For some Halloween is a candy-fueled holiday full of little kids dressed up as superheroes and princesses. And for some Halloween (Samhain in Ireland, Nos Galaen Gaeaf in Wales etc...) is a holiday to represent fall's end and the wheel of the year enters death, or rather "winter." For me, I celebrate Nos Calean Gaeaf but a few candy-infused moments throughout the day (as I finish a pack of Reeses peanut butter cups...) complete with horror movies all month long. So, in light of all the horror movies that I have watched this month, some special ones have won special awards in my mind.

Best Boris Karloff Performance

The Nominations
The Body Snatcher
Isle of the Dead
Bedlam
The Black Cat
The Raven

Although for this award, always up to debate amongst cinemaniacs, it was neck and neck between The Body Snatcher and The Black Cat, two Boris and Bela movies but one always beats out each other . As Cabman Jon Gray, this role can only be the winner because of the intensity he gives to an otherwise kind of shitty movie. Everyone he's in a scene with almost seem better, the scene where Karloff and Lugosi meet is made of legend. Bouncing off of Henry Daniell as the man who knows his torrid grave-robbing past which Daniell struggles to put behind him, Karloff becomes a haunting force of  teasing Daniell's Dr. MacFarlane about what he knows, delivering sinister like no one's business. Don't believe me? Watch.


Best Bela Lugosi Performance

The Nominations
Murders of the Rue Morgue
The Black Cat
The Raven
The Invisible Ray


Hands down, the man otherwise known as Dracula with the cape in his casket with him ("You think he's still alive?" - Peter Lorre), his best role has to be actually playing a good guy -- although conflicted. As Vitus Wedergast, a man with nothing to lose, having lost both his wife and daughter to Karloff's Hjalmar Poelzig you can surprisingly understand why he goes a little crazy at the end and find yourself shocked by the ending. Lugosi, more known to play evil roles, such as in the other films in the nomination cue -- I'm not ruling out he plays bad so well, but this movie shows Bela's immaculate focus as playing a role we actually feel sorry for -- therefore taking him a little more seriously than "just Dracula." He's not just Dracula my friend, because Christopher Lee is. Duh.

Best Vincent Price Performance

The Nominations
House of Usher
The Pit and the Pendulum
The Tower of London
Laura
House of Wax
The Haunted Palace

Hands down, as another film cinemaniac's conundrum continues, Vincent Price's best has to be The Pit and the Pendulum, but not for the reasons like Bela's, like above, when you find that Nicholas Medina is tormented by the loss of his wife and the scene when you find she is not actually dead, the process of Price losing his mind is far more than any witty scene he has with another woman -- this shows that Price was a damned good actor despite the pidgeon-holing him as over the top. I can't see him as over the top considering the type of movies he did.

Best Atmospheric Film

The Nominations
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte
The Uninvited
Little Red Riding Hood

The fundamental thing about a "atmospheric film" is that it should not only have a great aesthetic of shadow and lighting contrast, but what the lighting adds to an already creepy house. Also, you will lose yourself both within the movie and into the house, that's what The Haunting ('63) does that to me. Something that tells and not shows so much. The same can be said for Robert Aldrich's Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte which seems to have a deeper darkness to it than his more popular Whatever Happened to Baby Jane. Plus, the main center isn't so much Bette Davis and Joan Crawford's 'diva-off" so to speak. Another film Aldrich hoped to get Crawford and Davis into a room together, I think the change of Craford to Olivia de Havilland to play the cousin, Miriam Deering, worked in the favor to be more of a cohesive film than  into one huge "I'm better than you" back and forth game. Plus, Agnes Moorhead who was nominated for her role, is absolutely impeccable.

Best Val Lewton Production

The Nominations
Cat People
Isle of the Dead
Bedlam
The Body Snatcher

Saturday night was a Val Lewton night, and normally I would say The Body Snatcher, I do not think it was the most coheisve movie. But Cat People, on the other hand, I quite enjoyed. And after watching the documentary on Val Lewton, I enjoyed it even more for the lack of not seeing anything - nothing incredibly cryptic other than light, sound, and the descent of mindover-matter insanity. My favorite kind of movie. Plus, Simone Simon was absolutely STUNNING!

Best "This Could Almost be Replaced my top favorite The Haunting ('63)" Movie

The Nominations
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
The Pit and the Pendulum
House of Usher
The Black Cat

It was a very hard call, but as much as Rex Harrison's sexy moustached sea captain is appealing, The House of Usher seems to be the most co-heisve out of all of the movies: the colors, some of the first psychedelia, plus the phenomenal acting that only Vincent Price can provide. Even before researching this movie, really watching it, I could sense a feeling of complete perfect unity behind the camera. Don't look at me funny, it's a sixth sense I have about movies when something feels complete, without much problems except for Mark Damon's delivery. For such a short poem, Corman did it justice on fleshing it out for a hour and twenty minutes. 

Hope everyone had a wonderful fall (happy halloween!)


Because my bookmark folder labelled "Vspot List" is overflowing with news!

Karen O goes Country

In light of the most obscure covers in my life (Lettercamp doing White Stripes, Charlotte Gainsbourg doing Dylan...) this one has to be one of the most "wtf awesome" covers known to man! So... thank you, Chipotle for an "online video" that involves Yeah Yeah Yeah's front woman Karen O singing the Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys" It's not bad, I'm just trying understand the actual video and it's connection to Mexican food, survey says?


Cue the Monotonous "La La La La La": She's Back!

History has been made as of this past Saturday at the "Beavis and Butthead" Comic Con panel, straight out of the mouth of its creator Mike Judge. According to the "Daria" facebook page:
Live from the "Beavis and Butthead" Comic con panel and Mike Judge just said Daria will be making a cameo on "Beavis and Butthead" this season. Judge says he likes Daria a lot and maybe he should do more with her. (<-- This was met with overwhelming applause!)
While I'm trying to forget "Beavis and Butthead" ever existed, being a 90s child unfortunately exposed to it waiting for Daria, this could be fantastic news. But what more could we possibly get out of Daria Morgendorffer now? She got through high school (and some of us wondering how the hell she got out of it in the first place), got a boyfriend and went to college... what more can we get out of the snarkfest that is my Halloween costume this year? (not kidding either)  Let's hope Judge comes up with something really really good.


Elton John Biopic "Rocket Man" 

It's been nine months since "Rocket Man" has been greenlit under the powers of John as executive producer and Lee Hall's screenplay know-how and from the sounds of this project.... pardon my French ... this is going to be super gay.

"“Rocketman will be a radically different kind of biopic. It will be as unique as Elton’s life, told in a non-linear and hyper-visual manner that will transport people through the many intense experiences, some wonderful, some not, that helped define Elton as an artist, musician and man.” says producer Stephen Hamilton Shaw to collider.com. It will not only be nonlinear (as John says to Entertainment Weekly it would be in tradition of Dylan's "I'm Not There" and wouldn't be opposed to having multiple people playing the rock legend. Cate Blanchett, anyone?") But John also announces that the movie will also have a "fantastical in the vein of Moulin Rouge" vibe. Um... yeah. gay.

The real question is: who should play this Rock God? For once, I'm at a loss. Hugh Jackman?


Lykke Li Covers Unchained Melody

 Lykke Li can do anything -- from winning over late night hearts from playing Fallon and Letterman to catapulting her 2011 released "Wounded Rhymes" to #36 on the Billboard 200. #36? Sacrilege to those who believes that "Wounded Rhymes" deserves the end of the year award for Best album of the year. Outside of this impending controversy in December, let us all enjoy Lykke Li covering the Righteous Brothers for Australian radio triplej.



New Florence + the Machine tracks Live!

I never tire of my love for Florence Welch, simply because she lacks the ability to suck. So when stereogum put out the article, Watch Florence & The Machine Debut "Never Let Me Go," "Spectrum," & "Heartlines" At Creators Project, I want to love it despite I can't hear the music, the downside of poor acoustic youtube videos. I can definitely say that "Never Let Me Go" has me interested and simply cannot wait in the release of "Ceremonials" coming out next Tuesday. NEXT TUESDAY!! Get excited! This is one new album I shall actually buy.

So what does the all mighty stereogum have to say about "Ceremonials" in their Premature Evaluation? One comment really gets to me and has me worried for the album, "Big sounds, big notes, gigantic crashing orchestra noises on every song. Florence is not playing around on this one. There’s no false modesty, no restraint. I’m terrible at predicting stuff like this, but I can’t remember the last time I was this sure an album would be massively popular." Is this the return of the solid track-to-track album in the tradition of the Yeah Yeah Yeah's "It's Blitz!"? And if this album is persistent, should we worry that Florence will eventually lose her sense of fun in her music if it is without "false modesty, no restraint" which seems everything but who she is in singing a cappella Disney songs and smiling that enigmatic grin? Who is the real Florence or should we simply take this over-ambition in "Ceremonials" and just go with it as sophomoric egotism.

New Collaboration for the Depp-Burton marriage 

Depp and Burton is just one of those classic combinations, like peanut butter and jelly, orange and chocolate, pumpkin and cupcakes (had one Tuesday night, don't judge me!), in their eight projects they have done together and being best friends for 20 years (although at this rate we are good with calling this a marriage that will never end). It seems only reasonable after the impeccably horrid version of "Alice in Wonderland" they spurned out last year. It sounded fantastic in concept but the execution was poor. Should we expect this for... wait for it... a film revamp of 60s gothic soap opera "Dark Shadows?" 

Part of me is crossing every limb on my body in the hope that it will not suck. IT WILL NOT SUCK, I tell you despite the fact that Depp and Burton have marked their graves somewhere between Alice in Wonderland and Sweeney Todd. So far, "Dark Shadows" has been in treatment and started filming just this past April, allowing Depp back into some gothic leeway as Barnabas Collins, a vampire patriarch in the crazy town of Collinsport, Maine. And it will not suck despite the fact people are tired of the movies Depp is putting out now.

Here is my list of expectancies
  •  First and foremost, there must not, under any circumstances, have anything CGI. Not even one sparkle on the vampires (which thank God, there will be none)
  • Burton must stick to what made him great in the 80s -- Caligari-heavy angles and strong shadows in terms of aesthetics. (I didn't choose him for my Weimar film analysis for "Vincent" just for kicks)  And by the early promo shown in Entertainment Weekly, it looks like he listened to my internal pleas.
  • For vampires slowly becoming more and more blase in modern culture, writer Seth Grahame-Smith has the advantage of having "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" and "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire hunter" to give the story something more witty with dark humor. But don't be surprised if the writing doesn't have the same fire as Burton-written projects -- or if Burton does end up adding scenes like how Howard Ashman wrote a few scenes that stuck out on "Little Mermaid" versus the rest of the movie by the film's real screenwriters. I look forward to this little battle. But please oh please Grahame-Smith, let Burton have a little influence, despite your current hold on pop culture.
 I have zero problem with the story, because I know Depp can rock this role harder than Jonathan Frid's original role of Collins, or rather put a new spin on the character. That was one of the good things out of Alice in Wonderland is Depp's ability of bringing a deeper psychology to already-loved characters (Willie Wonka, Mad Hatter, J.M. Barrie). All in all, I can only pray to my alter every night in the hope that this won't be like their last few projects.Please don't suck!

Yoko Ono surprises tUnE-yArDs on stage

What could be better than covering a Yoko Ono song (which is a pretty tall order in itself) and realizing the activist is just back stage waiting to rock the stage with you? Ask Merrill Garbus of tUnE-yArDs after covering Ono's "We're All Water" at Iceland Airwaves last Thursday. Garbus actually rocks this cover, although naturally I think all of Ono's music is written with beautiful intention (because she is such a beautiful person and such a pioneer for activism) but it takes someone with solid vocal cords to really pull the songs off. Ono's airy voice helps the contradiction, which is why I'm a fan (and the fact she made the sexy Sean with a rock legend -- one part of one of the greatest rock love stories of all time) of her more as a person than a singer. But Garbus... and this song... just... damn. It's spell-binding and almost wish the surprise was more jolting than it was.


It's the year of the layer which means time to pull out thick tights (I seriously tell you, Ragstock's fleece-lined leggings are a God-send AND on my must list for the winter), fashion boots and some fabulous dresses, cardigans and sweaters. Oh, and scarves. But despite the summer-like afternoons lately I have to hang up the scarves for now (failures)


Sweater, Ragstock est. $10, Stripe Shirt Revival $6, Ragstock, Purple Tights $6
Stripes are eternal and classic, to have an insane pattern like this most often will be paired with either dark colors or very little patterns to layer. The purple (fleece lined, bitches!) footless leggings help that blocked color palate for me to nickname this outfit "Ode to Jean Seberg" for wearing stripes with immaculate pixie-like hair in Godard's Breathless. Plus, my figure looks fantastic in this sweater that, as of that night, died. I need a sewing machine.









Brown cardigan Ragstock est. $12, White long sleeve t-shirt Target $3
One of my more successful layered outfits complete with a knitted scarf which was a Christmas present to me (last year, one thing my brother doesn't suck at buying vs. groceries that done begin and end with Pancheros). Yet I have one little beef with this outfit (un-Pancheros related) with the white around the waist. I would hope for the future of long-sleeved t-shirts to be tailored like men's suit shirts. Ladies, if you have the same body type as I do, straight across won't do for your awesome hips. Otherwise we all know what really makes this outfit -- the leather jacket.







Old Navy Dress Revival $14, Pink Plaid Scarf Revival $8, Ragstock Fleece Leggings $6
The necessity for every girl in colder weather is to have one dress you can rely on -- be it of a thicker fabric or even cable! Cable sweaters work perfectly for figures and cling in the right spots so it was almost kismet when I found this green cable hoodie dress at Revival. While the neckline is insanely low, what you don't see is a brown-pink t-shirt under to match off with the plaid scarf that is normally too pink for me. But with the green, it all balances.






Gold sweater, Revival $12

While more simple than the other three outfits, I feel I must highlight on the power of gold. While given the same effect of yellow that I have posted awhile back -- gold is a very in color for fall (Thanks to a very late night google-fest of Fall Fashion Week) and best for a sweater. Gold often is used simply for jewelry or accessories and there is a fear of wearing yellow for skin tone but find the shade that's perfect for you before buying. You'll never stop wearing it, unlike my relationship with the awkward pockets in this sweater. Love the shirt, just hate the hip-hugging pockets that aren't even sewn into the lining.










Purple Sweater Ragstock est. $16, Stripe Tank Top Revival $6, Black Skirt Ragstock $10
This sweater never gets a whole lot of love -- but one should not sacrifice the aesthetics of a sweater because it's frustrating to wear in the ever-changing weather that is known to be settled specifically in Iowa. Failures. But other than sweater angst, this texture that comes across like Grandma's blanket, is also preferred for both fall and winter, pairing a texture with a pattern is the one way to go for the insane pattern pairings that seem to be popular for this fall. But if nail polish trends often match fashion, things may come back to something simple for winter. Let's hope? Maybe?
Kinda cold, but not really today but it's enough for me to "look like I'm hiding push pins in my bra" (thank you, Will & Grace for that one.) Luckily there are better things to think about other than impending push pins...

More Fall Fashion < 3's (via hellogiggles)

From one fallshion lover to another, Heather Taylor is "rocking my clock" (again, thank you Will & Grace) in her fall-lovin' post "Autumn!" where she admits to dressing up in a school girl outfit in September and Horror Movie Marathons in October. I like this girl. This is for all the "vampish" girls out there....

Oh my, yes! Ever since summer reared its sweaty, cutoffs head at me this year, I have literally been counting down the days to when I could retire my light clothing pieces in favor of outerwear and scarves. My wardrobe is primarily black, ivory and gray with some jewel tones and red thrown in for good measure. But during the summertime, it kills me to wear without dripping from sweat. Autumn is cool enough to allow for all of my favorite pieces to make their comebacks – my heavy coats, pencil skirts, thick stockings and Oxford heels are all happy to be back out getting some sidewalk action with me again. Even if the day turns from chilly to warm in the afternoon (which it has been lately, you stop that right now LA), I still dress for the season. Think cool thoughts and it’ll get cool out, right?
This is also a good time of year for my skin, which is normally quite pale but during the summer gets a little bit, dare I say, infused with color. I don’t look too sun-kissed, but I don’t look like I just rolled out of a coffin either and I generally prefer the coffin look. Autumn temps bringing back sleeves and pants help me to get back to my vampy roots in no time.
Taylor has officially join the ranks of Kristina Uriegas-Reyes in my list of fall-geek-chic Fashion Spirit Guide. See next blog post for ultimate fallshion love. (Let's make a Fallshion club! Facebook page? No boys allowed?)

If You Can't Say Something Nice... Tweet It.

 And I mean that headline sarcastically. Emilie Autumn is known to be the "rebellious Violinist anarchist" of a modern Victorian era but sometimes, people just don't have enough tact to admit they simply don't know something or are choosing to do certain things in the eyes of ignorance. And in response of to many many "Plague Rats" contacting her about her opinion on Sucker Punch because of the similar themes in "inmates taking over or running the asylum" that she includes both in her music and in 2001 book, "The Asylum of Wayward Girls" ...

Dearest Plague Rats, after receiving over 1000 letters (and counting) about the film SuckerPunch, I feel just a bit obligated to make some sort of a statement: The varied authors of these many letters are very kindly writing to inform me of their belief that SuckerPunch (great title, isn't it) is largely based on my book, The Asylum For Wayward Victorian Girls, that was written and publicized long before this film was written and made. I want to make clear that I do not know this to be true. I have never seen the film, nor do I plan to, primarily because I've been told by enough trusted sources that it is embarrassingly bad, and now because, after all I've heard about its possible plagiarism issues, I'm afraid it will make me upset, and I don't have time for that kind of negative energy right now. I can assure you however that my attorney takes all reports and claims of plagiarism, whether in a book, film, or performance extremely seriously, and will actively looks into this and any other such reports and do whatever it is that needs to be done. I also want to thank all of my Plague Rats very sincerely because you've proven to me time and again that you always have my tail, as I always have yours:). Now, let's go look at some stars!!e
Being an ex-psych patient herself who battles depression and Bipolar Disorder I can understand why she would not want to see the movie and relive things from her own past. But it's also the fact she is a very very accurate musician and singer in the way of Victoriana and the fantastical style. I think she would have wanted to see it as a comparison piece. But edging away from my understanding and into some pretty angry heavy stuff (I tweeted the woman herself with "Zack Snyder was writing sucker punch for about ten years, people escaping asylums is a common theme in media....") my jaw was on the floor when I first read that tweet. Is it just me or is her saying "plagiarism issues, I'm afraid it will make me upset" make sit sound like she takes singular credit for the plot theme? There is hardly anything specifically plagiarized between "Asylum..." and Sucker Punch other than the similar plot and that's hardly something to be called out on as copied.

Autumn, although she would have no idea about the fact, should have at least spent a minute to google Snyder's creative process. "....was written and publicized long before this film was written and made" couldn't be more ignorant, but of course, how would she know? She spends much time twittering Repo! The Genetic Opera's creators Darren Lynn Bousman and Terrence Zdunich, a film also in the same realm as Sucker Punch, so she does not stay in complete ignorance. According to an interview with 8asian.com with co-writer Steve Shibuya, "It took 10 years because Zack’s film career began right when we started writing this. We started writing this thing and then he got Dawn of the Dead, and it was like, “Oh crap.” I said, “Okay, you go do that.” So he goes off [but] I was constantly pushing to keep this thing going."

Google before you tweet.

J.D. Samson = very broke 

From one pity party to another, J.D. Samson brings up one good point in his article as this month's HuffPost celebrity on "I Love My Job But It Made Me Poorer" where Samson, queer activist and genderqueer singer/celebrity, continues to go on about how he is ill-equipped for the employed life, "I’m 33 years old and I can’t make coffee. I don’t know how to use Excel, or bartend, or wait tables, and I’m officially too old to join the police force. I’ve lost the confidence to go back to school and feel stressed out about impending debt when I think about further education for even one second." 

Look, I understand your stress and all but why should we feel for you when Le Tigre is popular in the "gay mainstream" and your newest band MEN's "Talk About Body" album is a cult favorite; how can you say those things when you are also considered a "gay icon?" I understand that the economy is sucking and it's hard to find a job but you spent so much on a celebrity lifestyle, are we really supposed to feel sorry for you? 

Despite the critique, Samson does bring up a very good point that has me worried to be a woman who prefers women in the bedroom, "I will always be a queer woman, a woman who makes 77 cents to the man’s dollar, and a queer who makes 23 percent less than the heterosexual. Does that mean that I make 54 cents to the straight male dollar? Wow." Damn.
Download She and Him's "The Christmas Waltz"

 After the Jack O'Lanterns come turkey and screaming fests around the dining room table and after that, the real fun. (You can really tell I detest American Thanksgiving) Time to start building up the Christmas music quota, and the good stuff. Long gone is the overplayed radio favorites that you are so used to you can hear it in your sleep (I'm looking at you Bing Crosby) and now you can download the first single off of She and Him (Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward)'s new Christmas album, "A Very She and Him Christmas" coming out October 25th "The Christmas Waltz."
What in the hell are they staring at off camera exactly?



Johnny Depp as the Man behind the Cat in the Hat

Now for some happier, shall we possibly say awesome, news. Johnny Depp is known to play cooky and off-color characters so it seems only natural he would do more than just developing and producing a live-action biopic on one of the greatest children's writers of all time, Theodor Geisel. CAST YOURSELF, JUST CAST! The writer for the untitlted project has already been cast as "In Treatment"'s Keith Bunin. I'm interested in what Depp would be bringing to the movie as a producer; let's just pray no more CGI. Johnny Depp, you are perfect au natural without animation or CGI.

Rachel Lloyd vs. Joan Rivers "Fashion Police"


I love Fashion Police, I really do. It's a perfect trashy show to watch before you launch into a movie marathon on a dusky Fall evening. But Rachel Lloyd, anti-human trafficking advocate and founder and Executive Director of the New York-based Girls Educational and Mentoring, does not have so much of a eye for fashion but for what she considers exploitation of sex workers' images placed on the show without consent during the segment Starlet or Street-Walker, where the three celebrities and Joan Rivers choose who is who by how they are dressed. Sounds like something that's more based off humor and  fashion than any political misrepresentation, right? 

According to Bitch Magazine blogger, Melissa Petro, "While it’s true that streetwalkers are oftentimes the poorest, most vulnerable, marginalized and victimized group of sex workers, Lloyd is no position to speak for the women in these pictures, and what she says reveals more about her bias than about the women she professes to want to protect. " Then a few paragraphs later I nod to the tune of, "Power, as I understand it, is not static or monolithic. It is contested and enacted, situational and relational." Emphasis on situational especially in the "Fashion Police" segment. Can we not help it that some sex workers, despite what they work as are horrible or questionable dressers? There's no humor directed exactly to these censored faces (when the picture does end up a streetwalker) but rather their outfits.  
 Horrorshow 
Bat for Lashes


Pumpkinteeth 
Haley Wojicik


Help! I'm Alive 
Metric 



[no embedded code. click instead. fail]


Thriller (Michael Jackson Cover) 
Imogen Heap



Halloween 
Florrible and Misrabella 
(early Florence Welch)


Skeleton Song 
Kate Nash


Pet Sematary Theme (Cover)
Alex Winston

It's common knowledge that when I mention a Turner Classic Movie marathon, I mean business. Being a film major has allowed me to have a huge appreciation for old movies right along with the history and trivia of them and the great histories of the Hammer Company, Universal and RKO. It's easy to say that you like Tod Browning's Dracula with Bela Lugosi or Frankenstein's overt horror that Universal embellished but a true film geek appreciates the "so bad they're good" movies made out of kitsch and poor props, settings and anomalies. 

This list focuses on those movies, or rather October 2010's Hammer Horror marathon, having gone into their 76th year with a DVD collection and in light of that, filled nights up with fantastic horror marathons. 

5. 
These Are the Damned
(1963)

Not one hundred percent solid, but probably the most accurate of the "American tourist problem" in England, mean teddy boys from the 60s (not really), throw in a little gang of radioactive children who probably never graced the camera ever again and you have Joseph Losey's "These are the Damned" out of Hammer Horror Production.Probably not as horrorific as Hammers adaptations of Dracula or Frankenstein, but the suspense of how MacDonald Carey's American Simon Wells and his British lover Joan will deal with the children they discover while on the run from Joan's creepy incestuous brother, Bernard (who you oddly end up liking by the end) and his teddy boy gang who is bent on beating the crap out of Simon. But in all, the villains get what they deserve and you feel horrible for the radioactive little kidlets.

4. 
Blood from the Mummy's Tomb 
(1971)
Well, anyone who knows me knows why I like this movie given the beautiful buxomish lady on the poster. But in the pure tradition of the soft-focus camera horror that the 70s gave us along with sexploitation themes running all over in the movies (Beyond the Valley of the Dolls for one) I put this in the same grouping of Vincente Aranda's Spanish reworking of Carmilla, The Blood Spattered Bride (La Novia Ensangrentada). Spun off of Bram Stoker's Jewel of Seven Stars, "Blood..." is centered around the reemergence of an Egyptian Queen oddly preserved after being found in an archaeological dig. Being brought back to England, the Queen Tera (played by a gorgeous Valerie Leon in dual roles) takes archaeologist's daughter as a body for her soul with slight Sapphic imagery between the two roles. It's kinda hot. Despite that, I have a fascination with any archaeological-based horror film and this held my interest from looking up its trivia on imdb until the very end.

3. 
Dracula, Prince of Darkness
(1966)

 
To one sexual actor to another, the incomparable-incomparable Christopher Lee who plays a better Dracula as a horror figure versus Bela Lugosi's creepy European Dracula (but I love them both for their separate reasons). Why the "Prince of Darkness" versus the other seven Dracula films that Lee has been in? Because the man doesn't have any dialogue in the film! But it's like Lee to be a visual force of nature without words. In this Dracula, a group of visitors finds themselves at the Count's castle and unknowingly revives the dead Count (supposedly killed from the fall in the first, The Brides of Dracula [another great one]) as some die, some live and the Count once more supposedly dead by the end. Just remember, the man doesn't speak any dialogue, but it's Christopher-fucking-Lee, he can do anything, even play Willy Wonka's father.


2. 
Homicidal
(1961)
Post-Psycho in its ambience and one of the first instances of a new type of murderer in a horror film, you never see the ending coming. While not from Hammer, but one of William Castle's best kitsch, I must unfortunately speak of the spoilers to speak of Homicidal's greatness.

 Still interested? Keep reading...

Helga Swenson just suffered a stroke, confined to a wheel chair with a nurse, Emily, to take care of her. Miriam Webster is suspected of foul play of getting Helga's millions as she flees the Swenson estate, brother Warren staying behind with his wife, Emily, who continues to threaten Miriam that she will go to the police with the information that Miriam is planning to kill Helga for her millions. But Emily isn't who she says she is entirely....

 Jean Arless plays dual roles of Emily and Warren being both sincere from the very beginning then treacherous to the end is insanity, or gender reversal in its finest. Anthony Perkins has nothing on Homicidal. While for some people the ending seems predictable, this film can be argued for the Transsexual (it is quite noticeable that Warren isn't entirely in his right mind) being "evil," "the other," as many films of its time suggest the LGBT community rightfully is. But the fact that this is more insanity than transvestism, this is the first and only of its kind. 

And of course, it's not a William Castle film without having one extra special marketing tool, and this one is more effective than other Castle devices. As the poster suggests, the fright break comes at a perfect time and helps the Hitchcock-esque suspense as you let yourself scream yourself silly until the end. I wish I was alive in that time to experience a Castle movie in the theater...

1. 
Freaks
(1932)


Some call it a frightening movie (being directed by Dracula's Tod Browning), some call it a drama of the reality of being handicapped, impaired, or not what the status quo asks; but Freaks is my number one despite just seeing it the first time of the first horror marathon of this year. Stephen King named Freaks, Monday evening, as one of the films that built his fascination with the horror of cinema without having to do much.

Known for its scene towards the end with the impaired circus-friends bent on revenge coming after and inclosing on the real freaks, Olga Baclanova's Cleopatra and Henry Victor's Hercules who is after Hans's, the midget played by veteran actor Harry Earles, millions. This is a film about a circus family taking care of their own knowing the "normal" vindictive villains are the real freaks. "Gooble Gobble, we accept you, one of us." as the famous quote of the movie goes known more for its face-value horror of the handicapped circus performers. I think this is more of a frightening movie in its cultural impact in showing humanity's fear of "the other" off the camera. That is what makes the best horror film, in my opinion, outside of the supernatural or superstition.

Notables: The Devil Rides Out (The Devil's Bride), Mr. Sardonicus, The Curse of Frankenstein, The Gorgon, Bucket of Blood, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
A little less PC and liberal vspot after last week's run-in about Leisha Hailey's SouthWest Airline situation. Plus the news here is almost as exciting and titillating as Melanie Valera (Tender Forever) rapping in French with Mirah in "Lose Control" which I gave a shout out too in this weeks "On Rotation." Yeah, rapping in another language does that to a girl.

Trailer for Dirty Girl is Out and Juno Temple Dishes to Nylon!


My two favorite It Girls of the year finally came out with their perspective films (Martha Marcy May Marlene already making buzz as early as Sundance) but it's Temple's time to finally let loose and start the talk show and magazine circuit for "Dirty Girl" a road trip movie that's all about finding yourself and making friends with the most unlikely characters. To say that Juno Temple completely shines out the trailer would be an entire lie, newcomer Jeremy Dozier either has to be the "dirty girl" of the spotlight unintended for the gay stereotype. Chubby, cute and like a budding Seth Rogen in sarcasm, I'm more excited to see this road trip movie to the tune of 80s music for Dozier than Temple, although Temple is so damned 80stastic looking slightly like Candice Accola of Vampire Diaries and Juno (intention aside).

Juno, the British actress who totally owns an American accent in this movie, sat down with Nylon Magazine for their online interview feature "The Insider" calling herself a fan of thrift store shopping,  cites her favorite rock music and brainstorms for Halloween costume ideas. I'm rather partial to the thought of Kurt Cobain...

 Trailer for Marcy Marcy May Marlene Out!

Watching all three one after another can result in explosive squeegasms, just to warn everyone. And as the It and Cover Girl according to Nylon, Lizzie Olsen doesn't disappoint with her large expressive eyes she generated from her older sisters but oddly ends up looking more like classical songstress Hayley Westenra instead. All that on an expressionistic crack trip with John Hawkes's Patrick at the helm. I'm not complaining.





Baz Luhrmann interviews Florence Welch for Interview Magazine

This piece of news had me on the floor and searching everywhere online for the whole interview because as much as I praise Florence Welch for being awesome, Baz Luhrmann (director of theatrical and expressionistic hits as the Red Curtain triology [ Strictly Ballroom, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge]) has a sincere spot in my heart for being the helm captain of one of the most amazing aesthetic teams in all of filmdom. Why these two together? Like it says in the preview, Luhrmann helped pull together Welch's performance at the Costume Institute Gala in June which resulted in blowing Paul McCartney's brain up with Welch's intensity. I have no words except for <3 <3
(Seriously, if anyone can find the full interview, send it!)

Did I fail to mention she has a video for "Shake It Out" now?


Aqua Acoustics

Not just yet on American radio, but Aqua is getting some headway in on the other side of the pond getting exposure for "Megalomania" which came out Monday on Denmark's equivalent of Letterman, Go' Aften Danmark with an acoustic version of "Playmate to Jesus" that almost rivals the studio version. What makes a good live song, especially in Aqua's case? Add some new lyrics, as Rene Diff's part of the song is even more stunning than Lene's looks. I can't even make a decision on which version is better, both of them are fantastic. Aqua is back and ready to take back all those incriminating Barbie dolls.

 
hellogiggles.com rocks 


What is journalism at its quirkiest, sounding like an episode of New Girl? ("Who let the dirty slut out of the slut house?") Indie Goddess Zooey Deschanel with bff's Sophia Rossi and Molly "Molls" Mcaleer created this site of random articles ranging from food to celebrity crushes to problems of womanhood. It's probably the yahoo news for the quirky indie-girl and to that I'm incredibly grateful. Except for one article that showed up in my netvibes RSS feed, "Reasons I Will Adopt, or: How My Vagina Will Remain Unstitched" which is understandably humorous, but birthing humor can only go so far until it starts looking selfish. Other than that article, I see no reason but to adore this site, especially any Deschanel-written articles.Any recommendations? Probably the super-cute Stephanie Tanner: Style Icon or You Know You are Growing Up When....

Paper Thick Walls


Paper Thick Walls, Java Blend, September 30th, 2011
 Guitarist and vocalist Eric Michaels describes his Chicago-band Paper Thick Walls as folk-rock, but their site calls them something between Arcade Fire and Sufjan Stevens. Maybe I've spent too much time listening to music but I see something remarkably different about this band who rocked my face last Friday at the local coffee house radio show with Eric and fellow vocalist Kate Schell's Submarines-like call and response in their singing with the accompaniment that has the DIY quality of mylittlepony. Either way, comparisons aside, they're fantastic and I would have bought an album if I had the spending and if I had the guts to speak to the bass player who was very cute.



Arrested Development back in Development 

"This is a story" ... that Jason Bateman and company are back together in a Bluth family reunion! Expect ten more episodes of cute awkward faces between Indie God Michael Cera and Alia Shawkhat, Will Arnett and Bateman's hilarious back and forths and my ever-favorite and never-nude Tobias who makes me die a little inside in laughter. In addition to ten more episodes, according to creator Mitchell Hurwitz, the movie will still be in production. But give the man time, he's still writing it! Expect sincere epicness. For now, let's make storylines in our heads of what kind of trouble Papa Bluth, the incomparable Jeffrey Tambor, got himself in now. 





Melissa McCarthy adds fashion to her resume 


What more could Melissa McCarthy possibly pwn now more than she has? First Gilmore Girls, then Mike and Molly, then taking over the world with her role as Megan on Bridesmaids. As if that wasn't enough, now she has taken over the Primetime Emmy's shocking all of us Tina Fey-ers with a win and making Saturday Night Live watchable once more... what more can this funny lady do? Create a plus size fashion line, of course! Having already consorted with Daniella Pearl (which I thought the dress was beautiful, just not as flattering as it should have been with Melissa's insecurities of her own body clearly showing through: there should not have been a pattern and the chest area either could have used a better bra or better fitted and to lower the waistline to where her waist actually is), McCarthy's inner fashionista is being unleashed. 

“Trying to find stuff that’s still fashion-forward in my size is damn near impossible. It’s either for like a 98-year-old woman or a 14-year-old hooker, and there is nothing in the middle." True story, but good luck getting the money for it, it costs less for skinny fashion; plus size involves more money and politics so I can only tip my hat to this voluptuous woman and wish her good luck.

Joe Jeans's "Jean Sweats"



Ending on a fashion note, October's Nylon advertised "Jean Sweats" with a huge question mark if it would be epic or too lazy. Structured like regular jeans but with a sweat pant "innovative fabric technology and indigo yarns" it sounds like it is all-encompassing

 I had the blind hope it would be like these amazing cotton-lined footless tights that I already have two pairs of. Sweatpant-like layer under jeans, I'm definitely for that once winter hits but it seems like all fashion blogs remain skeptical about this concept. Jeggings were hard enough to swallow a few months ago, so what is the common consensus on jean sweats? Coming in three different styles, The Skinny, (skinny jean style) The High Water, (capri) and The Skinny Flare (bootcut, if in a perfect world I would grab those). But Joe Jeans is selling these lazy-loving jeans for 158.00. But it's only a matter of time when a less expensive company comes in with their rivaling brand of jean sweats. Who knows? I may buy it if they go with my idea.
Mirah feat. Tender Forever "Low Self Control"
 

Darren Criss - It's Not Unusual (Tom Jones Cover)


Amanda Palmer and Kim Boekbinder - Such Great Heights (Postal Service Cover)


Quadron - Jeans

Let's Whisper - Meet Me on the Dance Floor


Lady Gaga - Electric Chapel



Emilie Autumn - Willow



Princess Chelsea - And I Love Her (Beatles Cover)

I couldn't help but notice the high numbers in the original "Fashionisters to watch for" and how much time has gone by in the "It Girl" fashion and who is in and who is out (but let's not write off anyone in the last list. It's just been announced today that Elizabeth Olsen is Nylon's October Cover Girl!!!)

Florence Welch


Since the 2010 release of Lungs, Florence Welch has been seen as a tribal answer to Stevie Nicks in song and hasn't been looked at too closely until this summer for her fashion ventures. July's Nylon AND Bust Cover Girl is getting more attention for hippyster (somewhere between hippy and hipster) looks of flowing ethereal dresses from "Where the Water Gave Me" to extreme elegance on her cover of the Shake it Out Single to even solid hipster which she modeled in both magazines. I have a feeling there's a fashion line in her future.
























Jessica Chastain

More commonly known as the ditzy Celia Foote from the summer chick-flick blockbuster, "The Help," Jessica finally got her break and has been launched into the Hollywood limelight. While she has not been under the microscope known as Joan Rivers-headed "Fashion Police" just yet, she's already gracing photo shoots as a red-headed answer to Grace Kelly to simple elegant and sleek dresses on the red carpet of awaiting film projects like Wild Salome (which is on my list) and the recently unleashed "The Debt."





















Riley Keough


Although better known to be apart of the supporting cast of rock-bio-pic "The Runaways" as Dakota Fanning's older sister, Marie Currie, Keough is finally bursting out of her grandfather's shadow, Elvis Presley as well as her mother's shadow Lisa Marie Presley Lockwood, but that's a whole another rock-bio-pic in itself. And that's a pretty big shadow, but with roles like "Jack and Diane" and "Kiss of the Damned" with hipster rocker Jay Brannan she'll be 2012's It Girl. Do not question me!  What about fashion, you ask? There are small remnants of her rocker lineage but Rley manages to be subtly rocker. A girl after my own heart. I wish I was Juno Temple in "Jack and Diane" so she could make out with me!


Nina Dobrev

 
Dobrev is the veteran of this list, with a career spanning all the way back to being an extra in the original ten minute movie of "Repo! The Genetic Opera" in 2006 and already two seasons of "Vampire Diaries" (my vampire-guilty pleasure) under her belt; her fashion at long last has been unleashed on the red carpet at this year's Emmy Awards wearing a red Donna Karan gown as a presenter which is considered lower rank on the Hollywood food chain. But her looks certainly don't say lower rank. Aside the red carpet, like in Nylon's September edition she brought some sexy flannel fire.










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