Bloggenaire: The Mike, From Midnight, With Love

I was wrong: I always thought there was more than one Mike. I was right: I always knew Midnight really cared! So right it's wrong: From Midnight, With Love.


1) What's the key moment that led you to click that "Start Your Blog" button?

It started off as a New Year's Resolution. I'd written for a friend's site years earlier, but grew absolutely sick of the critical aspect of it all – I mean, I like movies, I don't want to degrade them. So, when I decided I wanted to write again, I wanted to start things back up on my terms and talk about something I really loved. It's taken a while to get back in the swing and keep myself going, but I think I'm near achieving that goal.

2) Please describe your blog in no more than 3 sentences. You must include the words / phrases "morbid", "aesthetic", and "electromagnetic".

From Midnight, With Love started with no desire to worship the morbid, nor did it intend to praise some cinematic aesthetic that exists in the minds of the cinephile. What I wanted to do was find that electromagnetic balance between the my personality and the horror and sci-fi films I love. And I don't think electromagnetic really describes my goal, but you asked for it.

3) Bearing in mind that opinions are subjective (except mine because I'm always right), do you enjoy movies that are generally considered "bad"? Why or why not?

I absolutely do. For starters, a large percent of movies the majority call bad are simply not meeting their expectation of what is standard. I look at a movie like Greg McLean's Wolf Creek that I found to be a fascinating bit of torture (an opinion a majority of critics shared), and remember that I only saw it AFTER I'd heard many people I know in the real world proclaim it “the worst movie I've ever seen.”

On the flipside, there are the movies that are considered bad and that are actually bad, like anything produced by the SyFy Network. And they're just fun to watch. (Of course, there's a big difference between studio produced bad (i.e. - Dark Castle Entertainment) that are bad bad and the indie/low-budget stuff that's good bad. The latter's more worthy of forgiveness.

4) Did you know that there exists one variety of carnivorous parrot? It's true. They live in the mountains of New Zealand, and they eat the fat surrounding the kidneys of sheep- WHILE THE SHEEP ARE ALIVE. It's horrible.

No, I didn't. That's why I follow horror bloggers like yourself, so I can continue to hone my knowledge of things most would never consider.

5) What's the one- ONE- horror movie you love so much you want to stick it down your pants?

Halloween.

6) Adrienne Barbeau. Discuss.

Yes ma'am, I like them.


7) Why should people bother to read your blog?

Because, when I'm not struggling to form a coherent sentence, I'm trying my hardest to proudly speak out on behalf of a lot of content that most people don't give a chance. I've seen a lot of great stuff that I found through others' recommendations, and I want to help others find that same enjoyment too.

8) Where does Jigsaw get all the money he needs to build all those traps and buy all that warehouse space? Better yet, does he have some sort of engineering background? He must, right, if he designs all that crap?

My favorite theory about this is that, when he was a child, Jigsaw invented both the board game Mousetrap and lived in a scrapyard. Oh, and probably was molested.

9) Several theories regarding the reasons why people would subject themselves to watching horror films (when they're so, you know, traumatic) exist. Which is closest in line with your feelings on and reactions to the genre? Feel free to elaborate. Or don't, see if I care.

a) RELIEF THEORY: The unpleasant feelings of distress cause more stimulating feelings of relief when the unpleasantness passes- the stressed arousal caused by fear becomes pleasurable arousal later on.
b) CONTINUOUS REWARD: The excitement felt during the film is the appeal in and of itself.
c) SOCIAL THEORIES:
1) Stereotypical gender roles are reinforced: men act as protectors, women need protection.
2) Violating social norms- watching "deviant" entertainment- is exciting.
3) Experiencing heightened emotions with others makes us feel like we "belong" and we're truly part of a group.

If I had to pick one of the above, I'm probably closest to a mixture of A and B. Yeah, that's not one of the above, but it's my choice. Anyway, I'm a big fan of the thrill that horror films can produce, but as he unpleasantness passes the intrigue of the forces at work remains for me, producing an incredible wonder.

10) Which year produced better horror movies: 1977 or 1981? Why?

1981, on the strength of Evil Dead, An American Werewolf in London, and Happy Birthday to Me (relevant because it was in theaters while I was born).

11) What the eff is up with those French and their crazy horror flicks?

Ever since a college Film class that spent half of its time on Hitchcock, whom I love, and half of its time on the French New wave, which made me want to die, I've declared not to consider the French. Next question.

12) What's your favorite Animals Run Amok movie?

It's too easy of an answer, but I've got to pick The Birds. If we're going completely b-movie crazy, I'll pick the easy answer there too, Day of the Animals. In fact, these answers are too simple I'm sad. So let's move on.

13) If Jason Voorhees is on a train heading east at 80mph and Leatherface is on a train heading west at 65mph…why the hell would anyone ever watch Rob Zombie's Halloween?

For me it was because I'm a Halloween whore. I mean, I own multiple copies of each of the first FOUR Halloween films. THAT kind of whore. Now that I've seen it (twice, in the interest of full disclosure), I'm shamed. Like, Sylvia Ganush shamed.

14) What are your funereal wishes?

I'd like it if someone, if not everyone, wore a gorilla costume. And sang Whitesnake's "Here I Go Again".

15) Why do I have such a fondness for Shelley Hack? It's not like she's really done much to deserve it, but there it is.

I'm not sure, but she's in Time After Time, so I'm down with it.

16) You're on a sinking ghost ship that's being piloted by a witch. What are your last words?

“They always said she knew the way to Sail-em!” (And I'm terribly sorry for that pun.)

17) Asking about your funereal wishes and your last words means nothing, I swear.

Good to know. Gorilla suits and witches don't mesh well.

18) Do you know where I can get some lye?

I can only be so clever in a day. And right now I've got nothing. Get back to me tomorrow.

Doesn't Spider-Man realize he's proving J. Jonah Jameson right by turning to a life of crime?

19) Weren't you glad when THAT JERK in THAT HORROR MOVIE got what was coming to him?

Well...yeah, I was. I never liked Gregory Peck anyway.

20) Overall, what’s your favorite era of horror films?

The 1970s, easily. I'd probably put 4 from the decade among my top 10 horrors, including the top 2. Horror of the '70s seemed to focus on not only the supernatural, but on the divide between good and pure evil, and that's always been the most interesting part of horror to me.

21) Would you rather be:

1) a vampire
2) a witch/warlock
3) a werewolf
4) a Frankenstein (and yes, I know technically it’s “Frankenstein’s monster” but “a Frankenstein” sounds better)
5) a Jaws

Well, I'm a big Frankenstein fan, but I'd get sick of lynch mobs. One is funny, but after a while they're repressive. I don't like to swim, so Jaws is out. If I say vampire, Twilight will come up, so that's out. Being a witch/warlock would be fun, especially if it's possible to switch between genders, but it's against my religion. So werewolf it is. I can live with that.

22) If you could turn back time- if you could find a way- would you take back those words that hurt me, so I’d stay?

As long as I don't step on any butterflies.

23) What's something you want people to know about you or your blog that I didn't ask?

We're small (“we” being me), but we're mighty. FMWL might not fulfill everyone's desires, but I'm doing everything I can to shed some light on some hidden treasures, and I'd be honored if any of you would like to come along for the ride. (Also, if I say “totally” about a movie or call something in it “awesome”, I really mean it. If I say “totally awesome”, that's a magical conjunction.)

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Big thanks to The Mike. Stay tuned for anther exciting episode of...THE BLOGGENAIRES!