Category: Uncategorized

Movie Review

Last night, I caught Dagon on pay-per-view (which is a good thing, because my lame-ass local video store never gets the obscure, nifty stuff). It being October, I was in the mood for a horror film, and there are precious few that I have not seen, so I was pleased to see Dagon on the schedule.

I had a passing familiarity with the film–I knew, obviously, the Lovecraft story which provided the basic tale. I knew that the film-makers were the team who had created those wonderfully tacky Lovecraft adaptations of the 80s–Re-Animator, From Beyond, etc. Having read about the film on Aint It Cool News, I knew that the film was set in Spain, rather than New England as in the original story, largely as an issue of cheap filming.

So…how was it?

Very, very enjoyable. I liked it. It had the same goofy charm of the 80s Lovecraft films, but with the added benefits of CGI special effects, rather than the latex-and-spirit-gum “rubber monster” syndrome that plagued the older efforts. It’s not a great film by any measure, but it’s creepy and atmospheric, and generally well-done.

Setting the film in Spain didn’t detract from the story, but rather enhanced the sense of otherness critical to the tale. The town of Imboca (a nice spanish translation of “innsmouth”, which gives a nice chuckle) is a ramshackle sea-side town, filmed in constant rain. The townspeople, even those unadorned with piscene make-up, are, in many case, casting coups…the town priest has his eyes practically on opposite sides of his head, and it doesn’t take much more than a grey-green pallor to his skin to give him the “Imboca look”.

The lead is annoying and awkward in the same manner as Herbert West or Crawford Tillinghast, which makes his eventual progression to heroism more marked. The film has its usual assortment of breasts and gore as well–hey, it wouldn’t be a low-budget horror film without (*ahem*) titilation (excuse the pun).

Gotta admit, though…the twisted sculptures adorning the town “church”…the huge well at that bottom of the ocean…the writhing of black tentacles…all of it was very evocative and mood-enhancing. When the score rose with a chorus chanting “IA! IA! CTHULHU FHTAGN!”…a chill went up my spine.

Very well done. Recommended.

GMS

Stupid Writing Rules

One of the many things that THEY tell you when you’re a writer is that you’re not supposed to talk about what you’re writing, to anyone.

No, I don’t know who THEY are. THEY just get cited an awful lot.

Apparently, discussing any aspect of a project drains the energy that you’d actually put forward into actually writing the damned thing. You get all enthusiastic about telling someone what you’re doing, that when you sit down to actually write it (so the conventional wisdom tells us), you have no drive.

Well, goddammit.

Thing is, I like telling people what I’m doing–I like getting feedback as I work. It should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me that I thrive on an audience, and sharing my projects-under-construction is a cheap way of getting an audience in advance.

Problem, though, is that THEY are right. When I’ve gone and blabbed about what I’m doing, it does tend to take the wind out of my sails when it comes down to getting words to paper (or pixels on screens, or whatever).

Feh. As a janitor in my freshman dorm once told me: “Wahl, ya caint win fer losin’…” Sounds like a wise statement, and as such it’s stuck with me since then…largely because I can’t quite suss out exactly what it’s supposed to mean. Gotta admit, though…that’s damn year Yoda-like obfuscated wisdom…only partially diluted by the fact that the Jedi Master in question was squatted down in front of the room’s heater, replacing a filter. Hard to appear wise when your asscrack is poking out from the top of your Wranglers…but hell, Yoda was a muppet (before graduating to CGI), so what do I know.

So, I’ve got a bunch of ideas churning around in my head, which I’m dying to talk about, but if I do, I run the risk of withering them on the vine. Without talking about them, though, I’m afraid that I will have a hard time sustaining interest.

So, I guess ya caint win fer losin’, after all.

GMS

Design update

Not much to add tonight (I know, I know)…however, those of you who are interested in the progress of my latest RPG project, Apollyon Noir, might find this thread at The Forge of interest. I’ve posted the bare-bones of the system on their game design forum for comments. Check it out, if that’s the sort of thing ya like.

Now, kneel before the might of the UltraLove NINJA. Be sure to watch the movie…I smell a meme in the making.

More tomorrow. I promise.

GMS