When was the first time you really felt like a grown up (if ever)?
There have been several of those moments in my life, maybe even more than several, but buying a house with my wife, buying my first car, and kids being born. I felt like a true grown up in those times.
Video for this Script on YouTube: Disembodied Screams
Roger Corman. That name should be well known to all horror fans. He was lurking somewhere behind the scenes on this movie. And if you don’t know who Roger Corman is, and why he’s a big deal. Here’s what Wikipedia had to say about him.
Corman was famous for handling the American distribution of many films by noted foreign directors, including Federico Fellini (Italy), Ingmar Bergman (Sweden), François Truffaut (France) and Akira Kurosawa (Japan).
He mentored and gave a start to many young film directors such as Francis Ford Coppola, Ron Howard, Martin Scorsese, Jonathan Demme, Peter Bogdanovich, Joe Dante, John Sayles, and James Cameron, and was highly influential in the New Hollywood filmmaking movement of the 1960s and 1970s.
He also helped to launch the careers of actors including Peter Fonda, Jack Nicholson, Dennis Hopper, Bruce Dern, Diane Ladd, and William Shatner.
Needless to say, he was a very big deal.
Moving on, like Monster Island this movie only has to get one thing truly right, the creatures, and this movie shines brightest in that department. Probably the best reason to tune in to it. I love the look of these creatures. Slimy and scaly with nasty mouths and big eyes and claws and long arms and tails and fins and on and on it goes.
These creatures look like nothing you’d want to mess with and when they get to killing they separate body parts nicely and when they don’t kill you they leave a lot of scars behind. That dude in the ocean with half his face ripped off – nasty stuff. Gore is no joke. Plenty of it to go around.
Score, amazing, another one of its biggest highlights. James Horner was the man making the music shine and if you don’t know who he is. Let’s let Wikipedia inform you of that.
James Roy Horner (August 14, 1953 – June 22, 2015) was an American film composer. He worked on more than 160 film and television productions between 1978 and 2015. He was known for the integration of choral and electronic elements alongside traditional orchestrations, and for his use of motifs associated with Celtic music.
Horner won two Academy Awards for his musical composition to James Cameron’s Titanic (1997), which became the best-selling orchestral film soundtrack of all time. He also wrote the score for the highest-grossing film of all time, Cameron’s Avatar (2009).
Horner’s other Oscar-nominated scores were for Aliens (1986), An American Tail (1986), Field of Dreams (1989), Apollo 13 (1995), Braveheart (1995), A Beautiful Mind (2001), and House of Sand and Fog (2003). Horner’s other notable scores include Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982),[6] Willow (1988), The Land Before Time (1988), Glory (1989), The Rocketeer (1991),
Legends of the Fall (1994), Jumanji (1995), Casper (1995), Balto (1995), The Mask of Zorro (1998), Deep Impact (1998), The Perfect Storm (2000), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), Troy (2004), The New World (2005), The Legend of Zorro (2005), Apocalypto (2006), The Karate Kid (2010), and The Amazing Spider-Man (2012).
Mr. Big deal for sure and his talent certainly shines in the score of this movie.
Moving on, direction was solid from Barbara Peeters and it was the last feature film directed by Peeters according to Wikipedia and also from Wikipedia, it says there was an uncredited Jimmy T. Murakami directing something behind the lense. Not sure how much he shot or what. But two directors, producer chaos. Sounds like the behind the scenes drama was a lot.
Location, perfect for a movie like this. The scenic little coastal town is a great backdrop for the horrors these creatures unleash. Acting, better than expected. Nothing good enough for Shakespeare but it gets the job done.
All in all, this was a nice revisit for me, and I do think this will get watched more often as time rolls on. I can’t believe I haven’t seen it more than twice throughout my years.
Now, the haiku.
Horny humanoids
Rising from the oceans depths
Coastal town attacked
When did you see Humanoids from the deep for the first time? How old were you? Do you enjoy movies like this? Let me know all that. Take care and have a good one.
If you had a million dollars to give away, who would you give it to?
Me – kidding, I think, but in all seriousness a million dollars to various charities and organizations that help the environment would be the way to do it. Pick 10 and give them all 100,000 each.
What’s something you would attempt if you were guaranteed not to fail.
For some reason rock climbing came to mind when I read the question. It’s the one thing that would be nice not to fail at.
Who are your favorite artists?
Music:
Jimmy Buffett is my number one. Been that way since the Nineties and through all my musical shifts he’s always been there.
Other bands that are favorites are Dawes, Rush, Metallica, Def Leppard, Tesla, and as of late Stevie Nicks has been one I am enjoying a lot.
I have also gotten into extreme metal and if you can handle it Cattle Decapatation and Lorna Shore are a must for me. Also would throw in Ice Nine Kills too.
Books:
Stephen King, Anne Rice, Jimmy Buffett, Agatha Christie
Movies:
Ozgood Perkins has become a new favorite director. He’s the son of Anthony Perkins. He directed Longlegs, The Monkey, and I am the pretty thing that lives in the house to name a few.
What is your favorite hobby or pastime?
Hiking and Cycling are ways I try to stay healthy and fit. Great ways to pass the time.
Creativity helps my mind stay sharp and I try to read as much as I can.
Video for this Script on YouTube: Disembodied Screams
Let’s start with this, maybe it’s biggest strength, the reason to tune in, the monster. I loved the creature design in this movie. Put name on Screen Orang Ikan Reminded me of the creature from the black lagoon mixed with the spawning creatures of Humanoids from the Deep.
This creature had big teeth. Nasty claws. Scaly body, strong and powerful, and when it digs in, if it doesn’t kill you, it will certainly wound you fiercely. If you go into this movie just for the creature feature part – you will not be disappointed.
And another big highlight, another big strength, is the gore. There isn’t major dismemberment, maximum carnage, tons of victims, but when this creature gets to killing, the few people it does, it gets bloody, quickly. Gore effects looked awesome. Plenty of blood is shed.
The movie also does a good job of setting up a solid story that keeps your attention and keeps you focused. It doesn’t lag or drag and it’s not too long of a movie either, which is nice. It knows what it is and it doesn’t waste screen time.
I liked the World War 2 backdrop, added some drama and tension to the two survivors who are supposed to be mortal enemies in this time and place. Of course, differences resolve, and they end up working together, but there is nice tension between the two leads as they try to figure out how to defeat the monster.
Setting is beautiful. Even with a monster on the loose you can still take time to notice the beautiful scenery. Name of the screen, Batam Indonesia.
Now, the haiku.
2 lone survivors
Wash ashore on an island
Sea creature lurking
Have you seen Monster Island? What are your thoughts about it? Do you enjoy creature features like this? Let me know. Take care and have a good one.
Video for this Script on YouTube: Disembodied Screams
Quick disclaimer: I have not played the game, not much of a gamer, so, I had no knowledge of the game going into this movie. I was wide open, an unbiased sponge ready to soak it all up, and I think for that reason and that reason alone, it helped me to enjoy it. More than I thought I would.
And one of the reasons why was the gore. I had no idea this movie was going to be this bloody, this disgusting, this vile. That first set of kills. I couldn’t believe the amount of blood and dismemberment I was seeing. Awesome effects and then, you realize the characters are stuck in a death loop, and you get to see more creative kills again and again and again – big bonus points for that.
Best gore in the movie, for me, might have been the bathroom scene. All of these survivors, back from death, back from dismemberment, planning, scheming, quenching their thirst from the tap, and then one by one they start exploding. The amount of blood in that scene was ridiculous, in a good way.
It’s obvious that money went into this one to make the effects, gore and other things, look top notch. No complaints in the effects department,
Story, script, and directing – solid – the highlight of those three is the direction. David F. Sandberg, who gave us Lights Out and Shazam! He kept the pace moving forward and there wasn’t any lag or drag. The movie was constantly in motion and even as the gimmick of them dying over and over again worn on. It never got stale.
Acting, as good as it needed to be. This isn’t Shakespeare and we don’t tune in for the acting but it was good enough to not take you out of the movie and to help keep you interested in the characters.
Killer or killers, depending on what scene you were in, looked awesome. Liked the look of the main villain – the mask and build of him – very menacing. When he got to crushing bodies. It was very believable.
And I like the use of the sand in the hour glass to show you how long they had to survive. That led to a very intense ending to where I was on the edge of my seat as they cut between them trying to escape and the sand slowly slipping away.
A vicious cycle
Dying again and again
Survive until dawn
Have you seen Until Dawn? Have you played the game? Let me know your thoughts about the movie or game in the comments below. Take care and have a good one.
What’s the trait you value most about yourself?
Honesty. I try to always be as open as I can. What you see is what you get.
What could you do more of?
Grab a book and read for hours. I read at bedtime mostly and rarely beyond that time. Used to be I would never put a book down.
What things give you energy?
A good hike, walk, or bike ride helps keep the mental energy strong so does a good nap.
Getting lost in music helps to keep my physical energy strong. Losing yourself in a song just creates a vibe that makes your body feel alive.
Eating the right foods too. Healthy options fuel me much better than junk food but I do love my junk food. I can’t lie about that.
What’s your all-time favorite album?
Jimmy Buffett’s Floridays or Fruitcakes. Those two immediately jumped to mind. Love both of those albums. Fruitcakes helped to launch my Parrothead Fandom and I have been a Buffett fan ever since.
What would your life be like without music?
Empty. I do not go a day without listening to music. It helps in so many ways. It lifts you up, helps you relax, helps you to be in the moment, passes the time, and many more reasons beyond that. I’d be lost without it.
Video for this Script on YouTube: Disembodied Screams
Christopher Nolan. His direction in these three movies is next level. He knows how to get the most out of the actors, out of every scene, every angle, and on and on it goes. He is a phenomenal talent, an auteur, in a time and place and in a system that rarely produces them these days.
Moving beyond the direction, story and script matter too, especially for movies this big and this large, and all three of these movies in this trilogy are expertly tuned and blend well together.
Acting, again, it’s great.
Bale embodies both sides of Bruce perfectly. He was a great choice for this role and he will go down as one of the all time greats to play the role.
Don’t sleep on the other actors either, Levitt, Caine, Oldman, Freeman, Modine, are all solid in their roles. Marion Cottilard, is great as the daughter of Rhaz al Ghul, nice twist. Anne Hathaway – one of the better versions of Catwoman we’ve gotten so far. Not only can she act but she can also fight – adds a lot to that character.
Finally, the big bad villain, Bane. Tom Hardy brought so much menace and ferocity and feral energy to the character of Bane. He looked like a man you wouldn’t want to mess with. A man who couldn’t be reasoned with. His voice sounded great behind the mask – very intimidating.
Score, amazing again, so was the editing and cinematography. Lee, the editor, and Wally, the cinematographer, helped to make these three movies pop. Nolan had the vision and they helped him bring it to life.
Bat Copter looked cool, very grounded, very industrial. Bat suit, great again, like the design of it in all three of these movies. Effects, action, and location, awesome as well.
I could keep heaping praise upon praise upon praise onto this movie and the other two but I will stop here. Needless to say, I really enjoyed revisiting this trilogy, and I believed this then, and I believe this now. I don’t think the Dark Knight Rises gets as much love as it should and that’s a shame. It’s an amazing movie from start to finish.
Reclusive Bruce Wayne
Learns of a monstrous new threat
Time to save Gotham
What’s your favorite movie in the trilogy? Me, I still have to say Batman Begins is my favorite of the three. When I saw that movie in 2005, I loved it from the jump. Saw it 4 times in the theater and have since watched it multiple times at home and still own a DVD copy of it to this day.
If I were to rank all three (bias aside):
The Dark Knight
Batman Begins
The Dark Knight Rises
But, and this is a big heavy but, number 2 and 3 in that list are so close to number 1 that they are all rubbing shoulders in the same tiny elevator. Love me or hate me for that statement but it’s true. Feel free to rank yours in the comments below. That’s it. Take care and have a good one.
How do you celebrate holidays?
We usually only decorate and dive deep into Halloween and Christmas. We enjoy putting up decorations and watching movies that represent either one of those holidays. Most other holidays we take it easy and relax and enjoy the time off from work and the school routine. Thanksgiving (we live in the U.S.) is spent with family close by but travel is never part of our holiday plans. Too busy. Better to stay home.
What are your favorite types of foods?
Cinnamon Rolls.
Pizza.
Cereal.
Broccoli – love it roasted with garlic and olive oil.
Cornbread.
Oatmeal.
And there are others but the mind is blank. Trying to cut back on the sweets as I age but anything sweet is also a go to for me. Hard to resist.
How often do you walk or run?
3 to 4 times a week is my goal. I don’t always meet that but that’s what I try to do.
Do you see yourself as a leader?
I stay home with my kids and that leads to a lot of leadership type moments. You run the house – choosing dinners, when chores have to get done, keeping everyone in line for school, etc. – so you kind of have to be in charge. Everyone is looking up at you for whatever they need. In that way I do see myself as a leader even if leading isn’t always suited to my personality.
What’s your favorite word?
Bombastic.
Use it often when something is loud and aggressive. I think I misuse it often but it’s a fun word to say.
Video for this Script on YouTube: Disembodied Screams
Direction from Christopher Nolan. Spot on. The guy knows how to make a movie. I can’t give him enough praise for what he did with this entire trilogy and his cinematographer and editor who helped him make this movie what it was. Nothing but praise for those guys too.
Bale once again proves that if he isn’t the best Batman/Bruce Wayne of all time, then he’s a close second or third next to Michael Keaton and Kevin Conroy. And the rest of the cast, Oldman, Eckhart, Caine, Freeman, and Murphy – Perfect casting once again and don’t forget Maggie Gyllenhaal, who was much better than Katie in her role.
But, this movie would be nothing without Heath Ledger as the joker. His version of the Joker is absolutely terrifying, killing at will, no rhyme, no reason, just like a slasher villain. Show up. Cause chaos. Kill. Move on to the next victim. I am so glad they didn’t give the Joker a backstory. Made him much more terrifying.
Score, on point once again. Script and story were great. Effects top notch. Batman’s suit was just as great as it was in the first movie. Joker looked terrifying and Scarecrow looked great too. He should have worn the mask more in all three movies. Loved the look of the Scarecrow.
Nice to see the Tumbler again and I enjoyed the way they debuted the bat cycle. And like the Tumbler, it fit the tone and style of this movie to perfection.
All in all. This movie deserves its praise and its place among the upper level of comic book based movies. If it isn’t number one it’s certainly close to it.
Dark threat emerges
Ghoulishly haunting Gotham
Joker must be stopped
That’s it. Thoughts about The Dark Knight. Love it. Hate it. Best or worst in the trilogy. Take care and have a good one.
A Poetry Journey 