Sweet Summertime Giveaway ~ $62 Prize Pack

Welcome to the Laughing Vixen Lounge blog. Summer is almost here and as part of the Sweet Summertime Giveaway Hop, hosted by Cheap Is The New Classy, we have a new giveaway for you. One lucky winner will receive a fabulous $62 Prize Pack. Included is your choice of any 1 item from Laughing Vixen Lounge (up to a $32 value) and a $30 gift certificate for Deep Midnight Perfume Oils. Giveaway is open worldwide to anyone 18+ and ends June 15th.

Ocean Blue Charm Bracelet

Firefly Valley Perfume Oil

Laughing Vixen Lounge ~ Bangles, Baubles and Other Needful Things for the modern Vixen. Pop Culture, Retro, Horror and Custom Designed Jewelry and Accessories. 400+ designs to choose from.

Funny Vintage Ladies Compact - Crisis

Deep Midnight Perfume Oils ~ Bringing History, Fantasy, Legends and Lore alive to tantalize your senses! 150+ unique artisan crafted perfume oils to choose from.

ATLANTIS Perfume Oil

Laughing Vixen Lounge offers Charm Bracelets, Necklaces, Compacts and Photo Pendants. Pop Culture designs with a flair for Retro, Horror and Custom Designs. This year we'll be adding lots more Pendants styles, Bracelets styles and new Ring and Locket styles. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or the Blog to keep up on the many giveaways we'll be having this year! Visit Laughing Vixen Lounge.

Lucky Clover Necklace

Deep Midnight Perfume Oils offers Vegan, Cruelty-Free, and Preservative Free Perfume Oils. 150+ original scents inspired by mystery, magic, myths, legends, and romance topped off with the darkly Gothic, the sweet and enchanting, and the stuff of our dreamings. You can follow Deep Midnight Perfume Oils on Facebook, Twitter, The Blog and Pinterest. Visit Deep Midnight Perfume Oils.

THALIA Perfume Oil

Laughing Vixen Lounge will be donating $1 from all sales and $3 from each item from the new Hep Cat Collection to help sponsor Cha~Cha the Serval from Wildcat Haven. It takes $500 to sponsor one animal for a year. From November 2013 to February 2014 Laughing Vixen Lounge raised money to sponsor DJ the Cougar. Now it is Cha~Cha's turn. Click here to read Cha~Cha's story and more about the fundraising project.

Hep Cat Compact - Style D

Deep Midnight Perfume Oils donates 100% of the retail sales from a special Sampler Pack to Saved By A Whisker Rescue. This organization is a small, no-kill, foster based, non-profit, cat rescue.

 

100% To Charity ~ 4 "Surprise" Samples

After you enter our giveaway make sure to visit the other blogs, via the Linky List below, and enter to win lots of other fabulous giveaways. Follow the event on Twitter with the Official Event Hashtag #sweetsummer.

Pleiades Passion Perfume Oil

How to enter the giveaway ~ It's easy!

1. Login in to the Rafflecopter widget below with either your email or Facebook.
2. You must do the first 2 entries to qualify for this giveaway.
3. You can do as many of the extra entries as you like.
4. Please read each entry's directions carefully. If you do not do what is asked of you for each entry the entry will not count.
5. If you have any questions feel free to ask for help. You can leave your question as a comment below and I will answer as soon as I can.

Black Cat and Raven Small Photo Pendant

a Rafflecopter giveaway


The Fine Print...
Giveaway will run from 12:00am (EDT) June 1st, 2014 through 12:00am (EDT) June 16th. Winner(s) will be picked randomly from all eligible entries. The winner(s) name and choices will be posted on this blog as soon as the winner(s) has been contacted. If selected winner(s) does not respond back within 48 hours a new winner(s) will be chosen. All decisions made final by Laughing Vixen Lounge.

Fear Friday And May Monster Madness ~ A Boy And His Mother

Welcome to Laughing Vixen Lounge and a very special Fear Friday. As part of the May Monster Madness hop and the final film in the May Road Trip theme, this week's film has one of the most iconic monsters in cinema history. A classic tale of a fateful stop for the night after a long drive. A brilliant performance and an unforgettable setting makes this experience something that will stay with you long after the movie stops. Enjoy!

Enjoy more May Monster Madness 
posts by following the linky list 
at the end of this post.

Every Friday at the Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog is Fear Friday. Fear Fridays are a celebration of all films spooky. Horror is a very broad genre and the Lounge loves it all. Each Friday you will find a review of a different film. These can range from Classic Horror (black and white and cheesy), Thrillers (suspense, jumps and a good mystery), outright Horror (chop chop, slash slash, die die) and anything else in between.

So pop some popcorn, kill the lights and enjoy tonight's selection. And please, share your comments on the film. Bad or good let me know what you thought of it. And now, my little ghouls and dolls, the Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog is proud to present this week's film.


Fear Friday - Psycho

Taglines - No One ... BUT NO ONE ... Will Be
               Admitted To The Theatre After The Start
               Of Each Performance Of Alfred
               Hitchcock's Psycho.
               It Is Required That You See Psycho From
               The Very Beginning!
               Don't give away the ending - it's the only
               one we have!


As the last film in the May Road Trip theme and as part of the May Monster Madness hop, this film fits both perfectly!!! Could there be a more classic tale of horror on the road or a more iconic film killer? Psycho may be over 50 years old but it is still the stuff of nightmares.

Alfred Hitchcock directed this film version of the novel by Robert Bloch. Released by Paramount Studios (but actually owned by and filmed at Universal Studios) on August 25, 1960 (Not rated). Secretary Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) decides on a whim to steal $40,000 and run off to be with her boyfriend Sam Loomis (John Gavin). She may have gotten away with it if she had not made one fatal error...stopping at The Bates Motel for the night. Caretaker Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) and his "Mother" make this an unfortunate night for Marion. Can her sister Lila Crane (Vera Miles) and Sam solve the mystery of what happened to Marion or will they fall prey to the Bates Motel too?

Custom Order Hitchcock Charm Bracelet. 
Contact if interested.

I simply adore this movie. The black and white is gorgeous and the music is divine. It truly is one of the scariest scores out there. The fact that it is over 50 years old, there is no gore and not a lot of violence, and it can still scare you is a testament to how well made it is.

Anthony Perkins is brilliant as the overgrown child Norman Bates. His dialogue with Marion in the parlor is engrossing. He goes from innocent to dark and back again with ease (this probably should have been her cue to leave right then and there!). The whole scene where he cleans the bathroom just makes my skin crawl.

I know I am probably the only one that actually liked the Gus VanSant remake of Psycho but Vince Vaughn did a great job at the role of Norman. It is always tricky stepping into an iconic role like that but I think he did good at capturing Anthony Perkins' Norman while still making it his own. Either way you look at it it is still creepy watching either of them eating those candy corns with that slightly evil boyish smile.

The fact that the movie took inspiration from the real Ed Gein and his life makes for an all the more creepy feel. After watching the 2012 movie "Hitchcock", about the making of Psycho, it was very interesting to learn all the connections between the two.

And there is the house. I love it and the motel. Just plain creepy and wonderful! It was largely based on the painting "House by the Railroad" by Edward Hopper, 1925.

And of course now we have the TV show "Bates Motel". While it takes some liberties with the story and setting I am OK with most of it. Not real fond that they make Norman a killer from the beginning, and that he channels Mother before she is dead, but it does not bother me enough to stop watching it. The set is gorgeous!!! They rebuilt the entire motel and house up in British Columbia. It is great to see it brought to life again and this time used in much more depth. But my favorite part has to be Norma or "Mother". Vera Farmiga does an amazing job at making the character a full rounded human instead of just the overbearing mother. Her performance and the set is what really makes this version of the story a must see each week. The big problem with this show? It only airs 10 weeks out of the year!!! So unfair!

Norma and Norman arrive at their new home. 
Originally the "Seafairer Motel" will soon 
become the "Bates Motel".

Take a look at the original trailer.




Some trivia about the movie.
1. Alfred Hitchcock bought the rights to the novel anonymously from Robert Bloch for only US$9,000. He then bought up as many copies of the novel as he could to keep the ending a secret.
2. Alfred Hitchcock's cameo is about four minutes in wearing a cowboy hat outside Marion's office.
3. Walt Disney refused to allow Alfred Hitchcock to film at Disneyland in the early 1960s because Hitchcock had made "that disgusting movie "Psycho".
4. In the opening scene, Marion Crane is wearing a white bra because Alfred Hitchcock wanted to show her as being "angelic". After she has taken the money, the following scene has her in a black bra because now she has done something wrong and evil. Similarly, before she steals the money, she has a white purse; after she's stolen the money, her purse is black.
5. Marion's white 1957 Ford sedan is the same car (owned by Universal) that the Cleaver family drove on "Leave It to Beaver" (1957).
6. First American film ever to show a toilet flushing on screen.
7. The novel "Psycho", written by Robert Bloch, was actually part of a series of pulp novels marketed in conjunction with the popular spooky radio show "Inner Sanctum".
8. To ensure the people were in the theaters at the start of the film (rather than walking in part way through) the studio provided a record to play in the foyer of the theaters. The album featured background music, occasionally interrupted by a voice saying "Ten minutes to Psycho time," "Five minutes to Psycho time," and so on.
9. The Bates house was largely modeled on an oil painting at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The canvas is called "House by the Railroad" and was painted in 1925 by American iconic artist Edward Hopper. The architectural details, viewpoint and austere sky is almost identical as seen in the film.
10. In the murder scene in the shower, we never see the knife actually touching the victim's body.
11. The last shot of Norman Bates' face has a still frame of a human skull superimposed on it, almost subliminally.
12. Alfred Hitchcock strictly mandated, and even wrote into theater managers' contracts, that no one arriving after the start of each showing of "Psycho" would be admitted into the theater until the beginning of the next showing.

The May Monster Madness hop is hosted by Annie Walls, Little Gothic Horrors and Something wicKED this way comes

An InLinkz Link-up

Fear Friday ~ Hey there Maaama!

Is it Friday already? Must be because Laughing Vixen Lounge has another Fear Friday ready to go. All of the films featured in May have shared a common theme. The road trip!!! This week's film is a big favorite here at the Lounge and a great example of fear on the road. It showcases a big star before he was a big star and doing one heck of a job at making our skin crawl. A great little thriller that teaches us the importance of carefully choosing our road trip buddies. Enjoy!

Every Friday at the Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog is Fear Friday. Fear Fridays are a celebration of all films spooky. Horror is a very broad genre and the Lounge loves it all. Each Friday you will find a review of a different film. These can range from Classic Horror (black and white and cheesy), Thrillers (suspense, jumps and a good mystery), outright Horror (chop chop, slash slash, die die) and anything else in between.

So pop some popcorn, kill the lights and enjoy tonight's selection. And please, share your comments on the film. Bad or good let me know what you thought of it. And now, my little ghouls and dolls, the Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog is proud to present this week's film.


Fear Friday - Kalifornia

Tagline - Fear never travels alone.
             A state of fear and terror.
          

Directed by Dominic Sena (Gone in Sixty Seconds and Swordfish) and released in September 3, 1993 by Gramercy Pictures (rated R). Brian (David Duchovny), a journalist, and Carrie (Michelle Forbes), a photographer, set out on a cross country trip. They are stopping at well know murder sites for a new book they are working on. Problem is they need help with the expenses so they advertise for someone to share the ride. Enter Early (Brad Pitt) and Adele (Juliette Lewis). Unfortunately their life will soon imitate their art!!!


I first saw this movie when it came out on video (yes, video) because it has David Duchovny and Brad Pitt in it. Once watched I told my sister about it and we watched it together. The rest is history! This movie is a great favorite of ours. It is creepy, yes. It is violent, yes. A story about two couples traveling across country and stopping at various famous murder sites is certainly going to have a dark tone. But oh my stars, do we laugh too!!!

Now, do not get me wrong. The movie is not a comedy. It's a dark thriller. But the characters brought to life by Pitt and Lewis are some of the best ever on screen. This is Brad Pitt before he was a mega star. Dark haired backwards hillbilly psychopath that is played without any of the recognizable "ah shucks, I'm good lookin'" moments of many other Pitt movies. He is just down right creepy here. And Juliette Lewis does a good job as the very simple Adele. These performances are what drive the movie and make for the most memorable scenes. And quotes! Ah, this is where the giggling and uncontrollable laughing come in on our parts. I mean really, sometimes you just have to see a man about a mule! Ha!

So maybe it is one of those things you have to see to appreciate the humor from their creepiness. If you have not seen it go give it a try.
 

Take a look at the original trailer. ***If you want to not see too much of the later half of the movie I would suggest not watching past the 1:41 mark***



Some trivia about the movie.
1. The locations where the serial killer events take place are related to the names of the actors in the movie. Lewiston Ranch, Mt. Juliet, TX (Juliette Lewis); Forbes, TN (Michelle Forbes; Davidson Mine, Dew Cove, NV (David Duchovny); Bradbury Textile Warehouse in Pittsburgh, PA (Brad Pitt).
2. During the movie, Early Grace sports a chipped tooth. Brad Pitt visited a dentist to have the tooth chipped for the role.
3. Following the release of the movie, DC Comics commissioned a comic book adaptation to coincide with the movie's video release in 1994. The adaptation was to be written Chuck Dixon and drawn by Duncan Fegredo. The adaptation was never finished, except for some coloring work done by Danny Vozzo. It's speculated that this was due to the demise of Gramercy Pictures, who owned the rights to the film. A version of the incomplete comic has been since uploaded to the Internet.

Fear Friday ~ You Should Always Listen To Mother

Welcome to Laughing Vixen Lounge. All of our Fear Friday films in May will be a fearful look into a favorite summer tradition, the Road Trip! This week's movie, while perhaps a little on the cheesy side, it one of the best examples of how wrong road travel can go. Like mom always said "Don't pick up hitchhikers." And as we know, mother is always right. Enjoy! 

Every Friday at the Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog is Fear Friday. Fear Fridays are a celebration of all films spooky. Horror is a very broad genre and the Lounge loves it all. Each Friday you will find a review of a different film. These can range from Classic Horror (black and white and cheesy), Thrillers (suspense, jumps and a good mystery), outright Horror (chop chop, slash slash, die die) and anything else in between.

So pop some popcorn, kill the lights and enjoy tonight's selection. And please, share your comments on the film. Bad or good let me know what you thought of it. And now, my little ghouls and dolls, the Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog is proud to present this week's film.


Fear Friday - The Hitcher

Tagline - The terror starts the moment he stops.
             Never Pick Up A Stranger.
             He came from hell. Don't ask him where he wants to go.
             Out on the desert highway, the rule of thumb has a different
             meaning.



Directed by Robert Harmon (They) and released in February 21, 1986 by TriStar Pictures (rated R). A young man, Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell), is delivering a car from Chicago to San Diego. Unable to keep his eyes open, he decides to pick up a hitch hiker, John Ryder (Rutger Hauer), standing on the side of the road so he can have someone to talk to. As the passenger door opens Jim utters the infamous line "My mother always told me not to do this". We the viewer know that mom was right but Jim has to learn the hard way.

I used to love Tommy Howell. Then I grew up and realized a cute boy does not a good actor make! That aside, this movie is still creepy and fun.

OK... this movie has lots of flaws. Mr. Howell really is not the greatest actor and it does show in this movie. Also, it's quite amazing how the hitcher can always be hiding right where Jim is about to show up. Maybe his character is psychic and they forgot to tell us. It's probably laying on the editing room floor.

The silliness aside, there really are some great scary and creepy elements here. It plays on all of those terrible "what could happen" of traveling, especially on your own. Driving in out of the way places, stopping at gas station and rest areas and crossing paths with lots of strangers. Usually harmless things but we all know the horrible things that do happen to people sometimes and that's what feeds the fear here.

What takes that fear and kicks it into high gear is Mr. Hauer himself. This is the first movie I really noticed Rutger Hauer in and it took a good decade to be able to separate him from this character. He is truly scary as the villain here and it shows just how talented of an actor he can be. And the scene with Nash at the truck stop is just classic horror film making. Maybe you don't get to see as much as nowadays but it's horrible all the same.

There was a remake in 2007 with a switch of roles having our main character Jim now a woman and her boyfriend replacing Nash. While I am not usually a fan of the gender change I do like having a woman be the strong survivor in this one. Sean Bean does a very good job as the Hitcher but as most remakes go, the blood and gore factor is definitely doubled!!!


Take a look at the original trailer.



Some trivia about the movie.
1.The writer of the screenplay, Eric Red, has said the story was inspired by the Doors song "Riders on the Storm".
2. In Rutger Hauer's book "All Those Moments," Hauer discusses how producer Ed Feldman settled on Sam Elliott for the role of John Ryder. Hauer states that "Apparently, Elliott was so scary when he came in to audition that Edward S. Feldman was afraid to go out to his car afterward." Sam Elliott had a scheduling conflict and had to back out the role.
3. Rutger Hauer knocked out one of his teeth with the shotgun he was holding during the windshield scene.
4. C. Thomas Howell admitted that he was actually afraid of Rutger Hauer on and off the set because of the actor's general intensity.
5. Screenwriter Eric Red can be seen in a cameo role toward the end of the film, playing a sheriff's deputy escorting John Ryder to the prison bus for transfer.
6. Rutger Hauer did a lot of the stunt driving throughout the movie which amazed the film crew and even the real stunt drivers.
7. The coach stops at "Roy's Motel and Diner" which is a famous landmark on the old Route 66, now interstate 40. It can be found at Amboy, California in the Mojave desert. It is featured in many films and documentaries.
8. On the jail wall you can read "Mort aux matons!" (probably written by a previous prisoner), translated to "Death to the jail guards!" in French.
9. In early drafts of the script, John Ryder had been described as skeletal in nature and so actors like David Bowie, Sting, Sam Shepard, Harry Dean Stanton, and Terence Stamp were mentioned.
10. For the role of Jim Halsey, the producers mentioned Matthew Modine, Tom Cruise and Emilio Estevez.
11. The original script ran the film equivalent of three hours.
12. Fox was to have distributed the film before TriStar Pictures took over.
13. Moments that ended up not being filmed include: Ryder slaughtering an entire family, an eyeball appearing in a hamburger (this was replaced in a finger in a plate of French fries), a graphic sex scene between 'Gal' Galveston (the girl before Nash) and Jim, and a character being decapitated. The film underwent several rewrites which removed the gorier moments.
14. To avoid an X rating the ending was changed to give Jim justification to doing what he does.
15. While being arrested outside the diner, C. Thomas Howell accidentally kicks one of the deputies in the back of the head while being slammed on the hood of the police car.
16. When Jim enters the abandoned garage, birds fly in front of the camera for dramatic effect. Though the hole in the floor seems to be intentional, the person visible pushing the birds out from said hole was probably not.

Mother's Day Giveaway ~ $72 Prize Pack

Welcome to the Laughing Vixen Lounge blog. As part of the May Is For Mamas Giveaway Hop, hosted by Cheap Is The New Classy, we have a new giveaway for you. One winner will receive a $72 Prize Pack that includes a $32 gift certificate for Laughing Vixen Lounge, $30 gift certificate for Deep Midnight Perfume Oils and a $10 gift certificate for Midnight Hour Cards. Giveaway is open worldwide to anyone 18+ and ends May 25th.

Laughing Vixen Lounge ~ Bangles, Baubles and Other Needful Things for the modern Vixen. Pop Culture, Retro, Horror and Custom Designed Jewelry and Accessories. 400+ designs to choose from.

Funny Vintage Ladies Compact - Succeed

Deep Midnight Perfume Oils ~ Bringing History, Fantasy, Legends and Lore alive to tantalize your senses! 150+ unique artisan crafted perfume oils to choose from.

1922 Perfume Oil

Midnight Hour Cards ~ Vampire, Gothic and Victorian Inspired Greeting Cards. Not your ordinary greeting card with new designs being added.

Merci Blank Greeting Card

Laughing Vixen Lounge offers Charm Bracelets, Necklaces, Compacts and Photo Pendants. Pop Culture designs with a flair for Retro, Horror and Custom Designs. This year we'll be adding lots more Pendants styles, Bracelets styles and new Ring and Locket styles. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or the Blog to keep up on the many giveaways we'll be having this year! Visit Laughing Vixen Lounge.

Black Cat and Raven Small Photo Pendant

Deep Midnight Perfume Oils offers Vegan, Cruelty-Free, and Preservative Free Perfume Oils. 150+ original scents inspired by mystery, magic, myths, legends, and romance topped off with the darkly Gothic, the sweet and enchanting, and the stuff of our dreamings. You can follow Deep Midnight Perfume Oils on Facebook, Twitter, The Blog and Pinterest. Visit Deep Midnight Perfume Oils.

MOON SPINNER Perfume Oil

Midnight Hour Cards offers handmade greeting cards that are a whimsical trip through Gothic and Victorian inspired themes like Halloween, Witches, Edgar Allan Poe, Fairies and Marie Antoinette. Visit Midnight Hour Cards.

Vintage Inspired Halloween Greeting Card

Laughing Vixen Lounge will be donating $1 from all sales and $3 from each item from the new Hep Cat Collection to help sponsor Cha~Cha the Serval from Wildcat Haven. It takes $500 to sponsor one animal for a year. From November 2013 to February 2014 Laughing Vixen Lounge raised money to sponsor DJ the Cougar. Now it is Cha~Cha's turn. Click here to read Cha~Cha's story and more about the fundraising project.

After you enter our giveaway make sure to visit the other blogs, via the Linky List below, and enter to win lots of other fabulous giveaways. Follow the event on Twitter with the Official Event Hashtag #maymamas.

 ~ Grand Prize ~

Madeline Lagoon Rug from Loloi Rugs ($329 value). Enter this giveaway on the Cheap Is The New Classy blog here.

How to enter our giveaway ~ It's easy!

1. Login in to the Rafflecopter widget below with either your email or Facebook.
2. You must do the first entry to qualify for this giveaway.
3. You can do as many of the extra entries as you like.
4. Please read each entry's directions carefully. If you do not do what is asked of you for each entry the entry will not count.
5. If you have any questions feel free to ask for help. You can leave your question as a comment below and I will answer as soon as I can.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Fine Print...
Giveaway will run from 12:00am (EST) May 10th, 2014 through 12:00am (EST) May 25th. Winner(s) will be picked randomly from all eligible entries. The winner(s) name and choices will be posted on this blog as soon as the winner(s) has been contacted. If selected winner(s) does not respond back within 48 hours a new winner(s) will be chosen. All decisions made final by Laughing Vixen Lounge.

Tea Time Charm Bracelet

Fear Friday ~ I Love You Man. Please Don't Kill Me!

Welcome to another Fear Friday at Laughing Vixen Lounge. In a celebration of summer being right around the corner all of the movie selections in May will have a road trip theme to them. This week's movie is a fairly unknown thriller from 2013 that shows us that the side of the road in the middle of the desert is not the best place for an intervention!!! While our story starts with the best of intentions it quickly spirals into a devastating turn of events. Enjoy! 

Every Friday at the Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog is Fear Friday. Fear Fridays are a celebration of all films spooky. Horror is a very broad genre and the Lounge loves it all. Each Friday you will find a review of a different film. These can range from Classic Horror (black and white and cheesy), Thrillers (suspense, jumps and a good mystery), outright Horror (chop chop, slash slash, die die) and anything else in between.

So pop some popcorn, kill the lights and enjoy tonight's selection. And please, share your comments on the film. Bad or good let me know what you thought of it. And now, my little ghouls and dolls, the Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog is proud to present this week's film.


Fear Friday - Scenic Route

Tagline - There is no turning back


Directed by Kevin and Michael Goetz (Mass Transit and Tycus) and released on August 23, 2013 by Vertical Entertainment (Rated R). Carter (Dan Fogler), who misses spending time with his best friend Mitchell (Josh Duhamel), takes the scenic route home and fakes a breakdown. But when their last hope for a ride leaves they find themselves really stuck in the middle of nowhere.

I really liked this movie!!! Not to oversell it because it really is a simple movie but it is character driven and plays on the theme of how quickly things can spin out of control. Our two characters are stuck in the desert because one of them decided to pretend that their truck broke down. Why? Because he misses spending time with his best friend and feels that his friend has made majorly bad choices in his life. Think of it like an intervention. When a car stops to help he must admit that there is nothing wrong and why he did what he did. It's only after the car leaves that the story really begins.

It was an interesting watch to see how anger, resentment and a lot of really hot sun can turn two best friends against each other. The trailer below may seem to show the whole movie but what you see all plays out in the first 20 minutes. And while the end has confused some I thought it was really good but will not give anything away here as to not spoil it for those who have not had a chance to experience it.

Scenic Route is currently on Netflix and Netflix streaming. Go watch now!!! Then let me know what you thought.


Take a look at the original trailer. ***While it may seem like they show you the whole movie in this trailer it all takes place in the first 20 minutes or so. There is much more to it!!!***



No trivia for this one. Sorry.

Fear Friday ~ Candy Canes Will Never Be The Same Again!!!

It's been awhile but Laughing Vixen Lounge is back with Fear Fridays. Spring is here and as the weather starts to get warmer we remember summer is just around the corner. And what better adventure to go along with a bright sunny day than a road trip!!! All month long we will be featuring movies with a road trip setting. This week is a great example of how wrong a cross country trip can go. It also stars an actor we lost all too soon. While this may not have been Oscar worthy material it shows just what a joy Paul Walker was to watch on screen.

Every Friday at the Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog is Fear Friday. Fear Fridays are a celebration of all films spooky. Horror is a very broad genre and the Lounge loves it all. Each Friday you will find a review of a different film. These can range from Classic Horror (black and white and cheesy), Thrillers (suspense, jumps and a good mystery), outright Horror (chop chop, slash slash, die die) and anything else in between.

So pop some popcorn, kill the lights and enjoy tonight's selection. And please, share your comments on the film. Bad or good let me know what you thought of it. And now, my little ghouls and dolls, the Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog is proud to present this week's film.


Fear Friday - Joy Ride

Tagline - It started as a joke. Now the joke is on them.
              How much fun can you have... when the joke is on you?
              Don't play with strangers


Directed by John Dahl (Red Rock West and Rounders) and released on October 5, 2001 by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (Rated R). Lewis (Paul Walker) is excited to head off on a road trip home from college so he can pick up Venna (Leelee Sobieski) to ride along with him. Unfortunately his brother Fuller (Steve Zahn), who needs to be bailed out of jail, comes along for the ride too. Bored, Fuller convinces Lewis to pull a prank on a trucker over their CB radio. Big mistake!

A road trip is always a great setting for a horror film and this is a fun example. There is so much unknown when you are traveling and so many chances to go the wrong way. The villain here is great even though you do not ever really see him. You just hear his voice over the CB radio. And what a voice it is! Truly creepy. I can never hear the words Candy Cane again without it sounding so wrong.

Yes, it is a bit silly and over the top but that just makes for a fun movie. If you have not seen it give it a try. Plus, the DVD copy I have has alternate endings included. One of which is completely different than what went into theaters. Very interesting.


Take a look at the original trailer.


Some trivia about the movie.
1. The speaking voice for 'Rusty Nail' was provided by Ted Levine, most famous for portraying 'Buffalo Bill' in The Silence of the Lambs.   
2. Three different versions of the ending were shot.   
3. Eric Stoltz and Eric Roberts auditioned for the role of "Rusty Nail".   
4. As Lewis is looking at his map in the car, his finger follows the road from Red Rock past Green River and down SW. Director John Dahl's earlier motel based thriller was Red Rock West.   
5. In one scene, a seemingly maniacal ICE truck pulls up to a gas station that the brothers have pulled up to. In Duel, a likewise maniacal truck pulls up to our hero (David Mann) and a small billboard for ICE is visible in the background.
6. During the course of the movie, watch the LED signal strength indicator lights on the brothers' CB radio. The first four indicator lights change colors in nearly every scene, including bright green, dark green, yellow, red, and crimson. This is obviously intentional and not a series of continuity errors.
7. Was renamed 'Road Kill' in the UK, since taking a 'Joy Ride' is not the pleasant journey it is in the states, rather the name for when youths steal cars and race each other or the cops and eventually total and dump the car.    
8. The car they are driving is a 1971 Chrysler Newport.   
9. Leelee Sobieski ended up filming two different romantic interludes, one with Steve Zahn and one with Paul Walker during the shooting and re-shooting of the film. Both scenes ended up getting cut.
10. Although Ted Levine provides Rusty Nail's voice, he actually wasn't brought in until post-production, and, physically, Rusty Nail is played by the hulking actor Matthew Kimbrough.