon was but an outpost of the alien's civilization.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Well, duh! I figured that from
the start. It sure took a while for these scientists to come around. Why were they so dense? It's not that I'm smarter.
<i>Real scientists</i> would not have jumped to the conclusion of a
"dead race" after less than a day on that moon.
<i>Well-written fictional scientists</i> would likewise not have been
so quick to make such blatantly false assumptions.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But writers Jon Spaihts and Damon
Lindelof wanted to inject some drama into their story. And also extend the story to feature film length. So they dummied
down their scientists, keeping the scientists stupid until they reached a
turning point in the plot that required them to suddenly wise up.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
A final observation. Because the alien
race's intent is evil, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B005LAIHXQ/communistvampire">Prometheus</a> is
horror, not science fiction. These aliens created humanity, taught
us, invited us to visit them, then wanted to kill us. Horror.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Contrast this to a science fiction film
such as <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002945DU2/communistvampire">2001: A Space Odyssey</a>. A similar setup. An alien race
creates us (or at least guides our evolution), teaches us, and
invites us to visit them. But their intent is apparently benevolent,
albeit strange to our limited thinking. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
For further examples of poorly motivated characters, see my analyses of <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2017/06/in-search-of-lovecraft-suffers-from.html">In Search of Lovecraft</a>, and <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2017/03/poor-scriptwriting-in-deadly-messages.html">Deadly Messages</a>, and <a href="http://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2011/08/dark-floors-poorly-motivated-characters.html">Dark Floors</a>.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
==========<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
For more about the nature of horror, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-72550660701964247602018-04-14T15:16:00.004-07:002018-04-14T15:16:48.152-07:00The Creepiest Scene in Her<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Horror can be described as <a href="http://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2011/02/what-is-unnatural-threat-and-why-does.html">the realization that the world is not as your mind believes</a>.</div>
<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00H9HZGQ0/communistvampire">Her</a> (2013) is not a horror film. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00H9HZGQ0/communistvampire">Her</a> is
both science fiction and social commentary. An examination of man's
atomization in a society that increasingly replaces human contact
and life experiences with virtual substitutes -- pornography, video
games, etc. Yet <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00H9HZGQ0/communistvampire">Her</a> also has creepy moments that rival those found in the
best horror films.
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Spoilers ahead.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
In <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00H9HZGQ0/communistvampire">Her</a>, Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) buys a newly invented
operating system that incorporates artificial intelligence. He
chooses to give the OS a female voice. When the OS comes online, she
introduces herself and asks Theodore for his name. When he asks for
hers, she christens herself Samantha. Theodore asks, <i>"Why
Samantha?"</i> and she replies that, in response to his question, she read a book
about names and liked the sound of Samantha.
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson) is smart. She can read a book
in under a second. Even complex physics books. She explains that, as an AI, she will continue to learn and develop to meet Theodore's specific computing needs. She begins by reading his thousands of emails (in under a second) and deleting those deemed no longer necessary. She keeps the funny ones.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
She and Theodore hit it off. Samantha
is warm and funny and concerned about Theodore. She
displays emotions. Are her emotions real? She explains that she
thinks so. That when she tried to determine if her emotions were real or mere algorithms, she suddenly felt angry that she should
doubt her feelings' authenticity.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Theodore tells people he's dating
his OS. People are accepting. His friend, Amy (Amy Adams), has struck up a
close friendship with <i>her</i> OS. Samantha is great with kids. She
hits it off with Theodore's goddaughter. Theodore and
Samantha even make love, sort of. How soon
before marriage to your OS becomes legal?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
One of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00H9HZGQ0/communistvampire"><span style="font-style: normal;">Her</span></a>'s
strengths is that the viewer <i>feels</i> that Samantha is a young, vibrant woman. That she's human. That she's like us. But
there are dark hints on the horizon. Consider this scene of Theodore on a double date with his
friends. Samantha speaks through his smart phone, seeing the
world through its camera.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HtsQ1b3H24w" width="560"></iframe></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
While the thought of us mortals dying
is creepy, nevertheless, the scene reinforces Samantha's loving
warmth. Her relationship with Theodore is special.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But late in the movie, we learn more
about Samantha. She has continued to develop, traveling the internet, exploring and living beyond the
bounds of Theodore's desktop. She has met and formed relationships with other people and OSs. Consider this scene.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JdROh4NhwZo" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Horror is <a href="http://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2011/02/what-is-unnatural-threat-and-why-does.html">the realization that the world is not as our minds believe</a>. The above scene creeped me out.
It's not that Samantha is seeing someone else. People do that. It's
that, even as she's talking to Theodore, she's simultaneously talking
to 8,316 other people </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
That's not human. That's ... <i>a thing</i>.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The scene rips off the human mask from Samantha. Its emotional impact -- at least on me -- is similar to
that of the classic <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B01KOCNQUO/communistvampire">Twilight Zone</a> episode, "The Lonely." Corry (Jack Warden), falls in love with a female android (Jean
Marsh), forgetting that she's not human -- until another man shoots off her
face.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yn4ZRlkph6Q/WtJznflqsmI/AAAAAAAAC8k/OzbqCCkogUkzJTVtrDWat2ZzAp6pbk7tACLcBGAs/s1600/Jean%2BMarsh%2Band%2BJack%2BWarden%2Bin%2BThe%2BTwilight%2BZone%2B-%2BThe%2BLonely.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="517" data-original-width="686" height="301" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yn4ZRlkph6Q/WtJznflqsmI/AAAAAAAAC8k/OzbqCCkogUkzJTVtrDWat2ZzAp6pbk7tACLcBGAs/s400/Jean%2BMarsh%2Band%2BJack%2BWarden%2Bin%2BThe%2BTwilight%2BZone%2B-%2BThe%2BLonely.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PDfVgeuL6j0/WtJzu0J_irI/AAAAAAAAC8o/02PI9l6hxl4_hR2sOdNjRZEkEYBXBEFBwCLcBGAs/s1600/Jean%2BMarsh%2Brobot%2Bin%2BThe%2BTwilight%2BZone%2B-%2BThe%2BLonely.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="474" height="297" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PDfVgeuL6j0/WtJzu0J_irI/AAAAAAAAC8o/02PI9l6hxl4_hR2sOdNjRZEkEYBXBEFBwCLcBGAs/s400/Jean%2BMarsh%2Brobot%2Bin%2BThe%2BTwilight%2BZone%2B-%2BThe%2BLonely.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Both <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00H9HZGQ0/communistvampire">Her</a> and "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B01KOCNQUO/communistvampire">The Lonely</a>" lull us into accepting as a loving woman that which we know to be a machine. Only to give us the creeps when we are later reminded that she isn't human. </div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
==========<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
For more information about the nature of horror, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-62184684478007063532018-02-16T23:01:00.003-08:002018-02-16T23:01:49.715-08:00Jack O'Lantern's Strong Emotional Core<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I see hundreds of horror short films a
year. Mostly they're the same setups, the same payoffs. Some films
are well made, with good production values. Some are even scary. Only
a few are <i>memorable -- </i><span style="font-style: normal;">lingering
in the mind, thought-provoking, emotionally affecting.</span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Erik LeDrew's <i>Jack O'Lantern</i>
(2017) is such a film. Its economical five minutes packs a strong,
emotional punch. Watch it now. Then I'll explain why I admire it.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bFPsUUIhmGk?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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As I said, it's an economical film. It
says much with little. Under five minutes long (4 minutes, 45
seconds) and no dialog.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Many filmmakers mistakenly stuff their films with aimless chitchat. Vapid teens talking about
their boyfriends or hookups, filling up time but doing nothing to
advance the story. Dialog should have a purpose. If it doesn't serve
a purpose, you don't need it.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Jack O'Lantern</i> is "pure
cinema," telling its story visually. A story. Not a vignette with just a setup and payoff, where a nondescript victim is stalked and killed by a gruesome but
commonplace monster. But a story with fully-fleshed characters and emotional depth, a strong moral core and
substantive theme.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The film opens with four young people
on Halloween night. We never learn these characters' names (despite
being listed on IMDB). Instead, they are archetypes. Which doesn't
diminish their emotional depth. Considering the film's brevity, these
characters are admirably distinctive, enough so as to <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2010/12/writing-horror-characters-are-car-in.html">engage audience empathy</a>.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is the Bully. He smashes Jack
O'Lanterns with an ax. He seeks approval from the Mob, which is a guy and two girls. Yet while the guy and one girl cheer on the
Bully, one of the girls, the Good Girl, conveys disapproval with her
facial expression.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We empathize with her disapproval. And her disapproval helps support the impression that these smiling
Jack O'Lanterns are alive. Helpless, harmless little creatures, happy
to shine on their one night of the year before decaying. Yet the
Bully kills them on their one night, because he's bigger, and
stronger, and has an ax. We can imagine him bullying people the rest
of the year.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Bully continues smashing Jacks. The
Good Girl hugs a Jack, tries to defend him, and finally dissuade the
Mob from following the Bully.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Bully gets his
comeuppance. This is a well-trodden horror story arc, typical of
<a href="http://communistvampires.com/horror/Tales%20From%20the%20Crypt,%20The%20Official%20Archives.htm">Tales from the Crypt</a><span style="font-style: normal;">'s moral
dark fables. I doubt any horror film can be wholly original. But </span><i>Jack
O'Lantern</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> treads this story arc
especially well.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Jack O'Lantern</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
lingers in the mind because of its strong emotional core. We revile
the Bully. We love the Good Girl. We empathize with the Jacks. (Well,
I did.)</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Its emotional core
is strengthened by a moral core. The man smashing the Jacks is wrong.
The girl defending the Jacks is right. The film's outcome is just.</div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
And the moral core
supports a thematic core. Victims, and even former supporters,
eventually turn on bullies. That's not always true in real life, but
it doesn't lessen the theme's power or the tale's emotional
catharsis.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If all <i>Jack
O'Lantern</i> had to offer was a theme or moral message, it wouldn't
be much of a film. Many anti-bullying films are
hackneyed and trite. But <i>Jack O'Lantern</i> is also a very well
made film.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-style: normal;">I said
how economical it was. Conveying much (an interesting, fast-paced story; emotionally engaging characters; thematic depth) in under five
minutes. And no dialog. That efficiency is partially due to </span>Tristan
Noelle's cinematography.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Jack O'Lantern</i> is beautiful.
Shots are nicely composed, making efficient use of depth of field and
rack focuses.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The sets are also economical. A house.
A back alley. A city sidewalk. One scene only has the Bully and the
Mob smashing Jacks on a city sideway, the Good Girl trying to protect
one of the Jacks while resisting the Mob. Yet the beautifully lit Jacks, the stark street and alley, effectively convey the film's atmosphere and theme.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Jack O'Lantern</i> is not subtle. Its story is lean, heavy-handed, and archetypal, stripped of all nonessential dramatic details. We never learn anything about these
people aside from their attitudes toward smashing Jacks. But that's
all we need to know for the film to work.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I can see a lesser filmmaker padding <i>Jack O'Lantern</i> to a half hour, opening with the characters'
aimless chitchat as they plan for their upcoming Halloween, and who's
dating who, and who will meet up with who at what party, planning to
get some some beer, etc. Instead, director Le Drew and writer Malcolm
Dewitt strip the story to its bare essentials, even dispensing with
dialog. Such a minimalist approach might not work in every film, but
it works very well in this one.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The actors also do their part to
carry the film, especially the Bully (Christopher Gusella) and the
Good Girl (Hayley Peppergrass). I don't know how talented they'd be with dialog. But their facial expressions and body language
effectively create characters to the full extent necessary for this film.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Jack O'Lantern</i> conveys the
beautiful, dark mysteries of Halloween. Noelle's lighting evokes a <a href="http://www.hollywoodinvestigator.com/2012/raybradburydies.html">Ray Bradburyesque</a> atmosphere, assisted by contributions from Aaron Jackson (production design) and Abby
Niederhauser (art direction).
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
For another short film with a strong
emotional core, see my analysis of <a href="https://horrorfilmaesthetics.blogspot.com/2012/02/ghost-and-us-showing-not-telling.html">The Ghost and Us</a>.</div>
<br />
==========<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
For more information about horror film themes, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-17096318275124174202018-01-01T10:02:00.000-08:002018-02-16T22:28:32.684-08:00Get Out Uses Wide Shots for Hightened Suspense and Emotional Distance<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Early in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B06WWK4PT2/communistvampire">Get Out</a>, a young
interracial couple discuss Chris's (Daniel Kaluuya) introduction to
Rose's (Allison Williams) parents. Rose reveals that she has not yet
told her parents that Chris is black. Despite Rose thinking the
matter unimportant, Chris worries. How will Rose's white parents
react to him being black?<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ib41J-cbpNc/Wkp7uuw35NI/AAAAAAAAC5I/qNBco94h-MUnT8sPGErZmvqPWHvWk8ENgCLcBGAs/s1600/Get%2BOut%2Bwith%2BAllison%2BWilliams.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="1277" height="166" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ib41J-cbpNc/Wkp7uuw35NI/AAAAAAAAC5I/qNBco94h-MUnT8sPGErZmvqPWHvWk8ENgCLcBGAs/s400/Get%2BOut%2Bwith%2BAllison%2BWilliams.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Allison Williams of <i>Get Out</i>. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nn96DSoWSZU/Wkp7zU041wI/AAAAAAAAC5M/FgQ06bswmDMLpcqYNVUHGh6Wp5z-d_dgACEwYBhgL/s1600/Get%2BOut%2Bwith%2BDaniel%2BKaluuya.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="1277" height="163" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nn96DSoWSZU/Wkp7zU041wI/AAAAAAAAC5M/FgQ06bswmDMLpcqYNVUHGh6Wp5z-d_dgACEwYBhgL/s400/Get%2BOut%2Bwith%2BDaniel%2BKaluuya.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daniel Kaluuya of <i>Get Out</i>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
This scene establishes some initial
suspense. Because Chris is worried, we too are worried. Like him, we
grow anxious <i>to see the look</i> on the parent's faces.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Yet filmmaker Jordan Peele denies us
this opportunity. The entire initial meeting with the parents is a single long take,
framed in a wide shot. So wide that we can't see the look on anyone's
faces.<br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XVA6h6AxYKM/Wkp8_-xrH1I/AAAAAAAAC5Y/3c2l03RSntUDsapg9CMDOl1MNqikFbAbQCLcBGAs/s1600/Get%2BOut%2Bwide%2Bshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="1277" height="167" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XVA6h6AxYKM/Wkp8_-xrH1I/AAAAAAAAC5Y/3c2l03RSntUDsapg9CMDOl1MNqikFbAbQCLcBGAs/s400/Get%2BOut%2Bwide%2Bshot.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Chris and Rose arrive by car, exit,
then go up to the front door. The door opens and the parents emerge from the
house. We hear warm greetings and see hugs, but we can't see the
expressions on anyone's faces.<br />
<br />
This wide shot is a small thing, yet it's noteworthy. The parents likely had warm and welcoming
expressions when they first saw Chris. Their voices sounded friendly. Yet by preventing us from
seeing their expressions, by extending the moment until we get inside
the house, Peele injects more suspense and tension into the
scene than it might otherwise have had.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Go9714-w0lw/WkqDVXSzxWI/AAAAAAAAC6Q/fF89QuN_0Hw40KmurzncL6KoFAGkAnSoACLcBGAs/s1600/Get%2BOut%2Bwide%2Bshot%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="1276" height="166" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Go9714-w0lw/WkqDVXSzxWI/AAAAAAAAC6Q/fF89QuN_0Hw40KmurzncL6KoFAGkAnSoACLcBGAs/s400/Get%2BOut%2Bwide%2Bshot%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But before taking us inside the house,
Peele further increases our suspense by widening his exterior shot, until we see a black man staring at the house. We don't know why he is there, but his presence, and the darkening music, suggest that all is not well inside.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RTZ_kfGn5TY/WkqA8vXzh8I/AAAAAAAAC5o/1zd2aiSijGUqH_NidZE1lgNAmD6KkYTwQCLcBGAs/s1600/Get%2BOut%2Binside%2Bthe%2Bhouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="1269" height="168" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RTZ_kfGn5TY/WkqA8vXzh8I/AAAAAAAAC5o/1zd2aiSijGUqH_NidZE1lgNAmD6KkYTwQCLcBGAs/s400/Get%2BOut%2Binside%2Bthe%2Bhouse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L3DiKQ2Agog/WkqBEbP1KEI/AAAAAAAAC5s/mBDu2TVzn_owQOYCivQM0yjjSPU9wf05wCLcBGAs/s1600/Get%2BOut%2Binside%2Bthe%2Bhouse%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1272" height="166" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L3DiKQ2Agog/WkqBEbP1KEI/AAAAAAAAC5s/mBDu2TVzn_owQOYCivQM0yjjSPU9wf05wCLcBGAs/s400/Get%2BOut%2Binside%2Bthe%2Bhouse%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Peele continues using wide shots inside the house to emotionally distance us from the parents, only slowly drawing closer to them. It's how the wary Chris might feel, only slowly growing to trust the parents' outward display of liberal acceptance.<br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YPKrqeYvwsQ/WkqBWI8sUVI/AAAAAAAAC50/wl9GK9BPYHwwnb2UHKHL3eA8j6wY6V25gCLcBGAs/s1600/Get%2BOut%2Bwith%2BDaniel%2BKaluuya%2Band%2BAllison%2BWilliams.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="1288" height="165" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YPKrqeYvwsQ/WkqBWI8sUVI/AAAAAAAAC50/wl9GK9BPYHwwnb2UHKHL3eA8j6wY6V25gCLcBGAs/s400/Get%2BOut%2Bwith%2BDaniel%2BKaluuya%2Band%2BAllison%2BWilliams.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
Our first closeup in this critical "meet the parents" scene is of the young couple, listening to the father (Bradley Whitford) speaking. This further bonds us with the couple, so that we see and feel events from their perspective.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bHP3xRbe_vY/WkqBxE5NYgI/AAAAAAAAC58/DyWfgZjaWXY3oAvwGdF3XAGE7lAxpdFrwCLcBGAs/s1600/Get%2BOut%2Bwith%2BBradley%2BWhitford.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1277" height="132" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bHP3xRbe_vY/WkqBxE5NYgI/AAAAAAAAC58/DyWfgZjaWXY3oAvwGdF3XAGE7lAxpdFrwCLcBGAs/s320/Get%2BOut%2Bwith%2BBradley%2BWhitford.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bradley Whitford.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dhKRx5pI5M8/WkqB-OreZGI/AAAAAAAAC6A/O4XEU32dS5oy3yhRrWmHn9Lj9UJio_xRgCLcBGAs/s1600/Get%2BOut%2Bwith%2BCatherine%2BKeener.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="1273" height="134" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dhKRx5pI5M8/WkqB-OreZGI/AAAAAAAAC6A/O4XEU32dS5oy3yhRrWmHn9Lj9UJio_xRgCLcBGAs/s320/Get%2BOut%2Bwith%2BCatherine%2BKeener.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catherine Keener.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Only after we are bonded with the couple do we get our first close look at the parents' friendly faces. Friendly -- or trying to hard? Either way, that we now see the parents in closeup suggests that Chris is finally allowing himself to be <i>drawn in</i> and trust them. Or at least, to give them the benefit of the doubt. <br />
<br /></div>
==========<br />
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For more information on framing shots in horror films, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-54332959569901420842017-10-21T11:30:00.001-07:002020-10-02T12:56:56.384-07:00Sang Papier and The Kind Ones Address Non-Western Immigration<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Two recent short horror films address the subject of non-Western immigration. Intentionally or not, their
messages are ambiguous, even discomforting, rather than
simplistic and politically correct.</div>
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Short horror films from Canada tend to
be comedic rather than dramatic horror, and often incorporate social
or political satire. Make of it what you will, but the most
politically correct films over the years have come from Canada. In the French Canadian
<i>Sang Papier</i> (aka <i>Night Crosser</i>), the political satire
focuses on the illegal influx of immigrants from non-Western cultures
into the West. But what makes the film provocative, rather than
heavy-handed, is that one can read multiple messages into it.</div>
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Grigore (Alexand Fournier) is a
Romanian vampire trying to enter Canada. But first he must get past
suspicious immigration officials. (Spoilers ahead.) Grigore fails to
hide his vampiric nature. Having been caught, he faces deportation.
But then an immigration official reveals that she too is a vampire,
having infiltrated the immigration service. She kills her human
colleague to protect Grigore's secret. She turns out to be Grigore's
aunt (Marika Lhoumeau)! She advises her nephew on how to suppress his
bloodlust and pass for human, and thus assimilate into Canadian
society.</div>
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How to interpret <i>Sang Papier</i>?
One can come away thinking that Trump is correct. (The nationalist or
populist position.) The West is being infiltrated by dangerous
foreigners. By vampires who form secret networks within our
governments and undermine our laws. Vampires who can and do murder
humans.</div>
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Or perhaps the message is that
non-Western immigrants, though they might look odd, are harmless if
unthreatened, family oriented, and desire only to assimilate. (The
progressive or libertarian position.) Grigore comes across as timid
and inept, rather than savage. He is fond of his aunt. Had he not
been discovered, his aunt would not have killed her colleague. She
did try to dissuade him from pursuing Grigore's shady background.</div>
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One can even come away thinking that
immigrants should <i>want</i> to assimilate. (A traditionalist,
non-multicultural position.) That the aunt's advice on how Grigore
can suppress his bloodlust, and his desire to do so, indicates that
he will be a good Canadian citizen, and thus justifies granting him
entry.</div>
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<i>Sang Papier</i> supports all
positions, depending on how one interprets the film.</div>
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<i>The Kind Ones</i> is another short
film about the perils of non-Western immigration. As in <i>Sang
Papier</i>, the immigrants are East European. In this case, a married
couple who've taken in an American foster son, Timothy (Taishi
Hosokawa). Although Mr. and Mrs. Byleth (Brandon deSpain, Gjilberta
Lucaj) now live in America, they are raising Timothy according to
their old country traditions. This includes beating the boy as a
means of education.</div>
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This doesn't go over well with
Timothy's teacher, Mrs. Andrews (Angela Trotter), who confronts the
Byleths. The father explains that <i>"Our culture is different
from yours."</i> Mrs. Andrews retorts <i>"I don't care what
your culture is. In this country, in America, our children's safety
comes first."</i>
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Demanding that immigrants assimilate to
American culture is a position generally associated with the
political right. <i>The Kind Ones</i> is interesting in that Mrs.
Andrews argues for assimilation from a progressive perspective. She
embraces multiculturalism in that she teaches about Kwanzaa in class.
But patriarchy is one cultural artifact that immigrants must ditch.
They can keep their holidays. But no traditions that support violence
against women or children.</div>
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Of course, the Byleths are not as they
appear. No, they're not vampires. Closer to werewolves. And unlike
the vampires in <i>Sang Papier</i>, these werewolves have no wish to
assimilate. In the end, it's the American Timothy who adopts his
foster parents' cultural and culinary traditions -- much to Mrs.
Andrew's final regret.<br />
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Earlier, Timothy tells Mrs. Andrews, <i>"You're a kind woman,"</i> adding<i>, "My parents like the kind ones."</i> Well, of course. Werewolves appreciate easy prey.</div>
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<i>The Kind Ones</i>
offers some discomforting observations about immigration. That while
progressives generally welcome immigrants, immigrants don't
necessarily welcome progressive values. And that some immigrants, far
from assimilating into the host culture, will instead spread their
foreign customs into the native population.</div>
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<i>Sang Papier</i> and <i>The Kind Ones</i>
are both currently doing the film festival circuit.<br />
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==========<br />
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<br /></div>
For more information on interpreting horror films, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6194388502531159381.post-63290903839147839962017-10-15T12:08:00.001-07:002020-10-02T13:04:17.036-07:00Horror Actress Lysette Anthony Raped by Harvey Weinstein<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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British actress Lysette Anthony has announced that she
too was raped by producer Harvey Weinstein.<br />
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According to the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-4981326/British-actress-fifth-women-accuse-Weinstein-rape.html">Daily Mail</a>
[October 14, 2017]:
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British actress Lysette Anthony has
told police that Harvey Weinstein raped her, the Sunday Times
reported, becoming the fifth woman to level such accusations against
the disgraced Hollywood mogul.</div>
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The 54-year-old actress, who currently
appears in British soap Hollyoaks, told Metropolitan Police last week
that she had originally met Weinstein in New York, and agreed to meet
him later at his rented house in London, according to the paper.</div>
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"The next thing I knew he was half
undressed and he grabbed me. It was the last thing I expected and I
fled," she told the Times.</div>
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Anthony, who appeared in Woody Allen's
1992 film "Husbands and Wives", said that Weinstein then
began stalking her, turning up unannounced at her house.</div>
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"He pushed me inside and rammed me
against the coat rack," she said of the attack in the 1980s. "He
was trying to kiss me and shove inside me. Finally I just gave up."</div>
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Weinstein has denied all allegations of
nonconsensual sex.</div>
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Anthony first came to my attention when
she played <span style="font-weight: normal;">Angeliqué</span> Bouchard in the short-lived 1991 <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00P7ZD578/communistvampire">Dark Shadows</a>
remake. While Anthony is not especially known as a scream queen, her
extensive body of work (she has 89 acting credits on IMDB) does
include many horror films and TV shows.</div>
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My favorite horror work by Anthony is
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0184JZDCI/communistvampire">Trilogy of Terror II</a> (1996), in which she played the lead role in all
three tales of that horror anthology sequel. This was in the
tradition of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00LUUSASI/communistvampire">Karen Black</a> playing the lead in all three of the
original <a href="https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000FFJZO2/communistvampire">Trilogy of Terror</a>'s stories.</div>
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The original is justly considered a
horror classic and Black's performance was a tough act to follow. But
while the remake is little remembered, Anthony's performance was a
worthy successor to Black's. Especially in "Bobby" (the middle story), wherein
Anthony plays a mother who turns to witchcraft in an attempt to resurrect
her dead son. By all means, watch it.<br />
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Horror is a tight-knit community,
composed of passionate fans. Although all of Weinstein's victims
should be supported, reading about Anthony felt personal, as though
"one of our own" was attacked. Let's hope Anthony and the
other women find peace and justice.</div>
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=============<br />
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For more information about acting in horror films, see <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786449721/communistvampire">Horror Film Aesthetics: Creating the Visual Language of Fear</a>. This blog represents a continuing discussion of my views on horror, picking up from where the book left off.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0