As a lot of my regular readers (and twitter followers) know, this blog hit a spectacular milestone today. That’s right, I received my very first idiotic, narrow-minded comment from Anonymous. It’s on the post directly after this one, but so that you don’t have to leave this page to see what it says, here it is:
I was so excited. As a horror/exploitation/art-house/foreign film blogger, you aren’t important until someone thinks you’re disgusting. It turns out that Anonymous had tried to post the same comment on the review of Deadgirl I posted on (Cool)Shite. Knowing that at least explains where the points in the comment are from. It’s still idiotic and narrow-minded, but at least I can see what movie brought it on.
The post started receiving support comments (all of whom identified themselves) and talked with a lot of people on twitter and there was a couple of things that became clear. Firstly, Anonymous is a self-righteous coward, secondly, as a woman I feel obliged to answer the charge that people who watch horror films like Deadgirl think rape is sexy or get enjoyment from witnessing violence against women. I’m not going to waste time defending my review. I used to have a t-shirt that said “Sarcasm is just one of the services I offer”. Maybe I should add that to my bio on (Cool)Shite. Obviously Anonymous has no sense of humour though, so I don’t think I’ll bother.
So Anonymous thinks horror films like Deadgirl, Martyrs, or Irreversible glorify violence against women and that people who watch them find rape sexy. I have some questions for you, Anonymous. Firstly, are you trying to tell me that the film industry should not portray rape or assault? Or that people should not choose to watch these films? Why? Is it so the existence of unpretty or unhappy things can easily be forgotten or denied? Perhaps it’s so that people who experience these nasty things will think they’re the only ones and keep their mouths shut?What about movies like Iron Jawed Angels? That’s the movie about a group of uppity birds thinking they had the right to vote (FYI – sarcasm). You know the one, where the women get sent to a work camp so they declare a hunger strike and get force-fed. The force-feeding scenes are pretty horrific, best if we shield the worlds eyes from such nastiness. Nevermind that it’s a true story and an integral step in the Equal Rights movement. After all, sexual assault is true and real but you obviously don’t approve of it being made a public issue.
Knowledge is power. It’s a cliché but, like most clichés, its quite true. One of the greatest barriers stopping victims of assault (domestic, sexual, any really) from coming forward is that they lack the knowledge that they aren’t alone. They aren’t aware that the world knows it happens and that there is help available. They also lack the encouragement and inspiration to do what is required to free themselves f rom their isolation. There’s a fabulous singer named Tori Amos who was sexually assaulted after a gig just before she started making albums. Her first solo album Little Earthquakes contains the song Me and a Gun, an a cappella number describing her assault. She then went on to co-found RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) and went on a year-long campaign called, wait for it, “Unlock the Silence”.And so, Anonymous, I throw your charges back at you. The only intelligent reason I can think of to ban movies with assault is to hide it’s existence. The only reason to disparage those watching it is to encourage ignorance. If you don’t like watching horror films, then don’t watch. If you have the opinion that they shouldn’t be made, then stand up.
I’m not just speaking to the coward who posted the above comment, I’m talking to anybody who has ever posted an abusive comment and hidden behind Anonymous. You call me and mine pathetic, at least we have identities. If you have an opinion, stand the fuck up and own it.
Get on twitter and discuss it.
Email me and explain yourself.
Otherwise, shut up and fuck off.
From here on in, any comments posted under Anonymous will be deleted for being gutless. Only identities can have opinions here.
Love,
Rach
I watched The Fly for the first time on Friday. For those unaware, The Fly is the story of scientist Seth Brundle, who successfully (-ish) invents a teleportation device. Seth gets drunk and decides to teleport himself. A fly enters the telepod without Seth’s knowledge and the computer decides to combine their DNA. Clever computer.
The first film I watched was I Spit on Your Grave AKA Day of the Woman. What. A. Movie. 
The next film I watched from my list was Paranormal Activity. I’m so impressed with this film for the same reason everyone else is. It is creepy as hell and really realistic and cost NOTHING to make. So awesome.
And James Earl Jones wearing a locust mask. Nope. Not kidding.
green meteors that light up the night sky. The next day everyone who watched is blind. That’s bad.
genuinely frightening low-budget movies with shitty blockbusters. I will finish with a plea to the existing low-budget horror film makers. I’m gonna name names. Just watch me.
up back where they were. Flat broke, making movies with a handy cam. 
But I could be wrong. Just in case, I’d like to issue this plea to the new (relatively) film makers that have been rocking my socks recently. I’m talking to Eli Roth, Paul Solet, James Wan, Oren Peli, David Slade, Jonathan Auf Der Heide, Alexandre Aja, and any up and coming fright fiends. 
he Pop of King. I highly recommend it. The article in question is called 
ovies and budgets. I'll let you know up front, my basic hypothesis for this little rant is that horror films with big budgets don't work. There are a few exceptions, but not many. I know it's not a new idea. In fact it's something I've believed for a while now, but over the last couple of days I started thinking about what it is that makes that so.
k at some figures. We’ll start with the man considered one of the most profitable directors in Hollywood, Eli Roth. Roth's first venture cost he and his private investors $1.5 million and Hostel cost $4.5 million. One of the most profitable horror films, Saw, was made for $1.2 million. In fact, the franchise (or 1-5 anyway) was made for $36 million. But by far the most impressive film is Paranormal Activity. It was made for $15000. So far it has made $19 million.
t think about it. This film has earned $19 million through word of mouth alone. The only reason for that happening is that the film scared a lot of people shitless. So what is it about the lower budget movies that makes them so much scarier?