So as you all know I started a book club last year. I have fallen behind with my posts, but I was catching up. I was only two behind, and now I still am.
Every month we read a book and I do a little post on the book we read and discussed. What can I say, I just love books.
There is no theme, other than with each month, a different member gets to pick a book, whichever one they want. The next one was:
This Present Darkness (Darkness #1) by Frank Peretti
Frank Peretti is one of my favorite authors. In fact I was able to meet him once and totally fangirled over him. But he was super nice as he autographed my books and actually spent a long time talking to me. It made the other people in line mad, and I can’t blame them, but I didn’t care as I had just met FRANK PERETTI!
Frank Peretti started out being a pastor, but discovered that it wasn’t the life for him. He drifted from job to job, and while working in a snowshoe factory he wrote his first novel, and this book, This Present Darkness. He has now written over 30 books for adults, teens, and children. His books are amazing as they always have great, realistic characters, action, adventure, suspense, and a moral message. Every time I read his works I feel great!
This book is about a small town Ashton that becomes the battleground in a war between angels and demons.
Rafar the prince of Babylon is taking over, using his followers to take over the town and its college in order to indoctrinate the students into believing their untruths. They also have city council, board members, the police chief, and the pastor of a mega church in their court.
On the other side we have a pastor of a small church, Rev. Hank Busche, a true prayer warrior. He was brought in accidentally, and unable to be controlled. He kneels every morning in prayer for his town fighting the only way he can.
Marshall Hogan, editor of the Ashton newspaper, becomes involved when his reporter Bernice Krueger sees something she shouldn’t. After she is falsely arrested, so that the police can tamper with evidence, Marshall and Bernice try to blow the top off the coverup.
It has action, comedy, suspense, drama, and the supernatural.
It is a powerful story. I reread it every 6 months as it recharges me and builds me up in my faith.
If you enjoy Christian fiction, you need to check this out. I love this book and I cannot stress it enough how much I do.
It feels so good to see the bad guys scared for a change.
So you might have remembered me talking in the past about how much I love Frank Peretti’s books. Peretti wrote Christian novels, ranging from suspense, to horror, to everyday fiction; but most have to do with angels battling demons.
This film is an adaption of one of his books, Hangman’s Curse, so yes it is a Christian film. I know not all of you might be interested in it, but let me say I have shown this film to Christian and non-Christian friends and both liked it. It’s pretty good.
So the movie isn’t exactly like the book, they cut a bunch out-but they kept it pretty similar.
I like this
So the film starts off with young high schooler Abel Frye committing suicide. He had been tormented so much he felt it was the only way to stop the pain. This scene is a little intense and I don’t recommend it to anyone who may be triggered by that.
Ouch
Supposedly, he killed himself in the old wing of the school and his ghost haunts the halls helping those who are also bullied.
Fast forward to present time, and we see the high school football game. One high schooler has a freak out and sees the ghost of Abel Frye and goes crazy-ending up in a coma.
This wasn’t the only one who has been affected. There have been several football players who have had the same problem. It is time to call in The Veritas Project.
The Veritas Project consists of a family of four-David, Sarah, and their twin teenagers-Elisha & Elijah Springfield. They have all been heavily trained by police, FBI, etc and sent in to deal with drugs, supernatural or unexplained events.
The principle decides to call the family in. David will be the janitor, Sarah the nurse, Elisha will go into the popular/jocky crowd and Elijah with the nerds/outcasts.
As they start checking out who could be responsible they discover that there are a group of outcasts/goths who have a secret club that practices witchcraft and the occult in order to get Abel Frye to attack those that are bullying them.
As Elisha and Elijah get closer to figure out if the truth is supernatural or physical; one of them gets “cursed” by the spirit of Abel Frye and ends up on the hit list. Will they solve it in time, or will they meet the fate of all the others?
Hmm…
I love this movie and thought it was extremely well done. You should definitely give it a look, especially as the ending is great and something I cannot reveal.
Day 16) P is for Politics: Choose a book that is Political
Uncle Tom’s Cabin or Life Among the Lowly by Harriet Beecher Stowe
In 1852 this book was published and created a phenomena. It became the highest selling book of the 19th century, just behind the Bible. The first year it sold over 300,000 copies in the United States and three years later over a million in the U.K.
This book is credited with, like The Jungle, being a revolutionary change in the actual world.
In fact the political change they believe it started, was the helping bring about more awareness of slavery in the South and promoting abolitionism that sparked the Civil War.
Wow
In fact, Stowe’s family claims that when Harriet Beecher Stowe met Abraham Lincoln, he greeted her with “So you’re the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war!” Whether or not this is true has been disputed for years with no one really certain whether it happened or not.
Stowe was the daughter of minister Lyman Beecher, and wrote this novel to depict slavery, along with showing Christianity and being an allegory of Christ.
I started reading this book when I was going down a list of classics provided by Barnes and Noble. As I borrowed the book from the library my mom spotted it and said she loved the book, it was one of her favorites.
I wasn’t thrilled to read it at first as I had heard it was a “bad book”, you know making fun of those of African-American descent.
I don’t know…
I started reading it and became sucked in:
I was surprised as it was AMAZING! I couldn’t understand why people hated it. It was fantasticly written and such a great story.
So many people today view the novel negatively; the way it uses “sentiment” to pull at heart strings, how all the slaves “had” to be helped by white men and women, and the fact that Tom never ran away but chose to honor the “contract” of his masters.
But what they fail to see is that it is a powerful story, has some truly great African and white characters, and that Tom is supposed to represent Christ and the things he went through to save our souls.
Wow
So the book focuses on six main characters: Tom (called Uncle Tom by others), Eliza, Augustine St. Clare, Eva St. Claire, Ophelia, and Cassey; and their views, interactions, and how they are changed or shaped by slavery.
Tom is a strong, middle aged, African-American slave. He is also a devout Christian and tries to embody the scriptures and live his life for the Lord.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” Matthew 5:43-44
“All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.” 1 Timothy 6:1
Tom has been a part of the Shelby family for a long time, and has a family and children. As Tom knows how to read, his cabin is the place for the other slaves to go and hear about Christ along with getting individual instructions. George Shelby is the young “master” of the house and spends all his time with his “Uncle Tom”. In fact Tom is more of a father to him then his own father, and also his religious instructor.
However, the Shelby’s have debts and they have to sell somethings…or in this case some people. They choose Tom as his height and strength will get a lot and we have the incredible sadness of seeing a family torn apart because of an archaic principle.
Another slave, Mrs. Shelby’s maid, Eliza is married to a slave from another plantation. After a series of miscarriages, the two were finally able to give birth to a boy, Harry. While the Shelbys are a kind people, George’s master is cruel and he can’t stand it anymore.
“My master! and who made him my master? That’s what I think of–what right has he to me? I’m a man as much as he is. I’m a better man than he is. I know more about business than he does; I am a better manager than he is; I can read better than he can; I can write a better hand,–and I’ve learned it all myself, and no thanks to him,–I’ve learned it in spite of him; and now what right has he to make a dray-horse of me?–to take me from things I can do, and do better than he can, and put me to work that any horse can do…he puts me to just the hardest, meanest, and dirtiest work, on purpose!”
George decides to flee to Canada, earn enough money, and then return to purchase his wife and son. After he takes off, Eliza gets the news that she will be sold as well to pay the debts.
Afraid to be separated from her child, she too tries to take the long road to freedom.
As Tom is taken away, George vows to one day buy his friend back and free him.
Tom is sold to a trader and being transported on a riverboat when he spots a little girl, Eva St. Clare. He misses his own children, so he begins amuses her, and she begs her father to buy him. Augustine St. Clare loves his little girl and gives in to her every whim. He buys Tom and takes him to his plantation.
Here Tom and Eva share their love of Christ as they both have a strong faith and relationship with the Lord. We also meet St. Clare’s sister Ophelia, who is from the North, who has moved to help take care of the house. Now here we have a great critique on the North’s treatment of African Americans. Ophelia is an aggressive abolitionist, constantly lecturing St. Clare and talking about the evils of slavery, yet she can’t stand to be around those of African-American descent. She is a complete racist, but can’t even admit it to herself.
“Well!” said Miss Ophelia, “you southern children can do something that I couldn’t.”
“What, now, pray?” said St. Clare.
“Well, I want to be kind to everybody, and I wouldn’t have anything hurt; but as to kissing – ”
“N*****,” said St. Clare, “that you’re not up to, – hey?”
“Yes, that’s it. How can she?”
St. Clare, tired of her constant lecturing, buys her a slave girl, Topsy, and bets she won’t be able to help her. At first Ophelia does poorly, having to instead be lead by Eva in showing kindness.
Eva and Topsy become best of friends, even though they “should” be separated buy race and class, it doesn’t matter to Eva as all she sees is someone who needs love.
Augustine is another interesting character as he isn’t a fan of slavery, but won’t do anything. He sees the way Christianity is, how his daughter lives but won’t commit to it. He is supposed to represent the people who were against slavery but never took a stand against it, waiting for future people to decide or others to fight. When his daughter dies, he is utterly heartbroken.
He promised Eva on her deathbed to release the slaves and become an abolitionist for his daughter, but waits too long and is killed before he can do it.
Meanwhile, Eliza has been running for her life and from slave catchers, and she actually manages to find her husband. After they go through horrible hardships they manage to make it to Canada and freedom.
Tom is sold by St. Clare’s wife, while Ophelia returns to the North with Topsy, taking what she learned with her, as Topsy does the same.
Tom is sold again, this time to the incredibly cruel owner Simon Legree. He rapes and beats his slaves. He begins to hate Tom and treat him in unspeakable ways. He has a slave, Cassy, who is his unwilling mistress. He has stolen her children from her and sold them, beat her, and just given her a horrible life. She is bitter and in pain.
She is a quadroon, one quarter black, so she has a strange place in society. She is better educated than most, but is a sex slave, representing the harsh lives of female slaves and how they are at the whim of their master more than the men. Simon is planning on replacing Cassy with a young girl he just bought, Emmiline.
One day as they are picking cotton, Tom sees a woman struggling to fill her sack and looking at horribly beaten or worse. He helps her, aided by Cassy, and is then ordered to whip the women by Legree. When Tom refuses, Legree whips him and Tom has earned a permanent spot on his hit list.
Tom’s pain makes him consider turning back on his faith, but he sees a vision and remains true.
“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.” Psalm 89:1
Cassy knows the life that Emmeline will have and decides to run away with her. When Simon finds them gone he tries to beat the answer out of Tom, but he will not reveal anything. He is so horribly treated that he begins to die.
George arrives to buy him, but is too late. He fights with Simon and takes Tom’s body, giving him a proper burial.
Cassy and Emmeline reach Canada and find themselves with George Harris and Eliza. It turns out that Eliza is Cassy’s daughter, and the two are finally reunited.
In the end George goes home and decides to honor Tom and free all his slaves:
“It was on his grave, my friends, that I resolved, before God, that I would never own another slave, while it is possible to free him; that nobody, through me, should ever run the risk of being parted from home and friends, and dying on a lonely plantation, as he died. So, when you rejoice in your freedom, think that you owe it to that good old soul, and pay it back in kindness to his wife and children. Think of your freedom, every time you see UNCLE TOM’S CABIN; and let it be a memorial to put you all in mind to follow in his steps, and be as honest and faithful and Christian as he was.”
So this story is an amazing thing. Why would people call it horrible?
Why?
Well what I personally feel has caused this shift from honoring Uncle Tom and all the other characters to having their names now be used as derogatory terms was the over-popularity of the novel.
As this book became so sought after and was selling millions of copies; everyone wanted a piece of the pie; but when there such a wide amount of people madly grabbing to make their fortunes, they tend to forget about what the book actually stood for and was trying to change. Plays and films were being made based on the story, but instead of honoring and revealing the social issues that Harriet Beecher Stowe was writing about, these pieces became all about entertainment and cheap laughs. No longer are we shown the characters going through different trials to reveal the hypocrisies and social injustices of the time, but instead are given pure comedy or in extreme cases sexual innuendo.
Too few people actually read the novel and understood how the characters and situations can be easily relatable.
Uncle Tom is more than a slave toiling in the United States waiting for his freedom, but is a figurehead for any oppressed people. As David Reynolds writes in his book, Mightier Than the Sword: Uncle Tom’s Cabin and the Fight for America, Tom easily connected to the Russian serfs; the Chinese peasants, the Chinese immigrants in America, Jews all over the world, black slaves in Brazil, black slaves in Cuba, etc. Tom’s passive resistance to Simon Legree, as he does not listen to Legree’s warning but continues to stand up for what he believes in and aids Cassy, and Emmeline; can even connect to passive resistance done by Gandhi in India, Martin Luther King Jr. in the South, and Cesar Chavez here in California. While the unjust situations may never be the same as those that Tom or the other slaves faced, wherever trouble arises and people are suffering Uncle Tom is there struggling alongside and encouraging the oppressed that everything will be alright in the end.
Another way that Tom’s character is still so relatable and present in today’s time is how loving and willing he is to protect others. Tom lives by the mantra “the needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few”; causing him to be the type of person we all want to be. The way Tom lays down his life so that the rest of the Shelby slaves could be spared and in the end dying to protect Cassy and Emmeline; is behavior we all admire and hope would imitate in such situations; as no one wants to imagine themselves being a Sambo or Quimbo character; betraying their fellow man to protect their own interests. We all recognize the value and honor of self-sacrifice for a person or a cause.
In Stowe’s novel she hit upon so many issues, and attempted (and in some cases succeeded) in trying to make a difference in how African-Americans were treated. While she did not completely change the way the United States worked, or resolved every issue; her novel did bring awareness and start people talking and thinking about abolition, integration, education, religion, politics, etc. This initial jolt eventually set America on a path to striving for change.
Today’s song is O Holy Night. In 1843 Roquemaure, France; the church organ was renovated. The priest asked wine merchant and poet, Placide Cappeau, to write a poem to commemorate the event. Four years later it was turned into a Christmas carol by compser, Adolphe Adam.
In 1855, minister John Sullivan Dwight translated and created the version that most sing today.
You’re not gonna believe this, but it was a giant… metal… man.
I love this movie!
It was one of my favorites as a kid and I used to watch it a LOT.
I got it for Christmas one year and was so happy, as it has been one of the best presents I’ve ever received.
It was rereleased in theaters this year to mark it’s 20th anniversary and I bought tickets immediately, taking my two nieces.
As I not only saw it recently in theaters, two weeks ago, but as this is it’s anniversary year, what better time then review it? Is this really a horror film, you might ask? Well yes, as it has aliens and a giant robot, it can definitely be considered a horror film. It also covers my yearly animated film feature review.
So our film is based on a book and is a historical fiction film, being set in 1957. Yes, we have the Cold War, threat of the atomic bomb, fear of aliens invading; all that good stuff.
So the film starts out with a ship trying to find shore in the a huge storm. They can’t find the lighthouse, then they do…BUT it is not a lighthouse! It’s a giant metal man!!!!
AAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Back at the town, where the ship was headed we are introduced to our hero, Hogarth Hughes. His father was an air jet fighter who died during the war, (I’m assuming Korean War as his death seems more recent than WWII). Hogarth lives with his mom on their farmhouse, and she works as a waitress in the local diner. Hogarth is very smart, having been moved up to the 5th grade, but by skipping a grade he doesn’t fit in being bullied a lot.
So he is very lonely.
So Hogarth looks for companionship from animals, animals that his mother does not share a love for.
“Hogarth Hughes: Hey, mom! You won’t believe our good luck. Guess what I found?
Annie Hughes: Hogarth, we’ve been through this before. No pets.
Hogarth Hughes: But he’s not a pet, mom. He’s a friend.
Annie Hughes: Hogarth, we’ve got to rent a room this year if we’re gonna make ends meet, and no one wants to live in a place with shredded upholstery.
Hogarth Hughes: You’ll never know he’s there. I’ll keep him in a cage…
Annie Hughes: …until you feel sorry for him and set him free in the house. You remember the raccoon, Hogarth? [Shudders] Oooooh! I remember the raccoon.
Annie asks to see the squirrel, but it has escaped Hogarth’s makeshift cage. He starts looking for it, when he becomes distracted by Dean McCoppin and the sailor, Earl, who saw the robot earlier.
Let’s stop for a minute and talk about Dean. He is one if the coolest, and hottest, animated men. Junker as his day job, but really an artist, beatnik, and he drives a motorcycle. How much cooler can you get.
Sorry…so Dean and Earl are discussing what he saw.
Earl Stutz: I’m telling the truth, dang it! It came from outer space. I saw it! And it was headed toward land. I called the government in Washington. Maybe it was a sputnik, or… or an invader from Mars. That’s what it is, an invader from Mars! It was a spaceship of some kind. An unidentified flying object…
Man: Unidentified? Knowing you, Earl, I’d say it was either whiskey or beer. [Others join in laughing]
Dean McCoppin: Hey! I saw it too.
Man: I rest my case. [Others join in laughing]
Hogarth Hughes: I believe you. What if it is Sputnik, or a flying saucer from Mars? I bet we could find it.
Dean McCoppin: Sorry, kid. I didn’t really see anything. But if we don’t stick up for the kooks, who will?
While they are talking, Hogarth’s squirrel climbs into Dean’s pants. I wonder if that is where Disney got the idea for Phineas and Ferb?
Anyways, Annie gets in trouble and has to stay late, leaving Hogarth to his own devices. And we all know what that means for a young kid home alone: junk food and scary films.
Hogarth is watching a B Horror film about a scientist and evil brain, when the cable goes out.
Noooooooooo!!!!!!!
Hogarth goes to investigate and sees that someone or something took a huge bite out of the TV antennae.
He gears up, and decides to head out in search for whatever did this. He starts walking around, and ends up near the power plant finding a GIANT ROBOT!!!!!
He sees it stuck in power cables and getting hurt by it, so Hogarth runs over and turns the plant off. Saving him. He then runs home as his mom is calling him. He decides the next day to go out looking for the Giant.
The next day, Hogarth brings some metal and his camera, hoping to capture a picture of the Giant. However, he falls asleep…and when he wakes up…
The two quickly become friends.
Meanwhile, ugh Kent Mansley has arrived in town. He’s the government man brought in to investigate this “metal man”.
Marv Loach: What department is that again?
Kent Mansley: Frankly, I’m not at liberty to divulge the particulars of the agency I work for, and all that that implies.
Marv Loach: You mean, national security?
Kent Mansley: Let me put it this way. Every so often things happen that can’t be rationalized in a conventional way. People wanna know their government has a response. I am that response.
It grows late in the day and Hogarth is unsure what to do with the robot. He decides to head home and come back tomorrow to hang out with the robot, but the robot won’t stop following.
“Hogarth Hughes: Well, goodbye. [Hogarth starts walking away, the Giant follows him] No, no. Me go, you stay. No following. Good. [Hogarth walks, the Giant still follows him] I told you! I’ll come back tomorrow! Now, stay! [Hogarth leaves, the Giant follows him] No, no, no! Bad robot!”
On the way, the Giant gets hungry and starts chewing on a railroad. Hogarth stops him and tells him to fix them. They manage to get everything together, but the Giant gets smacked and destroyed, flung apart. Hogarth is shocked to see him in massive pieces, but then…
He starts putting himself back together.
The race quickly to Hogarth’s barn where he can hide the GIant while he is being pieced together, and Hogarth can go in for dinner. What both don’t realize, is that a piece of the Giant has slipped away.
So yes, there’s that pesky Kent again. In fact he realizes that a broken BB gun he found at the power plant matches part of Hogarth’s name. This gets him very interested in the Hughes family.
Hogarth goes with the Iron Giant and brings him some comic books to read.
Hogarth Hughes: I thought you might like, you know, a bedtime story. I have some really cool ones. Mad Magazine – very funny. The Spirit – very cool. Boy’s Life – eh. Oh, here. This is Superman. He’s a lot like you. Crash-landed on Earth, didn’t know what he was doing… but he only uses his powers for good, never for evil. Remember that.
[Giant looks at a comic with a robot like himself on the cover]
Hogarth Hughes: Oh, that’s Atomo, the metal menace. He’s not a hero, he’s a villain. But you’re not like him. You’re a good guy, like Superman.
The Iron Giant: Super… man.
But the Giant is hungry. They go out looking for food and spot Dean trucking an old car to the junkyard.
As there is no way Dean will sleep through that, Hogarth has to show himself. Dean is fine with that and invites him in for coffee, espresso.
There Hogarth gets jacked up and talks Dean’s ear off, but eventually Dean hears the Giant and goes after it to protect Hogarth. Hogarth calms everyone down, and after a lot of whining, convinces Dean to house the Giant for a bit.
Hogarth goes home, but after all that needling it is time to get up.
So while Dean is trying to corrall the Giant into not eating his sculptures and helping him out, Hogarth has to deal with Kent.
Yes Kent has decided to rent the room Annie is offering, and follow Hogarth around trying to get info out of him.
Eventually Hogarth grows tired of it and does one of the funniest things in the movie.
Even though this is technically illegal, giving some laxatives without their knowledge, as it could kill him if too much is give, I just love how that enables him to get far away from Kent.
So the Giant, Hogarth, and Dean all have a lot of fun. The three are bonding, the Giant and Hogarth being the best of friends.
The Iron Giant: You die?
Hogarth Hughes: Well, yes, someday.
The Iron Giant: I die?
Hogarth Hughes: I don’t know. You’re made of metal, but you have feelings, and you think about things, and that means you have a soul. And souls don’t die.
The Iron Giant: Soul?
Hogarth Hughes: Mom says it’s something inside of all good things, and that it goes on forever and ever. [Hogarth leaves. The Iron Giant lays back to look at the stars]
The Iron Giant: Souls don’t die.
However, this is too good to last as Kent has been searching and found Hogarth’s camera. Even more so, he got a picture of Hogarth and the Giant.
That night when Hogarth comes home, Kent kidnaps him.
Yes! I know!!! What a psycho creep!
He questions Hogarth about the Giant, threatening his mom!
I know! Kent is one of the worst villians. HOw could you do that to a child??? A child!!!
Kent Mansley: Your mom’s working late tonight, Hogarth, so it’s just us guys, and we’re gonna have a little chat. Sit down! [shoves Hogarth onto a chair and shines a bright light on him] How’s that? A little too bright? Good. Forgive me, Hogarth. I wanted you to learn something.
Hogarth Hughes: What can I learn from you?
Kent Mansley: You can learn this, Hogarth. That I can do anything I want, whenever I want if I feel it’s in the people’s best interest. The giant metal man. Where is it?
Hogarth Hughes: I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Kent Mansley: You don’t? Does this ring a bell? [lays down the picture Hogarth took of the aluminum siding he used to lure the Giant] No? How about this? [lays down the photo Hogarth accidentally took of himself – with the Giant behind him]
Kent Mansley: You’ve been careless, Hogarth.
Hogarth Hughes: It doesn’t prove anything.
Kent Mansley: It’s enough to get the army here with one phone call.
Hogarth Hughes: Then what’s stopping you?
Kent Mansley: [angry] Where’s the giant? [Grabs Hogarth by the jaw] You can’t protect him, Hogarth, anymore than you can… protect your mother.
Hogarth Hughes: My mom?
Kent Mansley: It’s difficult to raise a boy all alone. We can make it more difficult. In fact, we can make it so difficult that it would be irresponsible for us to leave you in her care, and all that that implies. You’ll be taken away from her, Hogarth.
Hogarth Hughes: You can’t do that!
Kent Mansley: Oh, we can, and we will.
Hogarth Hughes: He’s at the junkyard. McCoppin’s Scrap off Culver Road.
Kent Mansley: The junkyard, of course! Food for the metal eater. I wouldn’t worry aboutthis, Hogarth. This isn’t really happening. It’s only… a bad dream. [puts a chloroform rag on Hogarth’s mouth, leaving him unconscious]
After this, there is a great scene where Kent is watching Hogarth to make sure he doesn’t let Dean know that the army is coming in. However, Hogarth manages to outsmart him and warn Dean.
So instead of seeing a space giant, they see an art piece.
Kent Mansley is chewed out and taken away with the rest of the army. Everything seems fine and good until Hogarth and the Giant start playing Atomo. When Hogarth points his fake gun at the Giant, it awaken some defense code and he attacks.
Dean McCoppin: Get back! I said get back! I mean it!
The Iron Giant: No. Stop. Wait.
Hogarth Hughes: It was an accident. He’s our friend.
Dean McCoppin: He’s a piece of hardware, Hogarth. Why did you think the army was here? He’s a weapon, a big… big gun that walks.
The Iron Giant: I… I not gun.
Dean McCoppin: Yeah? Then what’s that? [Points at huge hole the Giant’s ray left on a bus]
Dean McCoppin: You almost did that to Hogarth!
The Iron Giant: No! [Runs away]
Hogarth Hughes: Wait! [Runs after the Giant]
Dean realizes it was because of the toy gun, so he goes after Hogarth to help him find the Giant.
Meanwhile, the army sees the Iron Giant and go after him, even though he just saved two boys. Just like Mighty Joe Young, giant dudes just catch a break.
So Hogarth catches up, and the Giant picks him up and flys with him. The army sends missels after him, knocking them both to the ground, and Hogarth out cold. The Giant thinks Hogarth is dead and becomes angry, trying to take out the whole military.
If you look at his weaponry, you’ll notice the trio of weapons is created to resemble the aliens in The War of the Worlds (1953). This make it concrete that it is not from the Soviet Union, North Korea, China, etc; but definitely from outer space.
As no human weapons can stop him, the general agrees to listen to Kent and get the Nautilus ready with the bomb. However, as they are fighting, Hogarth awakens and escapes from his mom and Dean to save the GIant. He reminds the iIant:
Hogarth Hughes: [to the Giant, in battle mode] It’s bad to kill. Guns kill. And you don’t have to be a gun. You are what you choose to be. You choose. Choose.
Everything has calmed down, except for Mansley. He steals the radio, and tells them to launch the missile, something that will kill them all.
General Rogard: That missile is targeted to the giant’s current position! WHERE’S THE GIANT, MANSLEY?
Kent Mansley: Oooh… We can duck and cover! There’s a fallout shelter not far from…
General Rogard: There’s no way to survive this thing, you idiot!
Kent Mansley: You mean we’re all going to…
General Rogard: To die, Mansley. For our country.
Kent Mansley: Screw our country! I WANT TO LIVE!
The Giant stops him though. Everyone is sad at the fact they will explode, but the Giant decides it is time for him to take care of those he loves.
The Iron Giant: [as a nuclear missile is headed for Rockwell] I fix.
Hogarth Hughes: Giant?
The Iron Giant: Hogarth. I go. You stay. [lifts Hogarth’s chin with a finger and waves his other finger at him] No following.
Hogarth Hughes: I love you.
[the Giant takes off to intercept the rocket]
Awwwwww, it is soooooo sad!!!
Noo!
The town is saved!
Afterwards, Dean and Annie have gotten together; Dean has made a statue in honor of the Giant; and Hogarth is now the most popular boy in town. But while everything is great, Hogarth is still sad. He misses the Giant.
He is given a package from the General, the only piece they have found of the giant, his mouth screw. Hogarth accepts it.
One night, the piece stats beeping, wanting out of the room. That means only one thing, the GIANT IS ALIVE!!! The pieces are coming together to rebuild him. 🙂
Such a truly great film. I don’t know why it isn’t more popular as it is truly amazing.
So some of you might recall my post last year on an author I enjoyed, Frank Peretti. He wrote Christian novels, ranging from suspense, to horror, to everyday fiction; but most have to do with angels battling demons.
This film is an adaption of one of his books, so yes it is a Christian film. I know not all of you might be interested in it, but let me say I have shown this film to Christian and non-Christian friends and both liked it. It’s pretty good.
I’ve read the book that the film is based on, and for me I like this film better than it’s source material.
I know it’s weird for me to write such a thing, but it’s the truth. To me the book is two stories, while the film is more focused on one. But that’s not my forte, if you want to read posts comparing the film to its original source material, check out my sister blog From Print to Screen.
Oh and by the way, I could not find like almost no photos of this film. So for the review I will be using whatever I have in my media collection. That’s the hard thing about reviewing lesser known films.
Anyways, let’s get on to the review.
So the film starts off a little different. As they show the credits they show other things that are important to the story. We see photos of a woman, Marian Jordan, and then her with the dog waving good-bye to her husband. Next thing, we see a newspaper clipping, woman missing.
Everyone searches for her, and they find her body. She was killed, but not just murdered.
It appears her death was a part of some kind of Satanic Cult ritual.
After the death of his wife, Pastor Travis Jordan is so grief-stricken, that he ends up quitting the ministry.
Now the actual film begins:
Three years later, and Travis is still grieving. He lives with just him and his dog, but now his dog is sick and has to be put down. After Travis does so, he takes the body home and buries him in the backyard.
Noo!
Poor guy.
So that night, Michael, a seventeen-year-old boy who just moved from San Francisco to Antioch; is driving the Pentecostal Church van with a keg in the back. His friends had dared him and as he is on the way with the keg for the party, three men appear in the road.
Michael moves quickly to not hit them, and ends up flipping over the van and crashing on the side of the road.
Think he survived?
He in this case
He survives it.
How did that happen?
So did these three men save him?
“Tall Man: Be not afraid. You are safe.
Michael: Am I dead?
Tall Man: You must go back.
Michael: Go where?
Tall Man: He is coming.
The man touches him, and Michael has this vision of a windmill, and some other things.
So let’s stop a moment and talk about the cinematography. It is actually beautiful. At times it is creepy,
and often in a voyeristic approach. Giving you the sense that someone is always watching.
Oooh…creepy.
So the authorities come, along with Michael’s mother Morgan, who is the vet. They fill out a report, and the newspaperwoman takes down the story.
Now at the Catholic church, the Arnold the janitor is cleaning and talking to God or to the stature of Jesus being crucified, I’m not sure. He has a problem with his hip and is asking for a miracle, to heal it completely. After all he has done so much for God.
Now here is where I think this guy is going wrong. You don’t do something nice or good in God’s name and expect a reward, then you aren’t truly giving as you expect payment of some sort. God wants a cheerful heart, something freely given. It makes me think of the part in Atlas Shrugged, when Hank’s family all expect this and that, and he tells them that it doesn’t work like that. You give and expect nothing in return, that is a real gift.
Anyways, sorry for the tangent. I’m back. So as Arnold notices that the crucifix is crying, as he reaches up and touches it he starts to have these visions and falls off his ladder.
When he gets up, he is completely healed. He starts telling everyone about the healing tears.
The “Tall Man” shows up again at this miracle as well. Alright, now we know they are more than ordunary men. But are they angels or demons?
Which one?
They tell Arnold:
“Tall Man: He is coming.”
“Arnold: Who?”
So that isn’t the only place seeing Jesus. In a hotel, the mildew makes Jesus on the wall. People see him in the clouds. It’s becoming a full-scale Jesus spotting epidemic.
Things are getting intense.
So Pastor Kyle Sherman, head of the Pentecostal church is unsure what these “sights” are. He and the other religious leaders decide to hold a board meeting, and Kyle wants some extra back up. He goes to get Travis, but Travis does not want to go to church, even if it is just for a meeting.
After Kyle leaves, Travis hears barking.
He goes out there and his dog Max is alive!!!!!
Travis is estatic, but he also notices that same three men that’s been appearing everywhere on his hill.
Who is that?
Kyle goes to see the vet, Morgan to talk about Michael. He wants to have Michael come to their meeting and share his experience. Morgan refuses as they “are not church people”. Kyle lets the comment go, but gives her the bible he brought as a “welcome to the community gift.” She’s not really into it, but rude to resist, she puts it to the side.
So that night the religious leaders are all discussing it. The Pentecostal preacher, Kyle, thinks it is demons and demonic possession. The Baptist minister, on the other hand, thinks it is just the usual religious crazies having fun.
So some of you might not know that Christianity has different splits. Most of them have to do with doctrine. Pentacostals believe in “speaking in tongues”, like the desciples did on the day of Pentecost. Presbeteryians don’t. There is more, but let’s move on back to the review.
So they all start fighting and arguing, until Travis comes in.
Travis back in Church? Crazy! Never thought it would happen.
So they ask Travis what he thinks, and he tells them that he thinks it is nothing, but people wanting things to happen. Before they can talk about it more, they are interupted by screams.
But it actually isn’t anything bad. In fact, one of the girls, Darlene (daughter of the sheriff) touched the crucifix’s tears and is healed of her scars.
Her mom starts yelling and telling people to pray.
She’s not the only one who has had an “experience”. Her father was driving to the church, stopped to pick up the Tall Man, and was talking to him in the car. Next thing he knows, guy disappeared!
The next day, Travis spots the Tall Man on the hill. He goes to get his camera, but has no film.
Darn it!
He goes to the store to buy some, when the owner, Matt Kiley a wheel-chaired veteran, gets touched by the “He” who is coming. He starts to have a shock and seizure. But after it passes, he can walk again!
Travis sees Matt’s transformation, and tries to chase after the person who did it. This leads him to the grocery store, where the lights are all flickering.
Never a good sign.
There he discovers that Darlene’s mother, Dee, was touched by “him” too and is now slain in the spirit.
The person who did this is long gone, and they ask Dee what he looked like. She tells them Jesus.
This is the only painting I have that shows his face clearly
For a moment they are all shocked and confused, until they are interrupted and told that it isn’t Jesus, but Brandon Nicholas, Mrs. Macon’s new farmhand.
Te sheriff decides to drive out there, only taking Travis (backup in the religious circle even though he is no longer a pastor) and Nancy, the newspaper reporter. But of course everyone wants to get a part of him, and they all follow them out there.
When they reach the farm, I guess you could say he looks like Jesus because of his long hair and a beard, but not really.
But wait…I have seen this man somewhere before? But where? Hmm…
HE WAS JOHN CONNER IN TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry, back to the review.
So Brandon has moved to the area and going to have a revival. He starts talking to them, and suddenly the mood alters. Brandon is no longer questioning, but has the upper hand. He knows about Nancy the newspaper writer’s search for love, and tells her that he can fill the hole in her heart, he search for love. He sticks his hand out, and when she takes it, it is like a jolt of electricity.
He then goes to Sheriff Brett and tells him he knows all about the tumor in his head, and his 50/50 chances. He tells Brett he can help, strechting out his hand. When Brett takes it he too is shocked and healed.
He asks Travis, but he doesn’t agree to get his help.
As they are all leaving, Travis sees that Tall Man again, and something clicks. He has seen him before, but where?
He heads back to the town and to the sheriff’s office to open up his wife’s case files.
While there, Travis finds a picture of the Tall Man by the ambulance when his wife was loaded in.
opy of the
Morgan comes in to get a copy of the accident report. While the deputy is distracted trying to get a date, Travis takes the photo and puts it in his pocket.
He heads to his car, but stops and asks Morgan if she has seen him too. Morgan disagrees, and I’ll be honest. This is the one scene I don’t really like as the only reason why they do it is so that Morgan joins him in the rest of the film. But it wasn’t that bad, so its nothing to hate the film on, just an annoying piece.
Anyways, the two end up heading up to the revival, as Travis wants answers about the Tall Man, and Morgan wants her son. Yes, Michael is very, very, very into everything going on. So much, that he ends up leaving his mom and joining the commune Brandon sets up.
There Brandon starts healing people. Norman Dillard has had to wear super thick glasses for 40 years, Brandon touches his hand:
He is healed.
Brandon starts touching people, healing, slaying in the spirit, etc. Dee wants to be choosen but he doesn’t pick her, she isn’t young enough.
But Dee predents to be moved by him.
As this is going on, Pastor Kyle comes up and calls out Brandon.
He knows Brandon is trying to insiinuate that he Jesus, and he won’t stand for that. He calls out that Jesus Christ died over 2000 years, nailed to a cross: where are your markings?
And then Brandon does something no one expected. He rolls up his sleeves and reveals that he has nail markings in his wrists.
Everyone goes crazy and starts praising him even more. All are captured by this and don’t stop to think that Jesus was not just wounded in his wrists, but in his side as well. Pastor Kyle tries to warn them about false prophets, but no one will listen
So as everyone is worshipping him, Travis spots the man from the photo, and begins trying to photograph him.
Travis gets kicked out by Brett, who is acting insane. Travis tries to tell him about the photo, but when they look at it again, the man is missing from the photograph!
Travis tries to get Morgan to vouch for him, but she is no help as she is preoccupied with everything that is happening with her son.
The next day Morgan comes over, as she is at a loss of what to do. She was able to fight her ex for custody, but how does she defest Brandon to win her son back?
While she is there, Max Travis’ dog is stolen by the Tall Man.
Noooooooooo!!!!!!!
The two follow the truck which heads up to the farm, where Brandon is having another revival, one that is crowded with people. They look around and spot the car Max was taken in, snapping a shot of the license plate.
I have to wonder, why would they take his dog? Is it a ploy to bring Travis back to the farm as he was going to stay far away. Is something to do with bringing the dog back to life? Is his powers failing and he needed the dog back before it fell apart and died?
They head back to the Sheriff’s office and Morgan agrees to a date with the deputy in return for running the plate from the car they photographed. They discover that it was last registered to an Abe of Abe’s Salvage, about two hours away.
When they reach Abe’s Salvage they ask Abe about the car, showing him the photo, but he doesn’t know what happened to it. It was stolen a few years back, and he hasn’t seen it since. As Abe is giving the camera back to Morgan he accidentally hits the next button, and sees a picture of Brandon….except that’s not Brandon.
Yes, Abe reveals that Brandon is not Brandon, but Herb Johnson. Brandon Nicholas used to work for him, but disappeared one day. Herb came along not too long after, but he too just took off withour notice.
After they get that information, they score his home address and search out to see it.
When they head out to the home, they discover it was a horrible, decrepit, falling apart shack. When they go inside they find the walls coverd in all kind of demonic signs, a pentagram, and one wall coverd in the same news clipping, but painted over black so we can’t see it.
The only reason you would do that is if to severely hide something. What could the article cover?
They take one and head out.
They head back to Antioch and when they get there they hear police sirens. Travis knows that Brett has been hanging out at the commune, and has become a body guard for Brandon. He decides not to stop, but keep going heading up to the farm. When they stop, the Brett gets out and starts yelling and attacking Travis, fully pumped of adrenaline.
They calm him down, and he relays a message, Brandon wants you.
Everyone acts almost as if they are under a spell or something. Travis and Morgan follow him to the house in which they run into Nancy.
Where did Nancy go and who is this girl?
Yes, Nancy has gone through a LOT of changes since living on the commune. Not only has she been living there 24/7 but she no longer cares about reporting the news or any thing that used to be important. She wears a sexy dress, drinks nonstop, and only cares about pleasing herself and Brandon.
Travis and Macon both ask after Mrs. Macon, but no one has seen her for a while.
Okay, we don’t know this has happened to her, but that’s what I am thinking.
So Travis is taken to Brandon, while Morgan investigates the house looking for Michael.
So Travis confronts Brandon with his knowledge that he is Herb Johnson, and Brandon doesn’t care.
He tells Travis that Brandon is just a stage name. Brandon…Herb…Justin…the name doesn’t matter. He tries to get Travis to accept him, touch his hand, allow him to heal him; but Travis still says no. Brandon tries to assure him he isn’t evil, he wants to clean up the towm.
While that is going on, Morgan is searching for Michael and goes down a blinking lighted hallway:
Never a good sign.
There she runs into Max, the dog, is starts trying to attack her so she runs downstairs and back with Travis. They are heading out when something hits their car.
AAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It turns out to be Darlene who has a huge cut across her forehead. They ask her what happens, and she tells them that Brandon wanted her to do things, things she’s not interested in doing. And when she said no, he hurt her.
They put her in the car and head to the hospital. While they are heading to the hospital she reveals that her scars she wa healed from, have come back. And hurt even more.
It looks like Brandon’s so called “healing powers” don’t last. Interesting, very interesting. And more proof that Brandon is not Jesus.
Back at the commune, Brandon has canceled the night’s services. Everyone is disappointed, but Tall Man goes and selects the pretty young girls for Brandon’s private sessions. Dee hopes to be choosen and recieve special attention, but they won’t take her because she is too old.
And all I can say, is hey you are married. You shouldn’t be trying to get with any man that is not your hudsband.
So back at the hospital, the Sheriff shows up yelling at them to leave his daughter alone. They tell him the story and he goes in with her. They talk to the doctor and Morgan sweet talks him into letting them use the cat scan to read the article. Sometimes being a girl is extremely awesome.
Back at the farm, Matt’s legs aren’t working right. He wants to see Brandon to fix it, nd Michael helps carry him to the house. He leaves Matt in the parlor and goes looking for him upstairs and finds something creepy.
Brandon tied to a barbed fence with a chisel and speaking in a strange language. It is a creepy scene.
Michael gets freaked out and runs out of there.
After the doctor bandages Darlene’s head, Brett takes her home. There they find Dee staring at herself in the mirror.
She’s crying about not be choosen and the voices she has in her head telling her thinks. They try to calm her down, but then Brett starts twesking out as well. He sees the Tall Man and is trying to shoot him, when in reality the only people there are his wife and daughter.
AAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They run from him, as he chases them around shooting.
He finally calms down and heads out to the farm to give Brandon a piece of his mind.
Michael is running across the cornfield, trying to get as far away from the farm as possible.
AHHHHHHH!!!!
When he stumbles upon two guys burying something.
Matt has crawled into Brandon’s room, where he is currentlu gettin a massage from Nancy. Brandon is angry and yelling at Matt for turning on him, of which Matt promises that he would never do such a thing. He will do whatever Brandon wants.
Brett storms in as well, angry and yelling at Brandon. He is about to stand up to him, when his tumor comes back. Brandon promises tp take away the pain, but only if Brett becomes his servant. Brett agrees.
I just think what a jerk. He would trade his own comfort fpr his daughter?
And this begs the question again, are Brandon’s “healings” really healing anyone? They seem to last only a short time, and then need to be administered again.
At the hospital, they find out what the article says. 15 years ago, Reverand Cantwell disappeared a fugitive from the law, with his son Justin. This all sarts to gel in his mind and brings something back to him.
He talks about looking into who owned that decreput house. Just as they are discussing how to do it, Pastor Kyle and Michael show up.
Michael was running and ran into Pastor Kyle. He was freaked out, so Pastor Kyle decided to take him to the hospital. As they are talking, Michael starts tewaking out all over the place. Turns out he is posessed. Pastor Kyle does what needs to be done:
After he has prayed the demons out of Kyle, doing it the way ones are actually done , through prayer, and not showy like in The Exorcist or Supernatural. Michael tells them about the body. The group ends up splitting up.
Travis and Pastor Kyle head out to see what was buried, while Morgan and Michael go home tp do reasearch.
Travis and Pastor Kyle dig up the whole and find two bodies. One in a jumpsuit with the name Brandon Nicholas, the other, Travis thinks is Reverand Cantwell. They figure out that ever three years someone has been killed; Reverand Cantwell 9 years ago, Brian Nicholas 6 years ago, and then Marian Jordan 3 years ago. Someone needs to die tonight, and they think it is Mrs. Macon.
While they are talking, Brett comes on the scene shooting like crzy and trying to kill them as he is under orders from Brandon. He too is posessed, and Pastor Kyle has to do an excorcism on him as well. But once it is done, they team up and head up to the farm.
There they have to watch out for Brandon’s other bodyguard, Matt, who have I mentioned used to be a sniper in the military. Brett manages to get into the house and finds Mrs. Macon, too bad she is possessed too.
They see no sign of Brandon, and Travis figures out that he went after Morgan instead. As he is leaving he spots his dad on the second floor balconey. He now has a choice: go after the last connection to his wife, or save his friend he cares about that might become more.
He chooses to go after Morgan; leaving his past behind, accepting his wife’s death, and opening his heart to others.
Morgan has found the documents online, and sees that the house was owned by Reverand Cantwell. Just as she has made this discovery, Brandon appears with his posse. And I’m sure you have realized those guys are demons.
AAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Michel gets stuck to the wall spinning like a windmill
While Brandon attacks Morgan.
Travis has reached the house and discovers Morgan tied to the table with barbed wire, while Brandon is there with a chisel.
Travis announces that he has figured out who Brandon really is…Justin Cantwell. Justin’s father was a minister and a psycho. He was abusing wife and son, and Justin made a choice to go to Travis for help. Travis calls CPS, but they don’t help as Rev. Cantwell can be charming when he wants to be.
After that, the Reverand decided he needed to punish Justin for going to a rival church. He ties him up with barbed wire on the base of the windmill and crucifies him with a chisel.
AAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He makes a covenant with the devil, he is saved, given a few powers, and can continue to live but has to shed blood every three years. He went after Marian because he wanted Travis to suffer as he blames him for not doing more. It’s the same reason why he made discoveing his identity so easy and why he chose Morgan.
Travis tres to overcome him, but can’t as Brandon/Justin’s demon friends knock him about. Justin starts dying, as he is nearing his time and hasn’t killed. Just as he is about to, he throws one final barb ay Tavis, asking him where’s his God now?
Travis maages to grab a bible and tosses it, saving Morgan and killing Justin, as he hasn’t killed anyone yet.
The next scene, they are having a funeral for Justin. Travis is now Pastor Travis, he and Morgan are at the start of something, and the town is mending back together.
I know some of you might not care for it, but I loved it. It has a few hokey moments, as all do, but overall a good and creepy film. Too bad they don’t have any video clips of it on youtube.
And sorry, but no facebook cover photo/poster, as I couldn’t find any pictures really online to work with.
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