Saturday, October 31, 2009

We all go a little mad sometimes

Annie Wilkes We spent a nice afternoon with my folks today. They took us out to eat at their favorite Chinese buffet, although I'm afraid I didn't eat my money's worth. I was feeling a little oogy this morning, and I joked about piling some Chinese food on top of it. It really was a bad idea, which should have been obvious to me. When I can only eat two crab rangoons, you know I'm off my feed. Feeling better now. Who knew that beer has soothing properties to the stomach? Better than Pepto.

Then we got to see their new house, which is in a place where most of the yard maintenance and all of the snow removal is taken care of by the grounds crew. It was really nice, and I think they'll enjoy it. I know they hate leaving their log house on 16 acres, but it's getting too much for them to care for, and I think we're all happy that they're moving into town rather than staying out in the boonies. I don't think they'll be moving until the log house sells, though, so I hope they can get through this winter okay.

Now we're watching Illinois put the hurt on Michigan (sorry, Miss A!) and waiting for the Notre Dame-Washington State game in about a half an hour. Go Irish!

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Psycho Happy Halloweenie, everyone! I trust that you have your list of orgies parties ready, and that you have been working on your mad incantation skillz. This is your time to let your dark light shine, so step to, people, step to! Those babies aren't going to sacrifice themselves, you know!

In honor of this special day, I'm putting a horror movie clip up here. Those of you who have been reading me for a while know that I do love my horror movies, and I thought I'd pay tribute to my favorite of all, "Psycho." ("The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is the godfather of the modern slasher movie, but "Psycho" still rules my roost as favorite.) I know it's nothing new, and everyone has probably seen this movie several times. But for me, it's still the ultimate subtle creep factor movie. Anthony Perkins, may he rest in peace, was the perfect Norman Bates: shy, bumbling, but sort of sweet and charming...too bad he had some mommy issues. The final scene of him sitting in his jail cell, that look on his face, still sends a chill down my spine, as does his exclamation when he finds Marian's body. "Mother! Oh God, Mother! Blood! Blood!" (And of course, the quote that I used for the title of this entry.)

Although tame by today's standards, I still feel that Hitchcock's subtlety provides the perfect psychological chill, and it's a movie that I can watch over and over. Bernard Herrmann's soundtrack is iconic, as is the infamous shower scene. Her final thud onto the floor of the bathroom, her face planted on the tile and her dead eye looking into the camera...man, that is some good stuff. Well, you know what I mean. I don't want to sound like a total...psycho...here. It's just a great movie, masterfully done. It still gives me a lovely little frisson every time I watch it.

16 comments:

  1. I have always found beer to be an excellent carminative... it's the carbonation, I think!

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  2. Maybe you can make your own informercial about the secret properties of beer for what ails you.

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  3. Seems like we both had family in mind today. I just came from Skye's house. She warned me they got alot of trick or treaters I was still shocked they went through a small wash basin full of candy in a few hours time. It was amazing fun spending time with her. She just got a 50" screen tv. and we watched "Dawn of the dead on ANC. Wow. I think I want a bigger tv. now that was like a movie screen experience.

    Glad you had a great time with your parents. Sad to see them leaving the cabin.

    Skye and I have always watched Pumpkinhead on Halloween (the original, the others are sucky). (Hugs)Indigo

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  4. Oooh...Someone just reminded me of another movie. Do you remember "Killer Clowns from Outer Space"? Wicked fun. (Hugs)Indy

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  5. A nice afternoon with your folks. It was great seeing their place. Glad you are feeling better :o)

    Illinois did great, and ND is rocking the desert :o)

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  6. Crab Rangoon! What a tasty treat.

    A lot of people don't know that crab rangoon was named after a wrestler in the 1920's who went by the name of Crab Rangoon. He had an early version of the "sleeper hold" which was popularized later by other wrestlers. Of course, going with the moniker of "Crab", he would also open and close his hands like pincers while putting his opponent to sleep.

    "Psycho" is an excellent movie. Right up top with some of the best horror flicks. I was trying to find a trail leading up to Norman Bates in that picture, but alas, no Psycho path.

    A personal favourite of mine is "When A Stranger Calls". Of course "Cujo" would have been right near the top had they left the leg-humping scene in.

    Speaking of dogs on Halloween, I knew a guy who took out his dogs trick-or-treating and said they were his kids in costume. Worked well until one of his "kids" pissed on a Power Ranger.

    Random Halloween thought: Demons are a ghouls' best friend.

    P.S. I made up all that Crab Rangoon stuff.

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  7. If I have less than two plates at the Chinese buffet, I know I'm off my game, too!

    We had trick or treaters coming until 10:30...and I'm way overdosed on chocolate. 'bout time for bed, i think...

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  8. Glad that you had such a great day and that you Mum and Dad are going to be happy in their new home...hope they don't have to wait long before moving in. Good that you are feeling better..sorry that you were not able to eat your usual helpings at the chinese.... No trick or treaters around here last night....much to dark we have no street lighting !!
    Love Sybil xx

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  9. My only problem with Psycho is that I know women are more capable than staying victims. So if Psycho's mother was so powerful she would have prevented the killings of other women.

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  10. I seriously thought about watching something Hitchcockian last night, but my day was enough of a horror without it. Nevertheless, I do believe Hitchcock was the master, and nobody since has come up to his ability to give me goose bumps (except perhaps a few Twilight Zone episodes).

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  11. I love the old horror movies. I don't like the new onces too much, they are just too gorey for me. Sounds like a nice day with your folks and it also sounds like a great place they are moving to. I'm sure after the first big snow they'll be happy they don't have to worry about plowing or shoveling. Glad you are feeling better!

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  12. Hi Beth!

    Yes, Chinese food can have that effect. Probably was best to take it easy at the buffet.

    Beer is a wonder drug and a great gardening chemical. My grandmother swore putting it on her hair kept it looking beautiful and she did in fact have beautiful hair.

    Hitchcock had it right. I like his scaled down horror interpretations. Our imaginations do most of the work for his films. My favorite is The Birds.

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  13. I love the older shows and movies where they succeeded in really scaring you without the gore. Just like comics that used to could split your sides open without profanity. Seems few want to really hone thier art anymore. Just want to spin out trash chasing a $.

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  14. My mother always said that beer could help settle an upset stomach. Sorry you couldn't do justice to the buffet and hope you're feeling better today.

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  15. Excellent choice, Psycho is a definite favorite of mine and the shower scene is brilliant. I'm also partial to The Birds. Of course, I do have a bird phobia so it's particularly frightening for me.

    Hope that you are feeling better!

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  16. Pyscho is a scary movie, but for me the tie is between 'The Shining' because I remember that as being the first book/movie combo I notched. Still don't know which was scarier.

    'Alien' was a movie that I thought was really scary. I remmeber late night commercials or the egg cracking open with light spilling out with a high pitch whiny as the egg split open. Then the movie was as supsenseful and combined the right about of gore to the dread of being in space.

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I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you?