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.

ONE LAST DIVE

Jason Eisner - you got me. :)
Not sure why, but this friggin short short REALLY gave me the creeps. Loved it.
And, loved his VHS2 and ABCs of DEATH work. I need to track down some more Eisner goodness!

So damn creepy. What a great storyteller. Great, "Bava-like" colors as well. Grand!


One Last Dive from jasoneisener on Vimeo.

Donald Caron: Illustrator

Jovanka Vuckovic (@JovankaVuckovic on Twitter) posted an image of a new painting she had in her home - a grand Phantom of the Opera that had my jaw dropped to the floor.

The artist is Donald Caron and he's an instant, new favorite of mine. His work is fantastic and the subject matter is RIGHT down my alley!  

You can view his work here: http://donaldcaron.daportfolio.com/

And, he has a Facebook presence as well with more work: 
https://www.facebook.com/carondonald

He has a great way with light and motion that really makes his work pop. He also has an eye for a great composition and adding layers of detail that help to lock in a lot of depth and atmosphere.

I think it's the light that really strikes me, however. One example is in the illustration "Premature Birth" (Frankenstein) below.

His characters are fun as well. His detail and lighting work can be seen in "SPASM 2009" (Ax). The light play in the folds of the clothing, hands and hair is grand and knowledge of human anatomy help to make the figure look "realistic", yet keeping a fun, illustrated style.

 Much of his work has a cool, kinetic feel to it that really makes the subject matter come alive.

Ok, ok....I'll stop gushing about this guy's work already! :)

Needless to say, I'm going to be doing some research to see if he has some "Father of four affordable" prints for sale! Check him out and support this amazing artist!

< >< >

Perrault's Fairy Tale Poem

For the longest time, I thought that the wondrous poem at the end of COMPANY OF WOLVES was of their own creation. Embarrassed to say that the poem is actually that of French author Charles Perrault. He wrote Cinderella, Puss in Boots and Mother Goose to name a few, but this poem came from Little Red Riding Hood which comes up time and time again in the horror world.

 
Little girls, this seems to say,
Never stop upon your way. 
Never trust a stranger-friend; 
No one knows how it will end. 
As you’re pretty, so be wise; 
Wolves may lurk in every guise. 
Handsome they may be, and kind, 
Gay, or charming never mind! 
Now, as then, ‘tis simple truth— 
Sweetest tongue has sharpest tooth! 

The Haunting Season

I just finished The Haunting Season by Michelle Muto. I picked it up on Kindle (on the iPhone) after a Tweet of hers stating that the novel was available for a mere $2.99. Wanting to recharge my reading passions and support an author I follow on Twitter, I didn't think twice about it. I just clicked the link and made the purchase. I didn't want to have a preconceived notion. I wanted to go into it cold and knowing nothing about it.

I dove in that night, sinking my teeth into it straight away as my toddler struggled with falling asleep in her bed. ("I know you don't want to sleep, Sweetie, but it's bedtime. Daddy is just going to sit and read now.") I started down the path and liked it, but got a vibe from it that I could not put my finger on. Was it the characters? The story? I just could not place the...distance?...I was going through with the book. I liked it - liked it a lot, actually - but, there was just something there. Like the lone, locked door of a mansion. What was there?

Of course it became clear a few days later when Michelle Muto posted that her novel won an award, evidently....for Young Adult Horror. THAT was the door. However, it didn't matter. I'm not sure I would have made the purchase if I had known it was a Young Adult novel, but after I was into it I didn't really care because I really enjoyed it up to that point and was drawn in. I was hooked and the intended audience didn't matter. I'm very happy that I kept reading.

It's a great, quick read with some fun characters, situations and a plot that was far from "Potter-like" tween fiction. No spells or magic or kid drama. Muto paints a fantastic picture a la LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE with a team of young adults tuned in on the paranormal testing out their abilities under the leadership of an older, wiser doctor. However, things go sideways as they should in a novel like this.

Low on blood, gore and violence but surprisingly high on tension, this fun haunted house jaunt is well worth a read through. (Especially if you prefer your horror on the less visceral and bloody side of the spectrum.) I don't want to say much more about it for fear of mentioning something that may set you off on a course. Suffice it to say that I tore through it and found myself nodding and smiling at some of the fun little twists and turns in this "Old, Dark House" gem!

CHECK IT and help to support Madame Muto! 
I want to see her doing a screenplay or two at some point!