‘Music & Movies & Such’ Category

  1. Psycho Killer

    November 6, 2009 by ChiaLynn

    A few months ago, I admitted to NovySan that I’d never seen Psycho.

    We watched it not long after.

    Now it’s an assignment for his Film History class at Santa Monica College, so we’re watching it again.

    We meant to do it earlier this week, but that didn’t happen, so we’re watching it tonight.

    Coincidentally, Ferrett (one of my VP peeps) just watched it, as well, so I’ll leave you with his thoughts on Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates.


  2. My parents bought me a birthday present

    June 10, 2009 by ChiaLynn

    I talked to my mom last week.

    “I’ve got your birthday check in an envelope,” she said. “Spend it on something fun.”

    I got a separate check from my dad. It didn’t come with instructions.

    I took them to the bank this morning, and then I went to Best Buy. “Just on the off chance they have Excalibur.”

    They didn’t. But they did have the James Bond Ultimate Collections. And they were on sale.

    A Veritable Feast of Bond Films

    I couldn’t stop there, though. Ultimate they may be, but they’re missing the most recent movies, and they’re missing the original film version of Casino Royale.

    And we just can’t have that, now can we, Mr. Bond?

    (By the way, that rather shiny silvery surface my Bond Bonaza is resting on there is the glass top of our rockin’ new patio set, where I am, even now, drinking a glass of wine and writing this post.)


  3. Will no one think of the snails?

    April 15, 2009 by ChiaLynn

    She wouldn't be torturing that animal if she knew which island this is...

    She wouldn't be torturing that animal if she knew which island this is...

    I don’t watch a lot of TV. But when I got an email from Fancast this afternoon asking “Whose week is it to die?”, I had to find out. Which is how I ended up watching Harper’s Island.

    My first impression wasn’t favorable, as anyone who follows me on Twitter knows.

    As you know, Bob...

    Seriously, I know it’s difficult to introduce a score and more new characters, many of whom have complicated, interlocking backstories, but you can do better than this:
    Abby Mills: Looks at fancy, engraved invitation in her lap, while one-eyed cabbie examines her in the rear view mirror.
    Cabbie: Who’s getting married?
    Abby: The groom is my best friend from growing up.
    Cabbie: You look familiar.
    Abby: I grew up on the island.
    Cabbie: Right! You’re Sheriff Mills’ kid. What a shame. All those people? Terrible.

    Or this:
    Henry Dunn (that would be local poor boy Henry Dunn, groom-elect of the wealthy bride-to-be, and not to be confused with English actor Henry Dunn, whom I know from the SF Fringe): “I’m really glad you came, JD. Since our parents died, you’re my only family.”

    But then the wedding party reached the eponymous island, and I noticed something.

    The Woods

    I checked IMDB.

    As I suspected:

    Bowen's Island

    Compare:

    Abby on the Island

    Here’s Abby, walking the old home road.

    Rats eat bugs, you know

    And here’s what’s left of poor Mr. Skinner’s Bug, after the giant rats were finished with him.

    NovySan was amused.

    Money, money, money

    Maybe so, but I had to point out that it’s a narrowly targeted skill.

    The LA Skyline

    So now I’m watching the show with an eye to spotting more locations from one of my favorite films. And yes, I’ve signed up for the contest – predict each week’s victims correctly, win $1,000. (My guess is the fat guy dies next. It’s either him or the black man, because I know how these things work.

    But I’m really hoping that this blonde, whose role in the first episode is to fill us in on the serial killer who strung up Abby’s mom, gets eaten by a giant snail.