Interviews and The Last House on the Left: `To Avoid Fainting, Keep Repeating: It's Only a Movie ... Only a Movie...'

I had a job interview this afternoon, during which a nice L.A. executive sat with me for over an hour, talking about the film and TV industry, chuckling, bonding over both being from the South, over our shared love of USA's "Burn Notice."

I prefaced that last admission with, "Oohhh, this is a really embarrassing one, but I've recently gotten into Burn Notice ... and I love it." He replied with, "Oh. My. God," rolled his eyeballs around, clucked his tongue and said, "LOVE Burn Notice." We talked about our take on the show's target demographic, the future of cable television.

Score, Grice!

He talked of how his TV tastes were that of a 15-year old girl's.

Oh, me too! "The Hills," "The City," "Real World" -- I still read MTV blogs and watch the Aftershows ... online! There I was, over the hill, and wearing penny loafers, yet he was impressed I was still so on top of the cheapest, sh!ttiest TV out there -- and savvy with the online supplements. I was impressing myself.

Then the conversation turned back to movies.

"So, what would you say is your favorite type of movie, what genre?" he asked, his smile still lingering at the sweet young lady that sat before him.

"Revenge films. I LOVE revenge films ... not necessarily just revenge films -- but really dark, disturbing movies tend to be my favorites," I blurted out, praying that what would come out of my mouth next wouldn't be the MOST twisted movies I like; but I could feel them lodged, unbudging in the forefront of my brain.

"Oh?" a little curious chuckle, and then "Ummm, ok ... well, so like what?"

I think I lost time at that moment, like Ed Norton's character in "Primal Fear."

I rattled off some really, really vile movies (my favorite awful/awesome films and summaries of their plots since he hadn't seen most) even described which brutal scenes were appropriate and which weren't. I tried to slow myself down, to respond to the confused -- scared? -- look on his face ... I tried to throw in some more mainstream ones, but I'd been on such a roll that my momentum was too high to stop!

As I rolled into each "Oh, you know what was another great one!?" I tried to step on the brakes, to no avail.

When we got up to shake hands at the end of the interview, I noticed a slight hesitation and a glance at my paws as he searched for the traces of blood.

Sigh. If I were to get the job, I think I'd have to take it -- if only out of respect for his bravery.

It all got me to thinking about "The Last House on the Left," which comes out on Friday. It's a remake of the 1972 film written and directed by Wes Craven (he produces the 2009 version). When Brother G was here in L.A., he mentioned that he didn't know how in the world they were going to top the brutality and obscenity of the original. Having watched both trailers, it looks like the 1972 one is hands down more crazy.

Some key plot points from the 1972 version's Wiki page:

"After the concert which ends late at night, Mari and Phyllis stroll the streets, seeking someone who might sell marijuana. They run into Junior, who leads them back to an apartment, where they are immediately trapped by the criminals. Phyllis, who resists, is punched in the stomach and raped. Meanwhile, Mari's unsuspecting parents prepare a surprise party for her...

In the woods, the girls are untied and subjected to torment and sadistic mistreatment by the gang. Phyllis is told by Krug that if she doesn't do whatever they tell her to that Mari will get cut. Krug then orders Phyllis to urinate in her own pants." (!!!!!)

See ya there on Friday!!!!! (When I'll be back to New York finally ... 3 weeks away, and I'm suh-oh homesick.)

1972 "The Last House on the Left"



2009 "The Last House on the Left"