The Quote -

"Nope, I don't really have anything new to say. but then, I always have something amazing to tell about things that you already know!!"

-Muthu

Friday, May 8, 2009

Me, Myself and horror movies - the deadly fiasco...

The snap -





I love seeing quality horror movies, movies like the ring, 1408, the silence of the lambs, saw part 1 (the other parts lacked the good screenplay and descended into mere blood and gore). But I have one problem – I cannot, I repeat I cannot watch these movies alone. I need company to hold hands and get scared with. To shrug at each other and laugh it off once the movies is over.

Usually when I see movies or do something that I am interested in, my external sensory perception abandons me and I get sucked into the vortex of what I am doing. And in the case of movies, I get so into them, that I can get jolted for simple surprises.

Like in Jurassic park movie series, of course I know that some creepy looking reptile is going to jump on the guys from any side now, especially when they put that really creepy music and it’s going to chase them with the protagonists escaping within hair’s breath of a distance. Absolutely predictable. Really... absolutely predictable. Nothing new. But I can’t help it anyway, my mind goes haywire calculating the possibilities of the reptile emerging from every nook and corner of the screen that when the animal finally arrives, I literally jump out of my seat sweating like anything.

And this anxiety of mine easily creeps up to those around me and people watching horror movies with me usually have their worst times and best scares. Paradoxical but also memorable are those moments. Man I still remembered the way I and Ram (a friend of mine) freaked out seeing the movie sixth sense (esp the girl ghost with the noodles like stuff flowing out of her mouth), the movie “saw – part 1” when I almost went through a death and rebirth phase when that guy in that weird white mask comes to kidnap people (By the way, both are absolutely good horror movies).

I can really freak the shit out of myself and out of the people who are watching horror movies with me.


-------And now I have had this 1408 horror movie with me for a long time (for almost a year)and I never saw it for I did not get any company to watch the movie in my home(My sister hates horror genre and father and mother aren’t really into English movies). I avoided watching the movie at all costs almost till then but I couldn’t quite bring myself to delete the movie. Having heard from my friends that it’s one good scare and a meaningful scare at that (a horror movie with a good plot), I was too damn curious to just scrap and delete the movie. So I kept it.

And every time, I came across that movie folder in my PC, it would silently mock me and I would just put my head down and would try to ignore it pretty much like the way we people ignore the politicians kicking up each other’s dust and disasters during the pre – election campaigns.

But then on one fateful day, I was too damn bored to care about anything. I was too reckless if I remember exactly. I started to see the movie alone.

I steeled myself. I had to see the movie someday I reasoned. No use, postponing the inevitable. I had to do it. I must confront my fears. Face what has to be faced. I have the guts to do it and I am going to do it. Yeah, in a way I think talked myself into it.

And the movie started. It was completely wicked. With every passing scene, as the tension and the complexity to the plot increased layer by layer, I started to sweat around my neck. My grip on the arm rests on my chair tightened a bit. The idea of the story was so evil that all my insides were slowly quivering scared for the hero. I just wanted to stop the movie, shut my PC down and get outside into the sun but I was held rapt by what was happening on the screen that I could hardly move.

But somehow this time, though I was watching alone; I was determined not to lose my cool. That is... my exterior cool. I am a grown guy and I am going to take it like a man. But the movie was challenging my solidarity.

Each and every twist was so evil and cruel, that each time I consoled myself that the movie couldn’t get any possibly worse, it outdid itself. It was like trying to run away from a horrifying ghost, only to find that the more I ran, the more the ghost got closer to me. And the climax was even more twisted when the last knot of the story was unveiled at the funeral of the hero. It was like finding that until now I have been running on a treadmill whose remote has always been in the hands of the ghost that was pursuing me.


The funeral of the hero - Hurrah. I have finished watching the movie. Oh yeah, I have finished watching the movie. The statement was so dense that I had to repeat it to myself to fully understand it. Fully comprehend the meaning of it. I have just finished watching the movie. And that too alone. I did not need company to watch the horror movie and nor will I anymore. Oh…. Yeah. I am the man.

I relaxed. Took a deep breath. Loosened my grip on the arm holds. I was having those thoughts of proud self appreciation and bravery, which guys usually display on completing some task of heavy challenge or mortal risk.

And then it happened.


How can I forget it? How could I have let my guard down? The ghost always comes back for one last scare. My quick euphoria on my completing the movie without getting jolted must have gotten to my head.


Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.





The last and the final scare got to me. I was severely jarred and visibly shaken. I was left speechless.


I think I am going to need company when watching my next horror movie.





Author's note:

Guys, I just returned from Coimbatore.

A few highlights of my travel, if you ask me - it would be - 2 haiku s, 1 poem(I always write while traveling - will post them later), drank a lovely glass of mulam palzham* juice (*Tamil for musk melon, in Hindi - kharbuja); the drink was so lovely, I am salivating just thinking about it, and I realized I am slowly getting addicted to blogging. :D


Cheers then. Until later.

Muthu.

34 comments:

vinny said...

What do i think??? i am surprised that a guy is actually confessing in his blog..thats a 'BRAVE' thing to do...so u r a man afetr all:)

congrats on ur accomplishment n best wishes for 23rd!

i will never n i repeat..will never watch a horror movie with u:-)

eager to read the haikus, poem n the post in draft...dont take long!

Richa said...

lolz.. the movie thing as u told me earlier too :D

oh and congos for clearing the exam.. all the best for the second round.

muthu said...

@ vinnie - I don't really know abt brave thing and all...

but of course i am the man.. :):D:P

thanks 4 your wishes vinnie...

haha.... you will neva know wat u are missing until you have seen the movie with me..

remember the best scares you can ever get.. :D

k i will post them soon... :)

muthu said...

@ richa - Yeah the same thing....

and thanks 4 your wishes yaar.....

Anya said...

you should watch a horror movie with your newly married wife... get married soon bro


chriz

muthu said...

haha.... kandippa... aana innum konja naal bachelor life enjoy pannala mae..... :):)

nsiyer said...

Face what has to be faced. That's a lesson.

muthu said...

@ nsiyar - Yup, you are right..... :)

Phoenix said...

my god im one big darpok.. i never ever watch horror movies...

*claps for you for your bravery*

Deepika said...

he he he.. it was funny... i know few of my other guy friends who are like you... They realy avoid scary stuff... keep movies apart even the ghost-talks... i was recalling all that....
Well congrats for both... for watchin the movie alone ;) And clearing ur first step for entrance... Good luck for the next...
tc and keep writing :D

Sudhir Kekre said...

Hey Muthu ,
Nice blog and a very nice poem though i am sure some flavor may have been lost in translation.
i do agree tamil is a great language and you are indeed fortunate to understand the nuances.
glad that you got through and good luck for 23rd.
treat urself with mulam palzham when u pass!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi there, Thanks for visiting my blog. We just returned from a wonderful vacation to the beach in Ocean Isle, NC. Fabulous trip!!!!!

Come and visit anytime.. I'll post tomorrow about the trip (at least some of it)... ha

Betsy

muthu said...

@ pheonix - thanks yaar.... :) :)

muthu said...

@ deepika gupta - Yeah I myself am proud to have faced the challenge 2 see the movie alone.... :D

and thanks 4 your wishes..... :)

muthu said...

@ sudhir - am glad you liked the poem and the blog sudhir...

and yeah tamil is a lovely language... will do a post abt tamil soon... :)

thanks 4 your wishes and sure i will treat myself with a mulzham palzham juice..... :D

muthu said...

@ betsy - will sure visit betsy...

cheeers..

Veda said...

Heyy first time here :) nice writing..love the flow.

u remind me of my (big) brother who f.r.e.a.k.s out on horror movies and wouldnt let me budge till the movies over..lol..

whats happenin to all the men?!:P sheesh. :P

muthu said...

@ mon space - haha.... I think we men are evolving.... :D:D:P:P

bondgal_rulz said...

Ha ha ha....lol...you are a scaredy cat!! :P

I too totally LOCE watching horror movies!! *High five!!* :D

But I can handle them alone. :P

Watched all those you mentioned, except 1408. It good?

And the FUNERAL OF THE HERO??? You just HAD to give it away, hai na?? Hmmmpphhhh!!!

The ghost always comes for one last scare. The scary movie :P lol

Cheers

P.S. Check out The Exorcism of Emily Rose.

muthu said...

@ bondgal_rulz - and to see that u too enjoy seeing horror as much as me... high five back :D

1408 rocks gal...

how did you miss it.

and oh boy, I am so sorry i have away the ending but

hey, the movie packs a lot of punches and twists that i have not given out.

sure give it a try.



and yeah i will sure see the exorcism of emily rose as soon as i get myself some compony 4 watching it.... :)

Unknown said...

I love watching horror movies and I will remember never to invite you for one :D

muthu said...

@ Ghazala Hossain --

haha.. :D. Okay.

Bikram said...

for a change I love watching horror movies , but these days they are not coming out good.


Bikram's

muthu said...

@ Bikramjit ---

hmhm... have you tried this website- Rottentomatoes.com- Its a movie review web site and its quite good. I always check the score in it before trying the movie.(It saves me wasting time and money on BS movies). If the score is more than 75% in Rottentomatoes, then trust me you can try the movie.

As for recent good horror movies, have you tried Ink and Cabin in the woods. Though they are a variation of the original horror genre, I think they are good.

Do, give them a try. Cheers.

ilakshee said...

I quite enjoy watching Horror movies and then have a sleepless night for all my bravefront! Quite related to your post :)

muthu said...

@ ilakshee --

Welcome to my blog and thanks for your comments.

And yes, I have had my due of sleepless nights but they were not movies that really caused them but Stephen King and his novels.

Have you tried them? They are quite good. esp My favorite is the one about the Salem's lot. Good scary shit. :)

Panchali said...

Congo on your success!!
And I quite enjoy watching Horror Movies...but, I make sure that I have someone around me to clutch in those horrified moments---LOL...

Jayashree Srivatsan said...

I dont watch horror movies! Call me a scary cat but I just dont get any thrill out of them and let me accept I get scared and so I simply HATE them. And ALone? Not a chance!!hi hi :) Enjoyed the read Muthu, and having seen them earlier you should have been a little more cautious buddy! :)

ilakshee said...

Muthu, I tried reading a Stephen King once some 12 years back but couldn't finish it :P It was too gory!Probably my imagination of the descriptions were working over time..Heh..heh

muthu said...

@ Panchali --

Thanks and cheers to that..

hmhm... Do you know something, I always have a few friends who I depend on to give me company for seeing horror movies. :D

Seeing some movies like Blair witch project alone can really get to you!!

muthu said...

@ jaish_vats --

you sound like my sister. She hates horror movies.

Well, honestly- Good horror movies scare me but In a twisted way, I think I love to get scared esp if there is a really good story and screenplay involved.

And yes, I should have been more careful and nowadays I don't tackle horror movies alone. :D

muthu said...

@ ilakshee ---

hmhm... Yeah, Stephen king has a way of describing things that can describe gore much too exquisitely for comfort. hmhm... And I think that detail is what I think I love about him.

Anonymous said...

You write so well! and the narration is very interesting till the end. Admire your honesty. You have got good sense of humour! :-)

muthu said...

@ win2vin ---

Thanks a lot. hmhm... I have not really written many humor articles. hmhm... I should try them more often. Do visit again. Will sure post something interesting. :)