IT-Famous Monsters Private Screening

Hi team!  I'm back.  You may be wondering where I have been for the past 2 years.  Well, I've been reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.  This has occupied all of my time.  I am up to chapter 5!

What amazing event could persuade me to write again?  The Famous Monsters of Filmland private screening of It which I attended last night.  A little backstory for you...

 

We recently moved back to Santa Rosa, California.  As much as I miss all the Tech Bro's and entitled Yoga Mommies of Palo Alto I am really happy to be back here.  Since my absence Sonoma County has become home to the revamped Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine.  And they do all sorts of amazing events here, including this private screening!  Not only a private screening, but a private screening with prizes!!!  I won tickets to the Famous Monsters Halloween Convention in San Jose!  The question I answered you ask?  "What actor was originally cast as Pennywise in the remake?"  Of course I knew it was Will Poulter.  I knew it because I drink and I know (useless) things.

I took my very wonderful, up for anything husband Jonathan.  He seemed to enjoy the experience enough and will probably be featured on the Famous Monsters TV show because when asked for an interview he did not run screaming like I did.

Another cool thing: I met the publisher of Famous Monsters,  Phil Kim.  I have begun my stalking strategy by asking to connect with him on LinkedIn.  Which in the history of stalking is the lamest thing ever.

So, I mean, who doesn't love Famous Monsters??  How could I not restart my blog living here?  There are a lot of other cool things about Santa Rosa and Sonoma County on the horror front which I will explore at a later time. (Don't hold your breath.)

Shit Clown! You scary!!

 Obviously I love Stephen King.  I love It.  Pretty sure I read it as a freshman in high school.  The book was only slightly more terrifying than my high school experience.  I also loved the 1990 miniseries, despite my strong aversion to Richard Thomas (sorry Mr. Thomas).

I knew I would love this remake as soon as I saw the trailer.  The trailer gave my goosebumps!  Like, serious goosebumps!  The cast looked on point, and Swedish hot number Bill Skarsgard looked horrifying as Pennywise. 

And love the film I did.  The kids are perfect, especially Stranger Things alumni Finn Wolfhard as Richie and Sophia Lillis as Beverley.  Some of the imagery is really horrifying, especially the scenes involving a painting come to life...

But the real star of the show is Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise.  He is at once repulsive and Bill Skarsgard.  So hot.  There will be some real twisted fan fiction involving Bill's Pennywise I guarantee it.

I loved the film so much I am going to see it again tomorrow to catch all of the cool shit I missed.  I especially love a scene set in the library that reminded me of the amazing film It Follows.  AND I just made that connection right now. 

Thank you Famous Monsters.  I am so jazzed to be living in Sonoma County again and can't wait for another event.  Stay tuned to this space for more exciting content such as....

• My thoughts on whatever book I am reading
• American Horror Story: I'm over it
• mother! It sucked
• Stranger Things season 2
• Why Twin Peaks: The Return sucked ass
• How many ghosts are haunting my apartment?
• Top 10 reasons I think my dog is possessed
• And much, much, more....

Doctor Sleep

 

 OH MY GOD the mid-season finale of The Walking Dead was devastating.  I need therapy.  Kudos all around: the show just gets better and better...

But I am not here to talk about The Walking Dead.  I am here to talk about Doctor Sleep, the much anticipated sequel to The Shining written by everyone's  favorite Uncle, Stephen King.  Lets start with how great the book cover is!  It took me a while to even notice the woman's face.  Now lets move on to how dumb the title is!  Doctor Sleep, really Uncle Steve?  It sounds like a Motley Crue song. 

So, I love Stephen King.  How could you not?  He is brilliant, accessible, and when he wants to be, scary as hell.  Doctor Sleep ventures into the "scary as hell" territory.  Not as much as say, It, but it is there.  I remember when I first read The Stand, (always and forever one of my favorite books)  I would actually avoid it.  I would put if off reading the next chapter.  This was for two reasons-  One: the book was so good I didn't want it to end.  Two: I couldn't handle what might be next.  It's like watching The Walking Dead: fucking incredible but painful as hell.

I had snippets of those feelings while reading Doctor Sleep.  King revisits The Shining many times in this novel.  Its like catching up with an old friend.  We join Danny as an adult: alcoholic, close to rock bottom, still tormented by the ghosts of his past.  It takes a little girl, Abra, with similar powers, to give Danny a purpose.

The big bad is named "Rose the Hat."  Yes, another stupid name, but she is one scary bitch.  Her and her tribe live off the "steam" of those who have the Shining.  How they never found Danny I will never know, but they have found Abra, and it is up to Danny to save her.

I recommend Doctor Sleep to those who have a deep affection for The Shining.  If you haven't read The Shining- don't bother with this.  It won't make much sense.  Watching the movie doesn't count.  It really won't make sense then.  Or do whatever the hell you want.  I don't give a fuck.

Pet Sematary revisited

First I play with Judd, then Mommy came, and I play with Mommy. We play Daddy! We had a awfully good time! Now, I want to play with YOU!

There are many, many reasons I love Pet Sematary, the incredible cast, including Fred Gwynne as the curmudgeon Jud Crandall, is one of them.

He reminds me so much of Jimmy Stewart in this film.  Who else could utter the line "Sometimes, dead is bettah" not once but three times and sell it like he was reciting Shakespeare? 

I also love Brad Greenquist as Victor (the friendly ghost) Pascow.  Much like the Griffin Dunne character in An American Werewolf in London, the decaying, gory Victor tries to get the Creed family to do the right thing, but is limited by his undead situation.  To bad he wasn't a ghost from American Horror Story.  Those ghosts have no problem interfering with the humans, be it fucking or killing them.  The dead in Pet Sematary, at least the ghostly dead, are much to refined for that.

Speaking of the dead, they are represented three ways in Pet Sematary.  There is the ghostly dead, like Victor, and then there is the remembered dead, like the horrible Zelda.  Nothing more than a frightening memory for the doomed Rachel Creed, Zelda has become a horror icon.  I remember when I first saw the film as a teenager it was Zelda who scared me more than anything in this film.  She adds depth to the Rachel Creed character, and her story also adds to the overall theme of death and loss that permeates this film.   Grief, guilt, and emptiness are the results of death in Pet Sematary.  Dr. Creed feels guilty that he cannot save Victor Pascow.  He feels guilt that Church, the family pet, died on his watch.  Rachel is tourtured by her guilt over the death of Zelda, the sister whose death she wished for.  And finally, when the ultimate tragedy hits the Creed family, grief and emptiness spur Dr. Creed to do the most horrible, desperate thing.....

The third way the dead are represented in this film is the resurrected dead.  Jud, trying to be helpful, tells Dr. Creed (Dale Midkiff, always kind of creepy yet sympathetic) about the old Indian Burial Ground above the Pet Sematary.  Things buried there don't stay dead, but as we soon learn the ground has gone sour. 

I had not seen this film since I was a teenager, and watching it as an adult I experienced it very differently.  I found the film much more sad than horrific.  From the little girl learning what death really is, to Rachel and her tormented memories, to Jud, who wishes for death in many ways, Pet Sematary covers a lot of emotinal ground.  Of course, it is poor Dr. Creed, the tragic hero of this piece, that deserves our sympathy.  Who wouldn't want to protect his daughter from the pain of losing a beloved pet?  Who wouldn't, given the chance, try to bring their child back from the dead?  Pet Sematary is a perfect example of everything I love about Stephen King.  Great storytelling, horror, emotional depth, and a great payoff.  It didn't suprise me that King wrote the screenplay for this.  I really think it is one of the best King films.   Plus, that Ramones song is so damn good!