31 Days of Horror: Day 4 "Last House on the Left"

I can suffer through most things that cinema conjures, but graphic rape scenes nearly always force me to look away. I've even refused to watch movies that have notoriously brutal portrayals of non-consensual sex. I have no idea why I decided to re-watch this film, but I'm not terribly sorry that I did. Maybe I'm just in a good mood, every Halloween movie seems to please me these days. This one had the saturated cinematography and synthy Gothic-style soundtrack of a low-budet Giallo and ending reminiscent of 60's Japanese horror films like Kuroneko... but unmistakably sadistic American undertones. Even better, it was populated by actors fairly new to the power of cinema, unencumbered and willing to do what it took to make this movie as real as possible.

31 Days of Horror: Day 2 "Burn, Witch, Burn"

Summary: An atheistic college professor becomes incensed after learning of his wife's daliances with the Dark Arts.

You know, I was always under the impression that this was one of those ultra-campy 50's horror movies that almost requires a flask, but actually this was a genuinely entertaining thriller. To be sure it's completely over-acted and definitely has some hilariously dated special effects, but still kept my attention and actually became an interesting talking point on feminism and the occult as reflected in popular media of the day. What? Yeah I just got serious there for a second. 

In conversation after the film, I found myself describing the lead character as a victim of the male-dominated society of the 50's. I don't think I'm forging a new path when I say that the pursuit and damnation of witches was a direct result and affront to the ever-growing power of women in society. This is a theme we see again and again in America starting fairly early with the Salem Witch Trials. I thought this idea particularly interesting when you look at the portrayal of witches in film and drama specifically the 1958 film "Bell Book and Candle," this film which was released in 1962 and the TV series "I Dream of Jeannie" which ran from 1965 - 1970. 

In both the "Bell" and "Burn" we find dutiful, intelligent, capable, desirable women who use witchcraft as they would any other household appliance, for their own betterment and ease. In "Burn," the viewer is lead to believe that the wife uses her magic primarily to better her husband's career. She keeps this a secret however, which is her ultimate downfall. The real villain is her selfish mentor, a woman who does magic for her own ends. The character in "Burn" stands in distinct contrast from Jeannie in the series "I Dream if Jeannie." Jeannie's threat is nullified by her extremely subservient role.

Enough. Here are some of my favorite stills:

31 Days of Horror 2011: Day Two "Zombie Women of Satan"

"Zombie Women of Satan" by Steve O'Brien & Warren Speed, 2009

SUMMARY: Porn for 13 year old emo boys.

The tagline for this movie is "It really was the wrong time of the month." Nuff said.