Sunday, December 12, 2010: Matricide Mass - A Treatise on Dirty Pillows & Blood Curses

The next fabulous movie night theme will be matricide! Our unlucky matrons will be Piper Laurie in Brian De Palma's horror classic Carrie (1976) and Grace Zabriskie in Werner Herzog's hilariously strange 2009 film My Son My Son What Have Ye Done.

Now, the subject may make some of you a little uneasy, but it's a taboo rife with cinematic possibilities. I had wanted to show the ultimate matricide tragedy, Electra (1962) starring Greek thespian Irene Pappas, but then I didn't want to make everyone depressed and miserable (but I still want to impress upon you all to check it out if you get the chance). I also toyed with screening Heavenly Creatures (1994) or something more light like Throw Momma From the Train (1987)---but Herzog's 2009 feature was my 2nd favorite film from 2009 (it would have been first place, but then Avatar had Sigourney Weaver in it, so I was being petty and biased) so I just had to share this strange little gem with a group. And as for Carrie, well it's been a few years since I've seen it, but if you've never had the chance, the time has come. Carrie also sees auteur Brian De Palma in prime form and, in my opinion, he has never made better films than his offerings from the 1970's (I am a nut for his film Sisters, 1974, Obsession, 1976, and Dressed to Kill, 1980). Prom has never been more horrific or iconic (sorry John Hughes) than in this film, and Piper Laurie knocks the crazy mama motif out of the park.

In honor of matricidal tendencies, there will be a Dirty Pillow Cover Contest! Whoever can bring me the best Dirty Pillow Cover (we will vote) will win a prize---and if you don't get the reference, well, you'll just have to see Carrie.

Our thematic treats that the hubby and I will be serving:

Matricidal Meatballs (because they sound good)

Clytemnestra Casserole (Electra's ole lady)

Treacherous Tres Leches (red "mother's milk")

Please RSVP!

Out of the Past: The Week In Film

The Banal, the Blah, the Banausic:
1. Hood of Horror (2007) Dir. Stacy Title – US
2. The Greatest (2009) Dir. Shana Feste – US
3. Shelter (2009) Dir. Mans Marlind & Bjorn Stein - US

Of Interest:
1. And Soon the Darkness (1970) Dir. Robert Fuest – UK

Recommended:
1. The Entity (1981) Dir. Sidney J. Furie – US

Essential Cinema:
3. Mr. Skeffington (1944) Dir. Vincent Sherman – US
2. True Grit (1969) Dir. Henry Hathaway – US
1. The Fly (1986) Dir. David Cronenberg – US

Theatrical Screenings:
4. Vision (2009) Dir. Margarethe Von Trotta – Germany 7/10
3. Stone (2010) Dir. John Curran – US 10/10
2. Fair Game (2010) Dir. Doug Liman – US 10/10
1. For Colored Girls (2010) Dir. Tyler Perry – US 10/10

Out of the Past: The Week In Film

Cess Pool Cinema:
1. A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) Dir. Samuel Bayer - US

The Banal, the Blah, the Banausic:
1. The Sicilian Girl (2009) Dir. Marco Amenta – Italy

2. 50 Dead Men Walking (2008) Dir. Kari Skogland - UK

Of Interest:
1. Get Him to the Greek (2010) Dir. Nicholas Stoller - US

Recommended:
1. Nacho Libre (2006) Dir. Jared Hess – US
2. Eve’s Bayou (1997) Dir. Kasi Lemmons - US

Essential Cinema:
2. Atonement (2007) Dir. Joe Wright – UK
1. Desk Set (1957) Dir. Walter Lang - US

Theatrical Screenings:
3. Paranormal Activity 2 (2010) Dir. Tod Williams – US 4/10
2. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest (2009) Dir. Daniel Alfedson – Sweden 7/10
1. Carlos (2010) Dir. Olivier Assayas – France/Germany 10/10

Rewatched Goodies:
1. Dressed to Kill (1980) Dir. Brian De Palma – US 10/10