Day 6- You won't like her when she's angry...

Are you taking up the Final Girl Challenge? Huh? Are ya, punk? That's the new name for the contest I told you about yesterday. I'm just reminding you now, because I know how hectic things are lately, what with the Avian Flu outbreak imminent and all. So check out yesterday's post for all the deets (that's cool slang for "details"- I'm hip, I swear) and get yer butt in gear if you want to be crowned "Miss Final Girl Prizewinner 2005". Boys, don't be shy. You've all dreamt of wearing a sash, I know your secrets.

You know what's so great about the little quest I've undertaken this month? The fact that I'm really sticking to my guns and only watching movies I've never seen before, that's what. You were expecting me to say something about Charles Nelson Reilly, weren't you? Well, there's that whole saga, too. But it's seeing all these fantastic movies for the very first time...like a virrrrrrgin...when your heart beats...next to mine... whoaaaaa...oh. Erm, sorry. Yes- my hardened cynical little brain thought there was nothing left out there for me- I'd seen all the good horror movies, I'm so great, blah blah blah. But I am on a roll, I tells ya, and my Shocktober is fast becoming my ThereGoesYourFaceOutTheWindowBecauseIt'sBeenRockedOffSoHardtober. Or maybe something less cumbersome, more catchy.

David Cronenberg. Can we talk about David Cronenberg for a second? My God, his movies disturb me. Every one I've seen- they're so nihilistic and off-kilter and smart and juuuust close enough to reality that I find them incredibly unsettling. He's one sick, crazy genius man.

Today I saw The Brood (1979) for the first time. Uh huh. Wow.

The movie centers around Frank Carveth (Art Hindle), whose wife Nola (Samantha Eggar) is under the care of an eccentric, controversial psychotherapist, played to perfection by Oliver Reed (Burnt Offerings). Reed's Dr. Raglan practices "Psychoplasmics", which includes alot of role playing in order to break down the walls of the patient's psyche. Weekend visits with crazy ol' Nola are part of the treatment, but when daughter Candice (Cindy Hinds) comes home from a weekend with mom covered in scratches, bite marks, and bruises, Frank tries to get to the bottom of it all.

At this point, to give away any more of this twisted tale would be a crime. Like alot of Cronenberg's work, it touches on body mutilation and physical manifestations of insanity. The first scene where we see the...somethings that terrorize Frank and family is one of the most frightening sequences I've seen in a long, long time. That's all I'll say. You just...really need to see this movie, if you haven't. And if you have seen it, go turn off the lights watch it again, I dare ya. I'll give it...9-and-a-half out of 10 meat tenderizers...I've got a new favorite on my list.

Not cool, Mr. Cronenberg. Not fucking cool at all.