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What’s up Sorry Staters?
I feel like I’m already starting to get the post-October blues over here as I’m writing this. Halloween hasn’t even happened yet and I’m starting to feel the dread! I think myself, and everyone at Sorry State, has just been so busy that it feels like the month has gone by super quickly. In previous years, we’ve even done an extra special “spooky edition” of the newsletter, but it feels like I haven’t felt as much of the Halloween spirit going around as I’d like. Oh well.
On Halloween night, however, we are doing a cover band gig that’s also a benefit to raise money for disaster relief in Western NC. The good cause is killer, but I’m also just stoked to dress up and play some of my favorite Halloween-centric punk tunes. I’m in a 45 Grave and Misfits cover band. The last couple of practices we’ve had, I’m feeling really stoked on how it’s coming together. Also currently, our Swedish buddies Christoffer and Wilhemina are hanging out in Raleigh! It’s so rad that after meeting them in Sweden while Scarecrow was on tour that they decided to make the trip to come visit. The Swedes have invaded Sorry State and it will be rad having them around for the Halloween festivities. Hell yeah! If any locals reading the newsletter wanna know where the location of the gig is going down, please reach out!
Okay, so I ask you all to indulge once more as I talk about horror movies! The other night, I went to a screening of Nightmare on Elm St 3—The Dream Warriors at Alamo Drafthouse. Perhaps the best horror sequel ever? I mean Freddy and Dokken, what else could you want? The theater was sold out, and it was so awesome to see the movie on the big screen and have everyone react and laugh at all the right beats in the flick. Another thing about the Alamo is that they have a pretty killer selection of VHS available for rental! Naturally, I gravitated toward the classiest selections available. I debated writing about one of these movies I rented. Who could resist the strength in advertising on the box art for Ghoul School? “Sex! Babes! Rock and Roll!” All things relevant to my interests haha. This movie started pretty rough, but ended pretty strong. A fun romp with the most rudimentary but ambitious gore special effects. Would recommend. Then again, I also rented Chopper Chicks In Zombie Town. Also pretty killer. Why don’t they make movies like this anymore?
In the end, for this week’s newsletter, I decided to talk about the classic to end all classics, Evil Dead 2. I rewatched my copy at home the other night and I realized I need to remind myself to at least watch this banger once a year. I gotta say, it’s probably my favorite movie of all time. I mean shit, me being the total nerd that I am, I’ve got the fuckin’ chainsaw tattooed on me with “Groovy” above it. I just love it. It’s the perfect blend of absolutely insane violence with goosebump-inducing creepiness, but simultaneously totally hilarious. A perfect balance of insane groundbreaking effects, psychedelic gore, otherworldly atmosphere, all centered around a claustrophobic setting of being stranded in an isolated, dilapidated cabin in the woods. Not really a zombie movie, though some people lump it into that category. Demonic possession is probably closer? Word to the wise: if you read from the Book of the Dead, a creepy ancient book that happens to be bound in human skin, you may find that an unexplainable force takes over your friends and watch them become inhabited by a Kandarian Demon. Just sayin’.
What’s interesting about the Evil Dead franchise is that there are 3 films, each filmed in a different decade—one for the 70s, 80s and 90s. And each film has an element of retelling, or even reimagining the story of the initial film. Evil Dead 2 is basically a remake, but with slightly different characters. For my money, it takes the eeriness of the original and amplifies the visual spectacle. At the heart of the franchise is, of course, the majestic Bruce Campbell, who plays the main character, Ash. His performance comes across as a fairly innocent and brave protagonist in the original Evil Dead. But in this sequel, Campbell’s performance is heightened to a William Shatner-level of exaggerated, fourth-wall breaking absurdity. Just his physical comedy, when his hand becomes possessed and he’s forced to basically give a convincing yet slapstick “fighting with myself” performance… He’s flipping over himself and beating himself up, the whole nine yards. It’s great. Then when he chops off his own hand with a chainsaw? The close up on his face with that glint of his eye of total madness… Then the final gag, when he traps the severed hand and weighs down the bucket with a paperback of “A Farewell to Arms”… I mean, COME ON! It doesn’t much more brilliant than that.
I think that might be as much as my brain can muster for this particular “staff pick”. I highly suggest you make a point to revisit the Evil Dead.
Welp, until our next meeting post-All Hallows’ Eve,
-Jeff