Tag Archives: Jim Mickle

Cold in July + The Trouble with Harry

Posted on February 23, 2017 by Eric Thirteen
Cold in July + The Trouble with Harry

Come on, step inside, dead bodies everywhere. An hour long discussion about the problems those pesky corpses cause in one classic and one contemporary film. Explaining it only makes it worse. Exploring two movies with a common theme: whoops, I guess there’s a body now. Jim Mickle realized what you need. What’s the vision and what is expected. So, neo-noir and probably zombies. Sick mom, fucked dad, dealing with life. Nick Damici! Sam Shepard! Hedwig! Close one door, open the next. Hate. Alfred Hitchcock avoids prison as a good son. Strip the plain – not giving in. What is the Trouble with Harry? Probably unrelated: dreams never achieved and being fucked at dealing with your life. Still convinced no one reads episodes notes. “You want me to be something I can never ever be.” Free me of your life, inside my heart dies. Continue reading →

The Purge + We Are What We Are

Posted on July 17, 2014 by Eric Thirteen
The Purge + We Are What We Are

Horrific family bonding time double feature. Do horror movies help us work out dark urges to rape and slaughter? The alterior motives of directors who claim they do. One man’s unexpected plans during The Purge. What James Gunn teaches us about Purging. What is the right thing to do, given the fiction of the world? We Are What We Are. The delicate balance of preserving a suprising viewing while enticing an audience into seeing the film in the first place. The road less traveled! Religion, dogma, and elders who command respect. Michael refuses to be desensitized. Common ground with The Lords of Salem. Continue reading →

Red State + Stake Land

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Eric Thirteen
Red State + Stake Land

No one expects these two movies to be this good. Dangerous places, even more dangerous directors! What does the Double Feature studio look like? Religious crazies shot on Red One cameras. Red State isn’t even Kevin Smith’s second chance. Popculture out, Waco and Fred Phelps in. A very Kevin Smith movie is also a very good movie! Charismatic characters. Rolling Shutter put to use! Kevin Pollack, Anna Gunn, John Goodman. What was so great about the TV show Roseanne? Michael Parks. Not just dabbling in horror, but adding to it. The charm and demeanor of Michael Parks as Reverend Cooper. Crazy religious nut jobs. Executions. Personalizing death. Why Red State has the best of possible endings. Another surprize, Stake Land! Written by it’s director Jim Mickle, but also it’s star Nick Damici. The ultimate apocalypse weapon: a pistol-grip sawed off shotgun with a shoulder strap. Finding subtlety in a place you don’t expect it. Color palette between day and night. Danielle Harris. Building an apocalypse film. Voiceover narration performance. Chin-up fiddle score! How is this movie doing this?! Continue reading →

Mulberry Street + Frozen

Posted on January 20, 2011 by Eric Thirteen
Mulberry Street + Frozen

Old School American Horror! Mulberry Street. Eight Films to Die For. The After Dark Horror Fest. Jim Mickle as writer, director, editor. The advantages of total control. Mood and tone. Identifying budget. Lo-Fi film making! Close knit living. Laid back angry distortion. Room ambience. A stab in the dark at character relationships. Adam Green’s Frozen and Adam Greens Old School American Horror. Explaining the reception. New horror IP. Spot the Hodder. A more specific subgener of trapped in a single place (bottle) films. Try this at home! Alternating desperation with victory. The idea behind not showing violence. Continue reading →