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comment by _refugee_
_refugee_  ·  2710 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: 3 Questions with @steve

steve could you sometime do a post about, like, basic film theory or something?

I love horror movies and right now am running a horror movie blog but honestly I don't know if I know anything about what I'm talking about. I'm just throwing reviews up there on a wall to justify my horror addiction, truly.

I'd be interested to hear more about what people who actually know something about film think about film or how they approach it. etc. What are the elements of the study of film. etc.





steve  ·  2709 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I'll roll the idea around in my head.... but honestly - I don't know anything about film. I mean - I know some basic technical stuff, but kleinbl00 has forgotten more about film than I'll ever learn... and he's an audio guy!

Your horror film blog is awesome. I love it. I'm not a horror guy at all but I love your reviews. This is great stuff.

For all that I loved about film classes in college - I hated as much or more. Too often I think people are just windbags who want to hang a bunch of meaning on certain things that may or may not have been the intention of the creators. They speak super authoritatively about something that boils down to their opinion with a lot of justification behind it. They want to sound important. Maybe I think Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure is the finest piece of cinema ever created (I don't) - and if I think so - then it is!

I think film, like any art, speaks to each of us in different ways. You probably hate my favorite painting, and I probably don't think much of your favorite piece of music. Art is subjective. Something moves me and nauseates you.

Having said that.... there are some basic rules that ought to be followed... some basic technical standards that ought to be met... but you know what? Blair Witch Project blew that shit up. So there are some rules, sure, and there are some standards, but they can (and probably should) be broken.

I couldn't begin to talk about film history... There's a real part of me that I refer to as "Star Wars Ruined". I almost can't stand classic cinema. There are some bits I can handle... and I can watch some of the stuff if I'm in a patient enough mood... but ugh... it requires effort.

If I can drum up some time... I'll muse about film around these parts... but I am certain there are hubskiers who know more... like.... a LOT more.

kleinbl00  ·  2709 days ago  ·  link  ·  

You were asked. I was not. That gives you the moral authority to answer. ;-)

steve  ·  2708 days ago  ·  link  ·  

indeed....

caelum19  ·  2709 days ago  ·  link  ·  

    technical standards

Have you seen Mr.Robot? What do you think of it? It seems to break them when the protagonist feels uneasy, so that the viewer does too.

steve  ·  2708 days ago  ·  link  ·  

I have seen Mr. Robot. Hmmm... this will be a nuanced answer....

There are things about Mr. Robot that I love. There are things about Mr. Robot that I feel like are lacking. My thoughts on Mr. Robot could be a good one for one of these "Steve's musings on film" posts.

The creators certainly break some rules... they "break the 4th wall" on a regular basis, and in a very in-your-face sort of way. But they're far from the first to do this. They also run fake adverts for E-Corp occasionally - so that if you're watching it on DVR - you might miss them.

user-inactivated  ·  2709 days ago  ·  link  ·  

lol yeah Don't Breath was pretty bad

_refugee_  ·  2709 days ago  ·  link  ·  

It was so bad I was angry at it.

I hope to get another review up tonight or so. I re-watched Creep for like the 5th time and then I also watched this collection of short films on Netflix called Holidays. I'd recommend both. Holidays was surprisingly feminist.

Hey, if like, 7 more people check out my blog, we might actually beat my all-time traffic stats!

user-inactivated  ·  2709 days ago  ·  link  ·  

My roommate and I are horror connoisseurs, if you consider "collecting literal shit" a form of high-brow collection.

We've seen almost every horror movie on Netflix, though we never get to the end because the lineup is always changing.

It honestly reshapes your perception. There's nothing more surreal then going "hey...wasn't that girl in Shitty Horror movie 32?" and then getting horrified at the fact that we're invested enough to remember these things. We know every trope, call out every twist. It makes finding the surprisingly good shit all the better.

Trivia: one of the main characters from Don't Blink is also an Umbrella Soldier in Resident Evil 2.

_refugee_  ·  2709 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Dude watch Murder Party, and get an Amazon Shudder Add-on subscription if you haven't already. I was scraping bottom of the barrel with Netflix's selection a year ago, and Shudder offers a lot of great or at least interesting and new movies that Netflix doesn't have. Amazon Shudder singlehandedly convinced me that the horror comedy genre was actually worth it.

oyster  ·  2709 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Oh no, up until now I forgot they started Shudder in Canada a week or so ago. I really shouldn't add the expense right now but I could try to convince somebody who's bumming my Netflix to get it and give me the password.

user-inactivated  ·  2709 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Seconded.