Stories to keep you from sleeping
Amazon released the update of an anthology series that was a success in 1966: “Stories to keep you from sleeping.”
Four independent stories that pay tribute to the classic format of Narciso Ibáñez Serrador, directed and starring important names in Spanish cinema. Rodrigo Cortés, Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Paco Plaza and Paula Ortiz direct “The joke”, “The double”, “Freddy” and “The asphalt”, respectively.
The series seemed like it could work, especially since the filmmakers involved are not trainees, but the result is irregular. This type of anthological material needs to catch you with the first episode, even if this has no relationship with the future ones.
“The Joke” does not achieve that because it is full of platitudes and becomes predictable. Sorogoyen’s, that dystopian story in the style of Saramago, converted into a psychological thriller, is not complete, this is not the director’s genre and it shows.
Each episode lasts 44 minutes and instead of catching the viewer by provoking interest, some fear and suspense, it ends up being exhausting.
Paco Plaza had to be in this reboot and logically if you have directed “Rec” and “Verónica”, the best story will be his. “Freddy” is a kind of homage to the terror of haunted dolls, excellent.
The series culminates with the social satire “El asfalto”, in which Paula Ortiz directs and Rodrigo Cortés writes, it seems like a copy of “The spark of life”. The cast is diverse, on the one hand Eduard Fernández giving acting classes, on the other Miki Esparbé and David Verdaguer repeating themselves, also Dani Rovira.
The idea of updating Ibañez’s work is not bad, that there is a director for each chapter either, I think the gap is in what was told.
American Horror Stories
Ryan Murphy with the premiere of his series “American Horror Story” gave us fans of the genre hope and created one of the most solid anthologies on TV in recent years.
It currently has 10 seasons and although all of them do not have the same quality, the truth is that together they are fantastic.
Wanting to expand this universe, the producer trusts in new talents to take over the direction of the spin off “American Horror Stories”, a monumental mistake that definitely should not have been filmed.
The series has several episodes independent of each other in the style of “Masters of Horror” or “Black Mirror”. As in the original, you do not need to know the plots to understand these new episodes. The intro is once again the same in design and music, only the images change.
The first chapter has points of connection with “Murder House”, in my opinion of the series regulars. A house where murders occurred and the new tenants begin to lose their minds, more of the same, now to the tune of “kill bill.”
Sometimes first impressions aren’t the best and I decided to give 3 another chance. Turns out this drive-in and cursed movie story was worse than the last. The new directors seem determined to kill the genre; Fox hired Loni Peristere, Manny Coto, Sanaa Hamri, Eduardo Sánchez, Max Winkler and Sarah Paulson.
For the 4th I expected a miracle that never happened, an absurd YouTuber argument. It is noticeable that Murphy’s hand is not here, there is no elegance in the staging, the plots are not original and when the climax of the murders arrives everything is pure montage.
Fox should not have dared to release a series like this, where not even the cast is capable of succeeding. Matt Bomer is always him, acting is not his thing. It occurs to Paris Jackson that he has not left the catwalks, the others are almost all young people improvising.
Incredibly, the episode that connects with “Coven” is the best of the series so far, we will see how it continues.
Castle Rock
Directed by Sam Shaw and Dustin Thomason “Castle Rock” is a psychological horror series set in the Stephen King universe. It combines the mythology and narrative of some of the most famous characters from Stephen King’s novels, weaving an epic saga of darkness and light, which takes place in an area of a few square miles in Maine.
“Castle Rock” is the small town where several of King’s novels take place such as “Cujo”, “The Dark Half”, “The Store” and there are even references to it in “The Body” or “Perpetual Chain”.
Each of the seasons will have different characters and stories but they will be related to each other in some way. Streaming on Hulu, it is perhaps the most unfortunate material inspired by King’s books.
The story is too weak, perhaps convoluted, and the way it is told does not allow it to be digestible either. I love horror, I admire Stephen King. This series has caused me the same thing as when Paramount Network broadcast “The Fog”, pure boredom.
The staging is very good, perhaps it is the only thing that works because the intrigue is not felt and the characters seem like cardboard.
“Castle Rock” tries to mix, tell everything and that is perhaps its biggest defect, that is why the rhythm declines so much and if it were not enough they have renewed it. The cast is another wrong focus of attention in the series, André Holland does not have the makings of a leading role.
Sissy Spacek, Brian de Palma’s “Carrie” returning to her genre. Bill Skarsgård, apparently, will be left to play mentally ill characters as he already did in “IT” and he does not do it as he should. “Castle Rock” is not recommended, I hope for a better adaptation next time.
Feud
For some time now I have been questioning why there are fewer demands when it comes to presenting a film award, be it Oscar or anything similar.
What happened to that golden era where winning an award of such magnitude meant being more than an actor, it meant having a talent or gift that seems totally forgotten today? Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Sofía Loren, Marlon Brando are some of those names that appear as great stars of the Olympus of the seventh art.
Ryan Murphy (“Nip/Tuck”, “Glee”, “American Horror Story 6”, “Scream”, “Queens”, “American Crime Story”) directs the series “Feud: Bette and Joan”, a proposal that will take us into that turbulent and majestic Hollywood world of these extraordinary figures.
The story focuses on the legendary rivalry between two of the greatest movie stars of all time, Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, specifically on the collaboration of both actresses in 1962 in a film that they hoped would relaunch their careers: “What Was It?” of Baby Jane?”
“Feud” is a series for a certain, small and select group of viewers, for true film lovers. No one who is a fan of comics, adventure sagas or pink novels will be able to truly understand the value of a series like this.
Just one chapter and the magnificent presentation are enough to realize that Murphy has hit the nail on the head again and is in his moment of creative splendor. “Feud” takes you back to the nostalgia of remembering the 40s and 50s where artists were dizos, gods.
We will learn about their demands, interiorities and in this case hostilities, in addition to the treatment of women and how the industry managed its image. The Crawford vs Davies feud was epic, every moment is magnificently captured in the series.
Special merit to the artistic direction, setting, costumes, makeup and hair. Watching “Feud” is simply traveling through time because Murphy has the mastery necessary for it.
In the main roles, two unique women who were undoubtedly born to embody actresses. Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon, it couldn’t be better, I think they take on the biggest challenge of their careers.
To say that one is better than the other, to compare them, as happened in 1962 when the nominations were launched, would not be fair. Lange and Sarandon have managed to make people fall in love with the screen and have given everything in what can be considered their consecration.
Also Alfred Molina, Stanley Tucci, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Sarah Paulson, actors who repeat with the director and who are like never before. “Feud” in its future seasons will explore famous frictions and feuds between celebrities and members of the entertainment world.
