AMAZON!!!!!

"The Bet" is now available through AMAZON! Although it is currently listing at $16.99, that should be adjusted shortly to be $12.99. Not sure why this is so exciting, but really kinda is.

Well, I guess it's cool that people can actually review it (I will not post fake reviews and encourage others to be honest - not that you can't review it or review it favourably, but say who you are or at least your connection) and it could come up as a "People who bought this, also bought this" thing.

The only issue is that we get a slightly lower return on each sale, so if you're recommending it to someone, have them buy it through Film Baby. Plus, Film Baby collects the email addresses from the buyers, which helps grow the database for future product.

But I would encourage you to check it out. Write a review, but be honest and ethical. And spread the word!

The other thing that's interesting is that through Amazon, it has been enrolled in the Content Acquisition Program - "CAP connects media companies searching for new talent with the thousands of Advantage vendors selling their products on Amazon. As an Advantage vendor and a holder of rights for books, music, or movies, you can select which titles you want in the CAP program and we will include those titles in interactive reports viewed by acquisition editors of media companies, including industry-leading publishers, labels, and studios." Who knows.

Is it possible...?

Is it possible to get the creepy factor of, say, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Tobe Hooper's original) or I Spit on Your Grave, that kind of '70s horror (which you could include Wes Craven's Last House on the Left and The Hills Have Eyes) and combine it with the aesthetic of Blade Runner or Seven (or any David Fincher film for that matter)? Are they two entirely incompatible beasts? Does the cinema-saavy aesthetic kill the realness of the what's going on?

Imagine The Texas Chain Saw Massacre being shot by David Fincher (Okay, that's not too difficult since it - like The Hills Have Eyes and too many other retro-favorites has been remade). Well, maybe that makes this whole thing easier. What, in the remake, was absent from the original? Set aside originality.

I'm writing this as I'm watching the original TCM and am still amazed the film is rated PG. The tone alone (which is what the MPAA cited as the reason for The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover being rated NC-17) warrants a hard R at least. Just the scene (just on) of the chick who is about to get meathooked, her looking around the room at the bones, skulls, body parts, all that... that in itself is an R.

But I digress.

What is it about these films that makes them truly disturbing? There was more gore in Hostel, but I laughed at that one. It was nothing like I imagined. Whenever I watch the original TCM it's worse than I remember.

Why is that?

What makes it that disturbing of a film? Most of the horrific moments happen in daylight. Is that it? Everything happens in a very matter-of-fact way. Is that it?

What makes it less so? Jessica Biel, fresh from 7th Heaven? Flashy camera work? Anachronisms?

Shortly after finishing the edit on "The Bet" I caught the dinner scene from TCM on cable, where Marilyn Burns is screaming her head off non-stop and I thought, "Is this what The Girl was supposed to be doing? Is this what makes it horror? Disturbing?" I thought her lying there almost catatonic and not even trying to do a thing was far scarier, or at least more stressful, more nightmarish, than a non-stop screamfest.

If someone has some insight, please feel free to share.

I would totally cast Lizzy Caplan in a film.

She could so rock the role of Julia in Detox. After seeing her in Cloverfield (which was really kinda meh) which I already had seen her best performance (or one of) in the exclusive clip when Hud is trying to interview her on camera, I kinda thought I might feel like I'd really like her as an actress. Of course, I knew everything there could possibly be to know about Cloverfield before seeing it on screen, including the fate of Lizzy neé Marlena, and could plainly see what her "arc" was gonna be, but that didn't stop me from becoming completely engaged by and invested in her character. That wasn't the director, nor the writer, nor the uberproducer... that was Lizzy.

Open invitation: Lizzy Caplan, if you are reading this or if someone you know is reading this and they gotta tell you, I am inviting you to be the lead female character in Detox. It's not a glamorous role. But then was Kim Basinger's in 9 1/2 Weeks? Not to say it's a role that, um, weak... but you are a victim. And I need the victim to be strong, even in her weakness. Someone who could be present and interesting even if subjugated by an insane-esque captor. Someone that shines even in darkness. I need power where powerless and charisma where few could muster it. Lizzy Caplan, contact me and we can make this film work.

"The Bet" on Flixster

A quick little email and voila! "The Bet" is now listed on Flixster. Why is that cool? Cos it is. And Facebook folks can rate it and love it. It's cool. Trust me.

The Bet

The Skin of Mother

I officially started a new script yesterday, another short. This one is called "The Skin of Mother." So far, so good. To commemorate, I've created a teaser poster and, of course, a MySpace page.

THE WIDGET

Okay, hopefully this one works.

EDIT: For some reason, the linking to the DVD site doesn't seem to be working on MySpace. GRRR! Everything else works, the trailer plays, etc. Just no link.

Widget - Test 2

I dropped the trailer only into a widget just to see if it works. If it does, I'll make it all nice (without the auto-play). This is only a test.

EDIT: Took down the widget test since it would autoplay and be annoying.

The Widget

EDIT: Not really sure if this thing is working or not. I've tried posting it to my MySpace page and it says it works, but doesn't show up. I've been able to email it to myself and I've been able to post it to MySpace comments. Gonna keep playing. If you have a go at it and it works (or doesn't) let me know.

So, Cloverfield is going nuts in the viral marketing arena. I figured I could snag a bit of their marketing chutzpah by making a widget. The widgets are great because you can share them. Click and get the menu to grab the code for nearly any social site (like MySpace or Facebook) or email it or grab the code and put it on a website.

This is just a temporary one to see if this really works. I'll be working on the AWESOME one tonite with the trailer and link to buy the DVD.