Drugstore Cowboy

Drugstore Cowboy by rachelsherman 

         Gotta love the handsome Matt Dillon. I just can't get enough of his movies back in the days of his youth: Drugstore Cowboy, Over the Edge, Rumble Fish, The Outsiders, and  The Flamingo Kid. Drugstore Cowboy ( 1989) is a film by Gus Van Sant. The film is based on an autobiographical novel by James Fogle, about stealing drugs from pharmacies and hospitals to support a habit of drug use. This film is just so beautifully done, and the cast is fantastic. Matt Dillon really does a superb job in this film, giving one of his best performances for sure. Drugstore Cowboy was filmed mainly in Portland, Oregon, and features Matt Dillon, Kelly Lynch, James LeGros, Heather Graham, William S, Burroughs, Max Perlich, James Remar, and Grace Zabrisike. Definitely a must-see film.

Bad Things

Bad Things by rachelsherman 

          Sooooo, HBO's True Blood starts up again June 10th (finally)! I made this set a while ago, embodying aspects of the series, and used a photo of Evan Rachel Wood, who's character in the show died at the beginning of season 4 (or end of season 3?). This show is seriously so captivating, dramatic, and intense- it is so perfect. It just keeps getting better, and I've been helplessly hooked since I watched the first episode a couple summer's ago. The show is going on it's fifth season, and I never want to see it end (yes, I know, very unreasonable). 

          Anyway, before you laugh and look at as just another product of the vampire fad, and twilight mayhem, give it a chance and really watch it with no prior opinions. Alan Ball (Six Feet Under, American Beauty) created and produced it, so you know it's quality stuff. It's set in Louisiana, with lots of blood, fantasy creatures, and wild sex, all set in a fairly realistic scene, that makes you just wanna believe it's the real thing. Seriously, who doesn't like that? 

Be ready June 10th, and get on HBO GO to catch up on everything you missed (for free if you have an HBO subscription).

Lolita (1962)

Nobody Spoil My Fun by rachelsherman 

          Lolita, a film based on the novel by Vladimir Nabokov of the same name. Stanley Kubrick made this film in 1962 as a comedy-drama of Humbert Humbert, a middle-aged man (played by James Mason) who lusts for a teenage girl, Dolores Haze, or otherwise known as the sexually seductive "Lolita" (played by the fourteen year-old Sue Lyon). This is one of the first films that got me into a frenzy of watching as many movies as I possibly could, and really revealed my love for the cinema. I have yet to read the novel by Nabokov, but I certainly have intended to for some time now, even though Kubrick's version of Lolita  doesn't as closely follow the storyline of the novel as the more recent verison. ( I find myself constantly busy with school, work, and sleeping whenever I find the time). I'm a huge fan of Stanley Kubrick, and I immensly enjoy all of his films.

          The film had to be wildly censored because of it's highly sexual content, and limited Kubrick's ability to make the film as he wished. However, the film was very successful, and is indeed fantastic. I really like this story, and all of the characters within it. Highly recommend this version of the film to anyone who has yet to see it.

Cry Baby

All this and More by rachelsherman



This is one of my absolute favorite films ever. First of all, Johnny Depp is so delicious as "Cry-Baby" Wade Walker, I could watch him all day long. John Waters really knew what he was doing with this one. The story is fun and silly, and just plain badass (being set in the 1950s just makes it all the more perfect). It's a parody of teen musicals has gained a sort of cult following (as many of Waters' films have). I just love it, I'm watching this movie constantly. Cry Baby (1990) is full of delinquents, the "drapes", and the "squares". Cry baby falls in love with Alison a "square" and they tear up the town together. The cast is just amazing, with parts played by Iggy Pop, Traci Lords, and a couple  of not so well knowns, but certainly notable: Amy Locane, Susan Tyrrell, Ricki Lake (who is often featured in many of John Waters' other films), Kim McGuire, Darren E. Burrows, Patricia Hearst, Mink Stole, and Polly Bergen.The characters in this film are just downright bit chin'. They all have their own thing going on-- really makes you wanna be friends with them, hangout at Turkey Point, and just go wild.
The soundtrack to Cry Baby  is to die for. So good. It's full of musical numbers played by Johnny Depp, and Amy Locane, but the real vocals come from James Intveld and Rachel Sweet (some of these musical numbers were even written by The Blasters' Dave Alvin!). The rest of the soundtrack is just as good, featuring songs from The Students, The Crows, and Doc Starkes and the Nite Riders (with Johnny Depp's character singin' along, oh boy).

http://youtu.be/R7HjJ1_wa7k

Drape

Cry Baby by rachelsherman 

True Romance

True Romance by rachelsherman

          Hot damn, this film is so good. True Romance is a romantic crime film written by the man who brought you Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill (volumes 1 & 2), Reservoir Dogs, Death Proof, and his most recent badass tale Inglorious Bastards. So, if you didn't already figure it out, the film is written by Quentin Tarantino, the badass motherfucker of humor and violence. I swear, everything this man touches turns to gold. 

          True Romance is directed by Tony Scott, and stars Patricia Arquette as Alabama Whitman the wild little blonde call girl who falls in love with the kung-fu lovin' Clarence Worley (Christian Slater) who loves her bunches right back. The two get themselves into quite some trouble when Clarence kills Alabama's former pimp (played by Gary Oldman!), takes off with a briefcase of cocaine, and tries to settle a major drug deal in Los Angeles. They've really got some true romance going on and aren't afraid to show it. Everything about this film just makes me feel good, and total envious of everything from Alabama's eclectic wardrobe, cow print skirt included, to Clarence's pink and leopard cadillac, as well as their super sweet love for one another. Road movies just have a special place in my heart, and the energy of this movie is dynamite. Not to mention the supporting roles are filled with an amazing cast featuring Brad Pitt, Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken, Kevin Corrigan, Samuel L. Jackson,  and Chris Penn.

          Soooo, this is one of my favorite romantic stories for sure, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes any of Tarantino's films.

Spellbound

Nervous Breakdown by rachelsherman

(more modern fashion take on the wardrobe)

          Spellbound, the inspiration for the title of this blog, and an incredibly well-done film. Alfred Hitchcock presents us with his usual psychological mystery thriller that never seems to get old. I can't even remember how many times I have seen this film, but every time I see it, it's just as exciting and captivating as when I watched it for the fist time. The 1945 film stars the beautiful Ingrid Bergman as Dr. Constance Petersen, and Gregory Peck (who my dad actually met once, back in the day) as Dr. Anthony Edwardes / John Ballantyne (Ooo, mysterious). Anyway, I don't even want to describe the film because it's so much better when you don't know anything going into it. So, I'll spare spoiling the thrill of the film for you, and trust that you'll get your hands on this little gem and enjoy.

          The film is set in a mental hospital, so psychology concepts (highly drawn from freudian psychology) are prevalent throughout the film and very much a part of the storyline. I think this adds some appeal for me, since I'm working on my minor in psychology at the moment. The psychological thriller aspects of Hitchock's films really seem to take them to a whole new level. They are so much more effective at generating a thrill factor than our modern gory thrillers (although I do enjoy those as well, just in a different way). 

          In addition, Salvador Dalí worked on the dream sequence in one of the scenes which is just absolutely perfect. When I went to London a couple summers ago, my friend and I had the pleasure of going to a surrealist museum exhibit featuring Dalí, which was so unbelievable.

 “Our story deals with psychoanalysis, the method by which modern science treats the emotional problems of the sane. The analyst seeks only to induce the patient to talk about his hidden problems, to open the locked doors of his mind. Once the complexes that have been disturbing the patient are uncovered and interpreted, the illness and confusion disappear... and the devils of unreason are driven from the human soul.”

                                                  - Spellbound, 1945