Those of you curious as to why posts on The DLB have been so infrequent in recent months, please meet the reason: The Dark Prince Bunnykins! The past several months have been taken up serving this little fledgling Monster Kid on hand and foot, as well as his beloved mother. I am planning to ramp up posting, when time (and sanity) allows.
Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar’s penchant for transgression has not diminished over the years. His latest, The Skin I Live In, casts Antonio Banderas as Dr. Ledgard, a plastic surgeon (and mad scientist) who keeps a woman (Elena Anaya) locked up in his clinic and conducts various procedures on her. Shades of Georges Franju’s Eyes Without a Face, although the film is actually inspired by the melodramatic Thierry Jonquet novel Tarantula.
The DLB recently spoke to Elena Anaya during the Toronto International Film Festival where I asked her if she considered Skin to be a horror film:
“It’s a cold horror film. I think horror with no blood, with no screams. It’s something that is starting to leave you frozen, like in a creepy, scary way. Like this question inside that you make to ask yourself like, ‘What’s going on here? Who are they? Who is she? What is their relationship?’ and then the answer comes — poof — it really cuts you.”
The Skin I Live In opens in Canada Oct. 28.
OPI celebrates the best day of the year — Halloween, obviously — with the release of the the Spook-ettes mini-pack ($16.95 CAN) and the Pair’em Scare’em duo pack ($20.95 CAN) . Available at professional salons and spas, Spook-ettes includes four mini lacquers: He’s My Boo (orange), Mummy Knows Best (white), I Only Date Werewolves (black) and Zom-Body to Love (glow-in-the-dark green), as well as free nail decals.
From the press release: “The Pair’em Scare’em duo pack will bring Zom-Body to Love and OPI’s bestselling Black Shatter together in a hair-raising pair. Inspired by graffiti art, Shatter leaves behind a crackled, two-texture finish when painted over completely dry OPI nail lacquer. Paint Shatter over two coats of Zom-Body to Loveand add a top coat for a one-of-a-kind, glow-in-the-dark manicure.”
Spook-ettes pack
Apologies, fiends, for the lack of updates. The DLB has just returned from a vacation to Hell’s awesomest half-acre: Austin, Texas. But while I was there I was able to scare up a few stand-out stories which will be revealed over the coming week. First up, a bit of musical mayhem from this past weekend’s Revival Fest, a raucous gathering of tattooed pin-up queens, gruesome greasers, and all manner of Texas-sized fun — all in celebration of that particular musical mutt known as rockabilly. Close to the top of the bill was Hank III, i.e. lonesome country king Hank Williams’ grandkid. Hank serves up his country through a filter of punk and metal. Here he is playing “Tore Up & Loud.”
Black Swan (2010)
Starring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and Barbara Hershey
Directed by Darren Aronofsky
Written by Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz and John McLauchlin
Like every other critic, the DLB was mightily impressed by Black Swan. Likewise, the DVD, available today (March 29), provides an intriguing look at the making of an A-list horror film.
Divided into three parts, `Black Swan Metamorphosis` is a relatively brief but comprehensive three-part look at the creation of the film. Aronofsky and his collaborators discuss key aspects of the production, including Portman`s ballet training, production design, cinematography and of most interest to horror fans, Portman`s film-long transformation into the titular Black Swan which involved a very subtle blending of CGI and practical effects. Most gratifyingly, Aronofsky admits that Black Swan is a horror film, and that the story of the ballet is essentially that of a `were-swan`. Well worth picking up.
Film: 4/5
DVD: 3.5/5
SUCKER PUNCH
Starring Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish and Scott Glenn
Directed by Zack Snyder
Written by Zack Snyder and Steve Shibuya
Naming your film Sucker Punch is a dangerous move because it allows critics like me to write things like “Sucker Punch: emphasis on the ‘suck.’”
Now that’s a rather glib assessment of such a visually striking film, but it’s accurate. Sucker Punch looks fantastic, but unlike the quick, startling jab promised by the title, it’s more like a slap in the face to the ideas of character and plot.
Today is 73rd birthday of Barbara Steele, star of such horror classics as Black Sunday, The Pit & the Pendulum, the original Piranha and Nightmare Castle. Those of you unfamiliar with Ms. Steele, start with Black Sunday (1960), her only collaboration with Italian director Mario Bava. Her dark beauty and irresistible sensuality have made her a favourite of horror fans for decades and inspired many acts of devotion, including this one by yours truly:
Barbara Steele tattoo by Bob Tyrrell
Is Urban Decay still the brand of choice for gothlings? Well, if Shoppers Drug Mart is closer than your nearest Hot Topic story, then those looking to make their Halloween that much more macabre might appreciate OPI’s “Go Goth!” (!?) nail lacquer collection, which come in four “alternative” shades. Oh, and each mini pack also includes a free black lace cuff bracelet “to amp your style.” Awesome.
Re the colours, we have Obscurity (matte black), Sanguine Deep (dark blood red-maroon), Unripened (“a glittering green so dark it’s dangerous) and Nevermore (“You’ll be c-raven this blackened purple.” Rimshot!).
“Go Goth!” mini packs are available starting in September.
Author Gabrielle Faust
Are book sales falling that much. Actually, no. Horror author Gabrielle Faust (of the Eternal Vigilance vampire series) has taken her love for fashion to the next level by releasing a cosmetics line of eye shadows called “Gabrielle Faust by Overall Beauty.”
