Ghoster Than Life

I must admit I have very few memories of that strange entry in the Bill Murray filmography. I saw that thing some 13 years ago, totally unaware of what is was. I just wanted to see it because of the director, Howard Franklin, and the fact i really enjoyed his Public Eye some years before. Sheeeessh. After seeing during the credits that Pen Densham was behind the screenplay, I began to frown. After understanding the D.O.A pitch ( I mean, a man with no career discovered that he inherited an elephant and learns that there's more to life than blahblahblahblahblah), I felt uncomfortable, being afraid of spending the following 100 minutes of suspended animation, disbelief or boredom. Strangely enough, I don't remember anything of that matter. I just don't remember anything. I mean, anything at all. Just that:

a/ it bombed

b/ it killed the Howard Franklin director's career (and Bill Murray's for some years)

c/ out of nowhere, I bought the soundtrack a few days after. I must have listened to it, but I just put it away and totally forgot about it. Poor Miles Goodman. It's only a few days ago that I re-discovered the CD and listened to it.

I still don't remember much of the movie itself (maybe being part of a short-lived -elephant-in-a-movie-craze along with the terrible Operation Dumbo Drop), but if the music aims at the obvious for creating an "musical elephant environment", it's still a very amiable soundtrack and fun to listen to.

Pit Reverse

I was quite flabberghosted when I discovered Roy Ward's Baker opus for the Quatermass serie. Far from the Black and White menace, Baker gave a colourful vision of fright and a taste of Hell. And thanks to the imaginarium of Dr Cary, the electronics sounds and itches seem to come from another world, like a glimpse of uncertainty, a sound of shivering horror, a lurking fear.

Another World? A real prelude to discovery, a vessel for maelstrom, a martian terror, an Apocalypse! a Finale!

And if you ever try to go south, please tread soflty, stranger. You might discover that the flesh is weak in a twist of sand.

The pits, really.

This is My Ghost

Gee wiiiz... no recollection at all from this Ephronite of a movie. I just remember I rented it because of Julie Kavner. God doesn't exist (and even if it did, she would be a black blind lesbian), but Julie Kavner could be her. So funny, even better here as a stand up comedian neglecting her daughters. But wait... I think remember now bits and pieces with Carrie Fisher and Dan Aykroyd... wait... nope. Nothing. Nada. Nichts. Niente.

I must admit (or should I say confess) I bought the CD just because of the Spy Who loved Me song. I didn't know who Carly Simon was, i just loved the voice, the song. So this CD was in the middle of a bargain bin. So... what the heck? I bought it,like, fifteen years ago. 

Listening to it today was a terrible experience. The first notes ring terribly 90's with the awful synthetizers. Carly has a great voice, indeed, but the first two pieces (Love of my life and Back the Way) are on a verge of a crapification . There are ghosts better left buried in my drawers. I just can save Easy on the Eyes. 

... sometimes the 90's were just plain horrible. But as the movie kinda disappeared (and so did Carly Simon), this was time for a tribute. Kinda.

Talgornification

And the Band played on...

There was a time Chris Sarandon had a way with pictures.

 I mean:  Fright Night and Princess Bride. Two 80's classics. Really.

But then came the 90's. Oh, horror. And, as for many, the beginning of  a long walk among nothingness. Then came The Resurrected, a fairly good adaptation of HP Lovecraft's The Case of Charles Dexter Ward.

Too bad this Dan O'Bannon flick came in 1991, at a time where horror movies were disregarded, badly released and condemned to video shelves. M.Sarandon is CD Ward : his handsome face is perfect for the home of madness and seduction. And the horror, oh, the horror in it!

And anyone who'll say Cinema & Lovecraft with immediately think Richard Band for music. And indeed, Dan O'Bannon chose M. Band for a truly haunting score, probable one of his best work to date. Echoes of The Pit and the Pendulum along the way : from the intriguing main title to the Final battle suite, this mix of orchestra and electronic overtones is both seducing and frightening (hear "In the tunnels" for that matter)

Sadly, the movie flopped, the director's cut seems to be lost (the LGF DVD is a cut version my friends), and the movie is remembered by few movie buffs as one of the best Lovecraft adaptation.