Erik

Every fan’s dream come true!

Revisado: 08-03-20

A wonderfully thorough investigation into every Halloween film ever made between 1978 and 2018. Each film is given equal, loving attention by the authors, and the book is filled with goodies galore. The narrator is British and an absolute delight to listen to. If you love the series or are simply curious about the inner workings of a decades old franchise, look no further. It’s all right here. Enjoy!

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Lackluster Sequel Leaves You Wishing You’d Quit While You Were Ahead

Revisado: 09-09-19

Joe’s back! And so is Santino Fantana, the one true saving grace of this messy sequel. Sharing absolutely none of the wit, style, intensity, emotional core nor intelligence of its predecessor, HIDDEN BODIES is 13 hours of aimless meandering into uninteresting places, populated by uninteresting people. Sure, Joe does some killin’, but it’s not a thriller and what I imagine is intended to thrill comes off as lazy. I’m actually not sure what I spent the last week listening to, but what I do know is it doesn’t hold a candle to YOU. Not by a mile. It isn’t devastatingly bad, mind you. But it’s not particularly good either. Honestly, Caroline Kepnes has found a kindred spirit in Fontana, who wears Joe with the ease of a favorite glove. Had I been actually reading this, I would have abandoned it early on. Fontana’s performance makes the trip fun. But, in contrast, it’s impossible to forget Fontana’s performance of YOU made that trip relentlessly unforgettable. Note the difference here.

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Gripping, Outrageous, Fascinating

Revisado: 08-31-19

What Caroline Kepnes has written here is essentially a tour de force monologue, wringing us through the clockworks of a psychopath’s mind. What’s even more powerful is she gets us to like him, maybe even root for him, and suddenly you realize a mirror is being held up to your face.

As performed by the mesmerizing Santino Fantana, Joe is charming, funny, approachable. Even when he’s killing people. That’s the kicker. It’s all written in the present tense, a free flow of thoughts directed at Beck, the object of his obsession. The catch is he says her name much less often than he says the word “you.” It’s easy for the reader/listener to be hypnotized into thinking they’re being directly spoken to.

That’s the magic of YOU and what makes it so powerful. And cringeworthy. And disturbing. And shocking. And laugh out loud hysterical. Even though the events of the novel are harrowing and gruesome, it all plays out like a dark comedy. You might feel guilty for enjoying Joe but enjoy him you will.

I took a look at the Netflix series based on this. Got a couple episodes in. There’s no comparison. Read this instead. Kepnes is one of a kind and Fontana sure as hell knows how to sell it.

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Like Having a Conversation with an Old Friend

Revisado: 07-24-19

Alison Arngrim is not only strikingly candid in her memoir. She wins your heart immediately. Her narration is so honest, so personal, it feels like you’re sitting on a sofa with her.

The book reaches down dark paths that only ever lead to triumph. It’s also bloody hysterical to hear the many, many “Little House” anecdotes, which she delivers with dangerous comic timing.

Alison is a survivor, yes. But she’s never a victim. Her use of her sexually abusive past, alongside her celebrity, to make incredible legal change in this country is extraordinary. She is extraordinary. And entertaining as hell. You want this book. Trust me.

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The Last Word

Revisado: 09-22-13

Any additional comments?

I first discovered Psycho when I was 9 years old, and the ride began. I'm 36 now and I've seen everything Hitchcock, read everything Hitchcock, and even subjected myself to a couple of embarrassing biopics (Hitchcock; The Girl). Donald Spoto's "The Dark Side of Genius" is, quite simply, the only source you'll ever need on him. All the others are just lovely picture books.

It's all here. The story of an artist with a grotesque sense of the world, who hid inside his body and behind his camera, fighting like hell to get it perfect every day of his life. He was funny, he was vicious, and he was charming. His films speak for him, but after reading this you'll have a greater sense of what's being said....and why.

Spoto's biography is not melodramatic, nor does it fall prey to camp or long perpetuated rumors. If you seek that, turn elsewhere, because this book only addresses the facts. Jeff Riggenbach's narration is also matter of fact and serves the material well.

All of that said, it's a delicious read. Enjoy.

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esto le resultó útil a 23 personas