Apr 17, 2013

The Evil Dead remake had a lot to live up to, with its predecessor maintaining a cult-classic status for over 30 years.  Luckily for Fede Alvarez this movie takes the remake cake.  It’s an unrelenting rollercoaster ride of suspense while staying true to the original plot. The cast was almost identical to the original; the main character (Shiloh Fernandez) adopted Ash’s naivety and optimism, which quickly transgresses into prolific action as the film carries on. The sarcastic Scotty is much like the remake’s Eric, who finds the Book of the Dead and unrelentingly releases the evil within. As for the possessed female lead (Jane Levy), she is terrifying and advances in cinematic make-up make her all the more convincing. It is easy to assume that CGI played a large part in this film, with all the bodily dismemberment and demonic possessions, but according to Alvarez there is not an ounce of it in the entire movie. Staying true to the roots of the film and shooting painstakingly realistic scenes of gore with no help from computer generation gives new meaning to present day remakes. As far as terror goes it doesn’t let up, this movie brings the classic-horror film genre together with Saw on steroids.  Alongside the horror there are many Easter Eggs to watch out for and many subtle similarities between films; down to the Michigan State sweater worn by Betsy Baker and Jane levy. All in all this film is a remake success and worth seeing on the big screen.

A review by guest writer Emily N. (Thanks, E!)

Mar 20, 2013

The Dialectic of Monstrosity

— Jase Short

Mar 20, 2013

Feb 28, 2013

A wizard managed to survive my guardians and protective spells, as well as the old traps in this ziggurat. He asked that I make him my apprentice and show him the ways of the Necromantic Arts. I most definitely considered it for a few moments, for not only did he have the cunning to find me, the skill and power with both blast and blade to survive, but also the sheer audacity to ask such a thing of me. A few moments later, I decided he would be more useful as a corpse.

The mage fought well, and managed to disrupt most of my apparatuses, but I was able to kill him in the end, and I believe his soul and body will serve me extremely well. I have him now resting in the cold mountain stream. I almost regret not having waited for a few days, for he was able to summon up gouts of fire and lightning with only about half of the runes and canted formulae than what I once thought necessary. It would have been good to learn something about his methods, but it was extremely instructive to learn it was even possible. I shall definitely make this a line of research.

More interesting than that, even, is the small booklet he had with him. The title on the cover says it is a “Guide on Edible Mushrooms,” but it is in a script that resembles the power runes used by the hermits in the South. I dare not try to open it before deciphering it’s true title.

Feb 28, 2013

Response to “Fallen Angel,” art by Luis Royo

The heavy steel glints and clanks,

the wings are but fins,

keeping the heart cool.

Mockeries.

Feb 28, 2013

The horror genre has been in and out of identity crisis for its entire existence. What, historically, makes a good “scary” movie? For the sake of timeliness (and that  thorough answer would require another article), I would simply say that horror should be critiqued through a similar lens as any other artistic theme. That is to say, “this is how this piece uses its medium to deliver an expression of story.” An expression of story being the entirety of the work, including but not limited to the plot, character development, and aesthetics. Movies, for example, convey themselves through both visual and audio representation. Therefore analyzing the expression of a story would also be taking a look at the delivery of this combination.

So what does this have to do with American Horror Story?

Nov 3, 2012

Today is the 58th birthday of Godzilla, and we at the Ansible are celebrating with a post that encourages you to check out these giant monster classics!

1) Gojira (1954): This film needs no justification or explanation. The original Godzilla film remains the most serious and powerful giant monster film of all time. Director Ishiro Honda truly put giant monsters on the map with this dramatic take on the legacy of World War II in Japan with the embodiment of the atomic bomb in the creature of Godzilla. Akihiko Hirata’s brilliant performance as Dr. Serizawa also set this film off from the traditional American monster movies in which the hero is a swashbuckling misogynistic with massive biceps. Instead, we get a hero who is an intellectual and shows the moral courage to destroy his weapon of mass destruction, something the real world Manhattan Project intellectuals could not do. Godzilla’s lumbering, zombie-like personality gives life to fears of atomic radiation that pervaded Japanese culture in the 1950′s.

The Lucky Dragon No. 5 incident is referenced throughout the film, as fishermen seem to be the initial target of the monster. In that incident, a Japanese fishing boat wandered past a US Navy quarantine and was subject to high doses of radiation exposure during a nuclear test. This, and the memories of the mass destruction of World War II dominate the screen for the duration of this somber film. One incident in the film actually triggered consistent applause from Japanese audiences: Godzilla’s destruction of the parliament building, seat of the corrupt Liberal Democratic Party whose one party rule has gripped Japan with few interruptions since the ending of the US occupation just before the release of the film.

Eiji Tsubaraya’s special effects were second to none in his day.

Nov 1, 2012

Fantastic gathering of some of my favorite monsters: