Horror

“…is that moment at which one sees the creature/aberration that causes the terror or suspense, a "shock value." -Stephen King

i love scary movies. i love jumping in a theatre full of people. i love the way we are complete strangers and love getting scared together.
I want to share a very personal scary memory. Only my family knows about. The ones who were there, remember it to this day. 
It was 1981. I was 3 years old. Before dvd´s, blu ray´s or VCR´s... my dad had bought a movie projector. Mostly Disney cartoons. But one of the movies he bought was DRACULA (1979).Dracula was played by Frank Langella and Sir Laurence Olivier plays Van Helsing. As many vampire movies, full of dark cliches. This one was different. This one had a scene so scary, it left a mark on me.

It is a dark night. We are on a cementery, full of mist. Doctor Van Helsing and Dr. Seward search for the tumb of Mina, Van Helsing´s daughter. He fears she has become a vampire. When they come to her grave a horse starts to hit the ground. It makes them aware that something is wrong under the ground. They open the tumb and find Mina´s coffin empty, one of the sides is scratched... it is a tunnel that leads to a mine. They carry a cross for protection. Inside the dark tunnels Van Helsing stumbles and the cross falls into a puddle of water. In the puddle we can see a reflection. Someone is coming closer. It’s a woman, in a white vail, we can see her feet covered in rats.No eyes only two red points
Saying….Papa…Papa!

It is …Mina.

All my aunts and uncles, my mom, my dad, my brother and my sister laugh to this day, about how scared i was. Every time we saw Dracula, i ran from the screen to go behind the couch, covering my eyes in horror. SCREAMING:  SHE´S COMING, SHE´S COMING!!!

"The Girl made of Flour " That´s what i called her.

I memorized every PREVIOUS step, every frame and every sound of that movie. Because i know she existed inside there. As a vivid nightmare. All my fears were there.

Maybe I was very little. Maybe I was very impressed by the makeup or special effects. But. To this day, to me, this is the most frightening scene ever. The very definition of fear is when it joins something you love. Think about it. A man and her daughter. How could you possibly be afraid of your own kid?? ( The omen, The exorcist)

CAN´T BEAT THE VIEW

in·spi·ra·tion [in-spuh-rey-shuhn]
noun
1.
an inspiring or animating action or influence
2.
something inspired, as an idea.
3.
a result of inspired activity.
4.
a thing or person that inspires.

George Clooney  played Bruce Wayne, Seth Gecko & Danny Ocean. He has been on the director chair also. And one of the most important things in any line of work  is... You must not forget your inspirations. The people that helped you, shaped you or showed you around when you were young. Sandra Bullock shares that same line of work. She did what most actors can´t. After a very successful action movie (SPEED) and after a successful comedy (Miss Congeniality) she didn’t get typecast. When she won an Academy Award( The Blind Side ), she said " artist´s who inspire me". None of their filmologies is or will ever be predictable. Both star in a very unique movie.

. . .GRAVITY

"Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone - tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. "from IMDB


Crafted, Written and Directed by Alfonso Cuarón. Who I think makes a better movie every time he directs. You can see how he has grown as a storyteller. And the best pay check is growth. And if you do the same things for a 10 year period, but better. There´s a  progress and a development. Not just loving what you do, but YOU MUST GROW.

GRAVITY is not 2001 A space Odyssey, it is not Alien, it is not Kubrick´s or Ridley Scott´s space. It is indeed a whole different experience. I saw it on 3D on IMAX and it really is like you are out there. To me, the best movies are the ones that you don’t think you are seeing a movie. ITS REAL. IT´S MAGIC.

As GRAVITY, is the central character on the movie and the way it affects, sound, speed, smell, touch even our mind. There is no life in space. ITS NOT POSSIBLE. There you got your villain. Your constant. The main theme is inspiration. not just some one that teaches but someone that inspires. That some one that knows how good we are and let us realize it. Makes us look at the mirror. And realizing we are capable of anything we want.

The ease with which Sandra Bullock and Clooney play their parts is just magnificent. Not trying to be funny. Not trying to steal each other sentences. No matter whose line is it. It is for the movie. As flying objects pass around, we fill this emptiness, the cold,  inside the mind, inside the helmet, inside a space ship,  in space.

No classical music it´s Hank Williams, no monster in every corner, oxygen is low. To me the best scene is, when Sandra Bullock cries and  we see this ONEdrop as it floats away on zero gravity as everything else goes out of focus. We can see  a flipped reflection on Sandra Bullock. Its breath taking.

If its GREEN its Cuaron´s. A green mist, Marvin the martian, Ping pong rackets, chess game pieces, every single little detail every little piece of has an importance. It makes it real , It makes it believable. When you see a movie, inside an apartment, does the fridge make it a house??? No, it’s the magnets on it, that make the fridge seem real. The little details that make it humanized.


FROM TOTAL CHAOS TO PERFECT PEACE
The silence and noise are the key ingredient for this movie soundtrack. It makes it more dramatic.  Moving objects tend to make us dizzy. This movie is not the case. I´ve seen movies where the editing is so bad, you get confused on whats going on. I can´t even imagine the script or the pre production sketches for the movie. It must´ve been a planning nightmare, but in the end it is worth the money your paying to see this movie.

The movie transpires the ambient of confusion to that of calm in just one second. From total mayhem to a tranquility state in just a few frames. As the rookie astronauts gathers confidence to do what she must do. She relies on the voices in her head. But not the ones that diminish her, but the ones that are uplifting. Is it worth it? do you want to live? Then do it!

This movie will be compared or trivialized or even marked as a bad copy or rip off of some other movies. But what we are, comes from inspiration what we leave will hopefully leave inspiration to others. To stand on the shoulders of gigants. So Cuaron´s work is not to match or compete with any other filmmaker. It stands alone. On its own. He got inspired, got his ingredients and use it with the best modern tools possible to make a groundbreaking visually astonishing  tribute to all the people that have inspired us.

“not forget your inspirations”
I catch my breath.
I left the theatre
In peace and quiet.

Bravo Cuarón!

The Creation myth

In Stuart Voytilla´s book Myth and the movies where he explores the structure of 50 movies, he says ”Films are the modern way to tell stories”

Movies tell stories of  characters that change or become some one else entirely. I love movies of characters larger than life. So large they can become icons, toys, halloween costumes. And everyone and anyone can distinguish them.

Shape shifting is part of the acting process. In order for the actor to become character, he has to change. Not always but it usually is that way. Good, bad, big or small, mentors or villains, each one plays a part of the story. The weight of a character is talking, walking and must of all... Reacting to the environment or other actors. In movies we see actor´s changing shape in our very eyes. They become who they play. Wether Stanislavski or Method Acting this is a process very few achieve.This are 4 movies with 4 actors that brought meaning to the characters. i enjoy watching them.

Tell me something Ma.-
Michael Corleone changed in the Godfather from a Soldier in the army to a Family Corleone Soldier. When he returns from Sicily he is another person. The hair, the eyes, the clothes. No more Mikey. In The Godfather Part II as Al Pacino seeks his mom´s council( breaking Italian tradition) as Michael Corleone prepares to kill Fredo. He walks thru the snow, with his hands on his pockets.As he passes a snow man, a Swing and a toy car. Before he enters you can hear a brilliant audio mix, as the soundtrack and the sound of a crow meet. Piano notes and a crow set the path of The Michael Corleone family. He wonders…What would his father do? He is powerful but not as loved his father was. (the scene lasts 20 seconds) Movie Magic.

Bon Appétit -
Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter makes The Silence of The Lambs exquisit to the viewer. With its dark tones and soundtrack we acompany him while in captivity, trapped in a cage , dressed in white (as every elegant bad guy should and breaks archetype) is being served dinner (lamb chops). We get a look at his politeness of an evil mind.We see drawings and listen to classical music. A true gentleman and a true monster. Jekyll & Hyde at the same time. Adequate and ingenius. He traps a guard with the cuffs. Maces the other. As he enjoys his music, the camera zooms slowly back so we can get the big picture. Hopkins acts as a symphony conductor ( while the two officers lie in the floor )  He is in deed a monster. The most ironic part of the scene is Hannibal´s mouth is covered in blood resembling the mask he wore before. But now he is free TO GO.

Just Paint your face and shadow smile-
Fueled by the music of the Cure, Brandon Lee portrayal as Eric D(Raven) in a dark comic book movie called The Crow, he never imagine that he was making his last film and the one that made him MYTH. Quoting The Raven, insanely LAUGHING while having a crow in his shoulder and playing his guitar. Our Hero Dressed in black (breaking archetype)As The Crow realizes what has happened during his death (lightning and rain  in the background) He embodies vengeance with the face of a street mime, only backwards by painting his face not sad but with a smile! Playing an immortal being only to become just that. But as every hero has its weakness for pets, so before setting off on revenge he pets his cat. (As Brando on the Godfather)

Don´t be so sure-
Mark Hamill´s portrayal of Luke Skywalker is a classic. But his face, wardrobe and language also changed or evolved during the Star Wars SAGA from A NEW HOPE (dressed in white , helping his uncles, full of questions and EXCUSES ) To the grey Empire Strikes Back rebellion Luke ( full of mud, feels the force, Yoda apprentice ) to a black cloth Jedi Knight (killing the Gammorrians at the door and using mind tricks) taking his hoodie off and saying to Jabba the Hutt “I must be allowed to speak” A HERO not looking for Redemption for him BUT FOR HIS FATHER.

Wether its wardrobe, the camera angle, perfect cast, the lights, the director, the cinematography, good script, good timing , its all this components coming to fruition as one. To take a character and make Myth is no easy task. If you are like me, and you enjoy a good movie. I find it very similar to cooking with the right ingredients... or slowly  drinking an espresso and eating a creme brulee. No Rush. 

SO WHAT!

“All that is, was and will be
Universe much too big to see
Time and space never ending
Disturbing thoughts, questions pending
Limitations of human understanding”

METALLICA: Through the never
First and foremost I would like to say “I am the biggest Metallica fan ever” Every single person I have met in my life knows that. it’s something in the music or the band members chemistry, to me Metallica IS MY WAY OF LIFE. It transcends every barrier, it is with every molecule of me. And it´s everywhere. I made my college thesis about them. I met them in 2009. They signed it. One of the best days of my life. I said thank you to each one of them. It is now an awesome story. The book is now kept in my house and the story inside my heart.

Secondly, it is extremely hard for me to be objective or distant from that METALLICA FAN and write something that is just the truth.

Third It is impossible to me having a movie blog and not to give an entire post to them. So having said that let us begin. So what!

What is Through the never? (SPOILER ALERT) It’s the name of the 7th Metallica song on the black album. Talks about being driven to fulfill your dreams. There is a monumental amount of Metallica lyric reference in every frame of the movie. The hammer of justice or the silhouette of kill em all hammer. A horsemen riding the lightning. A puppet in a mirror coming to life. But the movie is not worth your money, only if you are a Metallica FAN.


In an unknown city, Metallica is performing a sold out show. A skater named (TRIP) hahaha (who works as a roadie for the band) arrives at the venue and at the beginning of the first song gets pulled out of the concert by his boss to be told this: “Find the bag!!!” for the band Is very important to have it before the show ends. So he is sent on a quest to find a van that contains a very important Bag? WHATS IN IT? Money?, a guitar? The Rosebud slay, the Holy Grail, the PICK of destiny???Maybe Cliff Burton´s soul (bassist killed on tour in 1986) or Jason Newsted (bassist that left in 2001) No one knows, No one really cares.


I was amazed the first 15 minutes of the movie. Best IMAX ever. But there is no story no plot no characters no nothing. Only a riot going on while Metallica plays. Police men vs some dudes. No reason what so ever. There is very strong death images (not for children) of 6 people hanging by their necks.??? Does it serve the story, does it help the characters to have deeper connections with the audience, does it make it a movie? The end of the line. No. Through the never is not a movie. It is a promotional video, It is a band showing off what they can do and filming it the most expensive way known to man kind. I was expecting a little more (really much more from them). At least a story or some documentary insight, not just a bag full of nothing.. Maybe I had high hopes for some narrative but instead we get a character intro (WIZARD OF OZ kind of) James–Fire Kirk- Blood Lars-Anger Robert-Bass playing? I would rather have Martin Scorsese directing and Tom Waits interviewing them or photographers Anton Corbin or Matt Mahurin making black and white or sepia shots with the IMAX CAM. Make something different. Tell stories no one knows. Say something!!!

I left the theatre delighted to have seen them on the big screen. But confused on the way Metallica decides projects. It is no surprise to me that Metallica is a brand, it’s a company. It sells millions of records, T-shirts and tickets to see them live. I think this so called movie is just a testament of HOW BIG METALLICA IS, and that’s it. Nothing more.

To me the best scene is the end credits, when Metallica´s four members (James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett & Rob Trujillo) sit down to play a brilliant performance of ORION. (Seventh song on the Master of Puppets album) No photo montage or slow motion retrospective on this EPIC HUGE MONUMENTAL MUSIC BAND, it´s a homage for Cliff. After all the screams, the lights, the explosions and all the noise, Metallica sums up the entire IMAX EXPERIENCE in doing what they do BEST. Four guys playing their instruments and the cameras are there to capture it. No more. No less.

One more thing… you should probably have a better Marketing Manager to let you know a golden rule in movie business. Your movie shouldn´t open at the same time as Alfonso Cuaron´s GRAVITY. Just a thought.

RIGHT HAND/ LEFT HAND

Beware of false prophet which come to you in sheep´s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves...
-Matthew 7:15

Based on a true crime story “The Night of the Hunter” Directed by Charles Laughton is simply Astonishing. To this day i think its THE most underrated and unknown movie masterpiece of all time.

The birth of the movie villain.

Its the story of a man who puts up adds in the local newspaper as a "lonely gentleman seeking for love". Unpredictable actor and later movie icon Robert Mitchum´s epic cryptic portrayal as Harry Powell, is trully powerful. He brings tension and an evil wisdom to every frame. As Anton Chigur in No Country for Old Men, every time this character is in a scene we don´t know what is gonna happen. He plays a Reverend/serial killer who has tattoos in his fists, The words (love/hate).

By using the german expressionism (Das Cavinet of Dr. Caligari) the director was able to push black and white film styles and motifs to an unseen aesthetic spirit. Like Gabriel Figueroa with bizarre shadows, stylized dialogue, distorted perspectives, surrealistic sets, odd camera angles. All to create a sinister but familiar world. That mood is in every frame of the movie. The cinematography of Stanley Cortez is breathtaking. In some scenes, it demanded several underwater shots. Various sets were specially lighted to do specific camera movements for them to have a musical quality.

A true piece of movie art. The suspense of this 1955 thriller is like no other Hollywood film of that time, making it UNIQUE , to me the one movie that glues the 20th Century American cinema.

This is one of the most influential movies in the history of cinema giving ideas to David Lynch, Woody Allen , Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Scorsese, Terrence Malick, Jim Jarmusch, Alex Proyas, Tim Burton, The Coen Brothers, Rob Zombie and Spike Lee to name a few. A must if you haven´t seen it and if you have, watch it over and over again.

Realistic Speculation

…about possible future events

Robert A. Heinlein defiened Science Fiction like that.
As in horror or comedy, Sci Fi has its language.
It’s possible but not impossible because everything can happen.
He along Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke are known as the "Big Three" of science fiction. Ever since I was a kid I remember looking down to the ground and seeing my roots. But also looking up to the sky at night, the unknown, dark and full of stars To dream of my future. To this day I see airplanes with amazement.

Ever since humanity has existed, future is uncertain and we cannot begin to understand it or be able to predict it.  There are facts and opinions. That’s why  filmmakers everywhere embrace this wide open guess of …what comes next? Tomorrow? A Distant future? What part is sustained by science? What creative process is fiction? Both earth and sky exist. One is tangible the other far. Artists, writers and concept designers have been expanding our minds. (Metropolis, Bicentennial Man, Aliens, A Clock Work Orange, War of the Worlds, I am Legend, Dark City, )

My dad told me the first time I saw “2001 A Space Odyssey” that the monolith was intelligence brought to apes. I agree but I also think that  the monolith could be curiosity or doubt. What is it ? what does it do? what will it change ? Its the perfect marriage of harmony and distortion. Of light and darkness. Earth and Space. Past and Future. Red, Blue, Yellow colors everywhere.
While Kubrick’s future was clean, no bad words, polite, white and almost hospital like, Ridley Scott´s vision (Alien or Blade Runner) was dark, filthy as an old truck. Full of betrayal and shadows everywhere.

Both of them gave a different approach to Science Fiction and what could happen once men had no boundaries that to me is the message behind Arthur C. Clarke´s brilliant screenplay.

George Lucas made Luke Skywalker not just a hero but an instant legend he gave him a path of learning thru Yoda and Obi Wan, not just answers. He took from Kurosawa Films and Flash Gordon and gave us: light sabers, Darth Vader, Carbonite freeze and Wookies.

As Spielberg .adds light as a sign of hope (E.T. & Close Encounters of the Third Kind)  Or James Cameron brings the human factor in play ( Terminator 2 Judgment Day). Every science fiction work has a reality base(Robocop)We can imaginea starship full of soldiers going to battle (Starship Troopers) Or an alien planet with human like creatures (Avatar or The Fifth Element) or going inside a computer game (Tron)Aliens desguised as Humans (Attack of the Body Snatchers or They Live) Machines ruling the earth (The Matrix or The Terminator) Thoughts of a scorched planet left to ruin by ourselves The dawn and dusk of men. The idea of a lonely, deserted  ghost planet. Science deals with a basic primordial human fear of change. We are told since we are very young Change is progress. When things change there are those who embrace it and others who will oppose it. There is so much to see and experience with in our own imagination

We imagine an apocalypse (The Planet of the Apes or 28 days ) or the idea that we can alter the path of time by our actions (The Butterfly Effect) We embark on journeys that take us to far far away galaxies to uncertain dangers or to discovered that danger has arrived at our neighborhood. (The Blob or The Thing)

We are …but… doubt and curiosity.(The Black Hole)

To me Sci Fi has to have depth, (as in PREDATOR 2,  it gave the Predator the depth of a true character by self healing  after he has lost an arm prooving the audience it is  intelligent rather than just using it´s animal instinct. Contrary to H.R. Geiger’s Alien) Sci Fi must have deep characters (Reign of Fire, Children of Men, Pitch Black, A Scanner Darkly or Event Horizon.)

Either it answers our questions Or it fades away …