last night was 4 movies projected in a row in independent movie theater. Starting with Vanishing Point, The Wickerman and followed by Purple Rain and Invasion U.S.A. Starting 22:00 and continuing until morning. It was organized by local movie club, and free of charge.
Vanishing Point, being movie subject to re-make not too long ago, original from 1971 I had never seen, but is pretty much perfect car movie. Tits, drugs, rebellion, fast cars, fast police chases and nasty ending which is kind of unexpected, when beginning of film kind of suggests otherwise.
The Wickerman, another movie where exists re-make which is like limp cock compared to the bizarre atmosphere of the original. And I have to confess, that I had never seen this, and it was the main reason to go to fest. All the expectations, knowing what kind of importance this cult movie has for a lot of people, just had made me hesitate to watch it. Don't know exactly why. I do have the soundtrack LP, which is very good apocalyptic folk tunes. And the music indeed is one of the key elements which carry the movie. Of course is the heathen rituals, sexual energy, crude settings of movie as opposed to that Nicolas Cage visiting matriarchal fantasy fields. When mayday rituals are about to start, you catch the violin melody used by Blood Axis. And no need to remind about Current 93's praise about influence of this music. It is very special horror movie, when nothing happens at night. Nothing is dark. Nothing is cliche really. The horror element is probably more about confusion of utterly different culture of this scottish island and blatant sexual deviance insulting the christian main character. And the mass-hysteria like group singing of folk songs oozing phallic rituals. But what the hell I write about it? There are probably books and meetings about this movie, so web is full of it. But if you are as foolish as myself, thinking soundtrack LP and vague knowledge of storyline and ideas and long ago seen re-make will do it, fuck that. Check out this original movie as soon as it's possible. It will also have some pointers about whole Apocalyptic Folk thing.
And I must say, that even being the small independent theater, and I basically have about better conditions to watch films at home (half smaller screen, yet half smaller room, probably heavier sound system compared to space), there is a feeling about actual cinema experience and I'll make sure to get myself visit here more. It's been probably nearly 10 years when used to go into this theater to see many classics and then relatively new movies a'la Tokyo Fist, Bullet In The Head, and so on, which would never be showed in big theater chains. In january they'll run complete Herzog documentary series, and perhaps interest of some Finns outside Lahti could be Juhan Av Grann UFO documentary series with man himself introducing every movie by himself! Juhan Av Grann is infamous Finnish freemason, conspiracy theorist and documentary director. In early 90's he did 3 ufo documents which collected awards around the world.
