Screaming for 30 Days

[dotinthesky]

30 Days of Night has a terrible script, full of plotholes and cardboard characters that you wish to slap sense into rather than watch get killed by vampires. The hero always tries to save the day; the heroine always needs to be saved; the town loner comes to the town's rescue; and a whole lot of things are left unexplained by the end. However, I was completely sucked in and was terrified by the horrific vampires that invade an isolated Alaska town for a 30-day-long human carnage. Kudos goes to the director for injecting tons of suspense and gore into a film that could have easily got lost under a weak story.

I don't watch horror movies on the big screen very often so, when I do, I jump, cower, cover my face, suffer through heart palpitations and think of leaving a million times. I think it all boils down to when I was 5-years-old and my aunt convinced me to go into an amusement park's haunted house with her eventhough I was scared shitless. I've been chasing that combination of fear and excitement ever since.

I sat in the theatre between kixie and denalyia, while the boys - bottled_cat, his housemate and zenithed - flanked us. I actually felt part of the girls since there was a lot of jumping, mouth-covering and groans between the three of us. I even held hands with Kixie at one point! And, of course, we muttered and nearly shouted at the screen when characters did (the expected) stupid things that would call the vampires' attention to their hiding places. All in all, it was a really fun afternoon which I need to repeat more often. It's the closest I get to riding a roller coaster these days.

The trailer for an upcoming horror film, Shrooms, caught my attention. I've known so many people who've had bad experiences with magic shrooms, as well as heard some horror tales bordering on urban legends regarding bad trips, that it's actually a wonder nobody thought of making a movie about it before. If anyone feels like holding my hand through it, let me know!

Comments

GOD!!!

[bon-homme-dane.livejournal.com]

God ...

Did that movie suck!

Re: GOD!!!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it was silly. I can't help wondering if the many unexplained bits are there on purpose, for some sequel. It doesn't make it better, but at least it's some consolation that the person who wrote the screenplay was not a complete nitwit.

Re: GOD!!!

[bon-homme-dane.livejournal.com]

I was expecting so much more...

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Yes, we were talking about it afterwards. I've seen a few pages on the net and it does look good. We were wondering if the graphic novel has the same lame ending as the movie.

[naturalbornkaos.livejournal.com]

I quite want to see 30 Days Of Night even though I hate the comics. I think it's such a wonderful IDEA, even if the way the plot develops is clumsy and quite ridiculous. I was kind of hoping there might be slightly better characterisation in the film, but I guess not from what you say.

I'll try to check it out this week nevertheless.

I missed Shrooms when it showed at Frightfest this year on the grounds that it didn't start until about midnight and after a whole day of being pummelled by rubbish horror films, it wasn't too appealing, but I'd be up for seeing it.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I can tell you will be very irritated with 30 Days of Night. However, it has a big budget behind it, and the director did some nifty things with the suspense and the gore - so that at least is a worthwhile reason to see it. :-)

Yes, let's go see Shrooms together! Although it seems at first to be another teen horror film, the trailer seems to suggest that it's actually more involved than that.

[naturalbornkaos.livejournal.com]

I was afraid that all the gore in 30 Days would be CGI, which generally looks horrible. :(

Shrooms is a date though. It's out on the 23rd and I'm away for a few days after that up in the Midlands for the book stuff but when I'm back, we will go and you can get your book!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Cool! Then I can get you to sign my copy. :-)

I actually don't think there was much CGI in 30 Days. The gore is pretty awesome actually, which left us a bit shocked when we realized it was rated 15. Some of the stuff is really graphic.

[kixie.livejournal.com]

The gore is brilliant - I've not read the comic, although I want to now (worth it?), but I thought the movie was fun. It's nice seeing different vampires every so often - you know, you get used to the whole Bela Lugosi vamp, Buffy vamp, Blade vamp - these are new vamps! Who appear to lack language skills! It's fun! But it's a fun film and the gore is top notch - I wonder if K&B did it? Great decapitation and a stupid yet brilliantly done hand-through-skull scene :)

You'll probably hte the movie and complain about CGI and stuff, of course ;P

[naturalbornkaos.livejournal.com]

Looks like I'll probably go to see it this weekend. The comics are, from the ones I've read, a bit of a waste of time. They're really loosely written; no characterisation, ultra-thin plots, tons of splash pages. They look quite nice I guess and the idea, as I say, is wonderful, but bad scripting prevails. :( They have language skills in the comics though and talk Cliché Bad Guy.

I expect the film to be better, to be honest, from what you and Ollie say!

Don't know what did the FX. I'll keep an eye out when I go see.

(Oh yeah, and I'm seeing Beowulf at the Imax on Wednesday! That'll be painful!)

[rosamicula.livejournal.com]

I'd be up for a cinema trip. I have seen hardly any flms this year.

I'd had a comically terrible experience on mushrooms half way up a hill in Wales. *shudder*

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen many films in the cinema this year, and I feel like it's a big shame. There are quite a few coming out that look good - other than Shrooms, there's also No Country for Old Men, by the Cohen brothers, which looks terrific.

My second shroom experience was a very bad trip. It was in my uni's residence hall, and it involved a toga party.

[moveslikegiallo.livejournal.com]

the heroine always needs to be saved

*rolls eyes*

[bottled-cat.livejournal.com]

Actually I saw the poster for Shrooms and for a split second had strange ideas about killer fungi attacking people and taking over the world. Alas, it looks like yet another teenagers-go-to-the-woods-and-get-hacked-up slasher. Otoh these films are my bread and butter, so I could be persuaded...

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I like the idea of a rare form of shroom that causes people to have premonitions and see the dead. If they can spin something original with that, while still playing the teenagers-get-hacked card, I'll be perfectly entertained. :-)

[kixie.livejournal.com]

Aw, I thought it was fungi killing the world as well. Wah.

But, um, let's go see it anyways! :D

[blu-bear.livejournal.com]

If there's space for one more I'll come along and see Shrooms!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

There's always space for more. ;-)

[knacker-prince.livejournal.com]

Shrooms is an Irish movie that doesn't look Irish. Kudos for that alone.

[kevyn-kronycles.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear that movie sucked, I'm certainly not going to watch it now. Thanks for the heads up!

[suede.livejournal.com]

another film to my dont-watch list XD

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Oh, do watch it! Yes, it's not perfect, but the vampires and the suspense work well. It's just the other elements of the story that are not good.

my story of seeing 30 days of night

[saint-narcissus.livejournal.com]

after spending the day drinking beer at a lovely brew pub down the coast (literally 20 feet from the Pacific Ocean) with the man I've fallen in love with, He and I met up with his partner back in the city and all went to see a 1145pm screening of 30 Days Of Night. 20 minutes into the film a very drunk women waving her bottle of whiskey comes into the theatre screaming ' where the fuck are you guys, is this the movie we're seeing" her as drunk friends yell from the middle of the theatre, "we're over here bitch". she stumbles over people on the way to her friends all the time caring on a very loud conversation containing many "you bitches" with them. needles to say, many upset film patrons started yelling at them to "shut up bitches" various tubs of popcorn, cups of soda and shoes were soon flying threw the air. security guards arrive enmasse flash lights in hand and escourt the problem patrons from the theatre. sitting through all this, the man I've fallen in love with on my left, his hand in mine, his partner on his other side, other hand in his, even with all the commotion we were still able to completely follow the film, in my mind it's saving grace; some of the "art film" type techniques used in certain scenes. we were all glad to recieve free passes for future movies.

Re: my story of seeing 30 days of night

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I would be one of the annoyed patrons, if I had been there.

So... is this a threeway relationship you have gotten yourself into? :-)

Re: my story of seeing 30 days of night

[saint-narcissus.livejournal.com]

mmm,
I'm not sure what I have become involved in.
It's certainly keeping boredom at bay.

Re: my story of seeing 30 days of night

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Something to keep you busy this winter. ;-)

Re: my story of seeing 30 days of night

[saint-narcissus.livejournal.com]

yes, I suppose.
This Friday, 9, Nov. I leave on holiday, first Montreal follow with NYC and end up in Boston.
Back in San Francisco 28, NOV.
Am actually look forward to time away from this "relationship" it does take a lot of a person when three are involved.

Re: my story of seeing 30 days of night

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I hope you have a good trip! Give Montreal a kiss and hug for me. ;-)

Re: my story of seeing 30 days of night

[saint-narcissus.livejournal.com]

I will.
what one thing must I do whilst in Montreal?
never having been I'd love your take on the above question!

Re: my story of seeing 30 days of night

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Depends... I think you should visit its village, so you can compare and contrast the gay scene with the one in San Francisco.

But, mainly, I think you should just walk and drift through the city, explore it and find its little corners by accident. I can't think of anything touristy that you MUST do, except perhaps go to the top of Mount Royal and overlook the city.