Author Archives: Arleigh

Sneak Peek: Suspiria “Improvise Freely”

Posted on by Arleigh

suspiria-1

As we get closer to the Fall film season, we’re getting more hype on upcoming films that’s not part of the summer or holiday blockbuster hype train. One such film that has been getting some buzz is Luca Guadagnino’s remake of Suspiria.

Our very own Lisa Marie is very leery of this remake since she holds the original by giallo maestro Dario Argento in such high regard. While I’m always open to any film whether original, sequel or remake, I do hold remakes with a certain degree of cautious optimism. I’m more than willing to give any remake, especially horror remakes, a chance to stand on it’s own merits. For the most part horror remakes tend to be cash grabs and not up to the standard set by the original.

Here’s to hoping that Guadagnino’s remake of Suspiria is one that bucks the trend of disappointing horror remakes. A clip released by Amazon Studios does seem to up the intrigue factor for the film. At least, for this film fan.

AMV of the Day: You Can Be King Again (Hotarubi no Mori e)

Posted on by Arleigh

hotarubi no mori e

In my absence, Lisa Marie did quite a great job picking up the slack when it came time to put up a new anime music video. She had quite the eclectic choice of videos that ran the gamut from comedy, space opera, ecchi to drama.

As I continue my return back I thought it was high time to put up a new AMV and this time from an anime I haven’t even seen. It’s actually an anime that even the site expert pantsukudasai56 hasn’t seen but had heard of. The anime in question is the supernatural romance anime film Hotarubi no Mori e.

Just from researching what the anime was about I knew this was going to be one of those shoujo fares that I would need to find time to watch. It helps that the video’s creator, youlazybum, did such a great job pairing scenes from the anime with one of my favorite songs these past ten years, Lauren Aquilina’s “King.”

So, here’s my latest AMV of the Day, “You Can Be King Again.”

Anime: Hotarubi no Mori e

Song: “King” by Lauren Aquilina

Creator: youlazybum

Past AMVs of the Day

Song of the Day: Simple Man (by Lynyrd Skynyrd)

Posted on by Arleigh

Lynyrd Skynyrd

This past week saw another great musician pass away.

Ed King was an integral part of the three-guitar sound that made the Lynyrd Skynyrd sound so unique among the other blues-inspired American rock bands of the 70’s. Some have called Ed King the backbone of the band.

He was great either on bass guitar or as the third guitarist. The latter becoming the signature sound of the band’s most popular song and one of their most requested: “Free Bird.”

While it’d be simple enough to commemorate Ed King’s passing with another listen to that hit song, it’s on another much simpler song of the band’s that best typifies the member of Lynyrd Skynyrd. He who helped give them their signature sound and whose laid-back attitude finally convinced him that it was time to leave the band when the atmosphere around it began to turn mean and violent.

Some fans of Lynyrd Skynyrd don’t have good things to say about Ed King. They think he bailed on the group just when they were reaching the pinnacle of their success and popularity. But as the song “Simple Man” says, “Oh, take your time, don’t live too fast.”

That was Ed King. It’s time you joined the rest of your band mates waiting for you up above.

Simple Man

Mama told me when I was young
“Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say
And if you do this it’ll help you some sunny day”

“Oh, take your time, don’t live too fast
Troubles will come and they will pass
You’ll find a woman and you’ll find love
And don’t forget, son, there is someone up above”

“And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh, won’t you do this for me, son, if you can”

“Forget your lust for the rich man’s gold
All that you need is in your soul
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied”

“And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh, won’t you do this for me, son, if you can”

Oh yes, I will

“Boy, don’t you worry, you’ll find yourself
Follow your heart and nothing else
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied”

“And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh, won’t you do this for me, son, if you can”

Baby, be a simple, be a simple man
Oh, be something you love and understand
Baby, be a simple kind of man

Song of the Day: Penthouse Pauper by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Posted on by Arleigh

CCR

I sure do miss sharing some of my favorite songs and music with y’all.

As part of my return to the site I’d like to share one of my current favorite songs (well, it’s an all-time favorite but have been listening to it a lot of late). It’s a song I first heard as a wee lad of no more than probably 7 or 8. Time becomes quite hazy in my advancing years.

My dad was a huge Creedence Clearwater Revival fan and he would constantly play their albums, especially his favorite tracks, during road trips and just driving around the area. One day it would be CCR the next another band he liked.

“Penthouse Pauper” came back to my radar after it was featured prominently in last year’s Marvels Netflix series The Punisher. The moment the song began to play in the background it brought back good memories and it has since returned to my constant playing and listening of this classic blues-rock song.

Penthouse Pauper

“Now, if I was a bricklayer,
I wouldn’t build just anything;
And if I was a ball player,
I wouldn’t play no second string.
And if I were some jew’lry, baby;
Lord, I’d have to be a diamond ring.
If I were a secret, Lord, I never would be told.
If I were a jug of wine, Lord, my flavor would be old.
I could be most anything,
But it got to be twenty-four karat solid gold, oh.
If I were a gambler, you know I’d never lose,
And if I were a guitar player,
Lord, I’d have to play the blues.
If I was a hacksaw, my blade would be razor sharp.
If I were a politician, I could prove that monkeys talk.
You can find the tallest building,
Lord, I’d have me the house on top.
Oh, let’s go!
All right, keep goin’!
I’m the penthouse pauper;
I got nothin’ to my name.
I’m the penthouse pauper; baby,
I got nothing to my name.
I can be most anything,
‘Cause when you got nothin’ it’s all the same.
Oh, let’s move to this song!
Lord, look at my penthouse.”

Outlaw King Official Trailer

Posted on by Arleigh

Outlaw King

Who here has seen Braveheart?

I’m quite sure that a huge number of people have seen Mel Gibson’s second film as director which won him two Oscars: for Best Director and Best Film. While his career has seen it’s major up’s and down’s, he still has done some great work behind the camera as a director.

Now, what does this all mean to this new Netflix Original film coming out this year called Outlaw King? The answer is not much other than both film share a particular historical character in the Scottish king Robert the Bruce. In Gibson’s film he’s a supporting character whose motivations could be seen as very pragmatic and bordering on the villainous.

Outlaw King, by Scottish director David MacKenzie (who directed the great Hell or High Water), will tell the story of the legendary Scottish king Robert the Bruce who won Scotland’s independence from England where William Wallace ultimately failed to do.

I am going on a hunch that Outlaw King will treat Robert the Bruce in a more sympathetic light than how Gibson’s film portrayed him. This time around we have Chris Pine in the role of Robert the Bruce.

As seen in the trailer, it looks like Netflix’s several billion dollar spending spree has come not just luring prominent filmmakers and producers to the streaming site but also allow them the resources to make a film as lush and beautiful as any made under the remaining big studios.

Let’s hope Outlaw King is more on the level of Mudbound and less like Bright.

Suspiria (2018) Official Trailer

Posted on by Arleigh

suspiria-1

Where has the time gone.

In my absense, it looks like other people have flourished, but now I think it’s time to make a return and this time for good.

What better way to mark my return than to show and talk about the first official full-length trailer for what could be one of the more divisive horror remakes set to arrive in a couple months.

I am talking about Suspiria by Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name, A Bigger Splash and I Am Love). The original film by Italian giallo maestro Dario Argento many horror fans consider a great example of the Italian giallo of the late 70’s and early 80’s. Just like most fandoms, whenever there’s talk about one of the classics being remade there’s levels of trepidation, anger and guarded optimism.

While I’m never one to look at remakes as ruining the originals. IF that was the case then we wouldn’t have excellent horror remakes such as Carpenter’s The Thing and, to an extent, Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead.

While I’m excited to see what Guadagnino brings to the table when it comes to his remake of Suspiria, I am also somewhat guarded in that the original film was such a surreal experience that remaking it note for note wouldn’t add anything new to the experience.

Here’s to hoping this is one horror remake that falls under the great side of the equation instead of the trash end.

Merry Christmas from the Folks of Through the Shattered Lens

Posted on by Arleigh

TreevengeIt’s a yearly tradition to celebrate the birth of this particular site by reintroducing it’s readers (introducing those new to the site) to the greatest film ever made. It’s the greatest Christmas film and the greatest feel good film. In the end, it’s just the greatest film ever made and anyone who thinks otherwise is just misguided and wrong.

Treevenge has everything one should ever want and probably didn’t even know they needed or wanted. It has romance. Nostalgia for those who fondly remember getting to choose their first Christmas tree. It’s a family film where we see families celebrate the traditions of the holidays.

It even has moments of scandalous scenes that may make one go “OH MY!”. I know that many of the original contributors past and present look forward to this yearly TSL tradition. I may not have been as active this year as I have been year’s past, but this was one day I wouldn’t missed for all the world.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, ONE AND ALL!

 

Song of the Day: I Am the Highway (by Audioslave)

Posted on by Arleigh

Chris Cornell passed away on May 17, 2017 and the world is that much more empty with his passing.

He was 52 and joins the others Gods of Rock in the afterlife.

R.I.P. Chris Cornell.

I Am the Highway

Pearls and swine bereft of me
Long and weary my road has been
I was lost in the cities
Alone in the hills
No sorrow or pity for leaving I feel

I am not your rolling wheels
I am the highway
I am not your carpet ride
I am the sky

Friends and liars don’t wait for me
‘Cause I’ll get on all by myself
I put millions of miles
Under my heels
And still too close to you
I feel

I am not your rolling wheels
I am the highway
I am not your carpet ride
I am the sky
I am not your blowing wind
I am the lightning
I am not your autumn moon
I am the night, night

I am not your rolling wheels
I am the highway
I am not your carpet ride
I am the sky
I am not your blowing wind
I am the lightning
I am not your autumn moon
I am the night, night
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Song of the Day: Immigrant Song (by Led Zeppelin)

Posted on by Arleigh


So, the latest “Song of the Day” comes courtesy of Led Zeppelin and also in no small part from the release of the first trailer for the third Thor in the MCU (that’s Marvel Cinematic Universe for those who have been living in a cave the last 10 years).

“Immigrant Song” has been used in past trailers though not as often as people think. Led Zeppelin has been very selective of who uses (and pays) for the license to use their songs.

Whether the song makes it into Thor: Ragnarok still to be determined, but it definitely fits the trailer as it sings of Vikings and their call to ship off to find new lands, adventure and battle.

So, yes, Lisa Marie, that song in the Thor: Ragnarok teaser trailer was definitely Led Zeppelin.

Immigrant Song

We come from the land of the ice and snow
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow
Hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands
To fight the horde and sing and cry
Valhalla, I am coming

On we sweep with the threshing oar
Our only goal will be the western shore

We come from the land of the ice and snow
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow
How soft your fields so green can whisper tales of gore
Of how we calmed the tides of war
We are your overlords

On we sweep with the threshing oar
Our only goal will be the western shore

So now you’d better stop and rebuild all your ruins
For peace and trust can win the day despite of all your losing

AMV of the Day: Dazzling Inferno (Little Witch Academia)

Posted on by Arleigh

The latest “AMV of the Day” is about this cute, little anime called Little Witch Academia that first began as a short anime film then a sequel that was much longer.

“Dazzling Inferno” combines sequences from both the Little Witch Academia films with the song “Warrior” by Steve James (feat. LIGHTS). It focuses very much so on the character of Akko who (unlike Harry Potter) stumbles, mistakes her way through magical adventures in the titular academy and despite her failings never faltering in her joy at being a witch-in-training.

There’s now an anime series currently airing in Japan that continues that adventures of Akko and her misfits friends and schoolmates. What better way to whet one’s appetite for the series than an anime music video that highlights a major theme in the anime.

Anime: Little Witch Academia

Song: “Warrior” (feat. LIGHTS) by Steve James

Creator: Radical Yue

Past AMVs of the Day