Evil Dead

In the winter of 1979, Sam Raimi went into the Tennessee woods with several friends to shoot a horror movie. 1981 saw the fruition of those efforts with the release of “Evil Dead” which has become a cult classic. You see, long before his vision of Spiderman was brought to the silver screen, he had his directing teeth cut with horror films. “Evil Dead” was the first of these to gain notoriety (and a profit).

This is the simple story of five friends who go to a cabin in the woods for a vacation and the horror they find there. One of the characters is Ashley Williams (played by Bruce Campbell) who becomes world renown as simply Ash. What Ash and the others discover is the Necronomicon (Book of the Dead) and a tape recorder belonging to a professor, who also owns the cabin. The tape in the recorder tells the tale of the professor’s findings and has some passages from the Necronomicon. Unfortunately for the cabin visitors, these words are translated resurrection incantations for something evil.

Outside in the forest, this evil force awakens and attacks, then mayhem ensues. We learn that the only way to kill a possessed person or "deadite" is by total bodily dismemberment. So there is an excellent excuse to have blood and gore by the buckets! One by one the people are killed and only one remains to survive the evil dead.

What I love about this movie is how Raimi focused so much energy into this simple plot. The cabin in Tennessee was very small and had to be overhauled for the purposes of the film, this included ripping up the floor in one corner to produce a makeshift cellar entrance. It was a cold winter especially for the southern United States and filming problems (frozen power cords, props, as well as actors) were monstrous to overcome. Raimi pressed on and continued filming even when it required a month or more between shots to adapt other schedules.

His use of the disorienting camera angles for the first person point of view shots were amazing! From the point of view of the main characters as well as the point of view of the demons, audiences got a brand new way to feel the tension and horror of the moment. Some predictable jumps are included, but many shocks that one is not prepared for make this film an excellent champion for horror films and special effects! This movie of course set the stage for the two sequels (“Evil Dead 2:Dead by Dawn” & “Army of Darkness”) which have driven the cult status of the “Evil Dead” trilogy to an internationally recognized phenomenon!

• Today's Cure song is "Breathe" from the Join The Dots: B-Sides and Rarities Collection - (2004) This track, found on disc 2, was originally featured as a B-side on some of the 1987 releases of "Just Like Heaven." Here is a song that sighs with violins and keyboards and speaks of eternal desire & love.
  

"Breathe
Breathe on me
Be like you used to be
Breathe on me "


CJ

A Rotting Dead Clip Show

I always have so many things I want to post, but today I wanted to take another break to take a look back. One can’t always expect visitors to go through the entire archive to see what’s what, so I present a sort of review of my blog. My first postwas two months ago and since that time I have shared a lot about myself and hopefully entertained you with the many movie reviews I have posted. To my regular readers, Leah,Nicole, Soliel,Zam,Pdawg,PurpleStarlet,Joe,LaVarious ,digallagher,Sara,Chica,Audra, Cybertoad, Linda Rae,Shell, Corinne, Didou,and Julia) thank you so much for all of your comments and support in making my blogging experience a fantastic one! To any new visitors, Welcome to the Blog of the Rotting Dead!

I have shared information about my interest in horror through several of my posts. I started with a basic overview back in July with a post titled Rant! Then elaborated on my opinions about horror in Death, Destruction, and Mayhem!! More recently I have gone into more details in Horror-esque. By all means don’t miss the post that could save your life, read Surviving the Zombie Plague!

I have also shared my sense of humor in several posts. Sometime I just kind of sprinkle a post with my unique brand of silliness, but once in awhile the entire post is designed to let you in to my dementia, like in Breakin’ Necks. Or maybe you had a chuckle when you read Bleeding Staples or the infamous Fine Print!

Then of course we have the horror movie reviews. I have seen so many that I like (and some of those many,many times) so I felt like sharing my views about them. I really appreciate all the comments I have received and look forward to bringing you plenty more. The other thing that I am proud to showcase, is my love of music from The Cure. Since July 19th I have tried to feature a Cure song for every post. I get so much from their music and I have read that others like them a lot too. For my regular visitors who are not Cure fans, get a copy of Disintegration (From 1989 and considered to be one of the very best) and give it a listen you may be pleasantly surprised.

Another piece of my soul that I have been pleased to share are my ventures into writing. I have some dark poetry featured here because it is in tune with the theme, but I have also writing a variety of other topics, mostly romance, that are part of my original collection. My very first short story In the Dead of Nightis featured here on my blog, as well as another short story titled “Falling” which is perhaps a little more graphic than most may want to read on-line. E-mail for a copy if you really want to give it a read.

Well that about wraps it up for today. Thanks again for visiting and please stop by every week to see what’s new in the Blog of the Rotting Dead. Now to take you out for your weekend, I give you more of The Cure...

• Today's Cure song is Close To Me from Head on the Door CD-(1985) An actually hand clapping song, with a dancing synthesizer bounding in time with the drumbeat. Sometimes you are waiting and waiting for the day to end, but when it happens you are still not ready for it!.

"I've waited hours for this, I've made myself so sick. I wish I'd stayed - asleep today"

CJ

Day of the Dead

“They HAVE over-run us, you know?”

“Day of the Dead,” is perhaps the most chilling zombie movie in the Living Dead trilogy. Many critics have taken shots at this film for it’s rushed feel or the excessive amount of gore. I feel that it is a perfect addition to the series and the amount of gore is not only acceptable but also preferred. Directed by George A. Romero, this third installment of zombies released in 1985 was given the tagline “The darkest day the world has ever known.” If “Night of the Living Dead” begins the tale, and “Dawn of the Dead” shows the following fall of society, then “Day of the Dead” truly paints a grim picture of the future.

So, as you know the world has been taken over by zombies. Created by a condition, which is much like a viral disease, that causes bodies of the recently dead to come to life and attack the living. We are introduced to a group of scientists and soldiers who occupy an underground government facility. They have been working on finding a solution to the zombie plague while periodically sending out a search party to find other survivors.

What we find is tension in the group. As the scientists struggle to get a better understanding of the zombies, the commanding officer is not pleased with the lack of progress and the severity of the low supplies. When we add in one doctor who is longer playing with a full deck, we have a powder keg of personalities ready to be set off.

Captain Rhodes is played by Joe Pilato, returning to the dead world as a major character expounding on his success with cameos in Romero’s “Dawn of the Dead” and a 1981 film titled “Knightriders” (Which by the way was also directed by Romero and has performances from Ken Foree and Tom Savini. Now, where have I seen those names before?). Sarah (Lori Cardille) is our heroine and represents the last shred of common sense and integrity.

There is a lot of gore in this film, from gunshots, zombie bites, and nightmares of anatomy like some exposed intestines spilling out onto the floor. Tom Savini uses the bulk of the filming budget to create some of the most gruesome scenes ever. Having an entire team to assist him this time out, Savini definitely raised the bar for zombie gore to an Olympic event level.

What I really liked about this film (aside from the gratuitous violence) was Sarah’s character. Romero could have made her a Laura Croft-esue gun toting smart-ass, but instead she is intelligent and a leader very able to take care of herself. The plot was also well done. I understand that this is not the script Romero originally submitted to the producers, but I personally think it came out just right. The sound track is another fantastic contribution by John Harrison (of “Creepshow” fame). At times the music seems so sad and goes perfect with the end of the world scenario.

Until recently, “Day of the Dead” was the last film in Romero’s Living Dead series. There is documented evidence that Romero has now picked up the mantle one last time and will direct “Land of the Dead” to complete the saga. Zombie fans the world over await his genius to once again bring us the nightmare world of the Living Dead on October 21st 2005!

• Today's Cure song is Plainsong from the Disintegration CD-(1989) Light chimes slowly build from a very low decible level to a sudden smahing crescendo with strong keyboard chords. This intro song for the album is one of my very favorites. Very often used as the opening song for the "Prayer" tour back in 1989, "Plainsong" is anything but plain.
  

{{"I think it's dark and it looks like rain" you said. "And the wind is blowing like it's the end of the world" you said}}

CJ

Where's the post?

Hey everybody,

It is my turn to get caught up in life. I will not be posting anything significant today, however please feel free to look around my blog. Hopefully you will have some time to read some of my archived posts, my poetry, or my fictional endeavors.

I shall return tomorrow with my latest review.

CJ

A Nightmare on Elm Street

“Whatever you do, don't fall asleep.” In 1984, Wes Craven exploded into public notoriety with the release of “A Nightmare on Elm Street”. Craven’s skills and talents as a writer & director had already gained him some attention with movies like “The Hills Have Eyes” (1978) and “Swamp Thing” (1981). He used these skills to turn a frightening real life experience from his childhood into a fictional character recognized around the world.

Nancy (Heather Langenkamp) is having nightmares. Violent nightmares about a mysterious badly burned man. He calls himself Freddy and has a glove on his right hand altered to hold razor-sharp knives over the fingers. The haunting song of the children in her dreams warns of the terror of Freddy…

One, Two, Freddy’s coming for you.
Three, Four, better lock your door.
Five, Six, grab your crucifix.
Seven, Eight, gonna stay up late.
Nine, Ten, never sleep again.

Nancy finds that she and her other teenage friends are having the same nightmares and that is when the carnage begins! One by one the teens are being brutally murdered in their sleep. Nancy turns to her father (played by John Saxon) for help. He does not believe her and tends to thinks that maybe she is losing it. Her mother takes her to a sleep clinic, but of course they cannot help her because Freddy is determined to stalk and kill the teenagers of Elm Street.

Why? We find out that many years ago a man named Freddy Krueger was abducting and killing some children in the neighborhood. The parents got together and dealt him some vigilante mob justice, burning him alive in his workshop. Nancy finds out the truth and realizes that Freddy is exacting his revenge on the children of the ones who killed him. Now she decides to take action stop this evil. The coffee is brewing as she struggles to stay awake and come up with a plan; she is determined to bring this spectral monster from dreamland to the real world.

So much can be said for this movie. Jim Doyle does an excellent job of using mechanical special effects for every shot in the movie (except the walking through cell bars scene). Yes wires can be seen in a couple of shots, but for 1984 when the highest grossing movies were action based titles like “Karate Kid”, “Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom” & “Beverly Hills Cop”, “Nightmare…” steals the show for best horror movie! (Unless you consider “Gremlins” a horror movie, which did better at the box office that year.)

We also cannot forget to mention the eerie musical score by Charles Bernstein. That creepy little slow piano build up that slides over to the synthesizer effects making Freddy’s theme an unforgettable accompaniment to the great horror scenes throughout the film. One favorite scene for horror movie fanatics everywhere is the bedroom scene where the bed swallows Nancy’s boyfriend and a blood geyser ensues!! Hey look, that is a very young Johnny Depp in his debut movie role. This was also before his appearance in “Platoon” and his mega hit role as Officer Tom Hanson in the television series“21 Jump Street.”

The sequels are many and the body count high, but only the original captures the essence of Freddy as a scary villain worthy of nightmares.
Have a great weekend and enjoy...

• Today's Cure song is "From the Edge of The Deep Green Sea" from the Wish CD-(1990) A song that I feel is about being in a destructive relationship and relying on drugs to enhance reality. A long song (7:44) with some great guitar sections that cry out with their melancholic tones.

"I wish i could just stop,I know another moment will break my heart. Too many tears, Too many times, Too many years i've cried over you."

CJ

Horror Video Games

Grab a snack and a soda and prepare for a lengthy post…:-)

I may have touched on this subject before, but today I want to share more of my fascination with Horror as it relates to video games. Once upon a time, long, long ago, I was a teenager and went into the local video game arcade to waste a good couple of hours with friends dropping quarters into the coin-op classics like “Elevator Action” & “Galaga”. The only horror-esque title available was “Ghosts 'n Goblins”. When what to my wandering eyes should appear? A new game, this one was titled “Splatterhouse”. It was 1988 and I had finally found a true horror-based game to accompany my already growing fascination with the genre.

Since that time I have played a great many video games that have horror elements and have researched several others that I would still like to play. In the arcade realm, I have not only played “Splatterhouse” which had a character in a {Terror Mask}, (which looked a lot like the Jason Vorhees hockey mask of Friday the 13th fame) but also titles like “Beast Busters” (where you shoot zombies as they appear on the screen, sometimes they shoot back!), “Chiller”(where you get to shoot creatures as well as human bodies-one flesh splattering shot at a time in a guillotine room/torture chamber, rack room –complete with a river of blood-, haunted house hallway, and a graveyard.), “Altered Beast” which didn’t have a lot of horror in it but certainly abounded with ghoulish creatures. More recently I have played “Carn-Evil”(where an evil force turns a carnival into a horrific playground of dead things and creatures), and the ever popular “The House of the Dead” (1 & 2 both based on detectives investigating the status of the mysteriously missing personnel at a genetic engineering center. These games of course have lots of zombies). Other arcade games I have read about and would love to play are “Crypt Killer”, “Zombie Raid”, “Zombie Revenge” & “The House of the Dead 3”

The time I have spent playing horror video games was not all clocked in the arcade. I have also had the joy and sometimes terror of games played on home consoles. In terms of console games there are a variety, starting with “Resident Evil” back in 1996. What followed this ground breaking home game were various titles filled with horror and/or gore. Like an alcoholic at his first meeting, I stand and say that I have never actually played the original. But never fear, I am hoping to get that classic game as a Christmas gift this year. Now I did play “Resident Evil 2” on the N64 which was a fantastic experience for me where I allowed myself to get into the game so deeply I jumped a couple of times.

I have also played some of the classics like “Castlevania” from Nintendo with all of its sequels having vampires and other creatures of the underworld. And “Altered Beast” on the Sega Genesis which was not a great experience but a tribute to the arcade. I even tried“Hexen” & “Doom” for the Super Nintendo. On the newer front, I have played “Shadowman” on N64 which is a lengthy game with awesome horror themes including zombies. There was “Nightmare Creatures” is another conglomerate of creatures paying tribute to the 50s horror movies set in London circa 1700. I played “The Thing” on my friend’s PS2, which was done quite well. “Blood Rayne” on the Game Cube was done well too but there was a little too much focus on the jiggling heroine and not enough on the monsters.

“Blood Omen 2” is the only horror title I have played on the Xbox so far. And one game that I couldn’t finish because it freaked me out a little too much was “Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem” on Game Cube. It had so many freaky changes and mind twists that I was seriously disturbed by it. Of course I have to try that again some day! Games I would like to play include “Shadowman 2”, “Nightmare Creatures 2”, “Fatal Frame”, “Silent Hill {1,2, &3}”, and “The Suffering”

The last medium I have used for horror gaming is the PC. “Diablo” is one of the best games I have ever played on my computer. I got this title in 1998 and it was the first horror title for my PC. “Doom” had been out since 1995 but I was not able to get it. When time came to buy I had "Diablo" to choose from instead. I have also played “Diablo II”, “Dracula: Resurrection” and “Dracula: The Last Sanctuary”. I am still looking forward to playing the “Alone in the Dark” series and a game called “Flesh Feast”

In all, I have played some great games to expand my horror entertainment. Some people fell that video games are a complete waste of time, but I place them right up there with movies as solid entertainment. I am anticipating the future where current 3D technology evolves to include a virtual reality horror game (preferably about zombies) that will be the ultimate in horror gaming.

Well that it’s for now, tune in on Friday for another horror movie review. Until then…

Today's Cure song is "Why Can't I Be You" from the Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me CD -(1987) A great horn section trumpets as Robert sings about being unsatisfied with the self. I suppose one could stretch the meaning to include it begin a love song. Either way it's a very jumpy tune that has become a classic for them as well.

"Everything you do is irresistable. Everything you do is simply kissable. Why can't I be you?"

CJ

Creepshow 2

Okay here we are again, in Stephen King’s world of horror short stories. The only real let down is that George A. Romero did not return as the director. “Creepshow 2” is not a terrible movie but should be viewed with reservations. My biggest reservation is that it only contains three stories! The original had five plus a fairly good wrap around. This installment seems forced, uninspired if you will.

A wrap around story begins when The Creep (played by returning horror master Tom Savini) delivers the comic book to an anxious boy names Billy (Same name, different kid from the first film). As the vignettes proceed the Creep character is animated and cracks jokes that don’t come across very well. Although the wrap around story this time is not as good, it is animated very well. I appreciate the vision of the writers and directors trying to capture the essence of the classic horror comics, however something is left to be desired in the transition from page to screen. The first movie avoided this by having the vignettes segue into one another by the animated turning of pages. Perhaps that would have been best here as well.

As for the stories, we begin with “Ol’ Chief Woodenhead” A tale where a wooden Indian comes to life to exact revenge on some local thugs who murdered his beloved owners. George Kennedy is a great actor and is one saving grace for this portion as he plays an excellent country general store owner.

The second tale is much better. Adapted from yet another of Stephen King’s short stories, “The Raft” is about four teenagers visiting a secluded lake for some late fall fun. Unfortunately for them, there is already something in the lake waiting for it’s own brand of fun. A large, oily-like black substance moves of it’s own volition and begins to stalk the teens on the raft. One by one, they are consumed in a painful burning envelope of living deadly oil. The end of this tale has a great little surprise for any optimistic viewers.

The last story is the best of the three, mainly because it is the longest and has a pretty good build up of the main character. “The Hitchhiker” is about a cheating wife who accidently runs over a hitchhiker. More worried about herself and the ramifications of having to explain her actions, she hastily leaves the scene. As proof that one should never leave the scene of an accident, the hitcher (who is horribly mangled) re-appears down the road. “Thanks for the ride lady!" She drives away but he keeps coming back!! Don’t miss the cameo by Stephen King as a passing truck driver.

Not a spectacular sequel to say the least. It does have it’s moments, but is for hardcore fans only.

• Today's Cure song is "Killing An Arab" from the Boys Don't Cry CD -(1979) A somewhat controversial song until you realize that Robert was commeting on a book he read. He was trying to capture the essence of the book titled L'Étranger (The Stranger)
  by Albert Camus(which is the story of an ordinary man unwittingly drawn into a senseless murder on an Algerian beach)

"I'm alive. I'm Dead. I'm the stranger. Killing an Arab."

CJ

Zombie

From the dark reaches of the classic horror vault comes “Zombie” (Also marketed across the world in various titles including “Zombi 2”, “Zombie Flesh Eaters” and “Island of the Living Dead”), directed by the genius Italian director Lucio Fulci. He was inspired by George A. Romero’s “Dawn of the Dead”, and shot this film in 1979.

You have no doubt heard the story before, the plot is of dead people who have risen and feast on the flesh of the living. Centered mostly on a small remote island, “Zombie” ties the living dead phenomenon back to voodoo roots that some people feel are based on real events. The movie begins on the island of Matul, where we see what appears to be a dead person rising in bloody sheets. A doctor, careful aims his pistol and shoots the body in the head, then utters the somewhat famous quote “The boat can leave now, tell the crew.”

The movie shifts us now to open water just off the coast of New York, where Fulci takes his time setting the scene. We see the boat, apparently abandoned with the sails flapping, cans rolling about on the deck, and the steering wheel spinning wildly. The boat drifts into the harbor where harbor patrol officers board to investigate. You don’t for one minute suppose the boat is really abandoned, do you? They are attacked by a zombie which is eventually shot, and falls over the side of the boat into the water.

The boat, we learn, belongs to a scientist who has disappeared months ago to do some research on a faraway island. Enter Peter West (Played by Ian McCulloch- {Not to be confused with Ian McKellen who stars in the “The Lord of The Rings” trilogy as Gandalf}), a reporter who has been investigating the appearance of the mysterious ship and the murder of the patrolman. He teams up with Ann Bowles (Tisa Farrow), who is the daughter of the boat owner. They travel to the remote island of Matul which is his last known location, thanks to a letter found on the boat telling of a mysterious disease he contracted on the island of Matul and that he believes he will never leave the island alive.

What they find on the island is a slighty obssesive Dr. Menard (Richard Johnson) and eventually a horde of walking dead. Ann’s father died from the disease and the local hospital is now full of sick people who have contracted that strange disease. As the native drums pound in the distance, horror begins to spread across the island. As you watch this film you are not certain who will survive and what of the zombie in New York? Since a simply gunshot would not have eliminated him, what might happen? We certainly cannot forget that is the only movie where you will see a zombie fight a shark underwater.

As the zombies take over, we see the trademark Fulci gore, which is plentiful and fantastically done. There is nothing left to the imagination as fans are treated the now classic zombie with worms in his eye (The picture on most VHS & DVD covers here in the USA), exploding head shots and gruesome flesh eating. Another spectacular sequence is the close up of the eye punturing scene. The special effects and make-up were done by Gianetto De Rossi (later famous for his work on “Dune”, “Conan The Destroyer” & the Academy Award winning “The Last Emperor”)

The overall quality of the movie leaves much to be desired and the dialogue scenes don't help to raise this films standards, B-movie rating in most circles. However, it is a must see for all horror fans, especially if you like zombies. Lucio Fulci may be considered an acquired taste as his gore is usually over the top, but I for one love his style.

• Today's Cure song is The 13th from the Wild Mood Swings CD-(1996) A finger-snapping tune flooded with horns and a cuica. It seems to tell the tale of a reluctant man lured into the sinful clutches of a woman. Robert says "Originally titled Two Chord Cool, the meeting that the song is about occured on the 13th, the song was written on the 13th, and Jason was reading an article about the 13th motel killings. He felt like someone up there was trying to tell him something."
  

"You will be all the things in the world you've never been. See all the things in the world you've never seen. Dream all the things in the world you'll never dream...
But i think i get a bit confused...Am i seducing or being seduced?."

CJ

The Amityville Horror

To talk about this movie, one doesn’t have to comment on or speculate about the supposed true story aspect. However, it does make for an interesting blog.

On Wednesday, November 14, 1974 in the small town of Amityville, Long Island. Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered his entire family as they slept in their beds. You can find the facts on the case just about anywhere on the Internet. What you will also find as you search for those facts is an exuberant amount of information about the Lutz family as well.

George and Kathleen Lutz moved into 112 Ocean Avenue (the scene of the aforementioned murders) the summer of 1975. About 28 days after moving in, they fled the house telling tales of supernatural occurrences and demonic possession. The facts of this haunting remain controversial to this date. In an industrious search, you will find countless websites dedicated to the Amityville Horror, Truth and/or Hoax.

The movie is based on the 1977 novel by Jay Anson titled “The Amityville Horror - A True Story” which is the story of the happenings in the haunted house as it was related by the Lutz family. What followed in 1979 was the now classic horror movie “The Amityville Horror”. The movie shows how George Lutz (played by James Brolin) and his wife Kathleen (Played by Margot Kidder) decide to buy a new house that was previously the scene of the brutal murders. Evil spirits from the previous owners fill the walls of the house. As time progresses, the Lutz family encounters strange and bizarre events that cannot be reasonably explained.

The spirits inside the house have the ability to open windows, close doors, and turn off the lights. In addition, the spirits begin to work their way into the minds of the Lutz family. Amy Lutz (Natasha Ryan), the daughter of George and Kathleen, is able to see one spirit and adopts is as her imaginary friend. There are great special effects from simple shadows and noises to bleeding walls. Director Stuart Rosenberg implements the use of lighting and shadows beautifully in this film to capture the essence of things not seen. The majority of the day scenes are matched to fit the relaxing, bright mood of a new family house. The dark night scenes are the ones that create and develop the feelings of terror.

So whether you believe in ghosts and demons, whether you buy into the story of the Lutz family as fact, or whether you think this is simply another work of fiction, the movie is a great horror film to pop into the DVD player for Halloween!

• Today's Cure song is "A Strange Day" from the Pornography CD - (1982) A somber tune quoted by Robert as "how i would feel if it would only be the end of the world". It has a very light beginning that builds to a softly pounding drum with a keyboard drifting over as Robert sings. The song grows stronger crescendoing with fantastic guitar chords that tug at your soul.

"My head falls back and the walls crash down. And the sky, and the impossible explode. Held for one moment I remember a song. An impression of sound, then everything is gone Forever "

CJ

It Really Is Tuesday!

Feels like Monday, but it's not. It is always nice to have a long weekend, but then coming back to work still feels like a chore. As it should I suppose, it is work afterall. *L* Had a pretty good weekend, only wish (as I am sure most everyone does) that is could have lasted longer, I so did not want to get up this morning.

Saturday was a fun day for my son and I. Momma had to go to a dentist appointment (aww, poor momma) so I took our son to Chuck E. Cheese. What a great way to spend a couple of hours! Just me and my boy, eating pizza and then playing games and watching him have fun. He is getting better at Ski-ball and Air Hockey!

Yesterday, my wife and I went to see AVP. First we went to Chacho's Mexican Restaurant and had some great food. Then we caught "Aliens Vs. Predator"! We both enjoyed it as we are both fans of Sci-Fi and great story lines. They did an excellent job of bringing the concept to life. Having Lance Henrickson in the cast made it nostalgic for Aliens fans, his name is even Charles BISHOP weyland. And I caught him doing that five point star trick on his hand with his pen(a-la- Aliens mess hall scene).

Well there is always more horror on the way and more Cure songs to be highlighted, so stop back by tomorrow and see what the rotting dead have in store for you!

CJ

Hellraiser

In 1987 horror fans were treated to a great horror movie titled “Hellraiser”. Clive Barker's directing debut! This is a very graphic tale about a puzzle box and its connection to the nether regions of Hell. Filled with bloody scenes and sexual situations, fans of the horror movies can enjoy a break from the slasher flicks that populate the genre. There is no killer here chasing innocent teens through the woods, just some nasty yet fascinating characters from Hell called Cenobites “Demons to some. Angels to others.” This film also contains some great quotes that I cannot help but sprinkle throughout this review.

Based on Barker’s own novella titled The Hellbound Heart, this story comes to frightening life with the spectacular special effects. The pale skin color, the nails that have been driven into his head and the leather costume only Beelzebub could love, make the lead Cenobite "Pinhead” (Doug Bradley) a ghastly addition to the nightmares of viewers. “Pinhead” is now a classic monster movie character, but when his face first appeared on the screen, it chilled us to the bone! The other Cenobites have equally horrific features such as a woman with a gaping hole in her throat, a thin creature with his edges of his mouth eaten far away exposing his chattering teeth, and a heavyweight man with his eyes sewn shut. The plot is about a man named Frank (Sean Chapman) who buys a puzzle box in search of the ultimate sensual experience. The now classic phrase “What’s your pleasure, sir?” is spoken by the shady man who sells him the box. What Frank finds instead is a trip to Hell beyond all pleasure and pain thanks to the Cenobites, who respond whenever the box is solved.

Frank escapes the grip of Hell thanks to a splash of blood. This drop of blood seeps into the floorboards and begins to revive Frank’s shriveled up heart, doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but who cares, the special effects are amazing!! The raw muscles and tendons form as blood churns and a body begins to regain form. To facilitate this process, Frank depends on his previous lover Julia (Claire Higgins) bringing victims to the house to be killed. A very twisted love story to say the least.

Enter Kirsty (Ashley Laurence in her movie debut), the protagonist of this story and our heroine throughout the series. Well I won’t tell you the whole movie but when she accidentally opens the puzzle box, ‘you-know-who’ will be coming for her. “We have such sights to show you” One of the best gory films I have ever seen, where else where you see man ripped apart by hooks on the ends of chains? “Jesus Wept”

The rest of the Hellraiser saga that now has 8 movies, leans heavy on what is presented here in what I consider the best of the series. Now the overall acting was not spectacular, but done well enough to carry the story. One last quote, “No tears, please. It's a waste of good suffering.” If you haven’t seen this one yet, turn down the lights and get ready for a gore-rific film!!

• Today's Cure song is "A Few Hours After This" from the Join The Dots: B-Sides and Rarities Collection - (2004) An B-side track from 1985. This orchestral tune was the b-side for "Inbetween Days". Robert seems to be shouting a few of the lyrics but I like that it gives the song a feeling of anguish inherant to the words.
  

"Just put your hands around my heart and squeeze me until I'm dry. I never thought you'd ever start to ever ask me why. I never saw you again "

CJ

Horror-esque

Horror.

From the countless websites, movies, and stories I have perused,( as well as a growing list of people who enjoy my blog) I can see that horror is a growing attraction for a large portion of the population. What fascinates us about horror? Is it the desire to see something darker than ourselves, assuring us that we are in the light? Is it that age old lure of wanting to experience a fright, like on Halloween? Maybe it is a part of us that we choose to stimulate when other senses in our lives do not provide satisfaction? Whatever the reason, there are those of us that seek frequent jaunts into the terrifying sometimes entertaining realm of horror.

Now, I of course would never condone the use of this passion to promote real evil. I understand that some subjects of horror writing and films are taken from real life. But that should not be taken as a bad thing. To understand (or want to understand) the minds of the people who create real horror can help us remain secure in our sanity. Books and movies about real people like Jim Jones, Charles Manson, Ed Gein, and Jeffery Dahmer are indeed quite disturbing, but if someone were not brave enough to tell the tale, we would not have the opportunity to try and understand.

Fictional tales of horror may be easier to understand for the majority of my visitors. You see we are less connected to horrors we read about or see on the silver screen, save one important aspect. That aspect is the way horror related topics play are on primitive fears. Whether we are reading a thriller novel or watching a slasher flick, we are tapping into something primal.

One way that I have come to understand horror is that it is like opening a dark doorway within yourself. I don't mean into your own psyche, more like into what scares(and possibly thrills) you? If you do not like what you see there, then you are probably not a great horror fan. But those of us who are intrigued with what we find behind that door are treated to a world of sensory stimulation met by few other means. I say few others because one can find that same kind of rush riding a roller coaster for example in a controlled environment. Very scary to some, mildly arousing to others.

Horror fans look for the next ( or go back to a favorite) thing that makes us jump, chills our bones, or makes our hearts beat faster and faster with frightened expectations. We seek oppotunities to experience horror in a wide range of topics such as zombies, witches, voodoo, werewolves, supernatural possesions, blood & guts gore, and psychological horror.We have embraced the darkness, not to BE dark, evil or horrific, but rather to touch the place within ourselves that fascinates us so much.

So we write literature about horror (My samples can be found in the side bar Poetry & Stories), read books from fantastic authors like Stephen King, or watch movies (Read my reviews here at Movie Talk) that feed our desire to touch the darkness. As I re-read what I am about to post I also understand that some people may feel that liking horror means one has some kind of illness. To those visitors who feel this way I say, be open-minded and realize that to engage in these mediums to experience horror, is not the same as a desire to want to perform acts of real life horror. (And by the way, why are reading a blog about horror anyway?...*L*)

Descend into madness and swim in the blackness that is a real part of your soul as you enjoy the horror topics presented here. I hope to continue bringing you all horror movie reviews and samples of my original horror writing as the years go by. Until the end, the rotting dead await you here in cyber space.

• Today's Cure song is "Maybe Someday" from the Bloodflowers CD-(2000) This is a song about wanting to let go but realizing that there is still a chance sometime in the future for another interaction. Could be about love, but I think Robert was saying that he thought the band should break up after the 2000 Dream Tour. This song would lend itself to his thoughts that maybe someday would come and it DID this year with the release of a new album and the Curiosa Festival tour. Glad they stuck together to give us more of what we love.

"I'll see you smile as you call my name. Start to feel, and it feels the same. And I know that maybe someday's come. Maybe someday's come...again!"

CJ