Holy crap, it's been long...

Honestly didn't mean to take so long to write on here.  Just been busy.  Like, really busy.

So, Halloween was nice.  Totally forgot what I watched, since it's been so long.  But I do know I bridged the gap between Halloween and Christmas by watching the "All Through The House" episode of Tales From The Crypt the next morning.

Black Friday was...well...busy.  I'm getting too old for this shit.  I hope I can get a job where I can either sleep in on Black Friday, or just avoid shopping all together.  However, I spent my entire post Black Friday check on Christmas presents.  Seriously, where did the $$$ go?  Though I did buy myself a couple things: Giallo Scrapbook 1, and copies of Scorpion's Kiss and Obsession: A Taste For Fear (which I know I am not allowed to like but feel I will love).

And in other great news, I entered Orchid into a contest last month.  I wasn't expecting to place or anything.  I entered mainly to get the judges' feedback form, so I could get more insight on how to improve it.

And...

Instead...

I got 2nd place!

Holy crap!  Like, holy freakin' crap!  2nd place!

And it wasn't even a horror/thriller contest.  It was all genres.  That has made my week.

Still haven't gotten the judges' feedback form, but my name is on the website.  Check it out: www.writemovies.com

Okay.  Watching TV.  Relaxing as much as I can between retail bouts.

Later.
-Justin

Long time, no update...

It's been almost a month.  Hasn't it?

No excuses.  I've been lazy.  Not writing anything.  Just working, watching movies, and napping.  Probably subconsciously resting up for the busy Christmas season ahead at work.

I have been mapping out my upcoming writing projects, however, and scheduling them.  Some interesting developments.

My current project is my romantic comedy.  Working on it with a friend.  I need to ask him to light a fire under my ass.  Because I'm lazy.  Deadlines imposed by others make me actually work.

Then my next project will most likely be my next giallo, "She Has Rebecca's Eyes."  Think Body Puzzle meets Blink meets 70's giallo depravity.  Good gory fun.

Also retooling another horror idea I have called "Butterfly Collector."  I've written and re-written the opening scene at least four times over the past ten years.  Probably the most emotional piece I've done.  I think I keep putting this one off because I know it would never get produced.  Too dark, too bleak, no happy ending for anyone.

And I've been thinking about "Proxy," my sci-fi giallo.  After a thorough dissection, I've determined I accidentally wrote the second installment of a trilogy.  But three screenplays won't cut it.  This story needs novels.

Lately I've been thinking about writing a book about gialli.  I've been teetering back and forth on the subject, trying to figure out what style to do it in, what exactly to write about, etc.  Still debating on it.  My professor has been a great help, though.  Maybe I'll expand one of my film series and see how it goes.

And, yes, I've watched a lot of gialli lately.  I don't even know if I can name them all.  I'll go through them later and let you know.

Okay.  Gonna watch some TV and go to bed early.  Morning shift tomorrow.

Later.
-Justin

Starter Gialli

Sorry about the absence.  Lots of stuff going on.  Working more hours, getting my graduation figured out, etc.  And finally catching up with Breaking Bad on Netflix (halfway through season 3).

My grandfather died a few weeks ago, so last week I flew up to Toledo to attend the service.  Spent quite a lot of time with my cousin, who follows Italian Lemonade (shout out to Zach!).  At one point over beer, he asked me for some good gialli to introduce himself to the genre.

And I blanked.

You see, there's a difference between the top gialli and the ones that you should use to introduce one to the genre.  As brilliant as films like Perfume of the Lady in Black and So Sweet So Dead are, going into them blindly without any previous giallo experience would throw you for a loop.

So now I've searched my library, as well as other sources, and think I've found a few that would make great starts to the genre.

Criteria: They must be good films, of course.  They must also fit the most basic requirements of a giallo (namely black trenchcoats, beautiful women in peril, a central mystery).  And they must be available on Netflix, because I'm not gonna send anyone on a wild goose chase to introduce themselves to a genre.  I've left out a few, even though they are indeed classics, because I feel you need to see other films in the genre first to understand how they transcend what else was out at the time.

Feel free to add a few in the comments as well.

So...here goes...

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage-Even though gialli existed before this film, this one really started the boom.  This one established the formula and for the next four years gialli tried to replicate this film most of all.

Don't Torture a Duckling-Because Fulci needs to be seen, and I feel of his gialli, this is his most accessible (despite the hard-to-defend title).  I've been trying to get my giallo-curious friends into it, and for a while it was even STREAMING on Netflix.

Black Belly of the Tarantula-A truly great giallo.  Three Bond girls (I count Casino Royale, so bite me), an ingenious murder method, and a good mystery at the same time.  Why isn't this on Blu Ray?

The Case of the Bloody Iris-This one does everything right, IMHO.  It has Edwige Fenech, queen of the giallo.  It also has that fantastic score by Bruno Nicolai.  And the film itself is such a breeze that I find myself rewatching it at least once a year (and I'm not much of a repeat viewer).

Blood and Black Lace-Sure, this one is a bit slow moving, but it's one of the best uses of color in a horror film.  That plus a salacious score (which later got re-used for A Dragonfly for Each Corpse).

Stagefright-80's giallo supreme!  Pure fun.  I hear Michele Soavi's back in the directors chair...can someone send him a copy of Orchid?

So, there's my list.  I'm sure I'll come up with more later, but these are worthy intros.  Put them on your Netflix queue.  And thank me later.

Later.

-Justin

Back to watching...and buying...

So.

I'm not writing my giallo anymore.  And school's officially out.  So I'm pretty much just working.  And getting started on finding a job outside of retail.

In the next few days I will be able to relax and watch some gialli again.

Also bought a few more: Bad Inclination, Body Puzzle, and Sotto il Vestito Niente-L'ultima Sfilata (Nothing Underneath: The Final Show).  Bringing the total to 105.

Sotto...and my previous purchase of Love and Death in the Garden of the Gods are both special purchases because they are not English friendly in any way.  Sotto bombed at the box office so of course they were just gonna dump it on disk.  And Love and Death is from Cinekult, who has been releasing a shitload of gialli without any subtitles (even when subs are available on bootlegs from such sites as www.zddvisualmedia.com and www.cinema-de-bizarre.com ).  I might pick up another non-English friendly movie and make a mini-marathon of it, seeing if I can appreciate them without knowing what on earth they're saying (I only speak an Italian dialect known as Pasta).

Let's see what else is out there for me...

Later.
-Justin

Back from the professor...

Boy am I tired.

Long day.  Long long long day.

I had my meeting with my professor regarding my script.  I still have a way to go before this bad boy would be ready to send out.  Which I completely understand and freely admit.  During the discussion, I think I dawned on why this script was so hard.  This one feels like a sequel to an unwritten original.  It has all sorts of concepts that are in place in my mind, but there is no room to establish them.  I need to write a first story that plants these concepts.

While we talked, I figured out the basic storyline and how I could establish these ideas.  And I already thought of how a Proxy 2 would have worked out.  Do I smell a trilogy?  Maybe...

Anyhow, I got a B for the course.  Not bad, considering how I struggled with this script.

On another note, I just released my first line of fabrics for sale on www.spoonflower.com.  If you have any sewing needs, check these out.

http://www.spoonflower.com/collections/22047

Okay.  I'm gonna relax.

Later.
-Justin

Coming Down...

Still going through the myriad of emotions of this screenplay.  Feeling it's the worst thing I've ever written. Wishing I'd gone with my other giallo concept instead.  That one had none of the sci-fi trappings, so I could've used the whole script writing what I do best--murder pieces (it's actually quite disturbing how good my set pieces are).

I spoke with another professor tonight, and he said he goes through the same emotions with every project he does.  Which makes me feel a lot better.  Now that it's turned in for good, he told me to stay away from it for 4-6 months.

So in the meantime, I'm trying to get more time at work, since I graduate in two weeks.  More time = more $$$ = less debt.

And on the side I'm actually releasing my stress through a strange endeavor.  I'm designing fabric.  On Spoonflower.com you can design your own fabric and have it made for whatever kind of project you want to do.  I can't sew (yet), but I've been making my own designs and I'm about to make my first collection available for sale.  Not giallo related, but still eye-catching and pretty, IMHO.  When this collection becomes available for sale, I'll let y'all know.

Of course I couldn't do that project and completely abandon gialli/Italian horror.  I made up a few prints for my own personal use using giallo poster art.  I plan on someday learning how to sew so I can make myself a shirt with the skull/butterfly image from the Bloodstained Butterfly poster.  And another with the poster art for AAA Massagiatrice Bella...you know the rest of that title.

And now that my second draft is turned in, I've managed to find the time to watch more movies.  Watched Open Coffin Empty Tomb on Saturday.  Really enjoyed it.  It's a slow burner, but it paid off at the end.  And I watched Death Steps in the Dark last night.  That one didn't really do anything for me.  I might just have been tired, though.

Okay.  I'm going to bed.  It's 1:12 and I've been up since 6 or so.  I'm tired.

Later.
-Justin

He merely abandons it...

No, I'm not quitting Italian Lemonade.  Just finishing a quote.  "No artist finishes his work, he merely abandons it..."

I finished my second draft of my screenplay for my independent study.

And...I...kinda...hate it.

Maybe it's just from having been involved in it all summer.  I dunno.

I rearranged a lot of it and changed the flow.  Took out some of the scenes, added new scenes.  The giallo elements are more consistent throughout.  In the previous draft, the giallo moments don't start until around page 50.  Now it starts in the 20's.  Added another death scene, too.

But I ended up cutting some of the more emotional scenes at the same time.  And where I had some scenes juxtaposed together for a specific reason, I had to separate them this time.

Maybe it's a better draft.  Maybe it isn't.  I don't know.  I think I'm just still on overload.

Downloading a couple movies I rented off iTunes.  It was storming really bad.  Now it's gotten better, but I'll have something to watch should the power go out.

Giallo tonight?

Later.
-Justin

Instead of doing what I'm SUPPOSED to be doing...

By the time I got off of work tonight, between the rain and the fatigue, I didn't get to editing Proxy/A Flash of White/Whatever it's gonna end up being called.

Instead I farted around.  And now I'm on the computer while listening to the love theme from Dracula 3D and watching Law and Order SVU.

This draft is due Friday.  Whatever am I gonna do?

Anyhow, I'm taking a mental break from that script and thinking about Orchid again.  I love the set pieces of that script.  I've been thinking about my idea to film it with Barbie dolls again.  Kind of a "if Todd Haynes did a giallo instead of Karen Carpenter's life story." thing.  Maybe a trailer.  Then maybe use that to expand to a 20 minute short (Indie Go Go?).

I've discussed it with my equally twisted sister, who has an extensive Barbie collection.  She's willing to make slutty Barbie clothes (and a trenchcoat?) for the cause.  I'd have to build a simple 1:6 scale set that could be easily redressed.  And I'd need a camera.  Which I need anyway.  And I'd have to learn how to do stop-motion.  Which was available at one point at school but now isn't (and I'm graduating anyway).

But I really kinda wanna do this.  It'd be fun.  Well, at least the end result would be fun.  I dunno.

Maybe it's just my mind wandering to avoid editing this other script.

What do you think?

Seriously, responses would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Later.
-Justin

What did I get myself into?

Trying to rearrange things in this screenplay.  It's a mess.  Why did I choose to do this script?  I could've done my romantic comedy and had it so easy.

"I know!  I'll challenge myself!  It'll be fun!"

Bugh.

Please send good vibes my way.  I need all of them.

BTW, What Have They Done To Your Daughters was great.  More dynamic than Solange, IMHO.  Solange had a better score, though.

Back to the grind.

Later.
-Justin

My brain is overheated. I think I smell bacon.

So.

Had my meeting with my professor regarding my first draft.

Still absorbing.

He said I have some good ideas with the sci-fi thing, but that I jump from one to another without a common thread or arc to unify them.  Which I totally get.  I feel the need to put in all these ideas for this expansive world in so few pages.  To put all these ideas in at once would require a novel.  Or a trilogy.

Told me to lose or completely retool the main story, which revolved around the murder of a little girl.  While I used this to initially blow up into a bigger thing, it didn't really fit.  Understandable.  But that part of the story was the emotional center for me.  I'll have to contemplate this.

Simplify the story.  Killer's motive is too complicated.  Keep it simple.

There wasn't nearly enough giallo for his liking.  It came in too late, too.  Make it more of a straight up giallo.  Said that's where I was in my element.  I totally agree with this.  I only have two giallo moments in the whole thing, and if I am to make it a sci-fi/giallo hybrid, I need more giallo.  It's like cowbell with leather gloves.

He also kind of suggested upping the sleaze factor.  Which I might do.  Though sometimes I already feel like Joe Eszterhas with nicer tits.

How am I gonna be able to do all this in two weeks?

I already came up with an idea for some of it.  I just need to sit down and think it through.

Where's my insulin pump that dispenses caffeine?

Later.
-Justin

Digesting, Decompressing, DONE...

I finished my second screenplay today.  Turned it into the professor.  Should hear back from him in the next few days.

This is the fabled sci-fi/giallo hybrid.

And my brain hurts.

This one ends on a completely different tangent than the original synopsis.  And ended up being less of a giallo than originally planned.  Really only two giallo-esque murders (both of which would turn me into the New King Of The Eyeball Gag.  FULCI LIVES!).  That said, I think it's enough of a giallo for fellow enthusiasts to catch.

A lot more dramatic than I expected.  Some really sad moments.  It's also the darkest thing I've ever written.  Like, really dark.  Who Saw Her Die looks like a comedy compared to this.

Well, now that I've turned everything in, I can now lift my "No Movie Watching" rule.  And guess what arrived yesterday...

My FREAKING AWESOME HAUL from www.cinema-de-bizarre.com

I also ordered Love and Death in the Garden of the Gods, raising my total to 102.  The Cinekult DVD was on eBay, and I HAD to have it.  Sure, it isn't English friendly, but I've wanted this movie so badly since I read about it in Blood and Black Lace.

Hmm...which one should I watch?

Anyhow, I'm gonna decompress now.  Celebrated finishing my script with a big honkin' meal at East Side Pizza.  Now I need to rest a bit before an early bedtime.  Morning meeting tomorrow, then I have the rest of the day off...and trust me, I'm relaxing all day tomorrow.

Later.
-Justin

Writer's Block...

Bugh.  Establishing everything is the hardest part of screenwriting.  Settings, characters, concepts.  I'm never writing sci-fi again.  Unless I get hired to work on a big budget movie and get some M. Night Shyamalan bucks.

Script due in less than two weeks.  Updates here will be sporadic.  Especially considering how little I've written so far.

Find a way to see Squillo.  Great little thriller that slipped through the cracks.  Carlo Vanzina gets no love in giallo circles.  Duder made this and Nothing Underneath.  And Mystere, which I'm getting in a few weeks.

Speaking of which, Go to www.cinema-de-bizarre.com!  Tell them Justin Kosch sent you!  Take advantage of the BLOWOUT sale!  And buy 2 get 1 free always!

Okay.  Decompressing before work.  Maybe I'll try to write tonight.

Later.
-Justin

Milestone

So.

I wish I could say I'm working on my script.  But I've been slacking.  So now I have three weeks to write the rest of it.  BLAH.

But once I get it turned in, I have a lot more gialli coming in to decompress with.

I just made a couple of orders, and soon I will be the proud owner of...

101 gialli!

Let's see what all I've ordered...

Blind Date (Scandal In Black)
Strip Nude For Your Killer (Blu Ray)
Squillo
Mystere
Bloodstained Butterfly
Open Tomb, Empty Coffin
Amuck
Death Haunts Monica
Orgasmo
Pensione Paura
What Have They Done To Your Daughters?
Tropic of Cancer
Death Steps In The Dark
A Quiet Place To Kill
Murder Mansion

I've seen Bloodstained Butterfly (and owned it for a while, but it got mixed up with Dad's VHS tapes so it's a re-buy) and Strip Nude For Your Killer.  Everything else is brand new for me.  I also ordered a documentary about gialli, Dear Dead Delilah, and The Prey.  I dunno what The Prey is even about, but it's uncut.  And free.

Oh how I have fallen in love with www.cinema-de-bizarre.com  They're having a 20% off blowout sale.  Just type in BLOWOUT at checkout.  And for every 2 movies you buy, you get one FREE.  Do yourself a favor and check them out.

Ah, happy day...

Later.
-Justin

Early night

I'm only on page nine of this script.  My brain hurts.  But I think I'll try to wait until I get feedback on the first few pages before starting again.

Changed the look of the site.  My eyes hurt when I would go from the yellow-on-black to other websites.  This probably ain't much better.

Got my tax check.  Probably gonna spend a super small portion of it on Cinema De Bizarre.  Any recommendations?

Later.
-Justin

Quickie, because I need rest

I'm on page 8.

It's not just perfect.  It's divine.

Well, it's horrible, but I wanna stay positive.

All this bath salt crap in the news is making me want to make a short film.  Pretty much making a zombie movie about bath salts the way only Fulci could have.  But alas, I have too much on my plate at the moment.  Class, working on two scripts at once, working in retail...

Maybe when the summer's over.  Because there'll be more incidents in the news by then.

And if it happens, who's with me?

Later.
-Justin

Had my meeting...

Holy shit my foot hurts.

Stupid gout.  Stupid me for going back to a shitty diet when I vowed to never do it again.  Fuuuuuucccccckkkkk...I'm all hobbly.  And probably gonna have a Vicodin before the end of the night.

Anyhow, I managed to hobble my way over to my meeting today regarding "Proxy."

Went well, I guess.

He said I had too many ideas for one screenplay, and that a lot of things are mentioned and then untouched for the rest of the story.  Which makes a lot of sense.  I did stockpile a lot of ideas into the treatment.  But at the same time, I think it just looks like a lot when crammed into a 10 page summary, but when woven into a 100-135 page narrative could fit perfectly.  I could just be in love with my ideas and refusing to let them go.  I'm an Aries and I have my mother's "winner complex."

He did make a good point that the goal of the protagonist is muddled.  What starts off as a straight-ahead detective case becomes a mess.  I need to clarify a lot of it.  And by the end it relies on too many coincidences.  That happens when you write 8 pages in 4 hours.

He told me to ditch the religious-group angle that I put in it because it disappears by the end of the script.  But I want to keep it in.  Maybe expand upon it.  It's the most emotional part of my fictional world, in my opinion.

He did think I did a good job establishing the more sci-fi aspects, including the "Proxy" that the film revolves around.  I need to build them, though, and make the finale more intense.

All in all, a productive meeting.

Okay.  I gotta put my feet up.  Stupid gout.

Later.
-Justin

Before I clock in to work...

A few random thoughts.

Did I ever tell y'all about a sequel to Phenomena that I wrote when I was 16?  I'll have to elaborate on it at some point.  Had one of my favorite scenes I've ever written.  Unfortunately I never got to finish it because we had a house fire that took the computer.

Once I get this film series finished for my independent study, I am SO watching a giallo or two.  Partially for inspiration, partially because it's just been too damn long.

Speaking of independent study, my professor and I are meeting to discuss my synopsis/treatment on Thursday.  I'm excited and nervous all at the same time.  I don't know what he thinks about it at all.  He loves my giallo-lust, though, so I know he'll probably appreciate those aspects.

Especially excited because he's the only person who knows my whole story.  I've told some people bits and pieces of my concept, and they say they dug it, but this is the first time someone's seen the whole thing.

Okay.  I gotta take a shower and get ready for work.  BLAH.

Later.

-Justin

THUD!

Have I already called myself a dumbass yet?  I'm too tired to roam through my archives.

My synopsis was due today.  A 2-4 page condensed edition of the story I want to tell over the summer.

And I kept putting it off.

And putting it off.

Until Wednesday, when I realized I needed to do something.  I got a page and a half done, then pretty much put it off again until today.

Wouldn't have been so bad if it had stayed a 2-4 page assignment.

But because I'm mixing sci-fi with giallo, I had to stop every couple paragraphs to explain what every new term meant.  This stretched it out.

And then I had to completely figure out the third act while I wrote it.  I knew who the killer was, and his motive, but I had to plant the seeds and everything.

So 2-4 pages eventually turned into 10.  And probably 8 of those were written in a four hour period.

I turned it in at 6 this evening.  I'm mentally exhausted, like I did three finals at once.

And to think I probably have to churn out 15 pages a week to make my first deadline of July 6.  I'm aiming for July 4, so I can spend July 5 with a bottle of wine and Italian food of some kind.

Still have no official title.  I'm calling it "Proxy" for now.  But last night I came up with the title Acid Rain and it's been floating around ever since.  I need to sleep and think about it some more...Maybe I'll post a logline and see if anyone can help me come up with a title.

Watching Machete now.  It's brainless entertainment.  I need brainless entertainment.

This is the part where I fish for support.  So...support? :)

Later.
-Justin

Decompression complete...I think

The only thinking I've been doing lately is work related.  And even that's been pretty sporadic.  But I needed some time to NOT think until summer classes started.

Spent a lot of time watching sci-fi movies for inspiration, however:  Strange Days, Robocop, Hardware, Enter The Void (not really a sci-fi per se, but a total mindfuck if there ever was one).  Now I think I'm about ready to start working on this script.  I have the main trajectory of the story in my head.  I have the killer's identity, too.  And tomorrow, I plan on having something down on paper regarding the concept/the invention it revolves around/how Detroit ended up the way I envision it in the script.

Well, not down on PAPER.  It'll be on my laptop.  Same difference.

I have a 2-4 page synopsis due next Friday.  And the first ten pages due two weeks after that.  And the first draft is due July 6th.  Because I'm a dumbass who likes to punish myself.

I guess I oughta get some sleep.  Work in the morning.  Maybe I'll fall asleep trying to conjure up a title that blends giallo and sci-fi.  Butterfly With Copper Wings?

Later.
-Justin

Commencement

Commencement is in, like, 4 1/2 hours.

And, of course, I have pulled everything off at the last minute.  Clothes shopping, shoe shopping, haircut...About to shave and shower.

Still have summer classes.  But I'm sure I'll ace them.  Because I'm just brilliant that way.

Watched My Dear Killer the other night.  I can't believe I hated this movie so much when I first saw it.  See what a good night's sleep can do?

Okay.  I still gotta get some stuff together.  Commencement at 7.  3 hour ceremony.

Later.
-Justin

And he landed on the mattress with a sigh of relief...

The semester is officially over.

And I have not had any responsibility since Monday night.

And it feels GREAT.

Got my grades back.  Got an A in Directing, an A in 70's Film Genres, an A- in Acting for the Camera, and a B+in Production Design.  3.75 average.  Pretty damn good, if I may say so myself.

Of course, now I am mentally drained.  But not as drained as I was on Monday night.  I was barely able to string words together into a coherent sentence at work by the end of the night.

I'm caught up for the most part now, sleepwise.  But I still feel a nap coming on today.

So.  Onto the new giallo.  I've decided to compile some movies together and watch them for research.  Mainly darker gialli and cyberpunk/higher-concept sci-fi.  Hence wanting to revisit My Dear Killer.  Watched Strange Days last night.  Some great ideas, but muddled, IMHO.

Also sent for Enter The Void.  And might break down and watch The Matrix (even though it's White Rabbit stretched out to two hours or so).

I'm not well versed at all in sci-fi movies.  Can anyone recommend anything?

Also, can anybody recommend some good music for sci-fi writing?

Gonna start a couple brainstorm/sketch sessions this week.  This giallo is gonna rock.

Later.
-Justin

I'm seeing the light...

This semester is ALMOST OVER!

About freaking time.

Every semester, I tell myself, "This is the hardest semester!  And next semester will be SO much easier!"  And then it's not.

My last day is Monday.  I turn in one project and present another.  Yes, my professor assigned TWO projects for the same day.  And a paper.  Which I just finished a half hour ago.

Then it's off to work on my giallo/sci-fi hybrid.

Monday after class, I'm treating myself to some Chipotle.  Then swinging by the Naro and picking up some movies.  Because my stupid ass proposed a film series assignment for my independent study.  And because I need to watch some anyway.

Think I'm gonna re-evaluate My Dear Killer.  I saw it once and hated it.  But looking back, I realized that I was really sleep deprived when I sat down to watch it and that may have soured my experience.  Plus it's super dark and I need to get to that place to write this script.

Okay.  20 minutes before I gotta start getting ready for work.  My head hurts.  Please let the idiots not come in tonight...

Later.
-Justin

If I were to...

If I were going to start looking into Italian/Euro-Crime movies, what would you suggest I start with?

Been thinking about it lately.  Might make a cool element to add my giallo/sci fi mashup.  Which my professor likes, BTW.

Later.
-Justin

Hey, look! A new poll!

At the top of the page, there is a new poll.  Do me a favor and VOTE!

This semester is almost over.  And a day of watchin gialli is long overdue.

My brain is fried.

Later.
-Justin

Tasty Brains...

Ah, that wonderful time of year where everything piles up at once.

Finals.

I just turned in two papers for the same class within a day of each other.  One was a ten page research paper comparing sexuality in 70's American horror and 70's Italian horror.  The other was a five page paper explaining how Mikel J. Koven's La Dolce Morte is an excellent source for my ten page research paper.

Proud of myself considering the research paper though.  I managed to write 1000 words of it in under two hours right before class.  I would say God Bless AMP energy drink, but that stuff is the devil and should only be taken in moderation.

Yesterday I had to take an obviously much needed break.  Between the paper on Tuesday, and work that night, I was totally spent.  Coworkers were telling me to go home and get some rest.  I really must've looked like shit.  Ended up taking a nap while doing laundry, and my body thanked me for every extra minute of rest.

Anyhow, I used the four-hour break between classes today to write my proposal for next semester's independent study.  May have bitten off more than I can chew.  But considering I only have one other class at a time, I oughta be able to pull it off.

Considering taking my professor's advice and mixing giallo with a "more profitable" genre for this new screenplay.  So that might be my next project (romantic comedy still going on, too).  I remembered an old sci-fi concept that I always kept on the back burner because I'm not much of a sci-fi fan.  But I figured out how to use that concept to cleverly disguise my giallo aesthetics into something with sequel potential.  Because how many giallo movies have sequels? (Nothing Underneath doesn't count)

Since I have a lack of sci-fi knowledge, I proposed adding a Film Series of some sci-fi movies to acquaint myself with some movies that I think are similar to what I want.  Mainly Strange Days,and  eXistenZ (which I have seen).

Which leads me to ask: What do you guys think of Strange Days?  Would you see another movie with similar ideas?

Okay. I'm gonna fart around for another half hour.  Then off to 70's class!

Later.
-Justin

My latest scene

Hey.

Yes, it's been a long while.

This semester has been agonizing.

Anyhow, I finished the rough edit for my latest scene for Directing class.  Check it out:  Cherry

This isn't a cave-in...

Got some early birthday money and used it on cinema-de-bizarre.com

And got gialli.

But birthday money trumps weight loss goals.

Anyhow, here's what I got:

Corruption of Chris Miller
Delitto D'Autore
Crazy Desires of a Murderer
Silent Madness

and for my free titles, I got:
Mortuary (with Bill Paxton allegedly skipping through a cemetery)
So Sweet So Dead

Can't wait...

Later.
-Justin

Where I've Never Gone Before...

Kind of unofficially working on my next screenwriting project.  A couple months ago, I remembered this old script idea I had and quickly wrote a scene to use for my Directing class project.  The project has gotten a good reception so far.  The only flak I really got was the location used for the shoot.  But we only had two places to shoot: A dark soundstage or a lobby.  So we did our best to make the lobby look like a living room.

For the most part, it's relatively believable.  The only moment it sticks out is when one character exits into the janitor's closet.

Anyhow, since directing that scene, I've been thinking about this script all the time.  I've thought of more scenes I wanted to add, how to work everything together, etc.  And last night I came up with a scene (and especially a line of dialogue) that I couldn't shake until today when I started to write it.

Now I'm totally wanting to finish this.

And it's not a giallo.

It's a semi-romantic comedy.

::gasp::

I dunno...I really dunno where it came from.  And it isn't the only romantic comedy idea I have, either.  But it's been gestating in my warped little mind and I think it's about ready to bring it out into the world.

Okay.  Now I'm writing all fragmented and stuff.

Off to finish this scene before I rock back and forth...

And check out the original scene: Chicks Dig Scars

Later.
-Justin

That's my story and I'm sticking to it...

Not a lot going on lately giallo-wise.

I made it to seven pounds.  Three more and I get to buy a giallo.

But I did manage to cash in my coins for an Amazon.com gift certificate.  Used it to get Drive In Delirium Volume 2.  It arrived today.  Looking through the Giallo-A-Go-Go section, I noticed there are only three movies on the list I haven't seen...Damn...

Though I am asking for gift certificates for cinema-de-bizarre.com for my birthday.  Birthday bucks don't count toward the weight loss thingy.


In class, we were given a play and we have to design the set, costumes, lighting, and sound.  The play is about a woman who has amnesia and forgets everything every time she wakes up.  I decided to stage the play through the main character's eyes and take a sensory overload approach.  And I went with the 60's.  A mix of mod and psychedelia.  Lots of mixed patterns.

Already finished the model.  Here's a pic.

Now we're onto the next unit, costumes.  I kinda went the extra mile and went to spoonflower.com and actually designed my own fabrics for one character.  The swatches came in today.  Here's a peek.

Yeah.  I'm kinda proud.  I feel there's a giallo influence there.  But not overt.  It is a comedy, after all...

Okay.  It's Wednesday night.  My prime-time lineup starts at 8.  Gonna do some more costume research and then veg out in front of the TV.

Later.
-Justin

Screw Valentine's Day.

I hate Valentine's Day.  Lame ass holiday.  An excuse for single people to feel bad and attached people to feel obligated to buy something.

I was gonna watch a giallo or two on Valentine's Night.  Or maybe Human Centipede 2.  But now I have to work that night.

I hope chocolates get recalled on the 15th for something that causes debilitating diarrhea.

I hope some Cabin Fever-infested hobo molests all the lingerie at Victoria's Secret.

I did have a joke about hoping birth control failed, too.  But it ended too dark.  Even for me.

Anyhow, at least Valentine's Day will be the day my first Film Series is due for 70's class.

My professor expected me to do gialli.  And I delivered.  But of course my stupid ass decided to challenge myself.

I'm doing gialli that criticize the Catholic church.

Don't Torture a Duckling, House with the Laughing Windows, Alice Sweet Alice (I call it an American giallo), and Killer Nun.

I barely see why Killer Nun has been classified as a giallo.  But its giallo elements are almost an afterthought.  And Anita Ekberg needed to really get naked.  Paola Morra was hot, but her browned teeth ruined it for me.  I mean, I have a jacked up grill, but if I had any brown on my teeth, I'd take out another student loan to fix that shit.

Rewatching Don't Torture a Duckling, I forgot how well crafted a film it really is.


On another note, I keep remembering old stories and treatments that I had ages ago.  You know, that went in the fire of 2000 with my computer.

Latest rediscovery is a treatment I had called Noir.  It was very Suspiria-Phenomena-batshit crazy like.  I might have to revisit it sometime soon.

Okay.  Gonna fart around and drink my smoothie while waiting for my 3:00 class.  We're watching Black Caesar.

Later.
-Justin

5 lbs

Halfway to my first goal.

I've lost five pounds so far, according to my scale at home.

Of course, I am still getting Four Flies on Grey Velvet on Shameless Blu Ray.  Dario Blu Rays are non-negotiable exceptions.  Other exceptions: Birthday Money and if my family does anything for Valentine's.

Though I will ask a question.

I have a shitload of coins saved up that I plan on cashing in for amazon.com gift cards.  Can I use any of them on gialli?  I'll ask your permission.

Okay.  Off to bed.

Later.
-Justin

Orchid Revisions

I keep on telling myself I'm gonna work on Orchid.  Then I end up going to work.  Or falling asleep in my comfy comfy bed.  Or cataloging my giallo collection.

Now I have a chunk of time where if I really wanted to, I could work on it.  But I'm not.

Ah, Procrastination.  Everybody's favorite vacation nation.

Anyhow, my new plan involves adding a character.  But I'm trying to figure out how to introduce this character.  Once he's introduced, I pretty much know the rest of the trajectory and how he fits into the picture.  I'm just stuck on how to introduce him.

I'm sure I'll figure something out.

BLAHBLAHBLAHBLAHBLAHBLAH...

Later.
-Justin

My current catalog

Here it is.  A list of every giallo I own.  The shelf is alphabetized, but by the title on the spine of the case.  I'm gonna write the English title whenever possible.  Because I want to.

2 Gatti a Nove Code e Mezzi ad Amsterdam

2 Masks for Alexa

AAA Massagiatrice, Bella, Presenza Offresi

All the Colors of the Dark

Amer

Bird with the Crystal Plumage

Black Belly of the Tarantula

Black Sabbath

Blood and Black Lace

Bloodbath in the House of Knives

Sweets for a Stranger

The Card Player

Cat O'Nine Tails

Clap You're Dead

Death Carries a Cane

Death Laid an Egg

Death Occurred Last Night

Deep Red

Delitti Privati

Do You Like Hitchcock?

Don't Torture A Duckling

Door Into Darkness

The Double

A Dragonfly For Each Corpse

Night Evelyn Came Out of Her Grave  (Emilio P. Miraglia box set)

Red Queen Kills Seven Times  (Emilio P. Miraglia box set)

Eyeball

Phantom of Death (in 2-pack w/Eyeball)

Eyes Behind the Wall

Eyes of Crystal

Fashion Crimes

Flower with the Petals of Steel

Footprints

Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion

Formula for a Murder

Four Flies on Gray Velvet

Giallo

Who Saw Her Die (Giallo Collection)

Short Night of the Glass Dolls (Giallo Collection)

The Bloodstained Shadow (Giallo Collection)

The Case of the Bloody Iris (Giallo Collection)

Erotic Games in a Respectable Family

The Girl Next Door

House with the Yellow Carpet

Human Cobras

Snapshot of a Crime

Interrabang

Kill the Fatted Calf

The Killer is One of Thirteen

The Killer Reserved Nine Seats

Libido

Love Me Strangely

Mia Moglie, Un Corpo por L'Amore

Nothing Underneath

Suspected Death of a Minor

Eye in the Labyrinth

Opera

Perfume of the Lady in Black

Phenomena

Plot of Fear

Police Grope Around in the Dark

Puzzle

The Pyjama Girl Case

Qui?

The Room Next Door

Rorret

The Seducers

The Vanity Serum

The Skin Under The Claws

Sleepless

Spirits of Death

Stagefright

The Stendhal Syndrome

The Strange Story of Olga O

Tattoo (I counted it)

Tenebrae

Too Beautiful To Die

Torso

Trauma

The Weapon, The Hour, The Motive

Without Trace (Calling All Police Cars)

And coming soon, courtesy of an awesome sale at Christmas time, New York Ripper (Blu Ray) and Strip Nude For Your Killer (Blu Ray preorder).  Along with the Shameless Blu Ray of Four Flies on Gray Velvet.


WHEW!  That's an awful lot of black gloves...

So, what do you think?  Impressed?  Creeped out?  You'd totally do me?

Later.
-Justin

Re-alphabetized...

First day of school.  Tired as crap.  Up at 6 am, class at 9.  Home by 12.  Needed to do something to stay awake.

So I finally did what I've been meaning to do for months: Re-alphabetize my DVD collection.

Because since moving into this house, I've purchased quite a lot of DVDs and haven't taken the time to put them in their place.

I also learned something:

I have completely filled my bookshelf.  And had to put the last bit in a separate DVD storage thingy my Mom got for me 6 years ago.

Yep, I'm a collector.

Once I figure out how to post some pics from my new smartphone, I'll show you my masterwork.

"That and Misery's Child.  Those are the only two divine things EVER in this world."

Later.
-Justin

Check it out.

The fruit of my labor, the series my TV Production class worked on, is on Vimeo. Here are some links: http://vimeo.com/33731559 Episode 1 http://vimeo.com/33746929 Episode 2 http://vimeo.com/34670826 Episode 3, the episode I wrote http://vimeo.com/34670961 Episode 4, the one I edited http://vimeo.com/34670961 Episode 5, the thrilling conclusion.

New Year!

Happy New Year, y'all!

This has been a Winter Break without the Break.

Once school ended, I got thrust into work and the Christmas holiday.  Luckily most of the customers were relatively cool this year.  The idiocy didn't come around until after Christmas day.

Then I got offered the head writing job for the ODU Film Society project we're doing next semester.  So my non-work time got spent on working on that.  I finished the treatment on New Year's Eve.  With one half hour to spare of 2011...

Thus explaining my lack of giallo watching.  And giallo posting.  And working on Orchid.

I've only watched one giallo this break.  Death Carries a Cane.  Had its moments, but I couldn't stay 100% invested in it.

My giallo buying might change as well.

I was going to spend my Christmas money on gialli, but only bought three: New York Ripper, and preorders of Strip Nude For Your Killer on Blu Ray and the Shameless Blu Ray of Four Flies on Gray Velvet.  The rest, I spent on workout clothing.  At one point I had lost 65 pounds.  I gained 50 back over the past year and a half.

So I am going to go back to the gym.  That, plus craploads of gift certificates for Tropical Smoothie and Subway, and I am going to lose this weight again.

And it's not a resolution.  Those things break.

Anyhow, my cousin came up with a great idea.  I can come up with a series of weight loss goals.  And every time I hit a goal, I can buy a giallo to reward myself.  Unlike past rewards, which usually involved food.

I like this idea.  Of course, if any Dario Argento movies come out on Blu Ray, or if Case of the Bloody Iris comes to Blu Ray, I'll buy those anyway.  Non negotiable.  But anything else, only if I lose this poundage.

I'm thinking maybe every ten pounds.  What do you think?

Later.
-Justin