No. 69 (nice đ) - Only Lovers Left Alive
Its the week before Halloween issue. Included is Jim Jarmusch's cool vampire movie and a guide to how you can watch the best spooky movies.
Blood Artists
Vampires have traditionally been depicted as sophisticated monsters. They live for centuries cultivating knowledge and culture while consuming the blood of their victims. There has been an irresistible nature to them as they are dangerous beasts and seductive lovers of art. Some vampire media make the vampires appear out of touch, stuck in their own time, like What We Do in the Shadows (both the 2014 film and the 2019 television show) while others have their vampires trying their best to blend in like in Twilight (2008), but in Jim Jarmuschâs The Only Lovers Left Alive (2013), they flaunt it.
The Only Lovers Left Alive follows two vampires, Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and Eve (Tilda Swinton) whoâve lived for several millennia navigating their unusual 21st century life. Both dress like hip Bohemians in sleek monochromatic outfits, dark sunglasses, and long messy hair and have enormous love for the culture of humans. Thereâs a certain level of fetishization going on with art objects as there are long sequences where the audience bears witness to Adam and Eve showcasing their collections. Adam lovingly describes and names his various rare guitars and Eve, via montage, delicately caresses her collections books that span thousands of years. They bemoan the current state of art and science and long for the days of their âheroesâ, artists they admired. They arenât just critics though, Adam secretly releases electric dirges with his hoard of instruments and Eve teases her literary influence. Suffice to say, they are very cool in a very Jim Jarmusch way. Their fashion and tall lean bodies evoke a sort of punk or new wave aesthetic that is still so potent (it is probably no coincidence that this describes Jim Jarmusch as well).
The two of them struggle in this contemporary world full of technology, pollution, substance abuse, and order. Sure, the sun hurts them, but they stick to the shadows and wear disguises primarily to avoid detection. Eveâs sister Ava (Mia Wasikowska), who comes to visit halfway through the film, is more or less unconcerned with any of this secrecy and follows her vampiric hunger wherever she goes, much to Adam and Eveâs chagrin and disappointment. They pride themselves on how theyâve subsisted off of rations of blood from âgood doctorsâ. They arenât like Ava, theyâre better. They believe themselves better than most humans too. Adam delegates humanity as âzombiesâ and the both of them stick their noses up at the way humans have treated (âcontaminatedâ is the word they use) the world. In a lot of ways, it is easy to agree with them. Adam sneers at the masses of electrical wiring that plague the peripheries of urban environments and heâs right, its ugly!
Despite all this cool and morality, the film reminds the audience from time to time that there is a great irony to all this posturing; they are vampires and they have eaten people to live. Their grandstanding and deep appreciation for the arts doesnât hide the fact that they are monsters. The film ends in a deliciously ironic way with them in Morocco, pontificating about science and morals before gorging themselves on an innocent young couple. It is abrupt, shocking, and hilarious. Even the most âenlightenedâ and âsophisticatedâ can travel around the world and commit atrocities.
Only Lovers Left Alive is available to stream on Hulu.
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Whatâs Streaming for Spooky Season
In previous years, I give a handful of recommendations for media for the Halloween season, but this year I figured Iâd curate a small list for each streaming service. As follows are popular streaming services and ten horror films that I think would be fun to watch this October.
I have to mention the best streaming service, The Criterion Channel, already has curated lists of horror films, everything from teen slashers to Chinese hopping vampires. Not all streaming services have that deep of a library.
Hulu
Huluâs movie catalogue is not as deep as it used to be and it seems like they have focused their attention to newer releases. Still, outside of fun blockbuster horror films like Malignant, Barbarian, and Escape Room, they also have some chilling indie films. It was a surprise to me that theyâre streaming a little seen favorite of mine, The Empty Man, a film with no physical release. Watcher, released last year, was a cool high tension horror film that not enough people saw as was Resurrection, a bizarre psychological horror. There are a couple of classics too, Alien, a masterpiece in sci-fi horror, and Practical Magic for those not looking to really get scared.
Barbarian (2022)
Resurrection (2022)
Watcher (2022)
Malignant (2021)
The Empty Man (2020)
Doctor Sleep (2019)
Escape Room (2019)
Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
Practical Magic (1998)
Alien (1979)
Max (formally HBO Max)
Even at a glance, Max (formally known as HBO Max) much more robust selection than Hulu (even includes some films in Huluâs catalog). It has more films that are older than me (strange that most streaming services keep a library of almost only new releases) and it has more variety. Classic chilling tales like Carnival of Souls and Cat People are amongst some of my favorite horror movies ever, but sillier more contemporary films like Jenniferâs Body and the highly underrated film-before-the-series Buffy the Vampire Slayer are represented here too. Modern day classics like The Witch and Hereditary are guaranteed to scare the pants off of first time viewers, but sometimes a fun aesthetic piece like Tim Burtonâs Sleepy Hollow or a well-made teen horror like Final Destination is the vibe. Whether you have seen it or not, I urge you to watch the Japanese psychedelic horror film known as House (otherwise known as Hausu) this spooky season.
Hereditary (2018)
The Witch (2015)
Jenniferâs Body (2009)
Final Destination 3 (2006)
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)
House (1977)
Sisters (1972)
Carnival of Souls (1962)
Cat People (1942)
Netflix
I have to admit, I struggled with this one. There are some bonafide seasonal favorites of mine available on Netflix (the sweeping gothic romance Crimson Peak and the midwest horror It Follows), but Netflix just doesnât have the library it used to. Included on the list are, of course, Jordan Peeleâs first two films, Us and Get Out, which, if you havenât seen yet, are must-watches, especially for this season. I also have to mention one of the best worst horror movies Iâve ever seen, Brahms: The Boy II. It just leaves me cackling every time that little doll is meant to appear menacing. Another âso bad itâs goodâ is the internetâs favorite Ma, also available on Netflix. An under-seen Taiwanese found footage horror film, Incantation, is really inventive and worth watching. Otherwise, most of the other films I have on this list I can recommend with a resounding âitâs pretty good.â
Incantation (2022)
Brahms: The Boy II (2020)
Ma (2019)
Us (2019)
Apostle (2018)
Get Out (2017)
The Ritual (2017)
Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)
Crimson Peak (2015)
It Follows (2014)
Amazon Prime
Some exciting Halloween options in Primeâs suite of films. With the latest entry into the franchise in theaters right now, why not revisit where it all started, Saw! The best one in the series. There are some horror-comedy hits from Michiganâs favorite son Sam Raimi (Drag me to Hell and Army of Darkness), but if youâre looking for something a little less violent, check out A Bucket of Blood for some satire and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein for a monster mash of familiar faces. If youâre looking for bloodlust, The Burning is a gory early summer camp slasher with special effects by the legendary Tom Savini. There are some more serious films here too, like the art-house horror Suspiria remake and Pulse, one of my favorite films of all time due to itâs unrelenting eeriness.
Smile (2022)
Suspiria (2018)
Train to Busan (2016)
Saw (2004)
Pulse (2001)
Drag me to Hell (2009)
Army of Darkness (1992)
The Burning (1981)
A Bucket of Blood (1959)
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)
Paramount+
I am excited about Paramount+âs selection only for the fact that they have the bizarre and dreamlike horror masterpiece Lets Scare Jessica to Death. Another huge get for Paramount+ is being the home to two of my favorite seasonal watches; The Ring and The Blair Witch Project, neither of which require any introduction. The two most recent entries into the Scream franchise are available too, but if youâre itching for something a little more 90s, check out the star studded teen sci-fi slasher The Faculty. Some other recent sci-fi horrors are available here too, like Annihilation and 10 Cloverfield Lane. A favorite of some friends of the newsletter is the Southern Gothic noir Angel Heart, which has a tremendously cool atmosphere about it.
Scream VI (2023)
Scream (2022)
Annihilation (2018)
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
The Ruins (2008)
The Ring (2002)
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The Faculty (1998)
Angel Heart (1987)
Lets Scare Jessica to Death (1971)
Peacock
Peacock has a surprising amount of sicko horror movies. There is some absolutely trashy horror films like Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (the superior Prom Night film that has nothing to do with the original), Frankenhooker (a hilarious body horror schlockfest), and Tammy and the T-Rex (Tammyâs boyfriendâs brain gets put in a giant mechanical t-rex, chaos ensues), all of which I truly love. Thereâs also some grungy disturbing works like all-time classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the upsettingly realistic Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. Thereâs even something for the horror aficionados out there with Ti Westâs The Innkeepers and The House of the Devil which both showcase the directorâs ability shift between stylistic sensibilities. If you want more traditional fare, one of the better summer camp slashers Sleepaway Camp is available as well and if you just want a more fun vibe, thereâs the 60s throwback The Love Witch.
The Love Witch (2016)
The Innkeepers (2011)
The House of the Devil (2009)
Tammy and the T-Rex (1994)
Frankenhooker (1990)
Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (1987)
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)
Sleepaway Camp (1983)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Disney+
Are you kidding me? No.
Stray Observations
Caroline Polachek appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert this week performing her latest single âDangâ accompanied by a silly PowerPoint presentation. Polachek has been a favorite of mine since I heard the single for âSo Hot Youâre Hurting my Feelingsâ and I have kept up with all of her releases since (really love her album from this year Desire, I Want to Turn Into You.) I have even seen her perform live when she came to The Majestic a few years ago (she was truly so hot that she hurt my feelings.) Her unique voice and singing talent really wowed me last week too at her Tiny Desk Concert for NPR. In all of these she has not only shown artistic talent as a musician, but as a performer as well. All this to say, I am a fan. You can watch her performance on Colbert below.
I read this fantastic essay by Priscilla Page about Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) that I must share. Page draws inspired comparisons between Mission Impossible and works like Paradise Lost, Dracula, and Frankenstein as well as the immediate comparison I found with it to the growing interest in use of AI to replace actors. Its an incredibly fun read for anyone familiar with the franchise and speaks to the human element in this blockbuster series.
I had a conversation with a friend recently about the conflicted feelings we had regarding the growing amount of murals in Detroit, their relationship with those who live there, those who pay for them, and those who paint them and, coincidentally, The Detroit Metro Times posted an really thought provoking about just that. Ian Matchettâs article goes in depth as to who is purchasing these murals (typically rich individuals or large companies) and how it affects those around it. It is an incendiary article that chastises organizations like DTE for their shady business practices (âDTE left hundreds of thousands of households without power this past winter just weeks after paying their shareholders millions of dollarsâ) who try to use âpublic artâ to rehabilitate their image. These wealthy individuals and organizations also use the art to increase the value of the space, ultimately pricing its residents out (ââŚthe public is given a series of murals that tell them that life is good, that problems are about individual struggles, and that their rent is about to go up.â) Matchett offers alternatives and points to how murals and graffiti can enhance an area, but he is otherwise pretty uncompromising in this piece when it comes to large-scale corporate mural projects.
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