Notes from The Last Drive-In: S1E7
This week at The Last Drive-In we see how music can elevate crappy films beyond being forgotten and turn already good movies into great ones. Our films this week could not be more different in tone, style, and quality, but they both have very, very strong musical choices. One film goes the route of a cult, horror-adjacent prog-rock band, while the other does Farsi dance and punk tunes.
We’re back with Joe Bob again this week at The Last Drive-In, exclusively on Shudder. It’s important to note, Mutants, that as of this moment Shudder has not committed to renewing The Last Drive-In for another round, so what I ask is that you take a moment to tweet @shudder with your desire for more episodes. Don’t forget the hashtag #TheLastDriveIn either!
Contamination (1980)
Opening Rant: Gentrification (Riverplace Courtyard on the Square Plaza)
Contamination, sometimes also known as Alien Contamination, is a 1980 Italian cash-in on the popularity of Ridley Scott’s Alien. The film follows a smart aleck cop, a frigid Pentagon Colonel, and a traumatized astronaut who investigate a link between a coffee company and mysterious green eggs. These eggs explode, causing those who come into contact with them to explode as well. This was marketed in Italy as a sequel to Alien.
Though the movie is not a great movie, it does have a fantastic score by “The Goblin,” which Joe Bob points out is comprised of the remaining members of “Goblin” after some internal drama. The film was directed by Luigi Cozzi, best known for Starcrash. It stars Ian McCulloch, Louise Marleau, Marino Masé and Siegfried Rauch. The film was also notorious as a video nasty.
Reviews
Joe Bob awarded Contamination two and a half stars. In particular, the film has an amazing collection of Drive-In Totals that at one point leaves our loquacious host breathless. Part of the appeal, judging by some of Joe Bob’s breaks revolve around the sheet audacity of Luigi Cozzi, and to a greater extent Italian cinema of the 1970s and 1980s. Though, the film did receive a score deduction due to a poorly conceived, neck-up shower scene. The highlights of Joe Bob’s commentary, however, comes from his rather hilarious stories anecdotes of Luigi Cozzi who seemed like a real “character,” to put it lightly.
Haunted MTL can only really afford a star and a half for Contamination. The movie is a mishmash of stolen bits from other movies that are not even stitched together in a way that makes them work. The film has heavy, heavy doses of exposition, and the horror is lacking, to say the least. In fact, the movie during it’s final third becomes a second-rate James Bond film. Not even the presence of a cycloptic, evil alien master pulling the strings can save this mess.
But wow, that soundtrack is a good one.
Best Line: “Sewers are just as warm, damp, and comfortable as an incubator.”
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
Opening Rant: What even counts as a lethal weapon? It is about 3 rants deep, here, but the main takeaway is that Nunchucks are legal in the State of Arizona! Happy ‘chucking, folks.
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, the 2014 Iranian-vampire-western fever dream, may seem like a strange fit for The Last Drive-In. However, given the unique pairings this season has brought so far the film serves as a much needed, artsy pallet-cleanser to Contamination.
The film follows two lonely people. Hard-working Arash arrives to care for his heroin-addicted father and soon he finds himself falling in love with an unnamed Girl who just so happens to be a vampire. The film is very unusual in that it is in Farsi, filmed in California, and feels like a stitched together series of vignettes. Of note, the soundtrack adds a great deal to the film, and as Joe Bob discussed during one of his breaks, many scenes are driven by the music.
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night was directed by Ana Lily Amirpour, who makes a cameo in the film dressed as a Skeleton at a rave. The films stars Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi (in his only real film role), Mozhan Marnò, and Marshall Manesh. Also, special credit must be paid to the incredibly photogenic cat, played by Masuka.
Reviews
Joe Bob seems particularly enamored with the movie, though admittedly confused about the interpretation of it. He awarded A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night three stars. In particular, he was complimentary about the visual aesthetics of the movie during his introduction. His insights into the movie were particularly appreciated because it is such a strange film in origin and interpretation. Throughout the episode Joe Bob cites complimentary similarities of Ana Lily Amirpour to directors like Quentin Tarantino and David Lynch. That being said, Joe Bob can’t help bu razzing the director for her very colorful interviews. In one particular segment he simply reads quotes from interviews with her to hilarious effect.
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is a wonderful and artsy vampire film filled with striking imagery and enough ambiguity to chew on for a week after. As Joe Bob stated at one point, a hundred people can watch the movie and come away with a hundred different interpretations. The film is loaded with dream-logic scenes, has a fantastic score, and carries some stellar performances. The film does try to get away with a more optimistic ending, however, which proves problematic given the explosive narrative potential in the final act. Overall, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night is a great vampire film and is a three and a half star treat.
Best Line: “Mr. Cat! Mr. Cat! He’s really fun. He’s really fun.” Spoken like a true drug-dealing pimp with “Pussy Stretcher” tattooed on their face in Persian.
Haunted MTL Drive-In Totals
- 1 open-air corpse pit
- 2 yellow paramilitary bread delivery vans
- 3 “eggs” on the TV (just Avocados)
- 3 levels deep digression in a rant
- 5 bedsheet hazmat suits
- 5 production companies for one movie
- 7 Twitter bans for Darcy (can we make it to 10 out of 10?)
- Torso Exploding
- Muffled Talking
- Atrocious Dubbing
- Homeless Joking
- Chinese/German Fusion Restaurant Joking
- Northern/Southern Zoo Joking
- Vampiric Bullying and Skateboard Thieving
- Awkward Post-Cocaine Snorting Vampire Seducing
- Gratuitous Place-Setting Helicopter Shots
- Gratuitous Glow-in-the-Dark Avocados with Slime
- Gratuitous Colombian Folk Celebration
- Gratuitous Cat Sitting
- Darcy Cosplaying (as “The Girl”)
- Flamethrower Egg Frying Fu
- Spoiler Fu (Thanks Joe Bob!)
- Overly Long Bathroom Entrapment Fu
- Burning Cyclops Fu
- Pretentious Interview Fu
As always, please share your thoughts with us about The Last Drive-In. Also, please check out our other great content here at Haunted MTL.
Movies n TV
Luiso Berdejo’s Feature-Length Debut, or The New Daughter
The New Daughter (2009) is a PG-13 horror film & Luiso Berdejo’s feature-length debut based on John Connolly’s short story of the same name.
The New Daughter (2009) is a PG-13 horror film and Luiso Berdejo’s feature-length debut. The film is based on John Connolly’s short story of the same name. The New Daughter stars Kevin Costner, Ivana Baquero, Samantha Mathis, and Gattlin Griffith. As of this review, the film is available on VUDU Free, The CW, Hoopla, Tubi TV, Freevee, and Plex, with additional purchase options.
John James (Kevin Costner) moves his children to a rural South Carolina town to start anew after his wife leaves him. Louisa James (Ivana Baquero) can’t stand this change, and Sam James (Gattlin Griffith) doesn’t understand why his mother isn’t with them. But after finding a burial mound, their attitudes suddenly switch. As John uncovers more of their new home’s history, he realizes there’s much to fear.
What I Like About Luiso Berdejo’s Feature-Length Debut
Despite its 2009 release date, the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films nominated it for the Saturn Awards’ Best DVD Release in 2011. As Luiso Berdejo’s feature-length debut, the film manages to hold an audience with a tight script and direction.
The acting sells this ominous mystery, which might otherwise become obscure amongst others in the genre. In particular, Kevin Costner’s John James and Ivana Baquero’s Louisa James center The New Daughter around their characters’ strained father-daughter relationship.
Ultimately, The New Daughter thrives in its atmosphere and execution. If we take the film plot point by plot point, The New Daughter doesn’t break the mold. Between Luiso Berdejo’s direction and the writing of John Travis and John Connolly, however, the film executes this uncomfortable tension that invests viewers.
Last update on 2025-01-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
It’s in The New Daughter‘s execution where it haunts its audience. There’s this uncomfortable powerlessness as John attempts to protect his family against the horrors in the mound and its corrupting influence.
The ending might seem uncommitted, but I would disagree. The film executes a balance between hope and horror that leads to ambiguity but doesn’t leave the audience dissatisfied. A bolder film might conclude with an unhappy ending, but The New Daughter gives a sliver of hope in its dark ending.
Tired Tropes and Triggers
A cat dies in the film. The act isn’t shown, but I understand this can be a dealbreaker. In loose connection, there are also animal carcasses.
There’s a loose and underdeveloped connection to Native American mythology, following along the idea of “Indian (Native Americans) burial grounds.” While this initial thought proves inaccurate, it still holds familiar plot points that might irk some.
There are some strange decisions revolving around Louisa. Needless to say, a part of the plot revolves around her beginning puberty. While nothing is explicit, the creatures require a mate, which suggests sexual assault.
What I Dislike about Luiso Berdejo’s Feature-Length Debut
The aesthetic of the burial mound doesn’t seem particularly noteworthy. This becomes a problem when it looks like any hill in a forest. I don’t particularly see how the James family recognizes this as something strange and worth fixating on. As the film progresses, there are obvious reasons, but the aesthetic doesn’t execute this strangeness.
As addressed above, the premise remains familiar and safe, perhaps too safe. A family moves into a rural home, escaping a past withheld from the audience. The mother is out of the picture, and the father struggles to connect with his young daughter. I don’t subscribe to the idea that these are lazy points, but it might seem formulaic with how thick it dominates the film’s beginning.
Final Thoughts
The New Daughter is an impressive feature-length debut but one with notable flaws. There’s a familiarity and safety in the plot that hinders what could have been. However, the ominous mystery and acting provide the needed execution to create a haunting experience. If you’re looking for a horror following a terrified family against supernatural creatures, The New Daughter delivers.
(3.5 / 5)
After taking a week off, Dexter Original Sin is back. And while no piece of art can ever be entirely perfect, this was as close to perfect as I think we can expect.
The story
We start this episode right where the last one left off. Dexter, with a body in his trunk, finds his dumping grounds swarming with cops. So, keeping his head as cool as ever, he pulls out his forensic badge and pretends he’s supposed to be there. Then, he feeds the remaining arm from his second kill to the alligators before anyone can print it. But, not before Angel recognizes a distinct ring on the hand’s finger.
Jewelry really will be the death of Dexter.
While he might have gotten himself out of that mess, he still has a body to deal with. He decides to take it to a dump in broad daylight. Sometimes he acts like he wants to get caught. But then, maybe he does.
Meanwhile, the police are still looking for whoever kidnapped Nicky. There’s a horrific scene in this episode in which the poor kid has his finger chopped off. But this finger might well be the evidence that Miami Metro needs to catch the kidnapper because Dexter notices a sense of hesitation before the cut on Nicky that wasn’t present on the first little boy.
He also finds a drop of blood that doesn’t belong to Nicky.
Once again, it all comes back to blood.
What worked
As I’ve watched this series, and after consuming all of the rest of the work this franchise has offered us, one thing has become more and more clear.
Harry Morgan is a terrible human being.
Let’s just take this episode as an example. We see him strongarming a CI that he had an affair with, threatening to stick her in jail and drop her kids into foster care if she doesn’t keep risking her life for him. We then see him go home and lecture his wife, who he cheated on, for not forgiving him fast enough. And we know how this all ends for the Mosers. We know that Laura ends up dead and Harry takes the baby he liked, leaving Brian to the horrors of the foster care system.
- Michael C. Hall (Actor)
- Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Last update on 2025-01-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The thing is, we were never supposed to like Harry. More and more I realize that Harry is the bad guy. He’s the antagonist of Dexter. And as I’m rewatching the original series, I see clearly that he’s been the bad guy from the start. And I think that’s such a brilliant idea.
Not quite as cool, but still impressive was the serial killer advice scene in this episode. Dexter, struggling with where to hide his dead bodies, researches how other serial killers have done so. We see him talk to Ed Gein, David Berkowitz and John Wayne Gacy. This scene brought the absurdity of the series to the forefront. Our main character admires these men. These monsters did horrific things. And we still, somehow, against all decency, like him.
Let me also just say that Scott Reynolds who played Gacy did a fantastic job. The body language and line delivery were just so creepy. For someone who wasn’t on screen for more than a few minutes, he knew how to make a killer impression.
Finally, I want to applaud the twist in this episode. But, as always, I want to do so without giving it away! I will only say that there is a large reveal regarding the person who killed the judge’s son and abducted Nicky. And, I have to say, I didn’t see it coming. It was amazing and raised so many questions. Questions I cannot wait to have answers for.
Honestly, everything in this episode worked. It was well-written, well-acted, and well worth my time. My only complaint right now is that there are only three episodes left.
Of course, it’s usually the last episode of a Dexter show that ruins the whole thing. Let’s see if they can avoid that this time.
(4 / 5)
After the last episode of Goosebumps, I was concerned. I wasn’t sure where the season was going, and I worried I wouldn’t like it.
Thankfully, this episode got the story and my interest back on track.
For the most part.
The story
We begin our story with a flashback from Alex, finally finding out why she was sent to Juvie. She was at a party that resulted in a house fire, through no fault of her own. Rather than helping her, Alex’s mom Jen simply assumes she set the fire and refuses to help her. So, you know, ACAB.
When Alex gets back, she wants to clear her name. So she decides to find Murph, the person who actually set the fire. To do this, she needs a car. So she decides to borrow Trey’s car.
You know, the car that is currently infected by the homicidal sewer spores.
What worked
One thing I’ve enjoyed about this season so far is that no one’s really at fault here. Yes, some of them are doing dumb things. I wouldn’t consider Trey breaking into Anthony’s basement and wrecking stuff to be a great decision. But I can also see how he got there, and why he was pushed to that. I love how we have the opportunity to see the motivations of almost every character.
I also enjoyed how Alex’s character is being filled out. She is compassionate, funny and brave. I think she’s going to end up being my favorite character this season.
On that note, a lot of this episode revolved around Alex and her mother. This was important, as we needed to round out the cast. However, I appreciated that we got that focus while still moving the storyline along for the characters we already have established. It’s sometimes hard to strike that balance when we’re not telling a story in a linear fashion. But I think they pulled it off.
What didn’t work
As much as I love the Alex/Cece relationship, I don’t love how Cece is being portrayed.
Maybe I just don’t like Cece.
She is too perfect. She is too charming. Everyone likes her. And several times in this episode she batted her pretty eyes, tossed her blond hair, and got people to do things for her. While I am amused that Alex weaponized this, it’s also irritating. I’d like to see less pretty privilege.
Finally, in this episode, we saw this demonic or haunted spore (or whatever it is) transition from a car to, of all things, a cup of coffee.
What even is this thing? What are the dimensions? What are the rules? What the hell is it doing?
Suspension of disbelief can only take us so far. We have to have a set of rules for the world for us to buy into it. I can buy a sentient spore. I cannot buy it jumping from living creature to car to coffee cup.
Do better.
Even so, this was a really fun episode. I’m enjoying the story so far, and I’m interested to see how long it takes everyone to get the parts of their story together so they can see the whole picture.
(3.5 / 5)
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