Have A "Dandy" Friday

Dandy Mott: Send In The Clown

Alright all of you American Horror Story: Freak Show fans like me. While I do not find this installment particularly scary I do find it bizarre, off the wall and unpredictable.

I also have a dark confession to make. Dandy Mott is my favorite character that inhabits the Freak Show universe. 

This past weeks episode was especially enlightening as to his homicidal ways. The fact that he started off killing kittens as a child was a nice touch and a sly reference to serial killer Luka Magnotta.

Obviously the only thing truly Dandy about this motley psycho is his crazy sense of entitlement when it come to offing people. He feels like it was what he was put on this earth to kill whoever and whatever he pleases, as if he could put it on his resume' when applying for a job. 

Pssssssssst! If you did not see this past weeks episode you might not want to read past here...yes I mean it, right here, don't do it, do it at your own risk. I bet you are going to keep reading even if you haven't. 

Yes, Dandy offed his mother Gloria in an OMG moment on this weeks episode, that's correct Frances Conroy is gone, a moment of silence please. OK time to carry on. 

The closing scene of the show was especially dark and nasty, as we see Dandy bathing in a tub of his deceased mother's blood.

Well, if ya think that's disturbing Finn Wittrock, the actor who portrays Dandy says that things are just going to get worse.

"I'll just tell you that the next one, I think his body count might double," Wittrock told me earlier today while promoting his new movie, Unbroken, the Angelina Jolie -directed World War II drama.  "The next one really, honestly takes the cake. Even I'm scared."

Personally I'm not scared, I can't wait till Wednesday December 10th to get my Dandy Mott fix!

Enjoy The Horror at: https://www.facebook.com/americanhorrorstory

The Horror: Michael Shinafelt, Satan In Disguise

When Satan Met Me

The above title is the LAST time I will refer to myself in the third person during this post, to me that is more creepy than a Satanic Ritual...

So my fellow writer and horror fan-atic author ME Franco and I had so much fun with my Halloween questions to her, that she decided to ask me some, from one horror loving writer to another, oh but I have taken my love of horror to the next level, that's right, I have acted in a horror film as well as another one due in 2014.

OK, ME I'm all yours!

ME: Being a horror movie lover, I have to say you get major respect points from me for being in one. I watched the trailer for"The Summer of Massacre,"and I can't wait to watch it. What character did you play and how did he die?

MS: The Summer of Massacre is an anthology and I am in the segment "Son of the Boogeyman" I play a cop pursuing the Boogeyman and I start shooting him in the head and he just won't die, you know those Boogeymen, and he grabs my skull and crushes it in, it was awesome seeing my death on a 50 foot screen!

Me and  Scott Barrows Who Played "The Boogeyman" at 'The Summer of Massacre" Premiere

ME:. If you could star in the remake of a popular horror franchise, who would you want to be?

MS: Oh God, OK let me start by stating my ultimate horror role would be Satan, some people already think that about me anyway, ha! But in an existing franchise? Norman Bates from the "Psycho" franchise, I would give him my own spin, but what a fascinating character.

ME: What movie made you a horror fan?

MS: My Dad and I used to watch all the monster movies like Dracula, The Wolfman, Mummy etc. on Sunday afternoons, but it was the first slasher film that he ever took me to, and the only one that has ever scared me that made me a fan. The original "Halloween" I used to see Michael Myers face in the yard outside when it was dark for years.

ME: You do a lot of interviews. Who would you like to have on your blog for a chat - Freddie, Michael Myers, or Jason?

MS: Michael and Freddy are pretty much open books, I would have to go with Jason, try and find out more about the man behind the monster.

ME: Which witch would you not want to make an enemy of on American Horror Story this season?

MS: That's easy, Marie Leveau, I visited her grave site for real in New Orleans once when I went for Halloween, "Yes" I went to NO for HW once.

ME:. What candy do you have in your trick or treat bowl?

My Favorite "Dracula"!

MS: Mini Snickers bars.

ME: Love that more horror shows are coming out on television. What show are you most looking forward to this season?

MS: I'd have to go Team Dracula with this one, when I was a kid I used to want to be a Vampire when I grew up.

ME: Classic monster fight between Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Mummy. Who would you put your money on?

MS: Frankenstein is strong, but not too bright, the Mummy what's he going to do. put a band aid on it? I'd say Dracula, intelligent, supernatural powers and sex appeal, a winning combo.

ME: Do you have any plans to star in more horror movies?

MS: I shot another one this past summer that is due out in 2014.

ME:. If you could sit down and have a beer/coffee with anyone involved in the horror genre, real or fictional, who would you choose?

MS: Hmmmmmmmmmm....Miriam Blaylock from "The Hunger" that would be an interesting conversation, and encounter.

ME: Last question: What's your zombie apocalypse weapon of choice?

MS: The biggest shot gun I could find. It would be awesome to make their living dead heads explode!

Follow Me On Twitter at: https://twitter.com/MShinafelt

Check Me Out On IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4466735/?ref_=fn_nm_nm_1

Find Out More About ME at: https://www.facebook.com/MEFrancoAuthor

TV Watch: Norman, Is That You? "Bates Motel"

Being a hardcore Alfred Hitchcock fan and having yet another spin-off made of my favorite Hitchcock film "Psycho" as usual, my curiosity was piqued, yet my dread was building...let's face it, no other Hitchcock masterpiece has been ripped off, paid homage to or had as many sequels or related projects made based on it than the king "Psycho".

With pretty much all of it being disastrous! OK all of it with the exception, of "Psycho 3" with the late great Anthony Perkins, which was genuinely disturbing and had religious imagery that Mr. Hitchcock would have been proud to call his own.

Now, what to say about "Bates Motel" a prequel of Norman Bate's formative years BKMC (before killing Marion Crane) - the fact that it is set in modern times, for me is a little distracting, but the essence of the story and characters are there, so I will give that part a pass.

Also on the plus side we should all be grateful Gus Van Sant has no part in this (the biggest and most horrible blemish on his resume a shot by shot remake of "Psycho") which as a huge fan I went to out of morbid curiosity...it was awful and really should have killed the careers of the the two leads (which seem finally dead now) being void of talent and charisma Vince Vaughn and Anne Heche.

Freddie Highmore & Vera Farmiga

That can not be said for this multiple take on Norman Bates and his Mother Norma...Freddie Highmore as Norman and Vera Farmiga as Norma are very talented, capable actors with charisma to burn. Oedipus didn't see his mother coming either...FYI.

Of course this is the central relationship to the story, and Norman seems like a fairly well adjusted young man despite his Mother's overbearing, control freak ways...until around episode three, yep we are starting to see the cracks in Norman's veneer...the more his Mother uses and abuses him and the more things in their world become unraveled, the more young Norman does too.

It does not help that our youthful Norman has some help pushing him, other than his "psycho" Mother, in the form of an equally unbalanced half brother named Dylan expertly played by Max Theiriot.

What do I think of the show overall? Other than the distraction of having it set in modern times, I am intrigued from week to week, the show plays to fans of the great film that was "Psycho" and is a stand alone for the uninitiated. Hey, it's been keeping me interested....and is the best use of the source material since the original and third sequel, let's face it no one will ever be Alfred Hitchcock, but they can at least do an honorable homage and not crap all over a classic like Gus Van Sant....

"Bates Motel' airs on A&E at 10pm on Mondays

The Horror: On "Entertain Me"

I'm such a Devil

'Tis the season to get scary, fa la la la la, la la la la - This October 2012 here on "Entertain Me" along with  our typical entertainment blogs, we are introducing a Halloween oriented blog that will be posted throughout the month featuring my fellow lovers of things that go bump in the night called: "The Horror" -

When you see this at the beginning of a blog you can either choose to run or bask in the glory that is gory, scary & fun!

Me on "The Lair"

Every subject of a blog with this caption is a lover of all things macabre and other worldly or directly involved in a project that is reflective of that sensibility -

So, here is a little something on yours truly, I love horror, I can't wait for the premiere of "American Horror Story" on October 17th! My favorite horror movie of all time is the original "Halloween" - Alfred Hitchock's "Psycho" is a close second.

I love haunted houses and hay rides and if I could be a supernatural creature I would love to be a vampire - oh and the late great Tony Scott's "The Hunger" is my favorite vampire movie ever.

The devil would be a second choice as a hot supernatural creature to be.

Also I have been in two horror projects, the Here TV Show "The Lair" where I played a "Leather Daddy Vampire" and the hot award winning flick Joe Castro's "The Summer of Massacre" where I play an undercover cop who gets his skull crushed in by The Boogeyman...!

The Summer Of Massacre Movie Poster

It's October everyone, be prepared to scream and get ready for "The Horror" Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek...!!!


Follow me on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/MShinafelt


Boo!

TV Watch: "They're Back" Pretty Little Liars

Bring your "A" game b!tches! "PLL" is back...can I get a "Hey now"? This show rocks and continues to do so season after season.

OK - when we left off with the "Psycho" inspired finale from last season, Mona was revealed as "A" - well as we know now (uh, or at least you should) there is a whole conspiracy surrounding our "Liars".

I still believe Alison DiLaurentis is alive and well and giving the girls Hell. Maybe I am wrong, but there is obviously other enigma's involved in the grand scheme of things.

Yeah, OK, I am sorry to see Emily has now gone alcoholic - I always thought her to be so strong, and WTF with Spencer is she in on the "A" game...that would account for a lot if one of the "liars" was working to bring down the others.

Hanna is, well Hanna - I like her and I would be wanting to know why Mona hated me too. Aria (love her) continues to fascinate me as a very young woman, with an old soul, kudos to Holly Marie Combs for her wise portrayal of her mother (hey not all Mom's are that savvy).

 Also a shout out to some of the smartest writing and one of the best casts ever. Can't wait for episode deux, so glad it's back...just in time for summer!

"Summertime and the livin' is easy"........

abcfamily.go.com/