‘Lake Mungo’ in the After Dark Horrorfest 2010 line up!
Posted by Ms Harker | Filed under Horror Films
Lazily scrolling through my RSS feeds this morning I came upon this dark little gem of news over at ‘Chuck Norris Ate My Baby‘ (which you should visit for some great horror blogging), the Aussie horror flick ‘Lake Mungo‘ has been announced as part of the 2010 After Dark Horrorfest 8 Films to Die For!
The film is made in a ‘mocumentary’ style, telling the story of a family who has lost their daughter. The websites synopsis is as follows:
‘Sixteen year old Alice Palmer drowns while swimming in the local dam. When her body is recovered an a verdict of accidental death is returned, her grieving family buries her. The family then experiences a string of strange and inexplicable events centered in and around their home. Profoundly unsettled the Palmers seek the help of psychic and parapsychologist Ray Kennedy. He discovers that Alice has led a double life. A series of clues lead the family to Lake Mungo where Alice’s secret past emerges. Lake Mungo is a mystery, a thriller and a ghosts story.’
The use of images filmed in the families house and flashbacks of Alice’s life sets an eerie scene. However I have two issues: one its only showing in one cinema in Melbourne which is bollocks, two does anyone else think that the choice of surname for the family is a little odd or is it a nod to David Lynch? As long as no one turns up wrapped in plastic I will remain open minded.
An Aussie horror flick has yet again made it into the 8 Films to Die For, here’s hoping it gets more exposure at home and abroad than its predecessor Dying Breed!
Ms Harker
Tags: Horror, Horror Films, Oz horror
Horror Anime: Blossom, Butterflies and Breasts… Oh and food.
Posted by Ms Harker | Filed under Uncategorized
Lets start the weekend off in the correct fashion shall we? With a discussion about the glorious offerings that horror Anime can provide. I have always had an interest in Anime, more specifically within the horror genre but I am also a fan of the work of Hayao Miyzaki. The genius behind such Studio Ghibli classics as: ‘My Neighbour Totoro‘, ‘Spirited Away‘, ‘Howl’s Moving Castle‘ and who could forget ‘Porco Rosso‘. But I digress, I have been watching some new horror Anime of late as you have read I was in rapture with ‘Hell Girl‘ and am now becoming intoxicated with ‘XXX Holic‘.
‘XXX Holic’ is described as follows on IMDB:
“Kimihiro Watanuki, a high-schooler, is troubled by monsters and spirits who are magically attracted to him. However, nobody else can see them but him. One day, Watanuki stumbles into a shop that grants wishes, and encounters Yuko Ichihara, a beautiful, seemingly all-knowing witch. Yuko doesn’t waste time, she offers to grant Watanuki’s wish to not be able to see those bothersome monsters and spirits any longer, however, there is a price. Yuko soon sees that Watanuki is a hard worker and would be useful for housework and other chores Yuko wishes for him to do until he works off enough to pay for the amount of power that needs to be used to grant his wish.”
There is some stunning imagery in this Anime and the stories attached to the lurking spirits and lessons that must be learned are very similar to that in Hell girl. However this macabre animation employs what I have become to know as Ms Harker’s ‘Crimson Rules of Horror Anime’:
1: Blossoms: The symbol of the flowering cherry blossom appears often and through different transitions in the story and provides an opportunity for us westerners to say ‘Ahhh pretty’. Now listen up kids and get you some learning! The Cherry Blossom also represents the fleeting nature of life and was sometimes used to symbolise the suicides of young people in honour of an emperor. However they also have been used to symbolise extreme beauty or quick death. Which is how they are often employed within horror Anime.
2: Butterflies: Whilst being a symbol for metamorphosis, or the change one has made to their evil ways. Butterflies also carry the souls of the dead, or provides answers to the living to solve mysteries.
3: Food: Rice, sushi, noodles, Beer and Sake. Characters eat, they eat often and they eat with gusto, leaving Ms Harker craving Gyoza and Edamame beans! However we also often see spirits eating the souls of the wicked, or chomping down on entire villages, creating a dichotomous relationship with food for comfort or greed.
4: Breasts: There must always be a busty, raven haired woman, dressed mostly in traditional garb, however sporting large eyes and unusually large breasts for someone of Asian descent…
So there you have it, a wild ride through Ms Harker’s ‘Crimson Rules of Horror Anime’. If you are looking to indulge in some Blossoms, Butterflies and Breasts I highly recommend ‘Hell Girl’, ‘XXX Holic’ and for those of you who do not cringe away from a little vagina dentata ‘Wicked City’.
Sayonara,
Ms Harker.
Tags: Asian Horror, Horror Animation
True Blood… I need a hero!
Posted by Ms Harker | Filed under Horror TV
Fresh from watching the latest True Blood, basking in the warm undead afterglow. I am reflecting on the fact that the show has had been somewhat absent of heroics recently. Yes, yes Bill swoops in when someone threatens his psychic princess, so there is self interest at play. Eric stepped up when his master was threatened, ancient blood rules obliged him to do so… But I’m talking about true heroism. Balls to the wall, selfless, ‘not on my watch’, heroics.
It has been quite absent until now… ladies and gentlemen I give to you Jason Stackhouse! Played by Aussie heartthrob Ryan Kwanten; Jason toting a chainsaw, nail gun and a bunch of flares took back some ground in Bon Temps from the evil MaryAnn and her Bacchus bestiality. Proving that Aussie’s indeed now how to demon RUMBLE!
With only a couple of episodes to go, the Queen to be revealed, Eric and Sookie will they or won’t they rub pink bits and speaking of pink bits WTF is going on with the giant meat totem in Sookie’s front yard?
How on earth can the series wind itself to a fangtastic conclusion in such a short space of time, or will they leave us all teetering on the edge of climax, gasping as if its our last breath, unsatisfied until next year? We will soon know, quicker than you can say Nosferatu!
Ms Harker.
Tags: Horror, Horror TV, True Blood, Vampire
