Indeed! Mad you may think, however it struck me that we can easily experience the uneasy effect that this project lures around by turning out the lights and watching some ghost footage on youtube!
I came across a video when doing research for my essay on first person horror flicks about a guy doing a ghost hunt in a house, where the ghost of a little girl keeps appearing within the footage. The fact that this girl should be an innocent, sweet child yet she provokes deep, frightfull fear shows the existance of how life and death is an open book within the uncanny valley.
Even though these videos are obviously fake they show distinct signs of how a child can be used to prevail evil from innocence. Notice how in the second video, a doll appears from the "time capsule" that the camera man has uncovered. This doll inflicts fear, as you wonder of its owner, your feeling anticipation so you dont know what its going to do or whats coming next. After looking at these I decided to look for more videos but of a more real nature.
I used to love this programme when younger, yet I had no reason to use it until now! Worlds Scariest Ghosts caught on Bravo channel shows how a young Child named Justin sees Ghosts just like in the Sixth Sense movie. This is chilling, as now it is the Child who isnt to be feared, but his claims of seeing spirits as if "normal" disturb the audience. Also the way he announces "they like to play". Chilling stuff.
Heres another video which will disturb, the child brushing her hair whilst looking at herself in the mirror. Mirrors can be somewhat unsettling as they can compose the question of "is it me staring back in the Mirror". This short film even if fake is really shocking and shows the impact that fear of the familiar is something we cant escape from.
Sleep well folks,
Kwiss
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
A word on Blue velvet...
What is there to say other than this is a disgustingly brutal, emotional tongue twister of a story that indulges in some of the darker aspects of the human psyche. It takes on many roles within its indecent script, from love stories to thriller, from a teen movie to a gangster movie.
You will leave this film just as confused as when you sat down to watch it, as it throws you around so much and takes you on highs and lows throughout. This isn’t by far one of my favourite films ever and even though I tried I wasn’t very touched by it at all.
My favourite film to of played with my emotions that we have watched so far during this unit has to be Edward Scissorhands (hands down! Lol!).
Take care folks
Kwiss
You will leave this film just as confused as when you sat down to watch it, as it throws you around so much and takes you on highs and lows throughout. This isn’t by far one of my favourite films ever and even though I tried I wasn’t very touched by it at all.
My favourite film to of played with my emotions that we have watched so far during this unit has to be Edward Scissorhands (hands down! Lol!).
Take care folks
Kwiss
Ideas for uncanny enviroments
To complete this unit I will need to show a digital environment which deals in the subject of the uncanny. I have picked out several different environments which personally affect my perception of what feels “right” and sustains an uncomfortable presence.
I have come to notice many people seem to find the subject of the Child to produce the highest levels of an uncanny experience. This is probably due to how Children are perceived as innocent and sweet, so if something corrupts that impulsive view we feel uncomfortable. As a result, I am more than likely to choose this subject to incorporate within my environment to emit the uncanny vibe.
A few of the environments most likely to be associated with a Child would be:
• Playground
• Bedroom
• Playroom
• School
• If I was to say Graveyard, that’d make you uncomfortable…
The uncanny experience can be gathered in many different ways, on many different levels found within the Uncanny Valley. When two subjects which seem opposite (innocence and death for example) are merged together the emotional response is to usually become overwhelmed by a sudden uncomfortable fear felt within. You can feel cold for a second or unable to comprehend the situation.
Other subjects of which can play around with environments to create an uncomfortable, displeasing feeling would be:
• Clowns/Circus
• Pets
• Electrical Appliances
• Weather
• Open space/fields/flowers
All of these subjects can be twisted into sources which can deliver an uncomfortable effect. For example, the Clown is suppost to represent joy and laughter, so the thought of a Clown with a knife and you’re the only other being present stuck in a deserted big top away from access to other civilisation is distressing.
The subject of Pets being uncanny comes from the fact we place our trust in an Animal that we feel loyal to, that it feels like our own child, yet we forget it could turn on us and cause harm easily if it wanted to.
Electrical appliances are made by humans; they do what we want them to. They carry out jobs which we take for granted and if the machines could turn on us we wouldn’t be able to survive or live in the world we know. Things would become simple again; man would become less of what he is once he looses his ego in his own achievements. What if the machines could come to life and turn on us in our own home? It’s these thoughts which cause unease.
Weather is another interesting subject because even though we live with it everyday we anticipate what effects it could really have. In some countries the weather always plays a role which makes life harder to adapt to, so the countries which hardly ever experience certain aspects of the weather feel more threatened by alien conditions. Such is that the weather has the power to destroy our life thus forth we can feel uncomfortable towards such possibilities.
Open spaces feel lonely; someone can become lonely and panic easily in such an environment. Therefore an environment which is subdued in beauty such as a field can suddenly become quite sinister with the feeling of being watched lurking in the back of your mind.
From this small bit of thought ive come to the conclusion I need to make environments which appear like they should be friendly yet contain a single element which spawns horror and confusion. This shall as a result delve the image into the uncanny experience. If I succeed with whatever I make then it will only be a success if I get such a reaction.
Take care folks
Mr Kwiss
I have come to notice many people seem to find the subject of the Child to produce the highest levels of an uncanny experience. This is probably due to how Children are perceived as innocent and sweet, so if something corrupts that impulsive view we feel uncomfortable. As a result, I am more than likely to choose this subject to incorporate within my environment to emit the uncanny vibe.
A few of the environments most likely to be associated with a Child would be:
• Playground
• Bedroom
• Playroom
• School
• If I was to say Graveyard, that’d make you uncomfortable…
The uncanny experience can be gathered in many different ways, on many different levels found within the Uncanny Valley. When two subjects which seem opposite (innocence and death for example) are merged together the emotional response is to usually become overwhelmed by a sudden uncomfortable fear felt within. You can feel cold for a second or unable to comprehend the situation.
Other subjects of which can play around with environments to create an uncomfortable, displeasing feeling would be:
• Clowns/Circus
• Pets
• Electrical Appliances
• Weather
• Open space/fields/flowers
All of these subjects can be twisted into sources which can deliver an uncomfortable effect. For example, the Clown is suppost to represent joy and laughter, so the thought of a Clown with a knife and you’re the only other being present stuck in a deserted big top away from access to other civilisation is distressing.
The subject of Pets being uncanny comes from the fact we place our trust in an Animal that we feel loyal to, that it feels like our own child, yet we forget it could turn on us and cause harm easily if it wanted to.
Electrical appliances are made by humans; they do what we want them to. They carry out jobs which we take for granted and if the machines could turn on us we wouldn’t be able to survive or live in the world we know. Things would become simple again; man would become less of what he is once he looses his ego in his own achievements. What if the machines could come to life and turn on us in our own home? It’s these thoughts which cause unease.
Weather is another interesting subject because even though we live with it everyday we anticipate what effects it could really have. In some countries the weather always plays a role which makes life harder to adapt to, so the countries which hardly ever experience certain aspects of the weather feel more threatened by alien conditions. Such is that the weather has the power to destroy our life thus forth we can feel uncomfortable towards such possibilities.
Open spaces feel lonely; someone can become lonely and panic easily in such an environment. Therefore an environment which is subdued in beauty such as a field can suddenly become quite sinister with the feeling of being watched lurking in the back of your mind.
From this small bit of thought ive come to the conclusion I need to make environments which appear like they should be friendly yet contain a single element which spawns horror and confusion. This shall as a result delve the image into the uncanny experience. If I succeed with whatever I make then it will only be a success if I get such a reaction.
Take care folks
Mr Kwiss
Halloween
Halloween is an intense, violent slasher movie that was made in 1978 and directed by John Carpenter. The importance of this film is strong, as from this came the inspiration for many slasher movies to come. Most other movies within the horror genre after this film was produced take elements of the suspension building, storyline and visual appearance within.
Michael has escaped, and returns to the heart of his crime and family, Haddonfield. Myers decides to stalk Laurie Strode and some of her friends. It becomes more disturbing as Laurie begins to notice signs Michael appearing around the neighbourhood with sightings of a man in a white mask. Later that day, Laurie meets up with her friend Annie whom is baby sitting across the road from where Laurie herself is babysitting. Annie arranges to pick up her boyfriend and sends Lindsey (the child she is babysitting) to stay with Laurie. As Annie gets into the Car, Myers appears out of the backseat of the Car and strangles Annie then relentlessly cuts her throat. More instances of people close to Laurie being killed off in a similar fashion happen throughout the movie until she is the next victim on Myers list.
The film comes to a close when it comes down to Laurie verses Myers, where Myers is “killed” until he keeps seemingly coming back to life, relentlessly not giving in until his target is killed. The Doctor comes to Laurie’s safety and shoots Myers, who falls through a window. By this point we believe all is safe again in Haddonfield, yet the last scene is set where Myers body vanishes meaning he must still be alive.
I give this an 8 out of 10… could have been a little bit scarier!
Take care folks
Kwiss
Uncanny effects found within Art - what makes it so powerfull?
In this Unit we are discussing and creating pieces of Art based on the subject of the uncanny, the things which attract us that also repel us, the things which disturb us with that cold shudder and a desire to turn away when you cant, that feeling when you know something isnt quite right. Art does this particularly well by being able to make you feel watched, enchanted by beauty yet effected by one single thing out of place: the paradox of our comfort in reality.
Here are a few of the images from this website which I feel provoke the uncanny effect.
Many horror films use this idea to build tension and suspense, such as Steven King classics IT, The Shining, Christine and Children of the corn to name a few.
Take care folks
Kwiss
When you look at a Portrait of a person, a really detailed painting or a photograph, the eyes give off a feel for the soul of what your peering into. The picture becomes less of a painting or photograph and becomes more of a communication between two souls. Yet the thing which makes this uncanny is, the picture has no soul. Thus gives me the thought of are we staring into ourselfs? A dead reflection with no praise, a look into anothers eyes which could speak a thousand words even though there is nothing beyond them than mere paper. You'll find the uncomfortable feeling you gather is actually the feeling of realising there is nothing there, and your alone within yourself, an illusion of comfort bent into a more sinister emotion.
An example of Art which displays an uncanny feel would be that which I have found on a website called http://www.ebaumsworld.com/pictures/view/719914/
Here you can find many pieces of directly disturbing Art, which can be considered uncanny.
Here you can find many pieces of directly disturbing Art, which can be considered uncanny.
Here are a few of the images from this website which I feel provoke the uncanny effect.
Sometimes the uncanny effect is best found in a situation where there is no living things present, yet the abandoned environment left over gives off an eerie implication of something present or that has happened or could happen.
Many horror films use this idea to build tension and suspense, such as Steven King classics IT, The Shining, Christine and Children of the corn to name a few.
Take care folks
Kwiss
Poltegeist
Whilst this film is not based around the obvious nature of the uncanny experience it definantly uses elements of which to create some of the powerfull scenes that it possesses. The use of furniture, toys which could be alive or evil, a child being the only person in the house to sense a presence, the use of television sets turning on at their own accord to white noise – these are to name a few of the things which steps into the uncanny valley within this movie.
Once again this film like many others we have watched in our lectures emits the scene of a perfect suburban landscape set in a conformist ridden stereotypical America. We can see that there's a strong neighbourly feel within the setting of Poltergeist, as we see them coming together to watch football, arguing over typical Petit matters like in real life, yet confiding in them when they need comfort and support.
These people do not know what is beneath their feet, as the houses are built on an old cemetery which disturbs the deceased who wish to go onto the light. The little girl from the family, Carol Anne is a strong source of life energy which attracts spirits to her who are trying to find salvation from the light, yet they are misguided and think she is the light. The spirits are confused and shown the way by an evil source of energy, otherwise known as the beast, who also appears as a friend to Carol Anne and thus lures her into its hostile trap.
Through the hard work of some mediumship they manage to regain Carol Anne and bring the house back to peace, this doesn't stop the beast from returning again however. The last time we see the beast he tears up the coffins and bodies of the dead from the cemetery below, the spirits gush around the family and chaos reigns over the street. The Family get away as the house implodes on itself and is sucked into the light infront of a bewildered neighbourhood.
An interesting point to make is this film is held as one of the top 20 scariest films of all time, with some of the best effects of its era which are still somewhat undated to this day. There are rumours that this film was so dark and intrusive to the afterlife that it cursed some of the actors who took part in the Poltergeist films, who died shortly after the films were made. This includes the girl who plays Carol Anne, who died at the age of 12.
An interesting film, scarier at moments depending on how you look at it. Good use of character building and special effects plus brilliant acting from the cast.
Take care folks
Kwiss
Once again this film like many others we have watched in our lectures emits the scene of a perfect suburban landscape set in a conformist ridden stereotypical America. We can see that there's a strong neighbourly feel within the setting of Poltergeist, as we see them coming together to watch football, arguing over typical Petit matters like in real life, yet confiding in them when they need comfort and support.
These people do not know what is beneath their feet, as the houses are built on an old cemetery which disturbs the deceased who wish to go onto the light. The little girl from the family, Carol Anne is a strong source of life energy which attracts spirits to her who are trying to find salvation from the light, yet they are misguided and think she is the light. The spirits are confused and shown the way by an evil source of energy, otherwise known as the beast, who also appears as a friend to Carol Anne and thus lures her into its hostile trap.
Through the hard work of some mediumship they manage to regain Carol Anne and bring the house back to peace, this doesn't stop the beast from returning again however. The last time we see the beast he tears up the coffins and bodies of the dead from the cemetery below, the spirits gush around the family and chaos reigns over the street. The Family get away as the house implodes on itself and is sucked into the light infront of a bewildered neighbourhood.
An interesting point to make is this film is held as one of the top 20 scariest films of all time, with some of the best effects of its era which are still somewhat undated to this day. There are rumours that this film was so dark and intrusive to the afterlife that it cursed some of the actors who took part in the Poltergeist films, who died shortly after the films were made. This includes the girl who plays Carol Anne, who died at the age of 12.
An interesting film, scarier at moments depending on how you look at it. Good use of character building and special effects plus brilliant acting from the cast.
Take care folks
Kwiss
Finally me blog works! =D and Stepford Wives film review
This film is set in a small suburb of America where life seems peaceful and content. However, there is something slightly wrong with the atmosphere of the setting. Unease drifts across the main characters of the film. Joanna Eberhart moves to the small town of Stepford with ehr family, where sooner than later she starts to realize things arnt what they seem. The conditions for family life are so perfect and socially steriotypical that it brings an eerie warmth to newcomers, unable to see the wrath of their surroundings before its too late.
As the film progresses we find that Joanna begins to notice this trend for perfection amongst Stepford, that the women in particular all dress in a certain untrendy fashion, going about their day to day lives as if programmed to be the ideal Wife. In a sense the Women are all "one" and their title of Wife bears the sexist viewed jobs they are expected to perform which is their burden. The Men of Stepford however, seem very collective, they go to work, socialise together and allow the Women to dot he domestic work.
The Men of Stepford, including Joanna's Husband all attend a local Men's club, which begins to take over the Eberhart family's regular day to day atmosphere. A dark cloud of confusion surrounds Joanna as she notices the differences in the Women's behaviour and the Men's strange attitudes. The pretty landscape of Stepford suddenly becomes sinister and hostile, difficult to escape from and very uncanny.
Joanna decides to combat this sexist approach to life in Stepford by arranging a club of her own for the Women to attend. Its not long before she realises her freinds who attend her club all start conforming to her fears about the Women of Stepford. In the end Joanna is the last female standing, she comes to discover her freind Bobbie has been turned and isnt Human at all. It isnt even Bobbie staring back at her, it was something more sinister, somewhat synthetic and made to perfection. Bobbie had been made into an Android version of herself, which presumably is what had happened to all the other females in Stepford. This made immediate sense to Joanna that the Men must be behind it and so in a desperate flea to escape she went to gather her children and leave. Joanna comes to find that the Men are using her children as bait and they have been taken so she decides to go to the club where the Men hold their meetings. It is here where she meets her end and android Doppleganger.
The film closes with a supermarket scene where all the Women form Stepford stand out and wear similar attire, have the same expressions and ddress each other in the same manner. You can tell these are all uncanny copies of the wives who once lived in the pretty little town of Stepford. Then Joanna steps out exactly the same as them, unfortunately this goes to proove she never escaped the evil that lurked within the small area that she lived amongst...
As the film progresses we find that Joanna begins to notice this trend for perfection amongst Stepford, that the women in particular all dress in a certain untrendy fashion, going about their day to day lives as if programmed to be the ideal Wife. In a sense the Women are all "one" and their title of Wife bears the sexist viewed jobs they are expected to perform which is their burden. The Men of Stepford however, seem very collective, they go to work, socialise together and allow the Women to dot he domestic work.
The Men of Stepford, including Joanna's Husband all attend a local Men's club, which begins to take over the Eberhart family's regular day to day atmosphere. A dark cloud of confusion surrounds Joanna as she notices the differences in the Women's behaviour and the Men's strange attitudes. The pretty landscape of Stepford suddenly becomes sinister and hostile, difficult to escape from and very uncanny.
Joanna decides to combat this sexist approach to life in Stepford by arranging a club of her own for the Women to attend. Its not long before she realises her freinds who attend her club all start conforming to her fears about the Women of Stepford. In the end Joanna is the last female standing, she comes to discover her freind Bobbie has been turned and isnt Human at all. It isnt even Bobbie staring back at her, it was something more sinister, somewhat synthetic and made to perfection. Bobbie had been made into an Android version of herself, which presumably is what had happened to all the other females in Stepford. This made immediate sense to Joanna that the Men must be behind it and so in a desperate flea to escape she went to gather her children and leave. Joanna comes to find that the Men are using her children as bait and they have been taken so she decides to go to the club where the Men hold their meetings. It is here where she meets her end and android Doppleganger.
The film closes with a supermarket scene where all the Women form Stepford stand out and wear similar attire, have the same expressions and ddress each other in the same manner. You can tell these are all uncanny copies of the wives who once lived in the pretty little town of Stepford. Then Joanna steps out exactly the same as them, unfortunately this goes to proove she never escaped the evil that lurked within the small area that she lived amongst...
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