True Blood-A Season 7 Retrospective-Does this Vampire Tale in the end...Suck?

Yep.  It is all said and done.  HBO's adaptation of the tales of the strangest, most sexed up town in Louisiana, originally books by Charlaine Harris has now wrapped up.  For seven years, we were regaled with tales of the denizens, living and undead of Bon Temps, lurid, colorful, improbable, shameless, bloody, yet somehow compelling.  What started out as the simple tale of a small town bar and grill worker Sookie Stackhouse amdst a sociological sea changed cause by vampires "coming out of the coffin" due to the creation of a synthetic blood substitute, turned into a bodice ripping drama of mayhem and powerplays of various supernatural communities working out their issues, with Bon Temps somehow being the ground zero of much of this.

With all this going on...when you get to the end, you have to decide, was the journey worthwhile? Was it worth it, this stay in Bon Temps for seven years?  In deciding that question, one has to contemplate just what kind of show True Blood was.  True Blood can be sort of deceptive when attempting to sort this out.  Clearly, Sookie Stackhouse was going to be one of the epicenters of this thing, her and her relationship with Bill Compton, a Civil War veteran whose family has deep ties to this community.  And for some, that was a bit of a problem from the get go.  Their "will they/won't they" relationship and the drama it orbited around could get tiresome.  Sookie has interesting qualities but setting her up to be the most desirable woman in the TB universe only works if you buy into that conceit.  I didn't.  She was attractive and had a moral compass.  But her judgemental BS and her penchant towards drama just got annoying.  And as noble and interesting a character as Bill Compton was, seeing the puppydog like traits is attraction towards her took on just got too much at times.  Yes, things got interesting with some of the moral quandaries he had to deal with, and though his dip towards vampire religion was interesting, I wish it had been set up and developed more.

Which is one of the key criticisms of True Blood.  There was a bit of schitzophrenia about what kind of show that it wanted to be.  The show touched on various high concept ideas, from the existence of the supernatural and how it affects affairs in the human world, spirituality and the like, but more often than not, it just used the situation for more mayhem and didn't really explore things in any meaningful way.

The main draw for the show was really some of the supporting characters.  While some relied mainly on the charisma of the actors (Tara, Alcid, etc) to give them the life they had, as it wasn't clear the writers had any purpose for them beyond bouncing them off the main players, some of the others got some fairly meaty arcs to deal with and had great moments and endings that satisfied at the end.  The top of that heap was Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgaard) who started out as an old, powerful vampire who embraced is not-human nature.  Except for his also inexplicable draw to Sookie (which they resolved with some dignity, thankfully), with some rather skilled writing as well as portrayal from Mr. Skarsgaard, showed humanity in a monster with out wimping him out.  I suppose closest to that would be Lucien Lacroix from the TV series Forever Knight, another mandatory show for vampire fans.  He was shown as a decent being under certain circumstances without watering him down or dialing down the fact that he was fundamentally not human.  Although, now that I think about it, he would be more like Janette from FK, in that he accepts his nature, but is more matter of fact about it, not quite reveling in it.  For revels, you need Pamela Swynford De Beaufort, Bonnie to Eric's Clyde.  She embraced the inhuman nature of vampire even more, but, like Eric, held on to enough of her "love", I suppose is the word, to keep her from being a monster.  But she very much was an apex predator, a vampire, and did not care much for most of humanity. 

Jason Stackhouse is another supporting character who emerged.  First shown as a dimwitted himbo horndog, he is later shown to not be actually stupid, just a guy who was used to getting by on sex appeal and athleticism, yet later developments in life made him come face to face with the deficiencies in his character.  Rather than just continue to be the user and hedonist he had been for most of his young life, he became determined to become something better, something more.  And in this, he succeeded, forging a life of professional responsibility as a police officer and redefining himself in how he dealt with friends, family and even women.  They no longer served in a universe of sex/no sex.  Not that it became a feminist condemnation of the heterosexual man, it just became a case of a young man maturing and learning more about recognizing the humanity in those he previously had just seen as objects of conquest.

Though that thing with him lusting after Eric Northman was a bit out of left field.  It seemed less character development and more about fangirls looking for slashfic fodder.

That is what makes True Blood worth it for the long haul.  Yes, it was sexy and visually stunning.  But for the long term, with some characters that went in circles and high concepts that ultimately went nowhere, many characters had very satisfying arcs and portrayals and their stories were worth it.  It will be interesting to see how it holds up on subsequent viewings, but this first time completing the journey, it was ultimately worth it.

The Whisperer In Darkness-Lovecraftian Horror filmed in Old School Horror Cinema Style

It seems that Howard Phillip's Mythos are nigh ubiquitous.  No matter where you look, games (electronic and table top), books, TV and film, the influence of the works of Lovecraft are there.  Tales of alien, mindbending horror lurking at the edges of vision, their very presence breaking down human perceptions, warping minds and shriveling souls.  That's before they even step on the physical stage, as exposure to the fleshly presence of Mythos manifestations is something sought by only the insane or the ignorant.  Given this rich heritage and influence, direct Lovecraft films have gotten relatively few big Hollywood productions.  In fact, it appears that the first will be the long in development Guillermo Del Toro's At The Mountains of Madness, a tale of icy polar alien exploration whose influence can be seen in The Thing (both versions), stories from X-Files (both the season one episode "Ice" and the first film, Fight The Future), and Ronald D. Moore's Helix (season one).  There have been other films with direct Lovecraft influence.  John Carpenter himself has two, Prince of Darkness, and At The Mouth of Madness.  It seems, though, the domain of Lovecraft adaptations is more in smaller budget productions.

The Howard Phillips Lovecraft Historical Society celebrates all things Mythos and seeks to bring to the world loving recreations of the worlds of HPL.  The society dabbles in several media realms, but some of their most remarkable works are film adaptations of Lovecraft's stories, not only seeking to accurately tell his stories, but do them in a way that recreates film styles of old.  Their first film was an adaptation of the classic Call of Cthuhlu, done in the style of yesteryears silent cinema.  Their followup, The Whisperer In Darkness, moves up to the black and white style of the old Universal Monster films and applies them to the Mythos, telling the tale of Professor Albert Wilmarth of Miskatonic University, Arkham, Massachusets, investigating a case of folklore seemingly come to life.  Skeptical of the outlandish claims and feeling the need to defend "scientific integrity", he is overwhelmed by the otherworldly madness he discovers.  But being a brave man and determined to do the right thing, he steps up faced with supernatural horrors and the prospect of an alien incursion.

Lovecraft's tales refuse to just step off the stage.  Despite the difficult language at times, the obvious age of the prose and the times described and the problematic nature of what appears are some of Lovecrafts viewpoints (accusations of racism, nativism, et al), his worlds inspire writers and other creators to this day.  Not only can Lovecraft's voice be heard in other fictional universes, creators return to his worlds and seek to bring them to life before new audiences.

Whisperer In Darkness does just this, with an eye to authenticity as well as excitement, wonder and otherworldly horror. 

This is a good one.  Check it out.

Tusk-Kookoocatchoo

Once upon a time, a boy blew his credit cards on an indie movie with his buddies.  The film, which took place mostly in a convenience store, blew up and boom, new indie auteur Kevin Smith was born.  Since then, two things have remained fairly consistent.  One, he is a man who goes through life passion first.  He has no problem telling the world what he is about and what he loves, be it literature (comics), film (geek cinema), food (anything sugary), mind altering substances (pot) or sex (yes, please). He mixes and mashes with his passions and what he feels inspired by, but he is determined to make certain it is his voice that is the primary note being hit.  Now, he may have had pretenses at selling out and going corporate and should any of his attempts at actually doing so gone the way he wanted, he might have embraced it for awhile.  Because he does want success, he does want the benjamins and he does want to be the adored figure of millions.  Well, the thing is, is that he always comes back to his own voice.  His own voice has now brought him back to film, and he hasn't let his experience with Red State go away.  He loves the idea of small indie film and now has gravitated to gonzo oddball horror.

What started out as frustrated Kev not breaking out into radio has become an online empire.  Smodcast Internet Radio has become quite the little cottage industry, a network of internet radio shows about a huge range of interests, with Smith on many of them.  The flagship show, Smodcast, has Kevin with his friend and collaborator, Scott Mossier, palavering about whatever, but a go-to schtick is to pitch movie ideas on the air.  Kev then decided...why not actually use these?  From Smodcast episode 259, where Kev and Scott discussed a weird Craigslist ad offering free room and board for the boarder dressing up in a Walrus costume for a couple hours.  Kev took that concept and ran with it, with the story of a podcaster (Justin Long) pursuing a strange story and ending up being caught up in some madness up North.  Tusk is the first film in the True North trilogy, next up being Yoga Hosers, the lead characters in that one being the two Colleens, Canadian convenience store clerks (a favorite them of Kevin's), played by his daughter (Harley Quinn Smith) and Johnny Depp's daughter (Lily-Rose Depp).  Depp himself will be returning as Quebecois homicide detective Guy Lapointe.

I don't want to give the story away, but if you have listened to Smodcast episode 259, you know it already.  Walrus suit.  That's all I'll say.

I only have two criticism.  The Walrus suit, valiant effort though it is, shows the limits of the films budget.  But that's ok.  And given that Smith is a veteran podcaster, it kind of surprised me that the podcast scenes were a bit too FM Morning Zoo.  But that's ok.  Creative, clever writing and actors embracing the madness and surprisingly human moments, Tusk is a great opening to an intriguing new trilogy that so far isn't like anything you have seen before.

Zodiac-An Unsolved Murder, Like that Piece of Hanging Skin At The Roof of a Burned Mouth

Opening scene, July 4th, 1969, a young couple, Darleen Farris and Mike Mageau, are assaulted by a mysterious marauder wielding a hand gun at a lover's lane location in Vallejo, California.  Mageau survives, Farris does not.   One month later, the Sanfrancisco Chronicle began getting taunting letters making fun of the police and their progress on the murder, accompanied by cryptograms.  Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr) is the tenacious crime reporter assigned to that beat and Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a Chronicle cartoonist has a knack for puzzles and finds himself drawn to the case.  Later, his interest becomes a burning obsession, which brings him in touch with the cops in various departments in the area as they work the murders that start stacking up.  It becomes a part of local folklore.  It is even the inspiration of the Scorpio killer in the first Dirty Harry movie.  The Zodiac killer not only consumes lives, he destroys careers and families of the people pursuing him. 

Unsolved murders have a particular fascination.  From the puzzle that refuses solution to the idea of the boogeyman still lurking in the shadows, history's Jack the Ripper, my hometown's (Texarkana) Phantom Killer and more, these figures frighten and fascinate in equal measure.

David Fincher plays down the theatrics he sometimes is known for and plays down the gimmicks as well.  His skill here is demonstrated primarily in just bringing to life the people and times of late sixties, early to mid seventies Bay Area California, with locations and music that take you there.  Less about suspense and chills and more about the multi-layered puzzle that is the Zodiac Killer and the emotional and spiritual stresses pulling at the killer's pursuers as they continue on their course.

If you are looking for slasher porn or heebie jeebies, this is not your film.  This is, though, a real life mystery and a film that lets the mystery tell itself.  Fincher is a director who knows just when to step up and knows when to back off.  When it comes to being a dance partner with the material, David Fincher is a man who knows how to lead and knows when to let his dance partner call the tune.

Great flick and an education in a particular chapter of American crime history.

Close To Home-I've Never Met a Draftee Who Loved What They Were Doing

It is true, I haven't.  Not that my experience with military conscription is extensive.  I was a volunteer (the US ended the draft in 1973, though males still have to register for Selective Service, just in case). But during my years in Korea, I saw lots of draftees (males still are required to put in a couple years in the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, females can volunteer).  To a man, they seemed to regard their time as jail and could not wait to get out.  And, to be honest, very few of them struck me as honest to goodness soldiers.  I think the ones assigned to combat units and especially the few who decided the military life is the life for them are the ones who make the transition in their minds from civilian to soldier.

In Israel, all young people, men and women, have to do a couple years in that nation's armed forces. In Close To Home, we get a glimpse of a couple of girls in the Israeli Defense Forces.  Smadar is rebellious and seemingly doesn't take her role as a soldier seriously at all. Mirit is a little more poised and wants to do a good job, but unlike Smadar, her family is right there in Jerusalem and she would rather be assigned someplace else, have some new experiences and have a job besides what they do, which is going up to Arabs in the street and checking them for their ID.  The two of them try to come up with ways to kill time, avoid the attention of their commander who occasionally comes to check on her troops and try to have a a "normal" life outside their service.  They tend to be kind of lighthearted and lackadaisal in their approach until one day, a bombing does happen.

Even after than, though they seem to walk a bit straighter and gaze a little sharper, it is clear they are still in that marking time mode.  Though even the career military personell in this role seem to be uncomfortable with this particular task and view it as something to be endured, rather than embraced.

The life of a draftee whose days are spent checking IDs isn't a glorious, glamorous or exciting one.  Closer to Home makes that clear.  These two girls seem determined to find something in this experience, though.  Through it, they seem to find each other.  In the midst of social turmoil, dubious politics and military make-work drudgery, finding a new friend in which to share adversity is not nothing.

Watch this movie with some decent wine and questions.

But...keep in mind, though an unglamorous window into an unglamorous life and job, keep in mind, like the job and lives it is depicting, it is really kind of dull.

Grand Budapest Hotel-The Dollhouse Between Wars

I've been a disciple of the canon of Wes Anderson since Rushmore, which of course didn't introduce the initial Anderson players (that was Bottle Rocket, a Wes Anderson heist film), but more of them came on board, including Bill Murray (genius right there) and Jason Schwartzmann, among others.  Rushmore is one of my all time favorite films, for I can relate to being a "talented oddball" who aspires to "greatness", yet I find my attentions and passions divided, to the point I appear to some lke a drifter.  But I am not.  Wanderer, yes.  To a classic rock soundtrack.

Now, the point of Rushmore was to expand the Anderson toolbox.  With Royal Tennanbaums and The LIfe Aquatic with Steve Zissou, the tribe, themes and style are firmly in place.  The tribe is his favorite players, Mssrs Murray, Schwartzmann, et al.  The themes are art, beauty, surreal within real, and isolation, seeking connection.  And often, seeking greatness in addition or to substitute for connection.  A sense of the world as a diorama/dollhouse is often the style, with a kicking musical accompaniment.

Which brings us all the way to The Grand Budapest Hotel.  With this film, you have some intriguing variations on his tools.  Sure, the tribe is there (Murray, Schwartzmann, Jeff Goldblum, William Dafoe et all).  Sure, the surreal dollhouse look and feel is there (the kicking rock is absent, though, because the era is wrong.  Mr. Anderson likes his classic rock, but he also likes his authenticity and attention to detail in is recreations).  Simply put, you have two gentlemen in the modern day sit down to share a meal at the said hotel, which only has a few guests and apparently has seen better days.  The older gent (F. Murray Abraham) relates to the younger man (Jude Law) how he obtained the hotel and his wealth.  He started out as a "lobby boy" named Zero, a refuge from a people displaced by the activity of World War 1. He is under the apprenticeship of Gustave (Ralph Fiennes), the concierge of the GPH and a man who frames the world in beauty.  He even sees it in places others might miss, like older women, tacky art and the like.  A paramour of his, an older woman as mentioned before, incredibly wealthy, apparently has named him in her will as she just died.  So he goes to the reading.  At which point, he finds himself framed for murder, along with Zero, with one of the lady's relatives, played by Adrian Brody, determined to see him take the fall.

Well, Gustav is an industrious and determined man.  He also has a keenly honed sense of justice and etiquette and finds them all violated under these circumstances.  He is determined to see justice done, not only himself cleared, but the real culprits dealt with in the most final and mannerly way possible.

Thus, we have a war torn Europe and a struggling hotel as the backdrop of an epic personal struggle, a determination to preserve a world in which beauty is safe and unmolested.  A fantasy within fantasy, perhaps, especially in a Europe torn by two world wars.  But as far as ideals go, there are worse ones which to aspire.

Great flick.

The Corridor-Lovecraft With No Tentacles

Lovecraftian horror is an honored subgenre in in macabre films.  You need some specific elements for a film to qualify as Lovecraftian.  1. Hapless characters clearly in over their heads and have no idea just how in over their heads they are.  2.  Something weird and/or creepy in their midst that does not immediately play all its cards.  Someone might know that "something is not right", but if they warn anyone, usually the others ignore them until it usually is too late.  Finally, brain blasting 3. Those exposed to the horror start to lose their marbles.  Their sanity is heading around the bend, probably, though not necessarily inevitably, never coming back.  They probably aren't even aware of this.  Again, there may be one or two...but they will probably end up dead in a gruesome manner.

Though there are exceptions.

So...get some dudes, some brosephs who have known each other for decades.  Take them up to a cabin in the woods a long way from civilization.  Have one of them discover something weird, in this case what looks like a "corridor", made up of phantasmal vapors, or energy of some kind.  The brosephs think this is their ticket to fame and fortune and as they celebrate in the way they will, they have no idea that they are slowly going bonkers.

Oh, and one key thing about horror, but especially about the Lovecraftian, there is no tying up the loose ends.  There will be loose ends at the end.  No "it as all a delusion...maybe".  No "I would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for you meddling kids".  Something beyond the framework touched human lives and left them forever changed.  And did not bother telling anyone why.

That is the dealio.  That is what it is.  It is all about a ride.  It is all about the trippiness.  Can you dig it?  Can you handle it?

Then you probably should be able to handle this trip into indie horror.

Cool flick.

How I Live Now-YA Does Not Have to Pander to Teenagers

Recently, I've been reading lots about John Milius, the maverick filmmaker who rubs the dominant left-politically inclined culture the wrong way in both his persona and his work.  Hollywood has not been kind to him, but he does his own thing and makes his own statements.  Those statements do stick out, especially since he is a voice against the grain.  One of his most famous films is Red Dawn and depending on your personal inclinations, you either love it or you hate it (awesome Basil Poledouris score).  The reason I bring up Red Dawn is that it depicts an apocalypse that is relatively uncommon, that of the mostly conventional war destabilizing the social order of the society of the characters. 

Daisy (Saoirsi Ronan) is an American girl sent overseas to live with relatives in Britain, as World War 3 has broken out. The combatants aren't spelled out, nor are the reasons for the conflict, though Britain is hip deep in the war.  Daisy's family lives out in the sticks and whatever is going on, they hope to avoid it, even when Daisy's aunt, the mother of the British family, is called away (she's a government official).  They hear news reports over the radio.  Occasionally, military planes fly overhead.  One day, a nuke detonates close enough for them to feel the air displacement and be in range of fallout.  But still, they hope to hold out.  Especially Daisy, because she has fallen in love with her older cousin Eddie, who has helped drag her out of the shell she was in when she got to the farmstead. 

However, British soldiers show up, apprehend them and separate the males from the females to take them to "safe houses" for the duration of the crisis.  Things go pear shaped, though, and Daisy and her young cousin end up making their way by foot back into the countryside, avoiding troops as well as brigands to try to find their way home.

This one is a subtle apocalypse, as the crisis isn't the star.  It is just a stage content to stay in the background as much as possible.  It just occasionaly surfaces to remind everyone that, hey, world might be ending and things are all higgedy.  Throw assumptions out the window because there is a new normal in da house.

Being a teenager can be rough.  Sometimes that is when people have first experienced war.  It has to be worse when the war is global.  And you aren't even a soldier.

Good flick.