Scarecrow's Blog From the Darkside

While Ruth (Alison Brie) begins to assimilate a character out of her numerous failed personas, Debbie (Betty Gilpin) continues to struggle with her new choice of profession, having not yet found the inspiration needed to fully embrace the GLOW ideal. Bash has a television station exec passing by to introduce him to the ladies, with the clear understanding that sponsors to support the show is important. A patio company could very well be a key sponsor if Bash and Sam can carry two of the girls along in the hopes of securing the owner’s approval for the show. This is where Ruth might finally realize her character, coming up with a Russian communist, complete with dialect and jargon. The show not only uses this to hint at a programme with Debbie (who has claimed the All American Heroine gimmick), but a later conversation about the babyface/heel partnership certainly reinforces it. Recognizing pro wrestling as a soap opera in itself turns a corner with Debbie considering she c

With an ensemble series and freedom (and backing behind those producing it), there is all the potential in the world for developing characters from top to bottom of a casting roll call. And GLOW is gifted with such riches in that regard. I knew going into this show that this was about people not the “art” (*giggle* *snort*) of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling. It was about these women, where they come from, who they are, and their commitment to something specific (in this case schlock filmmaker, Sam Sylvia, and his faux wrestling programme). Make fun of the show all you want but those cast in the roles of those wrestling personas are just women trying to make ends meet and give what they have, even if the viewing audience might not realize the efforts, sacrifices, and compromises. Sam Sylvia and Bash arrive at the gym and tell the ladies that they will all be moving to a hotel (the Rusty Spur of the episode’s title). Like a type of sorority, they are in one location, so the tra

I have been binging Twin Peaks first season (and early second season) and have reached the point of the series where Leo is in a coma, Jacques is dead, Shelly is nearly killed by Leo, Catherine is missing after rescuing Shelly from the burning shed near the mill, Benjamin and his brother have secured a partnership with Icelanders, Albert has pissed off all the Twin Peaks law enforcement with his insolence and disrespect (they are all bumpkins he considers worthy of his ridicule), Cooper uses his dreams as a guide to investigating Laura’s murder, Donna puts on Laura’s sunshades and starts behaving atypically (her walk, cigarette-smoking, and approach to James), Maddy (Laura’s lookalike cousin) assists James and Donna in finding cassette recordings of Laura’s (to Dr. Jacoby), Norma’s husband is paroled and heavily embroiled in various activities (responsible for shooting Leo before he can chop Bobby up with an ax, responsible for the death of Josie’s husband and secured money

*** I can tell you that back in 1995 I was among several excited horror fans upon learning Clive Barker was releasing a film considering he directed so few and many of us had to see Hellraiser (1987) through borrowed VHS. Even renting Hellraiser was difficult. I do remember getting to rent Nightbreed (1990), watching it with great intrigue. So in the 90s both these films were popped in the VCR whenever the chance presented itself (summers when the parents were at work; we lived in rural Mississippi in a quiet neighborhood and I was a responsible teenager, so renting, borrowing, and watching horror wasn’t as difficult). When I learned of Lord of Illusions , it was quite an exciting time, anticipating its release on home video. What is so crazy is the film was released on my birthday and I had just turned 17! Wow, to think that has almost been 23 years ago astonishes me. So I had just turned the age where you could see R-rated films but Lord of Illusions , if I remember correctl