Blu-Ray Saturday

Mama F had a VERY productive Saturday. Not only did I watch both playoff games, went downtown with Papa C to check out a new display of candid Bob Marley photos at a local gallery, I also watched not one, but TWO movies.

I started off my day early, since now that I'm a working woman, I can't seem to sleep past nine am anymore. (THE HORROR!) So I made breakfast, got a blanket, grabbed cats for strategic cuddling purposes, and popped in.....Snow White.



Before you go thinking I've gone all soft and sweet (and believe me, there's as much of a chance of that as there was of the Lions making it to the playoffs ....Shazam!), think back to the last time you actually watched Snow White. I mean, really watched it.

I was struck by two things yesterday. One, with the Blu-Ray, I found myself totally entranced by the watercolor backgrounds in the movie. I don't know the last time I watched an animated film and paid so much attention to the freaking background. Wow. The artist in me was transfixed.

I also realized yesterday that Snow White is - well, kinda scary. I mean, think about it - we have an evil queen/witch that wants SW dead. And I mean dead. Not banished, not locked up in some dungeon, but cut-out-her-heart-and-bring-it-to-me dead. And when that doesn't work, well, she just whips up a poison apple and takes it to Snow to get the deed done herself. Add the panicked run through the scary forest and having your corpse displayed in a freakin' glass casket because 7 little old men can't bear the thought of putting you in the ground, not to mention coming back from the dead (!)and you're got yourself one creepy little story.

Then we have the 'romantic' moment when the Prince wakes Snow with 'love's first kiss'....but instead of feeling all warm and tingly, all my warped little mind can think is, how long has she been in that casket anyway?

Annnnyyyyway.............
Let's turn our attention to my second movie of the day, which is an actual horror movie. And that would be....
John Carpenter's The Thing.


Watching The Thing was a similar experience to watching Children of the Corn for me, in that I haven't seen it since it came out, and I've never owned a copy of it. Although it's different from COTC in that I only remember seeing it once. I'm not sure why - I remembered liking it, and Kurt Russell's in it.

I like me some Kurt Russell. To me, he's dependable and reliable - in short, Kurt Russell gets the job done. When I find out that he's in a movie, I know that at least one thing will be true - Kurt will be good and even if the plot is boring or I hate everyone else in it, at least I'll buy what he's selling.

Plus - go IMDB this guy sometime. He started working in television 1957 when he was six years old, and he hasn't stopped since. He did TV shows like Gilligan's Island, Lost in Space, and The Fugitive. He did a slew of goofy Disney films like The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes and Now You See Him, Now You Don't. For most child actors, their career stops once they become old enough to vote.

But not The Kurt. Not only did he manage to keep working, the guy has a slew of kick ass movies to his name. Tombstone. Escape From New York. Big Trouble in Little China. Fuck, the guy even played Elvis, for crying out loud.

That is why I have much love and give mad props to the guy - not only does he have a Hollywood career that has spanned over 50 years, he's managed to make a lot of good stuff along the way. I also declared that Kurt Russell was a national treasure during a spirited (and alcohol-fueled, I'm sure) discussion with Papa Cash while we were in Jamaica. (I won that argument hands down, btw. You do not want to take me to a tropical location, get me drunk, and wonder out loud what the big deal is about The Kurt. Oh no, my friend, trust me, You. Do. Not. Want. )

Back to our regularly scheduled program.....

So, The Thing. It's a great movie. I know this, you know this. And now I know exactly why I haven't watched this movie in over 20 years. It's really, really.......unsettling.
Yeah, right, like NO DER, right? But I'm not talking about the special effects, not knowing who might be infected with The Thing, and who might not be, or even the idea of being isolated in Antartica without even so much as a radio.

No, I'm talking about the overwhelming and enveloping feeling that these fellas are DOOMED. From the first moment the movie starts and we start to become introduced to this crew of fellas (yes, all boys, back in 1982, us girls weren't allowed yet to be around metal equipment and go on expeditions and things), we know absolutely 100% in our hearts that things are not going to go well for these guys. We don't even know what it is - but we know it's not going to be pretty. There's not even one moment of real hope - anytime you find yourself wondering if they'll get out okay, you just know. Nope. Ain't gonna happen. And yet you still find yourself watching, waiting, wondering.

I definitely won't be waiting another 20 years to watch The Thing again - it's just too good to ignore again for that long. Not only do we have The Kurt rocking the Michael Landon hair look, we have tons of juicy, slimy special effects from back in the day when peeps ACTUALLY FREAKIN' BUILT THINGS WITH THEIR HANDS. And covered them with goop. And put motors and stuff in them to make them move.


Another thing that made the movie interesting was watching the movie with Papa C. I generally watch most horror movies alone - especially the older ones- but he watched this one with me, and like most times this happens, I'm treated to interesting questions and comments throughout.

Like these:

While the dog is walking about the barracks, or compound, or whatever you want to call it:
"Is the dog the bad guy in this movie, or what?'

And, out of the blue, at some point after the Norwegians are killed:
'I know why you wanted to watch this.'
Me: "Why?"
PC: In your eyes, Kurt Russell can do no wrong'.

I guess he wasn't that drunk in Jamaica after all.
-Mother Firefly

PS I found out later, via Cavalcade of Perversions, that I watched The Thing on John Carpenter's Bday!