Ms. Dreadful’s Nightmare Gallery

On the weekend of July 4th, many of us American worker bees are fortunate enough to have extra time to kill as workplaces shut down for the holiday. It’s time for stuffing hot dogs in our faces in the hot sun, fireworks, eagles, stars and stripes… all as Uncle Sam and God intended. MERICA.

I won’t be engaging in these festivities this weekend. What will I be doing instead? MOVIE MARATHON CREATIVE CHALLENGE is what, motherfucker. Want to join me? Introducing…

Here’s the deal.

Watch the 5 classic horror films listed below. After each viewing, give yourself no more than ONE hour to create something inspired by the film. You have July 3rd, 4th, and 5th only to complete this challenge. (We’re using the honor system here. Try to keep things fair.) Post your creations online no later than Monday, July 6th and link to them with the hashtag #MsDnightmaregallery on Twitter or Instagram.

Any form of creativity is welcome. Write an essay or a short story. Sketch or paint something. Draw a comic. Compose a soundscape or song. Shoot a self-portrait. Create a themed dessert or mixed drink. Make a necklace or hat. Anything!

I’ll be posting commentary and in-progress photos of drawings using the hashtag on Twitter at http://twitter.com/FinalGirlSG. Although it’s not necessary, I would be delighted if you followed along and did the same.

As acknowledgement of the holiday, I have selected a sampling of classic American horror films ranging from the 60s to the 80s. Each of these films is a monumentally important touchstone in horror history; not just nationally but globally. They’re game-changers. It’s time to revisit them.

A few notes…

• Whether you go with DVD, streaming or downloads, you will need to arrange access to the films on your own.
• Chronological order, as listed, is encouraged but not required.
• You may take notes or do sketches during the running time, but don’t ignore the film. That ruins the fun!
• I’m no monster. If you need to fix formatting, correct typos, or make other small yet vital adjustments before presenting the final work, I will not send death eagles to destroy you. Just don’t fuss with it for too long.
• I am offering no pay and seeking no rights to do anything with your work. What happens to your series of 5 creations is entirely up to you! You can throw them away, post them, sell the work, whatever you like. I would love to post or link to your work with permission, but I am setting up the challenge and my involvement ends there.

Ok! I think that’s everything! Now if you’ll excuse me, I am going to set up my gear and get ready for the Art-pocalypse. I truly hope some of you will join me.

ex-Fest V Part 1: Rise of the Cinepunx.

Hey there, horror friends! Just checking in to tell you about a recent adventure…

Design by Justin Miller of http://www.hauntlove.com.

On May 2nd, Philly-area film weirdoes (including our crew) had the pleasure of attending Exhumed Films’ ex-Fest V! If you’ve never heard of it, ex-Fest is an annual 12+ hour marathon of exploitation cinema, ranging from kung fu movies to blaxploitation to sexploitation, a little ultra-violence, Italian crime thrillers… all varieties of trash projected in classic 35mm. ex-Fest is a cruel injection of pure sleaze right to the heart.

I adore Exhumed Films’ most notorious event, the 24-hour Horrorthon, but I think ex-Fest is gaining my favor over time. I don’t know if it’s the reduced endurance challenge of only 12 hours, less space for “filler” material, or if there’s just so much more left for me to discover in the world of exploitation, but I look forward to it more every year.

So, in brief, yes! I had a great time. I didn’t love every film I saw, but it was a good day of revisiting classics, discovering forgotten gems, and spending some time with my local cinephile community. I have lots to say, but it’s been hard to find the time. I aim to write something up. Until then…

Buy their shirts! But not online. Find them and buy them in person like it is the Dark Ages. http://cinepunx.com

Check out my appearance on the Cinepunx podcast! Josh Alvarez, Liam O’Donnell, Sean Bennis-Sine and I do a recap of ex-Fest V. There’s only so much you can cover over the length of a single episode, but I think we had a fun discussion about the films and our reactions to them. I do worry a little about people finding out I’m essentially a 13-year-old boy (not the sophisticated feminist genre scholar I want to be), but what the hell… it’s time to come clean. Listen to the post-marathon discussion here and BEWARE! Age of Ultron spoilers abound. We are the worst.

If you like what you hear, you can subscribe to Cinepunx on iTunes.  Josh and Liam are some of the nicest guys ever and their passion for film and music is infectious. Thanks for having me, guys!

Part 2, a closer look at the selection of films from my point of view coming soon. For reals. No, I mean it. Totally. (Maybe.)

 

 

RIP Marilyn Burns

We are very sad to report the passing of horror icon Marilyn Burns.

Burns is best known for her role in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974); an incredible film that owes so much to her unforgettable, raw performance as Sally Hardesty (considered by many to be the first final girl). Her portrayal of fear and madness in TCM–her will to survive– will continue to shock and amaze generation after generation of new horror fans as they discover this classic.

Sally will live on, in our hearts and on our screens, forever.

Thank you, Marilyn. You will be missed.

Horror Block – July 2014

Well hello there, horror friends! What have you been up to? Moving right past my embarrassing absence like nothing happened… I am enjoying the hell out of sic-fi and horror this year! Snowpiercer, Guardians of the Galaxy, the reissue of Death Spa… 2014 has been a wonderful time for cinema so far, and I truly believe my greatest adventures are yet to come.

Today, I’m here to tell you that I am really excited about the new service Horror Block! What’s Horror Block, you ask??? Let’s go back… wayyyy back in time… to a week and a half ago…

My husband (aka Russell aka crowbait) received a video game “mystery box” in the mail. It included 2 console games and 1 t-shirt and all 3 items were a total surprise. Delightful! He’d ordered this kind of thing before, usually big boxes full of anime dvds. I’m not really into anime and my video games tastes are very narrow, but I always get REALLY excited when one of these boxes arrives. OMIGOD OPEN IT, RUSSELL. OPEN IT!!!

I’ve been jealous of these mystery boxes for a while, but this latest delivery sparked an obsession. Why haven’t I seen mystery packs of horror movies? I want them! Trying to pressure my buddies at Diabolik DVD to offer them hasn’t worked, so I went on an internet quest for fun horror themed mystery boxes. While I never found exactly what I was looking for (movie packs), I did indeed find some fun options! The Box of Dread, organized by genre website Dread Central, and Horror Block, organized by the folks behind mystery box subscription service Nerd Block.

I was determined to sign up for SOMETHING to scratch this bizarre mystery itch, and I was really torn. Box of Dread does occasionally come with movies, which was my main target, but photos of past boxes didn’t excite me.  Horror Block seemed to favor toys, which isn’t really my thing either. After a little more research, however, Horror Block won the day. Here’s why:

• Each Horror Block comes with the latest issue of Rue Morgue.
• Each package comes with a horror-themed t-shirt in your size (meaning you select your shirt type and size when you sign up).
•  The next block (their second set) was shipping in 2 days.

I’d wanted to sign up for Rue Morgue or Fangoria in the near future anyway and finding horror apparel sized for women is always a challenge. The cost of signing up for Canada-based Horror Block here in the States is just under $30 (including shipping). That’s typically the cost of the magazine and a nerdy shirt alone, meaning everything else is a fun bonus. Add near-instant gratification? Sold. I signed up immediately and waiting for my first box to arrive has been difficult. On Thursday, after 6 days of cold sweats and sleepless nights, it finally came! Let’s take a look.

Horror Block July 2014

The items are packed up in a rather stylish box, complete with bloody handprint and Walking Dead reference. Very nice!

Note: Subscribers outside Canada, beware! If you want to maintain your surprise until the second you lift the lid, avoid the Customs Declaration sticker on the box. It lists somewhat spoilery descriptions of the contents. Personally, I avoided looking at the sticker, but delaying the reveal by mere seconds won’t be a priority for everyone.

What’s inside? Here’s what we found…

A Funko Pop! Sharknado figure! The folks at Nerd Block promised one Sharknado-related item in the July package and I was hoping this would be it. Score! If you desire a tornado shark of your own, you can find these guys for about $10 in the wild. This little guy might have to live at my desk at work.

 A Lost Boys Frog Brothers shirt! I never would have expected that. Love the surprise, love the design. This one’s a winner. Horror apparel prices vary, but the designers of the shirt, ShirtPunch!, sell their tees for about $10.

Note: Ladies, I’m going to give you the kind of info I always want to find. This is the fitted girl’s tee option in L and I’m in the neighborhood of 38-30. Not sure how it will fare in the wash, but out of the box, the fit is good.

A Nightmare Before Christmas Series 1 Trading Figure. It’s a “blind box”… sort of… I mean, the name of the character is right there on the package, so…? Anyway, the point is this item varies from box to box and not every subscriber gets the same figure. As you can see, I got Dr. Finklestein. Even though I’m not very into toys, I love this little guy! The detail is very impressive. The good doctor, his wheelchair (with working wheels), and his brain are all separate pieces. If this is the quality that can be expected, I’m tempted to track down more characters. Prices for these guys are all over the map, depending on whether you want a single or a set. Based on what I can find online, let’s set this figure at about $10 average value.

Alien pinback buttons featuring the Xenomorph lifecycle! Wow! I don’t know where I’m putting them, but I love them. A little confused internet research and I’m guessing $6 value.

Also included is a Zumbies: Walking Thread charm doll; another one that varies from box to box. This is the one item I’m not really into, but I think we’ll put him to work when we need to decorate the Christmas tree this year. He would fit in well with Jack Skellington and his crew. Looks like you can find these fellas for about $8.

Last but not least… the latest issue of Canadian genre magazine Rue Morgue,  featuring stories on The Crow, Motel Hell, Phantom of the Paradise, and more. As previously mentioned, getting this magazine every month was one of the features that convinced me to sign up. I am pleased. $10 value.

So that’s my entire Horror Block stash!

I am very satisfied with my first mystery box; a collection of items valued at far more than the $19.99 + shipping that I paid for it. I would recommend signing up to any horror fan who likes fun. You have 22 days to mull it over.

I will continue my subscription. What shirt will I get? Will they ever include movies? I can’t wait to find out.

Love and lacerations,

Jenny

The Return of Jenny 2: This Time it’s Personal

Photo by Rae Winters

Hello again, horror friends. Jenny Dreadful here. It’s been a long time.

Although I was never as fast or competent with writing as I wanted to be, I used to be more active on the site and within my local horror community. I miss that. I’m an artist, a game designer, a hardcore horror fan, and now… as of August… I’m working a somewhat square office job too (after a decade of freelancing). Wow, I’m tired. I truly don’t know how so many of you keep the content coming, but I admire you and I’m working to achieve that elusive work-art-horror balance again.

For a little while, I think I was content with letting my parts of the blog go dark and allowing Jenny D to disappear. I saw the way so many local cinephiles treat each other, the way they talk about each other, and it was discouraging. What do they really think of me? What do they say when I’m not looking? I didn’t feel like I was good enough to keep up. I didn’t think I would be missed. I’m happy to say that I was wrong.

This past month, I’ve attended a few events and I’ve been lucky enough to spend time with wonderful people who care about the genre and social issues like I do. I’ve learned that the people who matter care about what I have to say and about sharing our passions for the genre whether I’m actively writing and getting involved or just watching movies and geeking out with friends on someone’s couch. Whether I’m cool enough, pretty enough or if I have the “right” opinions or not. Because love is what draws us all together. Love for fear, dread, shock, love for blood and screams, but love all the same.

The folks who care more about tearing each other down, about being better and smarter than everyone else, they’ve lost that love. I hope they get it back one day, but I can’t worry about what people like that think of me. It’s exhausting and a waste of time. I need to find those people who chase the experience of being scared the way that I do, who care about the causes that I do, who are genuine and kind, and hold on tight. Between the Philly Loves Women in Horror event, a visit to Monster Mania 27, and ongoing adventures with my girl Rae “StayFrosty” Winters, I think I’ve found what I’m looking for.

I can’t guarantee that I’ll return to form and put out as many articles as I used to. I’m just not sure that I’m ready. But I feel good about where I am. Want to talk about some horror movies? Awesome. Me too.

The Ripleys (Awards Season Part 2)

In Part 2 of our awards season posts, we do horror Oscars style!  But since we’re clearly way cooler than the Oscars, we call our awards The Ripleys.  Because you can’t get much cooler than that.

Best Actress – Katharine Isabelle, American Mary – I’ve already discussed American Mary and its many merits (including Isabelle’s acting) in a review earlier in the year, but it’s worth mentioning again that Katherine Isabelle brings a whole new dimension to the slasher villain – if villain is even the right word.  Regardless, I loved seeing a woman take on a role typically played by men, and kick ass doing it.  Kudos to Isabelle and the Soska sisters for showing people that it’s not the gender of the slasher that matters.

Best Actor – Elijah Wood, Maniac remake – Considering we barely see Wood for the entirety of the film, why give him the award?  Because even though he isn’t seen much, his presence permeates every frame of the film and when we do see him, he makes it count.  Fans of “Sin City” already knew Wood could handle seriously and creepy roles.  But he takes it to another level as Frank, creating a deeply unsettling character that still somehow elicits the viewers’ empathy.  While Wood was only booked for 8 days on this film, he came to set every day to deliver his lines off screen, and that kind of devotion helps illustrate just how much he gave for this film.  He takes this character to another level, and is mesmerizing whether you can see him or not.

Best Supporting Actor – Patrick Wilson, Insidious Chapter 2 & The Conjuring – Wilson, originally a Broadway star, has always been terrific in whatever movie he’s in, whether playing a possible pedophile in Hard Candy or out-singing everyone in Phantom of the Opera.  But when he and James Wan teamed up, we got magic.  Wilson gives great performances in both Insidious Chapter 2 and The Conjuring this year, and while his parts may not be the most flashy, he always brings solidity and honesty to his roles.  I definitely hope he and Wan continue to work together in the future.

Best Gore – Evil Dead remake – There’s really no competition here.  If you’ve seen the Evil Dead remake, you know the gore was elevated to Grand Guignol levels of insanity, especially in the last 15 minutes of the film.  It goes beyond just gore to an art form.  A gross, wonderful art form.

Best Cinematography – Maniac

Best Short – “Safe Haven” from V/H/S 2  – It’s no secret that I love a good cultist movie (or short, as the case may be), but making an effective cult is no easy task.  From the opening minutes of “Safe Haven”, directors Timo Tjahjanto and Gareth Huw Evans create a deeply unsettling atmosphere, even during scenes that seem innocuous.  And once this thing gets going, it does not disappoint.  The ending might be a little divisive (it was clearly a choice by the directors, one I understood better the second time around), but this short takes the madness of the last day of a cult and drags you right into the terrifying middle of it.  When I say all hell breaks loose, I really mean it.  So worth your time.

Best Poster – You’re Next – In this case, I think the poster can speak for itself:

Lucky 13 – The Top 13 Horror Films of 2013 (Awards Season Part 1)

Just in time for the Oscars, FGSG presents our two part awards season posts!  We begin with the best 13 films we experienced in 2013.  Usually we tackle this together, but life is really busy for JennyD right now, so this is mainly my list.  I freely admit there were some great movies playing at festivals this year that I wasn’t able to see, so this list reflects all the films I was able to see during 2013.  I probably missed a few excellent ones, but hey, what can I do?  I won’t pretend money and time aren’t a factor, but I/we did the best we could to see as much as possible.  So here they are, the top 13 of 2013:

1.  American Mary – I wrote about American Mary earlier this year – https://finalgirlsupportgroup.wordpress.com/2013/10/22/9-more-days-til-halloween-presenting-american-mary/

2.  The Bay – Found footage might seem like it’s on the way out, but clever movies like Chronicle and The Bay show us that there’s still life in it yet – and in the case of The Bay, that life is parasitic and gross.  Directed by Barry Levinson (who created such classic as Rain Man, Good Morning Vietnam and Bugsy) originally wanted to create a documentary about the pollution invading the Chesapeake Bay but, in his own words, “nobody cares­—people say, ‘It’s polluted, so what?’ I said no. But a few months later, I thought, ‘We’ve gathered all this research; why don’t we tweak it for a theatrical release? We can scare an audience with a story that is 80 to 85 percent science and facts.’”  And it works – knowing this movie was based mainly on fact added to its intensity for me.  Utilizing all different types of found footage such as cell phone cameras and security videos, the main source comes from a small time news broadcast whose anchor (Kether Donohue) is on the island to cover the town’s Fourth of July celebration.  And that makes perfect sense because if there’s one thing I learned from the movies, it’s that when there’s danger happening close on some kind of holiday, you must never, NEVER close the beaches!

3.  Berberian Sound Studio – A giallo that isn’t (sort of), BSS stars Tobey Jones as Gilderoy, a sound engineer who travels to Italy to work on what he thinks is a documentary about horses, but turns out to be something more sinister. Or is Gilderoy’s mind deteriorating and nothing is what it seems?  That BSS gives no clear answers might be frustrating to some, but those who are willing to go with it will find themselves sucked into a strange, beautiful mind-whammy of a movie.  And considering the title, do I even need to tell you that the sound is just divine?

4.  The Conjuring – I don’t know if it was the best of the year, but it was definitely one of my favorites to watch this year.  Wan knows how to create a roller coaster ride of a film without resorting to cheap stings and crappy CGI.  It’s classic haunted house filmmaking at its most enjoyable.  Sit back, leave your cynicism at the door, and enjoy the ride.

5.  Europa Report

6.  Evil Dead remake – JennyD and I covered the Evil Dead remake earlier in the year.  https://finalgirlsupportgroup.wordpress.com/2013/10/23/8-more-days-til-halloween-presenting-evil-dead-2013/

7.  Insidious Chapter 2 – While not as strong as the original Insidious, Chapter 2 still offers some great classic scares and excellent acting.  Wan is on a roll.

8.  The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh – I covered TLWaToRL during the Halloween season this year – check out my review – https://finalgirlsupportgroup.wordpress.com/2013/10/28/3-more-days-til-halloween-presenting-the-last-will-and-testament-of-rosalind-leigh/

9.  Maniac remake – Choosing to remake a film like Maniac takes bravery – the original is famous not just for its immense amounts of disturbing gore and content, but also for the creepy/yucky yet somehow sympathetic presence of Joe Spinell in the main role.  Any attempt to redo this film was going to be a tough sell to genre fans.  Thankfully, director Frank Khalfoun found a whole new direction in which to take the story of Frank, a dangerously repressed man for whom violence is the norm.  By choosing to shot the film entirely in first person POV, Khalfoun gives us no choice but to identify/empathize with Frank, something that many audience members found difficult to handle.  I found it an extremely effective decision, and not the only good one this guy made.  Elijah Wood (Frodo from Lord of the Rings) was cast as Frank, an extreme departure from Joe Spinell’s intimidating presence .  Having a talented actor and horror fan in the first person perspective instead of just anyone creates a whole difference experience while watching the film.  I was pleased the studio didn’t force Khalfoun to choose based on the rationale that since you won’t see the actor for most of the film, it won’t matter who you put in the shoes.   The film is beautifully shot – the first person POV never feels like a gimmick and the slick neons on the rain make a beautiful backdrop for Frank’s brutal business.  Not for the faint of heart, but definitely worth it for those who think they can handle it.

10.  Stoker

11.  V/H/S 2

12.  You’re Next – Sharni Vincent leads You’re Next as a new type of Final Girl – the one you don’t see coming.  You’re Next boasts an excellent cast, including Vincent, Barbara Crampton and Ti West (among others), as a family (along with some significant others) meeting up in a remote house for an incredibly awkward gathering that turns deadly when strangers in animal masks target them all for death.  Or is there more going on than meets the eye???? I don’t want to give anything away, but Sharni Vincent plays an excellent cross between Ripley and Sally Hardesty – she’s tough as nails but is still scared and damaged by the horrible experience she goes through.  One of the better home invasion efforts in recent memory.

13.  The World’s End – Hilarous!  Of course, when you combine the skills of Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, it’s pretty hard for a film to be bad.  The last of the “Cornetto” trilogy (which also includes Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz), The World’s End follows a group of school friends (led by Pegg and Frost) as they reunite in their hometown to finish the epic pub crawl they never completed in their youth.  Unbeknownst to them, however, their town has changed a bit since they were younger, and they find themselves overrun by villainy as they try to both save the world and get a drunk as possible.  Many laughs and even a few touching moments occur.  It was tough to choose between this and This is the End, but the combo of Wright, Pegg and Frost is hard to beat.

Philly Loves Women in Horror – films and panel

This past weekend, JennyD and I were asked to take part in a panel for Philly Loves Women in Horror, an event of short films and film discussion created by Ashlee Blackwell.  The event was moderated by Hannah Neurotica (whom it was incredible to meet), the creator of Women in Horror month, and it was an incredible, inspiring and exciting event that we were thrilled to be a part of!  We got to meet some awesome and creative women, see some excellent shorts, and be on a panel with other lady horror lovers like us.  What’s not to love?

Let’s start with the films.  We got to see 10 shorts, and there were some very strong offerings.  I really loved the opening short, “The Dump”, directed by Rebekah McKendry (2012) – she seamlessly blended horror and comedy in her story about two killers who run into each other at a dump site they both want to use.  Discussion and laughter ensues.  Looking forward to more from Ms. McKendry!

We found at this event that we had more fun with horror comedy shorts than the more serious ones, which for me at least is different from normal – horror and comedy can be very tough to combine, but many of these ladies handled it with ease.  “My Mom and Other Monsters” (dir. Kate Tsang, 2011) kept it creepy until the end, “Sheeties” (dir. Paula Haifley, 2012), a mockumentary about the lives and relationship trials of those who dare to embrace their love of wearing the classic ghost sheet, had me laughing the whole time, and “OowieWanna” (dir. Bridget Palardy, 2011), takes an adventure at a laundromat to a whole new (and musical!) level.  Out of all the shorts, I definitely enjoyed these the most, but all of the films had something interesting to offer.

We also got to see two trailers, one from Lil’ Filmmakers, an organization that helps youth and teens learn to make movies and explore their love of cinema.  Their upcoming film is called “Erudition”.  For information, including how to donate, please check out http://www.lilfilmmakersinc.com/

The other trailer was for a documentary entitled “My Final Girl” by Kristina Leath-Malin, who also joined us on the panel, about the role of American black women in the Blaxploitation and horror genre, something that I can’t wait to watch.  Check out the trailer here:  http://vimeo.com/62552635

From left: JennyD, Stay Frosty, Kristina Leath-Malin, Ashlee Blackwell, Hannah Neurotica

After the films, JennyD and I got to speak on a panel alongside Kristina Leath-Malin and Ashlee Blackwell, moderated by Hannah Neurotica!  We discussed our first encounters with the word/understanding of the final girl, how our gender has affected our experiences within the genre community (both positively and negatively), and much more!

JennyD and StayFrosty on the panel!!!!

Jenny and I were honored to be part of an event for Women in Horror Month!  We hope next year we can do even more!  But February isn’t over yet, people – get out there and support ladies in the genre community!  In fact, who cares if it’s not February?  Celebrate women in horror all year round!

Philly Loves Women in Horror!

Hey, Philly horror freaks! This is an important announcement!

PHILLY LOVES WOMEN IN HORROR kicks off at 3pm today at The Rotunda! See more details here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/380316498738942/
A selection of horror films from female directors will be on offer, as well as a panel featuring ladies active in the local genre scene.

PLOT TWIST:
Jenny Dreadful and Rae “StayFrosty” Winters and I are on the panel! Gasp! I bet you didn’t expect that! Come see us gush about horror. It is our favorite thing.

This will be a fantastic event, all thanks to Ashlee Blackwell, founder of Graveyard Shift Sisters; a site dedicated to celebrating the experiences and achievements of women of color in the horror community. Check it out here:
http://www.graveyardshiftsisters.com/p/mission.html

3 More Days til Halloween – presenting The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh

In an interiview, writer/director of The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh Rodrigo Gudino stated he wanted the film to be more like a literary experience than a cinematic one, and I believe he succeeds in this endeavor.

This is the first full-length feature for the founding editor and president of Rue Morgue magazine – he created four well-received shorts before TLW&ToRL – and while I haven’t seen the shorts yet, if they are anywhere near as thoughtful and intelligent as this film, I’m sure they will be a treat.

Writer/Director Rodrigo Gudino

A very basic plot summary (and it’s staying basic so as not to give anything away):  Leon (Aaron Poole), an antiques collector, inherits a house from his estranged mother only to discover that she had been living in a shrine devoted to a mysterious cult.  At first he’s skeptical (aren’t they all?), but as time goes on he begins to suspect he may not be alone in the house.

Aaron Poole as Leon. Also, a terrifying angel. Don’t blink!

Let’s start at the very beginning – the first line of the film.  Taking a page (GET IT???) from Shirley Jackson and The Haunting, the opening line is just killer (that one wasn’t a pun.  It’s a really good line, really good opening scene).  In fact, the opening reminded me very much of films like The Uninvited and The Haunting, but I thought it suited his intentions for the film.  And it’s spoken with the lovely, fragile, emotion-filled voice of Vanessa Redgrave, rarely seen but felt throughout.  Gudino keeps the beginning subtle, using long tracking shots and Redgrave’s voice to establish both the character of the house and the film as a whole.

Speaking of The Haunting, in TLW&ToRL, much like the 1963 classic, the house here is also a character, and it is perfect – lovely architecture, loads of creepy stuff, odd hallways and dark corners.  Everything one could want from a haunted house.  Gudiono gives the house its own gaze, like it’s the eyes of the film itself, and that is an excellent choice.  And we, the viewers, look through the perspective of the house, leaving us a little off-center and disjointed – how can we be a house and not with the main character?  Leon leaves and returns, but we are always in the house.  But it totally works.  Points to the production design team, because the whole thing is lovely.  And creepy.  Lovely/creepy.

I can’t find a great shot of the house, but trust me, it’s awesome.

Gudino doesn’t telegraph much either; in fact, most information must be overheard or observed.  Not much is freely given to the viewer, but that kept me engaged – you gotta work for it in this one.  Gudino makes very intelligent choices about what not to show – he lets our imaginations fill in what goes on, who is behind the voices, etc.

There are some awesome standout scenes (one with a journal comes to mind), and on the whole the film really works.  It has a very 60s/70s feel to it but I’m betting that was purposeful, because many of the films from that era were allowed to breathe a little more, take more time to create an atmosphere before jumping into the crazy shit.  And I must admit, I did not see the twist coming at all.  So of course I loved that.

Before I wrap up, I want to talk about the poster for this film.   Much like the super excellent Absentia, TLW&ToRL‘s poster does not help the movie at all.  There’s more than one version, but instead of sticking with this nice subtle version:

We got this:

Which is NOTHING like the film!!!  Sheesh movie poster people, can you TRY to make something that remotely conveys the atmosphere and flavor of the movie you’re advertising?  Just a thought.  You’re not doing these films any favors here. People are missing out on great movies because of these posters!  Knock it off!

Okay, now that that’s done, I totally recommend TLW&ToRL, but you have to ignore the poster and allow the film to unspool in its own way.  If you can do that, you will not be disappointed.