Spooky Movies

Musique - "Toccata and Fugue in D minor BWV 565" by Johann Sebastian Bach

I'm not really a horror movie fan, but only because I have a very vivid imagination and find it incredibly hard to sleep for months after watching a scary movie. I prefer to stick with more "spooky" or "witchy" movies come Halloween time. What spooky movies and shows am I entertaining myself with this October? Some old favorites and some new (to me) films I'm excited to watch for the first time:

Hitchcock's favorite film he ever made, Shadow of a Doubt, with Teresa Wright and Joseph Cotten (1943). Cotten is particularly creepy in this bad guy role. I was pleased to see a young Macdonald Carey of Days of Our Lives fame as young Charlie's love interest.

Clue (1985). One of my all-time favorite movies. I was obsessed with seeing this movie when I was little. I remember seeing the commercials for it and really, really wanting to go see it. I didn't get to until it came out on VHS (ha!), but that didn't stop me from wanting to be Miss Scarlet. Every time my sister and I played the board game with our babysitter, I always had to be Miss Scarlet (of course, it doesn't hurt that Miss Scarlet always goes first as a rule). Anyway, this movie is just pure genius and hilarious (even though the voice dubbing on it is pretty bad) and a bit spooky, too.

Murder, She Wrote, The Complete Third Season (1986/1987). I've most likely seen all of these episodes when I was little, but if so, I have forgotten whodunnit. The third season is the best so far, not only because of the Magnum, P.I. crossover episode (pictured above), but also because of a later episode that includes FOUR Golden Girls guest stars in ONE episode: Herb Edelman (Dorothy's ex, Stan Zbornak), Scott Jacoby (Michael, Dorothy and Stan's son), George Grizzard (Blanche's dead husband, George), and Dinah Manoff (the girls' neighbor, Carol). Maybe MSW isn't spooky enough for your tastes, but hey, I like it. Plus, it's Angela Lansbury's birthday on October 16, so I have to celebrate her work!

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920). This one's been in my Netflix queue for quite some time, but it just finally came this week (that's what happens when you've maxed out your queue). Conrad Veidt is pretty damn good at playing the creepy, murdering Cesare. And I loved the twist at the end—totally unexpected (well, at least by me). I think people not used to silent films will find the jerky movements and heavy makeup even spookier than I did.

Sleepy Hollow (1999). Tim Burton can rarely go wrong and he certainly is a master of spooky and quirky. This movie is no exception. It's one of my favorite spooky movies, but I have to watch it in the daytime or I'll have Christopher Walken nightmares.

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992). Dracula is one of my very favorite books and I re-read it every year. And while this movie certainly takes giant liberties with Mr. Stoker's work, I still enjoy it (maybe it has something to do with young Gary Oldman being my #1 crush). I also love the fact that Francis Ford Coppola didn't resort to CGI or fancy computer tricks when making the movie (or, rather, I should say his son, Roman figured out old timey methods to produce trick shots).

Halloweentown (1998). Okay, yes, this is a children's movie. But it's just so irresistible. When I was younger, I would have loved to have been told I was a witch. And who can resist Debbie Reynolds? Halloween is my favorite holiday, so a whole town dedicated to Halloween is pretty badass.

The Addams Family (1964–1966). I'm sure I've seen many of these episodes before, but it'll be a delight to watch them again. For some reason, I always preferred the Addams to the Munsters (even though The Munsters had a sweeter theme song).

Nosferatu (1922). Believe it or not, when I watched this movie years ago, I fell asleep. Not because it was boring and definitely not because it's not scary, because man, look at that guy! Creepy!! I now own the film, so I'll be watching it (again) prior to watching the next one.

Shadow of the Vampire (2000). Willem Dafoe is pretty creepy as is, so I imagine this will be an incredibly interesting movie to watch.

So I think that should do it for October. I just wish that Netflix had Mr. Boogedy!

Lady Detectives

Musique - "Watching the Detectives" by Elvis Costello and the Attractions

So I just recently got into Veronica Mars (via Netflix). I think the series started just about the time that I got rid of cable (and basic channels as well), so I never watched it until now. And just let me say that I am obsessed! I love Veronica's quips and her awesome relationship with her father and most of all, her relationship with Logan. Oh, Logan, how I love thee.

However, I was bitterly disappointed by the end of the show. I know they were planning Veronica Mars: FBI for the fourth season and didn't get picked up, but still—the last episode of season three was a major letdown. If I had my way, the real last episode would have come after episode twenty, "The Bitch is Back", and in it:

• Vinnie Van Lowe would be elected sheriff, but then Keith would bust him for being in cahoots with the Fitzpatricks and organizing all of the recent robberies. Keith would then be elected sheriff and round up all of the Fitzpatricks and put them in jail.
• Veronica would keep glowing about her upcoming FBI internship and talking about it nonstop. This would piss off Piz, who would tell her that he is not excited about her internship because it's taking her away from him for the whole summer. She would get mad and storm out.
• She would run into Logan, who she is still technically mad at, but somehow the subject of her FBI internship would come up and he would tell her how proud he is of her and how awesome it'll be for her. She realizes that he does have her best interests at heart and it finally dawns on her that she's still in love with him.
• Dick and his dad would really start talking about stuff, especially their relationship with Cassidy and their guilt would ease up.
• Veronica would break up with Piz. He would be sad, but he would understand, since it's really obvious that her and Logan belong together and he's known that all along.
• There would be a really fun scene where Veronica, Wallace, and Mac all talk about their upcoming summers. It would be full of funny, sharp dialogue and laughs.
• Veronica would have a final, heartwarming scene with her dad, where he tells her that he is proud of her and advises her to follow her heart.
• Veronica would go to Logan and they would confess their undying love for each other. And then they would kiss and the screen would fade out.

So much more glorious than the real last episode, don't you think? ;) In any case, watching so much of this show over the past month has got me thinking about other female detectives and crime solvers I heart big time. And here they are:
 
Jessica Fletcher, Murder, She Wrote (Angela Lansbury)
Ahhh, my greatest lady detective love. I've been watching Murder, She Wrote since I was little and I've loved it so, so very much. I also loved that Jessica Fletcher not only solved crime, but she was also an author, something I've wanted to be since I was like six. And who can resist the cross-over episodes where she works with Magnum P.I.?

 
Nora Charles, The Thin Man series (Myrna Loy)
Technically, her husband, Nick Charles, was the (former) detective. But she still got involved and tried her hand at solving the crimes, so I'm including her in this list. Plus, I just adore me some Myrna Loy!


Charlie's Angels, Charlie's Angels TV show and movies
Kate Jackson, Jaclyn Smith, Cheryl Ladd, Lucy Liu, Cameron Diaz, and Drew Barrymore played my favorite angels/detectives (sorry, Farrah Fawcett, just not a fan). I loved watching the TV show reruns when I was in high school and then when the first movie came out in 2000, I was in love. Totally badass chicks kicking so much ass and solving crime. Can't beat that.

 
Daphne and Velma, Scooby Doo TV show and movies
I was always a big fan of the cartoon TV show (who isn't??) and always wanted to be Daphne (again, who didn't?). The movie versions were only "meh", but I seriously love Sarah Michelle Gellar and Linda Cardellini, so of course I watched them. There's nothing like solving crime in super short skirts.

 
Nancy Drew, Nancy Drew books and movies (Bonita Granville)
I sure loved me some Nancy Drew books when I was younger. She was always so capable. And, of course, had the perfect friends and boyfriend and father. I actually only started watching the first Nancy Drew movie yesterday (which is odd considering I love the books and I love 1930s movies). So far, I'm really enjoying it. Bonita Granville is adorable—like if Mae Clarke and Christina Aguilera had a baby.

 
Phryne Fisher, Phryne Fisher Mysteries and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (Essie Davis)
One day I was at the library and I saw the cover for Away with the Fairies. Since I love the 20s, I was obviously intrigued, so I checked it out. And I just loved it. Who wouldn't love a story of a glamorous honourable solving mysteries in 1920s Australia? That book was the eleventh in the series, so I started back at the first book and kept reading. And now, through Facebook, I discovered that they have a TV show in Australia based on the books. I haven't seen any of the episodes yet, but just looking at the pictures makes me think it will be wonderfully faithful to the books. Essie Davis makes a gorgeous Phryne!

Miss Marple, The Mirror Crack'd (Angela Lansbury)
Okay, so I just love Angela Lansbury. I actually have only read one Miss Marple book and have only seen one Miss Marple movie (in both cases, The Mirror Crack'd). And what a cast! Not only my favorite, Angela Lansbury, but Elizabeth Taylor, Kim Novak, Tony Curtis, and Rock Hudson! It has a really 80s jazzy saxophone soundtrack, which is unfortunate, but other than that, it is stellar.