More Road Kill, Easter Version

Road Kill

While doing a little research, I came across this picture from the Art News Blog.
Nothing like a little Road Kill Cuddly Toy.

Monday Movie Review - The Human Centipede

"Horror films are unsettling movies that strive to elicit the emotions of fear, disgust and horror from viewers. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres. Horrors also frequently overlap with the thriller genre." - Wikipedia

Every now and then I'll come across a movie that doesn't scare me as much as it disgusts me.  This movie is one of them.  This one didn't frighten me, but instead I caught myself saying things like, "Oh, my God!  Look at what he's doing to those people!"

In brief, two young women are taking a trip in a foreign country, and their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere.  But there is a house nearby where they go to seek help.  The house is owned by a physician who gained his reputation for separating conjoined twins.  But now he's out for greater glory by combining people into one body.  (Sort of a 21st century Frankenstein.)

Although there is little in the way of actual graphic scenes depicting the conjoinings, it's the viewers own imaginations that readily fill in the gaps.  Yes, there is gore, but overall the "horror" comes from what the physician succeeds in doing, and the aftermath.

This is not a movie for the squeamish.  If you like your scares via serial killer on the loose, or from aliens from outer space attacking Earth, skip this one.  But if you're one of those who doesn't mind something that will leave you with fodder for forthcoming nightmares, then my suggestion is that you

Dear Gail - How can you watch all those horror movies?

Dear Gail,

How can you stand to watch all those horror movies you write about?  And how can you write those kinds of stories, and romantic ones, too, under your other name?

Actually, watching horror movies is easy for me because I can disassociate myself from them.  I KNOW movies are fake.  I KNOW the actors will stand up when the directions yells, "Cut!".  And if you ever watch any of the "making of" vignettes tacked onto the DVDs, you'll often see "victims" walking around in full bloody makeup, giggling and drinking soda while they wait for filming to resume.  I read horror mags which describe in detail how certain horror effects are done, allowing me the chance to see the difference between real life special effects and CGI (computer graphic imagery).

Why I love horror so much is a mystery to me.  Yes, I write romances, too.  I also teach Kindergarten.  Kinda makes me scary, eh?

But, oddly enough, what I cannot watch is anything where real blood is being spilled.  Why?  Because I consciously know that's real blood, not fake.  So be it a newscast, boxing match, or documentary, if real blood is present, count me out.

Yeah, I'm odd that way.

"Twilight of the Dead"

Heheeee!  A friend sent me this to share.  I love mash-ups.

(Thanks, Candy!)

Monday Movie Review - WITCHFINDER GENERAL

I was in the mood for a Vincent Price film and found this one on Netflix.  Because I hadn't seen it before, and because Price himself once said he believed this was one of his best performances, I watched it.

For a movie made in the '70s, it holds up extremely well.  Of course, the blood is a tad too red to look real, but the acting is top-notch, and the torture scenes still can wring a gasp out of you. 

Price plays a Witchfinder in the 1600s who goes from village to village, promising the townspeople he can rid them of famine and whatnot by removing the witches who caused it...for a price, of course.  It's when he sets his sights on a priest's daughter, and she refuses him, that he punishes both the father and daughter by accusing them of being witches.  Yes, Price is the bad guy in this film, but isn't that what he does best?

I love Price's films, my favorite being THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES.  Like many of his movies, this is a period piece.  And although I'm not real big on "historical horror", I had a good time with this one.  Which is why my recommendation is that you:

Happy Bloody New Year!