The Haunting of Whaley House

"If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all."

This phrase came to mind when I thought about writing something about THE HAUNTING OF WHALEY HOUSE. It's somewhat straight forward, low budget ghosty horror. The lifeboat plot has a group gathered by various ways and means, then locks them in the haunted Whaley House where they are systematically released from life. You could do far worse on Netflix streaming, that's for sure. The film had it's moments.

It did get me thinking - it's really easy to sit back, watch and shred the HELL outta something. I do it often. ::::grin:::  However, when I see how hard friends of mine work on films and see the effort it takes to not only complete a film, but to put it out for the world to see (...and, in some cases, shred...) it makes me take a step back and give films like these a bit of a wider range of acceptance.  I don't have a film, book or even a short story out there in the world on this level, so why am I bashing things?

WORLD WAR Z was panned by many, but it has still made $198,854,941 as of Aug 25, 2013. Not a bad haul and even at a cost of $190mill to make, it'll do just fine. None of my work projects cost as much to make. :)

So, if you are looking for a little light ghost horror with some gore and more than a thimble full of plot, you might want to make up some popcorn and toss on The Haunting Of Whaley House on Netflix streaming to support the efforts of Jose Prendes, his actors and his crew. It's ghosts, it has some nice PRACTICAL effects work and it's not a friggin' found footage film! It should be viewed based on that alone. 


And, you'll get to see one of the most...random...breast exposure shots ever filmed. hehehehe  Money well spent, Ms. Mindy Robinson. •ahem•  I had to re-watch her scene (yeah yeah...I know) just now because after writing this, I realized that I had looked away for a moment and had NO idea how her and her screen boyfriend got into the mix in the film and what happened to her after her big...uh...her flashing thing. It turns out I missed a rather good line. (Spoiler?)
After she flashes her man to get him to take her to dinner instead of frucking around in the garden of a haunted house (what he was trying to do is still unclear), she delivers the line, "Fine. Well, I'm getting out of here before I get killed." And, SHE DOES! She just walks away and that's the last we see of her! LOL! 

From http://www.insidethemagic.net/

 


Another fun nugget is being able to see a little of the still utterly striking Lynn Lowry (The Crazies 1973) - a personal Horror Crush that a swoon over. :)  She's slotted for ten films in 2013! TEN! And she already has another four coming for 2014. I really need to catch up! :)

The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh

Holy.....shit.....

I just watched The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh and...wow.

It's horror - sure. There are things in it that are scary. Atmosphere. Mood. But....it's so much more. It's deep. It's moving.

I lost my Father a little while back and maybe that - and the whiskey :) - have influenced my thoughts on this film, but it harkens back to a time where story and mood were top of mind. Very Poe. Very Matheson.



Leon goes back to his Mother's home after she passes away. He finds that she has purchased all the crap that he's sold over the years. He also finds that there is a secret. A dark and frucking creepy secret to the old house and all the crap within. And....finds that the loneliness and sadness lingers on after death.




This is a horror film. There are scary things in it. However, there are way deeper meanings in this film. Life lessons. Family lessons.

Kudos to Rodrigo Gudiño. Fantastic writing and direction here. It was like reading Poe or Matheson. A rich, literary feeling to this slow paced, creepy and soul searching dramatic horror piece.



I loved this film.

Looking for something deep? Something that dares to wander off the path at night? Something with some great visuals and a slow, deliberate pace? PLEASE watch The Last Will and Testament of Rosalind Leigh and support Rodrigo Gudiño's work.

Karen Black

Rest in Peace, Karen Black. You will be missed.

There's a RUE MORGUE RADIO interview with her that was grand.
ZIP:  http://www.ruemorgueradio.com/archives/RMRnov122010.zip






(http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/easy-pieces-star-karen-black-dead-74-19910442)
Karen Black, the prolific actress who appeared in more than 100 movies and was featured in such counterculture favorites as "Easy Rider," ''Five Easy Pieces" and "Nashville," has died.
Black's husband, Stephen Eckelberry, says the actress died Wednesday from complications from cancer. She was 74.

Known for her full lips and thick, wavy hair that seemed to change color from film to film, Black often portrayed women who were quirky, troubled or threatened. She was a prostitute who takes LSD with Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda in 1969's "Easy Rider," a breakthrough that helped get her the role as a waitress who dates an upper-class dropout played by Jack Nicholson in 1970's "Five Easy Pieces." Black won an Oscar nomination and Golden Globe Award for that performance.