the wolfman

I have just seen “the wollfman” featuring Anthony Hopkins and Benicio Del Toro. It’s plot being a horrifying beast is killing the town folk and Lawrence played by Del Toro tries to hunt it down for revenge for killing his brother. However, he gets bitten and becomes the wolfman. I will not say how it ends because I do not want to ruin it for anyone but I thought it was a “cute” movie. First of all any movie with Anthony Hopkins is going to be a mind teasing thriller. He was great in it as the twisted father that betrayed his family. Then again from the start, anyone could tell he was going to be the one of the main and twisted characters. Del Toro was equally good too and I was a bit surprised that he did this role in this movie. However, it worked out and he played the character well. The movie is bloody and grotesque and I loved every minute of it. The surprising action of the wolf killings and the bloody body parts being thrown right to left will have anyone’s interest and I would recommend this movie to anyone. However, it is rated R so do not show the kids. Even though you can tell its mostly animated and my little brother thought it was awesome, I don’t advise it to some children. And I hope you enjoy it.

"For the Year of the Insane" by Sexton

Another poem that caught my eye is, “For the Year of the Insane” by Anne Sexton. This poem is about a woman who appears to be praying to the Virgin Mary about the situation she is in. She holds tightly to her rosary and begins to beg for mercy. The character notes that she has not talked in a year and she is beginning to worry about her death. Also that she is being treated by a doctor and mentions how she seems to be locked in her own mind. She apparently has hope that the Virgin Mary will spare her of her torture but in the poem she says she is an unbeliever. One would think if she is an unbeliever than why would she prey. She does not believe that she is worth being saved and talks as if death has already taken her. She writes,

“In the mind there is a thin alley called death
and I move through it as
through water.
My body is useless.”

-Sexton

She feels that she does not belong where she is yet is scared to speak out. She does not ask for forgiveness or wish good things for others but only to be spared of this unpleasant situation she is in. In fear of everything she turns to religion to be set free even though she knows she does not deserve it. I honestly liked the fact she written it as a pray so we can have insight of what the unspeakable character is thinking and feeling.

"Happy Endings"

The short story “Happy Endings” is by Margaret Atwood. This story is very different from other stories. It allows the reader to choose their own ending of the story. The first part of the story begins,

 “John and Mary meet.

What happens next?

If you want a happy ending, try A.”

-          Atwood

The story continues with endings of the stories A through F. Story A appears to be the perfect happy ending. However, Atwood writes it very broad with no deep details to describe the events. In stories B through F, the different scenarios change drastically for the worse. For example, in story A, John and Mary get married, have children, grow old and die. It is very simple and lacks detail. In story B however, John and Mary get married but John doesn’t love her. Mary finds out John is cheating on her with Madge. Mary takes a lot of sleeping pills with a bottle of sherry and leaves a note for john in hope that he can reach her in time to drive her to the hospital. John never response and Mary dies. John marries Madge and the story continues as in A. Story B has more details and was specific. The plots in every story changes but the endings are always the same. Yet because of the details, the story seems to have worsened and the ‘Happy Ending’ was somewhat deceptive. Then again the title, “Happy Endings” is misleading. It contradicts the whole story which I think what Atwood was trying to accomplish. The stories are harsh and gloomy but it does show reality very well. These scenarios can happen in real life and it shows the reader Atwood’s perspective of what a ‘Happy Ending” really is.

Snow White

Another famous fairy tale we all heard of is “Little Snow-White”, written by the Grimm brothers, Jakob and Wilhelm. This story is very different from the Disney version. The short story begins with Snow White’s mother passing away. The king remarries and the stepmother plans to kill Snow White because she is jealous of her beauty. The queen sends the huntsman to cut out Snow White’s lungs and liver so she can feast on them but the huntsman show mercy and lets her go.  Snow White meets the seven dwarfs and hides with them. However, the queen learns that she is still alive and attempts to kill her three times. In this story three times the charm and Snow White appears dead. The king’s son sees Snow White in her glass coffin and requests the dwarfs to let him have her. As the prince is carrying the coffin he trips and the poisonous apple comes out of her mouth and she is back from the dead. She becomes queen and the stepmother is put into some hot iron slippers and dances until she is dead.

                Snow White is only seven in this story compared to the Disney version where she is an adult. The queen attempts to kill her three times. First, she put Snow White’s laces on to tight, and then gives her a poisonous comb, then finally gives her a poisonous apple that seems to do the trick. Not only has the queen dressed up as an old lady and fools Snow White three times but Snow White appears to be naïve. You would think after two death experiences that she would get the hint. I am very fond of this story because of the unknown events that people never here about. Such as, the first two killing attempts or the queen becoming a cannibal or when Snow White is having zombie-like characteristics by coming back from the dead so many times. Or even when the queen danced to her death in a pair of hot iron shoes. In my opinion this has to be the best ending to a fairy tale. It is the little unexpected events that makes a story memorable.

"Godfather Death"

“Godfather Death” by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm was written in 1812.  This is a fairy tale in which a poor man which is unable to feed his thirteenth son comes to a conclusion that his son must have a godfather to take care of him.  The poor man denies the good Lord and the Devil but accepts Death to become the godfather. Years later the son becomes a doctor and death decides to helps him become a successful doctor, showing his godson a special herb. However, Death warns the doctor not to take any of his “clients” away or he would pay a price. Long story short, the doctor breaks the rules twice after being warned the first time and death takes his own godsons’ life away.  

                This short story may lack the sense of reality but fairy tales usually do. I like this because of the ending. That Death actually sacrificed his own godson because he broke the rules. Death had no sympathy what so ever about him. However, I do not really think Death would be the kind of man that would be sympathetic towards anyone. But in my opinion, the doctor had it coming. He should have known better than to cheat death.  Many fairy tales have surprising endings that always seem to have a bitter fairness to the conclusion. Such as, the doctor cheated death yet in the end death got him. Or in the Grimms fairy tale of “Cinderella” where Cinderella lives happily ever after while her two stepsisters get turned into aspen trees. It’s important to have a surprising ending. It makes the reader appreciate them more.

The Old Story of Cinderella

The poem “Cinderella” by Anne Sexton was first introduced to me by my friend. The poem is what you expect, such as Cinderella serving her two stepsisters and her stepmother. Only to have her fairy god mother come to her and send her to the ball where she meets her prince. And in the end, as expected, she marries her prince charming and lives happily ever after. But Anne Sexton writes it in such a way that it seems she’s mocking the whole story. Her last words at the end of the story are “that story”. It’s very sarcastic and yet nonchalant. A very interesting way to refer to a fairytale. I like this way of storytelling. Making fun of a happily ever after story implying that it cannot really happen. A different approach in seeing the harsh reality of something that little kids believe in so much. Of course this is how I see this poem.

                In the beginning of the poem she refers to different lifestyles of people, also ending each one in “that story”. Indicating that the story of Cinderella is just like those. For example:

“You always read about it:

the plumber with the twelve children

who wins the Irish Sweepstakes.

From toilets to riches.

That story.”

-      Anne Sexton

Nothing but a story you hear on the streets it seems like. Her poem also has little twist of humor in it such as the two sisters disfiguring their feet to fit into the glass slipper and having their eyes being pecked out by a bird. It’s never a happily ever after unless that happenings.

" I Sell the Dead"

"I Sell the Dead" is a comical movie directed and written by Glenn McQuiad. Staring in the movie is Dominic Monagham which we all know him as a certain hobbit from “Lord of the Rings” and Ron Perlman from “Hellboy”. The story takes place in the 18^th century where two grave robbers steals the dead and sells the corpses to a doctor. During their many adventures through the grave yard, they have encounters with vampires, zombie like creatures, and even aliens.  But their troubles don’t start there. The two grave robbers attempt to steal from a ghoulish and psychopathic family clan only to end up in shackles and to have one of the characters with his head rolling by his own feet. Don’t worry, that’s not the end of the film.

This movie has a dark, British humor to it.  From the start you can tell this movie will be different than the other horror movies, which is why I like this movie. It foggy atmosphere and creepy yet (in my opinion) spunky music sets its own tone. I liked this movie because of it’s unusually humor and its ability to make fun of the dead (or undead; depending how you look at it) and paranormal events which takes place in this movie. Creating a film that takes place in the 18^th century in England and to come across an alien and stumble on a vampire, is nothing but twisted and funny. Those of you that are obsessed with zombies will absolutely love this movie.