Well, after the unexpected success of the last episode (and it was a good one.  Go listen FOR FREE.  I’ll wait…).

Before we announce the theme and post the guidelines, a little bit about The Word Count project.

I put together the podcast to feature writers (new and “old hands,” famous and just starting) as a way to get YOUR writing out there.  The show is simple; based on a prompt, you create an original short story, then record yourself reading it.  That’s it.  No ads, no hard sell.  Just a podcast with great stories.

Why do I do it?  It’s a hobby.  And I’ve been meeting wonderful authors through the show.  It’s all about networking and friendships.

The show has been downloaded nearly 10,000 times since it started, an average of about 500 per episode.

Easy, fun and you’ll pick up a few more fans.

So…you’ll be needing the prompt and the guidelines then.  Right.

THE WORD COUNT EPISODE 27

PROMPT:

“Mistaken identity at the pub…”

Submission Guidelines (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY)

GENRE: Any.

DEADLINE: I must receive your submission by MIDNIGHT (Eastern Time) Friday, 25 January

THE DETAILS: The work must be an original of yours. It could be a poem, short story, song—anything really as long as you write something based on the stated prompt (“Mistaken identity at the pub…”). Do NOT exceed ten minutes. As this is a podcast, I need to receive a file of YOU, a friend or multiple friends reading (singing or otherwise performing) your work. MP3 FORMAT ONLY, and please attach your MP3 file to an e-mail or contact me for a Dropbox link. 

Your submission should also contain the following (via e-mail):

• Your pen name
• Your latest bio
• Links to your website(s) – Include your personal site, Facebook Fanpage etc.
• Your Twitter handle (if you have one)
• A photo of you I can use for the show notes
• Permission to use your recording in the podcast.

At the end of the recording, please add the following: “This is <YOUR NAME> author of <YOUR WORK(s)> and you’re listening to The Word Count Podcast”? Send your file to me@rbwood.com (or via the dropbox link I can provide) by Friday the 25th of January. You can also e-mail me with questions before hand. I do reserve the right NOT to post your submission, but will communicate that to you should it be the case.

I add the ‘Explicit’ tag to the ‘cast, so if your story uses adult themes or language that’s ok—but it should be necessary for the story.

Peace

Well, the last show was a bigger success than I thought after a sixth month break…

And since the holidays are behind us and the rest of winter ahead, I thought a new set of prompts to vote on would get those creative juices flowing and warm the blood.

Off to the LEFT, I’ve posted five potential prompts for the next Word Count.  The poll will remain open until Friday, 11 January 2013.  You can vote once per day and make SURE your vote counted by checking the results!

I think there are a few good ones to choose from…so vote often an early and get your friends to help YOU pick the theme for the next Word Count!

Peace

Well, the world didn’t end on 12/21/12, so I guess I have to finish what I started this year! 🙂

While we are enjoying friends, family and the pleasures this time of year often brings, I wanted to take a few moments to wish you all Happy [insert your holiday here].  I celebrate Christmas, so I have no issues wishing everyone I see a ‘Happy Christmas.’  It’s my way of saying “enjoy the season!.”  Just like I have friends who wish me “Happy Chanukah” and one lunitic who likes to scream “Festivus for the Rest of Us!” on my mobile phone voicemail.

But whatever you celebrate, and even if you dont, the end of the year is a great time to reflect on the past, plan for the future and stop the daily grind for a moment to look around a bit. 

I hope 2012 was everything you wanted, and I wish you a Happy Christmas and an exciting 2013.

Peace

R. B. Wood

Just back from Charleston, South Carolina for a mini vacation and research trip.  They’ll be a couple of upcoming blog posts on that (a couple pics below) and WAIT until you hear what happened on the Ghost Tour!

In the meantime, today is the LAST day for submissions for the latest Word Count Podcast (have four stories and a song for the show so far–it’s gonna be OUTSTANDING) and I have a blog up at the Orange Karen Anthology site check it out:

R. B. Wood’s Blog – Black and White

Enjoy a few pics from Charleston, be back soon!

Peace

Panarama Shot of the Missleton Plantation- Rice Processing, stream and swamp

   A Shot of the Magnolia Plantation and the final resting place of all three crews of the CSA Hunley

The readers have spoken and after a six month break, a theme has been chosen for the next WORD COUNT PODCAST!

All caps must mean I’m a bit excited.

Before we announce the theme and post the guidelines, a little bit about The Word Count project.

I put together the podcast to feature writers (new and “old hands,” famous and just starting) as a way to get YOUR writing out there.  The show is simple; based on a prompt, you create an original short story, then record yourself reading it.  That’s it.  No ads, no hard sell.  Just a podcast with great stories.

Why do I do it?  It’s a hobby.  And I’ve been meeting wonderful authors through the show.  It’s all about networking and friendships.

The show has been downloaded nearly 10,000 times since it started, an average of about 500 per episode.  

Easy, fun and you’ll pick up a few more fans.

So…you’ll be needing the prompt and the guidelines then.  Right.

THE WORD COUNT EPISODE 26

PROMPT:

“Those last few steps seemed the most difficult I had ever made in my life.”

Submission Guidelines (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY)

GENRE: Any.
DEADLINE: I must receive your submission by MIDNIGHT (Eastern Time) Friday, 7 December
THE DETAILS: The work must be an original of yours. It could be a poem, short story, song—anything really as long as you write something based on the stated prompt (“Those last few steps seemed the most difficult I had ever made in my life.“) Do NOT exceed ten minutes. As this is a podcast, I need to receive a file of YOU, a friend or multiple friends reading (singing or otherwise performing) your work. MP3 FORMAT ONLY, and please attach your MP3 file to an e-mail or contact me for a Dropbox link.

Your submission should also contain the following (via e-mail):

• Your pen name
• Your latest bio
• Links to your website(s) – Include your personal site, Facebook Fanpage etc.
• Your Twitter handle (if you have one)
• A photo of you I can use for the show notes
• Permission to use your recording in the podcast.

At the end of the recording, please add the following: “This is <YOUR NAME> author of <YOUR WORK(s)> and you’re listening to The Word Count Podcast”
Send your file to me@rbwood.com by Friday the 7th of December. You can also e-mail me with questions before hand. I do reserve the right NOT to post your submission, but will communicate that to you should it be the case. I add the ‘Explicit’ tag to the ‘cast, so if your story uses adult themes or language that’s ok—but it should be necessary for the story.

Peace

It’s BAAAAAAACK!

After a bit of a hiatus, it’s time for The Word Count Podcast to return to the airwaves!

What IS The Word Count?  Has it been that long?  Well, dear sinners, allow me to explain.

The Word Count podcast is a free show.  It’s all about writers building a short story based on a prompt, recording said story and the ‘cast compiles the best of the submissions for a show hosted by yours truely. With 25 episodes in the can, 8,000 downloads and dozens of stories, this is a GREAT way to promote your work.

Subscribe to the show via iTunes.  

And yes, it’s absolutely free.  And ad-free as well. It is all about the opportunity for authors to read one of thier own original stories for listeners to enjoy.  No tricks.  No gimmicks.  Pure originality at it’s best.

Guidelines are always posted when the call for submissions goes up.  But first, we need a theme.

Off to the left is a poll with five potential themes for the next show.  Which one wil it be?  Well unlike the recent elections in the States, your vote will determine the winner!  And you can vote once every 24 hours, so how cool is that?

The poll will remain open until Friday the 23rd of November.  Once the winner is selected, I’ll post the theme and the guidelines and submissions will officially open.

Simple.  Easy.  and loads of fun.  So please vote.  Get your friends to vote.

I’m R. B. Wood and you better believe I approve this message.

Peace

It is a sad reality in today’s world that here in the U.S. medical care is a major cost concern for most Americans.

I promise this is not a political post.  God knows I’m sick all the pundit mudslinging in 30 second spots that have invaded our lives for the past half year.

This is a blog about a woman who should’ve died, but didn’t.  A woman so filled with strength and life that, despite the odds, survived.  Something her husband and two little girls are very grateful for.

Recently I mentioned that a short story of mine had been picked up for an anthology.  But this soon-to-be collection of amazing stories by brilliant writers is more than words or tales woven for your pleasure.

It’s a fundraiser for fellow author and survivor Karen DeLabar.

This past summer, Karen contracted TSS or Toxic Shock Syndrome, and is still undergoing treatment to this day.  As you can imagine, the medical bills are mounting.

Many of you have no idea how much this woman is loved and adored.  Not just for what she pens, but because of who she is.  I want to share a few quotes from fellow authors about Orange Karen:

“There are aspects of this life we will never understand, forces beyond our human intelligence that will forever remain a mystery. Karen’s miraculous conquering of an illness predicted to take her young life is one such thing. She defied odds. She continues to defy medical expectations. How is this possible? If I were to guess, I would venture to say there are certain people made of something more formidable than others, something stern and tenacious and absolutely unwilling to give into darkness. This, in combination with her unwavering love for her young daughters, pulled her from the abyss. I stand in awe every day for this woman made of orange fire and silver steel as I watch her fight hard through pain and surgeries and physical therapy. I look forward to watching the rest of her life unfold, especially her work.” – Tess Thompson

“Karen and I met in Twitter Jail. We spent a long time in and out of the system. That sorta thing changes a gal. Two, three profiles to keep up with the Twitter habit. We wear Orange well. Friends in Twitter Jail; friends for life.” – Quill Shiv

“Karen has a strength and resiliency that is unfathomable. I can’t imagine how she endured, and is still enduring, all of her rehabilitation: hyperbaric chambers, amputation surgeries…She has done it all with gumption and grace. My heart goes out to her, her two young children, her husband and her family. When I heard what she was going through in the hospital and what she was going to have to go through in terms of rehab, I just wanted to do something – anything – to take just one ounce of her pain and suffering away. I’m not a doctor, I don’t have a trunk full of pain patches, but I can write. And if my story can bring a smile to Karen’s face and let her know that she is loved, then I’ll feel I was able to help somehow.” – Christina Esdon

“I am one of those old souls that believes in miracles. And Karen DeLebar is a living, breathing example of one. Not just for surviving an infection that would have killed most anyone else, but because she has retained her sense of humor and that spark of life that says ‘I refuse to give in!’.” – Shay Fabbro

I was sitting in a virtual bar somewhere in the south pacific. It was a Friday night. I was sitting at the piano bar listening to “a candle in the wind” when I was interrupted by a snortle and a laugh. I turn to find a young pantless redhead rising from her bar stool. I still remember the way her hair glistened from the moonlight. She turned to the bartender and shouted “Another Glinlivet on the rocks” to this day those words still send shivers down my spine. I screamed “no” as I rushed for the bar. I pulled the bottle from the bartender’s hand just in time. I grabbed her glass and tossed out the ice. I turned to see fire in eyes of the orange haired lass, she was no ordinary pubaholic, she was something more. I quickly filled her glass and extended it to her. “By all that is holy and scotch, try it straight” I shouted. She snatched the glass from my hand and swirled it under her nose. She brought the glass to her scowled lips and hesitated. The way she finally downed the shot brought tears to my eyes. I waited and watched as a smile came to her face. Three bottles later we were friends. As she rose and headed for the door, her hair still glistening in the moonlight, I shouted, “Wait what is your name?” She glanced back and said Karen, Karen DeLabar” – Glenn Skinner

“If you’ve ever been on an offshore sailing trip in stormy conditions, you’ve seen it: mental toughness, inner strength, grit. When the waves grow to scary heights and the wind shrieks through the rigging, some people lose their nerve. But other folks become resolute, determined. They know the boat needs a steady hand to get through the storm. They hang tough and do what must be done. Recently, Karen found herself caught in an epic storm. Supported by the stalwart crew of her husband and her girls, Karen showed her grit. She brought the ship back to port with strength and good humor and love.” – Tim Queeney

This is a very small sample.  There are more…loads more.

There is an open submission for this anthology.  The theme is simple: Orange.  I ask writers out there to head over to the link below to read, review and write to the submission guidelines.  The deadline is 15 December.

Many have already sent in stories.  Christina Esdon is organizing the submissions and is generally running the show. Jennifer Gracen, Quill Shiv and Susan Ethridge have donated their prodigious skills as editors for the anthology.  Kip Ayers (the cover artist I use for The Arcana Chronicles) is donated artwork for the cover.  What we are looking for now are great story donations.  If you’re a writer, consider putting pen to paper.  On social media, I would appreciate it if this article was shared across the net.

We want to produce an anthology worthy of a warrior.

ORANGE KAREN: TRIBUTE TO A WARRIOR SUBMISSIONS

Well- I didn’t achieve my goal.  That fickle bitch Sandy (and preperations before hand) threw a curve ball into the ‘movie a night’ plan for October. But no worries, all are safe and minimal damage here in my neighborhood. I hope this post finds all those who were in the path of Sandy well, and my prayers go out to those hardest hit.

However, had to post the last of my reviews come hell or high water….actually, they both came, but (double entendres aside) I had to post the review for the last one.  Saved this for Halloween night and I’m sure you’ve guessed which story it is.

Before the review, I will mention that the Word Count Podcast WILL return in November, as well as a very special post regarding an upcoming short story anthology where a story of mine will be published.  So stay tuned!  Meanwhile…

Halloween (1978 – rated R in the US for frightening and intense scenes, violence, gore, nudity and my thoughts about a young Jamie Lee Curtis)

Summary (from IMDB):

The year is 1963, the night: Halloween. Police are called to 43 Lampkin Ln. only to discover that 15 year old Judith Myers has been stabbed to death, by her 6 year-old brother, Michael. After being institutionalized for 15 years, Myers breaks out on the night before Halloween. No one knows, nor wants to find out, what will happen on October 31st 1978 besides Myers’ psychiatrist, Dr. Loomis. He knows Michael is coming back to Haddonfield, but by the time the town realizes it, it’ll be too late for many people.

This is John Carpenter at his finest. This Godfather of slasher movies was made on absolutely minimal budget (the cast wore their own clothes).  Carpenter’s use of lighting and suspense building set the bar for a generation of flicks–and he didn’t need a massive special effects budget to do it.  Lighting techniques, sounds, camera angles, moving shadows, and a haunting score.  Little touches that clue in the audience while the characters are still clueless.  Fantastic stuff.

The character of Michael Myers  is such a phenomenal monster in this movie that he inspired scores of imitators, such as Jason Vorhees (Friday the 13th), The Miner (My Bloody Valentine), and Charlie Puckett (The Night Brings Charlie), to name but a few.

The acting is surprisingly good. PJ Soles provides much of the films limited humor (and one of the best deaths), Nancy Loomis turns in a decent performance and then there is the young “queen of scream” herself, Jamie Lee Curtis. Her performance at first seems shy and un-assured, yet you quickly realize that it is perfect for the character, who is herself shy and un-assured and not at all prepared for what she is to face. And of course there is the perfectly cast Donald Pleasence as the determined (perhaps a little unstable) Dr. Sam Loomis.

This is a classic that is still imitated today, nearly 35 years later.  If you want to see an oldie, but a goodie and the one that really started the genre, then put the candy out doors for the kids, turn out the lights and enjoy.

Happy Halloween!

Peace

Holy crap!

Watch as RB’s Joomla skills screw up three days of posting.  Sometimes I define “enough knowledge to be dangerous.”

By the way, if there are any Joomla guru’s out there, drop me an e-mail at me@rbwood.com if you want some freelance work.

So let’s do this in reverse order, shall we?

DAY 26

House On Haunted Hill (1959 – Unrated in the US, but scary a get out.  DO NOT see the 1999 remake)

Summary (from IMDB):

Eccentric millionaire Fredrick Loren and his 4th wife, Annabelle, have invited 5 people to the house on Haunted Hill for a “haunted House” party. Whoever will stay in the house for one night will earn ten thousand dollars each. As the night progresses, all the guests are trapped inside the house with ghosts, murderers, and other terrors.

RB Wood’s rating (out of 5): 3.5 Campy Actors

A lot of you young folk only know Vincent Price as the voice (and laugh) at the end of the Michael Jackson hit Thriller.  And that’s a shame. The story of “House on Haunted Hill” is at its core, a new twist to the “Old Spooky House” kind of Gothic horror tales that had existed since the literary origins of the genre. Vincent Price is Frederick Loren, an eccentric multi-millionaire that decides to give a horror-themed party for his wife Annabelle (Carol Ohmart) in a very bizarre way. The strange party consist of inviting 5 strangers to an allegedly haunted house (where many murders have taken place), and to reward them with $10,000 if they manage to survive the night. As the challenge begins, strange events begin to happen and soon everyone wonders if there may be some true in the legend of the House on Haunted Hill.
 

Written by Robb White, the story may be clichéd, but it’s filled with excellent black comedy and has some very clever twists that give the film its very special charm. To expect a terrifying horror experience is to watch the film with the wrong attitude, as “House on Haunted Hill” moves more on the lines of subtle dark comedy with a dose of campy fun instead of graphic horror. Despite this tone, the film plays very good with the mystery that represents the House and the murders, and the ending still is one of the best surprises on film.

William Castle directs this film following the conventions of the Gothic horror to the letter, but even when may had been a businessman first, he still was an artist, and shows off a very clever use of the camera to create mood an atmosphere. Castle was a huge fan of Alfred Hitchcock, and it shows as Castle’s visual style in “House on Haunted Hill” owes a lot to Hitchcock’s inventive use of the camera to tell a story (The master of suspense would “return the favor” a year later with his very own b-movie, “Psycho”). Castle’s elegant camera-work contrasts with the dark campy humor of the story giving the film its distinct tone, favored by the classic performances of Vincent Price and Elisha Cook.

The legendary Vincent Price, who delivers an unforgettable performance with his enormous presence that makes his intentionally campy delivery even more enjoyable. Elisha Cook Jr. plays one of the guests at the party, Watson Pritchard, and his scene-stealing performance almost overshadows Price’s (not an easy feat to accomplish). The surprise comes from Carol Ohmart, who plays Annabelle Loren, being a worthy counterpart to Price’s character, as his character’s gorgeous but treacherous wife. The rest of the cast is somewhat effective, with Carolyn Craig and Richard Long playing the “heroes” of the story with good results, although some other members of the cast are pretty average when compared to the previously mentioned actors.

Yes, it’s a little dated, but it’s a lot of fun.

DAY 25

Drag Me to Hell (2009 Rated PG-13 in the US for horror violence, terror, disturbing images and show us all what SHOULD have happened to Wall Street bankers during the Great Recession)

Summary (from IMDB):

Christine Brown is a loans officer at a bank but is worried about her lot in life. She’s in competition with a competent colleague for an assistant manager position and isn’t too sure about her status with a boyfriend. Worried that her boss will think less of her if she shows weakness, she refuses a time extension on a loan to an old woman, Mrs. Ganush, who now faces foreclosure and the loss of her house. In retaliation, the old woman place a curse on her which, she subsequently learns, will result in her being taken to hell in a few days time. With the help of a psychic, she tries to rid herself of the demon, but faces several hurdles in the attempt.

RB Wood’s rating (out of 5): 4 creepy old women

From the intense opening scene to the stellar and shocking finale, Sam Raimi has officially returned to the horror genre with vigor and spark in the year’s best horror film so far. Starring Alison Lohman in the leading role (Ellen Page was originally cast as the lead but dropped out of the project early in production), Drag Me to Hell feels like much more than your average, predictable horror popcorn flick. It’s filled with plenty of twists and turns and, like any good ride, a satisfying conclusion. And the PG-13 rating? Forget about it! You hardly notice that little factor because of how immersed you become in the story. Also starring are Justin Long, David Paymer, and Lorna Raver.

Christine (Lohman), a loan officer at a bank with a lovely boyfriend (Long), is being considered for a promotion. Jumping at the opportunity, she comes across an old gypsy woman (Raver) who requests a third extension on her house. Her boss (Paymer) tells her it’s a tough decision, and its her call, so she refuses the woman’s payment. Absolutely infuriated, the woman stalks Christine after work and bestows her with a supernatural curse, one which she has only three days to overcome before the spirits drag her to hell.

Perhaps the most shocking thing about the movie is how well it’s made technically. It had all sorts of interesting shots and the real work of a master filmmaker. Having both written and directed the film, Sam Raimi more than proves his worth to the horror genre despite his long absence since Army of Darkness. In ways, this is also a sort of revival of what people with think of PG-13 horror movies. Drag Me to Hell is one of the most intense, scary horror films in quite some time, despite the PG-13 rating which many tag as already crap.

Drag Me to Hell is full of its epic shocks, and the less you go in knowing about it the better. I could go on for hours about the movie and spoil everything there is to know, but that would truly ruin some of its appeal. Which is certainly not to say that it is lost after a first viewing, just that it’s an experience unlike any other going into this movie watching virtually no clips and reading very little about it. It becomes a truly rewarding experience.

DAY 24

The Lost Boys (1987 – Rated R in the US for bloody horror violence including disturbing images, language and Kiefer Sutherland’s hair cut)

Summary (from IMDB):

A mother and her two sons move to a small coast town in California. The town is plagued by bikers and some mysterious deaths. The younger boy makes friends with two other boys who claim to be vampire hunters while the older boy is drawn into the gang of bikers by a beautiful girl. The older boy starts sleeping days and staying out all night while the younger boy starts getting into trouble because of his friends’ obsession.

RB Wood’s rating (out of 5): 4 annoying little brothers

The best element of this movie is that fact that it doesn’t take itself very seriously, but in no way does that effect the relative creepiness of the main storyline. The makeup is top notch, as are the special effects and the acting is a perfect fit to the context of the film. Yeah, Corey Haim may not be a Dean or Brando, but he is pitch perfect as the annoying little brother who talks big and runs fast in the face of trouble. Jason Patrick is as good as an actor could possibly be in a role that requires very little character development but the big star here is Kiefer Sutherland who channels his “scary bad boy” look into a character who is as fun to watch as he is frightening. Rounding out the rest of the cast is Dianne Wiest as the sweet mother, Corey Haim and Edward Hermann as the vampire killing duo Edgar and Alan (a cute Poe reference) Frog and 80’s movie staple Jamie Gertz as the gypsy-esque Star.

The film has many memorable scenes including the vampire initiation and the scene where Patrick first approaches his brother in vampire form. Though the 80’s fashion and music are powerful throughout they borderline overdone and are still enjoyable. Plotwise the set up is acceptable: Wiest and her two sons(Patrick and Haim) move into her father’s house in Santa Carla, California, a quaint little beach side town that has been suffering from a high homicide rate. While mom looks for a job the boys look for something to do, Patrick setting his sights on the alluring Star and Haim settling into the local comic den, both fail to notice the ridiculous amount of “MISSING” posters on the walls. Patrick is led astray by a group of youths who like to drag race and hang out in a cave, eventually peer pressure rears its ugly head and soon enough Patrick is one of them. Then he finds out exactly why they only hang out after dark.

Full of great one liners and comedic performances (Barnard Hughes is great as the eccentric taxidermist/grandfather) “The Lost Boys” is a film showcased by the small touches: we still have the usual vampire yarn, but the youthful overtones create a different effect. Yes its 80’s but its damn fun to watch. Schumacher creates a film that is not only a fun take on vampires but a creative take on teenagers and their neverending trek to belong.
Reccommended to those who have a sense of humor and enjoy vampire films.

Peace

28 Days Later (Rated R in the US for strong violence, gore, language, nudity and because Cillian Murphy is FREAKY-looking)

Summary (from IMDB):

Animal activists invade a laboratory with the intention of releasing chimpanzees that are undergoing experimentation, infected by a virus -a virus that causes rage. The naive activists ignore the pleas of a scientist to keep the cages locked, with disastrous results. Twenty-eight days later, our protagonist, Jim, wakes up from a coma, alone, in an abandoned hospital. He begins to seek out anyone else to find London is deserted, apparently without a living soul. After finding a church, which had become inhabited by zombie like humans intent on his demise, he runs for his life. Selena and Mark rescue him from the horde and bring him up to date on the mass carnage and horror as all of London tore itself apart. This is a tale of survival and ultimately, heroics, with nice subtext about mankind’s savage nature.

RB Wood’s Rating (out of 5): 4.5 British character actors

Yes, it’s another zombie flick (of sorts).  But this one is different. The other films focus too much on extensive, special-effects-controlled, gory action sequences between infected and normals, with heavy background music. But here there’s always a tinge of sadness, emptyness, helplessness. Consider that empty London scene with that background music. We found out there’s much else to show than just electrifying action or gore to describe the picture of life in this condition that these movies talk about.

Twenty-eight days after being hit by a car, Jim, a bike courier and our film’s hero, wakes up to find London deserted. He eventually meets two other survivors and then encounters another two. After picking up a radio broadcast that calls all uninfected people to Manchester, the survivors fight off the infected and make their way to what seems like the promised land. Complications follow is all I’ll say.

Some have compared this film to George Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead,” giving some people the wrong impression that this is the British take on the zombie flick. Wrong. The infected aren’t zombies– but they are terrifying. They can be killed and the director doesn’t gross us out by showing the infected feasting on human flesh. (All in all, “28 Days” isn’t visually disgusting. It’s the thought of what’s going on that bothers you.)

The acting in this film is really first rate, with Cillian Murphy giving an emotionally compelling performance. As in most Boyle films, the camera work also is exceptional and in the first part we are shown some phenomenal long shots of an evacuted London with a soundtrack devoid of sound. The effect is gooseflesh raising. Boyle also adds in other nice touches, like a bunch of goldfish swimming in about five inches of water. (Symbolism?) And a scene with wild horses is another fine moment.

The story too goes beyond what we might expect. We get the jumps associated with zombie films – they come out of no where and travel in packs – and yet the heroes don’t come off too much better. One character suggests that the virus, by killing off humankind, returns things to normalcy. Christopher Eccleston, a terrific actor, retorts that before the virus man killed man and now he’s still doing it. So what’s changed? The film also suggests that to save yourself, you would have to kill anyone – child, adult; family member, stranger. And these characters do. But what’s noteworthy is we see how having to make those sorts of decisions affects them, particularly Jim.

Like Lord of the Flies, the film strips away the civility we all think we possess and demonstrates that we, too, are bound by the laws of the animal kingdom – it’s survival of the fittest and to have a future we need to reproduce.

Tomorrow: Vampires done RIGHT.

Peace

Turistas (2006 Rated R in the US for strong graphic violence and disturbing content, sexuality, nudity, drug use and language. All in all, a good Halloween college party)

Summary (from IMDB):

While traveling on vacation through the country of Northeastern of Brazil by bus, the American Alex Trubituan, his sister Bea Tribituan and their friend Amy Harrington meet the also foreigners Pru Stagler, Finn Davies and Liam Kuller after an accident with their bus. They follow a track through the woods and find a hidden paradisiacal beach. They decide to stay in the place drinking beer and dancing funk and parting with the locals and they meet the amicable Brazilian teenager Kiko. They are drugged with “Boa Noite, Cinderela” (Ruffies, literal translation: “Good Night, Cinderella” – a trick used by smalltime crooks to steal naive people) and when they wake up, they are practically naked, with all their belongings, clothes, money, jewels, passports, backpacks etc. stolen. They walk to a small village trying to find a police station, they get into trouble with the dwellers and they are helped by their acquaintance Kiko…

RB Wood’s Rating (Out of 5): 3.5 Carnival scantily-clad women

This really isn’t a bad picture, despite some of the reviews out there.  In fact, I’d say the only disappointing aspect is the ending which, for me, feel flat.  The Tension-building and setup are superb, and the acting much better than I’d expected–even upon last night’s repeat viewing. John Stockwell’s “Turistas” mines territory explored by “Hostel”, but it substitutes Brazil for Europe. A bunch of young tourists from Australia, the UK, and the US, are left high and dry when the bus they are traveling in is destroyed and their personal effects are stolen. There are no points for guessing what happens next. There are elements of “Dr. Butcher MD” in this beautifully shot horror pic that lavishes attention on the hot bodies of its female stars. It is not  violent or as gory,but director Stockwell (who played Arnie’s best friend in “Christine”) does a great job of building the suspense by intercutting the situation the turistas are facing with what the bad guys are up to. There is one gory scene in which a stomach is cut open in graphic detail and organs are removed, but as an avid CSI watcher, this has less impact now than it did back in 2006. Some of the underwater material is gorgeous to look at, recalling the mood of Argento’s “Inferno”, and the jungle setting is unsettling. Although the film runs out of steam towards the end and spends a bit too much time underwater, it is, nevertheless, a very decent horror pic set in an exotic milieu and enhanced by some gruesome, realistic scenes of violence.

Tomorrow: “Plans are pointless. Staying alive’s as good as it gets.”

Peace 

The Omen (1976 – Rated R in the US for disturbing images, gore and violence.  Oh, and the antichrist shows up)

Summary (from IMDB):

Robert and Katherine Thorn seem to have it all. They are happily married and he is the US Ambassador to Great Britain, but they want more than to have children. When Katharine has a stillborn child, Robert is approached by a priest at the hospital who suggests that they take a healthy newborn whose mother has just died in childbirth. Without telling his wife he agrees. After relocating to London, strange events – and the ominous warnings of a priest – lead him to believe that the child he took from that Italian hospital is evil incarnate.

Between Jerry Goldsmith’s award-winning score and the masterful direction of Richard Donner, this movie is frightening for what is implied more that the violence shown on screen. From the claustrophic feel of the ancient tombs to the gray skies over London, the tone of this film has dread woven into it from the opening credits.

Born into the world of politics and wealth, little Damien Thorn (Harvey Stephens) is the darling of the beautiful and privileged Robert (Gregory Peck) and Katherine Thorn (Lee Remick). Mysterious accidents and the overall feeling of death begin to shadow their lives until the horrifying truth of Damien’s birth is uncovered millions of miles away in a grave in a decaying pagan cemetery in Italy. Gregory Peck gives a fine performance as ambitious politico Robert Thorn, a man who slowly discovers that his fate is interlinked in ancient biblical prophecy. With escalating horror, he uncovers a grand design that’s unfolding under the unsuspecting eyes of the entire world – and he and his perfect family are at the centre of it. His search for the truth is one of the best in films, taking him to the farthest reaches of the globe and climaxing in an exciting and bizarre confrontation between himself and the face of evil.

Lee Remick is ethereal as his beautiful and tragic wife. The rest of the cast – Billie Whitelaw as the creepy Mrs. Baylock, David Warner as the doomed Jennings and Leo McKern as the mysterious archaeologist Bugenhagen – give the movie its singular dark and moody quality. The Omen has a few disturbing moments that shock rather than disgust, but the film is loaded with memorable scenes that are ingenious. It’s the ‘feeling’ that the film incites that makes this movie unique. The haunted performances of the actors, the creepy-crawly musical score, the insinuation that doom is slowly creeping into the world with the birth of one lone child, all succeed in making The Omen one of the truest horror films.

Sometimes it’s the knowing that something is going to happen that is more frightening than actually seeing it happen.

I also need to mention the weird ‘curse’ that followed the cast and crew through post-production, making the film that much more creepy:

• Star Gregory Peck and screenwriter David Seltzer took separate planes to the UK…yet BOTH planes were struck by lightning.
• While producer Harvey Bernhard was in Rome, lightning just missed him.
• Rottweilers hired for the film attacked their trainers.
• A hotel at which director Richard Donner was staying got bombed by the IRA and he was also struck by a car.
• After Peck canceled another flight, to Israel, the plane he would have chartered crashed…killing all on board.
• On day one of the shoot, several principal members of the crew survived a head-on car crash.
• Special effects artist John Richardson was injured and his girlfriend beheaded in an accident.

Scary Shit.

Tomorrow: Turistas are in trouble…

Peace