Thursday, October 9, 2014

OCTOBER MOVIE CHALLENGE (10/4 - 10/5)

Challenge Totals to Date:

Movies Watched Today: 2
Total Movies Watched: 6
First Time Views: 1
Amount raised: $29.10

Today's showcased SCARE-A-THON Charities:

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY, sponsored by Christine Thom

AND

THE COMIC BOOK LEGAL DEFENSE FUND, sponsored by Whit Spurgeon

To showcase your charity, send an email to drach101@gmail.com with your pledge amount and the charity's website!



10/4

5. Gamera vs. Viras (aka Destroy All Planets) (1968) (2nd viewing) 81 min

Okay, right about here is when things started getting silly for the Gamera series, too silly even for my 9-year-old self. This is the film that introduced not only the trademark “Gamera March” but also the infamous line, “Gamera is the friend to all children.” Too bad the tykes in question are a couple of authority-busting scamps (one Japanese, one Caucasian, setting the pattern for the next three films) whose idea of a good time is sabotaging experimental mini-submarines. Earth is under attack by a spaceship comprised of five bumblebee-striped beach balls, upon which is a fantastically stupid-looking octopus alien who can’t fight for crap. His humanoid automaton underlings have their moments, especially when we only see them in silhouette with their lit-up eyes blinking. After encountering this one and Gamera vs. Guiron as a kid, I never really went back to the big turtle except when accompanied by the MST3K gang. Upon revisiting, it’s interesting how I needed to become an adult to appreciate the kiddy factor.




10/5



6. Devils, The (1971) d. Russell, Ken (UK) (3rd viewing) 112 min

A visual feast, an emotional whirlwind, an exercise in operatic excess, and dozens of other colorful turns of phrase can be used to describe Russell’s full-tilt retelling of the true story of the morally flawed Father Grandier (Oliver Reed), the emotionally and physically twisted Sister Jeanne (Vanessa Redgrave), and the small French town of Loudon targeted by Cardinal Richelieu’s religious cronies. With scenes of hysterically masturbating nuns, insane exorcisms, and excruciating torture sequences, if you’re not exhausted and conflicted by the end, I don’t know what to tell you.

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