The Others (2001)

Before we get into this blog post I need you all to raise your right hand to the square and make an oath to never, no matter how excited you are about this movie, spoil it for anyone.  You can tell them it is a great ghost story and that they should see it.  You can tell them it is set in the '40s in England, that it has fantastic acting, that it was directed by a thoughtful Spanish filmmaker, that it has crazy awesome set design, great period costumes, amazing cinematography, and that it is scary and brilliantly crafted.  But, you must never spoil the movie for them, is that understood?  Now, everyone, raise that hand, make the oath...

Good job, thank you.  Good filmmakers, and good film-watchers, never spoil a movie.  This is the unspoken creed between us.  If you wish to be a part of our elite group, you too must adopt this creed.  So much power comes in a good story with the moments being saved for the viewer.   

This movie, in my opinion, is a masterpiece.  But, what is your opinion?  What are your thoughts?  Did you like this movie?  Why or why not?  Would you watch it again knowing now what you know about the story? Be thoughtful in your answers.

And, always remember your oath...

Horror Book Reports (Due Friday November 8th)

Book reports!  Turn in your book reports!

In order to give us more time to engross ourselves in the horror genre, students who have chosen to do their book reports on the horror genre will be turning them in here, as a response to this post.  I am very excited to read about what you have learned.

Please present us with enough material in your response below that one would find in a 5 minute oral report in front of the class.  This response needs to be longer and more detailed than most your film responses.  This is worth 50 points.

Remember to include your name, what book you read, a brief idea of what this non-fiction book talks about (it can be very brief, we want to read more about what you learned), and what you learned about the genre.  Tell us how what you learned benefited you as one who is studying the genre, how it will influence the way you think about horror from now on, and how it might influence your screenplay you will be writing soon.

This report is due on November 8th!  You also have your at home movie review due on the 10th, so get crackin'!

The At Home Horror Watching Hullabaloo (Due November 10th)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

What a perfect week for this assignment to be posted.

As you enjoy watching horror films at home this fall season, especially this Halloween week, you can totally kill two birds with one stone (...I always found that saying to be quite morbid, but based on the assignment we are doing, I guess it's quite appropriate). 

Two rules:

One, it must be something your parents are OK with you watching.  Please, get permission from them if it is something stronger than you'd see at school.  Heck, if you want, watch it with them.  Nothing like a warm bowl of popcorn on a dark night while getting the the living daylights scared out of you with your loved ones! 

Two, it must be a film you have never seen before.  I expect you to watch your favorite Halloweeny tales this week.  I just watched The Thing last night, which is my annual Halloween tradition.  But, for this particular assignment, stretch yourself - look up lists of some of the best horror films, try something older, something in black & white maybe, or something from a different country.  Who knows, maybe you'll discover a new Halloween tradition.  

After you watch the film, write a review of it as a comment on this post.  Make sure you tell us your name (so we know who you are, and not just your blog name), the name of the movie you watched, and a very basic non-spoilery plot synopsis, for example: "After a misunderstanding, Earnest P. Worrell unleashes an evil troll on Halloween," (that's straight from Earnest Scared Stupid's official IMDB page; best movie synopsis ever!).  Nothing spoiled there.   Or, respect points for anyone who can guess this film, "A man decides to turn his moribund life around by winning back his ex-girlfriend, reconciling his relationship with his mother, and dealing with an entire community that has returned from the dead to eat the living."

Then, write if you think other members of the class should watch it, and why.  Write about ways in which this film was a typical horror movie, and in what ways it may have deviated from the normal horror characteristics.  Ask yourself, "did this movie deliver the expected elements of the genre, or not.  If not, did it go above and beyond, or was I disappointed?"

Have this bad boy watched and posted by November 10th for full credit.


Enjoy... if you dare!

When a Stranger Calls (2006)

If I had to describe this film in one word, I'd use the word formulaic.  Defined, that means: "A method of doing or treating something that relies on an established, uncontroversial model or approach".  This film ain't no Kubrick's The Shining (which, interesting fact, Stephen King hated Kubrick's representation of his book, maybe because it was so unconventional (I personally think it is fantastic!)).

Why, then, do you think I chose a "formulaic" piece to start off our journey down the path of horror in cinema?  Remember our packet on genres by our friends Ken Dancyger and Jeff Rush, film scholar extraordinaires, as they, in a sense, said making a genre piece comes with it a contract with its audience.  You better deliver the goods just as the audience expects - if you don't, it better as heck be something much better.  Do you feel like this movie delivered the goods?

Being formulaic doesn't necessarily mean something is bad.  But, it also doesn't mean something will be good.  Maybe the formula made it uninteresting to you.  That's valid.  Maybe the formula made it fun for you as you geeked out over the filmic elements common to the genre.  That's valid, too.

I appreciate the formula.  To me, it is an indicator that the filmmakers understand the genre, and they delivered.  Have I experienced more satisfying horror films?  Heck yes.  Would this movie be one of my favorites?  Not even close.  But, I respect this little film for what it is, and what it does.  Plus, I always smile when a low budget film with no-name actors gets made, especially if I feel like it was made with care.

What are your thoughts and feelings?  Why do you think I chose this film to show first?  Did you feel it was formulaic as well?  Did that bother you?  Why or why not?  And, most importantly, I want to know: did you like the movie?  Did you enjoy watching it?  Why or why not?  Be extremely thoughtful in your answers.  Remember, it is OK to disagree with people, but do so respectfully.  We are all given the ability to form our own opinions, and how boring a world it would be without that.  I'm excited to read your thoughts.

Now.... go!

Steampunk Pitches

Click here to link to a copy of the criteria that I am using to grade your pitches. We pitch on Friday, October 11 (so, be sure to be at school even though it's a half day!) I can't wait to hear them!

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

Hayao Miyazaki has made some great films. The question is: is this one of them? Does this film hold up with his masterpieces such as Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and Howl's Moving Castle? What I'm really asking is: did you like it? Why or why not?

In what was is this movie Steampunk? In what ways is it not? Back up your opinion with specific examples?

What was the theme of this film? Does it have themes in common with other Steampunk works (if it is Steampunk)? Are there themes common to Steampunk or, since it's more an aesthetic, do the themes vary too much to identify one or two common ones?

And the age-old question of deep characters and themes? Does this film have them or is it just about cool fantasy and sci-fi elements? Back up your opinion with examples.

And as always, be sure to post twice in the comment thread. Be sure to write deep, well-thought opinions that will really matter to the other people who read these. And be sure that at least one of your posts is at least 4-5 lines long.

P.S.: I would like to point out what a breath of fresh air this film was, for me, in comparison with the nausea-inducing sexism of Wild, Wild West.  After we finished Nausicaä, I had some meditative time as I locked up the studio.  I was thinking about how refreshing it is to see a movie with the kind of heroine I would want my daughter to look up to as she grows.  The relief I felt to find such a heroine in media actually brought me to tears as I went through the studio, thinking.  I will definitely be watching this film with my daughter as soon as she is old enough to appreciate its plot.

The City of Lost Children (1995)

Well, there you have it. That's The City of Lost Children. What did you think? Good? Not so Good? OK? Just too weird or French for your tastes? Good because it's weird and French?

I was excited to show this film in order to give you a taste of what can be done with live action Steampunk without much CGI. But that only works if this really is Steampunk? Is it? Why or why not?

Was this film helpful in getting you thinking about ways to shoot the cool Steampunk special effects you would need for your story ideas? If so, how? If not, why not?

What do you think of the story? Is it just about the Steampunk elements or does it have deep characters and themes?

Since Steampunk is a sub-genre and is almost always mixed with another genre, it is good to ask the question: what other genre is this? What do you think? Back up your opinion with examples from the film.

And as always, be sure to post twice in the comment thread. Be sure to write deep, well-thought opinions that will really matter to the other people who read these. And be sure that at least one of your posts is at least 4-5 lines long.