(no subject)

[fabrisse]

I've been sick, so I haven't been online much in the last week. I thought I'd have all day today, but that's been shut down to a maximum of 5 hours. So I apologize in advance to anyone I haven't commiserated with or congratulated depending upon whether your life is going well or ill. I hope to catch up on Tuesday.

Meantime -- riverfox tagged me for a five scary movies meme.

1) Psycho -- I know how the shower scene was done, the knife never touches the body and the blood is chocolate syrup. It still wigs me out every time -- but not as much as Mama at the end. Family stories have told me that Mom and Dad saw it opening weekend when Mom was in her seventh month with me. It scared her so badly that she was afraid to touch anything because there's an old wives' tale that birthmarks come in the shape of something that the mother touched when she was frightened: the greater the fright, the more prominent the birth mark. They were also worried earlier in the evening that she'd miscarry from laughing so hard. It seems that the cartoon with the movie was the first Roadrunner cartoon Mom had ever seen. It gets better when you realize that some of it was the laughter of recognition. She grew up on the desert and knew the habits of roadrunners and coyotes very well.

2) Cat People -- the original. Again, you never see the cat person. All you see are the reactions and you hear the snarls. It works for me. Visually it's a beautiful picture.

3) Advise and Consent -- I haven't seen this one in years. I saw it on TV and had to have the blackmail explained to me. I was about 12. What scared me was the ending. The idea that one person would have to hide so much of himself that he'd kill himself rather than be exposed. Since I grew up in the Anita Bryant era, I knew about "gays," but this was the first time I'd been aware of the social consequences like this. It was frightening because it was so senseless.

4) Wait Until Dark -- I look at it now, and it's so obviously a stage play made into a movie. I can also quibble about the "World's Champion Blind Lady" remark that gets hammered home by so many characters. But Alan Arkin is creepy beyond belief, and Audrey Hepburn sells me that she's terrified. Great acting can do more than CGI gore.


5) The Fog -- I've never seen it. My sister was so scared after watching it that she made me sleep with her for three nights.

Since I don't know what's going on in anyone's life, consider yourself tagged if you want to do it.

One piece of good news that I got today. I've won my very first writing award. It's for an SG-1 fanfic. I'm kind of proud.

Comments

[undauntra.livejournal.com]

Have you ever read Advise and Consent? I never realized it was a movie, as well as a book.

[fabrisse.livejournal.com]

Yes, I read the book the summer I turned sixteen. I was visiting my grandparents and my library card got a terrific workout. The book is better than the movie because it can go into more depth.

The movie wasn't reshown all that often -- maybe once every four years (election years) on the local station in DC either on election night or the weekend before. All sorts of black and white politically themed movies would come out to play. State of the Union, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Advise and Consent, All the King's Men, The Last Hurrah...

[wadjet-theperv.livejournal.com]

You're right that psychological thrillers are scarier than gory ones.

And well done you!!!

[fabrisse.livejournal.com]

Gore just saddens me or disgusts me. Sin City nauseated me, even as I was recognizing how good so much of the acting was. But fear or creepyness? That can always get to me.

Thank you.

[moria923.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! I didn't realize there were awards for fanfic. What's it called? Is there money involved?

Now I want to read ADVISE AND CONSENT.

[fabrisse.livejournal.com]

Advise and Consent is a good book. It's a little dated, but it captures 1950s D.C. very accurately.

The story is called Tough Kid. There's no money, but in the Stargate Fandom this award is the gold-standard.

[riverfox.livejournal.com]

Heh. Your list is among my "favorites" for 'scary' or suspenseful films. :) I love Psycho, just as I love The Birds. But neither of them *scared* me. Or should I say, gave me the heebiejeebies. *g*

The Fog spooked me when I first saw it because I saw it on the exact date the movie takes place, in a theatre on the Ft. Devens base in Mass. And when I came out of the theatre, the entire area was inundated with fog. It was very creepy and very fun. ;) Aside from that reason, that film is just *fun.* Have seen the trailers and the "making of" the new version of the Fog, in which John Carpenter was on the set of but didn't really have anything to do with the film... although I won't know for sure until I see the credits of the new movie. Anyway, I love his film. It was cool. I had the dvd (sold it over the summer) and watched the "making of" that film and they actually shot it backwards because they couldn't get rid of the fog once they'd pumped it into the set. *g* With the new technologies and computer enhancements, the new version didn't have to film that way. I'm leery about seeing this new one because it's only remotely related to the old film. There's Antonio Bay and the lighthouse, the DJ, the priest, but they've changed the story on who the ghosts are and who was responsible, which I think is sad. But that's me being loyal to the original. I'll have to see the film once it's out on DVD to really make up my mind.

Wait Until Dark was a very good suspense movie. Of course, I'm partial to Audrey anyway as well as Alan Arkin. :)

Cat People didn't scare me. I simply fascinated me beyond belief. :) I love the look of that film. :))) The newer version was just stupid.

I haven't seen A & C, so I'll have to put that on my rental list. :)


Now.... {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{ Fabi }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} Sorry to hear you haven't been feeling well, hun. :( With the new job an' all the stress, that really makes it worse. :( Hope you get better soon. :))))

[fabrisse.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the hugs.

It got bad enough that I had to go to the doctor. My wallet is now $300. lighter between the visit and the prescriptions. On the plus side, I'm now on anti-depressants and they should be full force by Thanksgiving.

Glad you liked the list.

[riverfox.livejournal.com]

:) The meds should help I hope so here's me wishing you all good things that they do! Price aside, we'd pay anything to feel better if we could. Hell, I go hungry just for that. :)

[rhiannonhero.livejournal.com]

What have you been sick with? I'm sorry to hear about it!

[fabrisse.livejournal.com]

Hemhoraging. I've been bleeding since September 1st. The cramping finally got so bad last week that I tried to get my East coast doctor to prescribe for me over the phone. She wouldn't. Hence $347.00 lighter in the wallet. The Wellbutrin was a good chunk of it.

Hope all is well with you.

[gileswench.livejournal.com]

Congrats on the win, Twistie! Well deserved.

Will chat more when the screen isn't weaving more than I am.

[fabrisse.livejournal.com]

Sorry you're weaving. I love the Charles Rennie Mackintosh font on your icon.