Cheyenne Horror Film Festival 2014

We finally have most of the details worked out for the Cheyenne Horror Film Fest. The website is up and running.

Deadline for entries is September 1, 2014 and the winning entries will be screened at Cheyenne Zombie Fest the weekend of September 20 (exact time and date to be announced).

We are looking for horror films, both short and feature length. They can be funny, serious, freakish, slasher, or whatever.

Pass the word along to your filmmaking friends!

Cat Gangsters

Back in the Saddle

Missing in Action:

I've had to take a break from blogging for a while and recharge my batteries. If anyone is still following my blog, I apologize for my hibernation. I hope to start reading your blogs and keeping mine more up to date.

I see that many of you are currently in the throes of the A to Z Blogging Challenge! Best wishes to you all!

As for me, I'm working an several film projects (a documentary and a couple of short films). I'm also involved in organizing a Horror Film Festival, which means setting up a website and promotion.

Our first promo opportunity will be in May at the Cheyenne International Film Festival where we will be sponsoring the "Horror Films" segment.

Any who ....  glad to be back in the saddle.

Happy posting!

Luana

Window Motifs in Movies

One of the things I like best about movies is the talent of the cinematographer and the amazing shots that add depth and interest to the story. The window is a common visual motif in movies. It can express isolation and loneliness, or it can serve as protection or a barrier between people and events. Windows also symbolize vision, watching, seeing or witnessing. Some of my faves:

Rear Window(1954)

Lars Thorwald suspiciously looks out the window of his apartment where he may have committed the perfect crime. The film is not only a murder mystery, but reveals the window as an eye to the world where anything can happen. 

Psycho (1960)

Norman Bates is reflected in the motel office window, foreshadowing his two personalities.

Love Story (1970)

Oliver and Jenny drink hot cocoa at the skating rink just before she goes to the hospital. The view of the skating rink symbolizes freedom and joy, just the opposite of the grief and loss that await them. In another scene, Oliver looks in the window of a travel agency showing airline tickets to Paris, where Jenny had always wanted to go. The window symbolizes his soon-to-be separation from her.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

Nurse Ratched is behind the window in the nurses' station symbolizing her emotional distance from the patients.

Taxi Driver (1976)

This movie uses the window motif all the way through. Windows symbolize Travis Bickle's vision of the world. When he applies for a job, a window depicts two separate realities -- the reality of  "normal" people and that of Travis, trapped in paranoia and loneliness. Through the windows of his taxi he observes and comments on the "scum" of the streets. When Travis notices Betsy through the windows of the campaign office, he is inspired to attempt a normal relationship, but his inner demons won't allow it. 

"Loneliness has followed me my whole life. Everywhere. In bars, in cars, 

sidewalks, stores, everywhere. There's no escape. I'm God's lonely man."

"I first saw her at Palantine Campaign headquarters at 63rd and Broadway. 

She was wearing a white dress. She appeared like an angel. 

Out of this filthy mess, she is alone. They... cannot... touch... her."

The Pianist (2002)

Szpilman is a Jew hiding in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation. He watches the comings and goings of the Nazis through the window, symbolizing his isolation as a Jew and as a human being. In another scene, Szpilman and his family are eating dinner and outside the window they watch in terror as Nazis murder their neighbors in the street. 

These are just a few. What are your favorite "window" motifs in the movies? 

Coming Out of Hibernation

Things have been crazy here in Wyoming. I've been playing around with my new Netflix subscription and watching movies I'd never heard of and movies that I never thought I'd see again.

Some of my most recent finds include:

The Trip (2010) with Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. A British "mockumentary" that threw its arms around me and squeezed out the giggles. Steve and Rob go on a road trip in Northern England to visit restaurants for a newspaper piece. I'd never heard of these British actors and they were hysterical. One of my favorite scenes was when they were trying to one-up each other with their impersonations of Michael Caine. "She was only 15 years old..."

Breaking Bad -- I haven't been obsessed with a TV show this much since Seinfeld. The finale was Sunday night and it did not disappoint. I predict this show will have the legacy of being one of the best shows in television history.

Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad

Ingmar Bergman's Persona, Through a Glass Darkly, Winter Light, and Silence. These films were on DVD and included amazing extras about Bergman's creative process and his masterful filmmaking technique. The cinematography is stunning.

The Silence (1963)

Woody Allen: A Documentary (2012). Okay, if you know me at all, you know I am a huge Woody Allen fan. This documentary was fascinating. It covered his early years as a comedy writer and filmmaker through his latest films set in Europe. Everything you've always wanted to know about Woody Allen but were afraid to ask.

Woody Allen

Breaking Bad

Okay, so for the past few weeks my son has been telling me I need to watch "Breaking Bad." I'd been putting it off because I've been busy with work, family, home improvements and various and sundry summer activities.

When I finally got around to watching the pilot episode I had not anticipated a new TV show addiction. Seriously, this show is THE BOMB!

In the last few days I've watched three complete seasons - back to back.

So why do I like this show? Let me count the ways:

The story is compelling and plot lines are unexpected.
Fascinating characters.
It's a blast seeing Walt's moral compass go on the fritz.
The acting superb.
The show is set (and shot) in beautiful Albuquerque, New Mexico - I used to live in New Mexico.
The cinematography is absolutely stunning!
Flashbacks work to enhance the story line.
Visual motifs (water, pink teddy bear, book "Leaves of Grass" by Walt Whitman)

As of today, I am just starting season four and am covering my eyes and ears to protect myself from spoilers that seem to be everywhere right now.

Interestingly, I had just started to watch the "Fly" episode of season three yesterday and had to hit "pause" to kill a fly that got inside the house. I can't stand flies buzzing around. I'm OCD about that. The same time I was trying to kill the fly, Walt was trying to kill a fly in the lab. Weird.

The Lake House

Back in 2006, Hubby and I went to see “The Lake House” with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves. No, it wasn’t a double date.

It was a rainy Sunday afternoon when we walked through the doors of the darkened theatre and found seats in the back row. As I looked around, I noticed that most of the people were older couples. Except for a squad of teenage girls that giggled throughout the show. And, of course, there was the lone guy you seen in every movie house in America, sitting dead center with a giant popcorn and large Mountain Dew wearing a “Stupid Is As Stupid Does” t-shirt.

The movie was a romance. A man and woman fall in love ... but an obstacle keeps them from being together. So far, so good.

The obstacle is not what you would expect. One of them dying a slow, painful death from stepping barefoot on a rusty nail? Parents that would rather see their kids joy-riding on the Titanic than to marry? A Park Avenue princess twisting her ankle in the Outback and being captured by renegade armadillos and offered as a sacrifice to a massive stone statue of Sylvester Stallone?

No, the problem is much more severe: Keanu lives in the year 2004 and Sandra lives in the year 2006. Yeah, you heard me right. Time is “not” on their side.

They “meet” at a secluded lake house on the outskirts of Chicago and communicate by writing letters and placing them in the mail box. I didn’t get it, either.

As a woman, I took note of Sandra’s cute outfits and perky hairstyle. She dyed her hair black for this movie. (Is she going gray in real life? Inquiring minds want to know.) She plays the part of a doctor and has virtually no life outside the hospital. I wonder how she manages to find time to flirt with Keanu with all those handwritten letters. It’s the 21st century. Ever heard of email?

Keanu is an architect. Handsome. Sexy. The perfect man. Not a trace of “Bill and Ted” dudism or Matrix mystery. Dressed to kill in L.L. Bean togs, he looks so cool traipsing through the woods in his Acadia hiking boots and multi-pocket cargo jacket with detachable hood and flannel lining … available in camel, chestnut, navy and hunter green.

All the elements for a tear-jerker romance are there: a beautiful, successful, neurotic woman whose loathsome boyfriend is a nerdish, self-absorbed yuppie; a sensitive man with rugged good looks and gentle eyes who was mistreated by his neglectful father; and a lovely house on a lake nestled in a scenic woodland with scurrying squirrels, twittering bluebirds and the unabomber.

The nemesis is time itself. Two people living in the same city in different years. In the end, the lovers meet at the lake house. Don’t ask me how the time thingamajiggy worked out because I don’t know. All that matters is they “lived happily ever after.”

As we left the theatre, hubby and I discussed the film and the concept of time travel. We had this same discussion in 1985 with “Back to the Future” (how in the world did “old” Biff know how to operate the De Lorean time machine, go back to 1955 to give himself the sports almanac, and then fly back to the future? Huh?)

Hubby was quick to point out that there were no car chases, explosions or female nudity. Be we knew this going in. The big question: Did it make sense? The big answer: No. But we liked it anyway.

Later at home as we snuggled on the couch watching the Rockies and the Dodgers game, we came to the conclusion that we are perfectly content sharing the same time dimension. Although, hubby really liked the idea of me living in the future and mailing him scores to baseball games that haven’t been played yet.

The Conversation

So I'm browsing through my Netflix streaming videos and find a fabulous movie called "The Conversation," directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Gene Hackman. Released in 1974, the story is about a surveillance man who gets caught up in a murder plot. Other cast members include the pre-"Star Wars" Harrison Ford, John Cazale (from "The Godfather") and Cindy Williams ("Laverne & Shirley" fame).

First of all, this was one of Gene Hackman's best performances ever. His character, Harry Caul, is paranoid, introverted, and secretly plays jazz on his sax in his living room. Hackman skillfully brings this intriguing character to life.

Another fascinating thing about the movie is that in 1974, surveillance technology was pretty primitive compared to today, so it was interesting to see the use of dial telephones, bulky recording devices and reel-to-reel tapes.

What really knocked me out was the incredible cinematography. The shots were stunning. I particularly liked the shot of Harry near the staircase in the hall way at Amy's apartment which revealed his suspicious nature and his awkwardness in social and romantic situations. A cool cinematic technique I've seen in other films was used here as well -- the camera is fixed on a stationary object in the room as the actor moves in and out of of the frame and speaks off screen. All I can say is "mind blown"!

I checked the IMDB and found out that the cinematography (director of photography) was done by Bill Butler and Haskell Wexler - UNCREDITED! Why, I wonder, were they uncredited? Was it because of a legal issue? Did they not want their names attached to the film? Inquiring minds want to know.

If you've never seen this movie, check it out. You'll love the surprise twist at the end.

Tennis Anyone?

I love to play tennis and summer in Wyoming is the best time to be on the court. So while I'm out there getting my Serena Williams on, I'm thinking about movies with memorable "tennis" scenes. Here are a few that made the list in my book:

Lucas (1986)

Corey Haim falls in love with Kerri Green on the tennis court.
Unfortunately she only has eyes for the captain of the football team.
Nevertheless, Lucas tries to impress her with his over-sized brain
and his condemnation of all things superficial.

The Muse (1999)

Albert Brooks and Jeff Bridges play tennis, but Jeff never gets
the ball over the net. No worries. He gives Albert the phone
number of a Muse who looks a lot like Sharon Stone.

Strangers on a Train (1951)

Farley Granger is a professional tennis player who meets
Robert Walker on a train. Murder is the topic of discussion. 

The Stepford Wives (1975)

Tina Louise loved to play tennis until she became a Stepford robot.
  "I think there's something in the water that turns us into house-fraus!"

Annie Hall (1977)

Diane Keaton meets Woody Allen for the first time on the tennis court.
Love blooms. She learns that he's been in psychoanalysis for years
and he discovers that her grandmother is Jew hater.

Match Point (2005)

Jonathan Rhys Meyers experiences "Crime and Punishment"
up close and personal. Did someone say "murder"?

Bridesmaids (2011)

The girls take it out on the court. This is war not "Love"!

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

Luke Wilson can't handle the pressure.

So what are your favorite tennis scenes in the movies? 

Tai Lung Escapes

One of the best animated sequences ever is in Kung Fu Panda when Tai Lung escapes the Chorh-Gom prison. 

Oh, yes. And here's a bit of trivia from the film:

The Kung-Fu/Wuxia convention where attacks on the correct nerve/Chi points can cause paralysis and other effects is adopted although it is not explained in the film, and the jade figurine topped sticks on the shell worn on the imprisoned Tai Lung are positioned at the traditional Chi energy points of the body. The sticks are intended to keep the villain from accessing the power from those points, which is why he was first concerned about removing them before attempting to break his chains.