The Bodyguard – My five star review

Wow! That’s pretty much all I can say about the new West End musical ‘The Bodyguard’.

Having always loved the blockbuster movie, I was very excited at the prospect of a brand new West End show. Clearly I managed to convey my enthusiasm just enough to secure tickets for my christmas/valentines present from my lovely husband.

For those of you who are perhaps too young to remember the film, the story is centred around pop megastar – Rachel Marron. Rachel finds herself the victim of a ruthless stalker, and reluctantly enlists the help of a former Secret Service agent — Frank Farmer. Determined to keep her life as normal as possible, Rachel doesn’t make Frank’s job easy and it takes a close encounter with the stalker for her to begin to co-operate. Slowly Rachel and Frank’s close proximity ignites a chemistry between the pair and they start to fall in love.

I have always loved all of the songs from the film, especially ‘I have nothing‘ and ‘Run to you‘, and thought that Whitney Houston’s flawless performance on-screen was magical. With so much to live up to, I imagine the idea of making a stage show was a daunting one.

The show is very much like the film, with just enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. The scene changes were faultless, so much so, in fact, it was sometimes difficult to believe you weren’t watching it on the big screen. Each song was performed  beautifully,  and every one of the cast were utterly fabulous to watch.

If you liked the film–you’ll love the show. If you’ve not seen the film–see the show anyway. You won’t be disappointed.

click ‘The Bodyguard’ for more details

A Grimm revival …

The sudden fascination with all things Grimm, hasn’t gone unnoticed by me. Last night, for a father’s day treat (well, he thinks it was) we went to the cinema to watch the new ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’, film starring Kristen Stewart. It’s the second time in the past couple of months that we’ve been to see an adaptation of the Brothers Grimm fairytale, the first being ‘Mirror Mirror’ starring Julia Roberts. Both films were ‘okay’, neither blew me away, but I think I slept sounder through Mirror Mirror, if that’s anything to go by.

We’ve also been watching the American TV series, Grimm, which follows Nick Burkhardt, a Grimm (monster hunter) on his quest to rid the world of the part human/part monsters called Wesen. He is the only one able to see their monstrous side. It’s quite entertaining, not at all taxing and I find his side kick, Eddie Monroe rather amusing.

And then there is the other American TV series, ‘Once upon a Time’, which centres around the town of Storybrooke in Maine. Each character appears to have an alter ego, based on a fairytale character and it is down to the main character, Emma Swan who just so happens to be the long-lost daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, to unravel the mysteries behind the fairytale town.

So, I noticed there was a pattern forming and wondered if I was missing something (often happens). Having looked into it, this year seems to be the 200th Anniversary of the Brothers Grimm publishing their first volume of fairytales. The book contains all the famous favourites such as Cinderella, Snow White, Rumpelstiltskin, Rapunzel, The Elves and the Shoe Maker and oh so many more.

Candle light and wine …

Set the scene for a long-awaited Fright Night, hosted by a good friend of mine. We love a good scary movie and after careful consideration decided upon the Blair Witch Project. In case you missed it, the film is about a trio of amateur film makers (Heather, Josh and Michael) who set out to discover the truth about Maryland’s fabled Blair Witch. After interviewing locals, the three set out into the vast woodland in search of the legend. Just in case you haven’t seen it, I won’t spoil it for you but suffice to say, it all goes pear-shaped from there.

It’s hard to believe it is really thirteen years since we were bombarded by the hype of that particular film.  People were led to believe it was a factual documentary,  and were queueing down the streets to see it when it first came out. It’s probably the best marketing ploy any film company had ever embarked upon and made it one of the most successful independent films ever made.

I didn’t really get to watch it properly the first time around. I remember hosting a Halloween movie night at my house and was too busy hosting to actually see much of the film. A couple of my guests also managed to talk their way through it stopping anyone really getting a proper feel for it.

After watching it properly last night, my opinions were very mixed. I had a banging headache from the relentless screaming and moaning of one of the lead characters – Heather, and felt an air of satisfaction when she met her fate. After the disappearance of Josh two-thirds of the way through, I couldn’t help thinking – yes, I think I would’ve ditched her too!

I’m not sure that I actually enjoyed the movie, I certainly didn’t find it frightening, but I appreciated the unusual concept and original storyline.

The Woman in Black rekindled my love of horror.

A few weeks ago I posted that I had just been down to London to see the fantastic stage show of Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black. I wanted to see it before the release of the new Hammer film starring Daniel Radcliffe and I definitely made the right decision. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the stage version, with its comedic value and audience gasping moments, the stage does have its limits. In my opinion film was nothing less than awesome. Boy did it make me jump. Okay so that’s just my opinion (for what it’s worth) and I’m sure there are people out there who wouldn’t agree, but that’s the kind of classic gothic chiller that I was weaned on.

I guess it’s because I grew up on Hammer horror films that I fell for the whole gothic charm and all of the contemporary horror films of today just don’t do it for me. I love period costume, smoggy Victorian streets and candlelit mansions – who wouldn’t. I love the idea of wandering through a misty graveyard in the dead of night, with the very real threat of a vampire rising from its coffin and eating you alive (well, not me but some other poor waif). Those are probably the reasons why I just can’t bring myself to watch the likes of Paranormal Activity. The spooks are not enough, I need the whole scene set for me.

My first real memory of what I considered a horror was the 1950’s film – Quatermass and the Pit. The film takes place on the London underground below the fictional Hobbs Lane. During excavation works the workmen stumble across what they think is an unexploded WWII bomb. The object turns out to be an alien aircraft that crash landed millions of years ago. The above houses on Hobbs Lane have constantly experienced poltergeist activity and other unexplained phenomenon.

One particular scene has always stayed with me. It probably looks quite poor now in comparison to all the special effects Hollywood throws at us today, but the scene when the holographic image of a martian devil floats above the city of London will always send a chill down my spine.

 I think I’ll go and rent Quatermass and the Pit now – it’s been a very long time since I last watched it.

The Woman in Black

With the imminent release of the film ‘The Woman in Black’ starring Daniel Radcliffe, I felt a desperate need to see the West End Play. It is always difficult when they make a film of a show, because the special effects they are able to use on screen render our imagination lazy and redundant, which is why I chose to see the show first.

The stage version has been running at the Fortune Theatre for over twenty years. It successfully ignites the imagination to the point of mild hysteria from some younger audience members. The cast of two — or possibly three 😉 provide a magical performance as they flit between characters who are attempting to re-tell the terrifying experiences of Arthur Kipps, the lead character.  With very few props or stage sets, they somehow succeed in drawing you deeply into their story, which is peppered with just the right amount of humour to keep it light.

The woman in black – if you dare to admit to having seen her, is truly frightening with her wasted appearance and ability to appear and disappear at will.

Even the most sceptical among us would leave that beautiful old theatre believing in ghosts.

So, who is the woman in black, and what does she want. Well, that is something that you will have to find out for yourself. The film is released later this month but I highly recommend seeing the show first.

Daniel Radcliffe has a lot to live up to but I’m certain he will do the role justice.

Bela Lugosi… the original Dracula

There is something utterly charming about watching old black and white movies. I was recently lucky enough to stumble across Dracula, with Bela Lugosi. I must admit, this film had been on my ‘must watch’ list for quite some time so I was thrilled when I saw it listed on the TV Guide.

The film version of Dracula was made back in 1931, so it’s over 80 years old. I hadn’t realized that the film was based on a Broadway stage play of which Lugosi was also the lead but he happened to be in the right place at the right time and won the title role.

Dracula, directed by Tod Browning, has no background music, which I think adds to the theatrical feel.  The sets are wonderful, especially that of the Abbey interior towards the end. And who can forget the strategic lighting of Dracula’s eyes. Of course the acting was fabulous but in a primitive way, there was nothing natural about any of the character portrayals. It is said that Lugosi couldn’t speak English very well at the time of filming and that he learned his lines phonetically, adding to the eerie accent of the count that we know and love.

I highly recommend watching this film, even if it is just to bring a smile to your face.

Dracula (1931)

So, what have been your influences?

Having had the question put to me, ‘What books have influenced your writing?’  The answer that immediately sprang to mind was The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe.  Although this is only a short story I have always been completely seduced by his fear provoking descriptiveness.

The story is told through the eyes of an anonymous torture victim of the Spanish Inquisition.  Following his trial he awakes to the utter darkness he was dreading:

‘My worst thoughts, then, were confirmed. The blackness of eternal night encompassed me. I struggled for breath. The intensity of the darkness seemed to oppress and stifle me. The atmosphere was intolerably close. I still lay quietly, and made effort to exercise my reason.’

From the outset, how beautifully he conveys the feeling of being completely alone and helpless in the darkness.  The reader is drawn into the feeling of claustrophobia and finds themself trying to breathe for him.  Several times throughout the story he falls unconscious only to awaken in a different situation within his personal dungeon.

We share in our narrators terror as he studies the indeterminably slow descent of the  razor-sharp pendulum towards his tightly bound torso, gripping the reader as we join him in his horrific situation.

‘Down — steadily down it crept. I took a frenzied pleasure in contrasting its downward with its lateral velocity. To the right — to the left — far and wide — with the shriek of a damned spirit! to my heart with the stealthy pace of the tiger! I alternately laughed and howled, as the one or the other idea grew predominant.’

To the horror of the pit – the pit of what? well I guess that is a question that only Poe would know the answer to.  Hell perhaps or worse … if there can be any worse.

‘I rushed to its deadly brink. I threw my straining vision below. The glare from the enkindled roof illumined its inmost recesses. Yet, for a wild moment, did my spirit refuse to comprehend the meaning of what I saw. At length it forced — it wrestled its way into my soul — it burned itself in upon my shuddering reason. O for a voice to speak! — oh, horror! — oh, any horror but this!’

I can only dream of being able to convey fear and emotion in the way Poe has in this story, but I will of course keep trying.

Read ‘The Pit And The Pendulum’, by Edgar Allan Poe:

http://www.literature.org/authors/poe-edgar-allan/pit-and-pendulum.html

 

Hotel of Horrors

On a recent trip to Manchester I stayed in a pretty decent hotel in the city centre.  I don’t know what it is about hotels but although they are full of life during the daytime, as soon as darkness falls they somehow become  lonely eerie places.  Of course my mind instantly turns to Stephen King’s The Shining.  Walking the corridors, with just the sound of your own footfalls to ease the silence, past the groaning, rumbling elevator shafts and endless rows of identical doors on either side.  Perhaps it is just me but my nerves seem on edge and as I pass each door I half expect someone to jump out and shout “Here’s Johnny!”

Upon entering my room I switched on the lights and made sure the curtains were closed before I got undressed ready for my shower.  It wasn’t until I came out of the bathroom wearing just a towel that I noticed the curtains were just voiles, which in the light of the hotel room looked opaque but clearly those in the huge tower block on the other side of the road would have seen me, completely obviously wandering around my room naked like a fish swimming around in its bowl.  And that’s when I thought of Hitchcock’s classic – Rear Window!

Die-hard vampire fans

Is the industry tired of Vampires?  I guess there are those who may have had their fill but I assume that they were never die-hard fans in the first place.

I recently met up with a couple of friends from my childhood (you know who you are!)  We were reminiscing about a time when we had very few cares and huge imaginations.  The conversation turned to a precious photograph album that was stolen from us.  One of my friends mentioned some of weird and wonderful things that were contained within those pictures and the strangest thing she remembered was a photograph of the wine bottle we used to use when reenacting a pivotal scene from The Lost Boys.  Used to use – not used, this was a regular occurrence for us when we were 14 years old, and that was before I even discovered Anne Rice or Bram Stoker.  I best not go into what I get up to these days 😉

The Hole is cert 12 for a reason

We all enjoy a bit of a scare including our two kids (age 7 and 9) so we recently relented and for movie night we chose The Hole.

I remember as a young child I liked nothing more than Scooby Doo because the frights were guaranteed and you could still sleep easy at night knowing that they weren’t really ghosts at all, no it was always some psychotic nut case in a mask (so much better).

The Hole is about a family who rent a house in the suburbs and come across a trap door in the basement.  After removing all the padlocks they find it is covering a bottomless pit.  Out of the darkness emerge some nasty characters that seem to feed off of your inner most fears.

Two sleepless nights later my daughter now wishes we had a hole in our basement (we don’t have a basement) but that only nice people would crawl out of it in the night (eeewww).  She also realized (which I was quite impressed by) that the point of the film was that if you faced your fears you will get over them.  Not bad for 7.

Enjoy 😉