yon Film Club calleth

So there I was, browsing through the Netflix Instant Watch selections, a-wonderin' what the next selection will be. I was all "Hmm, what will the next selecti--OH MY GOD BLOOD AND ROSES."

Roger Vadim's 1960 lesbian vampire film is on Netflix Instant Watch. Roger Vadim's 1960 lesbian vampire film is the next Final Girl Film Club pick.


The movie: Blood and Roses (1960)
The due date: Tuesday, March 22
What you do:

1. Review the movie on your site. Add a link to Final Girl in there somewhere. If you've reviewed the film before, that's fine- but you must retrofit your review with a link to FG to be included in my round-up.
2. Email your link to me at stacieponder at gmail dot com. Put 'film club' or some such in the subject line.
3. Bask in the warm, glowing, warming glow of Film Club Day. Easy, breezy, et cetera et cetera.
   
   

Oh, and if you want to look extra cool whilst watching and/or writing about the Film Club selection, you're in luck! By popular demand (i.e., I wanted one), my Final Girl Shop now has FGFC mugs and shirts of all varieties. Said mugs and shirts of all varieties have this on 'em:


Is the zombie waving or attacking? Only time will tell.

road rage

I reviewed Drive Angry over at AfterEllen. Here's the link if you want to know what I thought about it (spoiler: I friggin' loved it). Then AfterEllen said "Instead of solely reviewing Drive Angry, can you also incorporate some fluff about Amber Heard's other roles in horror?"

I replied "Yes. Yes, I can." and then I did. Ka-blam!

The Final Frame

This is the final frame from which horror film? Since y'all got yesterday's so quickly, I figure you'll know this one before I even post it!

The Final Frame

This is the final frame from which horror film? Tough one this time, I hope!

Film Club: Frozen

People, I have had a big day of 1) talking about Frozen with my mom, 2) playing the Dragon Age II demo and writing a review of it, 3) going to a screening of a movie I'm not supposed to talk about until Friday (which should narrow it down for you), and 4) well, #4 hasn't happened yet, but I'm gonna hafta link to a whole mess of people for this installment, because gobs of you turned out to talk about this month's film...to which I say hooray. Hooray, kind sirs and sir-ettes. Oh, and the reason I'm telling you I had a big day is because 1) it's the reason why I'm posting this so late and 2) it's the reason why my review will be rather short. There will be 30+ other reviews linked up here, though (SAY WHAT), so I'm sure someone else can fill in whatever I lack.

And I guess I'm really into incorporating numbered lists into my sentences today because 1) I don't know why.

So! Frozen. Three assholes con their way onto ski slopes without paying those expensive lift ticket prices. Three assholes end up stranded on the chair lift because no one knows they're up there when the slope closes for the night. Three assholes try a few ways to save themselves: jumping, heading down the line to a climbable pole. Three assholes encounter many hardships, such as wolves, wolves, and frostbite. One asshole survives.

three assholes we

Now, I realize that all makes it sound as if I didn't like Frozen, which is not the case. Well, that's not entirely true, for I pretty much loathed the first half hour, full of character development by way of assholery. The "girlfriend coming between two friends and their bro time" angle simply made for characters that are unpleasant. Maybe I was supposed to be rooting for their deaths? Maybe it's all supposed to be some big morality play and the stranding/wolfnanigans are cosmic payment for their generally foul natures and thievery? That seems like a bit of a stretch, and thus my battle cry is yelped once more: please, just make some likable characters.

Once they all got stuck up there in the dark- in the night...in the dark (sorry, Haunting moment there)- things picked up and I found myself getting into it. The characters remained fairly assholey and shallow, despite all the "Remember that time?" stories meant to add depth, but the situation was interesting/dire/tense enough that I was interested in their fates nonetheless. Add in some cringe-worthy gore and I was satisfied enough. It made me particularly grateful to be warm and dry, so I suppose it was evocative enough.

But. But but but. Now, I realize that, Kane Hodder cameo aside, a viewer who's not ensconced in the indie horror scene might not notice, but...for fuck's sake. kay, Adam Green, we get it. You love your horror filmmaking buddies. You really do, and you seem like a good friend, but we get it. Does every character name have to be pulled from the home page at Dread Central? You've got characters named Joe Lynch, (Dave) Parker, (Spooky) Dan Walker (complete with the "Yeah, that's Spooky, Dan" line), (Ryan) Schifrin, and (Adam) Rifkin. I don't know, maybe I should ignore it. But it's so bro-y, you know? Like the dudes stranded on the chairlift, who love the same movies Adam Green loves, who hit on a girl played by Adam Green's wife. Does this have any bearing on the movie itself, or is it just too wizard-behind-the-curtain for me and so my personal experience suffers? Eh. Probably doesn't matter, but I'm just saying. I noticed.

Oh, and who the fuck gets excited over Papa Gino's pizza? It's gross. And I'm not sure that Newbury Comics would really post a big billboard at a ski resort, but I used to work there, so hey.

Film Club Coolies, y'all! Give 'em love.
----------------------------------------------------
Moving Pictures (haiku!)
A Lifetime in Dark Rooms
Maynard Morrisey's Horror Movie Diary
Fresh Cuts
Brutally Violent & Wonderful
jdbrecords
Porkhead's Horror Review Hole
Dave's Blog About Movies and Such
The Awesome Art of Horror
Evil Eye Reviews
Film Shuffle
I Will Devour Your Content
Scarina's Scary Vault of Scariness
Scare Tactic
Undy a Hundy
Banned in Queensland
The Horror Canon
The Verdant Dude
The Horror Digest
The Bleaux Leaux Reveaux
Chuck Norris Ate My Baby
Friend Mouse Speaks
The United Provinces of Ivanlandia
strange spanners
The Montana Mancave Massacre
Things That Don't Suck
Pussy Goes Grrr
Cinema Gonzo
Sucker Punch Cinema
Aphorisms and Ectoplasm
The Agitation of the Mind
hold onto yr genre
Creature Cast

once more, with feeling

Yes, my friends, let's do the The Product Dance one more time! I have a feeling, however- a feeling I'm hooked on, in fact- that this third time will be the charm. Why? Because I'm not selling things through Zazzle. Why else? Because I tried to set something up in CafePress and it was an ugly, unwieldy clusteryouknowwhat of epic proportions. All of these failure-lined roads led me to Printfection, where I easily made a store. A store with a nice (if fairly barren at this point) page! A store with different sections! A store I can organize and personalize! A store where I can sell this!


I swear, every time I think I've seen the ultimate product, I see a new one that is ultimate-er. So, check it out. There are shirts of all sorts and drinkware of a few sorts. I'm trying to boost my necromancy stats so I will be able to sell "dark shirts". I know how horror types prefer shirts that swing on the dark side, so I'll let you know when they're available. In the meantime, browse around. Or don't. It's your life.

24 grate songs

I'd explain the post title, but it's a long story. Okay: when I was a wee-ish bonnie lass, someone gave a friend of mine a mix tape labeled "24 grate songs".

Wow, I guess that story wasn't long at all. Anyway, the point is:

From March 27 - April 2, Film Clubber and super guy Bryce Wilson is running Raimifest at his site, Things That Don't Suck. A week in the horr-o-blog-o-phere-o? Yes, please. I have no idea what I'll do, but I'mma do sumpin'!

I frickin' love Drag Me to Hell.

Speaking of the Final Girl Film Club, Monday is the day! No wait, Tuesday is the day. So, watch Frozen, write something up, and email your link to me. Film Club Day is the one day a month where the whole entire Internet (meaning: five people) comes together in harmonious harmony. Don't miss out on the glory!

In an effort to "get the word out" to people who have probably already heard the damn word 20,000 times, I created a Faceplace page for Ludlow. If you are on the Faceplace and you "like" the page, it will become your friend and you will be updated with all sorts of fascinating Ludlow information, like when there's a release date for the forthcoming Ludlow action figure line. Get in the know! Like the page!


I had the distinct honor of being interviewed by Michael Varrati for Peaches Christ's website. If you want to read it and you have eyes, then click here to do it!

Happy Anniversary to The Silence of the Lambs

That's right kids- as my pal JA pointed out at My New Plaid Pants, The Silence of the Lambs is 20. Twenty. Twennnntyyyyyy GD years old. This doesn't seem possible- why, I saw Silence in the theater (a couple of times, in fact) and I'm only 18.

Anyold, I felt like giving Silence some love today. But how? I've already reviewed it. I've already talked about how it's one of my favorite horror films. I could go on and on about the genius way Jonathan Demme puts the audience squarely in Clarice Starling's cheap shoes by having every character who speaks to her look directly into the camera, making eye contact with the viewer. I could talk about how and why it's really the best work Jodie Foster's ever done in her lengthy career. I could talk about how the true sneaky ninja superstar of the film is Kristi Zea's impeccable production design. But, you know, it's raining outside and so I feel like going to browse at the used bookstore (it's this weird primal reaction I have to rainy days...I don't get it, so don't worry if you don't get it)...therefore, I will simply post up a gallery of delightful images from the film. Happy Anniversary, The Silence of the Lambs! Don't worry- I can't smell anything.

well, that's nice

I thought I would let you know that Final Girl has been nominated for a Rondo Award in the Best Blog category. 'Tis indeed an honor to be nominated, and I am grateful.


However. Reading that blurb in the graphic- you know, the part about how the awards honor "The best in classic horror research, creativity and film presentation"? Well, as cool as those little statues are and as much as I'd like one so I could put a little wig on it...that blurb, man. That ain't Final Girl, even on its (my) best day. However, that's Frankensteinia to a T. Pierre Fournier's inimitable site dedicated to The Monster is also nominated in the best blog category, and if you're going to vote, I urge you to vote for him. Click here for the ballot!

Again, I'm thrilled to be nominated, as the Rondos are the awards for us horror-types. I just think it should go to the most deserving, and in my humble opinion, that's Pierre.

Also, what's the "T" in "to a T"? I have no idea.

round 2...FIGHT!

EDITED TO ADD: Fucking Zazzle pulled my shit again. I have no idea how these could possibly have been copyright infringing, but apparently they are.

In related news, fuck you, Zazzle.

Okay, I'm having a second go at some Zazzle stuff with minor changes. Also additions, though, so all is not lost! While the Friday the 13th t-shirt is not available, there are some character shirts up. Like this one!


Mugs are also back. Honestly, I love the Mark stein I posted yesterday, but the Fox stein is total win.



There are t-shirts and mugs available for: Mark, Fox, Banana Girl, Steve Christy, Eddie, and Crazy Ralph. The products aren't all showing up in my store yet, so, for now:

They're all customizable, so if you want, say, a Banana Girl travel mug that you can hoist as you flip off hitchhikers, you can make that dream a reality.

Hooray! Get 'em while they're hot, before The Man pulls 'em from the shelves! I don't think they will this time, however, because I'm all ten kinds of crafty about it.

NOW! BY OVERWHELMING* DEMAND!

*two people asked

awesome movie poster friday - the ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE edition!

Mmm mmm, the Alamo sure drafts up (see what I did there) some sweet posters. Why, they even make Survival of the Dead look appealing!