The Genius of Rik Mayall part 2: Drop Dead Fred

In my previous entry I have partially expressed my admiration for Rik Mayall. Now it is time to get to the meaty portion of my written tribute to this talented man. Captain Jack Sparrow look-alike Russell Brand is in talks to portray Fred in the remake. I could go on about how much this will ruin the integrity of the original and its star but I digress. Instead I choose to approach the matter by reflecting on the greatness of the original. Now there are those that believe the film to be rubbish laden with rude and immature humor. Much to their despise, Drop Dead Fred has developed a huge devout following over the years since it’s release in 1991. Those of my generation wished that they had a wild and fun imaginary friend like Fred. There’s a reason why the fans are devoted to this movie. If you peel back it’s rough layers, Drop Dead Fred is a funny and touching story about friendship and overcoming life’s obstacles.



For those that haven’t seen the movie, I’ll give you the rundown. Elizabeth “Lizzie” Cronin (Phoebe Cates) has endured hell all in one day. Her husband Charles (Tim Matheson) leaves her for another woman, a few of her valuable belongings are stolen and she gets fired from her job. Lizzie has no real alternative then but to move in with her cold and controlling mother Polly (Marcia Mason.) One night Lizzie stumbles upon some old toys from her childhood including a jack in the box wrapped in tape. She peels off the tape to unleash the valuable piece of her youth that’s been locked away all this time; her imaginary friend Fred (Rik Mayall.)



Rik churns out an unforgettable performance as the wild imaginary comrade. He springs the character of Fred to life with his crazy facial expressions and his boisterous guise. Admit that you have found yourself giggling when he looked up that woman’s skirt and delightfully whispered “no panties,” with that sophisticated British accent. Plus: ladies, you have to admit he looks quite smashing when he’s not “all crazy eyed.“ Rik can completely transform from a loud and mischievous pest into a placid individual with the snap of a finger. In one flashback, we see him playing burglars with Lizzie, breaking windows and making strident noises to sitting with Lizzie in a tree with a gentile demeanor providing words of encouragement. I don’t think anyone could come even close to providing the entertainment that Rik has done with this role (yes I’m looking at you Mr. Brand.) Rik was a true artist in this film and knew exactly how to make the audience laugh or bring them to tears. Whether you are a fan of the film or not, there is no denying the dedication Rik has put into this character. Rik’s portrayal of Fred is so sincere, his depiction make the audience almost completely forget that there is a man behind the mask.



Another of the film’s strong focal points is the relationship between Lizzie and Fred. The intensity between the two characters is what carries the film forward without a thickening plot. Lizzie cannot leave a situation unscathed without Fred coming along to “liven” things up. Fred does everything unthinkable from smearing dog poo all over her mother’s carpet and furniture to sinking the houseboat that belonged to her best friend‘s lover. Despite all the hell that Fred has put Lizzie through in the end he gives her something that she desperately needed; courage. He stood beside her as she confronted the ills of her past and provided the support that she needed to get through the apprehension that has plagued her throughout her entire life. All this is capped off with one of the most beautiful and touching farewells between two close friends. This is why Drop Dead Fred has such a devoted following. Sure it’s understandable why the jokes may appear tasteless to many but why this film appeals to so many people is our empathy for Lizzie. There are those that love the movie that have experienced the loneliness that Lizzie has endured from childhood into adolescence, and Fred was our true hero that came to whisk us away from our lonesomeness.



So to the current teenage crowd that sees the future upcoming trailer to the remake, do the right thing and don’t buy a ticket to see it. Instead prose your local video store and purchase the original Drop Dead Fred for your movie delightment. If you’re parents or you can’t afford it then rent it or borrow it from someone you know. If you don’t, shame on you for missing out on a spectacular performance from someone that truly deserves the wealth and recognition.

The Genius of Rik Mayall part 1: The Introduction

I have a confession to make, my name is Lady Ash and I’m a hardbabe. For those that don’t know what that means, it is another term for a Rik Mayall fan girl. What? You don’t know who “Rik fucking Mayall” is? Sadly I am not surprised. I would have included Rik on my list of potential leading men who are vastly overlooked, but there’s a difference. Rik has been in plenty of “leading man,” roles including a portrayal of Merlin and he is a revered celebrity among millions of fans. However unlike other British celebrities like Hugh Grant or Jude Law, Rik never garnered huge acclaim here in the United States. What? Oh now you are saying that he looks familiar. Well he was after all the eccentric and lovable man child Fred in the cult hit Drop Dead Fred. Sadly that one release would never catapult him to American fame like the aforementioned names listed. However this was the film that made that fateful introduction.



I was ten years old when my parents rented Drop Dead Fred back during Hollywood's better times. I was immediately smitten with the actor that played the character. I thought he was charming, funny and not to mention one of the most beautiful men I’ve ever seen. His name then stuck in my head for years and I made it my mission to view as much material he has made appearances in. My parents then told me that he was in a sitcom back from the early 80s titled The Young Ones. Apparently they knew about this because MTV used to play The Young Ones back during the station's prime. Luckily that series would be released on VHS and I would receive it for my 14th birthday.


Total Sex Bomb

I now make it my mission to introduce the American public to the genius that is Rik Mayall. So to honor this brilliant, sexy and hilarious comedian; I will be including future articles highlighting some of his work. Until then, be mesmerized by the alluring pictures… sorry gentlemen I’ll try not to squeal and slobber to much.



... breathtaking!

The Psychic

Lucio Fulci is one of the names most synonymous with Italian Horror. Many regard Fulci, alongside Herschell Gordon Lewis, as one of the genre's legendary "godfathers of gore"; he was behind the creation of such grotesque masterpieces as City of the Living Dead and the infamous Zombi 2. However, there is a different side of Fulci that many of his gorehound fans are not aware of; he also managed to establish himself as a master of suspense. Before he got around to flashier, more boisterous fare, Fulci co-wrote and directed a few films in the giallo subgenre including such titles as Don't Torture a Duckling and Lizard in a Woman's Skin. One of the projects under his belt is a little film from 1977 titled Seven Notes in Black, released in the U.S. as The Psychic. Many might know this film only for the infamous theme quoted by Quentin Tarantino in Kill Bill, Volume 1, but this film is more than just a seven-note chime.

Virginia (Jennifer O'Neill) has had a number of psychic visions ever since the day, almost twenty years ago, when she "saw" her mother committing suicide. On a morning drive through the countryside, a terrifying series of images enters her head; recounting them for a close friend, a parapsychologist named Luca (Marc Porel), she becomes convinced that she has been a supernatural witness to a gruesome murder. While her husband Francesco (Gianni Garko) is off on business, Virginia is seeing to the restoration of an old house that's been in his family for years; her suspicions are aroused when she enters the house and stumbles on what may be the scene of the crime itself.



What makes The Psychic such a unique film is its atmosphere. This is neither your typical giallo nor your typical Lucio Fulci movie. Unlike Bava or Argento, who are well known for the array of eye-catching color in their films, Fulci has painted a canvas of grim darkness; the director went for a stripped-down, no-B.S. aesthetic in making The Psychic. You have none of the flashy, eye-gouging gore effects of Zombi 2, except for a brief pre-credits sequence; here the horror is more cerebral than visceral. Fulci doesn't find it necessary to throw blood and entrails all over the place in this film, and so his genius for nauseating effects is sublimated into suspense. The film's most terror-inspiring moments are not the scenes of violence, but the disconnected, surreal images of Virginia's vision, relentlessly repeating themselves in her (and the viewer's) mind's eye. A room decorated in blood-red satin, a letter hidden under a sculpture, a broken mirror, a cigarette smoldering in an ashtray, footsteps on an unfamiliar stairway, a music box (or something like it) repeating a seven-note motif in complete darkness... even the images that do not directly suggest violence seem to contain a subtle threat.




And where most giallo films add extravagant staging, beautiful women and carefully disguised killers, Fulci breaks the mold again, most notably with his heroine. While Jennifer O'Neill is the definition of a beautiful woman, her Virginia is not the typical giallo helpless-victim-of-circumstance. Sure, she has a vulnerable side, but she is bright, intelligent, and fully aware that she is treading in dangerous waters; she also turns amateur detective with more gusto than some other giallo protagonists -- twenty minutes into the film, we find her hacking away at a wall with a pickaxe, searching for a body that she is convinced is buried there.

Unlike its predecessors, there is no classy, sly psycho killer in this film, donning a trenchcoat and black leather gloves, stacking up the bodies. Fulci has not created a slasher film (the sort of thing one might reasonably expect from him), but a detective story with all the intricacy of a jigsaw puzzle. Every detail revealed is vital to the story; the most satisfying -- and horrific -- moments of the film come when those details are connected together. Throughout the film, the evidence seems to indicate that whatever Virginia saw may not be what she thought she saw; practically every clue available to her turns out to mean something other than its initial interpretation. During the final third of the movie, each of the clues slowly locks into place in the real world, the editing slyly revealing the context of each fragmentary image. The tension mounts to an almost unbearable level, and the final ten minutes that cap it off are among the most nerve-wracking in any giallo.



Of course this exhilarating visual concoction could not be complete without mentioning the music that brings this film to life. Fabio Frizzi is known for the eerie and hypnotic scores he created for Zombi 2, City of the Living Dead and The Beyond. Frizzi's collaboration with Franco Bixio and Vince Tempera on the score for The Psychic is nothing short of musical perfection. Their composition is the backbone of the film's suspenseful set pieces. The seven-note loop that materializes periodically is one of the most chilling sounds to grace the ears of the listener since Bernard Herrman's infamous musical sting in Psycho.

The Psychic is a superb thriller, worthy of standing beside such classics as Deep Red and Blood and Black Lace. It may even be argued that Lucio Fulci's skill at generating tension, not notable elsewhere, is brought front and center in his gialli; in retrospect, one can understand why some have accused Fulci of using gore as a crutch. Not so in this case. Those who are interested in nail-biting suspense will find much to enjoy here.

My Latest Creation

I know it has been a while since The Lady has posted anything of relevancy. So to make up for my lack of input, here's the latest AMV that I have created just for you all. A fine tribute to one of my favorite video game series of all time paired up with my favorite Metallica song. This is what I call a marriage made in Metal/Horror heaven!



Silent Hill Sanitarium