Thrill of the scare

I love scary films. Even the most cheese-ridden offerings tend to appeal to my horror-loving nature. 

However, there's one issue. I jump at everything.

Yes, I am the person who leaps out the seat, spills their popcorn/drink and elbows the person next to me (typically my man not a random stranger!) 

I jump watching scary films, if someone suddenly sneezes loudly or if my boyfriend suddenly pokes his head round the doorframe when I think he's in the other room. 

Key embarrassments are jumping when young as Willy the whale leaps out the water at one point in Free Willy, getting bad cramp in my leg as I jumped at a small girl abruptly appearing in a shop in 30 Days of night and coming out pale and with a slightly trembly hand after Paranormal Activity! 

The film can be gory, jumpy, spooky, based on real events or completely far fetched. I will jump at them all.

Recently I was sat on the sofa catching up on spooky French drama The Returned and something as per usual made me jump and I chucked a load of water over myself (I was stupidly holding a glass at the time). 

When I was young I can remember not being allowed to watch certain types of films until I got a bit older. Funnily enough the older I've got the more scared I seem to get.

Last night we were talking to friends after dinner and the topic of scary films came up. My boyfriend explained how he laughs at gory films (this is why he's suited to working in the health sector/ambulance driving) and my friend said how she doesn't get scary films unless they are related to real life/possible (I strongly insisted she avoid The Strangers as a result). 

I know other people in the past who laughed at films such as The Blair Witch Project (scared me because of my overactive imagination of thinking about what could be there, not anything I actually saw). Others I know think Paranormal Activity is boring and always fail to get spooked at similar cinema offerings.

Last night just talking about some of the films we've seen and discussing certain scenes I had to stop as I was 'freaking myself out'. I just about managed to go to the bathroom on my own before we left and then was wary as we walked home. Well, we did have a 20 minute walk back about 2 in the morning and were around Romford to be fair! 

I've always loved to see scary films - nowadays my issue is embarrassment and I often spend a lot of my time peering between my fingers as I'm so conscious of jumping or screaming really obviously and having other cinema-goers  laugh at me. At home I'm not too concerned about this, but I could never watch a frightening film on my own. 

I can't explain it but I just love to be scared. I get petrified and think things through in my mind for days after seeing the film. Yet it's like an addiction, as soon as I see the trailer (most of which I normally can't even last through) I just have to go see the film.

My issue is jumping, even films I've seen before and I know what's about to happen, they still never fail to cause me to leap up.

My poor boyfriend has many the time been victim to being elbowed in the side or having his fingers crushed if I've been holding hands with him as the scene suddenly gets filled with something loud, spooky or unexpected. 

The build up and anticipation is just as bad, the soundtrack goes quiet or builds up to a tense, creepy tone, you know something is about to happen. Then I start to get a coat/cardigan ready or raise my hand to potentially cover my eyes. When the first Paranormal Activity came out I was getting myself all worked up before we even booked our tickets to go!

I just can't explain it. I don't get it, why do I love to be frightened so much by films, yet at the time of watching them I'm wishing I'm not there or experiencing it.

A week or two ago I saw a trailer for The Conjuring and it spooked me out. Tonight we are probably going to see it. 

One thing I can guarantee is no matter how frightening it is or far fetched and unbelievable it may be, I will get scared and jump! My mind just doesn't accept that it's clearly not real and often not possible, I have a total disregard for the facts when I see this genre of film. Common sense and any reasonable thinking goes straight out the window.

For now I better go before my brain starts going into overdrive remembering all those scenes I've been blogging about. Will I survive The Conjuring? I'll let you know (once I've stopped tremblling of course!) 

We Need to Talk About The Help

Over the past week I’ve visited the cinema twice and on both occasions I’ve gone to watch a film based on a book. Now I’ve blogged about my views on books-to-movies before, but it really does seem as if the film companies are learning a thing or two if these latest offerings are anything to go by.

I read We Need To Talk About Kevin, by Lionel Schriver, a few years ago. Haunting, well written and disturbing, I enjoyed the book, although at first found it a hard read at times. Once I’d finished the story I felt quite exhausted to be honest and slightly uncomfortable. On leaving the cinema the other night after seeing the film version, once again I felt emotionally drained and not quite sure if what I’d experienced was pleasant or not.

Tilda Swinton is amazing as Kevin’s mother, her acting is bound to get her numerous awards for her performance. She looked and acted in a mysterious way, similar to what I’d imagined when reading the book. The actors playing Kevin at each stage of the film were reflective of how his character is described and built up in the written version and was very believable.

I did think there might be more made of the school scenes – I won’t go into detail for those people who haven’t seen it – but in a way I think it was good because they didn’t try to gain audience numbers by focussing on gore.

Sometimes I do find that when the film diverts from the book too much you end up thinking it possibly would have been more enjoyable if you’d never read the book before. If anything, it was the opposite with We Need To Talk About Kevin, at times I thought filmgoers would be a little lost if they weren’t familiar with the book. Surely that’s the point though? What’s the point of making a film of a book if it doesn’t reflect it and clashes with reader’s expectations and imaginations?

It was so refreshing to see a film made from a book that reflected it so well. When I saw One Day I again loved the way it stayed true to the book, however I didn’t agree with the casting for the main characters.

A slightly more fun experience was going to see The Help. I thought it was amazing and again would expect to see a few awards dished out. The Help offered a mix of thought provoking scenes, moments that made the audience laugh and also times that brought tears to the eyes.

I’d seen a few reviews being extremely positive about The Help and friends and colleagues had commented how much like the book it is. They were completely right, it really was like seeing the words on the book come to life on the big screen. Skeeter, Abileen, Minnie and Hilly were all so well cast and were very convincing.

I hadn’t read the book for quite a while when I saw the film, but it is one of those reads I have always remembered as I truly loved it. When you did the inevitable comparison, which always happen when you see a film after having read the book beforehand, you weren’t met with disappointment. You didn’t come up with suggestions you felt would have worked better. You just smiled and were left content that the characters in your head when reading had now leapt out the book and onto a big screen in front of your eyes.

When I’ve been to see films based on books and been disappointed I have often wondered if it’s simply because books rely on our imaginations and each reader’s perception of the story and main protagonists involved will differ. However, after seeing these two films and how well they mirror the books, I don’t think this is the case. If the film is done well, readers won’t be left unhappy.

Is this the way forward? Are we going to find filmmakers ensure they stay true to the written word and if being given the opportunity to bring a book to life make sure they do it properly? All I can say is I truly hope so. If We Need To Talk About Kevin and The Help are anything to go by, then they’ll without doubt be on to a winner.

Bringing books to life or killing them?

Tonight I went to see One Day at the cinema. A book turned into a film. As soon as I hear rumours or see the trailers for book to movie situations I start to worry. Is turning books into films a good idea? Should they just be left well alone? If a book is well written and is hugely popular is it wrong to make a film off the back of it and in turn make money? I remain undecided on this point.

Over the years I’ve seen my fair share of films which could be seen as points for or against these situations. Tonight’s choice I admit I did enjoy, bar Ms Hathaway’s ‘Northern’ accent. But in the back of my mind I have asked myself is this because I haven’t read the book in quite some time?

To me the beauty of books is that your imagination can run wild, each character is built within the mind of the reader and I believe we all have our own interpretation of what these people should look, sound and behave like. The story comes to life described by the words on the pages in front of you and your head a whole world opens up as you work through the book.

So then what happens when somebody comes from out of the blue, uses their ideas of how the characters work and then tries to reflect this on the big screen? It’s pretty inevitable their opinions and impressions aren’t going to match everyone’s. Also add in the limitations of film length, suitable ‘well-known’ big names who can play said roles and you start a slippery slope to offending bookworms and fans of the story.

In terms of enjoying a good film, the book-to-movie experience can also be bad as a cinema goer. This can happen in two main ways – you’ve read the book and can remember the details completely, you’ve built everything in your mind of how it works and looks, so that when you see the film you spend the whole time comparing it to the book. Alternatively you’ve never seen the book, yet when these films are made often some previous reader knowledge is assumed (or is needed) to get the full feel of the story/character’s journey. Yet again leading to frustration.

Coming up later this year are two other text to visual productions – The Help and We Need To Talk About Kevin, both books I thoroughly enjoyed. On watching One Day tonight I do feel slightly more hopeful, perhaps a good balance between being true to the book and developing something suitable for the big screen is being more closely adhered to?

In the case of Lovely Bones, for example, although I enjoyed the film I don’t really think it truly did the book justice and I didn’t agree at all with the casting of Susie’s parents.
Am I right to be so critical of such films or do we just need to accept they are going to be different and in fact is this a good thing? We get to discover the story in a whole new light? Or should good books just be left at that and not developed further, so we can see what we’re reading about?

One thing I have noticed of late is that I am getting gradually soppier as I get older. I’ve always been known amongst friends, work colleagues and the like as someone who isn’t really seen to cry. Not anymore. Not long ago I cried at Rise of the planet of the apes and now tonight I had tears running down my face at One Day. Let’s hope the book I’m reading at the moment on my Kindle doesn’t turn out too sad, else the commute is going to be interesting…

Happy being sad

After wiping the tear away from my cheek and turning the TV off, I’ve realised yet again that I’ve sat through another film that’s made me sad. Marley & Me – people have told me what a good film it is and how sad and I was actually relieved I got home in time today to be able to catch it on TV.

You find a film that looks like it will make you cry and I’ll be there, hear about a book that tugs at your heartstrings and I’ll have read it. A song about heartache which is perfect to sob your heart out to in a breakup, I’ve likely got it. I just love sad entertainment – particularly books and films.

What is it about said items that makes them appealing though? Why do we take pleasure in feeling upset? Does feeling down about something else make us feel better about ourselves and our own lives perhaps? Does it make us grateful for what we’ve got and those in the stories in front of us appear to be without?

Like anyone I obviously take pleasure in praise I get and all the positive feedback I’ve had on my blog is guaranteed to make me smile. However, yesterday when my Auntie shed a tear on reading my recently written short story it made me feel really proud. The fact I’d been able to produce something  that made someone feel so strongly and that it was sad too just made the praise all the more special.

Often people can’t understand this craze I’ve got for the depressingly low mood you can get in from reading people’s true stories. And my boyfriend has often commented I’m ‘sick’ for enjoying such literary pieces.

To give you an idea, a couple of my favourite reads and books I’ve read now on numerous occasions are Lucky by Alice Sebold and P.S. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern. The first is a true story about how the talented Sebold was raped at college, what ordeal she went through and the aftermath of this catastrophic and life changing event. The latter is fictional, but follows the life of Holly whose doting husband dies of cancer at a young age and who on his death leaves letters for her to receive each month in order to help her move on with her life and survive without him. Both as you can imagine are very moving and although each time I read them I get tears in my eyes I find I can’t put them down.

It’s become a bit of a joke amongst my family that if you go shopping for books it’s clear which ones I’ll pick. It’s got a depressing title, a sad image on the front, it’s based on a true story and someone’s awful struggle in life? Then that’s likely to be one for me.

Abused as a child, hit by a partner, involved in a major incident, scarred by an event – emotionally or physically, pulled in by some sort of sect, caring for people with learning difficulties, living with some sort of disorder. All these sorts of topics would appeal – whether in written or visual format.

I do like a happy ending though, you don’t want it all to be depressing, but it’s best if it is realistic – it can’t be too happy as that’s just for the movies and soaps, right?

It’s odd, I’m quite an emotional person on the one hand, but in other circumstances I can be very good at hiding my true feelings. I can remember at school I never cried about anything and then one day I broke up with this boy I was supposedly dating (I’d met him at work experience, he lived in East London, it was kind of a rebelling against my parents relationship) and I cried, I actually cried at school and everybody was so shocked. At work there was a bit of an incident which we won’t go into details about, but all my team praised me on what a positive and brave face I held throughout.

However, you get me reading an emotional book on my own or watching a film indoors without friends, family or boyfriend present and the tears will come rolling down my cheeks. I’ve seen Blood Brothers at the theatre at least three times now and every time I see it I get tears in my eyes, in fact at one viewing I had to bite my lip to stop me full on blubbering. I’ll admit it, the other night at a Take That concert I actually had proper tears when Robbie sang Angels. What on earth??

How can you appear so hard faced and in control on the one hand and then be so completely the opposite in the next instance? Are these sad books and films helping me get more in touch with my emotions perhaps? Is this my way of getting out all those pent up feelings?

I do find as well that as I’m getting older I’m crying a lot more too. I feel like I’m going backwards and becoming more child-like! I fell over at a festival recently and really hurt myself and I ended up getting back to the tent and crying (I was over tired at this point I will add) and I burst into tears when I managed to accidentally slip up in my flat last year. What is that all about?

Anyway, whether it’s good for me or not, for now I’m not giving up the sad stuff. I’m going to keep getting teary eyed at films where dogs die, long-term partners get torn apart and young children get kidnapped or murdered (I am referring to actual films here not sick ideas in my head I feel I should add!!) I shall pick up these books where life seems so hard and there seems to be no hope in sight and I’ll enjoy them all.

Hey, life is all about ups and downs, perhaps a few tears now and then are good for you? Even if it’s just to moisten your eyes, or help wipe off the makeup when you forget to do it! Crying is natural and in a way it’s good for you, it helps relieve all the pressure. Getting down, feeling sad and shedding a few tears are there to make the smiles even bigger and the good times seem that bit brighter.