#vlasta vrana

[fridaythe13ththeseries]

Hate on Your Dial

Episode Recap #59: Hate on Your Dial Original Airdate: November 18, 1989

Starring: Louise Robey as Micki Foster Steve Monarque as Johnny Ventura (as Steven Monarque) Chris Wiggins as Jack Marshak

Guest cast: Michael Rhoades as Ray Pierce Vlasta Vrana as Sheriff Robert A. Silverman as Archie Pierce (as Robert Silverman) Melanie Miller as Margaret Pierce Martin Doyle as Steve Pierce Henry Czerny as Joe Nelson Richard Mills as Elliot Marc Gomes as Henry Emmett Gene Mack as Ben Wilten Jackie Richardson as Frances Jan Taylor Hendricks as Waitress / Edna (as Jan Waterhouse) Jamie Near as Young Archie

Written by Nancy Ann Miller Directed by Allan Eastman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is night time and we are at a modest home. Mr. Sandman on the radio. Two men in a garage cleaning an old car. They are brothers, Ray and Archie. Ray appears to be older and have special needs. His brother teases him. Their old mother comes into the garage with coffee. She doesn't like them reminiscing and leaves. Archie reads the date (May 17, 1954) on the photo, and Ray says it was "Black Monday" when "white folks got in trouble" and their daddy had "no choice."

Just then a little boy named Elliot shows up, admiring the car. Archie is happy to see him, but racist Ray reacts badly, knocking the fundraising candy out of the boy's hands. He pulls a screwdriver on Elliot, then shoves him, causing his engine parts to scatter. Ray gets even madder and pulls a shotgun off the wall, to frighten Elliot, who runs off. Ray says he'll get him another time.

Cut to credits.

Curious Goods, and a woman has brought a box of old items to the store for an appraisal. Johnny doesn't know what to offer, but they settle on $25 for the box. She leaves as Archie enters. He is browsing for a gift for his brother. Johnny takes a car radio out of the box he just bought and Archie identifies it as from a '54 Chevy. He says him and Ray have their daddy's '54 Chevy and Ray is always working on it. He wants to buy the radio, but he doesn't think he can afford it. Johnny gives him a good deal on it.

Next we are back in the garage, and Ray is finishing installing the radio his brother gifted him, saying it will now be just like when their daddy had it. But Archie says their father never drove it much, he went away cause he killed a man. Ray says the man was a "colored sharecropper" and thinks a black lawyer who got some mystery witness was the reason their dad got executed. Archie tells Ray he doesn't like how racist he is, especially to his friend Elliot. Ray says Archie may be slow, but he doesn't have to be stupid. He pulls out a photo album of their father in full KKK gear, and crosses they had burned. Ray obviously idolizes this time in history and his father's role in it.

At the store, Johnny is cleaning when Micki comes in. She says Jack's flight has been delayed a couple of hours. Johnny tells her about the car radio he bought and then quickly sold. Micki, already anticipating the answer, asks if he checked the manifest first. As she checks she finds a '54 Chevy radio listed. Johnny can't believe it and Micki seems to cut him some slack, but then Jack arrives home. From the looks on their faces, he knows it's bad news. Johnny says what he did, and Jack is frustrated at him. But Johnny remembers the car wash logo on Archie's shirt. Johnny and Micki head out, but Johnny stops to apologize again to Jack, who is clearly ticked off.

Next, we see Elliot playing alone at a basketball court. Ray pulls up in the old Chevy, clearly drinking as well. He gets out with his bottle, taunting Elliot, who doesn't trust him. Ray pulls a gun and shoots the hoop, then at Elliot's feet. Ray continues his racist rant, scaring Elliot as he waves his gun, shooting. Elliot is panicked and falls as Ray shoots again, this time hitting the kid. Ray touches him, gets blood on his hand and at the sound of police sirens, takes off.

Driving away, he is nervous and goes to turn on the car radio, getting Elliot's blood on the dials. This activates the curse, and the radio glows, then it envelops the car in a blinding light. Suddenly, Ray and the Chevy are in black and white, having traveled back in time. The radio says it is night in Mississippi as Ray cruises the streets, surprised. He stops the car and checks a newspaper, happy to realize where and when he is.

He goes in to a diner. He asks about his parents, and as the waitress gives directions, the place falls silent as a black man enters. He just wants to buy a loaf of bread, but the racist waitress refuses, telling him to go. He makes the mistake of grabbing her arm, and a man stands up, calling him "boy". He confronts the man, continuing the racist bull, even slapping the man. Fed up, the black man picks up the other and slams him in to a table, but the other man present gang up on him. Ray, who is loving all of this, hits the man himself until the sheriff arrives and pulls him off. He tells the black man to go, and merely chastises the group, Ray included. Another man introduces himself to Ray and buy him a shake.

Jack is still researching the radio when Micki and Johnny come back. They found where Archie works, but he won't be back until Monday. They also learned his name and that he has a brother, which further irritates Jack. Johnny tells him to rip his head off, but Jack is still snippy. Micki is shocked, Johnny says he look for it himself, but Jack calls out. He says he isn't angry with Johnny, just their situation, and that they done the same thing he did. Johnny says it all just keeps on happening.

Back to the past and Ray and his new friend are walking. Ray loves how "pure" the place feels and warns the other man things will change, going into yet another racist rant. He takes Ray to a meeting of men at a house. These men are already mad about the Supreme Court decision and think "their" colored people aren't unhappy and know their place. Ray realizes the man is his father when his wife comes in and recognizes his mother, pregnant with himself. Archie is there too, a young boy. Ray is introduced to his father and told what happened in the diner. He's invited along on their mission that night.

In the present, Johnny and Micki arrive and see Archie with his mother. Johnny says he wants to buy back the radio, but Archie says it's already in the car, and their mom says he's out driving and sometimes isn't back for days. They leave their card with Archie and leave, but decide to wait outside for Ray to return.

In the past, the men are in full KKK robes and burning a cross and an effigy of a judge to protest the end of segregation. They head off to teach the black man a lesson. Ray realizes what is about to happen is what got his father executed and tries to warn the men. But they say they'll kill the lawyer, too. Ray says they have to make sure they kill the woman who was a witness, too. The men agree, too amped up to understand what Ray's saying.

Later, they are dragging the black man, Ben Wilten, to a barn, his hands tied up and hooked up so they can beat him and lash him with a whip, just for touching the waitress. His hands get loose and he is able to hit the mask off, revealing the face of one man, and he is beaten more for that. He collapses and is whipped again.

Jack arrives at Micki and Johnny's stakeout with some food. He says he found some clippings Lewis had from 1954, and is thinking time travel.

Back in '54, the men are all hyped up from their attack, Ray included. He thinks maybe he changed things in his father's favor. They all drive off. As Ray drives, he notices Elliot's blood still on the radio. He wipes it off and him and the car are transported back to the present. Micki and the guys see his happen. Ray is pissed, pulling into his garage. Jack thinks Ray just came from the past.

Inside, Ray tells Archie to be quiet and asks his mother where his father is, hoping he changed things. But she says Mississippi hung him. Jack eavesdrops while Micki and Johnny attempt to slip into the garage. Ray says there was no witness back then, but he can't understand why their daddy didn't survive. Ray looks in the old album to see what the lawyer from back then looked like, so he can try again to change the past. Archie tries to talk to his brother, but Ray heads outside.

Micki sees Ray coming and her and Johnny hide. Archie keeps trying to get his brother's attention, but Ray ignores him and heads into the garage, saying he needs to kill another of his little black friends, shoving Archie, who realizes his brother killed Elliot. He grabs a hammer, but Ray takes it. Johnny and Micki try to get in as Ray beats his brother with the hammer. Johnny and Jack try to stop Ray as Micki goes to Archie. Ray jumps in the Chevy and wipes his brother's blood on the radio. It begins to glow and is transported back to Mississippi in 1954, this time with Ray, Johnny and Jack. Ray speeds off, leaving them in the road.

Ray goes to his parent's house, trying to warn his father to get out of town. His mother and Archie are their, and she listens as Ray tells them about the judge and what's going to happen. As Ray continues to try and get through to his father, Archie starts repeating over and over "Daddy killed a Negro." Ray tells his father this all going to ruin him unless they get the clan together to kill the lawyer. The man agrees and Ray goes to find the lawyer. Archie continues ranting and his father hits him hard, his mother too late to help.

Jack and Johnny are shocked to be in 1954, but Jack thinks Ray wants to change his father's fate. They see a commotion at the courthouse, townsfolk angry about the lawyer here to get justice for the murder of the sharecropper, Ben Wilton. The sheriff arrives to break things up. The lawyer, Henry Emmet, and he wants the sheriff to arrest the clan. But the sheriff wants him to have some witness or there is no case, but then goes on to threaten this supposed witness. Things break up, Johnny is shocked by this, but Jack says the present isn't much better.

Jack goes to speak to the lawyer, but the man and his friends are understandably wary. Jack tries to warn them about the men in town, and that his life is in jeopardy. But Emmet thinks Jack's warnings are really veiled threats. Jack is speechless.

In the present, Micki is telling the cops as much as she is able about Ray's disappearance after killing Archie. She tries to comfort the mother, who says she knew something like this would happen.

In the past, we see the mother comforting a hurt Archie. Ray arrives looking for his father, but she says he's at work. He is happy to have found the lawyer, but she isn't happy. She doesn't seem to carry the racism like her husband, and Ray. He asks what's up with Archie and she says his daddy hits him, and one day it will be too much.

Jack finds Johnny, who says he'll need a screwdriver to get the radio out. Jack says no, it is their only way home. They need to stop Ray before heading back. Johnny has the album from the car, and Jack recognizes some of the men from town. He takes off.

Later, after having shown the sheriff the album and identifying the man who killed Ben, Jack is surprised the sheriff doesn't head right off to arrest him. Jack then sees the clan dragging the lawyer into a car and goes to help, but is tossed into the car, too. The clan speed off.

In a field, with another cross on fire, the men in robes arrive and drag Jack and Emmet out. The grand dragon tells the others they also have a spy in their midst, who has been lying to them about helping. Johnny slips out of the trunk of Ray's Chevy. The spy is identified as Ray, who the man thinks is their to turn them in to the FBI. Ray is tied up as he protests.

Johnny hotwires the Chevy, turns it on and drives toward the group, causing them to scatter. He jumps out and shoots off the shotgun, and Jack tells Emmet they need to get in the car. Johnny again shoots the gun, stopping one of the men so they can drive off. The clan decides to deal with things here first, and tie up Ray and his friend from the diner, thinking they are traitors. They light the men on fire as Ray begs his daddy for help. As Ray burns, his father realizes the witness must be his wife.

After dropping Emmet off, Johnny and Jack drive the Chevy to where they arrived in the past. Johnny wipes the blood off the radio. The car glows and they go back to the present, appearing in front of Micki and the mother of Archie and Ray, who realizes both her sons are gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My thoughts:

Heavy, to say the least. I wrote a huge summary because it felt wrong to leave off details here. But I hated writing so much of Ray's racist nonsense. Just felt so skeevy doing it. I can't fathom how a person could think that way about other people.

But Jack is right. Johnny calls the past bad, Jack says the present isn't much better, and here we are another 30 something years even from that and there are still monsters among us.

The time travel radio is cool, but the usage is so dark. Poor Elliot. Kid did literally nothing wrong, and Ray hated him. Sad, to say the least.

And Archie, too. I'm actually surprised his mother let Ray stay with them, when we find out she was the one who told about her husband in the past. I guess she ended up relying on Ray, but I'm surprised she didn't snap before then.

Weird how Ray's prophetic information was just laughed at by the clan. I would think the other men would have thought he was insane. And how shocked was the sheriff by the album when Jack brought it in. And who was taking the photos at those clan burnings?

I like how Micki was easy to cut Johnny some slack about the radio. Her and Ryan sold a ton of antiques when they first got to the store. But it made sense that Jack would be ticked off, at least at first. Johnny learned a lesson here, for sure.

Near the end, when the father had the thought of his wife being the witness, I thought we were going to see that the future had changed, but it apparently went no where. Odd to include that, then.

Dark episode. But kudos for the show in taking it on.

Next week: Night Prey

[sournote2014]

This show is actually kind of edgy in this way. On top of that, in “Achoo!”, Bubonic says, “If everyone were to sneeze harder than you, life would be hell!“

[videoreligion]

Night of the Demons III (1997) Review by RevTerry

[clemsfilmdiary]

Keeping Track (1986, Robin Spry)

2/19/22

[mariocki]

Scanners II: The New Order (1991)

“They said their lives were in danger. I guess they were right.”

[mrgordo82]

The party's almost over, with a look at the third installment of the original "Night of the Demons" trilogy- will it hold up to the others in retrospect? https://mrgordo82.blogspot.com/2020/11/franchise-review-night-of-demons-3-1997.html

[scenesandscreens]

Upside Down (2012)

Director - Juan Diego Solanas, Cinematography - Pierre Gill

“The universe, so full of wonders. I could spend hours and hours looking up at the sky. So many stars, so many mysteries. And there’s one very special star that makes me think of one very special person. Now let me tell you my story.”

[badmovieihave]

Bad movie I have Protection 2001

[tvmoviechristmas]

Swept Up by Christmas (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, 2020)

Grumpy Santa is a dealbreaker.

Starring: Lindy Booth, Justin Bruening, Vlasta Vrana, Susan Bain

Plot Synopsis: An antique seller and a cleaner clash over how to downsize a magnificent estate right before Christmas. As the two uncover the house's treasures, they find a way to reconnect the reclusive owner with his own Christmases past. (x)

In My Humble Opinion: If anyone knows me, they know my two favorite things are movies that serve as military propaganda and cleaning. So you can imagine how happy I was to watch Swept Up by Christmas! It’s everything, I could ever ask for ....ahahahahahahahaha. I’m joking. I’m joking. This movie was a nightmare for me.

You want to know what else was a nightmare though? Hallmark’s new 2020 Christmas wines. Back in September, I ordered them online with the idea that I would drink them and watch the Hallmark Channel to get the full wine mom stereotype experience. I was going to do a liveblog of my descent into drunken madness and it was going to be a joy for everyone to read*. 

However, when I sat down to do this back in early November, I quickly discovered a problem. Hallmark’s 2020 Christmas wines are awful. It took me four hours to finish the bottle of white wine, and I gave up halfway through the red wine because life is too short to suffer too much.

And you know what, that’s true. Don’t suffer through Hallmark wines and don’t suffer through Hallmark Movies & Mystery’s Swept Up by Christmas. Love yourself this holiday season. Aim higher in both your booze and movie-watching choices!

*I originally had plans to do a much longer post about this terrible wine experience even after I hated the wines (complete with pictures!) but my life became a trainwreck of bad news quickly after that night, and I didn’t have it in me to be funny in extended form. Still, I needed to put my opinions on Hallmark wines somewhere since I spent $50.00 on them. So here you go. It’s terrible. Don’t.

Watch If: You will never change up the old snowflake lights, if you are a closet sentimentalist or if you are punctual but don’t run on military time.

Skip If: You don’t have a story to share, if you would complain about dressing up as Santa for your company’s Christmas party or if you can decorate a Christmas tree without cider. 

Final Rating: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

If you like this blog, please consider donating to my Kofi page! You can also donate money to kbange@gmail.com through either Venmo or CashApp. Thank you!

[ruleof3bobby]

UPSIDE DOWN (2012) Grade: C+

It was one good bad guy away from really being good. Still very orignal and creative. Good DP work. I guess kirsten likes to kiss guys upside down. 

[fridaythe13ththeseries]

The Charnel Pit

Episode Recap #72: The Charnel Pit Original Airdate: May 26, 1990

Starring: Louise Robey as Micki Foster Steve Monarque as Johnny Ventura (as Steven Monarque) Chris Wiggins as Jack Marshak

Guest cast: Neil Munro as Marquis de Sade Vlasta Vrana as Webster Eby Cynthia Preston as Stephanie (as Cyndy Preston) Paul Coeur as Latour (as Paul Jolicoeur) Genevieve Langlois as Catherine Andrew Jackson as General Lafayette Christa Daniel as Larissa Gerard Parkes as Harold Lafontaine Nancy Cser as Countessa Demille Robert Nicholson as Innkeeper Louise Kidney as Peasant Girl Gabriel Burrafato as Bill (uncredited)

Written by Jim Henshaw Directed by Armand Mastroianni

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Open on Professor Eby lecturing a small class on the Marquis de Sade, with whom he seems to have an affinity. One student, Larissa, has issue with this, due to de Sade's sadism and perversion. She also mentions that the city is currently dealing with a serial killer, even a class member has died. Neither convinces the other of their viewpoint. One student, Stephanie, approaches Eby after class to let him know she appreciates his teachings.

That night, Eby has brought Stephanie to his home to talk more. She mentions having read books on de Sade by an Arno Eby, who the professor says was his father. He brings her upstairs to a locked room, which contains many devices used by de Sade, including a painting Eby says may have been painted by de Sade. Suddenly, he puts a blindfold over Stephanie's eyes, then he kisses her, biting her lip. He holds her finger up to get blood on it, then holds it towards the painting, telling her to do all "he" asks of her. Once the blood smears on the painting, it fades away and is like an opening to another place. He pushes her through. She falls and the blindfold is pulled off by another man, the Marquis de Sade himself. She has gone through time, as well. Eby watches as the painting reappears on his side, closing the portal.

Cut to credits.

Johnny asks what Jack and Micki are looking for, and it seems a travel agent called about a bill Lewis owed, so they are hoping his records can help find more cursed antiques. Johnny mentions the bodies being found by the river, but Jack says the bodies aren't from women reported missing. Johnny thinks that itself is strange. But they can connect any of them to cursed items.

In the past, de Sade has Stephanie tied up, telling her the pain he's inflicting isn't malicious. It is more to be seductive and introduce her to his world. He sends her upstairs with a lackey. Then he pulls out a scroll, and opens a door and takes a woman out. Another woman begs him to send a letter to her mistress. He locks her back inside. Then he takes the other woman to the painting. He puts the scroll in her hand and tosses her at the painting. She goes through it, into the present day, falling dead on Eby's floor. He quickly snatches up the scroll from her hand, happy to have it.

Micki is reading a note in the files where Lewis had plane tickets paid for by an Arno Eby. Seems Eby flew Lewis all over the world. One note talks about a package sent to an address Jack recognizes as an art gallery owned by one Harold Lafontaine. Jack wants them to talk to Lafontaine, but Micki reminds him she has an appointment tomorrow with a Mrs. Hudson about another antique.

His aide Latour comes in to wake de Sade, telling him General Lafayette has arrived with urgent business. He is instructed to dispose of the deceased Stephanie in his bed. Lafayette tells de Sade another peasant woman was found dead on his estate. The Marquis said she must have been trespassing. Lafayette is not a fan of de Sade, wishing he was back in prison, but he leaves being civil.

Eby comes in to his office and is met with a student, Larissa. He is preoccupied with the scrolls from de Sade. Larissa says Stephanie didn't come home last night and she saw them leave together. Eby claims ignorance, but she threatens going to the police. As she turns to leave, Eby knocks her out.

Micki goes to meet Mrs. Hudson and finds a note that the woman will return in 10 minutes. She waits in the doorway, and watches a car pull in to the home across the street. It's Eby and he carries a huge, rolled up carpet into the house. Micki is more than suspicious. She rushes next door and slips inside. Eby has brought the carpet with Larissa inside upstairs and ties her up. Micki grabs a poker and looks around, also heading upstairs. She spies Eby with Larissa and before she can hit him he punches her and they struggle. He hurls her toward the painting and Micki is cut. She knocks Eby away from her, but as she stands with blood on her hand she touches the painting, which opens the portal and she falls through. Eby watches.

On the other side, in the past, Micki wakes up. A peasant girl has seen what happened and goes to examine the painting, but is pulled through screaming, as Micki watches. Micki touches the painting, too, but it is now solid. On the other side, Eby searches the dead peasant and finding no parchment, wonders what he did wrong. Micki looks around and finds the letter the woman had written to her mistress, the Duchess Darnay, with a date of 1790. She hears de Sade's aide come down the stairs and avoids him, heading upstairs without him noticing.

Jack and Johnny meet with Lafontaine, who remembers Arno Eby, who has since died. He brought him paintings to evaluate, especially double-sided paintings, some with life on one side and death on the other. One specific painting, dating from the late 18th century, had pigments mixed with human blood. It was from the Bastille, apparently, with hyper-realistic images.

Micki has slipped into the room in an inn that the peasant woman talks about in the letter, having set up all of the Duchess' clothing and wigs there for her imminent arrival. Micki opens the chests, finding clothes and items to disguise herself for the year she's now trapped in.

De Sade comes from a hunt and his aide tells him about the missing servant girl and his worry about her telling the Duchess about all the Marquis has done, but he is not concerned.

Johnny and Jack wonder why Micki isn't home, but aren't over concerned. In the Manifest, Jack has found Arno Eby bought a writing box but nothing about the painting. Jack wonders what the painting could do, but then again wonders about Micki.

Larissa is tied up and thinks Eby killed the peasant woman on the floor. He scoffs, saying she just didn't survive the journey, then tells her he sends his "teacher" women, and if they please him, the man sends him knowledge. He also tells her to become a friend with pain.

Micki has donned the Duchess' clothes and wig, and a man arrives, surprised she has come. He then lets the Marquis inside, who begins to introduce himself to "the Duchess", then demurs, saying his reputation must precede him. He also asks after her maid servant, but she says she hasn't heard from her. The Marquis then invites her to his chateau. He offers pleasures none can resist. Micki can't help but be intrigued.

Jack calls Mrs. Hudson and finds out Micki never showed up. Johnny says no one in the neighborhood has seen her, but the police found another body in the river.

General Lafayette brings a woman, the Countess de Ville, to the Marquis' chateau via horse drawn carriage, and asks her to find out what de Sade knows about the dead peasant. At the door, de Sade introduces Duchess Darnay (Micki) to the Countess, who comments about the party being interesting since it is being given by the Marquis de Sade. Micki is concerned now, but doesn't let on.

Partygoers dance, and Micki tries to blend in. The Countess tries to find out about the Duchess connection to the Marquis, then talks about the dead peasant girls. She apparently told de Sade what Lafayette asked her to do, thinking it all preposterous. Micki slips away to look around and is caught by de Sade. She pretends to be interested in his hobbies and he takes her to his secret dungeon with his devices meant to cause pain, as well as the painting, which he says he painted in prison. They talk about his appreciation for pleasure and pain. Micki asks what happens here, he he says whatever they wish. His aide Latour then appears, saying Lafayette has arrived and is sending the guests away. The Marquis goes to deal with this, and before Micki can check out the painting, Latour escorts her back upstairs.

Angry, de Sade confronts Lafayette, who says another body was found on the estate. The guests all flee, but the Marquis is insistent in his innocence. He heads back inside as Micki leaves with the guests.

Jack and Johnny don't know what to do, but are glad the body found wasn't Micki. Johnny talked to a cop and found out all the bodies found had never had any dental work done. Jack speculates the women could be from another time. The are sure the painting is involved, sending one woman back and a dead woman forward.

Eby has been abusing Larissa, who is crying and bruised.

Micki writes about her predicament using the Duchess' writing case of supplies, in case something happens to her. As she writes, we see the Countess has rejoined the Marquis. They drink and indulge in intense painful acts. Micki writes about being intrigued by de Sade and his ideas about pain and pleasure, finishing with her own doubt in her knowledge. A knock on the door makes her quickly hide the letter in the writing box. At the door is the Marquis, who invites her back to his chateau. Micki smiles.

Jack tells Johnny that a pattern exists where women vanish the same day a different body is found by the river. Jack is worried that women can't make the return journey alive. Johnny has brought the probate papers for Arno Eby's estate. The find he left all to his son, who used to live in Toronto. Johnny also mentions that Eby wrote books on the Marquis de Sade. Jack is shocked.

In the past, Micki as the Duchess goes riding with de Sade. They both enjoy themselves. He asks how long she is staying in Paris, and she says it depends. She finds him fascinating, but she wonders how he feels when the admiration comes from an equal like her and not some peasant. The horse acts up and he goes to strike it, but she stops him. He says he can devise tests that can break her, and she says "Let's see."

Eby brings food to Larissa, who is sobbing and injured. Seems he is acting out his own version of what the Marquis has written on the poor woman.

Johnny has found that Eby moved many time since his father's death, but moved to this town the same time the disappearances began. Jack wonders if he moved to the father's old house and Johnny finds the address. They both jump up when the realize it is on the same street where Micki went to see Mrs. Hudson.

Micki is back in de Sade's room of sadism, and he is unsure of why she is so brave. She keeps up her confidence in his presence, but is shocked when he shows her the body of the Countess. She backs off and his aide grabs her. He knows the servant never made it to the Duchess' hotel room, so he pieced together that the woman went through the painting and Micki came forward through it. He says, like the charnel pit, life offers no escape but death. He has Micki tied up and takes down a whip.

Johnny and Jack break in to Eby's home. He is upstairs preparing to abuse Larissa even more. Jack and Johnny head upstairs, but Eby hears the stairs creak and hides. Opening the door, Johnny goes to help Larissa, but Eby hits Jack, knocking him out.

Micki spits on the Marquis as he relishes in the pain he plans to inflict. He tears her dress open.

Eby uses the lash to strike at Johnny and makes him bleed. Johnny stumbles, touches the painting and it opens. Johnny sees de Sade about to strike a tied up Micki and goes through. The Marquis' aide Latour grabs a sword but Johnny is able to knock it away. They struggle and Johnny pushes the man away, causing him to stumble into the painting, where he falls though, Latour stabbing Eby as he falls through. Jack has awoken in time to see this happen.

In the past, Johnny and de Sade fight with the swords. Johnny punches the Marquis, but he bounce back and the fight goes on. Micki struggles. Johnny grabs a chain and is able to knock the Marquis away enough to go and free Micki.

Jack has gotten blood from Eby on his hand and approaches the painting.

The Marquis lays on the ground and goes for his sword but Micki picks it up first. Suddenly, both Eby's and Latour's bodies come through the painting and fall dead on the floor. Johnny says Jack found a way and tells Micki to come and jumps through the painting. The Marquis taunts Micki, saying Johnny might have died going through. She holds the sword on him and he says she holds the power of life and death, daring her to kill him. She drops the sword and goes through the painting into Jack and Johnny's waiting arms. The painting closes. They are all relieved.

Johnny and Jack are putting the painting in the vault when Micki comes down. She says she's feeling better, and checked the hospital and Larissa is doing better, too. Micki spots the writing box on a shelf and recognizes it as the Duchess'. She opens it and finds her letter inside. Jack says Eby must have found the letter when he got his hands on it. Micki wonders if her letter ended being the cause for all the murders. Jack says no, that thoughts don't cause pain, people do. If they are looking to create evil, they'll find a way. He says they should close up the vault, and they do. One last time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My thoughts:

An awesome episode, such a great antique with an amazing power. Creative use of an item, too. A doorway to the past. Reminiscent of the civil war episode, in a way.

There are a few convenient plot devices, like Micki just happening to be across the street as Eby comes home, and both her and Johnny happening to touch the painting with blood on their hands. And, surprisingly, it is quite fair of the cursed item in the end, since it previously swapped a live person with a dead one, that when Jack sends through two dead people, it allows Johnny and Micki to go through and live.

Micki's fascination with de Sade was quite unexpected. I'd like to think she was only playing him to get back to his dungeon, but she does seem genuinely intrigued. And it is all played quite adult and sexual. Makes me wonder if they knew as they went into this one that it was the end, so why not kick it up a notch or two?

Also makes me wonder if Jack's line about the letter not being responsible for the evil actions Eby committed being a dig at those loud-mouths at the time ranting about horror television show like this one being responsible for young people committing dark acts. Seems spot on, to me, but maybe I am reading too much into it. Also wonder if it went over heads at the time.

Micki makes a good point though being concerned about the letter, but we have learned that the cursed items always find a way to get people to use them somehow. Why wouldn't the painting have found some way to get Eby to use it, too?

They must have known this was the final episode when they filmed that final shot of them closing the vault all together.

And that is sad, always. The show had grown a lot by this point, the actors in such a good groove. It all ended so abruptly, and much too soon. I miss the show, the characters, heck, even the store. At least it went out with a good episode, even though we never got a true finale.

Next week: No more recaps, since this was the final episode. I started these weekly recaps back in September 2012 and thought it would take a little over a year to complete. Well, it took 11 years, with some big gaps in between, but it is finally finished.

I have ideas for more content for the blog, so the love and celebration of the show will continue. Stay tuned!

[oppaiokudasai]

A Movie A Day #113: Mother Night (1996, directed by Keith Gordon)

A Movie A Day #113: Mother Night (1996, directed by Keith Gordon)

Four years after she played the mysterious (and dead) Laura Palmer in Twin Peaks, Sheryl Lee starred as another mysterious (and possibly dead) woman in Mother Night. Lee is cast as Helga Noth, the German wife of American expatriate Harold W. Campbell (Nick Nolte).  Harold is a playwright, living in Berlin and doing propaganda broadcasts for the Nazis.  Working with Frank Wirtanen (John Goodman),…

[kritikycz]

Top Secret

Americký pilot za letu neuposlechne rozkaz a shodí velký náklad potravin hladujícím utečencům ze Středního východu. Z obavy před publicitou se ho představitelé amerických vzdušných sil snaží dostat do ústraní. Pověří ho novou úlohou – strážit prezidentovu speciální kufřík s počítačem na spustění nukleární války. Když se prezident se svým novým strážcem aktovky vrací z konference do hotelu, přepadnou je teroristé a zmocní se kufříku. V přímém televizním přenosu požádují prezidentovu sabevraždu, jinak odpálí jadernou raketu na Washington.

Top Secret was originally published on Kritiky.cz

[saturdaynightmatinee]

CALIFICACIÓN PERSONAL: 6 / 10

Título Original: The Assignment

Año: 1997

Duración: 114 min.

País: Canadá

Director: Christian Duguay

Guion: Dan Gordon, Sabi H. Shabtai

Música: Normand Corbeil

Fotografía: David Franco

Reparto: Aidan Quinn, Ben Kingsley, Donald Sutherland, Claudia Ferri, Céline Bonnier,Vlasta Vrana, Liliana Komorowska

Productora: Allegro Films / Triumph Films

Género: Action, Crime, Thriller

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118647/

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weCyA61c3F0&t=24s

[movieassholes]

So this is the Taarakian. Somehow, I thought it would be more difficult to capture a Taarakian.

Barbarian Leader - Heavy Metal (1981)

[batteriofago]

Q & A

Ringrazio galsbook per avermi nominato, anche se qui nella casa sto crescendo tantissimo e ho legato davvero con tutti, Aléssia. Qui è tutto amplificato.

Vi avverto che sarà una cosa lunga, e inoltre non ho scritto con i rientri giusti perchè non sono capace e non ne ho voglia. Ah, this list of trivial sentences is written in italian, sorry speakers of other-and-more-useful-and-interesting languages. I just can't write in English, my fault. 

1. Cosa rispondevi alla domanda “cosa vuoi fare da grande?” quando eri piccola/o?

Il progettista di giostre (lo giuro). Facevo piantine dettagliatissime di giostre di lusso, roba da Gardaland, Disneyland Resort o Orlando's Six Flags. Ma soprattutto adoravo disegnare quelle dove si cammina, tipo casa del terrore. In genere erano percorsi tortuosi caratterizzati da gradini che si muovono, tronchi girevoli, soffi d'aria improvvisi, apparizioni di Barbra Streisand. Avrei anche voluto fare il fumettista.

2. Fuori fa freddo e piove… Cioccolata calda o tè?

Allora la cioccolata calda mi mette ansia per non so quale ragione. Quindi tè, ovviamente mentre leggo Bucoschi, vado sotto le coperte con le luminarie di natale e guardo Sherlock sul MacBook Pro. O skins, o Supernatural.

3. Come reagiresti se qualcuno accanto a te dovesse incitarti a guardare in cielo perché afferma di aver appena visto un UFO?

Guarderei anch'io verso l'alto, sperando che sia tutto vero e che gli alieni mi prendano e facciano di me quello che vogliono.

4. Serie tv preferita.

Modern Family (amori) e American Horror Story (che oscilla sempre tra il cult e la puttanata di proporzioni cosmiche). Game of Thrones davvero c'ho provato, e in alcuni punti mi piace, però che noia, le serie da 55 minuti a episodio davvero non le reggo.

5. Stai parlando con Leopardi e Manzoni: chi dei due faresti fuori prima? Scegli tu il modo, basta che li fai fuori entrambi.

Manzoni, facendogli recitare il testo di Muchacha di Anna Tatangelo sul palco del palazzetto dello sport di Cernusco sul Naviglio. A Leopardi farei organizzare il Fuori Salone. Da solo.

6. Hai una macchina del tempo che ti permette di nascere in un’epoca diversa da quella attuale e in un Paese diverso da quello in cui vivi: quando e dove nasceresti?

Prima mi fermerei nella casa di Milano, il 12 marzo di questo anno e farei un backup di tutto e me lo salverei su chiavette usb. Poi ritornei sulla time machine e andrei nella San Francisco degli anni '70-80. Ah dovevo nascere in un'altra epoca e da un'altra parte. Vabbè.

7. Il periodo della tua vita di cui ti vergogni di più (la fase bimbominchia l’abbiamo avuta tutti, forza!)

Non credo di aver mai vissuto.

8. Rapporto con la Chiesa e la religione in generale.

Morissero tutti. Per quanto il nuovo papa sia meno peggio dell'altro nazista, è ancora per colpa della Chiesa se qui non esitono leggi che permettano alle persone di essere felici. Nell'ultima frase credo di aver sbagliato il congiuntivo. Ma si sa, è nella morale cattolica vivere da ipocriti repressi e ignoranti, (far finta di) soffrire da vivi per poi essere mangiati dai vermi da morti.

I'm not religious, but I feel so moved.

9. Pratichi air guitar?

No, spiacente. Ihihi.

10. La parola più bella del mondo.

Infranti, aggettivo maschile plurale.

E ora tocca a me.

Miley Ray Cyrus: for or against?

Lynch o Cronenberg?

Dolce preferito (non Domenico, dolce da mangiare intendo)?

Analisi comparata dell'indimenticata performance di I'm A Slave 4 U di Britney&Pitone Giallo ai VMA.

Guilty pleasure più guilty?

Film che guarderesti in loop per l'eternità?

Donatella: Rettore o Versace?

Fill the gap: Destroy everything you touch, today, destroy me, ________________

Anche secondo te Azealia Banks finirà a friggere ali di pollo in un KFC di Cleveland, Ohio?

Insetto che non puoi soffrire?

Chiedo a nanimatteruno e lamentodellosbronzo di chiudere un occhio sulla mia oggettiva deficienza e rispondere seriamente ai quesiti sopra elencati. Ma anche no, insomma vedete voi cosa fare. In ogni caso, lo sapete, x.