haha, i still love shopping very much thank u just that i'm TOO broke to shop anymore. my monthly allowance plus my clowning pay all goes into buying things i dont need but too greedy to resist with my greedy eye in malls! ehehe
1 good way of not using too much money in shopping is surrendering my ATM (after taking only enough to eat) to my bouncer aka Buan for safekeeping from the notorious---err, ---me?
so there we were the entire week going from Gurney to Queens to Pragin and all sorts of places devilishly enticing me to SPEND SPEND SPEND with their seductive 4 letter words called S-A-L-E!!
i even almost burst into tears when i couldn't buy a pair of cute white shoes on 70% at FOS and was yanking his arm off to give me money to buy...he kept saying NONONO and then covered my eyes with his giant hands and said "walk walk dont look at evil things" it must have been a funny sight seeing a short noisy chinese girl pulling a big buff tall guy in one direction and he pulling the other direction. hahahaa!!
For a shopaholic like me, going into a mall is like breathing fresh sweet air, even nicer than mountain forrest air and i feel so at home. to DENY me the pleasure of buying things is like stuffing my head underwater and drowning me slowly...painfully...mercilessly..yes, that is the same feeling i get when i get to see, touch and NOT BRING IT HOME!! ARGHHh
cut the long story short, at one shopping mall,
all i manage to do is buy a bottle of water to drink. money spent ---50 cents.
This post is both part of the usual Saturday Scream Queen series, but it is also part of "Elke Sommer Day."
German actress Elke Sommer was at the height of her beauty and fame during the 1960s and 1970s. During those two decades, she appeared in over sixty films that spanned almost ever genre. By the mid-1980s, Sommer semi-retired from acting to focus on a career in the area of her first love--painting--but she continues to appear in movies and television shows to this very day.
Some of Sommer's best roles were in historical dramas and Italian fantasy films, but she was at her greatest when she at her greatest in the two horror films she made for director Mario Bava. Perhaps more-so than any other director, Bava allowed both Sommer's beauty and acting talent to shine through.
One of the DVDs included in the "Mario Bava Collection, Vol. 2" contains two different versions of the same movie. (It can also be had as a stand-alone from Amazon.com).
The first version is "Lisa and the Devil", which was a film that director Bava was given a completely free hand on after the commerical success of "Baron Blood." According to a number of sources, it was the film the he always wanted to make, the perfect expression of his vision through the craft he had spent decades honing.
And it was a tremendous flop.
"Lisa and the Devil" was such a such dud that it was only ever released theatrically in Spain, the country in which it was filmed--and then only in a single theater. No distributor was interested in picking it up, despite everyone who saw it at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival thinking it was an artistic masterpiece.
Two years after the failure of "Lisa and the Devil," producer Alfredo Leone set about to salvage his investment by re-editing it and adding scenes that gave the film an all-new exorcism plot in the hopes of riding the success of the "The Exorcist" (which was the first official blockbuster, ever). The revised film was released under the title "The House of Exorcism."
And it became an international box office hit.
"The House of Exorcism" has been described by some critics as a butchered version of as masterpiece. However, these same critics have a tendency to discuss Mario Bava with lots of hyperbole and using the word "genius" almost as frequently as "the" when writing about him. I am hesitant to trust any critic who describes Bava as a genius, so I am hesitant to take their word for the craptacular nature of Leone's re-cut. The more films from Bava I watch, the more I admire his command of cinematography and the visual language of film, but the overall packages that make up his movies are lacking. Most Bava films I've seen have tended toward the slap-dash and incoherent story-wise, as if he was putting together the films primarily to show off imagery. And, frankly, his movies too often call attention to the fact that he's doing something cool with the camera... he's too often doing things to just show off technique instead of doing things that serve the story for me to consider him a genius.
Here are review both "Lisa and the Devil" and "The House of Exorcism". The rating assigned at the top of this post is an average of the rating of the two films with some consideration for highly interesting commentary tracks.
As always, I encourage you to leave your thoughts in the Comments section. I'm interested in what others think about Bava's films in general, or these two films specifically.
Lisa and the Devil (1972) Starring: Elke Sommer, Telly Savalas, Sylvia Koscina, Alessio Orano, and Alida Valli Director: Mario Bava Rating: Eight of Ten Stars
When Lisa (Sommer) is separated from her tour group and lost in the old section of Toledo, she is invited to spend the night on the large, walled estate of a reclusive noble woman (Valli). But who is the mustachioed stranger who is oddly familiar to Lisa, but who keeps calling her by the wrong name? Is it more than coincidence that Lisa crossed paths the household's only servant, Leandro (Savalas), just when she lost her way? And why do people start dying in the house? And why don't they stay dead?
So many questions will come to mind while you're watching "Lisa and the Devil." The answers to some of them seem to come into focus as the film progresses--Lisa has clearly been drawn into some bizarre haunting or the supernatural climax of some greater evil--but whatever starts to make sense is thrown into question by a "shock ending", which, like most shock endings doesn't really work because it's not quite supported by everything that led up to it. (It's a little better than most of them, but I think the film could have done without it, even if I can see how it harkens back to the beginning of the film and the image of the devil carrying off the sinful dead.)
This is a gorgeous-looking film that's well-acted and, although a bit slowly paced, is one that will engage your imagination and curiosity as it unfolds. It's also a movie that's surprisingly classical and literate in nature--it reminds me of the Edgar Ulmer's Karloff/Lugosi film "The Black Cat" from the 1930s, and it's full of references to classical art--and full of visual hints and clues that are never spelled out through any form of exposition. Watch the introduction of the Lehars and their driver... you know EXACTLY what's going on in that relationship even though nothing is said. It's a scene that's perfectly staged and acted. The same is true of the scene where Max (Alessio Orano) prepares to rape the unconscious Lisa. I think that's probably one of the creepiest bits of film I've ever seen.)
The film's imagery and pacing gives it a dreamlike quality that is highly effective here. From the moment Lisa "crosses the threshhold", every event, every image we see seems possessed with a deeper, hidden meaning and that a secret story is unfolding below and behind the surface. The broken watches, the odd clocks, the white rose, the blind mistress of the house, the servant who seems to be the one truly in control, Lisa herself... all of these things seem to be images that stand for something other than what is obvious. It's a very cool sensation, and it's one that Bava successfully maintains for most of the film. He doesn't even ruin the mood anywhere with the expected garish color gels or painfully overdone camera flourishes... part of this might be because he didn't serve as his own cinematographer on most of the film but it might also be that those critics who have described this film as Bava's masterpiece are not being hyperbolic. I'm still not convinced he was the genius some like to make him out to be, but I do think there is greatness present in this film. I also think that it was ahead of its time. If this film had been made and released twenty years later. in the 1990s when the direct-to-video market was flourishing, I think it would have been a huge hit. It is a movie that had no place in the 1970s film market, despite its excellence. (The "shock ending" after the film's main action has concluded is also a sign that the world was not ready for this movie. I can't say for sure that this was the first movie that was structured liked this, but it's definitely one of the earliest.)
By the way, the film also contains some of the sexiest non-nudity you're ever going to see in a slasher-film style death scene. Sylvia Koscina, who is remarkable for her habit of getting nude in movies, actually stays covered up here, but watch for scene where she gets bludgeoned to death by the red-robed killer. I'm sure you'll agree that she's ten times more gorgeous there than if she'd actually been flashing her boobs... and it's another instance of Bava getting something exactly right.
It's not just Mario Bava who is perhaps as good as he ever was in this film. Elke Sommer gives a great performance as Lisa, who may or may not be the ghost or reincarnation of Elena, a woman who brought doom upon a household some 100 years prior to the beginning of the film. I don't think I've never seen Sommer look so beautiful or be so convincing in a role. Telly Savalas is even better as the enigmatic Lehandro who is both servant and puppetmaster in the dreamworld that this film's characters exist in. I think Savalas probably gave the best performance of his career in this film; particularly impressive is the way he delivers some very lyrical stretches of dialogue that sound completely natural as he speaks them.
"Lisa and the Devil" is every bit the masterpiece it has been cracked up to be. The DVD release included as part of the "Mario Bava Collection Vol. 2" is the first release of the film that's been fully restored to the state that Bava intended it to be seen.
The House of Exorcism (1975) Starring: Elke Sommer, Telly Savalas, Robert Alda, and Carmen Silva Directors: Mickey Lion (aka Mario Bava and Alfredo Leone) Rating: Four of Ten Stars
After a young tourist (Sommer) is possessed and forced to live out horrors with her inner demons, a priest (Alda) undertakes the dangerous task to driving the evil from her soul.
If one doesn't try to apply story logic to this film, one can admire the relative seamlessness with which Leone's new sequences blend with Bava's original film. (Except for the bit in the antique shop. The owner changes completely in appearance from one shot to the next, and then changes back again at the end of the film; the original actor was plainly not available, and I guess Leone thought no one would notice.)
However, one cannot admire the way he gutted the artistry from "Lisa and the Devil". I understand what he did and why he did it. I understand that he is in the film industry and that he was in the business of making product that people wanted, but I still think it was a shame that the 1970s film audiences weren't ready for something as good as "Lisa and the Devil".
One also cannot describe "The House of Exorcism" as a good movie, no matter how generous one wants to be. It is completely incoherent storywise, and it wanders fairly aimlessly through its 94 minutes of running time. Although the acting is good--Sommer and Robert Alda both do fabulous jobs in the cheesy, overblown priest vs. possessing spirit scenes--it is being squandered on empty nonsense.
As I said earlier, the action in the mansion has been transferred to Lisa's soul eventhough it doesn't make sense as being treated as such. To make matters worse, while "Lisa and the Devil" ended in a strange and inscrutible way, this version just sort of stumbles and falls on its face at the end with no real resolution to Lisa's possession, nor any clear explation to why the priest things that exorcising demons in the house will cure her. (Yes, at the very end, Leone decides not to give us blow-by-blows on everything that's happening.)
Watching this film and "Lisa and the Devil" in close proximity to one another will give you some insight in how just a few cuts, rearranged scenes, and a few additional scenes can change one movie into something completely different. The transformation of a beautiful, mysterious ghost story into a sloppy, third-rate horror flick with a completely different storyline is an astonishing sight to behold, whether you're interested in the craft of filmmaking or just a lover of movies.
If you decide to check out "Lisa and the Devil"/"The House of Exorcism", make sure you take the time to watch "The House of Exorcism" a second time while listening to the commentary track by Alfred Leone and Elke Sommer. Leone's discussion of how and why the recut version of the film came to be is absolutely fascinating. (Actually, you might just want to skip straight to watching it with the commentary. You won't be missing much, because everything good you've already witnessed in "Lisa and the Devil".)
Invisible Strangler (aka "The Astral Factor") (1976, re-released in 1984) Starring: Robert Foxworth, Mark Slade, Elke Sommer, Stefanie Powers, Frank Ashmore, and Marianna Hill Director: John Florea Rating: Three of Ten Stars
A serial killer who targets beautiful women celebrities (Ashmore) learns how to make himself invisible using methods from Mew Age books on psychic powers. After escape from the insane asylum, he sets about stalking and killing women he had previously failed to kill.
"Invisible Strangler" is a mediocre crime drama and a complete failure as a horror movie. Yes, an invisible killer can be disconcerting--and its used to great effect in the scene where he stalks and kills his first victim (played by Sue Lyon) after escaping from the asylum--but most of the murders take too long to happen and when they do, they are hardly worth the wait because they are unartfully and badly staged.
The film might have been a little less dull if the number of victims had been cut down, or if the filmmakers had spent more time with the main victim, played by Elke Sommer, and a little less time on ones the audience has no emotional investment in whatsoever. Or better yet, if one or two victims should have been left out entirely, the film would have been more concentrated and far more watchable.
I also think the film could have been stronger if more had been done with the head detective's girlfriend. While I can't imagine anyone feeling out of sorts over watching Stefanie Powers walking around with no pants on, I think everyone can agree that it would have been so much better if her character had served a purpose other than just walking around with no pants on.
A poor script with very little character development, weak acting, weak cinematography and weaker directing makes "Invisible Strangler" makes the film barely worth watching, despite an interesting idea at its core and a couple of nice moments.
Please check back tomorrow when this blog takes part in "Elke Sommer Day" by placing the Saturday Scream Queens spotlight on Ms. Sommer, and reviews of a movie she made for Mario Bava that died a horrible box office death, and the film it reincarnated as.
its just me passing the 1st level outta 2 levels of motorcycle exam!
say hurray to me!
i have no idea why we need to don this ugly atrocious shit neon thing when taking the exam. i look like the guy repairing the road ditches at nite.
moving on to the bad side of today.
WHY bad things happen at the wrong-est time in the world????!!
yesterday after visiting celebral palsy children at Eden home (for observation) i went to dinner at some malay shop by the Penang bridge . it was a lovely dinner cause i got to eat all i wanted but sadly....
1 freaggin hour after that: --- i started having horrible tummy cramps as if a lorry ran over my body and washing machine turned on spin mode!!
i didnt even reach home and had to vomit at the roadside THRICE!!!
then i couldnt hold it in and dioreaa like 7 times the entire night. can die wei
this morning as i type this i'm having weak limbs n high fever!
best part is, i cant even walk straight or hold a cup properly and i have to do clowning at gurney 4pm-5pm!! ( and its cycling!!)
Please God let me recover lightning speed cause i have full schedule this fri, sat, sun!
The Terror (aka "Lady of Shadows", "The Castle of Terror", and "The Haunting") (1964) Starring: Jack Nicholson, Sandra Knight, and Boris Karloff Director: Roger Corman Rating: Four of Ten Stars
A French officer (Nicholson) during Napoleon's campaigns encounters a mysteriously alluring woman, Helene (Knight). Everyone denies she exists, but when he tracks her to the isolated, crumbling castle of Baron Von Lepp (Karloff), he discovers the girl may be ghost.
"The Terror" is basically pretty awful, and it shows every sign of having been made up as filming took place--the number of times where a character/actor seems completely oblivious to what he supposedly just experienced in the previous scenes far outnumber the times when there's continuity between scenes--it takes forever to get going, the dialogue is awful and repetitive, and the film can't seem to make up its mind what the nature of Helene is. (This waffling goes far beyond the filmmakers wanting to keep the audience guessing.) However, there's enough here that if you enjoy classic horror flicks, you'll keep watching.
Unfortunately, just as the movie starts getting good, the filmmakers throw in what is perhaps the dumbest and most pointless "twist" to ever be committed to film. It is so lame that it almost cost the film an entire Tomato in my rating. (It earned it back, however, with the very startling final scene.)
"The Terror" is better than many Roger Corman movies, but not as good as the Edgar Allen Poe films that it uses stock footage and sets from. If you're a lover of Amicus, AIP, and Hammer Films from the 50s and 60s, I think you might find something worthwhile here, but otherwise, I recommend you take a pass. (For the record, I was torn between giving it 4 or 5 Stars... it teeters on the brink between those two.
"The Terror" is available on DVD from a number of different distributors, but I think it's only worth getting if it's part of a multi-movie set. Unfortunately, virtually every copy of the film I've come across has been lacking the one element that might have lifted the viewing experience a bit--the vibrant colors of the original set and costume designs. All the DVD copies available seem to have been made from faded and worn prints. (For a look at what "The Terror" could look like, we have to turn to "Targets," as the clips from the movie-within-the-movie are actually scenes from "The Terror.")
hey pepz! so sorry for the long break of not blogging.
Sandra eating at some event after clowning
oh my, she still looks like clown without her make up!
i miss u all so much! i love the online community but sadly my house is INTERNET-less and its so hard to drag my lappie to Mc D or someplace with wifi cause its always raining these days!
anyways, weekends i work as usual clowning and on weekdays i study and learn motor lessons and play games on my lappie!
i dont have much to say except that like i publisced in FB, i shook hands with Lim Guan Eng the chief minister of Penang! its something like the head of the state for those who r not from msia.
i even appeared in chinese newspapers with my fellow clowns! it was a super exciting event with 800 over ppl from all walks of life gathered at Youth Park!
shaking hands with Guan Eng! yay!
prize giving ceremony! he does look very small and common in person. nothing like in newspapers!
the 4 of us nutcracks! if ur wondering why they are so tall is because they are on stilts!
creampuff giving out balloons!! u want?
As i type this blog, i've been disconnected like 100 million times leaving me ubber frustrated so i will continue once the useless TM decides to come install a modem at my house! its been 2 freaggin months !!
last random note is that i detoxify once a month/ 2 months using a safe traditional laxative kinda thingy from Indonesia. don't worry its approved by Ministry of Health! gives u a heck of a tummy washing that is worst than period cramps but after that u feel so healthy and light and happy! SERIOUSLY! only rm6 per packet!
this is so much better cause its in tablet form and easier to consume compared to shit smelling slimming teas!!
Psycho Hillbilly Cabin Massacre! (2007) Starring: Cali Fredrichs, Charlie Capen, Hunter Huston, Angela Schnaible and Zoe Warner Director: Robert Cosnahan Rating: Nine of Ten Stars
Four Ivy League students (Capen, Fredrichs, Huston and Schnaible) conducting an initiation into a secret society end up in the middle of a bloody massacre in a backwoods cabin.
If you've ever been amused or terrified by a slasher flick (or even both at the same time), or if you're interested in seeing a fun twist on the "psycho backwoods murder spree" film, you need to keep an eye for "Psycho Hillbilly Cabin Massacre" at film festivals near you. It's great little film! It's funny, surprising, shocking... everything most horror films (and comedies even) shoot for but fail to achieve.
"Psycho Hillbilly Cabin Massacre!" features some excellent photography and editing, great acting, fantastic use of music and sound--the twangs and squishy sounds during the banjo murder were both funny and disturbing--and a clever script that is truly a superior effort, with more effective twists that you find in most horror films running ten times as long this 17-minute short.
The only real complaint I have with the film is the final couple of seconds. I think it would have ended on a far stronger note without the "eyes snap open" cliche at the very end.
I like reading articles by people who know more than I. I like publishing them even better. So, I am delighted to represent a guest article by Ross Tipograph, who knows far more about slasher moves and celebrated "Scream" movie series than I, so he is far more capable of writing an overview of the series than I could have done.
Ross has written articles and reviews for a number of different blogs, but he is primarily known for writing about Halloween costumes at starcostumes.com. Click on the link to check them out.
(By the way, while Ross may be the first "guest blogger" here, he need not be the last. If you would like me to host something you've written, feel free to get in touch.)
THE CLASSIC ‘SCREAM’ SERIES In an effort to really dig deep into this series’ bloodstream, it seems a movie-by-movie reviewing is in order. Join us on a wild ride into the tongue-in-cheek world of Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson.
SCREAM (1996) Starring: Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Rose McGowan, Skeet Ulrich Matthew Lillard, Jamie Kennedy, with Henry Winkler, and Drew Barrymore. Dir: Wes Craven Rating: Ten of Ten Stars
Naïve high-schooler Sidney Prescott (Campbell) lost her mother one year ago in a vicious murder. Now, in her senior year, it seems the killer is back to finish the game he started. Sidney’s boyfriend (Ulrich), friends (McGowan, Lillard, Kennedy), a plucky TV report (Cox) and a goofy town cop (Arquette) lend support / body count.
As every avid horror fan knows, “Scream” reinvigorated the entire genre from the joke that it became in the late ‘80s and completely left for dead in the early ‘90s. Kevin Williamson’s script made horror hip again, and the legendary Craven’s direction, with the great actors’ performances, pulled it all together.
It’s a balancing act – part dark comedy, part spoof of the horror genre, part genuine terror. The in-movie jokes range from Freddy Krueger to Michael Myers to Craven himself. The masterpiece horror scenes are set in a high school bathroom, to a teenage girl’s bedroom, to a giant bloodbath of a Friday night kegger. It’s artistic, it’s revolutionary, it’s the first piece of the “Scream” puzzle.
SCREAM 2 (1997) Starring: Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courtney Cox, Jamie Kennedy, Jerry O’Connell, Timothy Olyphant, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Liev Schreiber Dir: Wes Craven Rating: Eight of Ten Stars
Sidney, Gale, and Dewey (the trio of Campbell, Arquette, Cox) are back, along with survivor Randy (Kennedy), a whole new slew of classmates. This time, Sidney’s in college, and the murders have started again. Meanwhile, a movie version of Sidney’s troubles in “Scream” has now been released, making her life a living Hell.
The irony has reached a new level – a movie based on the goings-on in the original “Scream” movie has now been made and released in the world of “Scream 2,” and it’s called Stab. Some say screenwriter Williamson is a hack, I say he’s a genius. The routine opening murder scene takes place at a Stab screening, and the tone is set from there.
What’s interesting is how Sidney is now a stronger, darker version of what we saw before. Campbell is great as the new Sidney, who channels her traumatized emotions into theatrical school performances, who hates airheaded sorority girls and has a sweetheart new boyfriend (O’Connell), and who can still outsmart the killer, or in this case, the killers. It’s a fantastic sequel – but nothing can match the original’s groundbreaking nature.
SCREAM 3 (2000) Starring: Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courtney Cox, Patrick Dempsey, Jenny McCarthy, Emily Mortimer, Parker Posey, Patrick Warburton, Lance Henriksen, and Liev Schreiber Director: Wes Craven Rating: Seven of Ten Stars
Our main trilogy trio is back, but no longer in the sleepy town of Woodsboro or on Sidney’s northeast college campus – they’ve moved to Los Angeles, the movie capital of the world. Working with the LAPD, they hone in on the new killer’s whereabouts and source of his threats, while a whole new slew of serial murders occur on the set of the third Stab movie, currently in production…
This is the ultimate tongue-in-cheek gift to movie fans – “Scream 3” takes place on the set of Stab 3, the newest sequel in a line of a horror sequels. This is the only “Scream” movie that I can enjoyably say breaks through the horror-dark comedy bubble that holds the first two movies and is seriously just a big ensemble comedy with some great horror moments. As you can imagine, the movie jokes are innumerable, and the supporting characters (especially Posey) are unforgettable.
I love “Scream 3” so much just on entertainment factor alone and my respect for the risks the filmmakers are taking to keep this series a real trilogy – which they totally succeed in doing. Many, however, disagree, saying this movie took the subtle comedy level way over the top, and how this one pales in comparison to the dark and chilling first two in the series. I don’t mind. I think, if you really love this series enough, and you have an appetite for great movie in-jokes, this is a total riot.
SCREAM 4 (2011) Starring: Emma Roberts, Neve Campbell, Courney Cox, David Arquette, Hayden Panettiere, Adam Brody, Marley Shelton, Rory Culkin, Mary McDonnell Director: Wes Craven Rating: (N/A) – Releases April 15, 2011
It’s been ten years since Sidney (Campbell) has been free of any serial killings. She has written a successful book on her life and works as a guidance counselor at Woodsboro High, where it all began. Apparently though, a killer strikes again, with Jill Kessler (Emma Roberts), who is Sidney’s young cousin, and Jill’s friends (Panettiere, Culkin) as the main target. Dewey and Gale (Arquette & Cox) are back, too, plus help from two new cops (Brody & Shelton).
No one has any idea how this will turn out. The original director-writer team of Craven and Williamson are luckily in charge, plus help from “Scream 3” scribe Ehren Kruger, but who knows what’s happening on the set. I believe it is the most anticipated horror sequel in production, so naturally, everything is hush-hush. The introduction of a new, younger cast does not bode well for the lives of our thirtysomething returning trio. On a side note: Roberts and Panettiere are both Teen-Beat fodder, which does not bode well for their performances….
Come April 15, 2011, the new trilogy begins. That’s right, folks, Scream 5 and Scream 6 are on the slate as well – supposedly Williamson has a whole new bag of tricks up his sleeve. Fingers crossed.
-- CONTRIBUTOR BIO: Ross Tipograph is a film buff and Emerson College screenwriting major. He writes about Halloween costumes over at StarCostumes.com.
Although perhaps best know for her roles in Christopher Guest's many mocumentaries, Parker Posey has graced a number of thrillers and horror films with her exceptional talent and beauty. From her supporting roles in "Scream 3", "The Eye" and "Blade: Trinity", to her starring turn in the promising pilot for the ultimately stillborn USA Network series "Frankenstein," Posey has shown herself equally at home with the comic and the creepy.
Posey most recently been focusing on comedy (such as her starring turns in the short-lived sit-com "The Return of Jezebel James" and "Spring Breakdown"), but she will star along-side Bruce Dern in the 2011 thriller "Inside Out."
Red Eye (2005) Starring: Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy Director: Wes Craven Rating: Eight of Ten Stars
With this 2005 chiller, Wes Craven proved that he still canmake movies that aren't self-referential, toungue-in-cheek horror efforts. With "Red Eye", Craven instead brought us a film that stands up to comparison with some of Alfred Hitchcock's best efforts.
The majority of the film tales place in the cramped confines of a red-eye flight from Texas to Florida, as hotel manager Lisa (McAdams) is heading back home. She ends up seated to a charming young named Jackson (Murphy). It turns out that the meeting was anything but chance--Jackson has been watching Lisa for weeks, and he is about to force her to make a cell-call to make her assistant switch the room of a US government official staying at her hotel so assassins can kill him. Lisa is given a choice: Cooperate or have her own father be the murder victim.
"Red Eye" doesn't break any new ground, but it does what it does extremely well. The tension never lets up from the moment Jackson's true nature is first revealed, and the excellent performances by McAdams and Murphy are so engaging that the viewer's attention is never allowed to wander for a second.
If you love thrillers of the Hitchcockian variety, "Red Eye" is a must-see. It also proves that Wes Craven can still direct films aside from goofy, self-referential horror flicks.
Please check tomorrow for a special post featuring an overview of Craven's famous "Scream" series.
One night, 4 college students were playing till late night and didn't study for the test which was scheduled for the next day. In the morning they thought of a plan. They made themselves look as dirty and weird with grease and dirt. They then went up to the Dean and said that they had gone out to a wedding last night and on their return the tyre of their car burst and they had to push the car all the way back and that they were in no condition to appear for the test. So the Dean said they can have the re-test after 3 days. They thanked him and said they will be ready by that time. On the third day they appeared before the Dean. The Dean said that as this was a Special Condition Test, All four were required to sit in separate classrooms for the test. They all agreed as they had prepared well in the last 3 days. The Test consisted of 2 questions with the total of 100 Marks. Q.1. Your Name........ ......... .......... (2 MARKS) Q.2. Which tyre burst ?........... ....(98 MARKS) a) Front Left b) Front Right c) Back Left d) Back Right.....!!!
errr....KANTOI!! (means die lah caught red handed this time)
True story from IIT Bombay ...(dont ever think u can outsmart the one who taught u!that goes out to all my future students too! ehehe)
Shutter (2008) Starring: Joshua Jackson, Rachel Taylor, and Megumi Okina Director: Masayuki Ochiai Rating: Four of Ten Stars
A fashion photographer (Jackson) and his wife (Taylor) are on a working honeymoon in Japan when his past literally comes back to haunt him. The ghost of a woman he dated years earlier (Okina) starts appearing in photos he takes and manifesting in increasingly threatening ways.
"Shutter" is for most of its running time a fairly decent ghost movie that is a nice cross-pollination between Western and Eastern ideas about the what, why, and how of hauntings and vengeful spirits. Unfortunately, it starts to break down as the story builds to the Great Reveal when the girlfriend is shown to have been dead for several years yet no-one has checked on her... despite the fact her front door has been standing open for all that time.
(I suppose one could argue that the ghost has been wandering around the house and neighborhood so no one knew she was dead. But does that mean she also went and got a job at another firm after she had died? What about friends and family? The way the discovery of Megumi's corpse was handled in the film was such an extreme example of bad writing that I've knocked off a whole point on the ratings scale.)
In all other aspects, the film is very well done. The filmmakers make a particularly excellent use of sound throughout the movie, using it to enhance suspense in subtle ways as well as during the film's few "Boo!"-type moments. The lighting and cinematography is likewise very well done. The script is also well-written, and I was particularly happy to see they did more with the denouement than the now-expected "let's toss in one more scare." (In fact, what you THINK is the denouement is actually the beginning of the film's true ending.)
The acting is all-around decent, although I would have liked to have seen a slightly more sympathetic and charming actor playing Ben Shaw, the photographer who is the focus of the ghost's attention. Joshua Jackson has a villainous air about hm that never quite allows the viewer to be on his side. If the actor playing Ben had been just a little more charismatic, the sense of horror and dread in this film would have been ar stronger, particularly at the end.
"Shutter" is worth seeing if you enjoy ghost movies, so long as you can accept an annoying instance of no one thinking a particular sequence through. It's high on creepiness but low on blood, so gore hounds should stay away. (Oh, and if you're sick of the whole "isn't long black hair really creepy?!?" standard in these sorts of movies, you'll be glad to hear that we DON'T have that particular trope to sit through here. We got the pale, barefooted ghost chick, but at least her hair isn't everywhere!)
this weido is sitting all upright, wearing like an auntie and has hair combed like a schoolgirl!
i mean the formality and the prim proper-ness of the pic is repulsive to me! YUCK!
well why would i ever wanna put this pic for the world to see?
A. i've fell off my motor n banged the Broca area on my brain thus i am NUTS.
B. i woke up with a msg from God to become a goody old saint girl.
C. i am too free and have nothing better to do.
D. i am creating a fake FB account as an assignment for my ICT course in uni.
oh, life would be so simple if it were A,B or C but unfortunately the answer is D!!!
pretty cool huh to have a course that gives marks for FB-ing.
The downside is, only proper english language (1 hint of mother tongue then its strike OUT!), professional comments, educational wholesome posts n uploads n decent pictures! all comments MUST BE PRINTED OUT! OMG!! all that goodness is frightening! makes me feel so rigid and nerdy wei that is totally the opposite of what i am..sometimes the easier the thing, the harder to accomplish man..
check it out! but word of caution- ONLY CLASSMATES CAN ADD ME. if OUTSIDERS add me then i'm pretty much FAILED and doomed..(stupid rule aint it?) so dont add me ya. Yes i know, the whole idea is ABSURDLY RIDICULOUS
at this very moment i'm starving and quite penniless to eat due to unforeseen over budgeting..haihh... another day of home food!
Lost Voyage (2001) Starring: Judd Nelson, Janet Gunn, Scarlett Chorvat, and Lance Henrickson Director: Christian McIntire Rating: Four of Ten Stars
In "Lost Voyage", a cruise ship that mysteriously dissapeared in the Bermuda Triangle over 25 years ago just as mysteriously reappears in perfect condition, but seemingly completely devoid of life.
Television tabloid reporter Dana Elway (Gunn) convinces paranormal investigator Aaron Roberts (Nelson) to join her and a camera crew on a salvage expedition headed by the sinister David Shaw (Henrickson). Everyone on the expedition has hidden agendas and dark secrets, but whatever caused the ship to both vanish and reappear is still onboard, and that mysterious presence starts to exploit these secrets, destroying the expedition members one by one.
"Lost Voyage" follows the pattern of countless haunted house movies, adding no twist other than placing the action onboard an abandoned cruise ship. That doesn't necessarily make it a bad movie, just average. There are other factors that insure its low rating.
While the actors turn in fairly decent performances (Gunn and her sharkish, slutty assistant that is after her job, Scarlet Chorvat, are particularly good), but they are hampered by a script that is so full of characters doing stupid things because the plot would fall apart if they didn't that is was impossible to keep count. This is either the laziest haunted house script produced since the turn of the century, or it was actually a tale of people so dumb they deserved to die just to preserve the integrity of the human genepool.
An even greater flaw in the film is the digital effects. The film takes place aboard a ship adrift in a storm. The characters are delivered to it by a cargo helicopter. The ship, the waves, and particularly the helicopter are so badly done that one finds oneself longing for the days when models would have been used for those shots. Even the cheapest B-movies with their planes dangling oddly on wires looked more real that the computer animated helicopter in "Lost Voyage." The obvious fakeness of the establishing shots of the ship, and just about any other digital effect in the movie, drag it down something fierce. (Although, while harping on the digital effects, I have to congratulate the sound crew. There is a very impressive use of sound throughout, especially wind and rain effects. The lighting crew also does a decent job, with many scenes appearing to be lit realistically with ambient lighting. These exceptional technical aspects don't make up for the film's other problems, however.
Despite some nice (if pedestrian) chills, I think even the biggest fans of haunted house movies will walk away dissapointed from this one. It's better if "Lost Voyage" stays missing.
Many Americans crave instant gratification. This need has most likely attributed to the obesity epidemic in the United States. The desire for instant results also prompts Americans to look for easy and quick weight loss solutions. Because of this, fad diets and diet scams have continued to flourish.
You might be amazed at some of the crazy ways people try to lose weight. I've come across methods that range from the sensible to the downright bizarre.
Here's my list of top 10 weirdest ways people try to lose weight:
#10 - All Celery Diet
Celery is considered a "negative-calorie food" (the process of eating celery burns more calories than the celery contains), so it seems only natural that you can lose weight by eating this wonder food. However, it's not that simple. The difference in calories consumed and calories expended is very small, so you'd have to eat hundreds, if not thousands, of celery stalks to burn the 3,500 calories it takes to lose a pound. By the way, you need to eat the stalks plain. Slathering celery with cream cheese, peanut butter, cheese whiz, or some other topping will ruin the negative-calorie effect.
#9 - Cabbage Soup Diet
Eat all the cabbage soup that you want! Well, that doesn't sound very appealing to me, but many people must love cabbage soup. Many try the cabbage soup diet, which promotes weight loss through a seven-day diet that switches what you can eat each day. Here's a sample - on day four you can eat eight bananas, two glasses of milk, and (of course) all the cabbage soup you want.
#8 - Diet Patches
There are nicotine patches to help you quit smoking and birth control patches to keep you from getting pregnant. Touting the same concept, diet patches are supposed to transmit key weight loss ingredients through the skin, supposedly suppressing appetite or controlling metabolism. What's the difference between nicotine and birth control patches and diet patches? For one thing, the former are FDA-approved, but diet patches are not. As with diet pills, there are no regulations to make sure these patches are safe and effective. In most cases, you can get the same effect from diet patches as you will get from that free tattoo in the bottom of your Cracker Jacks.
#7 - Lemonade Diet
First, do you love lemonade? Second, are you okay with the idea of not eating anything solid for ten days? Finally, are you up for drinking laxative tea? If you answered "no" to any of these questions, this diet isn't for you. But some people want to "flush out their system" by consuming only a special lemonade mixture, a salt water flush, and herbal laxative tea for ten days. You might want to save yourself the time and just pour the ingredients directly into the toilet.
#6 - Diet Sunglasses
These blue-tinted sunglasses are supposed to make your food look less appealing so you will eat less of it. Personally, I wouldn't want to walk around all day with these not-so-fashionable sunglasses. Besides, if you are craving a hamburger and you can smell its tantalizing aroma as it sits in front of you, I don't think blue lenses are going to stop you from indulging.
#5 - Diet Fork
The diet fork is a plastic fork that supposedly helps control your food intake because it is smaller, duller, and more uncomfortable than your average fork. (Sounds like all they did was raid a fast food joint's supply of utensils.) Variations on this diet gadget include weight loss chopsticks and a fork that has a light that signals when you can take another bite.
#4 - Ear Stapling
The promise of this weight loss technique is that a metal staple pierced into the cartilage of your ear will help suppress your appetite. Don't try this in Florida; the practice is illegal. Many other states have placed strict regulations on this practice since it has caused many infections. (Maybe the trick is to lose weight while you are sick ... or in jail for getting caught in an undercover ear-stapling sting.)
#3 - Slimming Soap
If only you could wash your fat away. Apparently some people believe that you can because they are spending about $20 per bar to get some seaweed slimming soap. According to manufacturers, the algae extract in the soap penetrates the skin and breaks down fat, tightens skin, increases metabolism, and reduces cellulite. This "ancient Chinese weight loss method" probably won't decrease your fat, but at least that's $20 you won't spend at the drive-thru.
#2 - Eating Cotton Balls
Inspired by certain celebrities, some people have turned to soaking cotton balls in gelatin and eating them. Others try to eat cotton balls dry (maybe the gelatin calories were too much). The theory behind this is that the cotton balls, which are apparently low in calories but high in fiber, will fill you up and keep you from wanting to eat anything "fattening" (like actual food). In addition to the obvious negatives of the taste and texture of cotton balls, this diet can be hazardous to your health. Replacing food with cotton balls can not only deprive your body of needed nutrients, but it can also cause issues with your digestive tract. Besides, imagine the hairball-like effects it could produce.
#1 - Tapeworms (ewwww)
Just the thought of this makes me squirm, but there are people who believe that purposely ingesting a tapeworm will allow them to eat whatever they want and still lose weight. People believe that the tapeworm will ingest their food and save them from gaining the weight, but it doesn't work that way. In case you were wondering, a tapeworm is a parasite, and it can cause a whole host of problems. The tapeworm will eat some of the food, but it will also take your vital nutrients. The parasite could cause diarrhea, nausea, and bloating. Also, the tapeworm will ingest that food and produce its own waste, and could even shed itself as it grows. To increase the fun of hosting a parasite, the tapeworm could reproduce, and its larvae could spread throughout your system causing anything from seizures to meningitis. It's hard to believe that some people would rather risk their lives with a tapeworm rather than go to the gym or eat a salad now and then.
What a Bizarre Concept
Although there are many people who swear by the above weight loss tricks, I don't recommend any of them. Here's a wild idea: if you want to lose weight, reduce your calorie intake (but be sure to get enough to stay healthy), eat a balanced diet, and exercise. That's so crazy it just might work!
Jason X (2001) Starring: Lexa Doig, Kane Hodder and Lisa Ryder Director: Jim Isaac Rating: Seven of Ten Stars
Jason is the mad killer from the "Friday the 13th" movie series. He started out as the crazed mongoloid son of an even crazier mother, but over the series he morphed into a demon-animated, industructable murder machine.
As "Jason X" opens, the unstoppable killing machine has been captured by the US Army, and a sexy woman scientist (Doig) is trying to find a way to destroy Jason once and for all... but with no luck. Naturally, Jason escapes confinement and starts killing everyone in the base. He and the scientist get trapped in an experimental cryogentic suspended animation chamber, and there they stay until recovered centuries later by a group of teenagers on an archeology class outing to Old Earth.
After the scientist and Jason are revived onboard a spaceship, Jason--of course--goes on a killing rampage, and along the way receives nanite-created cybernetic enhancement. Who will be left standing after the final, far-future confrontation between Jason and the scientist in the tight tanktop?
This is by far the most entertaining "Jason" movie since the two original films, and it's a far more fun "re-imagining" than the lame remake from last year. The script actually has a number of unexpected twists--it's been a loooong time since anyone bothered putting a real plot into a Jason/Friday the 13th movie--the dialogue sharp and witty, and the murders are mostly quite creative and often take advantage of the sci-fi setting. There are even some inside jokes that will inspire gales of laughter among those who have seen lots of films in the mad slasher genre. (The dvd is particularly amusing with its "jump to a death" feature.)
By the way, this is also the only "Friday the 13th" sequel that I have in my personal collection of movies, because it's the only one that has continued to entertain on repeat viewings.
