Monday, June 04, 2007

Scary Movies

I thought I'd grown out of my childhood inability to watch scary movies -- even some of the Disney variety used to terrify me and don't even get me started on Scooby Doo.

And then I met my good friend Sinead who's a bit of an aficionado when it comes to great thriller and horror... and she made me watch ALIEN on the IMAX screen and I lived to tell the tale. So I thought I was getting better.

But last night I tried to watch MIMIC on DVD and am still only about an hour into the film. Can't finish it. Really great scary tension like that makes me so uncomfortable I can't bear it. In fact, I'm probably better with films like that in the theatre than on DVD because turning it off isn't an option (and I'm not a big walk-out-of-a-movie kind of person.)

I'd really been looking forward to seeing MIMIC for a couple of reasons, the first and most important being Guillermo del Toro whose PAN'S LABYRINTH just blew me away when I saw it at the film festival last year (and then again when it hit theatres).

The second thing that interested me about MIMIC was that a chunk of it was filmed in a "ghost subway station" in Toronto that I only learned existed this past winter when they were doing renovations on the actually-in-use Bay Station and diverting the trains through a normally unused section of track and passed through another parallel universe Bay Station that hadn't been used since the 1950's. It was freaky. Same white tile walls, same BAY signs in black, just no staircases or escalators and no posters or ads on the walls. Surreal.

Anyway. MIMIC is creeping me out. Bugs. Kids in peril. Jeremy Northam trying to do an American accent. Horrifying.

What scares you?

Oh, and I paid my dues. Sigh. Maybe next year I'll have the courage and fortitude to let go.

9 comments:

Eileen said...

I want to see that too- but am also scared. Then I have to sleep with the lights on.

No regrets on the dues. It isn't about taking a leap of faith it is about leaving doors open. Open doors never bad. At least this is what I tell myself when I renew.

Unknown said...

Oh I hadn't heard about this one. I'll have to check it out. I love horror movies, have since I was a kid. I was fine watching The Exorcist until I had children. I can't sit through it now *shudder*. The other movie that bothered me was one call The Prince of Darkness (I guess I have Satin issues). I couldn't sleep for two days after watching it.

I like scary - but not gross.

Barrie said...

I remember seeing The Shining years ago at the Scarborough Town Centre and still being on edge in a nearby doughnut shop after the show. Like Jack Nicholson was going to come charging through the door while I ate my honey-glazed! However, I like that scary, distrubed feeling. From time to time, anyway. So, I think I'll rent this one.

Also, I'm with Eileen. It's always good to leave a door open. No need to read too much into it. :)

Maureen McGowan said...

Barrie. The Shining was the first scary movie I tried to watch on video. It was the one where I discovered I have trouble sitting through them. Every time that kid would start riding that bike thing down the hall, I'd turn it off. It might take days to get the courage to hit play again.

BUT, I must be growing up. I watched the end of MIMIC tonight. I feel like such a big girl. :-)

and you and Eileen are right. why close doors you don't have to. I should stop beating myself up about it.

Anonymous said...

Ever since watching the tv series Night Gallery as a kid (remember Rod Serling anyone?) and seeing an evil talking doll on one of the episodes, I'm always freaked out by that. It must be genetic - two of my kids could never have Woody (the doll from Toy Story) in their rooms after he twisted his head around in the movie to scare the bully next door.
And don't get me started on the first Halloween with Jamie Lee Curtis. Did you hear they're remaking that??? Why screw around with a classic?
Nelsa

Barrie said...

Maureen: Okay, if you were able to watch MIMIC the whole way through, I'm giving it a shot. :) And, yes, def let go of the whole dues/open door thing. Life is way too short. :)

Sara Hantz said...

I NEVER go to see scary movies. I'm also afraid of the dark.... what a wuss!!!

Unknown said...

Okay I finally got to see Pan's Labyrinth last night. Wow...wow...the captain was the scariest guy in that whole movie. After his first "brutal" scene I found myself cringing everytime he came on the screen.

Awesome movie, it's really stuck with me.

Wylie Kinson said...

I like suspenseful horror, but not blood and gore, chainsaw type horror.

I never piped up before (no valid opinion) but I'm glad you paid your dues. Call me a safe-player but I'm more comfortable keeping as many doors open as possible, cause hey,... you never know!

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