Back in June, a third movie in the Haul Out the Holly series was announced. According to an article from the blog, It’s a Wonderful Movie, the film is Halloween themed, as two “spooky new neighbors”, Luna and Marvin, move to the neighborhood of Evergreen Lane. At the time of the announcement, no release date had been revealed. However, the official IMDB page for the third chapter, titled Haul Out the Halloween, has the release date listed as October 15th, 2025. As of the publication of this Word on the Street story, Hallmark has not confirmed this date. If Haul Out the Halloween will indeed premiere on October 15th, this could indicate when Hallmark Channel’s ‘Countdown to Christmas’ line-up will begin. With October 15th falling on a Wednesday and with the first Christmas films of 2024 and 2023 premiering on October 18th and October 20th, I speculate 2025’s first ‘Countdown to Christmas’ film could premiere as early as October 17th.
On Hallmark Channel’s website, a new movie has received a September 27th release date. The film is titled Adventures in Love & Birding, with Andrew Walker and Rachel Boston co-leading. The movie is about the following:
“A single mom agrees to be the partner of a bird enthusiast for a birding competition but misunderstands the assignment and tells everyone she’s his new girlfriend instead of just his teammate.”
Because the phrase “misunderstands the assignment” is included in this synopsis, I wonder if Rachel Boston’s character is a teacher? Maybe she is teaching her students about birds, leading to her involvement in the competition?
Image of crow at sunset created by Rayudu NVS at freeimages.com. Photo by <a href=”/photographer/rayudu238-57835″>rayudu NVS</a> from <a href=”https://freeimages.com/”>FreeImages</a>. Image found at freeimages.com.
Back in May, I wrote a Word on the Street story about two new films in the Mystery Island series; Mystery Island: Play for Keeps and Mystery Island: House Rules. At the time, the fourth movie, Mystery Island: House Rules, had not received a premiere date. But Hallmark Channel’s website has now chosen September 14th as the film’s date of release. The movie’s official synopsis is the same on both its IMDB page and its Hallmark Channel page. Plus, Hallmark Channel revealed a collection of promotional photos for Mystery Island: House Rules as well. This fourth installment comes a month after Mystery Island: Play for Keeps, which premieres August 17th.
What are your thoughts on these pieces of movie news? Are you looking forward to either Haul Out the Halloween, Adventures in Love & Birding, or Mystery Island: House Rules? Let me know in the comment section below!
For the recent We Are Family Blogathon, I had planned to review the Diagnosis Murder episode, “Guardian Angel”, and the 1964 movie, The Chalk Garden. While I wrote about the aforementioned television episode, I wasn’t able to discuss the movie due to those plans falling through at the last minute. I still want to review The Chalk Garden. It just didn’t happen as soon as I hoped or expected. So, to make it up to my readers who were anticipating a review of the 1964 film, I decided to write about a Halloween themed picture. I read an article on Business Insider about the thirty things you can’t find in malls anymore. One of the mentioned points was movies set in malls. As soon as I read this, I immediately thought of the 2012 Hallmark film, hoops&yoyo’s Haunted Halloween! I brought this movie up in my review of The Legend of Billie Jean, when a scene in the 1985 film was reminiscent of Hallmark’s production. In that review, I said I only saw pieces of the movie. That, paired with the fact the only other animated movie I’ve written about this year, so far, was Cricket on the Hearth, is the reason why I chose hoops&yoyo’s Haunted Halloween for this review! Is this film a trick or treat? Keep reading to find out!
The use of color: In my review of Cricket on the Hearth, I talked about how well color was used throughout that movie. I even mentioned how some of the best animated movies boast bright, colorful hues. hoops&yoyo’s Haunted Halloween followed Cricket on the Hearth’s footsteps by displaying a strong understanding for how to effectively incorporate color into their production. During their mall adventure, Hoops, Yoyo, and Piddles take advantage of the different shops and attractions at North Escapades Mall. One of these stores is called “bling you phone!”. The store’s sign and window frames are coated in a deep purple hue. This simple creative choice drew the audience’s attention to this particular location, especially since the colors surrounding the “bling you phone!” store are warm beige, faded brown, and cream. Later, at a sporting goods store, Hoops and Yoyo are camping in a big, orange tent. Surrounding the tent are products displaying shades of green, red, and yellow. Even in the smallest of details, the hoops&yoyo’s Haunted Halloween’s creative team took advantage of every opportunity to include color in their project!
Expressive characters: A strength of any animated movie is how expressive the characters are. Facial expressions, body language, and even the vocal inflections of the voice actors can show the audience how a character is feeling. Despite the simpler designs, the characters in hoops&yoyo’s Haunted Halloween were very expressive! This was achieved through the movement of eyes, mouths, and eyebrows. When Hoops, Yoyo, and Piddles discover their local store has sold out of Halloween costumes, they are shocked by the emptiness of the surrounding shelves. Hoops’ and Yoyo’s eyes are wide, with Hoops even looking at the top shelves. Piddles’, Yoyo’s, and Hoops’ mouth is in an open frown, emphasizing how shocked they are. Hoops’ and Yoyo’s eyebrows are shown in an upward curve, which adds to their feeling of shock. These simple movements allowed the characters to effectively display their emotions!
Self-awareness: Skilled screenwriters will weave self-awareness into a script to subtly and cleverly make jokes or present an interesting point. hoops&yoyo’s Haunted Halloween featured some moments of self-awareness through dialogue and “Easter eggs”. While Hoops, Yoyo, and Piddles are looking at a mall directory, a large Christmas advertisement is shown next to these characters. On this advertisement, a picture of Santa is next to a statement claiming “Santa Claus is coming”. Later, Piddles rides near an animatronic of Santa. Next to Santa is a sign saying “It’s Halloween! That means you’re already late for Christmas!” The placement of these “Easter eggs” addresses how early Christmas has been advertised. I found this piece of self-awareness ironic, as Hallmark now starts their Christmas movie line-ups weeks before Halloween.
An unclear demographic: Animation is typically associated with an audience of children or families. However, some animated programs were created with an older audience in mind. With that said, I’m still trying to figure out who was hoops&yoyo’s Haunted Halloween’s intended audience. Toward the beginning of the film, the reference to cinnamon buns sounds like a comparison to a smoking addiction. Hoops even reminds Yoyo how he’s wearing his “cinnamon bun patch”. After Hoops, Yoyo, and Piddles become trapped inside the mall, they are chased by ghosts. During the chase, Yoyo randomly screams “We need to find a bathroom”, leading to a scene where Hoops and Piddles wait for Yoyo outside of the mall’s bathrooms. This scene was one of two moments of “bathroom humor” throughout the film. Was hoops&yoyo’s Haunted Halloween created for a younger audience, with certain jokes going over their heads, or was this movie always intended for an older audience?
Parts of the story that don’t make sense: Earlier in this review, I mentioned the “bling you phone!” store at North Escapades Mall. The reason this store was featured in the movie was Piddles’ desire to decorate her phone case. Piddles’ phone can be seen a total of three times. This fact raises the question of why she didn’t call for help after she, Hoops, and Yoyo became trapped inside the mall? What also doesn’t make sense is how Piddles would easily agree to take advantage of the mall after hours, especially since, before the mall closed, she reminded Hoops and Yoyo of a Halloween party they needed to attend that night. I know fictional stories, including those from animated movies, require their audience to suspend a certain amount of disbelief. However, in the case of hoops&yoyo’s Haunted Halloween, that suspension of disbelief caused some parts of the story to not make sense.
Scenes that were too long: At the beginning of hoops&yoyo’s Haunted Halloween, Hoops is driving Yoyo and Piddles to the store. This scene establishes the reason for the trip and the date of the story. But Hoops’, Yoyo’s, and Piddles’ trip to the store takes up almost three minutes in a twenty-one-minute movie. Though I understand the scene’s purpose of setting up the story and providing exposition, I think it should have been trimmed shorter to under two minutes and thirty seconds. This is just one example of how some scenes were too long in hoops&yoyo’s Haunted Halloween.
When explaining why I chose to review hoops&yoyo’s Haunted Halloween, I brought up the Business Insider article about the thirty things you can’t find in malls anymore. If there was an article of the things you can no longer find from Hallmark, Hoops & Yoyo would be included. This movie serves as a time capsule of how different Hallmark Channel was twelve years ago. As I mentioned in my review, the Christmas “Easter eggs” were ironic because, as of 2024, Hallmark starts their Christmas movie line-ups weeks before Halloween. The 2012 movie also provides a more unique story when it comes to Halloween cinema. The mall is a location not typically associated with the holiday. While I won’t spoil the reveal of what’s haunting North Escapades Mall, I will say this revelation paired with the chosen location is creative and well-written. Though Hallmark is not known for their efforts in animation, the simple creative decisions like knowing when and where to use color worked in the network’s favor. The expressiveness of the characters also helps. If you’re looking for a Hallmark movie that’s found off the beaten path, I’d suggest getting to know Hoops & Yoyo!
Overall score: 7.1 out of 10
Have you seen hoops&yoyo’s Haunted Halloween? Would you like to see me review hoops&yoyo Ruin Christmas during the Christmas season? Let me know in the comment section!
Before I start this review, I would like to say thank you to each and every follower of 18 Cinema Lane! This blog would not be the success it is today without you, so I appreciate your support! For this Blog Follower Dedication Review, I wanted to choose a film that was Halloween themed, as the holiday is just around the corner. I also recognize how animated films are rarely covered on my blog. Combining the two concepts, I selected the 2012 Disney movie, Frankenweenie! While I have read Mary Shelley’s classic novel, I haven’t seen many adaptations of Frankenstein. Yes, I did review Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter. But there were very few traces of Mary’s source material woven into that film. When it comes to Halloween fare, vampires, including Dracula himself, have made their home on 18 Cinema Lane. So, Frankenweenie serves as a nice change! Put on your costumes and grab your Trick-or-Treat buckets, it’s time for this Blog Follower Dedication Review!
Frankenweenie(2012) poster created by Walt Disney Pictures, Tim Burton Productions, and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Things I liked about the film:
The animation: When it comes to animation, Tim Burton has a very distinct style. While this style shines in Frankenweenie, I want to talk about how the characters express emotion. Throughout the story, emotions are expressed through the mouth and eyelids. This prevented the characters from appearing static. One example is when Victor is working on his science experiment for the first time. After performing the experiment, Victor is curious about its effectiveness. When he thinks the experiment didn’t work, Victor’s mouth is turned in a frown and his eyelids are lowered. That combination created a facial expression that showcased Victor’s sadness and disappointment.
Creative ideas are typically found in Tim Burton’s animated films. In Frankenweenie, this creativity is found in the creatures who appear in the story! When Victor’s peers try to recreate his experiment, they receive unexpected results. A turtle comes back to life as a hybrid between a turtle and a dinosaur. Due to a mix-up, one girl’s cat turns into a combination of cat, werewolf, and bat. These creatures were so unique, as I have never heard or seen them in media before. Frankenweenie serves as an example of how imaginative the animation genre can be!
The “Easter Eggs”: “Easter Eggs” are references that are subtly woven into a piece of entertainment media. Disney and Tim Burton related “Easter Eggs” can be found in Frankenweenie! During Victor’s science experiment, he flies two kites in an attempt to capture lightening. One of these kites is shaped like a bat, a nod to when Tim directed Batman from 1989. In Victor’s room, there is a poster of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. This is a reference to when Disney adapted that story in 1954. I love when a film scatters “Easter Eggs” throughout the story, as it keeps the audience engaged in what they’re watching!
The messages and themes: Frankenweenie included several good messages and themes into the story! One of them appeared when Victor is interacting with his science teacher, Mr. Rzykruski. During this conversation, Victor explains how his science experiment worked the first time, but not the second time. Mr. Rzykruski helps Victor understand his dilemma by stressing how he should do science experiments for the right reasons. This message becomes an overarching theme in Frankenweenie, as characters’ intentions determine an outcome.
No pops of color: Frankenweenie is presented in black-and-white imagery. This creative choice allowed the movie to boast a distinctive aesthetic. But what would have made the visuals even more interesting is if pops of color were included. Whenever lightening appears, a bright yellow flash could have graced the screen. If a character were holding a Sea Monkey packet, that packet could have delivered vibrant hues of blue and purple. Adding color to certain elements or objects would have emphasized important parts of the story. Those pops of color would have also stood out nicely against the black-and-white background.
An underutilized antagonist: In stories created for children/families, there will sometimes be a grown-up character as the main antagonist. A perfect example is Miss Trunchbull from Matilda. There is a grown-up antagonistic character in Frankenweenie, Mr. Burgermeister, the mayor of New Holland. But unlike Miss Trunchbull, Mr. Burgermeister was underutilized in the story. Victor faced more conflicts with his peers than with Mr. Burgermeister. Plus, the mayor’s appearances in the movie were far and few between. This makes me wish Victor’s peers had been the only antagonists in the film.
Parts of the story that are unexplained: For this part of my review, I will include a spoiler for Frankenweenie. If you have not seen this film and are interested in watching it, please skip this part and continue where it says “My overall impression”.
As I mentioned earlier, Victor’s peers receive unexpected results after they try to recreate his experiment. When these creatures cause chaos throughout the town, Victor helps his peers reverse the effects of their experiments. With the use of electricity, Victor is able to reverse the effects of the turtle/dinosaur hybrid, with the turtle becoming dead again. Yet, when Victor uses electricity on his dog, Sparky, the dog stays alive. Because the science wasn’t explained, this part of the story felt inconsistent.
Disney has a history of re-telling pre-established stories. When re-telling these stories, whether it’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame or Oliver Twist, the delivery of these projects has adopted distinct identities and aesthetics, making the movie feel unique and creative. With Frankenweenie, it is a cute, unique take on Frankenstein! The combination of stop-motion animation and black-and-white imagery allow the movie to stand out among other versions of Mary Shelley’s story. “Easter Eggs” related to Tim Burton and Disney keep viewers engaged in the film they are watching. Yes, there are flaws within Frankenweenie, like unexplained parts of the story and an underutilized antagonist. However, this is a good choice for Halloween entertainment!
Overall score: 7.8 out of 10
Have you seen Frankenweenie? Are there any animated films you like watching during the Halloween season? Let me know in the comment section below!
As I was posting my Sunset Over Hope Valley re-cap on Twitter, I found a movie news story from Variety that caught my eye. According to K. J. Yossman, Spirit Halloween “has teamed with Strike Back Studios, Hideout Pictures and Particular Crowd” to create a film revolving around the national costume store. But unlike the Beanie Babies movie I discussed back in January, where the project focused on the history of the iconic toys, the Spirit Halloween film features a fictional story taking place in a Spirit Halloween store. The article includes a synopsis for the upcoming production, which states:
“When a new Spirit Halloween store appears in a deserted strip mall, three middle-school friends whothink they’ve outgrown trick-or-treating make a dare to spend the night locked inside the store Halloween night,” reads the logline. “But they soon find out that the store is haunted by an angry evil spirit who has possessed the creepy animatronic characters. The kids embark on a thrilling and spooky adventure in order to survive the night and avoid becoming possessed themselves.”
K. J. Yossman writes how the film is “billed as a family/kids adventure movie”, feeling reminiscent of classic titles like The Goonies, Gremlins, and Monster Squad, according to Strike Back Studios’ president, Noor Ahmed.
While I read this film’s synopsis, it sounded a lot like the video game, Five Nights At Freddy’s. I know stories are bound to get repeated over time. But I also know a Five Nights At Freddy’s movie has been in the pre-production phase since 2015. Ever since that project was announced, there have been setbacks in the creative process. Two directors have stepped down and the script has gone through several re-writes. Meanwhile, the movie featuring Spirit Halloween has completed filming. It is also “aiming for an October 2022 release”. Even though the Five Nights At Freddy’s film is still in the works, it makes me wonder if the script for the Spirit Halloween movie was originally written for the aforementioned project?
What are your thoughts on this piece of movie news? Are you interested in the Spirit Halloween movie or in a Five Nights At Freddy’s film? Please let me know in the comment section below!
Have fun at the movies!
Sally Silverscreen
To learn more about the projects discussed in this article, you can visit this link:
Happy Halloween to all my followers and readers! Like last year, I am participating in the Spooky Classic Movie Blogathon! For the first event, I reviewed 1953’s House of Wax, a movie I enjoyed. This time around, I’m reviewing the 1962 film, Cape Fear! When it comes to choosing which movie to watch around Halloween-time, the usual selections with fictious monsters, ghost stories, and haunted tales are preferred. But in my opinion, the most effective “scary movies” are the ones that involve real-life situations. In Cape Fear, a former prisoner seeks revenge against the lawyer who testified against him. This synopsis alone sounds more realistic and terrifying than even those scary movies that are considered “classic”. But is this movie as terrifying as it sounds? The only way to find out is if you keep reading!
Cape Fear (1962) poster created by Melville Productions, Talbot Productions, and Universal Pictures
Things I liked about the film:
The acting: Before watching Cape Fear, I had seen and reviewed Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison. One of the best aspects of that film was Robert Mitchum’s performance. In the 1962 movie, Robert’s portrayal of Max Cady stole the show! As a character, Max was a creepy and gross fellow. This was made possible through Robert’s facial expressions, body language, and dialogue. In Max’s first scene with Sam, there is a twinge of anger in Max’s voice. But his demeanor was controlled by a sense of calm. The combination ofanger and calm within Max Cady added to the character’s unsettling nature. Another actor that effectively balanced two emotions was Lori Martin! In a scene that takes place after a family emergency, Lori’s character, Nancy, appears calm. Yet, she can be seen crying as she talks to her mother in an angry tone. Without spoiling anything, Nancy did have a legitimate reason to be both sad and angry. But I found this performance impressive, especially for an actress so young!
I’ve seen and reviewed To Kill a Mockingbird and Amazing Grace and Chuck. Based on these two movies, it seems like GregoryPeck gets type-casted as either a lawyer or a politician. While he portrays a lawyer in Cape Fear, the script emphasized how his character is a family man. Like the aforementioned movies, Gregory carried his character, Sam, with professionalism and classiness. At the same time, he was given plenty of opportunity to express emotion. A great example is when Sam meets Max at a nearby restaurant. As Max is telling his story, Sam grows increasingly angry. This scene highlights the fierce protectiveness of a husband and a father. It also gave a sense of realism to Gregory’s character!
The music: Legendary composer Bernard Herrmann provided the music for Cape Fear. Throughout the film, his signature musical style could be consistently heard. Bernard’s strength is using music to elevate the suspense within a given scene. At the very beginning of the movie, Max is walking through the town as an ominous tune can be heard in the background. This effectively clued the audience in of what would come later in the story. It also let the audience know to pay attention to Max. With all that said, the music definitely added something special to the overall project!
The cinematography: I was not expecting the cinematography in Cape Fear to be as memorable as it was! It, honestly, reminded me of pictures directed by Alfred Hitchcock! One of my favorite scenes is when Peggy, Sam’s wife, has a dream about her and Sam. While Peggy is sleeping, ghostly images of her and Sam are presented over the main image. These images reveal their concerns over the movie’s events, as well as emphasize their desire for action. This way of presenting dialogue and character interactions was very interesting. It added a sense of spookiness to an already suspenseful story!
An exposition heavy beginning: Within the first twelve minutes of Cape Fear, the audience learns about Sam Bowden, his family, Max Cady, his arrest, and why he was arrested. Personally, I felt this was too much information to present in the film’s beginning. In fact, I was disappointed Max’s secrets were revealed so soon. What the screenwriter should have done was sprinkle this information throughout the story. That way, the audience would have a greater reason to stay invested in the mystery.
Dumb decisions from the characters: After a family emergency involving a dog, Sam warns his wife and daughter of Max’s dangerous nature. He instructs his daughter, Nancy, to only leave school and home with either him or his wife, Peggy. But more often than not, Nancy is left by herself, with Sam and Peggy putting her in a vulnerable position. One example is when Nancy gets out of school to find her mother’s car empty. While waiting in the car, Nancy sees Max and attempts to get away from him. Even though she succeeds in this plan, she ends up getting hit by an oncoming car in the process. I know her parents are human and humans make mistakes. However, these mistakes felt unbelievable after some time.
An unrelated court case: Featured in a few scenes, a court case involving an arthritic patient receiving surgery was addressed in Cape Fear. But the only connection this case had with the rest of the story was Sam as one of the associated lawyers. I wish the case had a more significant reason to be in the film. Maybe it could have something to do with Max’s past crime, with two separate mysteries becoming one. I, honestly, wanted to learn more about that case, but was sadly not given the chance.
As I said in my introduction, the most effective “scary movies” are the ones that involve real-life situations. Even though this is a fictional story, it is effective at being a scarier film! Max Cady is one of the most unsettling characters in film, with Robert Mitchum’s acting abilities highlighting the reason why. Come to think of it, this performance showed a different side to Robert’s talents. Bernard Herrmann’s music added to the scary nature of the story, emphasizing the suspense within the script. But the multiple dumb decisions of the characters took away some from the film’s believability. The beginning of the film was also exposition heavy. However, the overall production felt like an Alfred Hitchcock picture without actually being affiliated with Alfred Hitchcock. With this said, I’d recommend Cape Fear as your next pick for Halloween!
Overall score: 7.5 out of 10
Have you seen Cape Fear? Which movie would you watch on Halloween? Tell me in the comment section!
Two years ago, I wrote an editorial on why I felt Lestat and Akasha’s relationship from Queen of the Damned was very problematic. When I published that editorial, I had no idea how popular it would become. As of late October 2021, my editorial has garnered 1,301 views and counting! So, that success is a reason for this new editorial. I’ve read many articles and seen many videos about The Crow. But no one has talked about how toxic Top Dollar and Myca’s relationship is. In fact, I’d go so far as to say their relationship is worse than Lestat and Akasha’s. Like my previous editorial, I will present five key reasons why Top Dollar and Myca’s relationship is unhealthy. But before I start my explanations, let me bring up some disclaimers:
In this editorial, I will be addressing the subjects of inappropriate sibling relationships, violence, drug use, and crime. That is because the movie itself addresses these subjects. If you are sensitive to any of the aforementioned subjects, take this disclaimer as a fair warning.
This editorial was not written to be mean-spirited or negative. Its intent is to showcase my honest opinion about this topic.
This editorial was not written to disrespect any persons who worked on The Crow. This includes Michael Wincott and Bai Ling, who portrayed Top Dollar and Myca.
Like most of my editorials, this article is going to be long in length. If you are interested in reading this post, please allow yourself enough time to consume the content.
Unless I say otherwise, the screenshots in this editorial are screenshots I took with my cellphone.
A typical sibling relationship is meant to teach empathy, show how to get along with others, and help maintain a family unit. But with Top Dollar and Myca’s relationship, nothing about it is typical. In fact, it is downright inappropriate. In The Crow, it is revealed these characters are half-siblings. But instead of treating each other like siblings, they interact with each other like a romantic couple. In the very first scene Top Dollar and Myca appear in, it is heavily implied they engage in intercourse. Their physical interactions also appear more sensual in nature. The existence of Top Dollar and Myca’s relationship is illegal, especially in Michigan, the state The Crow takes place in. According to Michigan Legislature, they would be guilty of Criminal Sexual Conduct in the First Degree. This is because Top Dollar and Myca meet these two circumstances: “The actor is a member of the same household as the victim” and “The actor is related to the victim by blood or affinity to the fourth degree”. When the true nature of their relationship is revealed, Top Dollar says Myca is “my father’s daughter, that’s right”. This means both Top Dollar and Myca were fully aware of their involvement in an inappropriate sibling relationship.
While Top Dollar and Myca are aware of their relationship’s nature, they go out of their way to keep their relationship private. Any time Top Dollar and Myca engage in displays of affection, it is done when few people or no one is around. In the first scene these characters appear in, there is another woman in the room. However, this woman is dead. In their next scene, Top Dollar and Myca partake in consuming drugs or creating mystical concoctions. When T-Bird and Grange arrive at Club Trash’s lair, Top Dollar and Myca are careful when displaying their affection for one another. Myca sits beside Top Dollar, with his arm draped across her lap. But when T-Bird and Grange leave, Top Dollar places his hand on Myca’s thigh, a gesture that is typically known for being sensual. It should also be noted how this gesture was performed under the table. Out of all the characters in The Crow, only two of them know about Top Dollar and Myca’s relationship. These characters are Grange and Gideon. It’s safe to assume Grange was already aware of Top Dollar and Myca’s relationship prior to the film’s events. But Gideon finds out about this relationship when he visits Top Dollar at Club Trash’s lair.
Because it can be difficult to see, I put a yellow line next to Top Dollar’s arm. This shows how his arm is draped across Myca’s lap when T-Bird and Grange are around.
This time, I put a circle around Top Dollar’s hand, showing how it is now on Myca’s thigh. You can also see how Myca is holding back Top Dollar’s hair, a gesture I will talk about later in this editorial.
In this picture, it is clear to see how Top Dollar and Myca appear “professional” to keep up appearances.
One of my criticisms of The Crow is how some parts of the story don’t receive context. Top Dollar and Myca’s story is one of them. But based on what was said and not said by these characters, it is assumed their relationship is the result of an absent/dysfunctional family unit. In Top Dollar and Myca’s first scene, Top Dollar reveals the origin of a snow globe. This snow globe, displaying a miniature grave yard, was a birthday gift from their father when Top Dollar turned five. He tells Myca “Dad gave me this. Fifth birthday. He said ‘Childhood is over the moment you know you’re gonna die’.” Top Dollar brings up their father on two other occasions: when he tells Gideon Myca is his father’s daughter and when he tells Eric “Ya know, my daddy always used to say ‘Every man has a devil, and you can’t rest till you find him’.” Meanwile, Myca never brings their father up. In fact, when Top Dollar is talking about the snow globe, she doesn’t express any emotion toward her parent. According to David J. Schow, one of The Crow’s screenwriters, Top Dollar and Myca’s “father was in Vietnam”. In the book, The Crow: The story behind the film, “Top Dollar’s motivation would be to punish the world for Myca’s tragic life”. Taking all of this into account, it seems like Top Dollar and Myca’s father had no qualms about exposing his children to dark and harmful things, especially at a young age.
For this picture, an arrow points out the tear near Top Dollar’s eye, emphasizing how emotional the snow globe is making him.
Meanwhile, as Top Dollar is sharing the snow globe’s origin, Myca expresses no emotion.
They Enable Each Other
If you knew someone who was causing harm to themselves or other people, would you intervene and help them turn toward better choices? Most people would say “yes” if asked this question. But, in The Crow, Top Dollar and Myca do the complete opposite. During their introduction in the movie, Myca asks if the woman in the room is dead. Top Dollar responds by saying, “I think we broke her”, heavily implying they had something to do with the woman’s death. Myca then proceeds to remove the woman’s eyes, with Top Dollar silently watching her perform this act. Top Dollar was fully aware of how much damage he and Myca made in one evening. Despite this, he never tried to stop Myca from obtaining the eyes or question her reason for committing the act. In fact, Top Dollar never intervened during the process. While Myca’s desire to snatch someone’s eyes is explained, Top Dollar continues to enable Myca.
As you can see in this picture, Top Dollar expresses no concern for Myca’s harmful behavior.
In the next scene Top Dollar and Myca appear in, they engage in activities only they would leisurely choose to do. While Myca uses the aforementioned eyes to create a concoction involving smoke, Top Dollar is consuming drugs. During Myca’s “activity of leisure”, Top Dollar silently watches the entire time. He only gets involved when Myca creates smoke, as he ends up breathing it in. While this scene is taking place, Top Dollar’s plate of drugs are located right next to Myca’s goblet. Myca is fully aware of their presence, yet chooses to do nothing about it. What she does do is ignore Top Dollar’s drug use. When Grange and T-Bird arrive at Club Trash’s lair, Myca can be seen turning her body away from Top Dollar, facing her guests. Before Top Dollar consumes the drugs for the second time in this scene, Myca gets up from the table she is laying on and walks away from the situation. Even though she does return to sit beside Top Dollar, she ends up holding his hair back as he consumes the drugs for the third and final time in this scene.
An arrow pointing to Myca’s goblet and a circle around Top Dollar’s plate of drugs highlight how close they are to each other.
Before T-Bird and Grange show up, Myca is facing Top Dollar.
After T-Bird and Grange arrive, Myca turns away from Top Dollar and faces her guests.
The arrow is pointing to Myca’s shoulder, as she is rolling off the table and moving away from Top Dollar.
The previous scene I talked about isn’t the only time Myca turns a blind eye to Top Dollar’s harmful choices. When Gideon pays a visit to Club Trash’s lair, the intent of his visit is to call Top Dollar out for his lack of involvement. This is in relation to Gideon’s Pawn Shop being burned down in an earlier scene. It is in this current scene where Top Dollar reveals he and Myca are half-siblings. After this secret is revealed, Myca places her foot on Gideon’s chest as Top Dollar points his sword at Gideon, both actions attempting to intimidate their guest. Shortly after Gideon tells Top Dollar and Myca “I ain’t twisted like you two fucks”, Top Dollar proceeds to stab Gideon with his sword. Before Top Dollar receives a gun from Grange, Myca can be seen turning her head away from the situation. She turns her head back after Top Dollar kills Gideon.
This picture illustrates how Myca is enabling Top Dollar’s behavior by helping him intimidate Gideon.
This is the same picture/scene as above, but from a different angle.
This is a photo of Myca as she is turning her head away from Top Dollar’s crime, before he shoots Gideon.
This photo shows Top Dollar and Myca after he shoots Gideon, with Myca turning her head back.
When I first watched The Crow, I was really confused by Top Dollar and Myca’s decision to enable each other. Judging by their body language, their love for one another seems obvious. So, seeing them enable the other to hurt themselves or other people told a conflicting story. After talking with some fans of this film, I came up with three likely reasons why Top Dollar and Myca choose to enable one another. The first reason relates to the possible upbringing I talked about in my first point. Because Top Dollar and Myca were likely exposed to dark and harmful things for so long and often, these things have become their “normal”. The second reason is the precedent Top Dollar places on his environment. Since he is the leader of his villainous group, he is the one who sets that precedent, which is a “I don’t care because it’s none of my business” attitude/mindset. With that said, why should Myca be expected to care about Top Dollar’s drug use or violence when he doesn’t seem to care how or where she acquires eyeballs? The third and final reason is how the final product benefits them. As I already mentioned, Top Dollar only gets involved in Myca’s “activity of leisure” after she makes the smoke. This allows him to enjoy the fruits of her labor without worrying about how the smoke is created. In a meeting at Club Trash’s lair, Myca says “I like the pretty lights”, referencing the fires taking place throughout Detroit. This statement alone shows that Myca doesn’t seem to care how those fires came to fruition, but instead how these “pretty lights” make her feel.
This picture from The Crow: The Movie clearly shows Top Dollar and Myca looking disinterested in each other’s concerns and needs.
No Meaningful Conversations
As I said in my editorial, ‘Toxic Valentine: Why Lestat and Akasha’s relationship is very problematic in Queen of the Damned (2002)’, words are needed to build/strengthen a bond. In The Crow, the audience can hear Top Dollar and Myca talking to each other instead of at each other. But when one truly listens to what these characters are saying, it is evident how Top Dollar and Myca are not having meaningful conversations with one another. There are two scenes showing them carrying on a conversation. In the first scene, Myca sees Top Dollar becoming emotional over a snow globe. She acknowledges this by telling him “You are thinking about the past”. However, after Top Dollar tells her the story behind the snow globe, she changes the subject to the dead woman in the room. While Myca does give Top Dollar physical affection by hugging him and kissing him on the head, she doesn’t use words to get to the root of the unidentified problem. No questions about why this snow globe causes Top Dollar to get so emotional are asked. Similar personal moments or comforting sentiments are not shared either. Because of Myca’s decision to not verbally help Top Dollar through his emotions, those feelings and personal turmoil are bottled up and unaddressed instead of being resolved.
A picture of Top Dollar and Myca hugging before she learns the origins of the snow globe.
Instead of verbally comforting Top Dollar, Myca kisses his head.
In the second scene, Top Dollar wishes he were hungrier. He reveals this to Myca after she tells him “You are very restless”. But instead of trying to help Top Dollar find a solution to his problem, Myca says “Be careful what you ask for”. Hunger is a basic need, with eating being an important part of human life. The fact Myca is ignoring this basic need, especially after Top Dollar addressed it to her is concerning. In this same scene, Myca tells Top Dollar “There are energies aligning against you”. His response to her concern is “Seeing is believing, isn’t it?”. Like Myca’s response to Top Dollar’s hunger, Top Dollar’s reaction is also concerning. He doesn’t question what these “energies” are or try to verbally put Myca’s worries at ease. These examples in this point highlight what I talked about earlier: the precedent in Top Dollar and Myca’s environment carrying a “I don’t care because it’s none of my business” attitude/mindset.
In this picture, Top Dollar clearly looks like he doesn’t care about Myca’s concerns.
They Treat Others Horribly
Similar to Akasha from Queen of the Damned, Top Dollar and Myca treat other people horribly. This horrible treatment is experienced by most of the members of their community as well. Like I mentioned earlier, Top Dollar intimidates and kills Gideon, with Myca helping Top Dollar intimidate their guest. I also mentioned the dead woman whose eyes were removed by Myca. However, these are just two examples of their hurtful ways toward others. Whenever something bad happens to someone with a lower social ranking, Top Dollar does not show any amount of sympathy for them. Instead, he treats their misfortune as a joke. When T-Bird visits Club Trash’s lair, he informs Top Dollar of Tin Tin’s death. Top Dollar says he’ll provide a moment of silence for Tin Tin, but uses that time to consume more drugs. Later in the movie, at a meeting in Club Trash’s lair, Top Dollar tells the attendees how T-Bird will not come to their gathering. He says T-Bird has “a kind of a slight case of death” as if passing away is simply an inconvenience. This causes some of the meeting attendees to chuckle, like Top Dollar told a funny joke.
This photo highlights how annoyed Top Dollar looks by T-Bird’s death.
It should also be noted how complete strangers are not safe from Top Dollar and Myca’s harmful choices. As the story progresses, Eric Draven learns his and Shelly’s murders were caused by Top Dollar, as he ordered some of his members to remove Eric and Shelly from their apartment. When Eric crashes the meeting at Club Trash’s lair, Top Dollar orders the meeting’s attendees to kill Eric. While these attendees shoot Eric, Myca stands beside Top Dollar and watches the violence upfold. After the meeting ends earlier than expected, Top Dollar and Myca kidnap Sarah. They do this in an attempt to lure Eric and The Crow toward them, planning to kill both of them in the process. Based on the examples I provided, it is obvious that Top Dollar is the one who causes most of this harm, with Myca as his bystander.
As Top Dollar orders the meeting’s attendees to shoot Eric, Myca simply watches the violence unfold.
This is the same picture/scene as above, but from a closer angle.
No Sense of Shame
The most blatant aspect of Top Dollar and Myca’s part of the story is how they have no sense of shame for what they say and do. This is because they are never given a reason to feel a sense of shame. In Top Dollar and Myca’s environment, there are no “voices of reason” to hold them accountable for their actions and choices. Even when someone, like Gideon, tries to become a “voice of reason”, they end up facing consequences instead of Top Dollar and Myca. Two reasons are likely why “voices of reason” don’t exist in Top Dollar and Myca’s world. Like I’ve been saying in this editorial, the precedent in this environment carries a “I don’t care because it’s none of my business” attitude/mindset. Since Top Dollar and Myca don’t express any concern for others, the people in their environment have no incentive to care what Top Dollar and Myca do. Fear can also be a contributing factor. Top Dollar and Myca have the two highest social ranks in their environment. So, this fact can be a motivator to keep others in line. Out of all the people who work for Top Dollar and Myca, Skank is the only one who openly expresses this fear. After being forced to attend the meeting at Club Trash’s lair, Skank cowers in his seat when Top Dollar calls him out. Skank’s demeanor clearly displays unease, like he is afraid of upsetting Top Dollar. In a community where people are too afraid to speak up, it is no wonder Top Dollar and Myca’s behavior is allowed to run rampant.
This picture illustrates how Skank is cowering in his seat.
This other picture shows the fear in Skank’s face, emphasizing how uncomfortable he is near Top Dollar.
The one person who should have been a “voice of reason” is Grange. As Top Dollar and Myca’s bodyguard and the closest person to them, his job is to look out for their best interests. What he does instead is enable Top Dollar and Myca, as well as encourage them, to carry on their harmful ways. When T-Bird goes to Club Trash, he tells Grange he’d like to meet with Top Dollar. Grange says that won’t be possible because Top Dollar is in a meeting. The next scene reveals Grange’s lie, as Top Dollar is in a bedroom with Myca and a dead woman. This scene shows how Grange is enabling Top Dollar and Myca’s inappropriate sibling relationship while also turning a blind eye to it. When Top Dollar stabs Gideon during his visit to Club Trash’s lair, Grange gives Top Dollar the gun that would ultimately kill Gideon. He also tells Top Dollar and Myca he’ll get someone to remove the dead body. Later in the movie, when Myca discovers a connection between Eric and The Crow, Grange says “So kill the crow, then destroy the man”. He tells Top Dollar and Myca this as a way to enable them to hurt Eric and The Crow. Grange’s reaction to Top Dollar and Myca’s other harmful decisions, like kidnapping Sarah and enabling one another, is either silently playing along or ignoring the problem altogether. With all things considered, Grange shows how he isn’t doing his job well.
When Grange visits Top Dollar and Myca in Club Trash’s lair, he never points out their “activities of leisure” or calls them out for hurting themselves or others.
After I published my editorial about Lestat and Akasha’s relationship, I naively thought I would never come across or even talk about a relationship worse than theirs. But when I watched The Crow for the first time, Top Dollar and Myca proved that idea wrong. I can say with all honesty their relationship is one of the worst I’ve ever seen in cinema. It is so toxic, red flags pop up every time they appear on screen. At first glance, it seems like Top Dollar and Myca love each other. But when one looks beyond the surface, it is plain to see how weak their relationship is. They don’t have a strong sense of care for one another. When something important is addressed, whether it’s a concern, need, or feelings, Top Dollar and Myca ignore them. They also allow each other to hurt themselves or other people with no attempts at intervention. With the way they care so little about the other, it makes me wonder why Top Dollar and Myca are even together at all? But because their backstory would probably be as dark and harmful as the choices they make, maybe it’s better to leave that question unanswered.
Have fun at the movies!
Sally Silverscreen
References:
The Crow 1994
The Crow: The story behind the film by Bridget Baiss
Because I received positive responses for the way I wrote my review of The Crow, I decided to write another open letter. This time, I’ve addressed it to The Crow: City of Angels. As I mentioned before, this isn’t the typical writing style I adopt for my reviews. But it’d only be fair to present this article in a similar fashion. Now, let me start this letter to The Crow: City of Angels.
The Crow: City of Angels poster created by Dimension Films and Miramax Films. Image found at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Crow_2.jpg.
An Open Letter to The Crow: City of Angels,
I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of my editorial that I wrote back in May. You know the one; about how the Tim Pope cut should be released. A question you’re probably asking is “How can you advocate for a cut of a movie you’ve never seen”? Well, I’m glad you asked! I first learned about your experience with “studio intervention” from the Youtube video, “Exploring The Crow City of Angels”. I was not happy to hear what you had to go through, thinking it a circumstance that should have never happened. While scrolling through the video’s comment section, I read responses from people who expressed interest in seeing the Tim Pope cut. But despite this interest, it seemed like nothing was being done about the situation. From how I saw it, wishful thinking overshadowed any plans or ideas. After Justice League’s Snyder Cut was announced for a 2021 release, I knew it was the perfect time to bring up the Tim Pope cut and explain why it’s important. When other films were brought up in the discussion of special cuts, you weren’t really added to the conversation. So, I’m actually doing you a favor by advocating on your behalf. By the way, my original plan was to watch you and your predecessor, The Crow, around Halloween. But I’m guessing they told you about my change of plans.
Image of crow at sunset created by Rayudu NVS at freeimages.com. Photo by <a href=”/photographer/rayudu238-57835″>rayudu NVS</a> from <a href=”https://freeimages.com/”>FreeImages</a>. Image found at freeimages.com.
Because of a grammatical error I stumbled across on the internet, where your title was written as The Crow, City of Angels, I honestly thought Vincent Perez had starred in your predecessor. However, when I discovered The Crow Wiki, I learned he was the lead actor in the second chapter. Like I’ve said about movies like Swept from the Sea and Cyrano de Bergerac, Vincent’s involvement is what made me want to check you out. In the previous films of Vincent’s I’ve seen, he always steals the show for the right reasons. He certainly did that this time around! Similar to Brandon’s portrayal of Eric, Vincent brought an emotional intensity that made his performance captivating to watch! However, he went out of his way to set his character, Ashe, apart by adding a sense of showmanship to his role. In a scene where some of the villains are shooting at Ashe in a club, Ashe acts performative about the situation, using the violence against him in his one-man show. He even bows after the villains have finished shooting. This acting decision ended up working in Vincent’s favor! I’m not sure how much acting experience Iggy Pop had prior to his casting. However, I feel he did a fairly good job with the material he was given! While portraying Curve, one of the villains, Iggy effectively showcased the anger and frustration a person in that situation or environment might feel. This can be seen when Curve goes to Noah’s tattoo parlor and fights with Sarah. As Curve’s hostility grew, I quickly became concerned for Sarah and Noah’s safety. This scene showed me that Iggy’s performance was convincing. Speaking of Sarah, I liked seeing Mia Kirshner portray this character! Through her performance, she brought a calmness that the world surrounding Sarah was missing. Sarah’s gentle demeanor was a physical representation that hope wasn’t completely lost. This definitely worked in Mia’s favor, as it helped her performance stand out!
Over the twenty-four years you have existed, I’m guessing you’re tired of being compared to your predecessor. You so desperately wanted to be your own individual, but “studio intervention” prevented you from doing so. However, I made sure to notice how you were different from the first chapter. Eric and Ashe’s face disguise are just one example. In The Crow, Eric painted his face to resemble a mask he and Shelly owned when they were still alive. Ashe, in The Crow: City of Angels, uses some paints his son, Danny, owned before he died. This contrast shows the personal, sentimental touches each character’s appearance was given. Throughout the second chapter, Ashe moves around Los Angeles by primarily riding on a motorcycle. Because he was a mechanic before he became the Crow, this distinction makes sense. While we’re on the subject of Los Angeles, I really liked your set design! It’s griminess and unruliness showed a different way a city can express chaos. The sets were also colorful, which is the opposite of your predecessor’s black-and-white color palette. Day of the Dead festivities certainly made a contribution, as various masks, flowers and other items related to the holiday helped scenes visually pop. I’m glad you decided to use more light when presenting the story! This decision allowed me to clearly see what was happening on screen. It certainly sets you apart from the first chapter, as they only used a certain amount of light throughout the story.
Now it’s time for me to point out your flaws and mishaps. I’m not doing this to be mean, but only to be honest, as I do recognize your horrible experience with “studio intervention”. All of the villains were weak imitations of those who came before them. One perfect example is Sybil, who was the mystical figure Myca was in your predecessor. In a scene where she is explaining the connection between the crow and Ashe to Judah, Sybil sounded like she was quoting Myca word for word. Because of everything I just said, these villains were not allowed to have their own stories and be their own characters. It also made it easier for me to root for Ashe, as the villains didn’t have anything interesting or unique to offer. While I don’t have anything against Grace herself, I found her to be insignificant in the grand scheme of things. She didn’t add anything to the story or have a strong reason for being in that world. I’m guessing this was a “studio intervention” related decision, where the studio wanted Los Angeles to have their own “Sarah”. The difference between Sarah in The Crow and Grace in The Crow: City of Angels is Sarah receiving a vital role in the first chapter, serving as a reminder for Eric to keep his moral compass. In the second chapter, Grace could have been written out of the story and not much would change.
Now that I mention Sarah, I was not a fan of her and Ashe’s attraction for one another. This has nothing to do with the characters themselves or the actors portraying them. I just found this part of the story to be unnecessary. This is because nothing became of this attraction, which prevented it from going anywhere. Even Ashe warns Sarah against this attraction, as he tells her that nothing will likely happen. If Ashe knew this all along, then why would he even entertain this idea in the first place? I could see what you were trying to do; give Ashe a conflicting choice between life on Earth and the afterlife. This would have been an interesting concept had more time been devoted to it. Because Ashe and Sarah’s attraction for each other came about so quickly and with everything else happening in the film, it ended up as a spark that had trouble igniting.
The image I created with the hashtag, #ReleasetheTimPopeCut. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
As a movie, you’re a fine, run-of-the-mill action film. But, as a continuation to The Crow story, you were weaker than your predecessor. I did cut you a little bit of slack because of the one thing I’ve been mentioning throughout this letter: “studio intervention”. Now that I have seen you, I still believe the Tim Pope cut should see the light of day. You do deserve to be the movie you were meant to be and we the audience and fans deserve to see that happen. On 18 Cinema Lane, I feature a crow image with the hashtag, #ReleasetheTimPopeCut, on the homepage. This is so people who come to my blog can easily find my editorial and read it for themselves. I also posted the aforementioned hashtag on all of 18 Cinema Lane’s social media accounts. If you know anyone who wants to see the Tim Pope cut, please tell them to speak up. Paramount, the studio you now call “home”, will never hear the fans unless they say something. All I’m asking is for you to be kind and respectful if you share this letter with others. I recently watched Lee’s video review from his Youtube channel, Drumdums. When addressing the horrible circumstance you went through, he contemplated the likelihood of the Tim Pope cut’s release. While he felt anything was possible, he also didn’t believe this cut would ever be seen. As I close this letter, I’d like to remind Lee and those who may have doubts of what Eric said in The Crow: “It can’t rain all the time”.
Sincerely,
Sally Silverscreen
P.S. I’m giving you a score of 7 out of 10.
If you want to watch Lee’s review of The Crow: City of Angels, you can find it on Youtube by typing “The Crow: City of Angels Movie Review” into the search bar or visiting his channel, Drumdums.
For KN Winiarski’s 1st Annual Spooky Classic Movie Blogathon, I chose to write about a film that was recommended to me by one of my fellow bloggers. As the title states, I will be reviewing the 1953 film, House of Wax, which was suggested by Patricia from Caftan Woman. This is a movie I’ve heard of, but had never seen. Since the film was released between 1920 and 1960 (one of the blogathon’s requirements), it gave me a good excuse to check it out! Even though I have seen and reviewed three of Vincent Price’s movies, only one of them was released during the Breen Code era. Because House of Wax premiered in the early ‘50s, it allowed me to view more of his films from that time period. Based on the synopsis, House of Waxis considered a “revenge film”. It made me curious to see how this type of story would work within the Breen Code era. I was also interested in comparing House of Wax to a project like The Crow, which I reviewed back in May.
The acting: House of Wax is the fourth film of Vincent Price’s I’ve seen. While I enjoyed his acting performances in The Whales of August, House of the Long Shadows, and Shock, I really liked his performance in the 1953 film! When his character, Henry, is talking about his wax figures, the passion he has for his craft can be seen on his face and in his eyes. Vincent makes the audience feel bad for Henry when these figures and the museum burn to the ground. As time moves forward, Henry evolves into a man of sophistication. Through the power of his acting talents, Vincent makes this transition feel believable. Prior to watching House of Wax, I was not familiar with Phyllis Kirk as an actress. However, I really liked her portrayal of Sue Allen! The emotional intensity Phyllis brought to her role is what made her performance stand out! When she is chased through the city by a murderous criminal, the audience can see and feel the fear Sue is experiencing. This helped raise the intensity of that scene. After she reaches the safety of a neighbor’s house, she immediately bursts into tears. Sue’s emotions show just how emotionally exhausted she is from constantly looking over her shoulder.
The wax figures: Because this film is called House of Wax, a showcase of various wax figures is to be expected. What was unexpected for me was the overall quality of these wax figures! All of them were so well-crafted, they looked like real-life individuals. In fact, there were times when I was waiting for at least one of them to start moving on their own. Throughout the film, facts about the people these figures were representing and the artistic process were shared within the dialogue. One example is when Henry is explaining how he created his Marie Antoinette figure. He tells a potential investor that Marie’s eyes are glass and were inserted through a hallow part of the head before it was attached to the neck. I found this part of the story fascinating! I also wish there was a documentary about this particular art form.
The historical accuracy: House of Wax takes place during the early 1900s, with the time period influencing every aspect of the film. What works in this movie’s favor is how the visuals looked and felt like the time period the film’s creative team was striving for! As Henry’s wax museum is burning, a fire truck appears to put the fire out. A noteworthy point is the model of the truck resembled one from the early 1900s. Another way the time period was reflected was through the set design! The exterior of the House of Wax museum looked like a movie palace from decades past, commanding the attention of passers-by. The beige and red marble alcove leading to the museum reminded me of an outdoor market, with the museum itself selling a form of entertainment to potential customers. These design choices made the overall film feel immersive!
The 3D effects: One of House of Wax’s claims to fame is featuring one of the earliest forms of 3D in cinematic history. Any poster of the film and the movie’s opening credits boast this detail enthusiastically. However, the 3D in this movie stayed in 1953. In the scene where Henry opens his House of Wax museum, a spokesperson uses paddle-balls to get patrons’ attention. During his routine, the spokesperson breaks the fourth wall and tells a man in the audience that he is trying to hit his popcorn bag with one of the paddle-balls. When the paddle-ball moved toward the audience, the moment itself looked like it was filmed in 2D. The 3D in House of Wax comes across as an outdated gimmick that felt awkward and out of place.
A protagonist I can’t root for: More often than not, “revenge films” feature a protagonist who represents the opposite of the horrors committed against them. Eric Draven from The Crow is a perfect example. While he kills the villains who have wronged him and his fiancé, Shelly, Eric is fighting fire with fire when his city’s justice system is ineffective. He also chooses to keep his moral compass intact by helping those who are innocent. I won’t spoil House of Wax for those who haven’t seen it yet. But all I’ll say is that as time goes on, Henry throws away his moral compass and takes his mission too far. Because of this, I couldn’t bring myself to root for this character.
Scares that aren’t consistent: There are several moments in House of Wax that are truly unsettling to watch. Seeing Henry’s wax figures burning is just one of them. However, I expected the film to be much scarier than it was. The most terrifying moments happened toward the beginning and end of the movie. Everything in-between felt like a juggling act of darker and lighter moments. Right after Henry’s wax museum burns down, a happy dance party is shown. This feels like a major tonal shift from the ominous tone that was set up in the film’s opening scene.
As a movie, House of Waxis good! It is a horror title that relies more on tone and atmosphere. But as a “revenge story”, I feel a film like The Crow does a better job at expressing that type of narrative. One major difference is how the character of Henry is not worth rooting for, as he abandons his moral compass within the course of the film. I found this to be a surprising choice for a Breen Code era film. While it doesn’t overpower the movie, the 3D aspect of the project did not work. It was obvious that 2D filmed moments were waiting for the 3D effect to kick in. Sadly, the 3D failed to show up. I would say House of Wax is an interesting choice for Halloween viewing, as it utilizes wax figures to provide elements of horror. It eliminates the use of blood/gore and has the ability to put the audience on edge.
Overall score: 7.5 out of 10
Have you seen House of Wax? Which film of Vincent Price’s is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
My review of The Sea of Grass became the 450th post I have ever published! As I’ve always done, I was going to acknowledge this latest accomplishment in some way. Observant followers and visitors of my blog would notice I haven’t produced as much Halloween content as I did last year. To fix this, I have chosen to participate in the Hallotober Tag! Created by Ofaglasgowgirl, I first discovered this tag when I saw it on Irina’s blog, I drink and watch anime. Finding the Hallotober tag was pleasant timing, as I haven’t posted a tag in a month. Before I officially begin, I must list the rules of the tag, which are:
Thank the person who tagged you and link to their post
Thank you Irina! If you want to check out their thoughts on anime, here’s a link to their blog: https://drunkenanimeblog.com/
Put the rules at the beginning or after introduction
Answer the 13 questions
Tag 13 people to do the tag
Here are the 13 people I’m tagging:
— Lady Kelleth from Lady Kelleth
— IMA from The Cinema Post
— Nisha from The Local Ticket
— Sarah from Room For A Review
— Diane from In Dianes Kitchen
— Lucy from Fun With Orzo
— Kingsley from Divine-Royalty
— Myles from Enticing Desserts
— Eggsandwich04 from KS Blogs
— Simran from The Preserver of Life
— Pale Writer from Pale Writer
— Dbmoviesblog from dbmoviesblog
— J-Dub from Dubsism
If you haven’t been tagged, you can also participate!
Delete Question 13, add a new number one question of your own
You are free to use the tag image somewhere in the post
Which location from a movie or tv show would you choose as your preferred Halloween spot?
Since I love Phantom of the Megaplex, I’d want to spend my Halloween at the Megaplex theater from that film. Exploring the cinema would be so much fun!
2. What’s your favorite thing about October?
Definitely Halloween! As the days and months go on, it feels like the entire month of October is a build-up to the holiday! This makes Halloween the grand finale!
3. Are you a big celebrator of Halloween?
Absolutely! I’ve loved Halloween my whole life, so it’s a holiday that means a lot to me. Therefore, I try to celebrate anyway I can.
4. What’s your favorite horror movie?
While I don’t watch a lot of horror movies, I will list some Halloween-esque movies I have enjoyed watching:
The Crow
Queen of the Damned
Phantom of the Megaplex
Bedlam
Return to Oz
Escape to Witch Mountain and Return from Witch Mountain
Strangers on a Train
The Bad Seed (the 2019 or the 1956 version)
Cry Wolf
Any mystery series from Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
The Perry Mason movie series
House of the Long Shadows
Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte
Vampyr
The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire
Nosferatu
Gaslight
5. Would you rather a cozy night in watching horrors or a big night out in a costume?
I have never attended a Halloween party before, so I would choose a big night out in a costume.
6. Which has been your most favorite costume to date?
Out of all the Halloween costumes I can remember, one of my favorites is when I dressed up as Bellatrix from the Harry Potter series. I actually wore that costume twice; for Halloween and for a midnight screening of Harry Potterand the Deathly Hallows Part 2!
7. Bobbing for apples or pin the hat on the witch?
Since pinning the hat on the witch seems like the more sanitary option, I’ll pick the second activity.
8. How do you celebrate Halloween?
Usually, I just stay home and watch a movie. However, I have handed out candy to trick-or-treaters before.
9. What’s your least favorite horror?
I am not a fan of slasher horror films. This is because I find the use of blood in horror stories to be more gory than scary.
10. Do you have a favorite trick or treating memory?
One year, my neighbor transformed their front porch into a haunted house! I enjoyed seeing all the creative ways that space was used, especially since it was a location I had become so familiar with outside of the Halloween season. Since those neighbors moved away several years ago, Halloween in my neighborhood just hasn’t been the same.
11. What’s your favorite thing about Halloween?
Speaking of creativity, I love the creativity when it comes to the story-telling aspect of the holiday. A great example can be found in a recent episode of Food Network’s Halloween Baking Championship. When the bakers enter the haunted house’s nursery, they are required to create a 3-D doll cake. As each baker presents their edible creation, they come up with their own unique back-story to go with their cake.
12. Scary costume or Silly costume?
I’ll take it one step further and pick a creative costume.
13. What’s your favorite Halloween candy?
I haven’t received this in my treat-or-treating career, but I love Sky Bars! Each of the filling flavors is delicious and pairs nicely with chocolate!
I know what you’re probably thinking; what does Touched by an Angel have to do with the Marines? Well, that’s where my explanation comes in. When J-Dub invited me to join their Send in the Marines Blogathon, they explained that there are a lot of actors who served in the Marines. One of them is Brian Keith. Because I was not familiar with this actor, I looked at his filmography on IMDB to see what projects he appeared in. In the ‘90s, Brian guest-starred on an episode of Touched by an Angel. I said in my post about the book, California Angel, that I like the aforementioned show. Since I own the entire series on DVD and since I haven’t talked about Touched by an Angel on my blog yet, I knew J-Dub’s blogathon would be a good excuse to do so. Also, with today being Veterans Day, talking about an episode co-starring a former U.S. Marine seems fitting.
There were several character interactions that were interesting to watch. But the two that were my favorite were between young Leonard and Penny and older Leonard and Monica. The interactions between young Leonard and Penny were adorable, acting as a light during a literally and figuratively dark time. The actors who portrayed these characters, Sam Gifaldi and Scarlett Pomers, were very believable and reacted in a realistic way for children in that particular situation. The interactions between older Leonard and Monica were interesting because of how different their personalities were. Their overall perspectives also differed from one another. Despite this, they both had the same goal and were able to reach that by helping each other.
What I didn’t like about this episode:
This episode takes place on Halloween. Based on the topics that were discussed in the story and because “The Sky Is Falling” was released after the spooky holiday, it felt more like an All Souls Day episode. While children can be seen dressed in costumes and going trick-or-treating , it isn’t the primary focus of the story. Also, several characters mention that the “War of the Worlds” broadcast took place on October 30th, the day before Halloween. So, having this episode take place on the aforementioned holiday doesn’t seem to make sense.
The story itself:
At the beginning of “The Sky Is Falling”, there were three components that seemed confusing at first. That’s because they were presented as three separate subplots. As the story goes on, these components came together very nicely to create a well-written story. Sometimes on Touched by an Angel, the writers will take a historical situation, like the “War of the Worlds” broadcast, and draw an intriguing story from it. This allows the audience to be both entertained and educated. This concept was executed very well in this episode, allowing lessons and messages to organically grow within the narrative. I also liked seeing how Tess and Monica first met. This part of the story provided an addition to their backstories and gave the audience the opportunity to see how far these characters have come as individuals and friends.
The other factors from this episode:
In “The Sky Is Falling”, part of the story was told through flashbacks, reflecting on October 30th of 1938. All of these scenes looked and felt historically accurate, like the creative team behind this show went the extra mile to capture this specific moment in time. Even the jewelry appeared as if it came from the late ‘30s.
This episode was filled with good lessons and morals. One example is how one should think before they speak. This was explored in a direct and indirect way, showing how people can positively or negatively react to words. “The Sky Is Falling” also had some good quotes. My favorite is when Tess tells Monica that “The story isn’t over ‘till it says The End”. Since Brian Keith’s character is a writer, this quote makes a lot of sense.
“The Sky Is Falling” had some really atmospheric scenes. If you haven’t seen this episode, I won’t give anything away. All I’ll say is that these atmospheric scenes took place in a forest. The way this location was staged and filmed was excellent! It effectively conveyed the tone that the show’s creative team was trying to achieve.
My overall thoughts:
I enjoyed this episode of Touched by an Angel more than I expected! This is definitely one of the stronger stories from the show, featuring a good cast who worked well together. The way this story was told was memorable, as it taught the audience lessons that went beyond the historical aspect. It’s better if you watch “The Sky Is Falling” as an All Souls Day episode, as Halloween doesn’t play as big of a role as in the show’s other stories. “The Sky Is Falling” kind of reminded me of another episode called “Monica’s Bad Day”, where the overarching message is how one’s actions can affect the people around them. In Brian Keith’s episode, this message was converted to focus on the power of words. Speaking of Brian, his portrayal of Leonard was such a highlight in this episode! This emotionally effective performance worked in his favor, as I found myself staying invested in his character throughout this story. “The Sky Is Falling” would not be the same without Brian.
Rating: A solid 4 out of 5
This is just one of the Touched by an Angel DVDs that I own. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.Have you seen any projects from Brian Keith’s filmography? Are there any episodes of Touched by an Angel you’d like to see me review? Please let me know in the comment section.
![20191110_131037[1]](https://18cinemalane.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/20191110_1310371-e1573410229997.jpg)
18 Cinema Lane 