kites and other loose ends ~

i made a vague feint at doing my homework in the off hours. i think i'll do passably for wednesday's class, but thursday's is a wash. it's pretty pitiful.

i won a $20 gift card for b&n at work. i think i will order the third Montmorency with it.



so the kite thing i promised to post yesterday: it's very simple, really:

we fly kites to send a message by the patterns and dips. some people watch the kite to read the signal, some just watch the movement and the colors ~ because they think that's what it's all about.

don't quote me on this because my memory is fuzzy, but i also believe that the word "kite" in Nahautl means both kite and butterfly ~ the butterfly being a symbol of rebirth, etc. (sort of in the way that literary creations are born out of the union between writer and audience).

anyway, fornes went on to discuss the dynamics of color ~ one adjacent to another ~ and the effect it creates. she also talked about style being a personal imprint, like a fingerprint: you don't choose it and no two are alike.

i spent a lot of time with fornes in dc and discovered she's mostly insane (how shattering it is to have your heroes be so fallible after all), and yet none of that changes the fact of what she's written, the impact she's had on the theatre, on writers like me (an impact which will continue). in many ways, despite her lunacy, i felt validated one-hundredfold by her absolute humanness, her insecurity, her jealousy, and the way in which she obstinately refused to see the world on other people's terms.

man, i'm talking about her like she's dead. hahahahahaha ~

tomorrow: NaNo.

gentlemen (and gentlewomen) start your engines!

vroooooom!

: D

halloween movie recommendations ~

i really should have posted this over the weekend. late notice, but maybe will give you some ideas for next year.

it may surprise you, but i've seen more horror movies than any other genre. as a kid i watched them relentlessly. I'm not up to date on the genre, however, because i think it's been mostly played out and i don't like what digital enhancements have done to the scare factor. still, i'm willing to take recommendations if anyone's got any.

i've categorized these films by various intents. movies generally don't scare me, so the "scare" factor is subjective here. general rule of thumb: dead drowned things scare me (if i am phobic about anything, it's drowning). serial killers, monsters, and cats jumping out of closets do not. these are just some of my favorites. your mileage may vary.

Classics

The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari ~ a nice alternative to Nosferatu (which, i admit, gives me nightmares because the character is so disturbingly distorted). this one is maybe a bit predictable, but worth it for the wonky visuals and creepy factor. great movie to project on a big screen at a party in the background (since it's silent).

The Innocents ~ an adaptation of Turn of the Screw which scared the pants off of me as a child. this is a frustratingly ambiguous movie. definitely for the literary crowd.

Fun and Gore (see also Monsters and Ghost Stories below)

Nightmare on Elm Street ~ for pure campy fun you can't beat the orginal freddy kreuger. this film was genre-setting in the 80s, but unfortunately spawned a really lame franchise. if you've been avoiding it, give it a try.

The Dolls ~ I have to name this one even though i haven't seen it in years and it's probably wretched. but if you dislike dolls or find them creepy, this one will get to you. i also seem to recall (though don't hold me to it) that this one had a pretty good story. either way, it strangely had a profound impact on me when i was younger. i'm sure i would pee myself laughing if i watched it now.

True Horror

Texas Chainsaw Massacre ~ hands down still one of the most disturbing films ever made. if you don't want to turn this movie off halfway through it, you're far too desensitized and need serious therapy. rivaled only by The Last House on the Left, which i refuse to ever watch again and don't actually recommend on any level.

Monsters

Alien ~ a great creature film that really knew how to exploit shadows and sounds. The sequels don't do much for me (three and four were respectable sci-fi, i guess), but the first is a classic.

The Thing ~ john carpenter's best work. this is nerve-wracking as hell if you've never seen it and just a riot if you already have. watch liberally.

American Werewolf in London ~ Landis made magic in this one. still one of the best monster movies out of hollywood ever ~ and the mix of comedy and horror works like gangbusters.

Ghost Stories

The Changeling ~ oft-overlooked, but immensely scary, i think.

What Lies Beneath ~ this movie disturbed me. but then it's about drowning, so there you have it. especially good because it's got a great cast and a solid, albeit somewhat manipulative, story.

The Others ~ predictable, a bit overlong, and i dislike nicole kidman, but definitely a spooky film.

Poltergeist ~ more campy fun. the clown scared me to death as a kid. especially fun for the cultural phenomena that it is. well made, good story. thumbs up.

Notable Intended Omissions

The Exorcist ~ i have no idea why i don't think this movie is scary, but i don't. i like certain things about it, but it doesn't do anything for me.

Friday the 13th ~ this one's grown immensely dated (has not aged well). still love Tom Savini's work, but jason has never really done much for me.

Halloween ~ another franchise gone bad. never really cared for the first one.

Jaws ~ a lot of people cite it as one of their scariest movies. when you root for the shark, it's hard to be afraid. love the movie, don't consider it a "horror" film per se.

did i leave anything else out?

what're your favorites? your scariest?



Caligari may not be the scariest movie, but props
for one of the weirdest worlds in cinema.