Wishing you all a happy (and creepy!) Hallowe’en/Samhain! Are you doing anything special to celebrate? Share in the comments….
For me, this year feels sombre. My lost loved ones are on my mind, so I’ll be honouring them today. I’ll probably also indulge in some movies: Nightmare Before Christmasfor sure, and possibly something else, as well. Any suggestions for a film on the lighter side of the horror spectrum?
If I have time, I’d also like to make Pan de Muertos, AKA Bread of the Dead. If you haven’t tried it, Pan de Muertos, a lightly sweet bread, is traditional during Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). It’s usually shaped into skulls and bones, but you can make it in any shape that suits you. This recipe is very close to the one I use: Pan de Muertos.
If you prefer paperback, use this link to order Love Lies Bleeding from Bookshop – a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. Thank you for supporting indie! ♥
As soon as I heard about Morbius coming out, I was excited to see it. And then the reviews started coming in.
Spoilers Ahead
I should mention that I haven’t read the comic book, so I won’t be comparing the movie to it at all. My SO has read it and he said he was never a fan of the character, who started out as a Spider-Man villain and ended up being more of a neutral character. If movie Morbius is anything like comic book Morbius, I can see why he wasn’t a fan.
Morbius is about Michael Morbius, a man with a chronic (and ultimately deadly) disease that he’s vowed to cure. In pursuit of a cure he creates artificial blood that has somehow saved more lives than penicillin, but still can’t save his own. So he crosses over to the unethical side of research, importing (sigh) vampire bats from Costa Rica and using them to create a serum that when fused with his own DNA will, theoretically, finally be the cure he’s been looking for.
And then it goes horribly wrong. Oh no– what an unforeseen tragedy that no one could have foreseen.
It wasn’t just the story and main character that were underwhelming. Starting with the opening shot of scenery suddenly interrupted by a helicopter entering from behind the camera, I felt like I’d seen this movie a thousand times before. From the cinematography to the acting to the writing– it was all just so pointless. There’s no tension or mystery at all, no artistry; and the whole thing seems rushed, like everyone involved was just trying to get it over with. Twilight was by no means a good movie, but at least it tried.
By the way, I’m no fan of Twilight, but I’d rather watch the entire movie series in one sitting than sit through Morbius again. Bring on the sparkles.
The only bright-ish spot in the entire movie was Michael’s best friend, Lucian AKA Milo (played by Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith). Milo also has the disease Michael has and is desperate to be cured, taking the serum in secret. Michael then immediately treats Milo as though he’s a monster/pure evil because he doesn’t want to go back to a painful life and early death. At least Milo embraces being a vampire and exudes some menace, unlike mopey Michael. At no point does Michael consider finding a way to live with being a vampire, like finding a source of human blood without the need to kill people (blood bank blood maybe? Idk). He immediately concludes that his serum is a curse with intolerable side effects (i.e., becoming a vampire) and it’s best to just give up rather than try to find a way to make it work. No wonder Milo isn’t on board.
The movie ends with a predictable twist and the worst post-credit scenes I’ve seen. I’m honestly not sure why Morbius was made; it doesn’t add anything to vampire lore, and I can’t see it adding anything worthwhile to the Spider-verse (like Spider-Man, Morbius is a Marvel character licensed by Sony, so technically not part of the MCU). Milo isn’t even around anymore to possibly make things more interesting in future movies.
If you’re a stickler for watching everything Marvel related, then go ahead and watch Morbius. If you want to see a decent vampire flick, then go watch Lost Boys, or What We Do in the Shadows, or yes, even Twilight (at least you can laugh at it). The critics were right, Morbius sucks, and not in a good way.
What did you think of Morbius? Share in the comments…
If you prefer paperback, use this link to order Love Lies Bleeding from Bookshop – a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. Thank you for supporting indie! ♥
If you prefer paperback, use this link to order Love Lies Bleeding from Bookshop – a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. Thank you for supporting indie! ♥
Has there ever been a movie you’d love to see, only to realize you never will? Welcome to Batman Dracula, produced and directed by Andy Warhol.
From what little information there is about the movie, it’s set in parts of New York, including “The Factory” (Warhol’s studio). According to Warhol, the black-and-white silent film was an “homage” to Batman. Too bad he never got permission from DC Comics. to use their character.
Apparently the movie was screened during his art exhibits, but since Warhol’s death it’s been considered “lost.” Clips can be found online, including the one below (available until it’s copyright claimed by DC and/or– ironically– the Andy Warhol Museum). Music by The Velvet Underground and Nico was added later, as the movie was filmed without sound.
Based on the clip, there’s some impressive “cape-ography,” in this movie, and Dracula has good, intense screen presence. Jack Smith’s performance might just be the most underrated depiction of Dracula ever. You can also get a good feel for Warhol’s experimental style of film-making.
I’m not a huge Warhol fan, but I do think he was interesting; I’m curious to see more of his Dracula, as well as his version of Batman. In the film, Dracula is supposedly Batman’s “biggest fear,” and since the same actor played both characters this tidbit gives us an intriguing hint at Warhol’s approach. The title also suggests that they’re two sides of the same coin.
What movie do you wish you could see, but never will (it doesn’t have to already exist)? Share in the comments…
Some vampires might not be available, but mine are: download my books now!
If you prefer paperback, use this link to order Love Lies Bleeding from Bookshop – a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. Thank you for supporting indie! ♥
If I ever run into Taika Waititi, I’m going to thank him for creating What We Do in the Shadows. Well, more likely I’ll probably ramble awkwardly until he walks away. But if I were capable of talking like a person, I’d thank him.
Mild Spoilers
If you like vampires and referential humour, then the season 1 episode “The Trial” is made for you. In this episode we meet the “Vampire Council,” who rule over all vampires, and pass judgment on those who break the rules (for example, turning a baby, or “too much defiling”).
The Council is made up of actors who’ve played vampires in other shows and movies. They’re all going by their real first names, with the actors playing themselves as actual vampires (I can believe it for a couple of them). Not only have they played vampires, but their vampire characters’ looks have been faithfully recreated in their hair and makeup (and in one case wardrobe, or lack thereof). They even mention a few members of the Council who couldn’t make it to the meeting, just to get a few more references in. It’s brilliant.
If I wasn’t already swooning enough over the Council, they went and brought the well from Interview with the Vampire into it (the one that saw the end of Claudia). I probably missed even more references– I’m definitely going to have to watch the episode again.
Aside from the Council, there’s also an earlier cameo in this episode that had me laughing so loud I scared my cats a little.
What We Do in the Shadows (at least so far) is the vampire show we all needed. I can’t wait to see what comes next.
What do you think? What’s your ultimate vampire show or episode? Share in the comments…
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Aspasía S. Bissas 