Review: Rob Zombie's Halloween

Halloween (1978) is the low budget horror flick that started it all. If not for the success of the original, we won't Friday The 13th series, A Nightmare on Elm Street series, Scream series...yada yada yada.

After around 30 year since the original was released, and the franchise and mythology of Michael Myers have developed into a totally different thing presented in the original film, finally, inevitably, a remake is made.

This remake or reimagining is a combination of a prequel and episode 1. It tells us the origin story of this killing machine Mike Myers and retell the event presented in the 1978 film. While the original focused more on those sudden shock kind of horror, this remake present horror by the portrayal of graphic and brutal violence scene. The original may makes you pee in you pant (if you drank too much and refuse to go to loo during the movie), the remake will make you puke, not because of the graphic disgusting scene, but because of the idea a human did such a thing to its fellow kind.

Yeah human, the origin story of Myers make him a human, a disturbed, distorted mind, sociopath, victim or the by product of post modernism capitalism society. The whole remake is like biography of a serial killer. The cause, early signs, behaviour of Mike in the film fit so well with the analysis of all most of the serial killer we have - dysfunctional family, domestic violence, lack of love, violence towards animal, bad in school but not in the least stupid etc...

But this is also the bad side of the film. The magic of the original film is, we only know the 'shape' is a maniac killer. Even though we have the name, but we never know who he is, what kind of person he is, what he is capable of, his potential etc. We know nothing about him, and that's why the fear is more intense and the movie is more fun to watch, a feature length psycho killer slashing teenage slut.

Michael Myers

In short, I enjoy this film giving a life and soul to Mike, but sad that the magic and whole insane mythology built up all this year is erased to give way to this realistic portrayal of this serial killer behind a painted white mask of William Shatner...

Shatner, see the resemblance?

The Long Halloween

Surprisingly (to me) my favourite Batman comic is not The Killing Joke by my favorite comic writer Alan Moore, but is Batman: The Long Halloween , written by Tim Sale with are by Jeph Loeb.

This is a superb book, it gives me the same feeling of watching The Dark Knight, but with a little twist. Unlike the hyper realistic representation in The Dark Knight, the concept of The Long Halloween is just moderately realistic. Batman still able to pull fantastic stunt, Catwoman is just too awesome a fighter for a too sexy lady.

The book pays a lot of homage to film noir, especially The Godfather. The starting of the book, some scenes in it...you will know and feel excited if you happen to be a fan for The Godfather as well. The film noir background mainly is caused by the fact of the presence of the Mafia group in the center of the plot, since the main plot revolves around the investigation of the murders of several prominent mafia figures on the major holidays or festive season by a mysterious serial murdered the press called "Holiday".

Set around the second year of Batman's adventure, The Long Halloween is also an origin story of the complex villain Two-Face Harvery Dent. If not for the presence of super hero and maniac villain, this book can be viewed as a mystery crime thriller, a mafia story and even a psychological drama. It is a very very engaging story, and the art work is just nice, for having a balance of portraying the aesthetic of superhero figures as well as the fashion, set design of Gotham City with a strong presence of nostalgic mafia setting. In short it is a Batman + The Godfather + Infernal Affairs combination kind of comic.

The Long Halloween is prominent for:

a) retelling the origin of Two Face

b) highlighting the cooperation of Batman, Gordon and Dent in crime busting

c) pointing the fact the the freak villain in Batman universe are drawn to Gotham due to the presence of Batman.

d) reminding us how interesting Two Face is after being haunted by the worst performance of Tommy Lee Jones in Batman Forever (aka Batman Growing Nipples).

e) giving new breath to those minor once laughable villain like Calender Man (that is given a Hannibal Lecter like treatment in this book, just cool).

Lecter

Calender Man

If got the chance, read this, you won't regret it!

-Untitled-

Wednesday coming...hmm this is fast. So far I haven't felt that Tuesday is Tuesday yet, and Wednesday is just an hour short.

If not I have to back up some colleague away for Diwali holidays, and the fact that starting today we have to fully use the uber mafan new production system, this week should be a jolly good relaxing week.

This weekend is visiting the historical city again. If no changes, maybe it will be the first time I'm gonna drive there. The last visit there I was the passenger, with my buddy behind the wheels of my car. Now he's at UK with his wife and hopefully can see them again by next year end when she finished her study.

On December another buddy is getting married with a good friend. If not for the other buddy being in UK, this will be a super fun "Wedding of The Century" for our little PBC group, as Yong putting it.

Don't know when will visit Melaka again after this weekend. Heard that the gang may have it on November, since we fail to make it during Raya...

Been there so many time, so often...will it be sien? Nay...location is never an issue, the best part is the fun time with the company!

Blog @ Starbucks

How ironic, I'm buying a Starbucks iced coffee but end up using Nando's Wifi...

Saturday, weekend. This should be my day. The day I get some rest, a lot of rest; since on coming Monday, when the whole country is enjoying the Deepavali holiday, my evil company's evil department needs the be operational! Damn.

I have no problem going to work, or work...whatever. But what I am truly don't light is the fact my right of getting rest, along with all other friends is robbed away and denied, just for the sake of some dude I never set my eyes on. Fuck it!

Funny part is, I do enjoy working on a public holiday. Especially when it is a National festival like this. Reason being, there will be a number of people missing then, the office will be rather quite and when I work like this, I won't feel pressured. It is peaceful, unlike the usual chaotic. And somehow, it makes me feel time travels faster this way...

I told a friend that this Sunday evening may not be a gloomy one, since Monday is off. But now it is confirmed that I won't be off, so I think the gloomy will still on, just not as intense as usual...

Bought hell lot of DVDs this two days. Can't control...maybe it is the effect of being pissed that I have to work on Deepavali...

Song: 陳奕迅-超人的主題曲

Tiga is the Ultraman series that revitalized the Ultraman franchise in the late 90s.
The Hong Kong version OP has been replaced with a totally different song sung by Eason Chan. I think the first few verses melody sounds like the beginning of Skyrider's theme...maybe it is intentional.

陳奕迅-超人的主題曲

Nice Plat Number

Look at the plat for the black Myvi. This is just a very cool plat number, I meant the first three letters. It does makes a very strong statement. I wich I can have that...btw, which state's plate number starts with a "C"? Please do advice.

I prefer CCB to PKM, cause the idea of PKM is just disgusting...CCB is nice, and some of our hot PM in the office always curse using it too...!

Get me intoxicated! I thought you are the high level alcohol drink~!

So, in one of my drinking session with my dad at home (our only father and son bonding method), he taught me this: You must exhale through the mouth as mush as you can after every sip of vodka. Then, you won't be getting intoxicated so fast.

Thanks dad, now I try using this vodka to make me intoxicated so that I can get sleepy and sleep a wee bit earlier for tomorrow, but instinctively, I use your method when drinking. It is already more than a dozen shot, and I am still fresh!

Damn it, last night I can get a bit dizzy after two cans of 8.8% alcohol of beer with you but now I don't feel a bit of anything after 12 shots of 40% (actual should be 37.5% to 38%) alcohol level of vodka? Those are not fake, that is for sure, I felt the burn, but is it taking to long to reach the brain? Or will never be there at all?

The last thing I wanted on a Monday is a hangover. If the alcohol only do their job after I succeed to force myself into sleep, there will be a very higher probability I will get it. And that is just very bad!

Yam~Seng~!

My SL400, a bottle of Finlandia vodka and a shot.

P/S: Instead of sip, Why not just finish the shot at one gulp? This will definitely accelerated the intoxicating process!