Hope you all enjoyed visiting with Trav. I sure did. After that little trip down Weird Way, let's keep it going with a visit to the greatness that is Japanese horror cinema. Time and time again, I am shown just how unbelievably strange our Japanese friends are and Marebito (The Stranger fom Afar) gives no indication that I should change my mind about this. Cult horror director Takashi Shimizu, best known for The Grudge takes us on one hell of a dark and dismal sojourn that makes C$ squirm and wonder how to describe...Marebito is a dark fantasy that unfolds like a waking dream - or nightmare. Masuoka (played by director Shinya Tsukamoto) is a cameraman who records a man committing suicide in the Tokyo subway system, and finds himself obsessed by the dead man's motives, as well as his final expression of terror, driven by unseen forces.
Following his final gaze, via his obsessive study of the videotape of the suicide, leads Masuoka to a door which proves to be an entry into a bizarre, cavernous underworld of hidden catacombs, where he encounters a mute, nude feral girl chained to a rock - and the Deros or detrimental robots. Observing her through his Web cam while at work, he begins to suspect that there is something truly inhuman about this girl (F - pictured in all her glory) with sharp teeth who walks on all fours - ya think?
The screenplay was inspired by a story written by Richard Shaver that was published in Amazing Stories magazine in the 1940s. Far from unique in his belief that cities around the world have subterranean communities inhabited by strange beings, Shaver asserted that these caverns were built by aliens from another galaxy who were fleeing the sun's radiation and whose offspring degenerated into evil dwarfs or Deros - who kidnap surface-dwelling humans for sustenance and have "ray" machines that can project tormenting thoughts and voices into human minds. Don't worry a post about Shaver is already in the works.
Anyway, I think you get the idea - the film is nuts and, yet, if you get past the craziness you realize that Shimizu is an unparalleled director that crams a dazzling number of ideas into a very tight 82 minute film. Hope y'all get a chance to see it.
As for the music, let's stay with the dark and macabre - here once again on c101 is one of the best bands ever to grace the planet - The Tiger Lillies - Here is "The Dreadful Story About Harriet And The Matches" off of Shock Header Peter (they did this entire album set to a play in an off-Broadway production in NYC - I didn't go and I am still pissed) and "Xyz" off of Bad Blood and Blasphemy. Buy/borrow? these albums kiddies - this means you RFO.
The Dreadful Story About Harriet And The Matches
Xyz
my thunder has been stolen. back to the drawing board.
you snooze you lose, beeatch.
"Unleashed"
I already have both albums, Fruitloop. But thanks for the shout out.
What I probably should have said is that you need to LISTEN to them. I know you posses every album ever made. And yes, Thunder, I promise to watch Unleashed very soon.
What the hell are you talking about? Is this porn?
[5] I listened to them. They received more attention then I gave some other, more deserving peices. Also, you lose 7 GBDs for stealing Bone's thunder. But I'll give you 3 GBDs for confusing King Wookie.
More deserving? There is none more deserving. I guess we will have to agree to disagree on the genius that is The Tiger Lillies, RFO. And too bad, so sad for Dr. Bone.
You mom is more deserving. I'm down with the the TL, but they need to lay off the accordian. That instrument makes me want to fly into a gypsy-killing rampage.
Also, I must acquiesce. The blog-o-sphere is cut throat and it was wrong of me to take away seven GBDs for totally poaching Bone's post. He should have been quicker. That will learn him. Laziness and gypsys are not accepted here at eLarceny.
Amen, Freshy - I tried to warn Dr. Bone. I suppose as puppet master of this bad boi you are getting a bit crazy with doling and indian-giving the GBD's. And also, I like keeping KW confused as possible. Bless his latino heart.
It's always better to steal Bone's thunder than to steal Thunder's bone. Always.
[11] holy christ.
gypsie killing rampages does a body good every now & then.
rammin poker's up poop shoots, it is genious.
Dale, no 'o' in genius, genius. But, you sure are right on about those Lillies.
i are smart
i don't know what it is but i just don't "get" the tiger lillies or Marebito. A little too weird for lil' Steverino.
Your loss, Mr. Smilsen. You need to embrace the strange.
I like strange in small doses.
I like strange as much and as big as it comes. Wow.