This Week In Film (5/3/2021 - 5/9/2021)
May 3, 2021 - May 9, 2021
Hello readers. This week was Katie's birthday. I attempted to celebrate everyday from May 1st until her birthday with a gift-a-day. I started off with the big gift of roller skates. I got a pair for her, for our friend, and for myself. I explained it as: I got you a roller squad for your birthday. It was cheesy, but I didn't care. Have you ever seen that Chet Faker music video for his song, "Gold?" Well, the video showcases the talents of Candice Heiden, April Corley, and Appelusa Fleming as they skate in real-time down a highway. It is amazing! And it is the reason why we now have roller skates in our house. We've been falling down left and right, but each day that we try, we gain more confidence. The next gift was a new bullet journal with a modified pen, in hopes she would write more reviews for me. I have to say, she went above and beyond this week. Not only did she complete the entries on her birthday movies, but she also wrote our Ginger Snaps entry. Let's see, the rest of the gifts included some homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, a Sam Cooke vinyl, a large no-skid exercise mat (that fills up half the room), a homemade lemon and blueberry bundt cake, and all the Jane Austin bookclub books. I also threw in a blu-ray of her favorite Star Trek film. It's going to make you cringe, but she loves part 4 The Voyage Home. If you're racking your brain, it's the one where the crew goes back to the 80's and has to save a whale. Even without all the gifts, we had good meals and spent a lot of quality time together. That is always the most important thing to us. But that's not what I came here to tell you about...
This Week In Film where I create a weekly rundown of the random sh*t I watch. There’s a HIGH / LOW at the end of this entry, so if words aren't really your thing, you can scroll quickly, look at pictures, and skip to my favorite viewings of the week.
Lets begin...
OVERVIEW:
MOONRISE KINGDOM (2012)
dir: Wes Anderson
Post written by: Katie Huhn
Watching Wes Anderson’s films gives me such joy. It reminds of a time when I was falling in love with a boy, now my husband, and he showed me the iconic Royal Tenenbaums (2001), my first Anderson film. I was totally entranced by the pastel colors, picturesque shots, and of course the awkward banter between the Tenenbaum family.
Moonrise Kingdom has the familial dysfunction of Tenenbaums, but showcases the innocence of youth that is stripped from the Tenenbaum children. From the first line spoken by our young protagonist Sam, "What kind of bird are you?" we are enthralled. The film takes us a journey as two young misfits fall in love whilst fleeing reality. Our young rebels offer the only semblance of normalcy against adults whose lives appear to be unraveling. The seemingly separated town including the khaki scouts, Suzie's family, Officer Bruce Willis, and island historian come together in an act to bring the pre-teens home safely. Along this ride we get to dance to Francois Hardy, witness a first kiss, watch a downtrodden cop find meaning, and wait for a a big storm. While Moonrise is not my favorite Anderson film by far, it's very sweet, good-natured, and a fun watch. Bonus: we get to see a young Lucas Hedges.
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE? (1972)
dir: Massimo Dallamano
But more importantly, who the hell is Solange? I mean we finally learn, and when we do the title makes sense. But it could have easily been called What Did Elizabeth See On The Pond? Or just throwing out long Giallo titles, what about Don't Torture The High School Clique? All kidding aside, you wait the entire film for someone named Solange. You wait for this person for so long. When the name finally fades from your short-term memory, a photographer says the magic word Solange, and once again you're entranced.
A truly great Giallo film. There's a black-gloved man murdering high school girls by stabbing them in their pelvises with a large knife. There's a husband and wife whose marriage is on the rocks due to infidelity. Perception and memory play a part in attempting to solve the murders. In the same way that Argento's Bird With The Crystal Plumage forces an innocent bystander to witness a murder and spend the rest of the film trying to remember a missing detail. This became one of the driving tropes of Giallo. Also, in Giallo fashion, the murderer is never discovered by the police but by someone with absolutely no authority whatsoever.
When we finally see Solange, she's played by Camille Keaton, a full six years before her justified vengeance in I Spit On Your Grave (1978). Here, she never says a word, but conveys everything. The murders are graphic, nudity is everywhere, and there is suspiciously good dubbing. If you're not watching an Argento, Bava, or Fulci Giallo film go for Solange.
dir: Paul Verhoeven
"I'd buy that for a dollar."
I've recently been thinking about the best action films of all time. The top of the list has to go to Die Hard (1988), but RoboCop has everything. I mean a cop shoots a rapists d*ck off and calls a crisis center to help the woman through the traumatic experience. Peter Weller experiences hundreds of squibs popping all over his body. The ED-209 goes haywire and murders members of a corporation's board of executives. Eric Forman's dad is a drug dealing scumbag cop-killer. The guy that killed Laura Palmer plays second lieutenant to Red Forman. Twin Peaks' FBI Agent Albert Rosenfield and the *sshole who gets everyone killed in Deep Star Six (1989) plays a likeable corporate exec. Carrie's tormentor Nancy Allen, plays a robot's link to his past. The film features amazing effects work by Rob Bottin who would work with Verhoeven again on Total Recall (1990). And the whole film deals with the destruction of America via corporations and continuously promotes anti-commercialism. But really, a robot cop shooting a rapist in the groin, what else do you need?
CURSE OF THE DEMON (1957)
dir: Jacques Tourneur
The bus stop scene and the pool scene in Tourneur's Cat People (1942) are two of the greatest scares in classic horror cinema. We're not talking seeing Nosferatu rising from his casket, the somnambulist in Cabinet reaching for a kill, or Frankenstein throwing the girl in the water, no Cat People uses sound and editing to ratchet up the tension that had seldom been seen prior. I Walked With A Zombie (1943) and The Leopard Man (1943) were both solid efforts but didn't hit the notes that Cat People did. After leaving the genre to direct war films, dramas, and romance, Tourneur decided to work in TV. That is until, he was called back to horror with Night Of The Demon.
In the original concept for Tourneur's film, he didn't want the creature to be shown, only alluded to. But, Tourneur's producer forced the effects into the film. The producer also cut the film to run shorter. Now, I'm normally a champion of the director and their vision; however, sometimes that can be a detriment. We all know Richard Kelly's director's cut of Donnie Darko (2001) is rubbish. The same can be said for the inclusion of the French plantation scene in Coppola's Apocalypse Now (1979). These examples are few and far between because mostly when the director gets their way we get Blade Runner: The Final Cut (1982). And usually when producer's get their way it looks like Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Meyers Producer's Cut (1995). It's selfish, but the demon in Curse of the Demon looks fantastic, and ties the film together. I can't imagine how droll this film would be without it.
The concept features a satanist cult leader who's amassed a following and seemingly doesn't attempt to hide his cult leadership. When a rival professor attempts to publish negative findings about the satanist and his connection to murders, he meets his end as a demon descends from the sky. A skeptical American psychologist arrives and decides to investigate the cult leader, but may befall the same tragic death as the professor if he doesn't take up beliefs in superstition. Toss in some references to Stonehenge and fun effects and you've got yourself a bonafide cult film... not that kind of cult film, but a film about cults.
DEATH BECOMES HER (1992)
dir: Robert Zemeckis
Post written by: Katie Huhn
This is an oldie but goodie, and she holds up folks! We open with Meryl Streep’s Madeline flopping on Broadway, despite her youthful good looks and the ease with which she wields them. This is juxtaposed against Goldie Hawn’s Helen, who, despite being a talented writer, is not valued by society because she doesn’t have the conventional shape or beauty like Madeline. For these reasons, Madeline has always been so lucky in love that she doesn’t even have to look for partners; she just takes Helen’s. Though the cure-all magic potion for aging is quite intriguing, it’s all this great rivalry between the ladies that is most compelling. The shade is so cleverly peppered in with back-sided compliments that it’s almost an art from. Though valuing beauty and youth over content of one’s character and life is troublesome, the pair is quickly punished for their transgression against nature. Definitely a cautionary tale about what is most important in life and about the importance of understanding how fleeting youth is. Bonus: There's a celebrity who's who party at the end. In this I-spy we get to see: Elvis, James Dean, Jim Morrison, Andy Warhol, Greta Garbo, and Marilyn Monroe. But these were never things I loved as a little girl. I was there for the sarcasm, the glam of the leading ladies, and the witchy, Egyptian, HBIC dolling out the potion while only wearing a necklace as a dress.
THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION PART II: THE METAL YEARS (1989)
dir: Penelope Spheeris
I'd be lying if I said my first experience with Spheeris' work was the 80's cult film Suburbia (1983). I, like most others, knew Wayne's World (1992). Few other filmmakers have such a stark diversity in the genres they helm. Spheeris goes from the world of gutter punk narratives and documentaries to an SNL adjacent film followed by The Beverly Hillbillies (1993), The Little Rascals (1994), and Black Sheep (1996) in the span of two decades. The seasoned cinephile in me says Suburbia is a superior work; however, the adolescent in me cheers for Wayne and Garth. But we're here to talk about The Decline of Western Civilization series, specifically: The Metal Years.
A more appropriate title would have been, The Hair Metal Years, a minor dig since we all know that the great post-Sabbath metal came after the 80's. Sure, those are fighting words, but think about Norwegian Black Metal, Crust Punk, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Thrash or Speed Metal, and Metalcore. All sub-genres borne from the likes of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and later Megadeth.
Spheeris goes for the throat. She showcases bands who want to play in the big leagues and juxtaposes them with tried and true rockers. The wannabees are all terrible watered down versions of the icons they look up to. The icons such as Alice Cooper, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Lemmy, and Ozzy are mostly fatalistic about the rock lifestyle while the newcomers all dream of that level of debauchery. All roads converge on Chris Holmes of W.A.S.P. Formed in 1982, W.A.S.P. is relatively new to his fame and fortune. He's shown blackout drunk in his pool, making a fool of himself while representing the self-destruction the new 'hair' bands desire. But Spheeris doesn't want to end with the nihilism of the profession. Instead, she saves the best for last, Megadeth. They stand as a beacon of hope ushering in true metal and not wannabe douchebags.
IN SEARCH OF DARKNESS PART II (2020)
dir: David A. Weiner
Arlo Guthrie's lyrics in Alice's Restaurant sum up my feeling for In Search Of Darkness II, "I've been singing this song now for twenty five minutes. I could sing it for another twenty five minutes. I'm not proud... or tired." This sentiment resides in every great horror clipshow since Terror In The Aisles (1984). Maybe even more so here, as In Search... and its sequel clock in at a total of 8 hours and 47 minutes. I could watch another 8h47m. I'm not proud... or tired. Could you imagine 16 hours of 1980's horror highlights? Bill Moseley says at the end that he could talk all night about 80's horror. And he's right.
For those that don't understand the love for horror in that decade, this docu-clip-show is not for you. Due to the VHS boom and the spread of the new American dream, to own a video store, there was an onslaught of content. I've spent every decade since the 80's trying to see all its genre films, and I feel nowhere close to the end. Kelli Maroney of Night of the Comet (1984) and Chopping Mall (1986) fame does what we all do. We watch these horror documentaries to make lists of films we have yet to see. And feel that nostalgic dopamine every time we know a film that's being discussed. There are a few digressions in Part II that are welcome such as Robert England on Robert England or Linnea Quigley getting her due of screen time. We also get to see Diana Prince ("Darcy") from The Last Drive-In discussing her obsession with Mary Lou Maloney.
The doc ends with the praise of curator culture. Shows like The Last Drive-In, retrospectives at theaters, Shudder, and documentaries such as this spread the word of cult horror. And curator culture allows for a new generation of horror fans to discover films and give rise to a new cult status for ones deserving of the title. Nightmare on Elm St. 2 is regarded highly today as a horror film with queer representation. The same can be said for Hello Mary Lou Prom Night II which condemned sexual promiscuity in the eighties but champions it now. Mary Lou went from slut murderer to icon martyr. This is the beauty of time passing and mores changing. Thank you In Search of Darkness team, you're doing the lord's work.
VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS (2017)
dir: Luc Besson
There is absolutely nothing wrong with this spiritual sequel to The Fifth Element (1997). Maybe not spiritual sequel, but it feels like the same general ballpark. There's a lot of hate for this Besson film. I don't see it. I like the aliens. The special effects work. Rhianna does well. There's a 'politics of war' message. The only thing that gets old is kid Major Valerian (Dane DeHaan) barking orders and never emoting. But that's built into the lame DNA of his character's flaw he must overcome. Still, it is underwriting and serves a machismo that should have died years ago with the 90's action film.
Korben Dallas feels for Leeloo, from moment one. Korben has to overcome his inability to follow orders after a long career in the military. A decent action hero trope. Valerian is the opposite. He must learn that sometimes, orders are not meant to be followed. Okay, having to write about this film and organize my thoughts, I can see it wouldn't be for everyone. It's not a 2017 action film in the slightest.
Fun experiment: lets compare the 2017 action films with Valerian. 2017 gave us Spider-Man: Homecoming, Kong: Skull Island, John Wick 2, Baby Driver, Logan, Thor: Ragnarock, Wonder Woman, and Atomic Blonde (which was set in the 80's but still feels more relevant than Valerian). When we look at these contemporaries of Besson's film, okay, his film misses the mark by a long shot. I'll still say it was a decent sci-fi film, but sitting beside Thor: Ragnarock most action films will fail miserably.
dir: John Carpenter
Post Written by: Katie Huhn
The desolation and beauty of Antarctica (thanks Alaska and British Columbia) is the backdrop for this thing from another world. The horrifying effects of Rob Bottin and Stan Winston, who stepped in for Bottin when he was hospitalized for exhaustion during production, give us H.P. Lovecraft realness with the tentacled, shape-shifting, omnipotent power of the monster(s). The ominous score of Ennio Morricone hints to us that something ain’t right with that dog from jump and that nothing is what it seems. Kurt Russell’s MacReady is the rugged, sexy, cowboy that takes the lead when the group realizes they are dealing with a highly-contagious parasite that could be inhabiting any one of them. Keith David is, as always, a standout as Childs who never trusted MacReady to begin with and is constantly challenging this new takeover of the group. Wilford Brimley is great as the menacingly calm Blair, whose character cycles through the suspicions of the group throughout the film.
The horrors of the alien and of how quickly the men turn on each other are almost equally disturbing. The isolation of our group gives a constant feeling of claustrophobia, adding to our uneasiness. All of this is compounded by the realization that if “the thing” survives winter it could infect the entire human race and eradicate it.
The Thing is a remake of The Thing from Another World, which is based on the novella Who Goes There? by John Campbell Jr. It is clear that Campbell was inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s Call Of Cthulhu, originally published in 1928, ten years before Campbell's novella. Both have the same themes of isolation and the utter powerlessness of mankind against a behemoth from another world found frozen in the ice.
The Thing is one of my favorite John Carpenter films, which is something I have in common with the man himself - who is quoted as saying this his favorite among his own films. It's nice to know we have similar tastes.
GINGER SNAPS (2000)
dir: John Fawcett
Post Written By: Katie Huhn
Hey everybody, have you heard the news? Joe Bob’s Last Drive-In Show S03E04 begins with Ginger Snaps. This Canadian horror film can be classified as menstruation horror, along with Carrie (1976) and Excision (2012) among others. While the ladies in these other films are navigating the horrors of ‘becoming a woman’ alone, Ginger has her sister Brigitte to lean on. The pair is obsessed with death and suicide, using them as an escape from their mundane suburban adolescence. Ginger starts her period during a prank which quickly takes a terrifying turn when a large animal, apparently attracted by the smell of blood, mauls her. From here, her transformation begins, and what follows is the cautionary tale of the dangers of wielding one’s own womanhood. This film does a pretty good job of showing how scared and disgusted society was by periods, even as recently as the early 2000s.
Sure you’re bloated, actively bleeding, and being pumped with so many hormones you start to feel like you’re taking crazy pills, but don’t talk about it! Especially not at the dinner table; that’s gross! Don’t you know you’re supposed to hide it and be ashamed of it? What are you, some kind of monster? Or a bad*ss bitch who finally stands up for herself against bullying whilst simultaneously coming into her own sexuality? The latter, obviously, and no apologies needed for it. Poor Brigitte does her best to support/save her sister who she does not recognize anymore. Each is standing on either side of womanhood, but neither is safe from the pervasive monster of growing up, which will always prevail in the destruction of innocence and childhood. Joe Bob and Katie say, “Check it out!”
FRIED BARRY (2020)
dir: Ryan Kruger
Hey everybody have you heard the news? Joe Bob's Last Drive-In Show S03E04 closes out the night with the world premiere of Fried Barry. As Joe Bob details, the film's director submitted the short film to 57 various film festivals. And it hits all the buttons a patron wants when attending a film festival. It's kinetic energy, psychedelic narrative flourishes, and unhinged style warrant repeat viewings. Even if Darcy says it's a one-and-done for her.
We watch Barry as he wastes his life as a drug addict in Cape Town, South Africa. His drug of choice is heroin. After his latest fix, he's abducted by aliens. The aliens probe his genitals, his anus, and his mouth. Barry comes out under the control of the alien. The alien wears the human as a suit and wanders the streets having sex, doing drugs, and saving children from a pedophile. All the while, John Carpenter inspired synth music drones in the background. Fried Barry is a feature length experimental film utilizing multiple styles to create a schizophrenic bouquet of weirdness that may bloom with subsequent viewings.
****
HIGH: Seeing What Have You Done To Solange for the first time was a highlight, along with the world premiere of Fried Barry. Curse of the Demon was a pretty good first-time watch and the 4.5 hours of In Search of Darkness 2 was fantastic, but I'm going to go with Katie's birthday film.
HIGH: THE THING
LOW: Even though I spent an entire entry trying to say it was a decent film, in comparison to everything else we saw this week I have to go with Valerian. What kind of luck is that?
LOW: VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS
TV CORNER:
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