Xmas Cheer and Other Stuff.

Nope, not feeling it. I was absolutely appalled when I walked into my mall a couple weeks back. They already had everything set up for Christmas. Garland was hung from the railings and every pillar was adorned with lights. Thanksgiving hasn't even passed, folks! My hometown's downtown is already spruced up with lights and fake snow. The city where I currently live has decorated their main streets. My neighbors have decorated the walk ways with plastic candy canes and colored lights. Where I live, the lowest temperature so far has been 60 at night with above 72 during the days. For me, that's pretty cool, but for the rest of the country, it's raining, snowing, and just freezing. I think a lot of people have jumped the gun on Christmas. I've banned Christmas music from being played in my presence until December 1. I'd be so sick of it come the 25th (unless the music was like Korn's "Jingle Bells"). I have never cared for new Christmas movies which are only worthy of the Hallmark channel. I'm fine with watching Jimmy Stewart over and over again. At least he can act. I'm no scrooge, but even I didn't start doing stuff for Halloween until October 1st.

In other news....

I have not been able to get out to the cinema or even watch any new films because of the lack of time. I have had time to watch new shows like "Little Britain" and "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer" in parts. I have a couple classes that are pointless that I've tried watching stuff in, but reading the dialogue is a little bit of a hassle when the people behind you start whispering, "Go back, I missed a line!" Plus, even reading the jokes in "Little Britain" has me biting my fist to keep from laughing. It really isn't good to be smiling in a Theory of Punishment class. With the long weekend ahead of us, I plan to relax and catch up. I still want to see "Quantam of Solace" some time. I like Craig's Bond.

Hm... what else? 10 days until I see Alan Rickman. I can't say anything more about that unless I make myself all giddy.

Twilight (No Spoilers)

First of all, I'm not a hardcore "Twilight" fan. I have read all the books. I understand the appeal. I lust after the actors; Peter Fascinelli's scenes are wonderful. I've gotten books signed by Stephanie Meyers, yada, yada.

I liked the movie. It wasn't the major failure it could have been. I did have some problems with the story progression. Pattinson is beautiful but some of his acting is still wooden. I wished they included more of the minor characters. There wasn't just that "wow" factor to it though. Since they are often incorrectly compared (but I'll do it anyway), at least every time I've seen a Harry Potter film, I can walk out with one aspect that totally awed me. [Disclaimer: I am a die hard Potter fan and always will choose the boy wiz over the pretty boy "vamp."] There was always an epic feeling to Potter. "Twilight" didn't cut it.

It was fun to see. I was actually more in awe of the theater (I'm a nerd like that) we were in since it held a bar and lounge, extremely comfortable leather recliners, and not expensive at all for what you got. Any theater that let's me sip a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon in the theater instead of some designated area is one I'll be visiting again.

Please Excuse this Moment of a frantic Fangirl.

I'M GOING TO BE IN THE SAME ROOM AS ALAN RICKMAN!

I'm shaking. I'm lightheaded. I can't concentrate on anything for the moment (and well, the past twenty minutes). Rickman has been my first fangirl crush for so long. I've never met him nor had the chance to see him. Now, I find out he's in LA and I have a ticket for the event.

Wow. So this is what it feels like to be a barely breathing, overly excited fangirl.

Is it fate that after posting my last entry I get an email a couple days later? I don't know how I'm going to react when he first walks onto that small stage. Thank God the room it's in isn't large at all. I'll be 20 feet away from him at most if they seat me in the back (which heaven help that person). I'll be running to the back entrance.

I'm blushing already! Just thinking about it has me all "doe eyed" and stupid. Ah! I've made fun of people who are in such a state as this, but now that I'm in it, I can fully appreciate what they went through. It's a rush.

I feel like I'm dreaming and cannot wake up. The next couple weeks are going to be tortuous in the extreme. Oh Lord help me.

Now back to our regular programming. Maybe.

My Guys...

When I fall for an actor, I fall hard. Immediately (but always within my modest budget), I compile all the works he's ever done, read past interviews, watch every interview and clips on youtube. Usually I look online if I can find the movies or shows posted and then spend cash to watch the stuff I can't find. The actor of the moment could be in the most outrageous movie and I'll go see it. I went and saw "Galaxy Quest" just for the sole reason of Alan Rickman. I drive my friends crazy with talk of that one person, but especially my Mum who lovingly puts up with it on the weekends when I visit. Let's start with Mr. Rickman.

Alan Rickman was the first actor who if I saw him walking down the street or sitting on a park bench (inside joke), I'd hyperventilate. The first movie I ever saw him in was "Die Hard." It's my favorite Christmas movie. It's my favorite movie overall. I remember laying down on our carpet, my wrists holding up my head, watching this truly sophisticated, villain, outsmart every person in the building, even the hero until practically the end of the film. Again, it was the voice. When I found out about filmographies and other stuff like that, I was already half way to the store looking for his other movies. I scanned the t.v. guides and taped any movie that was on too late or too early. When he was cast as my favorite Potter character, I knew it was fate. As of now I have seen every movie except Dark Harbor. That one has eluded me. I anxiously await his other films, including his role in Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" as the Caterpillar. I don't think he gets enough recognition in the world of films. He does have large fan base though. I'll still be the lone figure at the cinema, blushing whenever he speaks and having the people in the theater wondering why in hell am I fidgeting so much.

I didn't even know what the second guy looked like until years after I first heard his voice. When we went camping, my parents would have a ton of tapes that my brother and I could enjoy and fall asleep to. I can remember listening to ballads sung by Luis Miguel and waking up to Freddie Fender. Queen was always high on our list since my parents would sing along with us. Yes, we are a sappy wannabe Partrich family. There was one precious tape that beat every other out of the water. Andrew Lloyd Weber's "Phantom of the Opera" was our first choice. We drove our parents nuts with it. We made them buy a second tape when we overplayed and broke the first. They had seen the original performances of Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman in LA and had bought the highlights tape (since CDs weren't even common or made yet). I had looked through their playbill mesmerized by the costumes and darkness of the stage. I didn't even know the story but had a faint grasp of it through the lyrics. Michael Crawford's voice lulled me to sleep or had my heart racing as the music rose and sped through a crescendo of violence and misery. Thinking on it now, I realize I've always been a creepy kid. Now, I'm just an adult with morbid tastes and humor. Like I mentioned earlier, I had never seen his real face. All the photos I had seen were of him in full, disfiguring makeup, wearing a black tux and cape. It was only when I was off of middle school, sick as a dog, that I saw him on television. I was curled on the couch watching "Hello Dolly!" dozing through the long dance sequences and wishing to God there was something else on, when I heard something familiar. This skinny white guy was trying to pull a Yonkers accent but his British one was too strong. All the vowels were still too strongly sung. It bugged me throughout the whole movie. When the credits rolled I couldn't believe it. This young guy became one of the most successful men of the stage? Nevertheless, when they used the songs in "Wall E" I was more excited than the kids in the theater. This was love at first note.

The eyes were the attraction for the next man. They were blank and desolate. He had "goat's eyes," a term used for sociopaths, implying they had no soul. Anthony Hopkins scared me. It took me a year to watch "Silence of the Lambs" in its entirety. Jonathan Demme's awesome viewpoints in the film helped fill the film with the horror mood. The closeup on Hopkin's eyes in his prison cells made me cringe away from the screen. I was afraid he'd bite me if I risked being any closer. Well, like the pattern goes, I watch and read everything he's in. I'm looking for a rare tape that has a conversation between Laurence Olivier, Peter O'Toole, and, I believe, Richard Harris. The only thing is none of them are really there. Hopkins taped himself impersonating their voices. This is usually a "black market" item because it has never been released to the public. I wish he would do more voice work in his films. Anyway, him being in "The Wolfman" is going to be awesome!

So I have autographs, photos, posters, hundreds of DVDs in my room and apartment all dedicated to the men in my life. David Selby and David Duchovny share the same wall space. Rickman and Crawford have their own spaces since I have framed photos and letters. (Crawford personalizes everything and is a fangirl's dream when answering questions.) Anthony Head has caught my eye and ears for now after seeing "Repo!" I've watched two seasons of "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer" (which is more about demons than vampires, but still has me interested) and am looking for links to "Little Britain." "Macbeth" looks like it will take forever and a day to get a release date in the States.

I really think I have OCD. But is it really a problem when I enjoy it so much?

The Fall

Absolutely, visually stunning. Breathtaking. A surreal dream and nightmare.

Those were the first thoughts I had as I watched the ending credits role for The Fall. I have not seen a film shot so beautifully. It is a testament that a movie can be made brilliantly without the use of CG. The story is captivating and enchanting. I sat staring at the t.v. screen in awe. I didn't even look up to see who had entered the room when I heard footsteps. Tarsem, the director, hasn't done much ("The Cell" is the only film I've seen and he doesn't have anything else listed on his IMDB page) but I know he'll produce something that'll be just as great if not better than this movie. That is already a tough job to make something better. I'm really surprised this movie hasn't gotten more attention. I definitely know that it hit all the independent theaters and festivals. My brother who works at one of those theaters "one upped" me when I asked him if he's seen the film. He's seen it and met Tarsem during a Q and A they held. Damn it. I should have gone to one of the LA screenings.

"Assassin, Murderer, Monster"

It's been two days since I've seen "Repo! The Genetic Opera" and I like it even more today than yesterday. There has not been a movie that has stayed with me in a long time. I've been trying to get other friends to go see it (with the added benefit of myself seeing it again). My review yesterday showed my lack of sleep so it wasn't as passionate as I would have wanted it to be.

I didn't focus on the music so much yesterday, but after really listening to the soundtrack all day after I got off work... wow. Normally I don't even care for rock opera. It would be too distorted to my ears and the voices don't normally go along with the music. I shudder to think what Luciano Pavarotti would sound like with an electric guitar blaring in the background. Sarah Brightman's bell-like soprano with Terrance Zdunich's clear, low voice, along with Anthony Head's powerful one, just all came together and carried the whole movie.

Zdunich's ability to go very low, sometimes even whispering lines, and then suddenly belting out a half growl, made all his songs memorable. As the narrator he knew everything happening and gladly added to the irony of the situations. His sarcastic nature and scorn for the society improved on the story.

Brightman has always been a favorite when she sings within in her range. Yeah, I have to admit I'm a purist Phantom fan which means I probably will not willingly buy an album of Lloyd Weber's musical, Phantom of the Opera, if her and Michael Crawford are not present. That's just me. I've seen the show in Los Angeles and London. It hasn't been the same. She's released other albums where she has tried to lower her range to "normal" singer (ie. singing songs like "Wonderful World," etc). Her voice is too powerful for stuff like that. Did you know that most actresses now who play the role of Christine in "Phantom" cannot reach the same hieght during the aria of the song "Phantom of the Opera?" The song is actually changed subtely to make up for the lost beats. Most people don't even notice. Anyway, in "Repo!" her arias are heard throughout the whole thing! Even in the song "Chase the Morning," Brightman only lowers her register a bit. She dominates the song. Poor Alexa Vega. My confidence would have dived straight down to the negatives.

Tony Head. I walked out of that cold, dark theater with a new voice crush. I don't care what the hell he looks like or how old he is, I could listen to him talk or sing for hours. I loved the way he changed his voice when he was singing as Nathan and Repo Man. Nathan's voice was clear and soft. Once he put on the leather, his voice became much rougher, but a little high. I love how the emotion soakes through, especially at the end. I never watched "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer" so I didn't know he could sing. I did order the whole series the other day since the only time I have watched it was at my friend's bachelor pad.

Again, if you haven't seen the movie, if you're able to, GO! It really is worth it!

Repo! The Genetic Opera: The Rocky Horror of Our Times?

It's the morning after and I still have lyrics running through my head. I know I said I'd see this movie this past weekend, but things pop up as usual so I had to delay my visit. I have never cared about driving long distances or times (usually an hour or so depending on traffic) so with all my classes not in session, last night was perfect. [I'm not one to stay in. Open nights are too tempting.]

I knew my friend and I were in for something when we saw people dressed up in line, waiting to get their tickets. We got ours and went to get our seats. We had a pretty modest crowd that made me immediately think we were going to have a good time regardless if the movie sucked. They previewed the trailer for a Ralph Fiennes movie and we got a couple laughs when my friend stage whispered, "Voldemort!"

The screen went black for about ten seconds and you could feel that the audience was holding it's breath. Everyone in that room had probably heard all the raving reviews and commentary. Before I go on, there will be MAJOR spoilers in this review. The movie isn't showing widely and the DVD will probably be out soon so I'm not too worried about people getting pissed off at me. You have been warned.

The film starts with the prologue. An epidemic of organ failures occurs. No one knows why or has a cure. The only option is to transplant new ones into the patients. A new company appears, GeneCo, which offers organs on lease if you can't afford the operation. No one reads the fine print. A proposition passes which suddenly makes organ repossessions legal and in comes the Repo Man. He stalks the people if they run and try to hide. He kills them quickly and just burrows into their bodies, even when they aren't quite dead yet, and takes what organ he was assigned to repossess. Legal assassinations. Like a good Repo Man, he takes his catch and puts it on ice. All of this is shown in an excellent comic book sequence. Our main character appears, Alexa Vega as Shilo, and the story runs full speed ahead. Shilo is 17 years old with a rare blood disease, supposedly inherited by her mother who died at child birth.

Vega is good in her role, but she's not a singer. She projects all the innocence and nativity the role demands. I didn't like her in the rebellious scenes. "Seventeen" had me thinking, "What the fuck?" We then get introduced to her father, Nathan Wallace, aka The Repo Man. Anthony Head (Giles of Buffy the Vampire fame) is perfect. No one took their eyes off of him when he was on screen. After Terrance Zdunich and Sarah Brightman, vocally, he was awesome. Shilo in the first sequences wonders off into a graveyard and meets our narrator, the drug dealing Grave robber, played by Terrance Zdunich. He steals a very addictive painkiller called zydrate from the bodies of former "knife addicts." Shilo watches in disgust as he pulls bodies out of tombs and inserts needles into the noses. Signs are posted all around decreeing that grave robbers will be shot on sight. He purposely gets them caught but he flees into a storage facility with nothing but bodies. Shilo is captured but her father shows up in full Repo Man gear and the guards back off. Shilo was going into shock from not having her medication so she doesn't fully remember the incident. It's only at the end when she finds out her father is the infamous Repo Man.

I loved how every character was connected to one person, Marni Wallace, Shilo's dead mother. The audience only finds this out in pieces though. Every character is connected through their associations with this mysterious woman. She's only shown through the interweaving comics and flashbacks. I'll bungle the story is I go into it anymore, plus it'll add about five or six more paragraphs.

If you're in an area where they are showing it, I highly recommend seeing it. Black humor and irony are at its best. This movie will stick with you; I'm still humming it and thinking over my favorite scenes.

Check out the trailer HERE and a clip from one of the songs...

OH Crap...

Well, I was reading another review for a movie when I stumbled randomly on this tidbit of information:

JJ Abrams has permission to film The Dark Tower series...

The Dark Tower series is possibly my second favorite set of books by Stephen King; The Stand being his magnus opus. I absolutely loved how King incorporates other characters from his other books such as the doomed Father Callahan from Salem's Lot, lost forever in limbo (or hell). King has big ones for incorporating himself into the story, going so far as to kill himself off and then re-creating the real life accident that almost killed him (years ago he was hit by a car while jogging). The whole series was just one great journey, essentially a spaghetti western with sci-fi and horror in abundance. A reader never knew what was going to happen when Roland, the main character, reached that Tower and fulfilled his destiny. I finished the seventh and last book in one night. I was so hyped to see what would happen and how it would end... I was blown away the next day with shock and in hindsight, thought "I should have known." I'm not going to spoil it, so if you haven't read the series, please do. Be prepared for buying all the connected stories, too, since they hook you in.

I really don't like Abrams. "Star Trek" is in my iffy list of upcoming movies to see. My main reason is the decision to cast Chris Pine as Kirk. That guy cannot act. Everything is so forced. He tries too hard. Pine and Abrams will probably kill the franchise. I haven't seen "Cloverfield" and I will never see it because of the way it was shot. I enjoy not being motion sick during my films, thanks. As for LOST... I tried watching the first six episodes. You know I love stuff that makes you think, but LOST just doesn't make any sense! Irrational would be putting it way too mildly. It's just all drama and not the good kind. It reminds me of the high school shit with no point. It drags on and on with no resolution. Boring.

I hope Abrams is smart and only produces this project. They need a director with a very visually creative mind and who will stay away from CG. I can already picture the stupid studio requesting everything be in CG. CG will kill the series. The whole story is already beyond reality and adding more fakness to it will be the last nail in the coffin. It'll be too "out there" for a large audience.

In all honestly, I hope the films are never made. Go read instead, people.

REPO! Opens Today?!

So I've heard nothing but good things about this movie ("Repo! The Genetic Opera!" for all of you slackers) and have been dying to see it. BC from "Horror Movie a Day" just posted a blog about it being out in theaters. I checked the main site's calander of events and lo and behold it's playing at the Pasadena Playhouse 7! YES! I will have to take a detour tonight or Sunday to go see this thing. It's been months since I first heard about this film.

The only good movie out in theaters that I've seen was "Zack and Miri Make a Porno." It was pretty funny and had me grossed out at a very unexpected scene... The last good movie before that was "Let the Right One In" at the LA Film Fest back in July, I think.

The Most Intolerant People I have ever met...

... are the ones preaching tolerance.

You guys know how I voted. I'm pretty moderate but lean right (Disclaimer: I am a proud Roman Catholic, gun owner, soon to be in a law enforcement career, soon to have a BA in Criminology and Law, etc.). I did give my vote for Prop 8 to my friends even though after reading the proposition, I knew this was poorly written and would lead to a whole shit load of problems in future.

Did people stop to think or wonder what no definition of marriage would really be like? Most people think it is equality for everyone... Well, everyone and everything is included when you think of it from a purely legal and sterile perspective. Judges will have no legal standing to decide whether a "marriage" is legal or not... including that of arranged marriages, marriages between minors, marriages between people and pets. Seriously, I am not trying to be funny or equate gay unions to something equivalant to beastiality. Far from it. (And anyone who dares call me a hatemonger will just have to look at my friends and the company I keep to know how wrong their words are.) There are sick people out there who really would start a case based on sick shit like this; and they'd win!

The proposition really should have had a definition something akin to "Unions between consenting persons, regardless of sexual orientation and gender, accepted by the State of CA." Something that is clear cut and leaves out the crazies while making it clear that it is a State function instead of a religious one. And don't start bitching at me for using the word "union." Straight people who had civil unions are in marriages! People don't say, "Hi, we were just unionized." They say, after they walk out of city hall, "We just got married." It's the same deal, folks. I thought actions were louder than words...

People can spout off that the word "marriage" is neutral all they want, but 99% of people will equate it with religion. It's just the natural conotation. "Marriage" has been thought of as a religious sacrament whether you're Christian, Jewish, Islamic, whatever, for thousands of years. Plus, the threat that churches, mosques, and synagogues could be sued for not administering same-sex marriages was a bad part on the No on 8 people. Never should have brought those into play. The saying is "God and Country," not "Country and God." People's personal and private beliefs will trump any state thing as we just saw.

Hey, and there's hope out there. Four years ago, the vote was over 60% against same-sex unions. This morning it was 52. Get a good legal writer in there, take out all the religious conotations, keep it a state function with no threats to religious freedom or institutions, and you'll win! Fair and Square! I would love to see some of my friends walk down that isle and marry their partners. Their relationships are even more strong then some hetero ones I know.

So please, before you start saying "haters!" "bigots!" and shit like that, stop and think about being open minded. Doesn't it mean being open to all things and respectful of another's opinion? I thought closed minded people were the ones who didn't look at all the perspectives... Just the phrase "I will never know how you can think like that" is closed minded and you basically outed yourself and shown your ignorance. Knowing both perspectives helps greatly.

50 Movie Packs...

I actually want to "talk" about a really good deal/item that I think people who love horror movies should look into getting, especially if you want to expand your palate. I saw someone on another blog post a comment about it and then on Halloween I spoke with a friend who loved it, too. I'm going on about the "50 Movie Packs" that have been popping up in my Best Buy or DVD Planet, wherever I got mine from (seen it at both places). I was browsing for new movies when the Horror one caught my eye.

Here is the list of the films that it includes:

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde starring John Barrymore
Blue Beard starring John Carradine
The Corpse Vanishes starring Bela Lugosi
Night of the Living Dead starring Judith O'Dea
Doomed to Die starring Boris Karloff
The Phantom of the Opera starring Lon Chaney, Sr.
The Indestructible Man starring Lon Chaney, Jr.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame Lon Chaney, Sr.
Nosferatu starring Max Schreck
Swamp Women starring Mike Connors
The World Gone Mad starring Pat O'Brien
The Little Shop of Horrors starring Jack Nicholson
Tormented starring Richard Carlson
The Monster Walks starring Rex Lease
Monster from a Prehistoric Planet starring Tamio Kawaji
The Gorilla starring The Ritz Brothers
A Shriek in the Night starring Ginger Rogers
Bloodlust starring Robert Reed
The Amazing Mr. X starring Turhan Bay
Last Woman on Earth starring Robert Towne
The Bat starring Vincent Price
The House on Haunted Hill starring Vincent Price
The Last Man on Earth starring Vincent Price
Dementia 13 starring William Campbell
Phantom from 10,000 Leagues starring Kent Taylor
Carnival of Souls starring Candace Hilligoss
Atom Age Vampire starring Alberto Lupo
Creature from the Haunted Sea starring Robert Towne
Nightmare Castle starring Barbara Steele
Black Dragons starring Bela Lugosi
Invisible Ghost starring Bela Lugosi
One Body Too Many starring Bela Lugosi
White Zombie starring Bela Lugosi
Attack of the Giant Leeches starring Ken Clark
The Screaming Skull starring John Hudson
Beast of Yucca Flats starring Tor Johnson
The Terror starring Boris Karloff
Revolt of the Zombies starring Dean Jagger
The Giant Gilla Monster starring Don Sullivan
The Fatal Hour starring Boris Karloff
Dead Men Walk starring George Zucco
The Mad Monster starring George Zucco
Maniac starring Bill Woods
Metropolis starring Gustav Frolich
The Vampi

Really, if you were to buy all of this separately, it would kill your wallet and send it to hell. I've seen some of these movies solo for more than what this pack is worth! Ok, I will fess up and say that the transfer quality is lacking and some of the sound is awful, but if you don't care if the movie is in HD or 5.1 surround sound (or whatever), then this is for you.

This is a good start for a person starting out their horror journey. You have a lot of classics mixed with the random and bizarre. My favorite films on here have to be "Nosferatu," "Phantom of the Opera," and "The Last Man on Earth." I wish they included more of Karloff's movies but I know it's because those sell very well separately. "Carnival of Souls" will creep you out. "Atom Age Vampire" will make you laugh. "Metropolis" is a good study in special effects, plus I know every film student has to watch this at least at one time or another. I haven't watched all of these yet, but I'm working on it.

Anyway, anyone know when/if Lon Chaney's "Wolfman" will be out on DVD? I heard that there has been trouble getting the rights and bargaining with his family... It's a shame it has not be released.

"Trick R Treat" Book Review

I finally realized that if I can't see the film, I'll read the book (though why I didn't think of this first amazes me). Here's my thoughts.

1) Warner Bros. are idiots for not releasing this film.
2) Michael Dougherty is a man after my own heart.
3) All that is Halloween is represented by the stories interwoven in the movie.

Really, I loved everything. I did cheat and head straight to the stories and then read about the production, but can you blame me? Nothing is what it seems in the stories. The black humor comes out in waves and then lets terror wash over once you realize what you're laughing at. After reading it last night, I truly know that I missed out when the movie screened at ScreamFest and then again by AINC. This would have been the perfect movie for the holiday.

I absolutely hate how studios feel they have an obligation to "protect" the public. I can tell you after reading the stories, I knew more to why the studios didn't release it. Killing kids and stories about tainted candy are horrifying, but it's a movie! Worse is happening all around the world! Where they afraid of some crazy turning into a copycat by poisoning candy or sinister bus drivers thinking of driving a group of kids off a cliff? Believe me, not even 80% of Americans are that creative. There is a simple solution for the studios to remedy their fears: place a warning before the movie and let the audience have a minute to decide whether to walk away or stay at their own moral peril. No one twisted their arm to be there. Now WB has no excuse not to release this film.

You Can't Kill The Boogeyman...

Halloween. Wow. First off, random dance parties that involve nothing but good tunes and strobe lights with people you love are the best. Waking up early after said parties is something that only crazy people do (especially when the party started at midnight...).

Anyway, I went on the bus tour for Halloween's 30th anniversary. It does not seem like the movie is 30 years old. It is still the essential horror movie. After much needed coffee my friend and I headed over to the convention. The tour was great and it felt so awesome to just stand out in front of the house. I shivered when I first laid eyes on the Myers House. We were not allowed to go onto the porch because it is now a private business. The owners painted it blue with pinkish trim. I would have left it white. The owners did not even put any decorations. Didn't they know whose house they owned?! I would have decked that place out with all manners of horrors along with my own Michael walking around, going from window to window, and occasionally walking out onto the porch. Blood would have been everywhere. Yes, they sucked. We were allowed to take photos. Brian Andrews, actor who played little Tommy Doyle, was walking around, happy to pose with fans. My friend has that photo on her camera so I might post it here if I get it soon.

We walked around South Pasadena for what seemed like hours and saw the other filming locations and headed to the schools where they filmed. At the end of the tour we were in Sierra Madre where they filmed the cemetery scene with Dr. Loomis and then some shots from III and IV. We went to the church where "The Fog" was filmed, but at that time, I was dying. A salad and large margarita set me to rights but then we ran out of time to see the Doyle house and also the "Nightmare on Elm Street" house in Hollywood. Photos of our adventure can be seen HERE.

We never made it out to the New Bev because our tour ended at 6 and we were dead tired. Traffic would have been horrendous, too. I was running on two hours of sleep and crashing fast. We did sleep for 3 hours and tried to decide where to go when we woke up. I could have really slept the rest of the night, which after driving back to my house, I did. I'm still beat from the mixture of midterms, papers, parties, and reponsibilities in between so I'm apologize that I'm not more detailed here. I just really wanted to get something out before I forget. More to come soon.