Lately I've been posting about current outrageous Japanese horror; films like Frankenstein Girl vs. Vampire Girland Robo-Geisha. But the master of J-Horror, Hiroshi Takahashi (Ringu; Ju-On) is back with his first English-language film, Don't Look Up. The movie involves a film crew who is affected by evil spirits trapped in old celluloid footage. The above picture is a production still featuring actress Kelly Devoto (Murder Loves Killers, Too).
Director Fruit Chan has an impressive resume overseas, though his work is probably lesser-known here in the States. I can't even begin to imagine the problems that language brought to that set.
Of course, what matters in the end is the final product. And the following trailer got me almost as excited as the trailer for Drag me to Hell, which bodes quite well, I think. No official release date, but from BloodyDisgusting (via) comes this rather intense trailer:
I am slightly disturbed that a screenwriting co-credit is given to Brian Cox, who scripted the exceptionally lame and boring American version of Ju-On, Pulse, but the trailer still looks awesome, don't you think?
It has been officially announced that Victor Webster (who co-starred in the True Crime TV drama "The Chippendales Murder" along with "Lost" hottie, Naveen Andrews) will join the cast of the recently re-booted TV Soap "Melrose Place" as the resident gay character, Caleb. AfterElton reports that they "...already learned that Caleb was going to be a non-stereotypical gay character.." They go on to say he likes the Lakers, smokes cigars and drinks scotch.
All I can say is, he can like to watch midget bowling, smoke opium and drink Ripple, as long he comes home to me at night! Day-yum!
Okay, I know that was pretty uncharacteristic for me and this blog. But for God's sake, just look at him! You can see more hot (possibly NSFW) pictures of Mr. Webster here.
Enough of that.
Let's talk about my favorite subject: Movies. I've really ignored both of these movies until now. One, because I wasn't familiar with the source material, and the other because it sounded, quite frankly, cheesy.
Although I read a lot about Alice Sebold's best-seller "The Lovely Bones," I didn't actually read the book, nor was I exactly enamored by what I read. It seemed like a dreary, depressing novel and not the kind of thing I wanted to read. Lo and behold, the trailer for Peter Jackson's film version is out and it has most certainly caught my interest. The Lovely Bones looks like a slick, gorgeous, edge-of-your-seat thriller. Here's a clip from the trailer's sneak peak on Entertainment Tonight:
This next film started life entitled Cirque du Freak, but has since been re-titled The Vampire's Assistant. Why? The original title was much more intriguing. But again, I saw the trailer (thanks to those Sci-Fi loonies over at i09) and was completely blown away. It looks like it could be the movie that Disney's adaptation of Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comesshould have been (you may or may not remember that my very first real post was about movies that deserve good remakes, and Something Wicked... was among them). Starring John C. Reilly; Willem Dafoe; SalmaHyack; "Fringe" regular Michael Servarisand Colleen Camp, among others.
Check it out:
I'm almost certain I'll be seeing both of these movies.
This is a still from a 2007 Japanese monster movie entitled (I kid you not) Big Man Japan. The eponymous hero is some kind of mutant who can apparently inflate himself to Godzilla-sized proportions in order to fight surreally weird rubber-suit monsters like the pink squid-thing in the picture (is it me, or does the look on its face imply that it is relieving itself against that cardboard skyscraper?).
Anyway, I found the trailer below on a blog I visit daily and keep meaning to mention. BitsandPieces is a fairly random, but often funny collection of flotsom and jetsom from all over the Internets. I often post YouTube clips from them on my Facebook page. They're motto is "We Search the Web, So You Don't Have To." Blogger Jonco is a pleasant gentleman from St. Louis who often incorporates some very amusing Southern philosophy into his posts. If you haven't found his blog, I urge you to go. There is certain to be something to amaze and amuse almost everyone.
And now, without further ado, the latest WTF?!?!? moment. Ladies and germs, I give you the trailer for Big Man Japan:
Truly - do we need more proof that the Japanese have lost their pop-culture minds? Between this and films like RoboGeisha, I am convinced that modern Japanese Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror filmmakers have rejected the perterbing and inexplicable 'J-Horror' style of the late '90's/early 00's and re-embraced the over-the-top ridiculousness of Japan's Atomic Age cinema.
Along with the Universal Monsters pantheon, I grew up on Toho Studios movies. Godzilla, Mothra, Ghidra, Rodan and Gammera were both to be feared and revered and "Ultraman" was the world's greatest giant hero (even though by age 6 I knew they were just stunt-men in latex). Like Lugosi, Karloff,Lorre. Chaney and Price, those rubber monsters were icons of my youth and certainly influenced my appreciation of both the absurd and the inept... and how they often intersect.
Confused? I'll bet. First and foremost, I must credit JA over at MyNewPlaidPants for turning me on to both of these movies. You rock, bro'! (How lamely hetero was that?)
A neglected travesty when it was released in 1990, Italian director Claudio Fragasso's Double "Z" grade horror movie has since garnered an enthusiastic audience of Bad Movie Lovers and midnight showings have been selling out across the country. I am certain that I skipped Troll 2 while browsing my local Blockbuster when it was released Direct-to-Video, so I have never had the, you will excuse the term, "pleasure".
But after seeing the trailer below, I find myself compelled to seek it out and experience its crapulence for myself. And then I MUST see Best Worst Movieas soon as humanly possible. Here's the trailer from the movie's official site, http://bestworstmovie.com/:
In other Entertainment News, Towleroad is reporting that playwright Moises Kaufman's Epilogue to The LaramieProjectwill open in no less than 40 (and as many as 100) regional theatres on October 11th, the 11th anniversary of Matthew Shepherd's death in Laramie, Wyoming. The Epilogue examines how the people in Laramie were affected by the events of 1998, and how life has (or hasn't) changed for them over the last eleven years. I hope that at least one of the many local regional theatres in my area participates.
Below is the trailer for the new Playing for Change documentary, Peace through Music. I ask that you go the site and share this on your blogs, your Facebook and MySpace and Twitter pages, and in emails to everyone you know. As the world grows more and more connected, we must learn to connect with one another on a more personal basis. The only way to understand and accept our differences is by first embracing our commonalities. Music and art are a part of every culture. As I've said before, the melodies, tempos and instruments may be different, but the notes are all the same. Enjoy:
Well, here it is, on my formerly hairy left calf. It actually looks a lot better in person. The curves of my calf tend to distort it a bit. And my dear D is not a
professional photographer nor was his camera professional grade; and his apartment's tiny kitchen doesn't exactly have the best lighting. Still, you get the general idea.
I will probably go back and have more color added (it's hard to see in the pic, but the iris is green), according to Dale's full-color original.
And I will defintely be going back to Living Arts at least once more, for that insanely gorgeous Pre-Columbian Yin-Yang I already posted about, on the other calf. I never believed it when people said that tattoos were addictive, but now that I have a second one, I want another one. And to be honest, my first was small (2"w x 2.5"h) and relatively hidden on my right hip. As I've gained and lost weight over the years, it's lost its sharpness (mostly because it was so small to begin with) and no longer looks like what I designed 11 years ago. It's time for a visible update, I think.
So, what do you think of it? I love it.
Do you have any ink? If so, what and where? If not, what would you get and where would get it, if you got one? Leave your comments - I LOVE reading them.
I stumbled upon the fantastic teaser trailer for Travis Betz' horror/comedy Lowhile searching YouTube for the Sordid Lives trailer (though what one had to do with the other is beyond me...). It was so funny and creepy at the same time - and that song! You'll see in a minute. Anyway - the story seems to be a combination of the Orpheus myth, Dante's Inferno and Faust, with a comic twist. I just want to know why I had not heard of it, before.
Written and directed by Travis Betz (Joshua), Lo is the story of a young man who apparently sells his soul to summon a demon, in order to rescue his lady love from Eternal Damnation. Think of it as Drag Me FromHell. The movie stars no one any one has ever heard of, but so did Star Wars. Not that I'm comparing, of course - take a breath, nerds. All I'm saying is that often unknowns in good movies go on to be much more than 'unknown.'
I love that smart, original Indie Horror still exists. And how I wish Warners would release Micheal Dougherty's Trick 'r Treat, the much-buzzed about horror antholagy starring Brian Cox (the original Hannibal Lecter); Anna Paquin; the always good Dylan Baker (Spider-Man) and "Dollhouse" and "Battlestar Gallactica" star, Tamoh Penikett.
So, here's the teaser for Lo that so caught my fancy:
And here's the official trailer:
Is it me, or does this film look like it will a whole lotta fun? I'll probably have to wait for the DVD release... suburban cineplexes suck (say that 3 times, fast).
Oh - And just in case you are wondering - D and I got our new ink today and both of us were very happy with the results. If you are in eastern Pennsylvania, I highly recommend Living Arts Tattoo Gallery in New Hope, PA (Pennsylvania's P'Town).
The Living Arts staff are friendly guys who are serious about what they do, and they do it well. Expect to spend some time, especially if they are doing a custom design. I brought in my own art (designed to my specs by my dear friend, Dale as my birthday present), and tattoo artist Brian Ulrich did a fantastic job! I can't stop looking at it. My Dear D (not to be confused with Dale), seemed just as pleased with his crucifix, which I must admit, while not something I would even consider getting, was beautifully executed as well. We took pictures with D's camera. As soon he uploads them, I will post them.
And I've already decided on my next one... They had this gorgeous Pre-Columbian Yin-Yangon the wall... MUST have. It's the perfect compliment to the Egyptian symbols I got today. Maybe in October or November... or my Christmas present to myself.
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