The HISBSCFD Blog-a-Thon!

...or, more simply put, it's Awesome Day! I've been thinking and thinking about this, trying to formulate some big, grand essay, a trip down memory lane or something that would unite us all in a cloud of love that smells like fresh cinnamon buns. Now that the day is here, however, I'm feeling all list-y and random, so you're getting tidbits that make my crusty old heart sing...and There Will Be Random.

AWW, I SAY.

Staying power: I, my friends, am a browser. Put me in a room lined with shelves upon which there are hundreds of videos- some of which are horror!- and I will stay until I've read every damn spine in my search for...something. Who knows? I'm just browsing! There are so many places in LA to go it's staggering; there are still mom and pop movie rental stores that are liquidating their VHS and I can't tell you how excited I get when I stumble across a new one. Then there's Amoeba, a massive store where you can trade in your crap...which means the stock is constantly rotating. Which means it's not completely pointless to spend a long time- I mean a hmm...should've brought some trail mix because my blood sugar is getting low long time- in the VHS clearance aisle. I just love to look- I love the hunt and I always have hope I'm going to find something awesome tucked away somewhere, even if 9 times out of 10 I walk away empty handed. But hey, one time I found The Haunting of Julia for $1.99! That makes all my effort worth it!

Staying up: There's something about watching a horror movie late at night that makes the whole endeavor more naughty and more scary. Yeah, I know, that's probably in my head, but I don't care- I adore the idea of the late-night horror movie, the one you watch with all the lights turned off, the one that will keep you up until morning, cowering in fear. Maybe it's because my mom told me stories of sneaking out of bed to get her horror dose; maybe it's all those sleepovers I had in junior high, when Elena lived up the hill from Nick's Video and Nick's didn't care what we rented so long as it wasn't p0rn and we'd come home with a pizza and somethiing mind-bending like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and we'd stay up long after her family went to bed, stuffing our faces and getting scared out of our wits. I have no idea where I got the notion, but don't rock the boat I adore horror movies as late night event. Imagine how I felt when, on Melrose Place, I learned that Billy and Allison were the same as me and they'd stay up late to watch something like Nosferatu. Actually, I was conflicted; it was cool that they stayed up late to watch horror movies, but then I hated Billy and Allison. Well, I kind of loved to hate Allison because she was whiny and would always change her mind about everything, but Billy was just a plain old tool. See? It says so right here.


Soft spots: There's a place in my heart that can only be filled by the mid-90s goodness that is...The Craft. Is it a great movie, or even a good movie? I have no idea...but it's awesome. My memories of it are tied to a prime example of a good night gone really fucking bad and I've loved it ever since. Surprisingly enough, it seems that most people have a fondness for The Craft, and finding a Fairuza Balk is fucking crazy isn't she and whatever happened to Robin Tunney and remember when Christine Taylor's hair fell out eww soulmate always fills me with glee. See, I saw it one fine night when I was hanging out with my pal Ara Jane. We went to this weird mall that had one good store: Media Play (RIP). However, the mall also had a roller rink, an arcade, and a movie theatre. Ara Jane and I played games, used the photo booth a lot, ate crappy food, and saw The Craft. Yay! Sweet night! After the movie we walked out to the parking lot and, after some puzzled silence, I said "Hmm. Didn't I park there?" as I pointed to an empty spot. Yeah...someone stole my fucking car out of the mall parking lot. It's a testament to The Craft's awesomeness that even after such a shitty end to the night, I still love it.



Trivia! The dude who wrote The Craft went to my high school. He named the school in the film (St Bernard's) after a nearby Catholic school and the film's douchebag Chris Hooker (Skeet Ulrich) is named after the captain/quarterback of our football team. Yay!

I'm really looking forward to The Strangers. Is it a remake/rip of the film Ils (Them)? Filmmakers insist it's not, though the plots are incredibly similar. I don't care. I sat in a massive, crowded hall at San Diego Comic-Con last year during a panel for the film and watching a clip actually made my heart race. It was tense, it was scary, and I was smitten. I've had the poster hanging on my wall for months. Almost a year will have passed by the time I finally get to see it. I'm ready! I can't wait! It's definitely one of those skip work and catch the first showing movies for me...you know, like Silent Hill. I don't care if it doesn't live up to the hype- the anticipation is almost the best part. I remember seeing this teaser:



and being practically beside myself. Lemme tell ya, that 45 seconds took forever to download on dial-up and I must have watched it 10,000 times. I went a little nuts with the Silent Hill stuff, I'll admit, but come on- how often does a movie come along that gets you that psyched? I only hope I'm that excited for the sequel when it appears on the scene.

It's the little things: I love the dance scene in Creepshow during the "Father's Day" segment. Ed Harris totally acts a foo' and the song is bitchin'. I love this line in Halloween: "Lindsay, Lester is barking again and getting on my nerves again!" and no matter how many times I've seen that film, Carpenter's score still gives me the willies. I love the scene early in The Brood- the one at gramma's house, where the unseen things are riffling through gramma's cupboards and you know something's going to happen and the tension builds and then the unseen things are no longer unseen and when you see them the first time, you're completely fucking blown away with terror. I love Tom Atkins. I can't explain exactly why- maybe because he was just in so damn many horror films that appeared during my formative years- but he is, undoubtedly, The Man. I gotta meet this guy someday.

I love the graveyard scene in the original Night of the Living Dead. I know what's going to happen, but it still makes me feel like I'm a terrified eight year old- and "They're coming to get you, Barbra" is one of the greatest lines to appear in any horror film in the history of ever. Don't tell anyone, but...it kinda scares me. Still. I love Virginia Madsen in Candyman. I love Mrs Kobritz's death scene in The Fog. I love The Rumplestiltskin Phenomenon. See, Rumplestiltskin is pretty much the worst movie ever. Somehow, though, if you talk about it enough with your friends, in your mind it becomes the best movie ever and you're struck with a fiery urge to watch it again right this very second. So you watch it and rmember how much it sucks...but then, as soon as it's over, you're talking about how great it was and you want to watch it...and so on, ad infinitum. Trust me, I speak from experience on this. Exhibit A: the car chase.



As far as I can tell, the phenomenon is restricted to this one film, although I wish it would happen more often.

Well, that's enough from me for now. I have no idea what I've just written- I can't see for all the sparkly rainbows of love! Hopefully I'll be updating this post throughout the day. Hopefully you'll cast off your shackles of internet douchebaggery and tell us all about something you adore. Dude, I just admitted to Rumplestiltskin...come on, it can't be as bad as that!

JOIN IN LE FUN AND FEEL LE LOVE

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Kindertrauma thinks third time's a charm in the Poltergeist series.

Nearly naked boys singing? Stinky Lulu says yes, please.

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Agitation of the Mind goes Where Eagles Dare.

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Rural Juror gets all Maria Von Trapp on yo ass.

Mausoleum Girl loves ghosts stories. Me too!

Chris Thieke loves him some Alien. Me too!

Loving a bunch of stuff is what they do at $7 Popcorn.

Feel the retarded joy of Brain Damage at mochaLouder!

Filmopia hearts movies. I can't relate at all.

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Have another bucket of $7 Popcorn as dreamrot exposes Raging Sharks tomfoolery!

My Blog Could Be Your Life loves April Fools Day almost as much as I do.

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There's tons o' tumblr as Rimozione da Tiffany, Land's End, and Gosford Parkour update with love throughout the day!

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The Mixed Up Files Of...Gena Rowlands in Gloria. 'Nuff said, as they say.

Media Kitten calls out Night of the Comet, giallo films, Roger Corman...stuff that all has a place in my heart.

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Pierce gives it up for film bloggers over at Askewed Views. I'm blushing. Thanks. Pierce!

Sweetdragon's got me wanting to watch A Nightmare on Elm Street again. Man, Freddy was cool in that one.

Lazy Eye Theatre is sick...with love.

The Children are our deadly deadly future according to Goatdog.