Charlotte, the Vampire - WE ARE THE NIGHT (2010)

Original Post Date: 02.16.17

If I were a vampire, I would like to be like Charlotte from 2010 German movie Wir sind die Nacht (We Are the Night). Not only was her character beautiful and badass but also had a rich backstory that was way more interesting than the other three vampires of the film, yet, hers left me wanting more. Charlotte should have her own movie. Until that day comes, this photo essay should make do. 

Without further introduction, I give you, Charlotte:

“Two more pages. I want to know how it ends.” - Charlotte

- Marath

Sinister Made Me Do It

Original Post Date: 01.30.17

If you have not watched Sinister (2012) there are two things I need to tell you right now. One, you are a lucky bastard and I envy you (I would pay a small amount of money to be able to experience again the fear from when I first watched it). And two, this post will have mild spoilers so you better not continue reading and instead go watch it and call it a day (listen, I tell you this because I care).

Now, as for the rest of us, let’s relive the dark phenomenon that was Sinister.

For me, it all began last summer when I attended a seminar at ScareLA called “The Anticipation of Fear” by speaker Marc Straight, composer, sound designer, and creative director at Bad Jack Productions. Marc provided examples of horror movies and video games that made good use of music, lighting, and repetition, all to achieve the perfect scare for the audience. The movie Sinister was one of those examples; I was impressed, so I immediately wrote down SINISTER!! on my notebook, but then life happened and completely forgot to look into the film.

Fast forward to two days ago—Friday night—when my husband and I were browsing Netflix (below photo evidence of the momentous occasion lol) and stumbled upon Sinister, the Sinister. Long story short, I absolutely loved it and actually rewatched it a day ago—Saturday night—and purchased the DVD copy as well as the soundtrack. You could say Sinister hit me hard and made me lose my mind… yes… Sinister made me do it.

In my lifetime, there have been two movies which have truly scared me. I am talking about having physical reactions of fear such as sweaty palms, increased heart rate, muscle tension, alertness, etc. Ju-on (the original from Japan) was my first one; I watched it alone at night, in the dark, sitting on the bed, holding my knees close to my chest, both arms sore by the end of it. And Sinister was the second one; I watched it with my husband at night, in the dark, on the couch, holding hands whenever I sensed something bad was going to happen. You don’t forget about movies that made you feel like you were in real danger. The keyword here is ‘real’.

Sinister depended on the use of homemade movies. Some of us (yes, you and I) grew  up with parents recording those special family moments on VHS or mini discs, and maybe if you lived in an extra cool home yours were recorded on Super 8mm, like the five families from the film.

The home movies were the essence of Sinister. All of the five home movies were terrifying as they were presented in very real day-to-day scenarios: at the backyard, at the front lawn, at the pool, at the car, in the bedroom. They all began as nice and innocent family moments until they turned violent, FAST! But why? And by whom? A home invader? Let’s watch:

The way the violent scenes were filmed reminded me of this video of mine where it was shot in complete darkness and the subject was illuminated by a single flash of light so you, the viewer, had no other option but to watch what I wanted you to watch when I wanted you to watch; in my case it was Day of the Dead ephemera, in Sinister’s case it was hanging, running over, drowning, burning, and stabbing.

Had the movie not ended the way it did, I guarantee you I would have had trouble sleeping at night, however, since it was revealed that supernatural demon Mr. Boogie aka Bughuul was behind the killings—well, the kids he possessed and abducted were actually the ones committing the killings—I felt relieved and pleasantly returned back to my safe reality. See? It was not a flesh-and-blood murderer, it was a controlling demon. Phew!

Now, I would like to leave you on a happy note, so please let me share with you two of my personal videos displaying my admiration for this movie. (Man, I love Sinister so much.)

In Love and Fear,

—Marath

Ginny Dear - Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)

Original Post Date: 01.26.17

I just finished watching the nostalgic thriller Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) and man, those were the good old days… I keep forgetting how much I like the whole 80’s vibe in movies –it all seemed more organic, real, simple, innocent. I do not know if that association has anything to do with the fact that I was born in the 80’s (scratch that, pretty sure it does).

But I digress. This post is not meant to deal with my love for the 80’s nor is it to review Friday the 13th Part 2. This post is to give props to Ginny, the main female protagonist of the film.

Ginny is the assistant to the senior camp counselor, and she is also a student majoring in Child Psychology. Ginny has her hands full. All throughout her short stay at the camp counselor training center, located just a few miles away from the infamous and now condemn Camp Crystal Lake, yes, the Camp Crystal Lake, she has brilliant insights in regards to Jason Voorhees, the child legend. Ginny does not hesitate to offer her peers theories of what poor isolated Jason must have gone thru in his childhood, but her camp mates just make fun of how serious she sounds, because after all, for those folks it is all but a legend.

We have already established Ginny is smart, and that she is basically at harm’s way simply for being near Camp Crystal Lake. Enter Jason. All grown Jason. Scared, violent, and wearing a bag on his head, Jason.

Jason corrals Ginny in his shack in the woods, the one where he built the altar to his mother, yes, that famous altar with candles, fresh corpses, and the rotting severed head of Mrs. Voorhees. Ginny, being the resourceful student that she is, notices a torn sweater in front of the severed head, takes a few seconds to think, and goes for it. She puts it on. She has a plan. Suddenly, Jason slams the shack’s door wide open and, without hesitation, Ginny gives him this speech:

Damn, Ginny. You are smart and I admire that. Honest.

Stay in school, kids!

- Marath