Gerald Dean Rice's Blog, page 123

#6: The Grudge

Okay, who needs a good story when you can scare like this.  I remember sitting in the theater listening to the squeals of teenaged girls, but the topper was the guy a couple of rows in front of me who almost jumped out of his seat who had to be around my age if not older.  I felt the same way.  The creepiest part was the fact I couldn't figure out if that was a doll or a human being.  Things that look like things creep me out (things that are overly-sized creep me out too).  I haven't tried to figure out what THAT was, part of the mystery for me.  Best to leave it alone.

 

"What?  Is there something on my face?"

Conclave

Just got back from a panel at Conclave.  It was great.  I'm looking forward to going back tomorrow.  Tonight was "Monsters of Today", tomorrow is "Writing Your First Novel" and another I can't remember offhand.  I met THE Tim Curran.  Great guy, I'm looking to talking to him again tomorrow.  It'd be great to sell a book or two, but I'm hoping I can make a connection or two.  That would be worth more in the long run.

#7: 28 Days Later

The horror movie that redefined the zombie genre, 28 Days Later gave the walking dead a shot in the arm.  We have seen the enemy and he is us.  If we got attacked by really sick monkeys.

 

"Brains! Brains! Visine! Brains!"

#12: Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

There's a reason I put part 3 on the list and not the original.  Dream Warriors actually deepened the Freddy story line.  It went in a new direction and was actually good.  The third installment for me, implies the first.  I guess I could have done the same thing with Friday the 13th V: A New Beginning, but they completely ignored all that good work with part VI.  Sure, after DW Freddy devolved into really pan humor until Wes Craven's New Nightmare, but that makes DW stand out all the more.

 

Insert double-entendre here.

#11: Frailty

The only reason this movie doesn't rank higher is because the scares aren't 'traditional' scares.  It's more to do with a frightened young boy who comes to the realization he is all alone, surrounded by a zealot father intent on destroying demons and a younger brother who only wants to believe what Daddy believes.  At least that's what you think.  Everything about this movie is awesome.  From the story, the directing, the acting and a twist to put M. Night to shame.

 

"Game over, man.  Game over."

#10: The Mist

Frank Darabont hates you.  He hates me.  He hates children.  He hates young lovers.  He hates old people.  No matter what you do, Frank Darabont is going to get you.  And the twist at the end is like a kick in the balls.  It's so awful you'll laugh to keep from crying.  'least I did.  Thomas Jane's face was priceless.

 

 

#9: Halloween 1 & 2

I've tried not to put 2 movies in the same franchise but the Halloweens were really 2 volumes of one complete story.  The part that sets Michael Myers apart from Jason Voorhees is that he's alive and there's absolutely no explanation as to why he's trying to wipe out his entire family (and anyone who gets in close enough proximity).

 

#8: Candyman & In the Mouth of Madness

These movies came out around the same time, but one I really loved from the start, the other I had to mature to appreciate how really good it was.

 

Candyman has all the makings of being an instant classic.  Immortal killer, heroine who has yet to discover her inner strength and the people who build up the killer's legend.  Tony Todd was perfectly cast; who could have done a better job?  The parking lot scene where he whisks Helen away was awesome.  I mean, all he was doing was saying her name and it was scary.

In the Mouth of Madness took some growing on me.  I loved it right up until the end.  I just didn't get the whole Sam Neill laughing at himself in the theater.  But as I got older I took it to mean the ridiculousness of life itself.  That we could spend our lives being afraid of the boogeyman everywhere we go, but in the end it's all just silliness.  Or that could just be the over analyst in me and Neill was just nuts.

 

This also marks for me the last good movie John Carpenter made.

 

Signing

Well, got my first signing all lined up. 9/23 in Fenton, MI I will be at the grand opening of Open Book from 12-4. I have a few more I'm doing, but I have to make sure they're locked in. I was going to have one in Ann Arbor, but I had a scheduling conflict so it'll be moved to February, hopefully. But I should be at Detroit Artists Market 11/20. I don't have a date yet, but I will also be at Great Lakes Artisan Village in the near future.

Got My Books

So I'll be loaded up at every signing.  Yayuh!