The Underwater Realm and the New Age of Film

Cross posted from Yellow Bunting

Filmmaking is an industry primarily driven by money. Of course it is artistic but primarily films get money poured into them because they are financially viable and will make a profit.

However, with the rise of the Internet and free content there as been a slight push away from this as content becomes more accessible.  Similarly resources and contacts also become more accessible and the process of making a film is there for the audience to see even before the final product is ready.  For example, Felicia Day’s series The Guild is available first through paid subscription and then in bite size episodes free to view on You Tube. It is low budget but has a huge fan base that extends to the creation of the Geek and Sundry channel on You Tube that has a host of daily low budget and high entertainment shows free to view. The Guild was even inspiration for Joss Whedon’s “show that broke the internet” Dr Horrible’s Sing-a-long Blog.

The Cabin in the Woods

I like Joss Whedon. I dislike Horror. I debated about going to see Cabin in the Woods at all but when I did I was really glad, I mean really, really glad.  It’s directed by Drew Goddard who co-wrote with Whedon. As well as penning scripts for both Angel and Buffy, Goddard was a producer on lost and wrote the screenplay for Cloverfield, as such he has experience with taking old concepts and putting a quirky spin on them. The strength of the movie lies in the fact that it isn’t really a horror film at all. It’s a deconstruction. A witty, dark and ultimately questioning deconstruction.  There’s not too much more you can say about the film without spoiling it for a potential viewer and the film is really only effective if you go into it not knowing what to expect.  There’s fun at the beginning going “Hey! There’s Fred from Angel” or “Hey it’s Thor!” (Side note: Am very much looking forward to The Avengers) and the slow build up to the point where the shit really hits the fan is tantalising and evocative of the golden age of the slasher flick (That is, if you are one who holds the opinion that there was a ‘golden age of the slasher flick’ but I digress.)

But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain and an athlete and a basket case, a princess...
and a criminal. Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club. (Sort of)

As I say, it is a supremely hard film to describe without giving away what the core of the movie is but I will say that everything after the scene in the elevator is extremely rewarding for the viewer and the film is crowned with a delightful cameo and an awesome final shot. Cabin in the Woods doesn’t skimp on the horror or the blood (Warning for the squeamish! Plus the aforementioned post-elevator sequence takes this to eleven) and there are plenty of jump scares but the film never strays from it’s message. It’s also extremely fun to watch and there are some great lines, most of which are delivered by Marty. All in all it is recommended viewing.

Fun fact: Drew Goddard played “Fake Thomas Jefferson” in Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog. God Bless IMDB.

More later x