My friend always knows the type of shows that I like, so when she suggested this cartoon, Over the Garden Wall, I was down to watch it.
This is going to get good…
The show follows stepbrothers Wirt (Elijah Wood) and Greg who were out walking in the forest and are lost. As they are trying to figure out how to get home they come across a woodsman (Christopher Lloyd) who tries to help them. He warns them of “the beast” and directs them the way to go. As they try to get home they come upon all kinds of fantastical and spooky people/creatures; and the woodsman himself might not be as helpful as they originally thought. In this world where anything could happen who can you trust? Everything in the show is cute and sweet with an undertone of something sinister.
From Twin Peaks
“Hard Times at the Huskin’ Bee” is the second episode of the series and the two brothers have been wandering in the direction the woodsman pointed out when Greg finds a bird trapped in a bramble bush. She’s a talking bird, Beatrice (Melanie Lynskey), who they met briefly in the previous episode and as Greg saved her, she is now a member of their party.
Beatrice wants to take them to Adelaide the lady of the forest to help them, but Wirt sees a sign to Pottsfield and decides to go in that direction.
We go my way!
When they arrive they find an empty village and only turkeys in the houses. They continue walking through the creepy village, and I’m like if this was me I would go running and screaming from it, I’ve seen plenty of films and read enough books to know things are not going to go well.
They hear music coming from the barn and head over there to ask for directions. When they get to the barn they find these pumpkin straw/scarecrow humanoids running about. Wirt feels safe as he think they are wearing costumes and not real pumpkins.
One girl sees Wirt and comments “aren’t you a little ripe still to be here?”
This whole thing would send me reeling, but the boys don’t leave yet. They do get freaked out when they see a gigantic pumpkin and realize that these aren’t just people having a regular festival, something fantastical and grim is going on here.
When they try to leave they are stopped and have to be punished….
That’s not good.
I was thinking that they were goin to try and smash them, but instead they force Greg, Wirt, and Beatrice to do community service.
Beatrice is still trying to get the kids to leave as she doesn’t trust these pumpkin villagers and is really worried that they have something more sinister planned; especially after the two brothers are digging holes that are the perfect dimensions and depth to be a grave.
The pumpkin people come to check to see if they are finished and Beatrice has Wirt stall them while she tries to pick the locks.
Wirt tells them he found rocks when digging so it took longer, and then continues to ramble. When Wirt sees Beatrice and Greg running away without him, he gives up and is prepared to meet his doom.
From The Wolf Man (1941)
But out of the hole comes skeletons who do not attack him but put on pumpkins and straw. It turns out they never planned to hurt the brothers, they just needed some help getting their friends.
The pumpkins tell the brothers they can stay as long as they want to, but they decline as they are both determined to get home.
I really enjoyed this, it’s the perfect blend of cute, spooky, and grim; with a fairy tale feel. I highly recommend it.
So remember how I started playing that game Desire & Decorum from the app Choices?
The one that is similar to the game design in the film Big? A computer game/book that you read but get to make choices as to what will happen next?
Wow!
I know this isn’t a “movie”-its a game-but it’s like a combo of the two. You have a mix of film and book storytelling in combo of a video game.
This one is sort of like It by Stephen King. A group of kids meet a mysterious powerful creature called Mr. Redfield. After a tragic accident they never returned to the woods. The group split up and went their separate ways.
There is Stacey who became cheerleading captain and is being blackmailed by fellow cheerleader Brittany, into doing her bidding. Lucas is the class president and every moment of his time is chock full of extracurriculars, schoolwork, and etc.-where does he find the time? Andy-a transexual basketball player who faces prejudice because of his sexual orientation and race. Ava, full goth/witch who does whatever she wants and seeks powers. Lily, a lesbian in love with popular Brittany and the school nerd. Dan, football player but has been pulling away from everyone lately. Noah, who has been damaged by the incident that took his sister Jane and caused his family to fall apart. And there’s you.
Everything changes on the night before senior year when you and your friends receive strange texts from Dan. Then a mud monster in Dan’s form attacks you!
Dan has gone missing-bad things happen that “help you”, and it’s up to you what happens next as you fight mud monsters, massive spiders, bone and vine creatures, and have to figure out how to stop Mr. Red from hurting you all. What will you choose and will you make the right decision? Can you defeat Mr. Red?
I thought it was amazing. I couldn’t stop playing it, I just had to know what happened next.
The music is great as well and all together an amazing experience. I definitely suggest trying this game out.
Musically and dramatically, we have here a picture of the struggle between the profane and the sacred.
I know I have already reviewed an animated film with The Corpse Bride, but did you really think I was going to let Horrorfest go by without reviewing a Disney film or TV episode?
I can’t remember when I first watched Fantasia, but I know I was young because I became very antsy during the watching. In fact I remember trying to leave part way through…
And my mom stopped me and made me finish watching it.
Out of all the scenes, there are three that have remained firmly stuck in my memory. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Paul Dukas, of course, as it starred Mickey Mouse. Who doesn’t love Mickey?
Then the ballerina part with the Hippopotamuses, the Dance of the Hours by Amilcare Ponchielli.
Reminds me of Degas
And the part with the Devil.
I saw that and had only one reaction:
AAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was an amazing short, but so terrifying. He was just so EVIL.
And apparently I wasn’t the only one horrified. To this day Disney receives letters complaining about how terrifying this part is for kids. Because of such massive complaints, Disney actually removed this part from the initial video release, but later restored it.
He is probably the scariest of all Disney villains and animated creations.
I’m getting shivers
So the piece is actually a combination of two musical pieces: Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky and Ave Maria by Franz Schubert.
The Night on Bald Mountain is about witches and demons worshipping their master, the Devil, also known as Chernabog. He comes out of the mountain
And awaken all his supporters. From witches:
To zombies in their graves:
To skeletons and ghosts:
And they all praise and dance around him. His pure evil is terrifying and frightening.
Nothing can stop him except for one thing. The church bells ring and a choir sings Ave Maria by Franz Schubert. It’s message of hope, Mary, and Christ destroys the power of the devil and sends him back into the Earth.
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5
The music is fantastic, the animation exquisite, and an all around great experience; check it out.
He’s married to a corpse. He has a corpse bride. There must be some way to undo what’s been done.
Every year I do an animated movie as part of my Horrorfest review. As I was trying to decide which one, I finally settled on The Corpse Bride as I thought it was high time I reviewed a Tim Burton film. I have been trying to do Edward Scissorhandsor Sleepy Hollow (1999), for years now but it just seems as if 31 days is never enough time to do everything I wish.
So the first time I watched this movie I wasn’t really into it. I felt the plot wasn’t that interesting and there were too many songs. But my niece really loves it and wanted to watch it (several times) and it is funny, but the more I watch it, the more I like it. I have actually really grown to love it, despite all the things I disliked in the beginning.
So the story begins with Victor Van Groot (Johnny Depp), nouveau rich, as he prepares to marry Victoria Everglot, from an old important family (who unfortunately has no money). There marriage is supposed to be one of convenience, but Victoria and Victor have fallen for each other.
However, even though Victor is in love with Victoria, he is extremely nervous about the wedding and messing things up. He ruins the rehearsal when he drops the ring, (symbolizing his death) and accidentally catches Mrs. Everglot’s dress on fire.
He runs away embarrassed and tries to work on his vows. He manages to knock them out of the park, but when he gets to placing the ring on the finger (a stick off a tree) it turns out that he has awaken the dead, and now has a zombie bride.
He then gets dragged down to…I don’t know actually. Is it is heaven, hell, purgatory, or a final resting place for the townspeople? They never explain.
Is it for everyone or just the village? And how was she even able to drag Victor down if he isn’t dead?
Anyways, they give him the story behind the Corpse Bride, Emily (Helena Bonham Carter). She was engaged to marry a man her parents disapproved of. She stole all their money and jewels as the two planned to elope. But when Emily arrived, her betrothed strangled her and took off with everything. She then decided she would wait there until her true love awoke her.
Victor wants to leave, but Emily doesn’t want him too. He convinces her to let him return to the world above so that they can see his parents. They go, but instead of seeing his parents, he tries to tell Victoria what has happened.
Emily follows him, and upset at his betrayal, drags him back down to the underworld.
Victoria is worried and tries to seek help, but everyone thinks she is crazy. Her parents are desperate for money, so when Lord Barkis, (who has just arrived in town and no one knows him but he gives the appearance of being wealthy and from a distinguished family) offers to marry Victoria, her parents accept. Victoria on the other hand is completely distraught.
Meanwhile, below ground Victor’s coachman has just arrived and given him the news about Victoria. Heartbroken that she would marry another, Victor agrees to spend eternity with Emily. In order to make the ceremony lawful, they must return topside, preform the wedding ceremony, and Victor must take poison so that he can join Emily in the afterlife.
The dead rise and head to the church, coming in right after Victoria and Lord Barkis have performed the ceremony. Everyone is terrified including the townspeople.
However, after they discover that the skeleton/zombie creations are their dead relatives, they are happy to have their loved ones back.
Lord Barkin wants to flee and tells Victoria to get all her family’s money so they can take off. Victoria reveals they have no money, and now both are very unhappy.
Victor and Emily are getting ready to perform the ceremony when Emily sees how much Victor loves Victoria and stops the ceremony. Victor and Victoria are together, but unfortunately they can’t really be together as she is already married, something Lord Barkin reminds everyone. But as he comes to take Victoria away, it is revealed that he was the one who killed Emily.
All the other skeletons and zombies are furious, but there is nothing that can be done by the dead as he is still alive. Lord Barkin laughs at this and takes a drink of the wine set out for the wedding ceremony, making fun of Emily. But the wine he drank was the poisoned wine that was set out for Victor.
Get him!
As he is now dead, Emily can get justice; Victoria and Victor get their happy ending; and Emily is released and able to pass on.
So let’s start with what I did like:
1) The Animation
In a world that was moving from 2D animation to CGI, it is nice to see a throwback like this, I actually wish we had more films like it. I know it was becoming too expensive for a lot of studios to do it and will eventually become totally outmoded, but I like it. There is something so real about these puppets.
2) The Ending
The ending was so cute, it was why I even wanted to watch the film. I mean I loved how Victor and Victoria get together and Emily has peace.
Although, why does she turn into butterflies?
Things I Didn’t like:
1) Too Nightmare Before Christmas
I really felt like Burton was just trying to recapture The Nightmare Before Christmas. He just borrowed too much from his earlier film for me. I mean the creatures had the same style; Emily looked like a Blue Sally; there are two skeleton kids and a dwarf replacing the three trick or treaters; and a bone dog instead of ghost dog; and tons of songs. Even though it is cute it also gives the impression Burton is running out of new ideas.
2) Too Many Songs
Now I love music
But the songs in a film need to be good and have something to do with advancing or enhancing the plot. Quite a few of these songs felt more like filler to lad out the runtime instead of enhancing the story.
3) This Was too Short
Everything felt as if it was moving too quickly. It made me feel as if they couldn’t really think of a way to flesh out the idea they had for the plot and instead decided to jam extra songs in and hurry to the ending.
4) Music is Not Right for a Young Lady
Uh, did Burton do anyresearch? Victoria wants to play the piano, but isn’t allowed as “music is not right for a girl”. Uh, no. Music has always been something young ladies were trained in. Think of the three acceptable arts: piano, painting, and embroidery. I mean remember Mr. Darcy?
“a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved.’ Caroline Bingley…’All this she must possess,’ added Darcy, ‘and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading.”
6) No Character Development
So Victoria and Victor are cute, but we hardly know anything about them! I mean we know Victoria doesn’t want to wear corsets, or follow society’s rules, but what does she like? What does she want? Who is she? Victor is insecure and frightened, but that’s it. There is nothing else to him.
7) Why Would They Marry Their Daughter Off to Someone They Don’t Know
Now don’t tell me “it is because they need money”. Why would a family that was so concerned over their daughter marrying a rich fish merchant’s son, even though they are filthy rich, just send her off with a guy they know nothing about? That makes no sense. Why wouldn’t they have looked into his background and discovered he has no money either?
8) They Couldn’t Just End an Engagement
So as stated before I guess Burton did zero research as you can’t just switch one engagement for another. Since Victor never actually ended his engagement there could be legal steps taken against the Everglots, and a family that has no money would be careful about that.
9) More Research Issues
So again another problem with the time period they set this film in. The Everglots are angry at Victor and Victoria alone in the room but that wouldn’t be as big an issue, as when a couple was engaged there were a few relaxed rules. I mean Victor couldn’t be in her bedroom, but he could be in the room alone with her for a bit. I mean seriously, Did you do ANY research?
But even though it has quite a few issues, I will admit that it grows on you. The more I watch it, the more I love the characters of Emily, Victor, and Victoria; and thanks to my this has become a yearly watch.
-Update 2019- I think Catherine Morland, if she lived today would love this film.
And bringing back the facebook covers/mini posters. I haven’t been able to do them for the last few posts as I couldn’t find pics I liked that had a horror-ish feel. But I did make one for The Corpse Bride.
You ate the food offering of the Day of the Dead? You stole the sacred meal of my dead ancestors?
Its Halloween night and in Lizzie McGuire world that means her school is putting on a Halloween carnival. Unfortunately for her, Matt will be there. 😦
Kate is in charge of the carnival, Fright Night, and as usual and all of Lizzie’s friends are helping out. Miranda wants to include things from Dia de los Muertos, and while Kate isn’t really into that, the rest of the group are able to convince her. Miranda warns everyone to respect the skeleton representations of the ancestors, because if you don’t bad things can happen to you.
Lizzie really wants to be Vampira, the dungeon mistress and Kate says its okay as long as she cleans out the sticky, icky, nasty janitor’s closet.
Now this girl is in 7th/8th grade and she wants to wear this costume. That’s really raunchy for a girl her age. If I was her parents I would keep a closer eye on her.
Gordo helps Lizzie out of course because he is in love with her. I never understood how it took her until the end of the series to discover that.
Of course when she finishes Kate turns on her and instead of letting her be Vampira she gets to be a clown and make balloon animals.
So unfair!
Matt is creating his costume, which is him inside out. He is trying to use all kinds of leftover food to make him look gross.
Back at the school Miranda’s parents come and drop of the Day of the Dead stuff.
As soon as they are gone, Kate is her rude self again and forces Miranda to move the stuff far, far away. She is being rude rejecting the ancestors like that.
That night is the party, and Lizzie is having an awful time being the clown. She can’t create any balloon animals and ends up handing out “snakes” all night.
Lizzie is really mad at Kate messing with her like that and complaining to Miranda and Gordo when Matt walks over eating a tamale. He stole it from the day of the Dead decorations.
Miranda: You ate the food offering of the Day of the Dead? You stole the sacred meal of my dead ancestors? Matt: It had cheese on it.
Now Matt has unleashed the spirits and they will seek their revenge. Part of which is turning his lemonade black and moldy.
Then Lizzie looks over at the skeletons
THEY’RE MISSING!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then Matt sees a giant bride and groom skeleton exit the caf. Oh no!
Next thing you know Matt’s been turned into dirt
Gordo into a bobble head
And Lizzie into a Zombie Clown
How terrifying!
How Will it End? You have to find out for yourself 😀
Hey everyone, this is Moreland from the future! It’s October 2019 and this year I dressed up Jane Austen as a Dia de los Muertos Calavera. As it fits perfectly with this post, I’m adding it in.
janeaustenrunsmylife 