The Expendables - Bringing Back Old School Action?

Finally! An action movie with real men blowing stuff up. I was really interested in this film while it was being made but you never know. Sometimes things can be too good to be true. Now seeing the trailer I am 12 years old again waiting for that summer action film. Bring it on!!!

Dread Central Premieres My Film Trailer

Hey everybody. A little out of Gory experience today as the real me emerges to promote something special.

Dread Central is premiering the trailer to my film 'Distortion' so get on over and check it out. Big thanks to Steve aka Uncle Creepy on writing such a great piece.

http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/36571/exclusive-trailer-debut-distortion

I am so excited about this!

Gory's Random Clip Of The Day - Rainbow Connection

A little more Muppets today because it makes me smile. And I think a friend needs a smile too so I hope this helps a little.

And no this doesn't make me get teary eyed. I just have something in my eye is all.

Happy Birthday Akira

Today would have been Akira Kurosawa's 100th birthday. I gave a tribute to him in a previous post (which you can read here) so I'll spare you the repetition. The man has been a huge influence on me and his amazing films continue to inspire and humble me.

Happy Birthday Mr. Kurosawa. Thank you for everything.

Don't forget to catch some of Kurosawa's films on TCM tonight.

Gory's Random Clip Of The Day - Moving Right Along

I love the Muppets. Got to see 'The Muppet Movie' at a midnight show a few months ago. Such a smile I had that night. Kind of fitting for my mood too. Officially finished my film last night so now I am moving right along.

Gory's Random Clip Of The Day - Weird Science

I love me some Oingo Boingo.

Update and Promoting

Hey everybody! I know I have been a little light on the postings lately but I have been busy getting the final parts of my film 'Distortion' finished. Plus I've started writing the script for my next film 'Killer Talk' which I hope to make this summer. Needless to say I've been keeping the home fires burning.

I will try and post more even if they're small posts. But I have not left this blog behind. Just haven't had the time I did before.

For a little self promotion the awesome people over at the Horror Society posted some official stills from my film 'Distortion'. I am cutting a new trailer which will be done soon. I'm sure I'll be posting that everywhere including here. Here's the piece with the stills:

http://www.horrorsociety.com/2010/03/12/distortion-stills/

Big thanks to Mitch and look out for an upcoming interviewing I'll be doing as well.

I promise more of my vague ramblings are coming. And as always, thanks for reading.

TCM Celebrates Akira Kurosawa

TCM (Turner Classic Movies as opposed to Texas Chainsaw Massacre) is celebrating the 100th birthday (or would be if he was still alive) of one of cinema's most brilliant directors Akira Kurosawa. What better way to celebrate than with some of the director's films as they mound their special March event 100th Anniversary Of Akira Kurosawa's Birthday. Throughout March they will be showing some of his best work.

I have always known of Kurosawa but never actually saw any of his films until my freshman year of college during one of the best/worst classes I have ever had, The History of Cinema (a story for another time). We watched 'Rashomon' and I was completely blown away. I say often that nothing humbles me more as a filmmaker than Kurosawa and that is the truth. You never feel more like an amateur than when you watch one of his films. Each frame could be taken out of the film and hung on the wall like a piece of art. That is how perfect they are. I remember the first time I watched 'Ran' there was one shot that was such perfection yet so simple that it actually got me a little emotional. And of course 'Seven Samurai' is just one of the best films ever made. Look I'll debate and concede people's opinions on movies. Afterall they are subjective. I love hearing what people think about movies. I don't need to agree with them and they don't need to agree with me. All I ask is for mutual respect. But, there are a few movies where I will not budge. And me saying that 'Seven Samurai' is literally one of the greatest achievements in the medium I stand by completely.

Kurosawa has inspired me in so many ways. Even in ways I didn't know. I even have a screenplay outline for a film called 'The Outsider' which is very much inspired by 'Yojimbo'. While no where near his mastery I had some Kurosawa-esque shots in my film 'Distortion'. Some intentional while others just happened. One I did do on purpose was a specific close up. Kurosawa had an ingenius way of doing the two person close up. While I couldn't find an exact example here are two similar examples of how he would do them followed by the still from my film.

From 'Rashomon':

From 'Yojimbo':

From my film 'Distortion':

If you've never seen any of his films then be sure to catch at least one of them on TCM during their tribute this month. They may be a lot to take in on initial viewings but they stay with you. The genius of Akira Kurosawa is one that will never be forgotten. His birthday would have been on March 23. Happy Birthday, Mr. Kurosawa. Thank you for your legacy and for your inspiration.

Gory's Favorite Scenes - Jaws - The Quint Speech

One of my all time favorite scenes, and at times I even dare to say my favorite, is from 'Jaws' when Robert Shaw's Quint character tells the story of the Indianapolis. The thing I love about this scene is that it is a quiet scene but is just riveting and it is done so simply. A young Steven Spielberg who was ready to jump out of his own skin with his creativity knew that when the time came a director steps back and lets the actors do their thing. Although it's a little too apparent in the clip below but when you watch the film the music creeps in and is very subtle. But these are the technical things I admire. What makes the scene so amazing is what it represents on the whole. Quint is a cliched character. Even right before he and Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) are comparing scars. Quint's scars are from different sea life encounters and even one bar room arm wrestling shenanigan. Then Brody (Roy Scheider) notices a mark on his arm and asks about it. He says he had a tattoo removed causing Hooper to make the joke that it said "mother"as he bursts out in laughter. Quint reaches across the table and grabs his arm much like a parent grabs the arm of a child and says it was the Indianapolis. Immediately Hooper stops laughing. There is a brief silence where the weight of that alone is brought into the boat they're on. Then Quint goes into his experience of what happened when the Indianapolis sank. Told with such a quiet intensity and subtle emotion and a subdued pain which he shows as if he's never told someone before. This cliched character all of a sudden becomes almost the most fully rounded character in the entire film. Someone we could have easily dismissed is now more human. In one telling of his story we know where he came from. We know who he is. Why he is. I've often said that every great movie needs a Quint speech. Not a scene where a character rambles on but where a character becomes more than just a one dimensional character on the screen. I cannot tell you how many times I have watched this scene and everytime I have the same feeling. An absolutely brilliant scene.

Movie Of The Day - The Music Man

THE MUSIC MAN (1962) d: Morton DaCosta

I love musicals. One of my favorites is Meredith Wilson's 'The Music Man'. It is such a sweet film and the music is just fantastic. There is an innocence and a purity when it comes to love and happiness and enjoyment of life that this film is filled with. It always leaves me with such a grin. Professor Harold Hill (played to perfection by Robert Preston) comes into River City, Iowa to swindle the folks of this quiet town into buying the idea of a boy's band which includes buying instruments and uniforms. In the process he brings a life to the town that it never had before. In turn he finds something in him that the swindler never had before thanks to the local librarian Marion (Shirley Jones). The music is great, the characters are fun, and it has such a heart. I hadn't watched it in a few years and I shouldn't let so much time pass again before watching it again.

Added story bonus: In one of my acting classes in college we had to pick a song to lip sync to and "perform" it. Everyone picked some pop song that they felt made them look cool or sexy. Yours truly picked a song from 'The Music Man'. It was evident that I was just trying to have fun and enjoy myself. Therefore I was the only one that got a round of applause not only from the class but the teacher herself. The song I performed was none other than "You Got Trouble".