Entry #1: Call For Recommendations

Apparently getting older is one of the things that you are aware of, you know is happening, yet still seems to sneak up on you. What’s up with that?

As I begin my renewed affair with the things we love so dearly, I have decided to document the journey and post it here. Mostly as a record in case something happens to me along the way since mixing all of this stuff together in concentrated doses can have…unpredictable effects. I don’t have to tell you…

I do not necessarily have a plan for how to go about this and am wide open to suggestions. I have given some thought to maybe grouping films together by director, series, sub-genre or whatever. Of course I have also given thought to just watching them in random order as well. Honestly I think it will be a combination of the two ideas; some random sessions and some organized sessions.

One thing I would be interested in hearing is what are some of the scariest, or bloodiest (or any other-“est”) films you all have seen.

Here we go.

I can’t say for sure when I first discovered it, but like many out there I seem to have a hyperactive ‘it’s only a movie’ filter that allows me to enjoy watching some truly disturbing things. Point in case, ”The Last House on the Left” and “I Spit on Your Grave” are perennial favorites, and I am pacing myself; working my way up to the August Underground trilogy (series?), and offerings like “Flower of Flesh and Blood”.

I had a couple of days off thanks to a nasty cold, and thought I would watch some flix to keep from going stir-crazy. I ended up sleeping most of that time but did manage to get in another viewing of Dario Argento’s “Suspiria” which is an old favorite. This is a film that I really enjoyed on my first viewing years ago. The art direction and cinematography are so stylized – I only recently became familiar with the term Giallo and the sub-genre - and the soundtrack just seemed like it must have been a blast to record! I was never really terrified or disgusted by the film, and honestly was not sure I was even supposed to be, but I loved it. One thing I wish it had more of (meaning SOME of!!) are boobs!! Nipples through wet clothing are always great, but even at a young age my appetite was far beyond that.

So, I watched it again, primarily wondering how the film would hold up for me after who knows how many years; mid 80’s I would guess. The answer: not as well as I had hoped. Certainly the cinematography (and obviously art direction) is just as dramatic and impressive as I recalled. The soundtrack, while dated in several ways, specifically lacked some subtlety and dynamics that I must have dreamt were in there, was still a riot. Again, those recording sessions must have been lots of fun!

The pace, and thus much of the tension, relied too much on the audio track for my tastes. To be fair, I think any criticisms I came away with after this latest viewing are really more a result of the evolution of that appetite (again) and how much has changed over the years. Context makes a huge difference and film, much like any other artistic discipline, has a lot to do with timing and juxtaposition. Meaning at the time it came out, and maybe even more so the time the film was first released (1977), the impact was much more significant.

Never the less, I remain a big fan of the film and am not going to worry about how much of that is due to the artistic merit – which I still would argue is very strong – and my own nostalgic and romantic memories. No clue if I will watch the film again, barring some special event or occasion, but am definitely planning to watch, and am anxious to see, the other two films in the ‘Three Mother’s trilogy.

Not sure where I will go next. I have about 15 DVDs on my ‘urgent’ shelf and I will likely grab one of those tomorrow. I am tempted to stick with the Giallo theme for now, although “I Drink Your Blood” just arrived and I am freaking out with anticipation over that one. We’ll see if it is well deserved.

Another alien continues to feed on my wife. From inside.

\m/