Lake Mungo: So Much More Than a Ghost Story

Lake Mungo is not at all how I thought it would be. It's one of the most telling and chilling ghost stories that isn't necessarily about a ghost. How is this possible? I have no idea. All I know is that this movie had a strange power and I may think twice about going to bed tonight. I don't usually get freaked out by movies anymore- but the subject matter and the overall gloom and haunting nature of Lake Mungo really made me feel unsettled. Maybe if I talk about it more I'll feel better....half smile.

Lake Mungo is filmed documentary style. The style of filming and the subtle and extremely convincing performance that the actors gave was enough to have me checking IMDB to make sure I was watching the correct movie. Most summaries of the movie will tell you the film is about a girl named Alice who drowned and after her death her family begins experiencing strange going ons, like unexplained figures in videos and pictures. This- forgive me for saying, is completely misleading and makes me wonder about why this film was marketed in this way. One of the tag line's is even, "If you've never seen a ghost...look closer" While- this particular tag line is somewhat fitting for the depths that this movie takes on- it still makes me wonder if they intended to trick people into seeing what they thought was an all too familiar ghost story. The problem is, Lake Mungo is worth so much more than that and I do feel that that marketing technique unfairly represents the film.

But enough of that babbling. Lake Mungo is one of those movies that has you putting pieces together up until the very last frame- and then some. Even right now my head is still going a mile a minute and realizing different things from the beginning that make so much sense to me now. There is really such a simple and understated idea of what is fearful in this movie, and it's working on many many different levels. The figures that appear in the footage, the found secrets of Alice, the discovery of certain truths, and the fear of the future and the innate fear of death. Lake Mungo is-dare I say it, one giant onion with layers and layers of thought.

I really don't want to give much away. I want to talk about so many things but part of the experience of the film is finding and understanding these revelations for yourself. Sounds pretty cheesy I know- but trust me on this one. I will say that I'm still baffled by how authentic the documentary style was. I can't get over how completely convincing all the actors were. I really thought for a moment there that I was watching a documentary on the earlier film Lake Mungo that was telling the actual true story of the event! Silly me.

So if you have a chance to see this please do. The concept of death, and the true meaning of what a ghost means is such a provocative topic to me. It sort of channels Don't Look Now in that sense- especially with the reoccurring images of the dead child and the different perspectives that each parent has. Parts of the movie still are confusing me but I'm confident another day will have me putting the final pieces together. I just really love how they parallel Alice's sessions with the psychic with that of her mother's later sessions. It was such a brilliant revelation and the heaviness that that part brought upon was almost unbearable.

Overall a genuinely terrifying movie that I did not expect at all. Apparently they are remaking this for us Americans because you know, Australian movies are just too foreign for us to handle. Although I despise remaking foreign movies for the sake of bringing them to a wider audience- there is a part of me that doesn't hate this particular choice. That, however is only because I don't think this movie will get any kind of recognition otherwise. Unless of course all 69 of my followers watch this and rave and rave about it...hmm...get to work!

Lake Mungo will be part of HorrorFest's 8 films to Die For Which should be starting at the end of January and going into February. If you can't wait to get a hold of this haunting movie you can also buy it!

Frenzy: Bit Of a Waste Of Good Potatoes If You Ask Me.

While in my Hitchcock phase of life at the young age of 12 or so- I had gone through nearly every 12 pound collector's VHS at the library. I had also received a wonderful book for Christmas around that time, detailing every Hitchcock movie ever made. The page on Frenzy warned viewers that this was a very different Hitchcock movie and that the rape scenes were brutal- and that there were even *gasp* boobs! I knew I had to see it right then and there. Probably not the best film to watch with your father- but Bob's your uncle I did it and I was damn proud that I could sit through such a movie at 12 years of age. I was terribly embarrassed however that I was watching a movie with my Dad where boobs were involved but oh well, we can't have it all my good friends.

Frenzy is Hitchcock's second to last movie. It's funny to think that at one point in his career he was practically pushed in front of the firing squad for showing Grace Kelly pack an overnight bag in Rear Window- when Frenzy shows boobs boobs and rape and murder murder murder. Never one to fear pushing the bar, Hitchcock always went boldly to places others rarely went. Frenzy is the story about a string of murders in England committed by a man known as the "neck tie killer". His victims are usually naked and strangled with a necktie. After Richard Blaney's wife turns up as one of the victims- the police are fed a number of clues linking him to the murder. The audience however is fully aware that the rapist and murderer is not Richard- but rather his friend, Robert Rusk. While the bodies keep piling up- so does the evidence against Richard- and so he must try to maintain his innocence- while the guilty one continues to rape and kill.

If you've never seen Frenzy and are a fan of Hitchcock- what are you doing?? This film is utterly fantastic- although many people would claim otherwise because it's so drastically different from his previous work. I am here to tell you however- that it is not drastically different. The air of suspense is alive and well- as is the irony, the key shots, the off screen murders, the witty lines and overall amazing work. The only difference is boobs. Boobs boobs boobs. Who cares about boobs? Get over it.

I love so many things about this movie but namely the way that the murders are handled. There is only one murder shown on the screen- and it is brutal-but the great thing about it is that because of that brutal murder scene- the off screen murder is just as brutal. Therefore Hitchcock has done his job. By projecting that first murder on us- our heads are immediately filled with similar images when the rapist takes the second victim into his apartment. The shot pans out backwards down the stairs and focuses on all the people walking by, oblivious to the heinous crime being done above them. We however- are not oblivious. Just as we are not oblivious to the true identity of the killer. Our minds create a scene of our own where the victim is just as helpless and just as vulnerable as the first- it's quite a brilliant bit of movie making if you ask me.

The other great scene which I would wager you may have heard of before is the potato truck scene. Suspense in a truck filled with potatoes. Perfection. I won't give too much away but I will just say that the breaking of the first finger is excruciating and by the time the breaking of the third finger happens your eyes roll back into your head. Although we have no true remorse for the future of Robert Rusk- we are wide eyed when that truck stops- again brilliant. Yes it is brutal and extremely graphic for Hitchcock but it is still dealt with on his terms and therefore does not veer off from the usual course of his work.

Finally, I would just like to say that I am in love with the scenes where the inspector's wife tries to cook him fine gourmet French food. It may be the best thing ever. Yeah it definitely is. So in a nutshell- Frenzy is amazing. It's an instant watch on Netflix so make a day of it and sit and take in the wonder. Also pay attention to how amazing the very first scene is- irony at it's best. Oh and also my least favorite of all creepy gingers from Peeping Tom stars in this...bollocks.

Family: Oh Good God I Love You John Landis.

After putting myself through an hour and a half of Brittany Murphy I decided I needed an enormous pick me up. And what better way to pick myself up then another Masters of Horror, John Landis episode!? I've said it numerous times but I'm just going to say it again- I fucking love this man. Both Family and Deer Woman are the best MoH episodes I have seen- AND they are both even better than half of the full length movies I've seen this year. I can't judge which episode I like better- it's like asking me to pick between my two favorite pairs of pajama pants but I will just say- Family is a trip. The best trip I've ever been on- and I even went to Disney World this year so marinate on that for awhile.

OK so Harold played by the always chunky and kind George Wendt- is a nice guy whose only real happiness in life is spending time with his family. Unfortunately, Harold does not have a family. So to make up for that little blunder- Harold kills people, disintegrates their flesh, and makes their skeletons into his wonderful little family. Here is his "daughter" watching cartoons.

What a great shot! So honestly- have you ever heard of a more delightful premise for a movie? The sick and twisted mind of Harold is so cruel and yet so sad at the same time- BUT also hilarious. The Norman Batesian way of interacting with a family one no longer has is so off putting and weird. Every time Harold interacted with his skeleton family I would laugh outrageously but then shift uncomfortably in my seat. I find myself asking over and over how does John Landis accomplish this feat every single time he makes a movie and I can't for the life of me figure it out. Like Deer Woman the plot is almost too outrageous to believe, but he pulls it off! It works and it works so well that I'm gushing all over the place about it. I'm not a 100% on this but I'm pretty sure the only possible answer is that John Landis is Jesus. It's really the only sane explanation.

So when the new neighbors move in Harold immediately gets excited over the woman- played by Andie from Dawson's Creek. He starts fantasizing about making her his new "wife" but his current "wife" tries to convince him that it's too risky. Poor Harold's heart cannot be swayed however.

The ending of this movie could have easily gone overboard but it did not. Even though I sort of guessed a major piece of it- it was still pretty exciting and great to watch. I did not anticipate exactly how things would turn out- but I loved the way the idea of what a true family means played into things. I have to say I'm also in love with the Jesus music that Harold would always blast when doing his work down in the basement...Jesus music!- a sign that Landis IS Jesus...aha!

There were way too many amazing things happening in this and I can't talk about them all or my head will explode. But please, if you have Netflix go watch Family and Deer Woman right now. I swear your life will instantly be better.