Shawn Posted September 4, 2014 Report Share Posted September 4, 2014 Any one who was a youngster and saw this made-for-TV movie when it first aired some 40 years ago (such as myself) most assuredly had nightmares for a while afterwards. There were 3 stories in this anthology -- each featuring Karen Black in a different role -- the first two of which are rather tame and not at all terrifying. The final tale though, which featured that little Zuni fetish doll (depicted on the cover) which came to life and attacked Ms. Black's character, was genuinely terrifying. Even watching it today, it is both very scary and very absurd. That episode is a completely solo performance by Ms. Black and her work and the direction of Dan Curtis (creator of the TV series Dark Shadows) makes the story believable and viscerally frightening. You should read the original short story by Richard Matheson entitled "Prey", the movie version is tame by comparison. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted September 4, 2014 Report Share Posted September 4, 2014 Finished True Blood Season Five on Blu-ray. Just about to start Hamlet, no I mean Sons of Anarchy Season Six on Blu-ray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duaneiac Posted September 4, 2014 Report Share Posted September 4, 2014 Any one who was a youngster and saw this made-for-TV movie when it first aired some 40 years ago (such as myself) most assuredly had nightmares for a while afterwards. There were 3 stories in this anthology -- each featuring Karen Black in a different role -- the first two of which are rather tame and not at all terrifying. The final tale though, which featured that little Zuni fetish doll (depicted on the cover) which came to life and attacked Ms. Black's character, was genuinely terrifying. Even watching it today, it is both very scary and very absurd. That episode is a completely solo performance by Ms. Black and her work and the direction of Dan Curtis (creator of the TV series Dark Shadows) makes the story believable and viscerally frightening. You should read the original short story by Richard Matheson entitled "Prey", the movie version is tame by comparison. All three stories in this movie were based upon short stories by Mr. Matheson, but he only wrote the screenplay for the attacking doll one. The DVD contains a "special feature" interview with him and he said he knew that story would be the clincher and he wanted to keep it for himself. Ms. Black said in the commentary portion that she made up some of the dialogue she used on the phone calls in that segment to help her flesh out her character and she said the idea for her character's final, unforgettable transformation in the end was her idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted September 4, 2014 Report Share Posted September 4, 2014 Any one who was a youngster and saw this made-for-TV movie when it first aired some 40 years ago (such as myself) most assuredly had nightmares for a while afterwards. There were 3 stories in this anthology -- each featuring Karen Black in a different role -- the first two of which are rather tame and not at all terrifying. The final tale though, which featured that little Zuni fetish doll (depicted on the cover) which came to life and attacked Ms. Black's character, was genuinely terrifying. Even watching it today, it is both very scary and very absurd. That episode is a completely solo performance by Ms. Black and her work and the direction of Dan Curtis (creator of the TV series Dark Shadows) makes the story believable and viscerally frightening. You should read the original short story by Richard Matheson entitled "Prey", the movie version is tame by comparison. All three stories in this movie were based upon short stories by Mr. Matheson, but he only wrote the screenplay for the attacking doll one. The DVD contains a "special feature" interview with him and he said he knew that story would be the clincher and he wanted to keep it for himself. Ms. Black said in the commentary portion that she made up some of the dialogue she used on the phone calls in that segment to help her flesh out her character and she said the idea for her character's final, unforgettable transformation in the end was her idea. Very cool. The first Matheson novel I read was "Bid Time Return", I think it was about a year after the adaptation "Somewhere In Time" was released. I was like 12 at the time, I loved the time travel angle to the movie and picked up the novel at the library. Then I started noticing his name in the credits for Twilight Zone episodes and sci-fi/horror films and I bought a couple short story collections. I've been a fan ever since, he's one of my all-time favorites. He had an impressive career. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinuta Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 Castles In The Sky - BBC2 An interesting and well done look at the efforts to build a radar defence system in Britain, just prior to WW2. It succeeded admirably in making me want to pursue the subject in more detail, something the bloated Manhattan completely failed to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted September 5, 2014 Report Share Posted September 5, 2014 I finally finished season 4 of Breaking Bad. It has only taken me 3 years to work my way through seasons 1 thru 4. I can't binge watch this show, I watch like 5 episodes and then I have to take a break for 4 or 5 months, then go back to it. No idea why...it just wears me out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted September 6, 2014 Report Share Posted September 6, 2014 Castles In The Sky - BBC2 An interesting and well done look at the efforts to build a radar defence system in Britain, just prior to WW2. It succeeded admirably in making me want to pursue the subject in more detail, something the bloated Manhattan completely failed to do. Enjoyed that too. As always, the sight of Spitfires scrambling at the end sent me all wobbly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 Steered clear of this when broadcast - romance among the codgers isn't really my thing. But after watching 'Happy Valley' I decided to risk it. Well, it is sentimental but I really enjoyed it. Some really engaging characters. "Constable: A Country Rebel" Don't know much about Constable (or painting come to that) so found this interesting. Just getting a bit cheesed off with the format of historical programmes. Young trendy chap or chappess leaping round the country with modern scenes all around and the occasional look at a picture or contemporary source. The bit on 'The Haywain' - let's have him doing a jigsaw of it while he talks! I know it's impossible to fill the hour with contemporary images and talking heads are a sure turn-off but there just seems to be a bit of a formula set in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 Blu-ray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted September 17, 2014 Report Share Posted September 17, 2014 Line Of Duty - season 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted September 18, 2014 Report Share Posted September 18, 2014 After grumbling about the 'Constable' programme I watched one on Turner I recorded a year or more back. Brought home even more starkly why I find the standard contemporary history format so annoying because this one was superb. No wandering celebrity or luvvy. Commentary was a voice over. Instead of anachronistic scenes of modern Britain/Europe there were careful reconstructions. But I loved the angle of the programme, focussing on Turner's fascination with new science (Davy, Faraday etc) and his embracing of the new technologies of the industrial revolution at a time when Romanticism tended to look backwards and view 'dark satanic mills' as a wrecker of an earlier world. Utterly compelling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duaneiac Posted September 19, 2014 Report Share Posted September 19, 2014 This show makes me genuinely LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted September 19, 2014 Report Share Posted September 19, 2014 It is a good one, I should start watching it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted September 19, 2014 Report Share Posted September 19, 2014 Anubody else doing the new/last season of Boardwalk Empire? I've read some online reviewers pissed about the "rambling" or whatever, but I'm not getting that at all. So you only got seven episodes to wrap it all up. That's still, like, three movies + change. Lots of stories can be told, effectively told, in that time. People just gotten all even-driven and shit, want instant spectacles that rush you there, hit you all at once, and then drop you off back at the house for a quick bite and/or nap before here comes the next one. Not a fan of that, I'm just not. Take your time, like they used to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted September 19, 2014 Report Share Posted September 19, 2014 I thought attention spans were bad post-MTV, but JEEZ it has gotten so much worse over the last 20 years. With movies people expect non-stop action scenes from the beginning to the end. It's like video games now, watching a Michael Bay film is like listening to a blender on fast speed for 2 hours and 30 minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted September 21, 2014 Report Share Posted September 21, 2014 "The High Art of the Low Countries" First two episodes of a 3 part series I've had stashed on the TV recorder for over a year. Very enjoyable - Flemish painting and then the Dutch Golden Age. I used to teach a lot of 17thC European history so this proved fascinating. Although I've seen most of the pictures in reproduction, Andrew Graham-Dixon is very good at drawing out their hidden meanings through their historical context. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinuta Posted September 21, 2014 Report Share Posted September 21, 2014 Intruders BBC Now the pieces are slowly falling into place. I like this, it's very original and doesn't pander to the viewer at all. The little girl who plays a central role is really extraordinary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinuta Posted September 22, 2014 Report Share Posted September 22, 2014 Ray Donovan An enjoyable yarn with plenty of twists and turns. Looking forward to the finale next week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted September 23, 2014 Report Share Posted September 23, 2014 1st episode of new season of The Good Wife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erwbol Posted September 23, 2014 Report Share Posted September 23, 2014 About to watch Hannibal Season 2 blu-ray. Season 3 episode 1 will be called 'Antipasto'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted September 23, 2014 Report Share Posted September 23, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted September 23, 2014 Report Share Posted September 23, 2014 "Gotham" . . . interesting. Hasn't quite found its tone yet but we'll see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinuta Posted September 23, 2014 Report Share Posted September 23, 2014 (edited) Cilla ITV Forget Cilla Black, watch it for Sheridan Smith, who is very, very good. Not only a terrific actress but her take of Anyone Who Had A Heart was tremendous, better than the original Cilla Black cover version. Edited September 23, 2014 by kinuta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted September 23, 2014 Report Share Posted September 23, 2014 "Gotham" . . . interesting. Hasn't quite found its tone yet but we'll see. I'll probably wait until after the season completes before I start watching it. I have too many shows queued up as it is...and I'm starting to get burned out on comic-related material in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted September 24, 2014 Report Share Posted September 24, 2014 House Of Cards - US version, last 2 episodes of season 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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