Day 4 - Alien Trespass

One thing I love to do during October is revisit the films I grew up with as a kid - the Universal monsters, Hammer, classic 50's sci-fi, the AI Vincent Price/Roger Corman movies.... these films will always be my favorites. Contemporary movies just don't bring out the warm and fuzzy for me the way these films do. But every once in a while, someone makes a film that tries to evoke the past - to recreate the look and feel and good memories of those films that we loved in the first place.

Alien Trespass is NOT a satirical look at classic sci-fi, even though I laughed out loud (in a good way) when I first saw the monster, it's apparent that the people who made this film are very fond of the films that inspired it. Even the monster (as cheap and goofy as he is) is made that way on purpose.

We've got the earnest scientist (Eric McCormack from Will and Grace') who witnesses the 'falling star' and is first on the scene, the teenagers who know the truth but who nobody will believe; the cops who keep getting call after call about 'monsters', and the piles of goo that our monster reduces people to when they get too close. Everyone does a great job, especially McCormack.


I especially thought this scene in the kitchen was delicious - the characters, the clothes and the set made me want to sink my teeth into it:



Why watch a tribute to 50's Sci-fi when we can just watch the movies that inspired it? Because when we watch a movie like Alien Trespass - it illuminates details and aspects of the originals that we might not have noticed before. It allows us to appreciate the movies that inspired it - and then notice those details when we re-watch them.
It's not a terribly exciting film, but it moves along well and it's a good way to to spend a weekend afternoon.

Website HERE.

Day 3 -Poultrygeist

I'm not sure this is so much a recommendation ......... but if you're looking for a movie that :

• crosses every boundary of good taste that you can think of
  
• features every bodily fluid that you can think of (and some you haven't)
• takes place in a fast food restaurant
• has lots of boobies
• features a talking sloppy joe
• has a solid half hour of chicken zombie fighting
• and oh yeah, it's a musical.

Then you might want to check this Troma film out:


God Bless Lloyd Kaufman.

Bawk - bawk,
Mother Firefly

Day 3 - Mmmmm Coffee

I had a late night, my friends. Actually, I've had two very late nights. On both of them I sat down, wrote and posted my Halloween blog, and then burned the midnight oil writing my paper for my clinical project. It's basically a thesis - but the process is a little different. And this has been the focus of the last year of my life (along with clinicals, electives, being a TA, and so forth). I don't discuss it much on my blog because sometimes it's hard to find time to do this - and when I do get to do it, I want to talk about fun spooky stuff and not the daily grind of clinicals, deadlines, and papers.
And now that this journey of three years is winding down, it gets harder every day to make myself work on this stuff. You'd think it'd be easier because it's soooo close to being over - but it's just not. I'd rather sack out on the couch with the stereo cats and watch Ghosthunters. Or Destination Truth. Or even Toddlers and Tiaras, for crying out loud. ANYTHING to avoid writing that paper.



But this week I decided it was time to get this party started and I made myself just sit down and do it. While it's the third draft of some sections (and approximately a third of the paper is probably in its final form) two thirds of it may or will need revisions. I predict it will come back to me .................let me consult my third eye..............two! two! my money's on two! more times. For me - the hardest part is just getting it on paper. Once I get that much done, then revisions aren't so bad.

So today I'm celebrating - the first draft is COMPLETELY finished. Tomorrow I will proof it and send it on its way. I'm going to watch a spooky movie - that I'll review later on today - and then this afternoon Papa Cash and I are going to take in a couple of more selections in the Milwaukee Film Festival. With a visit to Pizza Man! inbetween. (Dumb name, GREAT food).

Oh, did I mention there's actually a Halloween- related post hidden in here somewhere? I mentioned my nights were late - Friday am till 630 am and Saturday am till 5 am - I am in dire need of COFFEE this morning? late morning? early afternoon? Whatever......

Here's one of my favorite ways to drink it in October..........




He's happy the first draft is over with as well. He's not the easiest thing to drink from - those pumpkin edges make things tricky - but he's by far the most fun. Look at that little face. How can you not be happy when you're drinking out of this??

Love,
Mother Firefly

Day 2 - Helpful Halloween Tips

I came across this list a couple of months ago while I was cleaning up my email. I'm not sure where it came from, but I thought it was fun.

Keep in mind for Halloween, it is worthwhile to remember a few
simple rules to help keep this season healthy, happy and SAFE!!
Please use these helpful hints this and every year.





1. When it appears that you have killed the monster, NEVER check to
see if it's really dead.





2. Never read a book of demon summoning aloud, even as a joke.






3. Do not search the basement, especially if the power has gone
out.



4. If your children speak to you in Latin or any other language
which they should not know, shoot them immediately. It will save you
a lot of grief in the long run. However, it will probably take
several rounds to kill them, so be prepared. This also applies to
kids who speak with somebody else's voice.




5. When you have the benefit of numbers, NEVER pair off and go
alone.






6. As a general rule, don't solve puzzles that open portals to Hell.




7. Never stand in, on, or above a grave, tomb, or crypt. This would
apply to any other house of the dead as well.





8. If you're searching for something which caused a loud noise and
find out that it's just the cat, GET THE HECK OUT!




9. If appliances start operating by themselves, do not check for
short circuits, just get out.





10. Do not take ANYTHING from the dead.




11. If you find a town which looks deserted, there's probably a good
reason for it. Don't stop and look around.




12. Don't fool with recombinant DNA technology unless you're sure
you know what you're doing.






13. If you're running from the monster, expect to trip or fall down
at least twice, more if you are female. Also note that, despite the
fact that you are running and the monster is merely shambling along,
it's still moving fast enough to catch up with you.






14. If your companions suddenly begin to exhibit uncharacteristic
behavior such as hissing, fascination for blood, glowing eyes,
increasing hairiness, and so on, kill them immediately.




15. Stay away from certain geographical locations, some of which are
listed here: Amityville, Elm Street, Transylvania, Nilbog (you're in
trouble if you recognize this one), anywhere in Texas where
chainsaws are sold, the Bermuda Triangle, or any small town in Maine.




16. If your car runs out of gas at night on a lonely road, do not go
to the nearby deserted-looking house to phone for help. If you think
that it is strange you ran out of gas because you thought you had
most of a tank, shoot yourself instead. You are going to die anyway,
and most likely be eaten.


17. Beware of strangers bearing tools. For example: chainsaws,
staple guns, hedge trimmers, electric carving knives, combines,
lawnmowers, butane torches, soldering irons, band saws, or any
devices made from deceased companions.




18. If you find that your house is built upon a cemetery, now is the
time to move in with the in-laws. This also applies to houses that
had previous inhabitants who went mad or committed suicide or died in
some horrible fashion, or had inhabitants who performed satanic
practices.





19. Dress appropriately. When investigating a noise downstairs in an
old house, women should not wear a flimsy negligee. And carry a
flashlight, not a candle.




20. Do not mention the names of demons around open flames, as these
can flare suddenly. Be especially careful of fireplaces in this
regard.




22. Do not go looking for witches in the countryside.... you might
find us!

Mother F.

Day 2 - Them

Add this to the growing list of scary, well - made French films. IMDB lists this movie as French/Romanian, but since I don't have a list of scary, well-made Romanian films, I'm sticking with France.

Unfortunately, this movie is a lot like Martyrs, in that to explain too much is to ruin it. On the other hand, it's nothing like Martyrs, in that the scariness has to do with what you can't see and what isn't shown, and the gore is light.

If you're in the mood for a scary, short, and sweet horror film (77 mins), and you'd like to see the better movie that 'The Strangers' was based on, check this one out. I didn't hate 'Strangers' - but I liked these characters better and I felt they could actually act. Sorry, Liv Tyler, you're pretty and all.....but ...... well, you know. I also felt that the characters in this story were smarter and possessed more wherewithall than the people in 'Strangers'.

Even if you already saw 'Strangers', I don't think that you'll feel that you've already seen this movie. Besides a couple being targeted and harassed by seemingly invisible people with no real motive, this story is entirely different. Also the house is so amazing, it's almost a character in itself. And the story ends up taking us outside the house into some other scary outdoor locations.

And that's about all I can without giving anything away - I caught this on Sundance but you can also rent/stream it on Netflix. There's an afterword at the end of the movie that suggests that the film was based on a true story - but doesn't explicitly state this, and I'm unable to find any information online. It's entirely possible that it was - but that doesn't add or distract to the movie in any way.

-Mother Firefly

Day 1- Don't Make Me Do It!

As I've stated many times in the past, I'm a cheap ass when it comes to buying things for myself. Mainly because I have to be (read = graduate student) and also because, well, I'm just a cheap ass. I don't buy DVDs when they're first released, and I hardly ever buy them when they're not on sale. I learned my lesson paying 14.99 for too many movies only to find them for sale for less than ten bucks in a few months. My philosophy is, if you just wait long enough, everything is five bucks. Well kind of. You know what I mean.

I'm a total stinge when it comes to buying movies, and I'm even more so when it comes to other things (read = anything that is NOT a horror movie). And when it comes to Halloween, I wait till after the holiday and then go to Target so I can buy a skeleton blanket and say Hey! I NEEDED a skeleton blanket and this one is only FIVE bucks. Because, in my cheap ass mind, everything should be five bucks.

Anyway- I was in Madison last weekend, and there are all kinds of cool and funky stores, and I look at lots of cool things and then don't buy them because I just can't bring myself to spend the money on them for myself. But then I ran into this thing, and as over priced as I thought it was, Mother F had to bring it home and hang it on the wall.

Or put it on my coffee table, as it is in this picture. (which is just about its real life size)


I think it speaks for its own tiny self.

And uh - don't make me do it. Because I WILL.

And your little dog too,
Mother Firefly

Day 1- House of the Devil!

I'm soooooooooooooooooo excited to start the Halloween blogging! I'm going to attempt to watch a movie every day - and post a favorite Halloween themed 'thing'. At the very least, I'd like to do better than last year. I'm hoping to - and I'm hoping to be able to just enjoy this October more than the last two - which were earlier in my program and much, much more hectic and stressful. But there's still enough to do this semester - so forgive me if life and school get in the way and I'm not able to get to this every day.

With that said.....on with the MOVIES!!!

I had the thrill of seeing this little gem last Friday as part of the Milwaukee Film Festival.
We didn't have a film festival in Milwaukee last year - which was a disappointment. The Milwaukee International Film Festival was still pretty young, but apparently there were internal issues and the whole thing was dismantled, took a year off, and reborn again as the Milwaukee Film Festival. Luckily many of the same people are still running it and choosing films. Unfortunately for people like me, they don't show many horror movies - we usually get only get one that falls under the category of true horror. Fortunately, their choices are usually pretty stellar. In past years I've seen great films like Severance and The Signal.

This year they didn't let me down. It initially looked like I wasn't going to get to see this film - but then we changed our plans and ended up at the Oriental at midnight to see this fun film.

The story is pretty simple and the cast is small. We have a young woman who needs to make 300 bucks in just a few days so she can move in to her new apartment. She answers an ad for a babysitter job and then the weirdness begins.

When she arrives at the house (in the middle of nowhere, of course) she finds that there's actually no children to sit for at all. What the couple wants from her is just to be in the house in case the woman's elderly mother has some kind of accident or there's an emergency - you see, her daughter just can't bear to leave her alone. The situation is weird and the people creepy, but eventually the young woman is convinced to stay when the gentleman offers her 400 hundred dollars! For just a few hours! Hell, he'll even give her 20 bucks to have pizza delivered. And the best part of all, she doesn't even have to talk to the old lady or do anything for her. You see, she's kind of a private person and she really is pretty independent.

I'm going to stop with the plot synopsis there - because to tell you any more would really kind of ruin things. I don't know how other people will review this film, but I absolutely loved it. The house in the film is really a character in the movie. It's noisy and creaky and it seems like there's an endless array of closets, rooms, hallways, and dark corners.

One warning - if you're an action junkie or you really need a lot of energy on the screen, you may find yourself bored or wanting the movie to just get on with it already. But the movie unfolds slowly, building tension after tension till you just want to explode. At one point I really thought there was no way the movie could live up to all the suspense it was building. But suddenly, boom, it's here, everything we've been waiting on, and for me, it wasn't a letdown.

I also loved the way the film captured the early 80's from the hairstyles to the clothes to the portable cassette player the heroine carries around. And it was great to see Dee Wallace and Mary Woronov - their parts were small but memorable, especially Mary's. And I REALLY appreciated that when the final climax came, we weren't treated to 'the big speech' from the bad guys explaining their evil plan in great detail. No, you pretty much have to put it together for yourselves. Not that it's extremely difficult - it's pretty simple - but the elegance is in its simplicity. Hint : The title may give you some indication.

I'm happy to see a film that genuinely creeped me out and had me wanting to cover my eyes and didn't use tons of CGI or a huge budget to do it. Sometimes just going back to the basics is a good thing.

Web site HERE - with trailers and play dates.

Here's to 30 more days of Halloween!
Mother Firefly