Invasion of the Body Snatchers, 1956

"In my practice, I've seen how people have allowed their humanity to drain away. Only it happened slowly instead of all at once. They didn't seem to mind...All of us - a little bit - we harden our hearts, grow callous. Only when we have to fight to stay human do we realize how precious it is to us, how dear." Dr. Miles J. Bennell

This movie has a theme that pops up in science fiction thriller type movies: Earth is invaded, usually by creatures from outer space. Although monstrous the creatures are able to assume a human guise in order live among Earthlings without detection. The invaders purpose is generally the domination of Earth although they sometimes just want to study us. Usually one person knows the frightening truth. But in trying to reveal the truth that character at best discredits himself. At the worst, he is put into a straight jacket. For the truth is always too fantastical to be believed. The "good guy" is usually alone in his struggles; betrayed by those closest to him. Few things could be more horrifying than looking into the familiar eyes of a loved one only to discover an alien enemy.

Keven McCarthy plays Dr. Miles J. Bennell. He is the guy who is wise to the situation; trying to be believed while running from aliens.
Dana Wynter plays Becky Driscoll; his ankle twisting female interest. She was the one person Dr. Bennell trusted; the only other person whose body had not been "snatched".

"Invasion of the Body Snatchers" lives up the the name "thriller". It digs down into that lower part of my brain, past reason, and strikes a cord of fear. It never fails to give me goosebumps. I first saw "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" in a movie theater. It was the 1978 version with Donald Sutherland.
Walking home I noticed other people on the sidewalks walked wooden legged, vacant eyed. They did not talk to one another. (I am sure that is what I saw!) The street lights cast lurid shadows on all their faces. Horrible!

Homer: "I suppose you want to probe me. Well, might as well get it over with. unzips pants.."
Kang: "Stop!! We have reached the limits of what rectal probing can teach us."
The Simpsons "Tree House of Horror VII".

Death Becomes Her, 1992

Madeline: Do you know that they do to soft, bald, overweight Republicans in prison, Ernest?

I have revisited a witch story and a ghost story. Time for a monster story; a monster of the green eyed variety... bwa ha ha

Madeline Ashton, played by Meryl Streep and Helen Sharp played by Goldie Hawn, envy one another. They fawn over one another with cool smiles and pleasant words. Inside they each seeth with envy never missing an opportunity to one-up the other. Over the years Madeline Ashton has successfully wooed and stolen away each of Helen Sharp's men.

Helen is thinking of marriage to Dr. Ernest Menville played by Bruce Willis. Does Helen say "woo hoo!" go and be happy with Menville?

NO!, of course not. What fun would that be? Helen decides that her dear Ernest must pass the "Madeline Ashton test" before she will marry him. Monstrously naive for a man of his accomplishments, Ernest fails the test most miserably- for all concerned.

Madeline is an actress whose popularity seems to be slipping away. For some reason she never suspects her acting ability to be the cause. Instead she blames her wrinkles and liver spots. She figures marriage to her "best friend's" man will be just the thing to sooth her ego. And oh yeah, I should mention that Earnest happens to be an extremely skillful plastic surgon...

The phrase "I'd sell my soul for..." is wistfully tossed about by the characters. The women are tempted by lasting beauty and Ernest by lust.

Isabella Rossellini plays Lisle Von Rhoman; a dark, powerful temptress whose bare boobies are covered by mesmerizing strands of beads. Lisle sells or trades eternal beauty to souls able and willing to pay her price. She lives in a castle-like mansion surrounded by lightening pierced "dark and stormy nights". She forgot to mention:

Lisle: "Now, a warning."
Madeline: "NOW a warning?"
Lisle: (to Ernest) "SEMPRE VIVE! LIVE FOREVER!"

What Dreams May Come, 1998

...And for my soul, what can it (suicide) do to that,
Being a thing immortal as itself?... From Shakespeare's Hamlet

The title of this comes from Shakespeare's Hamlet; that soliloquy which starts:
"To be or not to be".
Hamlet is contemplating suicide, weighing the pros and cons; the cons being mostly an unknown factor.

I imagine just about everyone wonders what is beyond this life. Eventually most are able to see it as a mystery and thus avoid turning into a Woody Allen character; stewing over death, the expansion of the universe and other things over which we have no control...

"What Dreams May Come" is adapted from a book of the same name by Richard Matheson.
Among many others it stars: Robin Williams as Chris Nielsen, Annabella Sciorra as Chris's wife Annie, Cuba Gooding Jr. as Albert Lewis and Max von Sydow as The Tracker.

Chris and Annie are beautiful people, very much in love who suffer a tragic loss. The story relates to the consequences of their reactions to the loss. Their separate choices determine their separate destinies in both this life and in the after life.

Some interesting parallel themes between "Hamlet" and "What Dreams May Come":
-suicide "...For in that sleep of death what dreams may come..." Shakespeare
-ghosts or spirits
-immortality
-defying hell
-multiple calamities
"What Dreams May Come" in addition, embraces the theme of the transformative power of love. It emphasizes our power to choose and to accept consequences; not what happens to us but how we react.

It is a beautiful picture of one man's heaven.

..."We defy augury; there's a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all."...
Shakespere's Hamlet

The Witches of Eastwick, 1987

"Do you think God knew what He was doing when He created woman? Huh? No shit. I really wanna know. Or do you think it was another one of His minor mistakes like tidal waves, earthquakes, FLOODS? You think women are like that? S'matter? You don't think God makes mistakes? Of course He does. We ALL make mistakes. Of course, when WE make mistakes they call it evil. When GOD makes mistakes, they call it... nature. So whaddya think? Women... a mistake... or DID HE DO IT TO US ON PURPOSE?"
Daryl Van Horne


This movie is adapted from a book of the same name by John Updike.
Besides popcorn and your usual movie fare, have some cherries on hand to snack on while you watch this movie. Out of season no doubt. How about cherry pie, chocolate covered or...

The witches: Cher as Alexandra Medford, Susan Sarandon as Jane Spofford and Michelle Pfeiffer as Sukie Ridgemont. Jack Nicholson stars as Daryl Van Horne, presumably the Devil.

The witches are each creative women. Susan Sarandon plays a musician, Cher plays a sculptor and Michelle Pfeiffer a writer. They are good friends and enjoy evenings together sharing snacks, gossip and a very special bond: it seems whenever they focus on the same desire the thing they long for materializes.
On an evening when talk turns to men each adds to a wish list of qualities they would like to see in the ideal male. As they are all wishing together, poof! Enter Jack Nicholson.
He seems alternately bumbling and terrifying as he sets out to seduce each of the witches.
Interestingly, each woman’s talent (and hair!) blossoms after a romp with the big D. The Devil is intent on producing an heir. When the witches discover his intentions they make some plans of their own.

Why does the Devil need an heir you ask? I dont know, eat your popcorn!

This movie left me with some things to ponder:
Why three witches? Never two or five but three?
Why does sex with the Devil give a woman really big hair?
And finally, the idea of gaining creative genius through a deal with the devil pops up now and then in books and movies. Where did it start?