DVD Collectors Online

The Blob, a review by GSyren

Title	The Blob
Year	1958
Director	Irvin S. Yeaworth, Jr.
Stars	Steve McQueen, Aneta Corseaut, Earl Rowe, Olin Howlin, Steven Chase
Overview	A CULT CLASSIC OF GOOEY GREATNESS, The Blob follows the havoc wreaked on a small town by an outer-space monster with neither soul nor vertebrae, with Steve McQueen playing a rebel teenager who tries to warn the residents about the jellylike invader. Strong performances and ingenious special effects help The Blob transcend the schlock sci-fi and youth delinquency genres from which it originates. Made outside of Hollywood by a maverick film distributor and a crew whose credits mostly comprised religious and educational shorts, The Blob helped launch the careers of McQueen and composer Burt Bacharach, whose bouncy title song is just one of this film's many unexpected pleasures.
My thoughts	sometimes-a-spaceship-is-just-a-spaceship theory (meaning that not every spaceship is a phallus symbol, not that here is a spaceship in this movie), and sometimes a monster threatening to take over a small town is just a monster. The choice of title song is a bit of a mystery. It's a rather peppy pop tune (written by Burt Bacharach). It doesn't set an appropriate tone for a monster movie. But it is
Rating

(From Reviews and ramblings by Gunnar on April 8th, 2013)

Let the Right One In, a review by goodguy

(Sweden 2008, AKA Let the Right One In, AKA So finster die Nacht)

IMDb summary: Oskar, a bullied 12-year old, dreams of revenge. He falls in love with Eli, a peculiar girl. She can't stand the sun or food and to come into a room she needs to be invited. Eli gives Oskar the strength to hit back but when he realizes that Eli needs to drink other people's blood to live he's faced with a choice. How much can love forgive? Let The Right One In is a story both violent and highly romantic, set in the Stockholm suburb of Blackeberg in 1982.

In its use of vampirism, LTROI reminded me of Abel Ferrara's flawed masterpiece The Addiction. There is the same messy and grim approach to the actual blooddrinking and the same disregard for the typical vampire lore. There are vampires in both movies, but neither is a vampire movie; they are about something else entirely.

Linking a vampire tale with a coming-of-age story is not that unusal. But LTROI doesn't fall into the traps of a teenage love fantasy. There is tenderness and even a kiss between the two leads, but their bond is decidedly asexual and prepubescent; it is forged from a deep sense of alienation and has a haunted innocence. Both performances are spectacular.

Alfredson finds striking visuals in the most banal and desolate settings, creating a bleak and chilling atmosphere with a strong poetic quality. This is combined with a beautiful score and an ingenious sound design that draws the viewer into the isolation of the protagonists.

Highly recommended and certainly one of last year's best movies.


(From goodguy's Watch Log on May 31st, 2009)

My PILOT Marathon, a review by Rich

JAMIE AT HOME - THE COMPLETE SERIES 1 - TOMATOES!



Over the last few years Jamie has been spending most of his spare time at home, growing things in his garden and becoming totally inspired to cook with all his own produce. Good food starts with good ingredients and what could be more exciting than cooking something you`ve grown yourself?
This brand new DVD includes all 12 episodes from the series. From potatoes and tomatoes to pumpkin and game, in each episode Jamie make sone ingredient the hero of the show. And if you fancy getting your hands dirty in the garden, there`s some basic planting information and tips that he learnt along the way too.
Full of sunshine, some (occasionally heavy!) showers, and lots of laughter, Jamie At Home sees Jamie where he loves to be, surrounded by good food and full of inspiration for cooking up a whole load of simple, delicious, seasonal and no-nonsense recipes.

Although I am not a great fan of Jamie Oliver personally, I do appreciate his style of no fuss cooking, outdoor barbequing, and the use of fresh local ingredients. Why are cooking programmes like this so popular?, I have no idea but will admit to being an avid follower. This original episode (and at least the next 3 which I also watched) are great viewing leading into summer and I will try several of the recipes and especially the barbequed salmon 
Good viewing if you like that sort of thing.


(From My PILOT Marathon on May 28th, 2008)