Orgininal Article: Mummified Baby Haunts Police By: Susan Candiotti. CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/02/btsc.candiotti/
In Short: This story has haunted me for three years now since I first ran across it and lived in the back of my brain. After her mother dies a woman goes to clean out her parent’s old storage locker and inside a suitcase finds a mummified infant wrapped in newspaper that dates back to 1957. Religious paraphernalia is included. A shocking discovery for sure for both she and the police investigating it. However it has a built in mystery and horror worked into it.
The Pitch: It is that mystery with which we begin. Now the simplest plot revolved around solving the mystery of who this child is and how he got there. The body was wrapped in newspaper from 1957, still had an umbilical cord attached, then was wrapped in nylon pants. Several religious themed post cards along with a silver container with a rosary inside, and a black and white photograph of a young girl were all in a stripped box that was stored with the mummy in the first suitcase – which had been stuffed in a second suitcase. Oddity abounds because of these simple items placed with such a horrific find and each provides its own tiny mystery that as they are solved lead back to who the baby is. Movie-goers like being shown such an odd motley of clues and working along with the lead character to the final discovery after all. Now at first glance all of the ephemera plainly points to some sort of religious and secret shine made to a dead baby. That is creepy enough.
However what if we tweak it just a bit from a familial mystery past thriller and straight into horror?
Now the audience is going to assume along with the female protagonist that the baby is somehow related to her via her mother but what if after DNA testing that comes up as not true? Likewise the photograph of the smiling young girl is of someone no one in the family has ever seen or heard of. Next simply move the rosary from being in a box to being wrapped around the newspaper’ed mummy. Then have the newspaper’s front page speak of a local tragedy or odd happenstance back in 1957. Finally add in a healthy dash of dementia, mysterious circumstances, and/or suicide on the mother’s part that brings the prodigal daughter home and you have now, with small alterations, redressed the stage for something a bit more diabolical.. but what?
First we start with odd happenstances around the mother’s death, some references form the mad old woman about the events leading to the tragedy in that newspaper along with worry that ‘her burden’ will be left uncared for. Then in the first act as the facts start rolling in we assail the female protagonists with unsettling happenstances from moving shadows, to moved objects around her house, to infant cries in the middle of the night and top it off with something cataclysmic when she tries to go back home and leave the investigating to the police like a pile-up on the freeway on the way to her plane that leaves her in the hospital and unable to travel for a few weeks or the plane she was going to get on going down before it lands at her airport and her having to stay for an extra day or two until alternate flights get figured out. Now that we have the heroine who is rattled and trapped and a foreboding sense that something is terribly, terribly wrong.
But what is it? The mummified baby is actually the Anti-Christ and the mother an ex-nun that killed it to save the world? The mother was responsible for the mother of the child and it to die through some jealous revenge plot that went horribly awry and had kept the evidence every since? The mother in a moment of altruism picked up a young expecting woman (the girl in the photo when she was younger) who disappeared leaving a stillborn baby in the spare bedroom with the rosary and then was seen at the events leading up to the ’57 incident before disappearing? Or hell make the infant’s DNA ‘unknown’ and you can have some sort of Communion style plot where it a hybrid from abduction experiments and the corpse was the only thing that kept the mother and her family off of the alien’s radar… and now they are back.
But what if it’s not Schlock? This is pretty easy. Make it a heavy picture that keeps hitting you in the gut with its dramatic actors, overall melancholy and reality jarring horror. Just make sure not to take it too serious and focus more on characterization of not only the heroine and other bit players but the baby and the girl in the photograph to. Likewise don’t telegraph the reveal and don’t make it Nazi experimentation and probably steer away from the alien hybrid idea.
In the end make what the mother did back in 1957 horrible but something that had to be done for the sake of her family or mankind. The sort of thing that eats a person inside and haunts them every step of their life – figuratively and literally.
-Crowbait
Monday, March 29, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Whoops!
Missed this weeks ScyFy Original Screamers 2... Oh well. My stomach lining is probably better off for it. I'll try to catch it some other way to review it though.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
The inspiration for this blog
82nd Academy Awards - Tribute to Horror films
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k343GWb8UDc
First off Thirty-Seven years! Damn right it’s too long since a horror movie has taken home any Oscars. However they hit the nail on the head – it’s where most in that room started but not where they aren't anymore. See horror now-a-days comes off as something that actors and directors do to learn the craft, earn a small loyal fan base, put food on the table and then move on to bigger and better things. Hell the same holds true of studios! It’s Hollywood’s boot camp or kindergarten depending on how you look at it.
Then once the writer/actor/director/studio pays its dues and gets that loyal fanbase –one of two things happens: They either become ‘serious’ and never touch the genre again save maybe every once in a while as a vanity project. Or they become icons of the genre and are scoffed outside the realm of horror fans. I could go on and on about who falls into what category but I don’t want to waste your valuable not-getting-any-work-done-while-the-boss-isn’t-looking-time on random venom. Mostly because there’s no real venom here. It’s not the ‘serious’ actors et al. that are the problem it’s the fact that this has become part of the norm, part of the movie culture or hell the movie going culture at large. Likewise those that stick in the horror trenches and make it their own should not be scoffed even if only a lucky few become so big in the genre to break out into normal movies – like Christopher Lee.
But back to where I was going – it’s OUR fault as a movie going culture that horror gets slammed as something that isn’t serious or is juvenile. At a certain point when we as a whole decide to ‘grow up’ we can’t be bothered to watch horror anymore like its beneath us, something childish. And if we do enjoy horror we’re either a nerd subculture or we do it as a guilty pleasure. Actors et al. come from this very same public and thus like us set aside horror as something that simply cannot have merit instead of giving it the fair shake that it deserves.
What can be done about this? Take your horror seriously! Discuss its underlying themes as well as its artistic merits in open with others. Once we as a whole consider it art again well so will the elite of the movie industry. Now I am not saying become a horror nerd, or goth, or gorefest loving emo kid. You can still do an honest days work, have a normal family, mow the lawn, walk the dog and like horror too. The same goes for comic books but that’s another post.
Second and I know it took me a long time to get here….
Well ladies and gents of the Academy how do we fumble around trying to make this year’s telecast relevant to younger views? Oh wait isn’t that Twilight thing popular? It’s horror right? Get some of the kids from that movie on the red carpet and have them give an award. No they might fuck that up… um… maybe introduce some sort of montage? Horror’s the biggest movie genre isn’t it? 14-25 year olds here we come!
Yeah… sure guys whatever.
-Crowbait.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k343GWb8UDc
First off Thirty-Seven years! Damn right it’s too long since a horror movie has taken home any Oscars. However they hit the nail on the head – it’s where most in that room started but not where they aren't anymore. See horror now-a-days comes off as something that actors and directors do to learn the craft, earn a small loyal fan base, put food on the table and then move on to bigger and better things. Hell the same holds true of studios! It’s Hollywood’s boot camp or kindergarten depending on how you look at it.
Then once the writer/actor/director/studio pays its dues and gets that loyal fanbase –one of two things happens: They either become ‘serious’ and never touch the genre again save maybe every once in a while as a vanity project. Or they become icons of the genre and are scoffed outside the realm of horror fans. I could go on and on about who falls into what category but I don’t want to waste your valuable not-getting-any-work-done-while-the-boss-isn’t-looking-time on random venom. Mostly because there’s no real venom here. It’s not the ‘serious’ actors et al. that are the problem it’s the fact that this has become part of the norm, part of the movie culture or hell the movie going culture at large. Likewise those that stick in the horror trenches and make it their own should not be scoffed even if only a lucky few become so big in the genre to break out into normal movies – like Christopher Lee.
But back to where I was going – it’s OUR fault as a movie going culture that horror gets slammed as something that isn’t serious or is juvenile. At a certain point when we as a whole decide to ‘grow up’ we can’t be bothered to watch horror anymore like its beneath us, something childish. And if we do enjoy horror we’re either a nerd subculture or we do it as a guilty pleasure. Actors et al. come from this very same public and thus like us set aside horror as something that simply cannot have merit instead of giving it the fair shake that it deserves.
What can be done about this? Take your horror seriously! Discuss its underlying themes as well as its artistic merits in open with others. Once we as a whole consider it art again well so will the elite of the movie industry. Now I am not saying become a horror nerd, or goth, or gorefest loving emo kid. You can still do an honest days work, have a normal family, mow the lawn, walk the dog and like horror too. The same goes for comic books but that’s another post.
Second and I know it took me a long time to get here….
Well ladies and gents of the Academy how do we fumble around trying to make this year’s telecast relevant to younger views? Oh wait isn’t that Twilight thing popular? It’s horror right? Get some of the kids from that movie on the red carpet and have them give an award. No they might fuck that up… um… maybe introduce some sort of montage? Horror’s the biggest movie genre isn’t it? 14-25 year olds here we come!
Yeah… sure guys whatever.
-Crowbait.
The PITCH - Immortal Jellyfish - No it's not a band.
Original Article: The world's only immortal animal By: Bryan Nelson, Mother Nature Network
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/guest_bloggers/26/the-world-s-only-immortal-animal.html
In Short: The article deals with a species of jellyfish which has the ability to turn from its venerable state to its natal state and thus virtually never ages. Due to this ‘immortal’ ability they are beginning to infest the seas.
The Pitch: Holy hell there are so many places to go with this one aren’t there for a horror movie? First off let’s look at the translucent beastie? No really look at it. I swear I’ve seen things like it in horror anime before that’s for damn sure. It was probably raping some poor heroine too. That’s not the point though. Right off the bat you have this distinctly foreign looking creature that has the ability to constantly rebirth and has been living in our seas for who knows how long! So one night of feverish scriptwriting later and before you can say Lovecraft – boom! You’ve got yourself a story of cosmic horror where it turns out these little things are intelligent and been around since the dawn of time with vast alien cities deep in the ocean where mankind has yet to penetrate. Unfortunatly a deep deep deep sea mining/archeology/ exploration/treasure hunting/volcanologist crew stumbles onto one of their fetid cities. They start killing off the human interlopers, or try to infect them, or mind control them, or turn eldritch technology on them and decide they have to wipe out humanity for their secret to be safe. Or they are just sick of mankind fucking with the seas with all the pollution and you slap on a heavy handed ecological message as their numbers are increasing to drive us back to the land where we belong.
That not quite your bag? Well let’s try the good ol’ science gone wrong angle! Mad scientist wants to live forever or make a wealthy client/dying wife/dead kid live forever. Wacky experiments ensue turning the recipient into an inhuman monster with a lust for bloodshed and/or propagating its species! Give the beastie chest tentacles (not those kind Overfiend fanboy!) and any other jellyfish abilities you fancy from stingers to regeneration.
But what if it’s not schlock?: The Ancient Race angle can easily prey on the fears that there really is no God and that we humans are not at the top of the food chain. Cosmic horror works best when it puts into stark contrast how insignificant and transient mankind is in the universe.
The ecological angle describes itself for the most part. However this is way overdone these days and always feel like I’m a baby seal getting clubbed. Yes we get it already we’re custodians not gods.
The quest for immortality which leads to being a monster. This can easily be likened to plastic surgery and the health crazies to stave off death and aging these days. Hell the jellyfish person’s ‘face’ can be a mantle that looks like a botoxed and lifted star’s mug. Plus with the right angle it can really explore not only the (wo)man made beast’s fear of death but that of the scientist loved one who made them that way. After all the fear of losing a family member is sometimes far worse than that of losing one’s own life. Or what if the sick person has been on the edge of death in dementia and wants to die but is now cursed to be immortal in the sickest ‘life support machine’ ever. A fate worse than death where the plug can never be pulled.
-Crowbait
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/guest_bloggers/26/the-world-s-only-immortal-animal.html
In Short: The article deals with a species of jellyfish which has the ability to turn from its venerable state to its natal state and thus virtually never ages. Due to this ‘immortal’ ability they are beginning to infest the seas.
The Pitch: Holy hell there are so many places to go with this one aren’t there for a horror movie? First off let’s look at the translucent beastie? No really look at it. I swear I’ve seen things like it in horror anime before that’s for damn sure. It was probably raping some poor heroine too. That’s not the point though. Right off the bat you have this distinctly foreign looking creature that has the ability to constantly rebirth and has been living in our seas for who knows how long! So one night of feverish scriptwriting later and before you can say Lovecraft – boom! You’ve got yourself a story of cosmic horror where it turns out these little things are intelligent and been around since the dawn of time with vast alien cities deep in the ocean where mankind has yet to penetrate. Unfortunatly a deep deep deep sea mining/archeology/ exploration/treasure hunting/volcanologist crew stumbles onto one of their fetid cities. They start killing off the human interlopers, or try to infect them, or mind control them, or turn eldritch technology on them and decide they have to wipe out humanity for their secret to be safe. Or they are just sick of mankind fucking with the seas with all the pollution and you slap on a heavy handed ecological message as their numbers are increasing to drive us back to the land where we belong.
That not quite your bag? Well let’s try the good ol’ science gone wrong angle! Mad scientist wants to live forever or make a wealthy client/dying wife/dead kid live forever. Wacky experiments ensue turning the recipient into an inhuman monster with a lust for bloodshed and/or propagating its species! Give the beastie chest tentacles (not those kind Overfiend fanboy!) and any other jellyfish abilities you fancy from stingers to regeneration.
But what if it’s not schlock?: The Ancient Race angle can easily prey on the fears that there really is no God and that we humans are not at the top of the food chain. Cosmic horror works best when it puts into stark contrast how insignificant and transient mankind is in the universe.
The ecological angle describes itself for the most part. However this is way overdone these days and always feel like I’m a baby seal getting clubbed. Yes we get it already we’re custodians not gods.
The quest for immortality which leads to being a monster. This can easily be likened to plastic surgery and the health crazies to stave off death and aging these days. Hell the jellyfish person’s ‘face’ can be a mantle that looks like a botoxed and lifted star’s mug. Plus with the right angle it can really explore not only the (wo)man made beast’s fear of death but that of the scientist loved one who made them that way. After all the fear of losing a family member is sometimes far worse than that of losing one’s own life. Or what if the sick person has been on the edge of death in dementia and wants to die but is now cursed to be immortal in the sickest ‘life support machine’ ever. A fate worse than death where the plug can never be pulled.
-Crowbait
The first cut is the deepest...
Welcome!
Don't worry this blog isn't about emo, wrist slashing or otherwise. Basically it is a forum for me to express my thoughts on the decade maligned genre of horror. Let's face it folks horror used to be the cutting edge when it came to social commentary but now it's too often a farce. Sure there are rare gems out there floating on a pool of murder/porn and sure there's always been a lot of schlock to go around since the first scream eliciting movie but that is besides the point. Horror used to take a long hard look out our injustices, our fears and the ugly truth of our every day world. Sometimes that feels lost these days.
Now that is not to say that the murder/porn or gorefest genre doesn't have its place or that I am going to rail against it in length in this blog. I'm not here to be a hater. Instead what you are going to find is commentary, reviews and other little tidbits.
These include:
Reel Reviews - When I go out to see a new horror flick or as is more often the case wait for the DVD.
Schlock Holmes - When I settle down to watch something B-grade or worse on purpose, including if I can keep it up one ScyFy Original Picture a week.
The Classics - Either discussing classics of horror movie or writing - sometimes just a director or a author at length.
The Pitch - Short bits where I take an article found on-line at one news source or another and spin it is a horror tale.
and of course the occasional apology for pontificating too much.
So sit back and enjoy the read if you please!
As a warning there will probably be some sci-fi or fantasy that works its way in here now and again.
-Crowbait
Don't worry this blog isn't about emo, wrist slashing or otherwise. Basically it is a forum for me to express my thoughts on the decade maligned genre of horror. Let's face it folks horror used to be the cutting edge when it came to social commentary but now it's too often a farce. Sure there are rare gems out there floating on a pool of murder/porn and sure there's always been a lot of schlock to go around since the first scream eliciting movie but that is besides the point. Horror used to take a long hard look out our injustices, our fears and the ugly truth of our every day world. Sometimes that feels lost these days.
Now that is not to say that the murder/porn or gorefest genre doesn't have its place or that I am going to rail against it in length in this blog. I'm not here to be a hater. Instead what you are going to find is commentary, reviews and other little tidbits.
These include:
Reel Reviews - When I go out to see a new horror flick or as is more often the case wait for the DVD.
Schlock Holmes - When I settle down to watch something B-grade or worse on purpose, including if I can keep it up one ScyFy Original Picture a week.
The Classics - Either discussing classics of horror movie or writing - sometimes just a director or a author at length.
The Pitch - Short bits where I take an article found on-line at one news source or another and spin it is a horror tale.
and of course the occasional apology for pontificating too much.
So sit back and enjoy the read if you please!
As a warning there will probably be some sci-fi or fantasy that works its way in here now and again.
-Crowbait
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