maybe next year...

I waffled/slacked hard on assembling something resembling a Halloween costume this year. Typically I sit this unholyday out, but I quietly talked myself into considering perhaps possibly thinking about putting a little bit of something together this time around. With a week to go I scrambled to get a mask and half-assed outfit for some possible Saturday zombie socializing, then for a possible Sunday outing, and ultimately for a trip to the Brattle for some EVIL DEAD 2 action. Alas, Saturday and Sunday whatnot didn't happen, and I just couldn't mobilize to get things put together for tonight's Brattle session. I think I've got all the pieces...
I tried putting together the mask bit using foil, tape, and paint, but that worked out to be less than lovely. The foil made for a decent form fit, but the tape and paint created a scrubby surface, bleah. Then I tried using yellow craft foam, which was more what I was hoping for. Although creating a foam mask that would also work with my wearing glasses posed a serious problem. In the end, I decided that I'd combine both materials—the foil and tape would be the "inside," which could work with glasses, and the foam cutout would be the "outside"/front/surface. Of course, I didn't get around to executing on this, but I think it sounds good in theory, at least. No?

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EVIL DEAD 2 at the Brattle tonight was AWEsome! =)


I hadn't seen it on the big or little screen in years I think. It's really amazing how satisfying it is even after dozens of viewings. Of course, at the Brattle on Halloween, there were a lot of fans—two dressed as decent Ashes =) — but from the crowd reaction, there were also a decent number of newbies in the nearly sold-out crowd. So it was a great, fresh, mob audience experience, y'know?

I was a little surprised that there was nary a chuckle at the part where Ash is in the cellar, you can hear his right-hand chainsaw purring, and he reaches up into the pipes above him to grab some of the missing pages of the Book of the Dead... WITH HIS RIGHT HAND! Maybe that's no big whup to diehard ED2 fans? Or maybe there just weren't that many diehards in the room...

Scene after scene, I could hear Zorky's comments and laughs and our shared awe and observations on the film from our own screenings and discussions. How does Bruce Campbell not get an Oscar for "Best Fight With One's Hand?" Or greatest ADR one liner? And the plot itself, it's so damn tight and clever, just like the smallest cabin in the woods you'll ever see, with the most doors and rooms ever, heh.

The movie is just so frickin entertaining! =)

In and Rowan and Glen made it to the 10pm showtime, which was preceded by a costume contest. My sister, channelling Velma of the Scoobies, is in the running. I guess the Brattle will post photos soon and then the contest results [*November 9: found the photos posted!]. There was also a pre-show audience choice costume award. There was a peasant-dressed and old-school roller skated Kyra, from XANADU. There was a Wash from FIREFLY, carrying around miniature dinosaurs. There was a guy with a giant right hand, which I totally dug. Flashed me to THE SIMPSONS of course, where Homer is walking thru the corridors of the power plant reading what he's written on his hand to say to Mr. Burns. He passes this guy walking the other way who's also reading from his hand, but it is giant-sized, and he's reading, "...I'm tired of the comments about my enormous hand..." Heh heh. That show really did usedta be awesome...

*sigh*

There was also a guy in a green shirt and a green ski cap with green, like, spikes on it—"I'm asparagus." Also, he danced. A little. There was an Ash, alas, sporting only a _toy_ chainsaw. There was a decent Mario and Luigi combo. When Ned held the mic up to them to identify themselvs, Mario triggered some recording of the game music he had in his coveralls pocket. Too bad they didn't set up any boxes, heh. Then there was a computer... *with ethernet!* SCAARY =) Also, a well-dressed zombie. And finally, the audience award winner, a frightful and prettily done up melting china doll. This girl was dressed and made up quite perfectly in a china doll way, white face, painted/inked in features and expression, but had blackened/charred out half her face makeup and done SOMEthing to her hair to make it look quite burned up and once-molten. Pretty amazing.

My sister and I were at the theater for the 7pm KWAIDAN also, which is gorgeous. Four spooky short stories set in the good old peasant and lord days in Japan. I think it was released in 1965, and it may feel a bit slow for the average 21st century movie-goer, but man, the atmosphere is timeless and the visuals gorgeous. More spooky and haunting than outright jump-out-of-your-seat scary. A lot of the wide-open action must've taken place on giant sound stages, on which giant fields, sprawling temples and homes, tumultuous seas, and snow covered woods were re-created, against beautiful painted skies. I could see the origins of "hair horror" in one of the stories, and another I *know* I've seen ripped off by TWILIGHT ZONE or OUTER LIMITS in a modern version with Rae Bleah Chong as a "perfect girlfriend" to a not-so-starving artists.

Me go lie down now...

Keep on keepin on~