Posts Tagged ‘Writing’

So… There’s this guy, called Jye Smith, and social-media/networking-nerdiness aside, he seems like a pretty top bloke. More importantly, I imagine he will be a household name soon enough – he’s started his own online community: The Music Blogs, which attracted over 1200 viewers on the day of its launch. Which was yesterday.

The Music Blogs already has 11 contributors/music lovers, of which I am proud to have been invited as one of them. I’m yet to post, but give me a few minutes, and I will get my name up there. This is something that you want your name asssociated with *nods* I predict big things will come of this blog.

Now. Why are you still reading my blog?? Get your butt over to The Music Blogs and have a read! There is already some great talent over there, with posts from Annik, Nathanael, Stewart Sheargold, Stuart McPhee, Katie, and of course Jye Smith.

What are you waiting for?!

Directed by Mark Pellington (Arlington Road, Cold Case), The Mothman Prophecies stars Richard Gere (Unfaithful, Runaway Bride, The Jackal), Laura Linney (Mystic River, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Primal Fear) as the town sheriff, and a fleeting appearance from Debra Messing (The Wedding Date, Will & Grace). Released in 2002, with a running time of 119 minutes, this supernatural thriller was (loosely) based on actual events, and adapted from a 1976 novel of the same name, by John A. Keel.

A movie that desperately wants to be taken seriously, Richard Gere stars as John Klein (that one could assume is based on the author of the book, John Keel), a reporter from Washington D.C., loses his wife, Mary (Messing), who is diagnosed with a brain tumour during a routine CAT scan, following a car accident. Two years after her death, Gere mysteriously finds himself in the small town of ‘Point Pleasant’, West Virginia, more than five hours off-course. It is during his time in Point Pleasant that Gere discovers a mysterious chain of events, including supernatural encounters, cryptic creatures, and strange phone calls.

Richard Gere’s character becomes obsessed with the supernatural creature that is known as Mothman, when he realises the connection between the drawings that his wife drew before her death, and eyewitness accounts of the Mothman, all of which seem to predict devastating events. The thriller is similar to that of The Amityville Horror, or Nicholas Roeg’s 1973 adaptation of Don’t Look Now; and after Gere encounters a Mothman “expert”, he is convinced that Point Pleasant is in for tragedy and heartbreak.

While the acting was adequate overall, Gere’s stone-faced performance was less than consistent. His work alongside Messing in opening scenes almost makes up for his inconsistency, while Linney’s performance keeps the thriller moving. Gere’s character could almost be mute, with him essentially not saying a lot, but finding himself terrified for most of the movie – certainly not that challenging for even the least experienced actor. Other characters in The Mothman Prophecies are merely included to aid in moving the plot along.

The cinematography and sound of the movie is seemingly lacking, and after the first 10 minutes is shot almost entirely in a grey light, interspersed with bright flashes, and annoying screeches of the “Mothman” that sound more like fax machines, than anything of the supernatural kind. If the weak script didn’t have you reaching for the Panadol, the photography, filmmaking and sound will, reminiscent to that of the X-Files series.

The Mothman Prophecies apparently came short of its $40 million budget in theatres, and it’s not entirely difficult to see why. Not only does the movie forego any sense of closure to the movie, leaving audiences to continue thinking about the “prophecy” long after the credits have finished rolling, but the film drags towards the middle. While it doesn’t have the thriller impact that you would expect, the Mothman’s red eyes will be left imprinted in your brain for many nights after viewing – remember to sleep with the light on.

This X-Files style thriller may appeal to lovers of Mulder and Scully, just remember to take the claims of the movie being based on actual events with a grain of salt.