Straight Up Reviews: Uzumaki (Manga)

 

Cosmic Horror. It rarely has a happy ending, but it has an abundance of fucked up imagery. Whether it's aliens in the spaces between spaces, to viruses that have minds of their own. To god like entities that are beyond good and evil. Cosmic Horror has had more questions raised than answered and very few were able to make a story captivating enough to want us to keep reading.  Of course the most common name for Cosmic Horror has often always been H.P. Lovecraft. The less said about his racism the better. However, regardless, his influence in that genre has caused many writers from Stephen King to many filmmakers like John Carpenter and Stuart Gordon to either adapt or be inspired by his work.  And that just covers the western world.  The Eastern World on the other hand, especially in Japan, often have a tradition. If they can't make any form of horror based on their own myths and legends. Which there is an abundance of, considering things like the Shinto Gods and Goddesses and whatever the hell inspired Mr. Popo and Jynx; they would often always take ideas and influences from the west and make them thousands of times more scarier. Bram Stoker's Dracula was scary, but Kouta Hirano made it more scarier by making Hellsing. So naturally if someone were to adapt H.P. in a manga or god forbid take inspiration from his works or works similar, it would make seeing Cthulhu's true form look like you watched a really bad skin rash.  Which brings us to our review of the most fucked up Lovecraftian like story I have ever read that wasn't written by the man himself. This is Uzumaki.

Created by Junji Ito and published by Viz Media, Uzumaki is a unique version of Cosmic Horror, that is meant to scare and fascinate you. Every moment is supposed to make you piss yourself, vomit and yet you cannot look away.

The Manga itself was originally published in three volumes consisting of a total of 19 chapters and 1 lost chapter.  It was written and published from 1998 - 1999 and has been adapted into a live action film in 2000.  Said film was in production before the manga was completed. There is also an upcoming 4 episode Anime in 2021. Which you can see the trailer here.

As for why I mentioned Lovecraft. The music they used for the trailer and presumably the upcoming anime has been composed by Colin Stetson. Colin has done many horror flicks, but I first caught wind of his work from the recent Lovecraft movie, Color out of Space. Which I will talk about another time. They did pick the right guy to score this though.

Now I have binge read the manga to prepare for the event of the anime so what you're getting here is a fresh perspective. 

Warning: The Following Review may contain explicit images. If you are not of the legal viewing age LOOK THE FUCK AWAY!!!

Since the review won't make sense if I don't tell the full story, there will be spoilers.

Uzumaki takes place in the small town of Kurozu-Cho and revolves around two central characters.

Kirie Goshima. Who lives on a house near Dragonfly Pond in the center of town. The eldest of two children whose father runs a pottery shop. 

Shuichi Saito. Kirie's boyfriend who lives outside of Kurozu-Cho in the neighboring city Midoriyama-Shi.

The series itself starts out as an anthology in which a different problem happens every chapter, but with the exception of some continuity between them; there is barely a connection between them. Save for a recurring theme that the overall cause of the phenomena being caused by a spiral or spirals of some sort. So naturally in order for me to sum it up I'll have to go chapter by chapter. 

Chapter 1 and 2 happen to be a two parter known as The Spiral Obsession.  

Part 1 begins with Kirie introducing herself and the town while she notices a strange man looking at an old Snail shell. Said man is Shuichi's father Mr. Saito.  Who has an obsession with collecting various spiral patterns. Whether it's from decorations on Kimonos, old snail shells or works of art, he won't stop until he collects them all. As all this goes on, Shuichi tries to persuade Kirie to run out of town with him. Believing the spiral thing to be a symptom of a bigger problem within the town. Even pointing out that there are so many spirals all over the town, from the clouds in the sky, to the whirlpools in the water.  Mr. Saito's obsession increases when he skips work to look at his collection more and refuses to eat anything that doesn't have a spiral in it. To add to his collection he commissions work from Kirie's father, Yasuo Goshima to make spiral themed pottery. Fed up with his obsession, Mr. Saito's wife, Yukie throws his collection away while he's out. And I do not blame her for one minute.

If you are epileptic do not step into this room, you will die instantly. 

 

Initially Mr. Saito is angry, but he continues his obsession a different way.  Problem solved right? Well, not exactly.  During his obsession he found out he could make spirals appear with parts of his body. Starting with his tongue and eyes. A motion that scared Kirie away from him. After being missing for a few days, Mr. Saito was found dead. The story was that he died falling down the stairs. However Shuichi later reveals to Kirie, what really happened. In his study, where his collection used to be, there was a small wooden tub with a lid on it. Shuichi and Yukie open it out of curiosity and find to their horror:

 

Mr. Saito dead in the tub. His bones broken in his suicidal attempt at becoming a spiral himself.  Part 1 ends at Mr. Saito's funeral, his body cremated and the attendees pointing at something directly in the sky.

Part 2, picks up where the first part leaves off. After the funeral a distraught Yukie starts envisioning an image of her spiral obsessed husband whenever she sees a spiral. It starts out just after the funeral.  It turns out that the attendees were pointing at a pattern of smoke and ash. Which not only forms another spiral, it also settles down into Dragonfly Pond. The image causes poor Yukie to develop her own obsession with spirals. Only where Mr. Saito had a twisted love of them, Yukie developed a fear of them. Every time she sees one, she sees an image of her husband pleading her to join him in the spiral. As a result she goes on the warpath, eliminating spirals from her body.  First she shaves her hair so she doesn't see the whorl.  Then she cuts off her fingerprints and toe prints due to their natural spiral pattern.  Shuichi catches on to her psychosis, advising the doctors to go through various precautions to hide spirals from her.  However upon realizing she has spirals within her head. Specifically the cochlea within the inner ears, she does the unthinkable:

 

She stabs her inner ears with scissors to dig them out. The result of which not only deafened her, but also caused her body to lose it's natural balance. Eventually killing her and causing her body to be cremated as well. Causing another spiral of Smoke and Ash.

Now before I do Chapter 3, I would like to point something out. Up until this point, there has been an ongoing theme, that Kirie didn't believe Shuichi regarding the spirals and their effect on people. And while the deaths in the first two chapters are bizarre, she could easily rationalize the causes of them as nothing more than insane delusions.  And the pages in Chapter 2 could have been interpreted as such since Yukie's fear of her husband's apparition could have just been hallucinations. Have fun still thinking that. 

 

 Chapter 3: The Scar. 

This chapter begins with Kirie talking about a fellow classmate of hers: 

Azami Kurotani.  Azami was described by Kirie as a pretty girl who managed to get a lot of attention from the local schoolboys.  So much attention that rumours were spread of her being promiscuous and dumping every boy she went out with after seducing them.  Azami later explains to Kirie that as a result of a childhood accident, she received a crescent moon shaped scar which seemed to have the ability to attract any boy in her vicinity.  Something she takes both pride and irritation for. Despite claiming that the rumours were just that, Azami asks if Kirie introduces her to Shuichi.  Against her better judgment, Kirie brings her.  At first he seemed cordial, but upon taking a good look at Azani, Shuichi flips the fuck out and demands that she leaves. While she seemed to take it well at first, Azami was shocked that out of all the boys that came to her, Shuichi was the only one that wasn't swayed by her scar or her charms. Later on the phone, Kirie demands answers from him to which he explains that looking at her was like looking into a spiral. So he assumes she's been contaminated by the spirals like the rest of the town.  Azani shows up demanding to know why he rejected her, to which he explains that she has a spiral on her forehead.  She initially disbelieves him until she looked in the mirror. The crescent moon shaped scar was no longer there. In it's place a bigger scar in the shape of a spiral. Shuichi warns her to move to another town so she wouldn't get further cursed, but instead she continues to stalk him. Her obsession growing stronger.  Kirie eventually has had enough and demands that Azani leave Shuichi alone, however at that point, not only has Azani made up her mind about taking Shuichi, her scar has gotten bigger:

What was once a skin deep scar became a growing spiral shaped wound.  Slowly going into her skull. Shuichi later calls Kirie, saying that a student named Okana claims to have a crush on Kirie and wants to meet him at the park so they could talk about it.  Kirie informs him that she has no idea why Okana would say that.  Both suspicious, Shuichi and Kirie leave their houses to investigate. As Shuichi meets Okana, Kirie runs into Azani. Who scares her by showing the extent of her scar, in what is considered one of the most iconic images of the Manga:

At this point, the scar has become what appears to be a miniature black hole. Slowly eating away at her head. The shock of such a sight scares Kirie as Azani goes to meet Shuichi.  However it doesn't all go as planned. Okana demands that Azani goes out with him, which reveals that she used him to lure out Shuichi.  Upon removing her hat in anger at being rejected Okana gets a full view of her disfigurement at it's current state:

As if things couldn't get any worse, the now insane Azani eats Okana using the black hole in her head. Kirie arrives just in time to not only watch, but also witness the spiral consume Azani from the inside out. Leaving no trace. The first step of Kirie no longer being skeptical about the spirals. 

 

 

Chapter 4: The Firing Effect. 

After another cremation, Kirie and her family notice that the ash and smoke continue to spiral and settle in Dragonfly Pond. Kirie checks on her father who has been tirelessly working on pottery. 

He explains that while he made the pottery normally (Plates bowls etc.) within the heat they warp into spiral like shapes.   However instead of feeling down, he considers them works of art.  Claiming the process and the new clay used is a trade secret.  Kirie and the family start to suspect something off about her father due to irrational behaviors. In Kirie and her Mother's case, he demands that they don't look into the kiln. Kirie also notices that the smoke from their clay house is forming a spiral similar to the crematory.

 

 After his work was rejected, Kirie and the family notice on top of strange spirals on the pottery, that there appear to be images of people's faces. Specifically Shuichi's parents and two recent deaths that have been cremated. In an attempt to get to know him, Kirie's family invite Shuichi to their house for dinner, much to his reluctance.  His reasoning being that she lives right near Dragonfly Pond and said pond is infested the worst with the spiral problem.  

Dinner seems to go well, until Shuichi discovers the plate he ate off of, was covered in spirals.  It turns out as that Kirie's father made that plate especially for Shuichi as an unknowingly insensitive means of thanking his father for inspiring him to use spirals in his art. Showing the first time one person cursed with the spiral influencing others. It was then and there he revealed where the new clay came from. Dragonfly Pond.  Naturally this put Shuichi at his limit causing him to leave so he can throw up.  Since his parents were cremated in Chapter 1 and 2, he may as well be eating their remains.  A theory Kirie proposed when talking to her mother.  Kirie decides to investigate how her father makes the pottery and is astounded that they look normal at first. her father explaining once more, that it's when they're on the kiln that they start to warp.  As the days go by and the new pottery is cooking, Kirie goes to check on her father. Only to find him asleep. Out of curiosity she checks on the kiln and is subjected to one of the most horrible sights she has seen so far: 

The pottery is not only warping into the spirals and images of the deceased, they are also screaming in pain begging to be set free.  Now I always believed that the cremated remains, are a link to the soul of the departed. If I ever heard a story of someone defiling them in some manner I would no doubt, call them out on it due to that.  This became a new reason why. Her father kicks her out and she's in her room still hearing the screaming voices of those in the kiln. Shuichi calls her and notices the voices too, despite her denial.  As Kirie begins to realize that her father knew about this, Shuichi confronts him demanding he sees the Kiln.  Claiming that it's calling to him.  Shuichi sees to his horror that the souls of his mother and father are crying out to him. 

Causing him to flip out and destroy the Kiln. Freeing the souls from their tormented state.  The result of which destroyed the pottery cottage. The Chapter ends the morning after, with Kirie's father obsessively digging up the pottery he made.  

This chapter is unique among it's predecessors because of a few factors:

1. It offers one of the first clues to why the spirals are plaguing the town. Which I will go in at the end of this. 

2. It's the first time that someone ingrained in the spiral curse survived it. Kirie's father is lucky in that respect even if his obsession continues. 

3. It gave some semblance of hope that the curse can be fought. 

 Chapter 5: Twisted Souls. 

Hey kids. Did you ever wanted to see the mutant lovechild of H.P. Lovecraft and William Shakespeare? No? We'll you got it anyway.

The Chapter starts off with Kirie talking about the Row Houses in town. For those who don't know a Row House is a huge house split into separate spaces for separate homes.  They are often looked down upon, because said houses are often afforded to people who are poor or low working class. Which I am sure has no baring to the plot of this manga whatsoever.  Moving on.  

This story takes place in a specific row house where Kirie witnesses a friend of hers, Kazunori Nishiki, get caught up in a feud between his family the Nishikis and The Endos. Whom fittingly live on opposite ends of the Row Houses. The latter of which has a daughter named Yoriko.   Despite the families feuding, much like the Montagues and the Capulets, Yoriko and Kazunori are the only members that can stand one and other and are madly in love.  They have tried everything within their power to make the families drop the feud and accept the union, but nothing has worked.  Kazunori theorizes that both families can't accept their poverty and they shield themselves from becoming warped and taking it out on each other.  When Kirie walks him home, she sees first hand how bad it is between the two families. Despite living on opposite ends, they can hear each other insult and yell at each other. 

Unable to stand the fighting any longer, Kazunori and Yoriko try one more time to escape and reunite, but they're dragged back in the houses by their respective parents. After Kirie talks to him, Shuichi theorizes the reason why the parents won't stop fighting each other is that the spiral curse has twisted their souls and initially refuses to help. Asking one more time for Kirie to leave town with him.  Kirie refuses and leaves.  Upon checking on Kazunori, Kirie discovers the family fighting once more. Only this time they have a somewhat legit reason: Kazunori and Yoriko have ran away. Naturally they blame each other for it. The couple are resting in an abandoned Row House and as they do they stumble upon a peculiar sight. 

Two snakes found intertwined to each other.  Initially they assumed the snakes were fighting. Equating it to their parents fighting.  However they realize that they were really having sex. Something many Rick and Morty fans would point out if they saw this.  Inspired, they decide to run away and elope. Kirie finds them, but just as soon after the Endos find them too. Yoriko's father punching Kazunori before taking Yoriko away. When Kirie helps him up she discovers something strange. 

Kazunori's upper body has been twisted all the way around without any injury or death. Later on, Kirie and Shuichi agree to meet the couple so they could take the next train out of town and elope.  However once the Yoriko and Kazunori meet them, they realize they are in a rush.  Their parents in hot pursuit after them. The foursome try in vain to make it to the train station, but are cut off by each member of each family. In desperation, they flee to the beach only for Yorkio's brother to knock Kazunori down and begin beating on him. Faced with having to separate once more, the couple do the unspeakable. And by that something so grotesque mere words alone cannot describe it. 

They twist their bodies and intertwine with each other. Yoriko's father tries one last time to separate them, only for them to flee to the sea. Never to be seen from or heard from again.

This chapter intrigued me because scary shit aside, this was one of the few moments in the overall manga where people get a happy ending. Granted they went through twisted means to do so, but if Romeo and Juliet could turn themselves into twisted intertwining snake people, they would have instead of relying on apothecary poison and a happy dagger. It also managed to explain things in the previous chapter such as how Mr. Saito was able to twist himself in the tub the way he did. It would seem that those under the Spiral's influence can twist themselves at will. 

Chapter 6: Medusa.

The final chapter of Volume 1.  This chapter revolves around Kiyoko Sekino. An attention hungry classmate of Kirie's who desires to be the center of attention.  Which is further exemplified, when they witness a classmate of theirs fall off the roof in an acrobatics attempt gone wrong.  Shuichi theorizes that the need for attention is also one of the effects of the spiral. Specifically the outside going in effect of a spiral.  He believes that because that particular spiral goes from outside into the center that it has a constant need for attention.  Hence why many people affected by the Spiral Curse often try to get people to watch them. To draw them into the center too, with the center being them. Shuichi believes that anyone who wants to be the center of attention is doomed to be cursed by the spiral.  Kirie notes that Sekino may just be another victim one day. Suichi notices that Kirie's hair has gotten a little longer and suggests she get it cut. The next morining Kirie notices that her hair keeps growing and that her classmates are staring at her.  Sekino points out the reason.

Her hair has not only grown, but curled into spirals.  

 

She tries to braid it only for it to loosen the tie on it's own.  Prompting everyone to stare at her. 

She tries to get it cut when it attacks the barber and when her parents try to get her to the hospital it tries to strangle her.  Stopping when she no longer resists it. She finds out that the effect it has on her classmates has also happened to her parents. Realizing that her hair is hypnotizing them.  Attracting crowds everywhere she went.  Sekino gets jealous and accuses Kirie of trying to be the center of attention, when nothing can be further from the truth. She takes it as a challenge. Kirie's hair kept trying to attract larger crowds as it grew, the only one not effected by it, was Shuichi.  Who ran away. Kirie then and there realized that she was cursed by the spiral.  Said curse sapping her strength. 

 Just when things couldn't get anymore worse or fucked up. Sekino appears, somehow having been able to make her hair grow and curl.  As well as inheriting the effects that Kirie's has. Needless to say both hairs don't like the other hogging all the attention and in one of the most twisted and funny moments of the manga, the battle of the hair began.  

 

 

It started out as simply a staring contest, only for Sekino to turn it into a phyiscal fight, by some how having her hair try to strangle Kirie. With Kirie's hair on the defence. 

 

 

When Sekino gains the upper hand, Shuichi comes rushing in, cutting the hair strangling Kirie with a pair of scissors. 

 

 

When he attempts to cut off Kirie's hair the hair envelops him. Kirie passes out making Seikno the winner as she causes the populace to follow her. Just when we think it could be the end for our protagonists, a badass moment occurs. 

 

Shuichi. With nothing but a pair of scissors, cuts his way out of the cocoon of hair he was trapped within. Cutting Kirie's hair off at the root to keep it from killing her.  Ash Williams may have his chainsaw and fight attacking trees, but this guy killed an entire field of attention seeking, energy draining deadly hair with nothing but a pair of scissors. He comes to the same conclusion as Kirie theorizing her energy was drained for the hair to grow.  Meaning it won't be long until Sekino realizes the effects.  

As Seikno wanders the streets gaining more attention, her hair has drained her down to nothing. With it and her tied up into a telephone wire. 

 

Chapter 6 was silly, but it did offer a few clues to why the curse was happening around Kirie, which I will get to later. 

And that is the end of Volume 1. At the end of the Volume there is an Afterword that involves Junji Ito trying to understand the secret of spirals to further inspire his work, but I won't get into that as I am focused on the overall story.  I will say this, whether he intended it or not, the afterword makes him come across like Rod Serling.

 

Chapter 7: Jack In The Box. 

Now this was the chapter that introduced me to the Uzumaki series as a whole. I first saw this on a youtube clip of a live episode of Atop The Fourth Wall. It was considered one of the silliest chapters in the series. For good reason though. 

 

The Chapter starts with Kirie talking about a fellow classmate named Mitsuru Yamaguchi who is nicknamed Jack in The Box. Mainly because he has a creepy habit of jumping out of nowhere to scare and surprise people.  Kirie also realizes that Mitsuru has a crush on her and does his shtick around her the most, to get her attention.  Much to her annoyance.  

 

 

When walking home from school with a classmate, they realized that the nearby cemetery is burying people again instead of the cremation.  Her classmate mentions it's because they were sick of seeing the spiral smoke that came out of the chimney in the past volume. Although it was dismissed as malfunctioning equipment or strange weather, the class mate mentions that it only happens in this town and to the people that died in it.  Kirie theorizes it could mean that everyone in town is infected with the spiral.   Now in the West this didn't seem like a big deal since when we die, we often either get buried or cremated. However from what I heard, in Japan, while burying is an option, they prefer cremation because they don't like the idea of walking on ground where corpses are underneath.  

 

 

Mitsuru scares the two which infuriates Kirie and she demands he leaves her alone. He apologizes explaining that he likes to surprise people. However what would have been a sweet moment that would make us feel sorry for him, makes him look more like a dick later on. He explains to Kirie that the reason why he wants her to be his boyfriend, so he can impress his friends. Using her as the ultimate surprise.  That and the fact that he insults Shuichi prompts Kirie to reject him. Mitsuru vowing to win her over. In a mix between funny and creepy there is a montage of pages of Mitsuru trying to woo her. From surprising her, by popping out of a trash can, to taking a cue from Marlon Brando and shouting to  her window.  Kirie then recieves a package from Mitsuru, but refuses to even open it. When she confronts him. Stating that the more he follows her, the less she's starting to like him.  It seems like she got through to him, only for him to run into moving traffic believing the power of love will stop the oncoming car. 

It goes about as well as you'd expect. Now in Linkara's review, he questioned how he was able to get run over like that. While I agree it would seem physically impossible, but considering we've seen people able to willingly and unwillingly twist their bodies in ways that shouldn't be physically possible, it's probably the dumbest nitpick I ever heard. It's safe to say the laws of physics went out the window since Chapter 1. 

A funeral is held and Kirie is at home with the package Mitsuru gave her. Feeling bad that her last words to him were a rejection, she opens the package to find a Jack in The Box.  Which seems harmless at first, until you realizes springs are spirals too. Kirie calls Shuichi for comfort, only to have the moment interrupted.

The Jack in The Box springs to life informing Kirie that Mitsuru will come back for her. 

Taking no chances, Kirie and Shuichi go to the cemetery to kill Mitsuru before he comes back.  At this point they seem prepared for any surprises the spiral curse will inflict upon them. They dig his coffin up and start removing the nails of the coffin out. The pressure of which caused the viewing window to open. 

 

Just as they get the nail off, Mitsuru bursts out of the coffin, drooling and hissing and seemingly staring at Kirie. They run for it, as Mitsuru hops after them in hot pursuit, his body falling appart with each landing. He loses his legs which seems to stop him. Only for him to keep hopping after them. 

 

 

They initially thought his spine was turned into a spring, which was why he was able to hop after them. Upon catching Kirie the spring falls out, stopping him for good. They find out it was from the suspension of the car, lodged into his body. I refer to the run over part of my review to further reiterate how dumb the nitpick is.

 

Now there has been some debate to whether or not, Mitsuru was really a Zombie come to life or if the spring simply was just going Weekend at Bernie's with his corpse.  I believe that he is, simply because he went after Kirie and that he didn't do anything until after they managed to get the coffin open. As silly as this story is, it also clues us in that not everything regarding the rules of the spiral curse is set in stone and even a series of apparently coincidental events does coincide with the curse.

 

 

Chapter 8: The Snail. Probably one of the saddest stories I've ever read so far in the manga.  

It starts out on what should be a normal rainy day in school. Kirie guesses that a slacking student named Katayama will show up in school today. Since he only comes on rainy days.  He explains that even though he got up earlier, for reason's unexplained, he took a long time to get to school.  Tsumara a class bully, offhandedly mentions that Katayama is just naturally slow. Although the class doesn't like Tsumara they agree once they see how slow Katayama moves. After his slowness cost them a volleyball game, Tsumara and his gang strip Katayama and drag him out of the locker room just as Kirie is walking by. 

 

Initially disgusted, Kirie's disgust turns into out right shock when she notices a familiar shape marked on Katayama's back. As if things couldn't get weirder, he crawls back in the locker room, leaving a trail of slime behind. We are then treated to a montage where Katayama shows up later and later to class each day, while they notice a swelling on his back.  The spiral rising and turning into the similar shape of a snail shell.  During one particular rainy day they find Katayama on the wall. Where the last of his transformation is complete.

 

He is now a snail person.   Another victim of the spiral curse.  The teachers try to call his parents, only for them to refuse to believe that thing is their son. So the school eventually took care of him. Setting him up in a cage to feed and care for him.  Tsumara on the other hand, still keeps taunting him. Poking at him with a stick.  Justifying it by saying that Katayama isn't human anymore.

The next day they find that Katayama has retreated into his shell. As that is going on, we see that Tsumara is acting strange. Drinking more water than usual, slowing down in his movements and eventually missing.  A large snail person is seen crawling onto the glass. Mr. Yokota assumed Katayama escaped, but he was wrong.

 

For it was Tsumara that became a Snail Person.  They caged him with Katayama. As humans, they were bitter enemies. As snails, they became friends.....then mates. It's explained that snails are hermaphroditic and that they do not need a set gender to mate and reproduce. Since they became snails, they're no longer men or women. They escaped the cage. Mr. Yokota, Kirie and another class mate follow the snail trails to find them only to discover something else in their stead.

 

They laid eggs. Disgusted at the idea of these creatures breeding, Mr. Yokota destroys the eggs. They couldn't find more or the two Snails. 

 

 

After several days since the initial incident, Mr. Yokota comes to class. Becoming another snail person. This chapter had an interesting Aesop on the endless cycle of bullying and the consequences that befall the bully when the tables are turned. When Tsumara didn't let up even after Katayama transformed, he became a snail too. When Mr. Yokota destroyed the eggs out of disgust and discrimination, he became one too. It seemed like the Spiral Curse was generous that day.....yeah right.

 

 

Chapter 9: The Black Lighthouse.

Now this one was probably one of the clever ones.  Mainly because if you were to read it, knowing what you know at this point, you'd wonder what a Lighthouse has to do with spirals and spiral curses.  Classic bait and switch.

 

The chapter begins with the citizens of Kuruzo-cho out at night witnessing a strange phenomena. 

 

The black lighthouse off the cape of Kuruzo-cho is emitting a brighter than usual light. Which seems to mesmerize the entire town. However despite people amazed at this wonder, they do wonder what's causing it. Since that lighthouse is abandoned.  At home Kirie's brother Mitsuo won't stop gushing over how cool the light looks, despite Kirie's warnings not to look at it. Her mother agreeing since she feels dizzy from it. After numerous complaints of the lighthouse constantly emitting the light, a group of people decide to try to shut it down. Noting that the lighthouse should have been put out of service a long time ago.  The group comes in, but they don't come out. The light continuing to mesmerize the people. The next day Kirie notices even stranger phenomena.

 

Some of the people hit with the light have become caught in a perpetual spin. They cannot stop walking around in a circle no matter how much they want to. The first sign that this is a spiral curse.  As if things couldn't get anymore weirder (For this chapter at least.), a fishing boat is found crashed off the cape.  The crew also walking around in circles. A group of kids come to Mitsuo whom all plan to explore the lighthouse. Despite Kirie's warning, Mitsuo goes with them. Prompting Kirie to give chase. As she ascends the stairs looking for her brother, we see what a lighthouse has to do with the spiral. 

 

While it's not quite noticed in real life, it's a little known fact that every known lighthouse in the world has a spiral staircase. One of which Kirie is exploring at this page. But even then, good old Ito couldn't resist putting more on the walls. These ones emitting the only glowing light in the house other than the lighthouse light.  As Kirie goes further up, the stairs seem never ending. That is until she noticed some burn marks along with the spirals, the higher she went.Along with something else. 

 

Kirie finds the burnt remains of the workers that came to shut the light down. After hearing a call for help, Kirie rushes to find two of Mitsuo's friends huddled at the stairs. Traumatized from seeing the corpses. As well as two more bodies. Mitsuo's friends inform her that Mitsuo and their other friend have reached the top so they could see the light.   Kirie orders them to run home while she finds Mitsuo and the other kid.  Along with the most freakiest things you could ever see in a lighthouse. 

 

Kirie tries to get the two to leave, but they are too scared to move. Believing the light is looking at them. Kirie figures out that the shape of the light was the result of a melted Fresnel Lens. For those that don't know, this is what a Fresnel Lens is supposed to look like intact. 

It's essentially a lens that is common among lighthouses and searchlights. A succession of concentric rings, each consisting of an element of a simple lens, assembled in proper relationship on a flat surface to provide a short focal length.

However this particular lens in the lighthouse has been melted by the heat turning the concentric circles into one big spiral.  It takes Kirie a while to figure out that the light from the lighthouse liquefied the room and killed everyone it hit. When she realizes the sun is setting, she tries to hurry the kids up. Knowing the light will come back on. As they rush down the stairs the light comes on and the heat blast starts heading towards them. 

 

Mitsuo's friend trips on the stairs and is flash-fried, while the blast blows Kirie and Mitsuo out the door. Kirie and Mitsuo survive, but they are very badly burned. While the light continues to shine at night, there is some hope that the lighthouse will get demolished. 

 

 

Chapter 10: Mosquitoes

If you think West Nile Virus and Malaria are the worst things mosquitoes can do, then stay out of this town. 

Chapter 10 picks up where 9 left off with Kirie recovering from her burns.  It is summer, so naturally it's mosquito season.  However they swarm more frequently than usual in this town. Big surprise.  Mitsuo has already went home, but because Kirie's injury is more severe she has to stay. As she continues to recover, she's attacked by a mosquito. Which seems to not be the first time. However this one acts strange.  It's flight pattern forming a spiral that lulls her to sleep, before feasting on her blood.  The next day while she is walking outside with a visitor she notices a swarm of mosquitoes doing strange movements. 

 

 

Her visitor explains that it's a mosquito column. Mosquitoes form a column during mating season to reproduce.  She mentions to Kirie that this column has been doing so most frequently in Dragonfly pond.  Oh fuck. Last time that pond was involved in something it was the souls of those that were cremated and their ashes falling in that pond.  If they have been fucking there, then we know there's trouble. Something that Kirie seems to agree with since she realizes this particular column has formed another spiral.  Kirie decides to go back indoors, only to stumble upon something horrible.

 

They discover a corpse of a woman. With multiple holes in her body. Just when things couldn't get anymore stir crazy, Kirie witnesses a pregnant woman being hauled in with multiple mosquito bites.  Said woman is one of now 10 in the hospital.  Kirie's cousin, Keiko.  While Kirie checks on her ill cousin, the nurse working in the Maternity Ward suspects that the illness they're feeling is more psychological. She asks Kirie to help unpack Keiko's belongings and Kirie finds among most things, a heavy oddly shaped object wrapped in cloth. Which Keiko request gets put in the cupboard. The next morning, the doctors and nurses find another body. Similar to the dead woman they found before. They discover not just the same holes, but the fact that all the blood has been drained from that one.  Kirie relays the story to Keiko who tells her she's feeling much better and that she can feel her baby moving.  A sweet moment, needed for some levity between horror shots. Shuichi shows up in Kirie's room to check on her. Explaining that he didn't see her, because he's become such a recluse from the events leading to this chapter that he barely goes out anymore. Shuichi let's Kirie know that she must check out of the hospital. Worried that something may be wrong with the place. The nurse brings Keiko into Kirie's room and explains that the maternity ward has become overcrowded.  Shuichi is suspicious of her and tries to further warn Kirie. However she seems to delve into classic Kirie (As in skeptical of Shuichi's suspicions despite him being right every time.) offended that he would say an ill word about her cousin.  

 

I'm stopping right here for a moment. Kirie, you should know by now that your family is not exempt from the fucking curse.  Just in the early chapters, your father went nuts trying to make spiral themed pottery off the ashes of your boyfriend's parents. Your brother nearly got (No offence Japan.) Hiroshima'd which is why you're in the hospital in the first place. It's safe to say if Shuichi believes something is wrong with your cousin, then SOMETHING IS FUCKING WRONG WITH YOUR COUSIN!!! 

Moving on. 

Before Shuichi could explain what, another mosquito comes in. He flips out and sprays it, causing Keiko to react violently to the spray. While he didn't have time to completely explain why, since the nurse kicked him out, Shuichi gave Kirie a clue. That only female mosquitoes suck blood. To feed their young. That night, Kirie sees another mosquito coming in. She warns Keiko, only for her to say that she loves them now. She hears the buzzing coming out from the hallway and goes to investigate.  Where she is subjected to an unimaginable horror. 

 

Several of the materinity ward mothers have walked out into the hallway. Each one armed with a crank drill in their hand.  She notices that they split up into different rooms and investigates one. Making the already scary situation even worse.

 

She witnesses one of the mothers drilling a hole in the neck of a patient and feasts on the blood.  Providing yet another spiral image through the drill bit.  The mother realizes there's a witness and chases Kirie. Kirie trips on her hurt leg while calling for help. Another patient comes out and is frightened by the sight. Before he could do anything, the mothers hypnotize him. Tracing a spiral around with their fingers. As they prepare to feast on him, a nurse shows up, only to be the next victim. They seemed to be satisfied with the blood and plan to return to their room.  Only for the mother Kirie caught to say that Kirie saw what she did. Prompting them to try to kill her. Kirie manages to get to her own room, closing the door and believing she is safe. Or is she?

 

 

Since Keiko was also pregnant and bug bitten, she too has a taste for human blood and wants to feast on her own cousin. The rest of the mothers come busting in. Cornering Kirie. 

 

 

Thinking fast, Kirie manages to get a hold of the bug spray Shuichi left behind, driving the mothers away. Kirie theorizes that they were affected by the curse, which prompted them to feed on human blood to sustain their newborns. All evidence of their crimes were disposed of by their husbands.

 

Chapter 11: The Umbilical Cord

 

Let's just say the Mosquito Mothers were tame compared to this one. 

The chapter picks up where 10 leaves off. Although Kirie knew no one would believe her, she still tried to warn people anyway.  The head Doctors thought she was having a nightmare. The nursing staff thought she was crazy.  Her own family beleived that she was being cruel to her cousin. Goddammit. 

Anywho, a sliver lining. Due to the cops investigating the hospital they no longer attack the patients. However Kirie catches Keiko compensating by stealing and drinking a blood pack Kool Aid Jammers style.  

The babies finally get born and Kirie wonders what sort of horrible monstrosities these blood sucking matriachs have created.......

 

Aww its so adorable. As it turns out they are just ordinary babies.  Why do I have the feeling it's gonna be like Gremlins? Where they're cute at first, but they end up killing you.

More good news comes, as Kirie is now fully recovered and can leave the hospital at any time. Before she leaves, she decides to see her cousin one last time and meet her first cousin. Whom Keiko has named Makio.  Kirie finds him cute at first, but notices something strange. 

 

She notices Makio's stomach is swollen. Prompting angry stares from all the mothers. Kirie notices that all their babies have the same swell.  The Maternity Doctor, Dr. Kawamoto dismisses it as them wearing belly bands.  When Kirie tries to investigate the matter further, Makio's cute expression turns into one of annoyed anger. Before letting out a cry. Which causes this horrible chain reaction.

 

 

All the babies collective cries become so unbearable for Kirie that she runs for the stair case. Only to trip and fall down.   Prompting her to stay at the hospital for another week.  She mentions that she can still hear the cries, even after they long since stopped, but the doctors dismiss it as being the result of the fall. The nurse comes in with her food, which recommending the mushrooms.  Kirie tries one and spits it out, finding it suspicious that they taste like meat. She refuses to eat them while the other patients gorge on them immensely. Becoming addicted to them in the process. To take her mind off the sounds and the shrooms, Kirie enters the nursery. Where she hears the babies make sounds. The sounds then turn into words. Words expressing to desire their return to what they deem is the warm place. As Kirie listened in, she finds to her surprise and later horror that the babies can not only speak fluently, but they desire to go back into their mother's wombs.  Believing Doctor Kawamoto can help them.  

 

Now it's not unusual for horror story to have creepy babies. Whether they talk creepy, talk like adults or even express fucked up desires like what these ones talked about. It's par the norm in horror. However what you're about to see here, is so disturbing, that I advise you to bring the nearest bucket for you to puke in. This was one of the most talked about moments regarding the manga. A moment so disturbing that you don't even have to describe it in more than six words. Those words being "The babies oh god the babies." If you have a weak constitution I advise you to LOOK THE FUCK AWAY WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!! You've been warned.

 

When one of them expresses too much excitement regarding the idea, his stomach rises. Causing a mish mash of mushroom and meat to rise up and out of his shirt. Not just any meat mushroom, but the same one the hospitals have been feeding their patients with. As if things can't possibly get any worse. Kirie hears Keiko's voice from the delivery room.

 

 

She goes into investigate and finds that there are more meat mushrooms being cultivated. Presumably from samples extracted from the babies.  Dr. Kawamoto comes in and Kirie demands to know where Keiko and Makio went.  The good doctor however has flipped his lid at this point. Going on a rant about how all infant mammals use their cuteness as a weapon, to get adults to help them survive. he explains that the shroom and stem are the result of the babies regrowing their umbilical cord and placenta. And that these shrooms were the result of failed attempts at cutting them off. That upon eating one it restored his health. Huh, I wonder if someone will use that as a theory to where 1Up Mushrooms come from. DON'T EVEN TRY!!! 

 

Kirie repeats her demand and he calmly tells her that Keiko and Makio are in the next room. That their operation was successful. What operation?

 

 

A reverse C-Section.  However as a result of it, poor Keiko once again must feed on human blood to sustain her child.  Dr. Kawamoto tries to use Kirie as the source but a new mutation has occurred. 

 

 

 

Before, Keiko required a drill to drink blood. However now, she has a spiral shaped tongue similar to a mosquito's proboscis. Which she uses, not to drink Kirie's blood, but Dr. Kawamoto. Kirie tries to escape during the commotion and finds herself cornered by Keiko, but luck befell her in the form of shroom addicted patients. Too distracted by the meat shrooms to notice or care that they're being hunted by a human mosquito.  Kirie escapes the hospital. Never to return. 

 

I decided to review these three chapters altogether because much like Spiral Obsession, they all formed an arc.  With the Black Lighthouse providing the reason why Kirie would have to be in the hospital and her antics within the hospital.

When I first read the lighthouse chapter, the whole light hypnotizing people and then destroying those too close to it, seemed to remind me of It and It's Deadlights.  But that story would put the Deadlights to shame.  Aside from listening to wiser family members I never really saw an aesop to learn from this as it came across as an action scene in an otherwise beautiful horror.  While many would on the surface dismiss Kirie and Mitsuo's survival as plot armour, I beg to differ, which I will explain why later in my conclusion.  But there are 8 chapters to go, before I get to that. 

The Mosquito and Baby chapter's though were by far the most disturbing shit and even without Youtube's restrictions, I could see them still banning imagery from it, simply because they're that disturbing.  However what I couldn't really stand was the stupidity regarding Kirie and her mother.  These two alone witnessed a lot of disturbing things. They know they're family is not exempt from either being a victim or making other people victims of this curse. Yet Kirie who should be wiser at this point and believes in the spiral curse dismisses the one guy that would have helped her out of this mess and her mother dismisses Kirie when Kirie finally believes Shuichi. However while I dislike their stupidity it does later on make sense why. Since one of the main traits of the Spiral Curse so far is mesmerizing anyone that looks at the spirals, it's safe to say that the mosquito hypnotizing Kirie tried to dumb her down and the pottery that Kirie's father has, has begun to affect her mother as well. 

 

 

Chapter 12: The Storm.

This chapter starts with Kirie and Shuichi relaxing on the beach. She laments that if not for Shuichi, she'd have been dead a long time ago. Their moment is ruined when a Typhoon shows up. Shuichi wisely hauls ass, warning everyone he can. Initially no one believes him until a hurricane warning appears on the news.  Despite the warning, Kirie still tries to provide food to Shuichi.  OH COME ON!!! If it were just rain, I'd let this slide, but you're going into a typhoon. I'm pretty sure Shuichi would rather starve than see you get killed out there.

 

Anywho, as she makes her way, the wind seems to appear to get stronger. Strong enough that she loses her umbrella and the bag  the food was in. 

 

 

She gives up and goes home but not before seeing the eye of the storm. Which appears to be staring back at her. As Kirie sleeps at home, she hears her name in the wind.  Kirie wakes up the next day wondering if that sound was real or just the wind.  The storm has appeared to have calmed down. Upon looking outside, she finds that the storm is just dormant and the eye is hovering above her house. Kirie once again tries to bring Shuichi food, the storm increasing once again. Shuichi, being the voice of reason as always, yells at her demanding to know what she's doing. When she asks why he's yelling he points it out pure and simple.

 

The storm is another spiral and it's watching her. Calling her name as well. A fact that everyone seemed to heard other than Kirie. He theorizes that the storm has a crush on her and is stalking her.  A theory proven correct, when he tries to get her away from it. Enraging the storm and causing it to pursue them. Leaving destruction in it's wake.  It throws debris at them to slow them down. Prompting Shuichi to take Kirie between the houses. Which later get ripped apart, pinning Kirie down. When a bystander comes to help, the Typhoon sucks the poor girl into the eye, mistaking her for Kirie. When it realizes it's mistake it sends the poor girl slamming into the ground, killing her instantly. They hide under an overpass while the Typhoon rages on looking for her. Destroying everything in it's path.  Initially they think they lost it, only to find it can see them through a mirror. They flee to the storm drain for better protection, but that doesn't do them any good. 

 

For they find more spirals forming in the sewer water.As if things couldn't possibly get any worse. 

 

The storm takes them both. It seems like all is lost, however they find themselves near Dragonfly Pond. The storm itself drawn to the pond and sucking up the clay and grass that was in it, before disappearing.  

 

Now so far in both volumes I have heard the location Dragonfly Pond being referenced many times. As the bulk of the bad stuff seems to happen near it or gets forced there. Even this Typhoon cannot help but drag our two protagonists into that area. There's a reason for that. However from what I've been reading so far, this has become an escalation of madness and terror. However as the next volume is coming up. The worst has yet to come.

 

End of Volume 2. 

Chapter 13: The House

Picking up several days where the last Chapter left off, Kirie's house along with the other houses surrounding Dragonfly Pond have been destroyed. As a result some of the people living in the area have moved out, while Kirie's family are looking for a place to live. A realtor however gave them good news. Until their house is rebuilt they'll be staying at a house that's been vacated. The bad news.

 

 

They're living in a row house. This particular one rumored to be haunted by a monster that came out at night. Several dogs and pets in the surrounding neighbourhood have been slaughtered. The family protests, but the realtor tries to reassure them, that the house has had repairs and has all the comforts of home. He also mentions that they don't have much of a choice since all the other houses have been occupied. 

As they try to make themselves get comfortable, Kirie asks Yasuo when the house was built. To which he says that it was built around the 19th Century. Prompting Kirie to joke that she wouldn't be surprised if it was haunted. Mitsuo however freaks out, over the random noises, wanting to leave because they give him the creeps. Yasuo decides to leave to salvage supplies from their old house and Kirie's mother decides to introduce themselves to the neighbours.  They are introduced to Wakabayashi who warns them to not bother talking to the other neighbours. For they didn't have permission to move in their apartment, long before the storm. They try anyway, but have no response.

Mitsuo believes the neighbours are the monsters, but his mother dismisses them.  

 

 

All the while Yasuo discovers a painful wart on his toe, in a very familiar shape. 

 

As if things can't get any bad for them. They are being watched. More specifically, Kirie is being watched. That night, while everyone tries to sleep, loud noises echo throughout the home. Waking Kirie and Mitsuo up.  Mitsuo once again believing it's the monster. The next morning, Kirie is cleaning the deck when Wakabayashi approaches her. He too asking about the noise. He mentions that it's coming from the neighbors he warned them about. He explains that they moved n before the storm and that they have been living on Welfare. That the son has a medical condition that puts him in constant agony. While his mother refuses to let anyone see him.  Rumors persist of him having strange deformities which is why the monster story exists.   As they speak, the old woman has left the house, covered in heavy clothes to hide her appearance. She was simply going to get her laundry when she falls over. Kirie rushes to help her only to discover worse things on the lady's skin.

 

Warts similar to the one on her father. Only they have seemingly popped out into Spiral shaped cones. The old lady rushes back into the house. Later in the afternoon the family hears a loud scream. Kirie thinking the Old Woman is in danger, rushes to her aid. When asking what is wrong, she only says one thing. "My son has died." The son was tragically hauled away and the mother, put in the hospital so they could study the skin condition that killed her son. Wakabayashi asks Kirie out of morbid curiousity what the son looked like. Since he seen the inside of the house was covered in holes. Kirie, out of respect, for the dead refuses to say. Later on, as announcements of a second hurricane are blaring through the radio, Kirie and the family discover they all have warts too. Putting them into a panic. We then get a reveal of who has been watching Kirie. 

 

Wakabayashi. His intentions made pretty clear to why he's spying on her. However upon contemplating where to drill the next hole, karma comes to him. 

 

In the form of spiral warts. Just around the same time the second hurricane shows up. Stuck in a rock and a hard place, the family can't go to the hospital even though it's clear they have to, since the warts are becoming unbearable.  Kirie realizes that they aren't warts, but the skin disease the old woman and her son suffered from. They call Wakabayashi for help, but he doesn't answer. The warts becoming worse for Yasuo. Kirie theorizes that whatever disease is in the house, is what's causing the condition and that they must leave even if it's not safe in the storm. Kirie tries to make a break for it, but Mitsuo directs her attention to the wall. Growths similar to theirs appear to be growing out of it, before the wall breaks open. 

 

Wakabayashi has become a monster. After eating a rat he is fixated on Kirie. Presumably intended to act on his sexual desires for her. Kirie runs outside into the raging storm, while Wakabayashi is in hot pursuit. Just when we think he has her cornered. 

 

 

The storm ends up saving her life, by impaling the monster with a fence post. Then subsiding into Dragonfly Pond like the last one. The family leaves the house and their skin disease dissappeared. 

 

I once heard in a review of this chapter, that there may be two competing spiral entities and the hurricane along with the monster were the result of them competing over Kirie. Which seems reasonable, but I have an alternate theory. Which I will get to. I will say this, there's a reason why each one since chapter 5 has been coming after her. 

 

 

Chapter 14: Butterflies. 

This story introduces a new character. Named Chie Maruyama A reporter who came to Kurozo-Cho to investigate and report on the damage caused by the second hurricane. Upon arriving a tornado takes out her van and kills her crew. Leaving her the only survivor. 

 

 

 

As she makes it through the town for help she notices a large spiral shaped cloud hovering over the sky. As well as three kids tied up and gagged on stakes.  Thinking that they were being treated cruelly she unties them. However she later realizes her mistake when they approached a nearby house.

 

For with their collective breath, thy not only can conjure up tornadoes, but also use them to destroy buildings. When things couldn't get any worse, they turn their attention onto her and try to kill her with another conjured tornado.  She dodges it, but is hurt from the blast. When they go to finish her off, she shouts. Creating a tornado of her own. Sending them away.  She is met by Kirie and Mitsuo. Who were out looking for food. They explain that the phenomena is caused by the air pressure that is the reuslt of the hurricanes being sucked into Dragonfly pond. Turning it into an perpetual whirlpool. She advises Chie to keep her voice down and move slowly. So they don't create tornadoes by accident.  Chie immediately feels guilty that she hurt the kids. Yet Kirie takes her, to their new home for help. Another rowhouse. She mentions that they Rowhouses were the only places to not take any damage. However unlike the last time where they had their own space.

 

It's now occupied by pretty much the entire town. With barely any room for anyone else.  She asks for volunteers to find a way out of town so she can bring help in. Kirie's family volunteers, but the rest of the rowhouse protests. Stating that things have gotten worse since the last hurricane. Anyone that's come into town and survives, will never get out. That a terrifying power is over them preventing their leaving. Sucking them into it's spiral.  The family still tries to help, but before they could set foot outside. 

 

 

 Two of the three kids show up.  Informing Chie that she's killed the third one.  They try to kill her, but she and Kirie's family run back into the house. The other refugees explain that ever since they were orphaned by the hurricane, that they snapped and decided to take it out on the town. Meaning half of the destruction was their fault.  They try to blow the rowhouse down, but find that it won't budge. They summon stronger gusts of wind, but it still doesn't budge.  Taking their chance the refugees fight back. 

 

We here at CIEIR do not condone child violence. But since this is a post apocalyptic town, where the rules against such don't apply and those kids happen to be psychotic brats that tried to kill someone that saved them, I have this to say: I hope they landed on something sharp. They got blown away when the refugees used the wind against them. Just as they celebrate their minor victory, no pun intended.  We hear the voice of a familiar lad. 

 

 

Shuichi old man, I know it's only been a few chapters but I feel like i haven't seen you in ages!! How've you been....oh. It seems since the first hurricane incident, Shuichi has gone off his rocker.  He believes the town has gone mad and will one day become a spiral.  It turns out however their victory has been short lived. Since not only have the kids returned. 

 

They've learned how to fly using the lift from the tornado. Now this chapter is very interesting, because before, whenever a spiral curse occurs it either resolves itself, the innocent victims get better or the assholes that fall victim to it, face some karmic justice. Here, however there are no aesops, no resolutions and the problem is only just beginning. To make matters worse, Shuichi, our resident sane man has now given into Spiral Madness. This also has become the point where it stops being a loosely connected anthology and starts becoming a full story, with every thing and I mean EVERYTHING that came before, coming together here. 

Chapter 15: Chaos.

Picking up where Chapter 14 left off, Kirie, Chie and Mitsuo witness a gang of delinquents riding tornadoes and destroying buildings for fun. Mitsuo, not learning from the lighthouse experience wants to join them so he can ride twisters too. However Kirie berates him, noting that many people died trying. Mitsuo becomes more brattier than ever, wondering why they get to do what they want and he can't. As they make their way back home they discover three familiar shells. 

 

The snail people have returned. Kirie, who hasn't seen them in a while, wonder what brought them out now. They go back to the rowhouse to find it's more packed than ever with the newer residents demanding they leave. Even though they rightfully explain that they were there first. Because everyone is too crowed they start to get on each other's nerves. Tensions seem to increase when one resident finds a scroll embedded in the wall. He drops it which lands in Kirie and Chie's area. They read it to discover a huge bombshell. 

 

It's an old map of Kurozu-Cho which contains a large spiral covering the entire town.  The resident who dropped it, unaware of it's signifigance demands they give it back. Causing the rest of the rowhouse to snap and argue with each other.  One resident takes the opportunity to throw Shuichi out for insisting everyone's gone mad. Kirie, her family and Chie follow him prompting the residents to throw them out too. As they search for another row house, Chie insists they all should get out of town. However Kirie reminds her that she tried that already. By escaping through the tunnel that she came in before. Only to find it never ending. Kirie mentions that Shuichi was right all along and that the spiral won't let them leave. While Chie hopes to find a way Yasuo finally let the madness consume him. Stating he wants to rebuild his furnace, make ceramics again and focus on the art of the spiral. Only to be reminded by his wife, that it's impossible to get clay from under Dragonfly Pond now because of the whirlpool.  As they all contemplate what to do, Mitsuo smells something cooking. They go and see that the gang they witnessed before are indeed. Cooking something. Against Kirie's protests, Mitsuo approaches the gang. Only to find to his and the family's horror, what they are cooking exactly. 

 

They're roasting the snail people. Meaning that Katayama, Tumura and Mr. Yokata are in fact, dead. While they are cordial enough to offer them food, Kirie is upset since she knows that they're in fact former humans. This causes tensions between the gang and Kirie's Group, which prompts Yasuo to snap out of his funk and demand they leave them alone.  This causes the leader to send him flying. Prompting Kirie to fight back. Creating a storm of her own. Which causes them to go airborne. Prompting the gang to chase them down. As they try to get away, Kirie notices they're coming back to a familiar place. 

 

 

Dragonfly Pond.  Which is the second time Kirie has been blown in that direction. Before they get sucked into it though, Kirie, Chie and Shuichi form a human chain while grabbing on a telephone pole. While the gang gets sucked into the whirpool. 

 

Chapter 15 seemed to expand on what 14 was conveying, even calling back to previous stories in the worst way.  It showed that as the Spiral tightened it's grip on the town, it caused many people to cope in different ways. From turning against each other to eating each other.  Causing a spiral effect of it's own as the result of the human mind slowly unravelling. 

 

 

Chapter 16: Erosion

When things couldn't get any worse for this town, more people from the outside begin to flood in. With the exception of the Rowhouses the town is in further ruins and the whirlwinds are becoming more frequent thanks to what was left of the Twister Gangs. As a whirlwind claims another life, we are introduced to Tanizaki. A relief worker who volunteered to help the town after the previous disasters. He along with Chie among Kirie's group discuss the many attempts they had to escape the town.  

In Chie's case, she tried leaving through the tunnel. Only to find it neverending.  Yet upon taking the route back into town, she arrived as though she never left.

 

In Tanizaki's case, his group tried to build a raft and escape by sea. Another group went first only to get sucked into a whirlpool.  Kirie brings Chie and Tanizaki back to her home. Instead of the Rowhouses which were still full, her group has made a makeshift cabin out of remnants of their old home.  With her mother recovering from the injuries of the twister gang.  Yasuo was still missing in action and Kirie's mother feared the worst. Tanizaki rightfully warns them, that their cabin is unsafe so they trek to find another Rowhouse.   As Kirie and Tanizaki's group look for one, one of theirs Okamoto falls over. Complaining about his back.  Tanizaki inspects it.

 

Okamoto is turning into a snail person and he's not the only person vulnerable to do so. Shuichi theorizes that because people are moving so slow, the entity controlling the curse is catching up to them and any one of them could be next. In a test that would make John Carpenter proud, the rest of the group check their backs to see any changes.  

 

 

Another one, Togawa has a spiral mark on his back. Meaning he's further off than Okamoto.  They try to keep him from panicking so he can't cause another whirlwind. They finally make it to another Rowhouse, but find to their suprise it's also full. Panicking, the relief workers try to break the door down. Only to get blown away. The whole thing escalating into an all out war. They managed to break in and find one of the most gruesome hells one can imagine. 

 

Because so many people kept flooding in, the bodies in an effort to make room, twisted and tied themselves to each other in a manner similar to Uzumaki's Romeo and Juliet: Kazunori and Yukio.  Only where they have their happy ending, these people have become a hated, yet mutual collective as a result.  Unfortunately because there was little room in the houses, they eventually burst out from the collective weight. In an attempt to cover themselves they do something that we thought only an Amish village can do. 

 

 

Using the ruins of the other buildings they proceeded to add sections of the houses for more room.  Tanizaki, feeling inspired wants to help make the extensions, because he believes if the Rowhouse can withstand the winds, then they could just make it.  However, the rest of his group disagree, fearing they'll turn into additions to the current residents.  Before any arguments can be settled, rescue ships arrive. Much to the joy of some, but to the doubt of Kirie. Funny, it takes many chapters for her, but she finally is on the same wavelength as Shuichi. Plus she was right.

 

The ships get sucked into another whirlpool.  Night falls and the groups are running out of food. One of the workers find an alternative source. 

 

A snail person, already cooked and left behind by the Twister Gang.  Initially Tazinaki is reluctant, but without any other options, they feast. Finding the meat delicious they offer Kirie's group some. Justifying that they're not human anymore. One of the workers, notes Okamoto isn't eating and expresses greivance over having to carry him.  He suggest they tie him so he doesn't wander off. Their intentions for dessert well known. Initially Kirie was reluctant, but after watching that even Shuichi is eating, she joins in.  

 

After taking their share, Kirie's group and Tainzaki's group go their seperate ways. They find their cabin has collapsed from the whirlwinds, their mother taken by the whirlwinds and Mitsuo pinned under debris. Yet he appears to be unharmed for the worst reason imaginable.

 

 

Mitsuo is turning into a snail person. Since Kirie knew it won't be long until Tanizaki's group or some other group would eat their "rations", it's only a matter of time before her brother becomes the next meal. Which causes her to vow to escape.

 

This chapter is by far one of the craziest ones I ever seen in Volume 3, because it takes the concept of Rock and Hard Place to the Nth degree.  If they move too slow, they become snails and eventually dinner. If they move to fast they create whirlwinds, risking killing themselves and others. If they go back to the overcrowded Rowhouses, they become mangled monstrosities trying to tear away from each other no matter how much they stick further. Yet despite that, they work collectively to protect themselves from outside dangers. Which seems to be humanity in a nutshell. However the worst is yet to come. Now I know what you're thinking. Since the second two snails were created due to picking on the first, then shouldn't Kirie, Shuichi, Chie, Tanizaki and their group be doomed to turn as well? There's a reason why they aren't. However if there's any consequence that befalls Kirie it's that by giving into spiral madness and eating a fellow human being, the fact that her brother is in constant danger of becomming a meal. The title Erosion takes on a whole new meaning here. Much like the natural destruction of ground through years of water damage, the town and one's sanity are naturally rotting away more and more.  Since our resident sane man has given into said insanity, needless to say no one is safe.

Clapter 17: Escape

Picking up where Chapter 16 left off, Kirie decides to escape the Kurozu-Cho. Since leaving by sea and by tunnel are out of the question, she decides to try the hills.  Believing there's a trail. She hopes that by leaving the town, Mitsuo will return to normal and once finding a way out, she'll come back to look for her missing parents. Despite Shuichi, giving up at this point, which I count as a warning in and of itself, Kirie decides to go. In a clever use of the sensitive whirlwinds, they decide where to start. 

 

Using a falling stick they follow the whirlwind created with it, to figure which direction to go. Deciding to venture north at the steepest of the hill. Once they make the climb they are able to see what's left of their town from above and survey the damage.

 

 

With the exception of the rowhouses, everything was destroyed and Dragonfly Pond is still a perpetual whirlpool.  Mitsuo pointing out that the rowhouses are facing the pond.  They also notice the whirlwinds are being concentrated to one rowhouse, which is being extended.

 

 

 

On top of the frame work, Tanizaki is personally working on the extension. His hammering and cheering causing most of them.  When he spots the group, he enthusiastically announces that there will be a home for everyone.  When I first read this, I didn't know if he gave into the madness completely or is genuinely happy. However I'm gonna say the latter, because his reckless cheering nearly blew them away.  Kirie notices that Tanizaki isn't the only one.  As more people are buidling extensions to the other Rowhouses. When they venture on, the Siren blares. Much like the Lighthouse, despite being no power, it continues to work. Kirie noting that it's almost like it's warning the town of escapees. They find the trail covered in many spiral shaped plant life, wondering how long until they reach the  paved road. However they find themselves in yet another situation.

 

 

They run into Takemoto and the rest of the relief workers.  Who claimed they were following them. Despite meeting each other on opposite ends.  They realized then and there they both went in a full circle. As if things couldn't get anymore worse, Kirie notices they have Okamoto tied up. 

 

 

Takemoto taking Son Goku Abridged's cue and using him as emergency food. Putting Kirie's group on edge.  Okamoto goes under the final sequences of his transformation, causing Takemoto and his group to prepare to feast. Instead of cooking him however, they want to eat him raw to see if he's like Escargot. Initially they were gonna get him with a rock, but don't out of fear of getting whirlwinded.  Takemoto gets an idea to get it.

 

 

By crawling into the shell. The others try to take him out worried he'll hog all the meat. While distracted, Kirie's group makes a break for it. They wander through the woods wondering how long they've been out there. They notice a tree stump and try to use the rings to tell the time. When Shuichi looks at it though, he sees a familiar face.  

 

 

His father once again asking him to join him.  Since Kirie and Chie don't see him, they believe he's re-imagining it.  They try to venture forth, with Mituso succumbing to his snail instincts and eating the leaves. Kirie carries him so he doesn't dottle behind. The group running into Takemoto's group once more.  They try their best to hide Mitsuo's transformations, Shuichi taking a shift carrying Mitsuo as they walk along. Takemoto gets hungry again and around the same time Mitsuo finishes his transformation.  The jig is up and Kirie's group runs for it. They find themselves at a cliff near the lighthouse. Takemoto's group closing in.

 

In a sad move Kirie hits her brother and forces poor Mitsuo to climb down the cliff to safety.  Takemoto's group reaches them, demanding they hand over Mitsuo.  Takemoto goes mad, talking about the senstations he felt eating Okamoto's face and crawling into his shell.  Causing him and his group to go even crazier. 

 

Turning their bodies into twisted spirals. Kirie's group leave realizing they're never gonna leave town and decide much to their reluctance to go back to Kurozu-Cho.  Witnessing an offscreen sight that puts them in shock.

 

This chapter was balls to the walls insane.  Showing humanity's madness ever increasing as they try to feast on one and other.  While the hints were very subtle, it seemed there were more and more call backs to the earlier chapters. Turning what would have been considered an Anthology into a unique brand of horror story, strengthening the bonds of continuity. It also showed a bit of hope, when Mituso is let go. Even though he's a snail now and the possibility of him being lunch is inevitable, he is free for now. 

Chapter 18: Labyrinth.

This chapter page, is unique among the rest, because while the others show art that often foreshadow the events to come, Junji Ito seemed to decide "Fuck that shit, let's show them what happened." The chapter opens revealing what shocked them. The town has now become a gigantic spiral of Rowhouses. Similar to the spiral shaped mark on the old town map. They don't believe it at first, since in their point of view they've only been gone for a few days.  However Shuichi theorized that the spirals also control the concept of time. Meaning days for them, were years for the town.  He also theorized that through the curse, the survivors began unconsciously building the town into a giant spiral, the way it used to be before.  Kirie decides to explore the rowhouses hoping to find her parents.  As they venture in the spiral maze of houses they notice that they can no longer make whirlwinds. The houses surrounding them protecking them. As they venture through, they find more twisted people within the windows. Kirie asks them if they know where her parents are, but they don't. They also ask them to get rid of what they toss out. 

 

The untangled corpse of a former resident.  They continue onwards finding more untangled corpses. With more twisted people asking them to get rid of them. Kirie still asking about her parents and they're still unable to answer.  They find only one person who isn't a twisted monstrositiy. 

 

 

Mr. Tanizaki. Who has aged a considerable amount since they last saw him and is working as a caretaker.  He mentions that it's been years since he last saw them.  That the rowhouses are almost finished with the twisted survivors building them from inside. He mentions that the last he heard regarding Kirie's parents were that they were making Pottery by Dragonfly pond.  Giving Kirie hope. They continue onwards finding dead ends as they travel through the gaps, watching the twisted survivors building.  As they rest they speculate why they would rebuild something that was in the past.  Shuichi theorizes that this isn't the first time this town was cursed. That the curse has been around since ancient times and that it ends with the town becoming a spiral.  However he squashes that theory based on the older houses not being ancient.  That any story that could be passed on vanished with the storyteller.  The next day, they continue their journey and notice a site they haven't seen in a long time.

 

 

The smoke spiral cloud has returned, meaning they just started cremating bodies again. The smoke and ash going straight to Dragonfly Pond.  They use the smoke to guide them to the center, hurrying as they do. Avoiding dead ends and running for a closing gap. However, they weren't fast enough.

 

 

Chie has been sealed in. Despite their efforts they couldn't get her out.  The spiral town has now been completed. They hear a rumbling sound that has moved rapidly throuhgh the entire spiral.  Realizing that the houses have been emptied, Kirie and Shuichi go in and follow the trail there, knowing the end will lead them to Dragonfly Pond. 

  

Once they reach the end they find that the spiral continues. The Pond has since been drained out and in it's place, a spiral staircase. The only part of town, that actually does look ancient. They realize the twisted survivors have fallen through the long hole in the stairs. Kirie and Shuichi realize then and there, that whatever is down there may be the true cause of the Spiral Curse.  Kirie, more determined than ever, decides to go down there.  Shuichi, goes with her. 

 

Both ascending the spiral stairs to find Kirie's parents and solve this mystery once and for all. Now this chapter really broke my heart and my brain.  The idea that these things have become more mangled and twisted yet still form a society only for them to end too, by going down there. It's quite hard to wrap my head around it.  Chie's demise was also very heartwrenching because, they were that close to getting through and they lose yet another ally. The whole thing looked like it was something out of a tragic death in a zombie apocoplypse. It did raise some interesting speculations about the curse as a whole. Yet I feel like it's not enough to save them. The madness of the overall story, is reaching it's peak. Before I continue, I wish to apologize for the long read. There was so much to go through and I felt I would't do it justice if I just cherrypicked the manga.

 

 

Chapter 19: Completion.

Picking up exactly where 18, left off Kirie and Shuichi ascend down the stairs. Which seem to be neverending.  Kirie almost loses her balance by staring at the center of the stairs.  Not knowing how much time has passed. 

 

They stumble upon a straggler who begs them to take it with them.  Claiming there's something wonderful down there.  They refuse, because they don't have the strength to carry it. 

 

Not taking no for an answer the straggler attacks Kirie, causing Shuichi to fight it and send them falling through the center.  Kirie runs down the stairs noticing a light at the end.

 

She reaches the bottom, finding a snail shell shaped statue in the center.  Which is attached to a screw shaped column. She tries to carefully climb down it only to find herself slipping and falling. An unknown force slowing her fall down. 

 

She lands safely on a pile of frozen bodies. The Twisted Survivors. All of them looking up. Kirie out of curiousity looks up and subjects her gaze into a horrifyingly amazing site. 

 

A ruined city of spiral structures. Covered in a mesmerizing light.  She decides to look for Shuichi among the frozen people. Some of which Kirie noted have turned into stone. Being assimilated by the ruins themselves. 

 

 

Kirie finally finds her parents. Also petrified and staring up. Shuichi was not too far behind. His legs were broken and he couldn't move.  He mentions the ruins have a will of their own.  Cursing the town for being underground and hidden and not being the center of attention. (Sound familiar?)  He mentions that he doesn't know who built it or why, but the ruins often reach people every 100 - 1000 of years.  Trying to rebuild themselves. Shuichi begs Kirie to leave him and keep fighting. However instead she can't run either and decides to stay with him. 

 

They become twisted together in a romantic embrace.  The only people not staring at the spiral ruins as they become frozen like the rest.

 

The column brings it's way up and seals Dragonfly pond.  Ending the curse. 

 

 

Kirie's final narration narrrating that while time sped up outside the spiral, it froze within. Leaving them in an endless moment. Claiming the curse ended just as it began.  That eventually when Kuruzo-Cho gets rebuilt, that it will begin again. 

 

And that is the end of the story. There is a chapter after, but it takes place within the early events and doesn't really have a place in the overall story. 

 

First off, holy shit. This story was fucking insane all the way through. I don't like downer endings much, but this one holds a place in my heart due to the nature of the story.  Now the ending along with the whole story has had many people debate and reading between the lines to what it means. 

 

In my case I believe that since Shuichi mentioned that the Rowhouses aren't old, that this has not just happened before, but it has happened to them multiple times. That they're trapped in an endless time loop that could have broken had they left town while they can. Since time and spirals are neverending, that is the most logical theory I could come up with.  

 

As for the overall curse.  The way I see it, while the ruins do play a huge part of it, every curse has a trigger.  In this case, since Shuichi's father has been a constant appiration throughout the entire story. I think he triggered the curse. His spiral obsession may have unwittingly made a mockery out of the ruins and the fact that everything went to hell when he and his wife's cremated remains sprinkled down into Dragonfly Pond are further proof.  

Then you have the key people who are affected by the Curse. Kirie and Shuichi. Now another reviewer whom I will put his video on here mentioned an interesting thing about the curse.

 

He mentioned that the overall curse is based around the specific spiral pattern of the outside going in.  Which made sense. At the starting point outside, the curse was tame.  Still scary, but only had minor occurances. As the chapters went on and we made our way further down the spiral, the curse started getting worse and worse. Individual incidences started coming in bulk. With the whole thing eventually coming to an end. However I do not think it just applies to the town. But rather inidividual people. It also does not just apply to the outside going in.  I believe that each character even the minor ones are spirals all there own as well.

First let's start with Shuichi.  He lives outside of town, yet despite hating said town, he frequently comes in for Kirie's sake.  As the chapters went on, he kept coming in more frequently and his sanity was decreasing.  He was the outside spiral going in.

Then you have Kirie. She lives by Dragonfly Pond, the very center of the town.  Despite her reluctance, she's always the center of attention. Shuichi wants her and only her to leave town.  Many boys gush over how beautiful she is, with said beauty becoming an obsession and many girls want what she has.  Azani wanted Shuichi, because on top of him being the only boy that rejected her, she wanted what Kirie had. Sekino was so deluded into thinking that Kirie was an attention whore, that she risked her life and sanity to get that attention. Then there's also the spirals most frequent appariations, the Hurricane and the whirlwinds after.  The hurricane when it finally caught Kirie, sent her back to Dragonfly pond. When she and her group fled on the Whirlwinds they gravitated towards Dragonfly Pond. Then there's her overall attitude on the curse. She dismissed the early incarnations as mere accidents. Only becoming a believeer when she saw something she couldn't rationalize. Since then, the curse has been gunning for her, with almost every individual inicident revolving around her. Whether it effects her family or eventually gets her. She was the inside spiral trying to get out and the curse was in it's own POV, trying to put her in her place. 

The manga is good, I highly suggest you all read it. I'll get to the movie another time and I cannot wait to see the anime. 

Take care of yourself and watch out for spirials. They could be anywhere. Including your hom-.

 

What was I talking about? Oh shit I have to write the review. 

Cosmic Horror.....

How to save the world in 15 seconds.

 First of all this is not my usual rant on the subject. While I congratulate Biden for his win, as shocking as it is, we're not out of the woods yet.  As long as Covid-19 exists, we're still vulnerable and Biden already has enough of a mess to clean up as it is.

Now onto the meat of the subject.  Over the months I encouraged every vaccine or drug that has proven to be effective against the Coronavirus. More or less because it gives people hope. There were drugs that proven to reduce the spread like Avigan. There were vaccines that have yet to be produced, yet shown promising results based on the trials alone.  However it wasn't until a few days ago, that I found the end all be all way to kill these motherfuckers once and for all. 

https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/27355/20200918/iodine-solution-kill-coronavirus-within-15-seconds.htm

This article was published two months ago. Their findings, were based on a similar trial they did during the SARs outbreak in 2003.  Essentially the main thing of it is that even the small recommended amount, 0.5 Iodine kills the virus within 15 seconds. Now initially this is mostly used to prevent the spread of germs orally and nasally through coughing and sneezing. Doing so by rinsing or using an iodine based nasal spray. However since Iodine is a consumable anti-septic, I believe it could very well eliminate the virus as a whole throughout the entire body.  I myself bought Iodine a week before reading this article. Mostly due to other health benefits I found. I took a daily dose of it for the past 9 days.  At one point of those 9 days I caught a cold, yet after taking this, there was no cold. It was like the virus causing inflammation suddenly ceased and I could breathe properly again.  It's cheap and it can be found in both droplet and pill form in any health food store or pharmacy you can find.  Buy it, use it and you may as well have just saved the world.

Straight Up Reviews: Bill and Ted Face The Music

It took me a while and I finally got to see this movie. A movie that was nearly 30 years in the making and at this time of crisis, one we didn't know we needed. Yet we were glad to have it. Since my main focus has been making and selling music, I figured it'd be most appropriate to do a review based off one of my many influences.  But before we get into it, a little history.

 

In 1989, the world was introduced to two dimwitted yet kindhearted individuals. Bill S. Preston Esquire (Alex Winter) and Ted Theodore Logan (Keanu Reeves).  What started out as a cheesy cash in for duo comedies like Cheech and Chong as well as the sci-fi craze brought on by Doctor Who and Back to the future, grew into a cult phenom that transcends the farthest reaches of space and time.  History teacher and Rock and Roll Enthusiast, Rufus played by the late great comedy legend George Carlin, hails from San Dimas California in the year 2688. At that point, Bill and Ted's band The Wyld Stallyns has become not just a great rock band, but also a way of life for people to live by.  World Peace was achieved, contact with other life forms was established and the universe couldn't be happier. There was just one problem. That legacy was on the verge of failure. While they are in high spirits, Bill and Ted cannot play and are faced with the threat of separation. Why? Because they are failing history. And should they fail for the final time, Ted will be sent to Military School, separating them and the band for good.  In an attempt to steer the future in the right course, Rufus assigned by the most important people, went back to San Dimas in 1988 to help them pass. Their assignment? What would historical figures think of San Dimas of today.  Inspired by Rufus and their future selves, Bill and Ted travel through time using a machine disguised as an ordinary phone booth. Where they collect as many figures they could fit and have them tour San Dimas before presenting them to their high school through their history report.  Along the way they meet the loves of their lives, Princess Elizabeth and Joanna of Medieval England. As well as the likes of Napoleon Bonaparte, William "Billy The Kid" Bonney, Socrates, Sigmund Freud, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Joan of Arc, Genghis Khan and Abraham Lincoln.  Although they can travel anywhere at any time, their version of time travel runs on real running time. Meaning they have hours to complete their mission. After many close calls, the duo succeeds and even reunite with the princesses and get to work on kick starting the Wyld Stallyns. The movie itself on top of being a creative comedy, has themes of music, love, peace and friendship. As well as the rarely used ability known as the Time Game. In which they vow to go back in time and help their past selves out of a few jams. The movie itself has also helped kickstart both Reeves and Winter into stardom before they branched out on their own. With Reeves being a powerhouse of an A-List actor, while Winter makes a killing as a director. 

3 years later, a sequel was released. Reuniting the duo whilst Reeves was fresh off Point Break. Most sequels at the time would often retread on the original and while there have been call backs, this one is among the great sequels to have a unique premise.  Bill and Ted are still down on their luck and unable to play, however they managed to land a gig in the battle of the bands. Which if successful would put their foot in the door as the future rock stars they are destined to be. Despite that they live a somewhat happy life and have even proposed to Joanna and Elizabeth. However it takes a dark turn when Da Nomolos, Rufus' former Gym Teacher and head of a terrorist group against the way of life Bill and Ted inspired; decides to change history. By sending two evil robotic duplicates of Bill and Ted back in time and killing them before they could play.  As a result, Bill and Ted end up ghosts and try everything in their spiritual power to warn their friends and loved ones. Unfortunately as a result of said warning, they are both banished to Hell in which they confront their personal fears and sins.  To get out, they challenge the Grim Reaper (William Sadler) to a series of board games in an effort to regain their mortal lives. They win and even recruit Death for help in defeating their robot counterparts before they ruin their lives and the world. They go to Heaven where they meet Station, a duo of Martian Scientists who help them construct good robot versions of them.  Upon defeating their evil counterparts and besting De Nomolos in the Time Game, they use the booth to finally learn how to play before establishing themselves in the world of Rock and Roll. 

While this movie was not as well received as the first, it did get loved enough that the fans demanded more.  While Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter were all for it, they couldn't make the movie due to an entanglement of rights issues. One that took 29 years to correct. Needless to say it was well worth the wait and we were lucky to even get it whether it was good or sucked. 

Filming was already finished in 2019 and they meant to release the movie was meant to be released in theatres August 21 2020. However due to the Covid-19 Pandemic said release was moved to August 28 and limted to select theatres and digital download.  

 There Will Be Spoilers

The movie takes place nearly 30 years after the events of Bogus Journey. The Wyld Stallyns achieved fame and fortune, but in the recent years there have been two problems. The first, like many Rock Stars before and after, they were well past their glory days and were not as popular as they were after the Battle of The Bands.  The second, they haven't written the song that was meant to unite the world into the Utopia they were destined to create.  As if things couldn't get any worse, reality was about to collapse in 78 minutes, putting tremendous pressure on them.  So they plan on using the Time Booth, to go further into the future and get the song from their future selves.  Reflecting on their lives on the way.  As all that is going on, their daughters Thea "Little Ted" Preston and Billie "Little Bill" Logan decide to go on their own time travelling adventure to gather history's greatest musicians to help their dads with the song. Just as it seems like they succeed a robot sent by the new future leaders to kill them out of disappointment of their failure.  However instead he accidentally kills their kid's, Rufus' daughter Kelly, Ted's father and the historical figures: Louise Armstrong, Jimi Hendrix, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ling Lun, Kid Cudi and a cavewoman drummer.  This forces Bill and Ted to sacrifice their song and their lives to go get them out of Hell. As a result they reunite with Death after a bitter falling out and with minutes to spare find out two important details. The first is that in order for their song to work, they need to have everyone throughout time and space playing with them. The second, their daughters were the ones who created the song and recorded it on the day of unification.  The movie ends with the Wyld Stallyns fulfilling their destiny and uniting the world through their music.  

While this movie is a critical success I have discovered a lot of people found some faults in it. So before I give my final conclusion I shall address and debunk them.

Fault #1: Daughters?

I can see why many got upset with this, but it must be pointed out. Many assumed that Little Bill and Little Ted were to be sons due to the masculine names. However with the exception of non-canon expanded material, the gender of their children was never addressed until the third movie.  Not to mention the original babies that portrayed them were girls in real life.  That being said there are a few things you should know. First off they aren't the first daughters to have masculine names. If the name Kelly can be a man and a woman's name cis and/or trans, then it's not unreasonable to name their kids Bill and Ted as well. Second off, unlike most examples of female counterparts of male characters, these ones were never considered forced or phoned in. They never went Captain Marvel or Ghostbusters Answer the call. Nor was their credit to the song some vain attempt to promote third wave characters. They were simply just the next generation going by the philosophies of what came before them. 

Fault #2: They already united the world in Bogus Journey. 

That's a common misconception.  Although they toured the world and people loved their music and the movie did make mention of that. The battle of the bands was never meant to be their world union moment. Part of which I'll explain in the next fault, but essentially as said before, that was meant to put their foot in the door and establish themselves as a band. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither would something as big as a universe uniting wouldn't be that easy. 

Fault #3: The Song Itself. 

Now this one I can understand. Many people have considered God Gave Rock and Roll To You and In Time to be their Universe Union song. And to be fair, it's easy to see why. They're very epic songs.  However there is one small problem.  The prophecy stated that it was one of "Their" songs that unite the universe. Whereas those songs, while they were known to play them, they didn't create them.  God Gave Rock and Roll To You was the brain child of KISS and Steve Vai, while In Time was created by Robbie Robb. As for why their songs were part of the band in the first place, they wouldn't be the first or last musicians to do cover songs. Comparing the song they used in the movie to two songs created by legendary rockers is grossly unfair.  As for the song itself, Face The Music. As a standalone song it is epic in it's own right. It was that song that inspired me to give this movie a chance to begin with.  But don't take my word for it. Listen for yourself.

And if you like the song, grab your phone and the loudest Bluetooth Speaker you can carry. Walk to a spot in your neighbourhood where everyone can hear it and blast it to your heart's content.  Make the fictional idea that one song can unite the world a reality. 

When I decided to watch Bill and Ted Face The Music, I expected a goofy comedy with some heart in it.  When I watched it, I got exactly what I expected and one unexpected thing. Not only was this movie the most Excellent conclusion to a Bodacious trilogy. The heart part has swollen so grand, that it made me cry with joy.  But don't take my word for it. See it for yourself.

Due to the limited release, this movie is available not just on digital download, but for rent on Youtube. When it will be available for purchase I don't know. I do know this though, it is worth the watch.

In closing, I say onto you readers the only words you need to know.

Be excellent with each other and party on dudes!!

Catch ya later.

Can the Media Influence you for better and worse? A look at influence from the 1950s to the 1990s.

Anyone who knows me, would know that I do not believe that Media specifically the fictional mediums that involve violence, can influence people to commit real life violence. I even recorded an Essay regarding my theory that media in general is a mirror, rather reflecting what we see in our daily lives as seen here:

https://cieir.blogspot.com/search?q=Mirror

However recently I have come to the realization that while I do not think Media is capable of doing so at the very least on a huge scale or believe that it's the direct cause of violence, I do think people through the media have tried and sometimes even succeeded in influencing our actions for better and worse. 

Unlike my video I won't go completely back in time, but mostly highlight moments where Media could influence you for better. 

First let's start with a tame example, Sci-Fi movies of the 1950s.

While many of them have been hailed as classics, others seem to at best not know or at worst outright ignore things for the sake of entertainment only to find some of those things they ignored rubbed off on them in some way.

My personal favorite examples are The Fly and Invasion of The Body Snatchers. Because once looked at through a certain perspective, it's hard not to see it. 

In the case of Invasion of The Body Snatchers. A movie about a group of humans who discover a plot by an alien plant-like race who wish to kill and replace humans. Making them exactly alike in every way, but lacking emotions.  While a terrifying movie on it's own right, it was originally made to be an Anti-Communist Party Propaganda piece. The idea being the Pod People, representing communism one day dominating the world and everyone losing their individuality as the result of it.  However, while everyone is well aware of that message, what they don't know is that due to the result of they based the race of pod people on, it can also double as an anti-environmental message as well. The pod people while a dangerous and deadly group, are basically giant seeds with the bodies being their bloom. The only way to stop them is to cut them down or burn them. No different than killing a human on the surface, however it is often equated to how one can permanently destroy plant life. It comes at no surprise that one of many movies funding back then was predominantly supplied by Oil Men and Slaughterhouse Owners.  People who make their money destroying the earth and try to convince us we're communists if we don't join them. Of course not all of it is in greed and money. Which leads me to the second example:

The Fly. No not the Jeff Goldblum one, but rather the 1958 Vincent Price film. About a scientist who tries to invent a safer alternative to transportation than planes and cars. Only to have a horrific accident that swaps his head and some of his brain to that of a common housefly. Tasking his wife to help him go back to normal. Both films were the subject to downer endings which end with the titular character being killed. Much of the movie, is spent with the characters lamenting the invention of the teleporters due to what happened to the title character. Which as stated in regards to Body-Snatchers is the industrial producers way of saying "Teleport bad, buy a car instead." And while there have been films that were created before and after this, it expanded more into religious territory. Movies like the Fly, Attack of The 50 Foot Woman and The Incredible Shrinking Man among most, have a running theme of science being bad and that anyone who gets hit with it, especially if they are the cause of the thing that created the disaster; get no sympathy and deserve to die in the end. That's right, Religious Influence was also at play in how these kind of movies are created. In this case, Fox, which was beginning to transition from a financially troubled studio to a Christian/Republican-Dominated powerhouse which had branches everywhere. Fom Movies, to TV and Video Games.  

Ironically it was the worst of them, that tipped me off. 

Plan 9 From Outer Space. Created by Ed Wood and was Post-Humorously Bela Lugosi's last film. About aliens who use advanced tech to bring the dead back to life, because they fear humans are stupid and destructive.  Now most studios, where depending on the country and which religion dominates said country due to the owner being of that religion and expecting his or her employees to adhere to those laws along with company rules; they never go out of their way and call themselves by their religion, politics or employers, but rather let their mediums do the talking for them. Plan 9 on the other hand was funded by Valiant Pictures, which was a known Christian company and while mostly funding the movie had put in suggestions themselves.  Such as Plan 9 being changed from the original title: Grave Robbers From Outer Space. However like the previous examples I mentioned, their influence here is just as obvious as even the not so subtle companies. Since despite the Aliens' well intentions, they're robbing graves and die a fiery death which could easily be interpreted as them going to Hell for what they did. 

Just from those three examples and the reception that followed them, one can easily believe that Media can influence us and our actions. Which seemed to be true, since those that enjoyed these movies were mostly men, meat eaters and Christians themselves. However not one of them committed the very violence that would later become subject in eras of filmmaking that follows. 

Welcome to the 1960s. This was a time when the wheels of the Cold War kept turning, but we focused more on fighting our own countries internally while living under constant fear of an external attack. But for good reason, even though this was the era where Civil Rights and Minority Privilege was just getting the ground work, activists had to fight tooth and nail to make sure it stayed there or went away depending on how you viewed it then.  Because of the fight, in an effort to get us to focus on the war anyone that was fighting for Women's Rights, Rights of People of Color or protesting the War on Nam, were labelled communists even if said protesters were war veterans themselves. And like an electronic mirror the media showed both sides in an exaggerated light. 

Even my favorite era of James Bond films, the Sean Connery Era was no exception. While James is a badass in all eras, each one of them has done something very unpleasant to the modern eye and Goldfinger was no exception. Both the movie and book, had a supporting character or in the business "Bond Girl" as they are called, named "Pussy Galore". What many people except hardcore fans know, is that Pussy Galore is in fact a homosexual. A lesbian to be specific. In what is now a controversial scene, James was able to what many activists dread to call "Convert" Miss Galore into heterosexuality as part of a plan to get her to replace the deadly nerve gas, she and her all female flying acrobat team were planning on spraying Fort Knox with, with a harmless sleeping gas. A scene many considered to be rape by the protagonist.  In an effort to soften the controversy, her actress Honor Blackman came up with a backstory in which, Galore wasn't really a lesbian and that she thought she was due to abuse laid out to her by Goldfinger. And because James was the only "Good" man she met, it snapped her out of it completely. It was somewhat backed up by the book only instead of Goldfinger, she was sexually abused by her uncle. Needless to say while I can understand that, I am not a majority so I can understand why any activists would be pissed off at that explanation.  However if you were to accuse this book movie of anything it would be the following:

1. Claiming that Homosexuality is phase.
2. All Asians Eat Cats.

Oh ya, forgot about that one didn't I? Everyone remembers Oddjob, the silent, hat throwing strongman who nearly killed Bond and later starred in a series of funny cough syrup commercials. While it wasn't shown in the movie, the book specifically states that Oddjob a Korean's favourite food is cats and even at one point ate Goldfinger's Golden cat. Then of course you got the usual Connery's charming line between being a charmer and a misogynist. Violently interrogating women and even in the most comic of scenes treating them, like they are less than men. Though surprisingly all of that, wasn't what turned people off in the movie. The movie was well liked by many including but not limited to people who thought Connery was the ideal male role model. What turned people off from the movie was the antagonist himself Goldfinger. Specifically the actor who played him. Many boycotts from Israel and it's supporters were placed on this film when it was found out that the Antagonist was played by Gert Frobe.   What many people don't know is, that Frobe was a member of the Nazi Party in WWII and despite playing a captitalist villain in this time around, many boycott him because they though his mere presence glorified Nazism. As a result, movies like Goldfirnger weren't allowed in theatres in Israel. However, in a surprising twist, many people looked into Frobe's history further. That while he was an official member of the Nazi Party, he used his position to hide and sneak out many many victims of the camps. A notion that caused Israel to lift the ban and apologize. Which makes this media mess of misogyny and homophobia, a diamond in the rough due to one of the few villains having been played by a real life hero.

Of course around that time, both Hollywood and Europe believed that the strongest leads should have been white and Goldfinger was made only 2 years before a certain legend managed to create a spark on television that would snowball into a grand phenomena in the decades to come.

It was 1966 and Bruce Lee was just doing demonstrations of his concept of Jeet Kune Do at Karate Tournaments. One of which inspired producer William Dozier, who was also famous for the 1960s Batman TV series starring Adam West and Burt Ward. Lee was hired to play Kato, Chauffeur and Butler by day and Partner, Driver, Enforcer and Bodyguard to the titular character by night.  Through Lee's influence Kato went from fistcuffs and basic Karate to an extraordinary Kung Fu master who practically stole every scene they were in. A notion not unnoticed by the executives of Fox TV. At the time, many non-white actors were often reduced to stereotypes, in the case of Black people, they were often portrayed as big lipped, fried chicken eating, water melon sucking lesser than human lives. In the case of Chinese and Chinese Americans, they were portrayed as clumsy goofballs who were only good at building railroads and working minds.  Where Sidney Portier changed that notion one year after this show, with the movie In The Heat of The Night, Bruce Lee opted to change the notion, not just with Green Hornet, but with ideas he couldn't put into play for the next 4 years to say the least. Mainly due to the execs trying to restrain Lee for changing what they viewed as the status quo. To me this lessens the idea that media itself is the influence, because here you see two entities fighting each other on who should be the big influence. All Bruce wanted to do was give people the right to choose who their hero should be, by giving them an option. Whilst all the execs wanted to do was keep their sponsors happy. But point being rather than it being an example of the media influencing us, but gives an example of the reversal. That we influence the media. Needless to say the execs lost, due to Bruce's increasing popularity and their own show getting the same treatment in Hong Kong they tried to burn Lee on. Even going as far as changing the name from "The Green Hornet." to "The Kato Show."

Which leads us to the 1970s. Or as I like to call it. The Idea Melting pot of Media as well as the most problems accused thus far of causing. While every decade has had at least one unique idea that would help change movies for better or worse. None were more out there than the 70s. With flashy colors, campy tones and over the top madness, any idea could be convincing if one puts their mind to it. However while many ideas were good, this was the decade that caused the most accusations of media influence. Here are the highlights.

A Clockwork Orange. Made in 1971 by Stanley Kubrick and based off the book of the same name by Anthony Burgess. The story revolves around Alexander DeLarge a leader of a gang of thugs he calls droogs.  Their motif is burglary, rape and ultra violence. The latter of which Alex has an obsessive fascination of in all forms.  Upon getting caught, Alex tries to get out of jail early, by volunteering for the experimental Ludovico Technique.  A form of aversion therapy in which the subject is given nausea inducing drugs and forced to watch violent and sexual acts.  The result would cause them to be very ill should they think to act on such violence and sexuality. Upon being released, Alex was subjected to tortures by the people he tormented before, culminating in a suicide attempt that cures him and brings him back to his bad self.  I cite this movie among most, as a very unique example due to the following factors:

The first is the themes of the movie itself. Such as political influence and the idea that we could or could not be in control of our inner impulses and should we be in situations beyond our control we often associate our impulses with the outside stimulation around us.  Case in point even before being subjected to the treatment, it's not so subtly implied that Alex reacts very differently to the music played around him. During the famous scene in which Alex put his droogs in their place for trying to rebel, he specifically mentioned that he knew what he had to do, the second he heard a stereo playing.  Implying that his lovely lovely Ludwig Van Beethoven gave him a silent cue to beat up his gang members. Giving the inner notion that media may be responsible for violence within this movie. A meta accusation if you will. Then you have other characters who are also influence by music in various ways. In what was originally meant to be an improvised moment, the infamous home invasion scene had Malcolm McDowell sing Gene Kelly's "Singing in The Rain." while carrying out the dirty deeds. As a result in the later film Frank Alexander, who survived his attack long after his wife passed away from complications of the assault finds the Ludovico influenced Alex at his doorstep. Due to Alex being masked at the time, he didn't recognize him as his intruder, but rather recognized him as the poster boy for the technique. Even offering him food and shelter, in exchange for him helping them whistleblow on the government over it amongst many atrocities.  Giving the little bastard a slight semblance of hope. However that hope was shattered by his own hand, when upon having a relaxing bath, Alex haphazardly sings the song again. Prompting this iconic reaction from Frank Alexander.

Said song not only helping Frank recognize his tormentor but triggering a sever case of post traumatic stress. So in essence, it not only accuses the media of influencing violence, but also triggering those who have been victims of violence.  For the latter it's less about the song itself and more about the context of the situation.  The man was simply at home writing a book, when some young fellows knocked claiming there was a terrible accident.  In an effort to help them they were duped to letting the Droogs in. Causing him to be crippled, while his wife was beaten and gang-raped in front of him, while Alex sang that song. So in conclusion to that at least to me, the media doesn't quite influence anything other than what outside factors try to use it for. Once again making the media a tool rather than the direct cause.

In the next and last factor, I will talk about the movie's impact on the real world and how even the best directors can get duped into the following BS of Media Violence causing real world violence. Not too long after the movie was released, there have been many people going around dressed like droogs having gang wars and other various crimes. When caught, they blame the movie for influencing them.  A blame so powerful it caused Stanley Kubrick, the man who directed the movie to have it banned from his residing country in England.  A ban that has been lifted not too long after his death. I personally do not believe this movie caused a rise in Droogs. I believe that the real life Droogs were already fucked up to begin with and as a result they simply clung onto this movie like Manson clung onto the White Album. They interpreted the movie differently in an attempt to project their own feelings onto it and scapegoated it to avoid taking responsibility for their own wrongs. A notion that has been repeated in 1979 when The Warriors was blamed for the rise in gang violence.


Up next an attempt at a positive example of media influence gone wrong by a death.

Despite the poster being there, this has nothing to do with it, but this was rather a symptom of an attempt to bring more positive influence using media as a tool.  After Bruce Lee returned to Hong Kong, he was approached by Golden Harvest Studios, after the mentioned cult following of The Kato Show.  To put his foot in the door, Bruce had to do two movies under the direction of despised director Lo Wei.

The first being Big Boss, where he plays a Chinese Man entering the workforce in Thailand. A pacifist who until being pushed too far tried everything he could to avoid fighting.  As his newfound fame spreads among his people, he discovers that the Thai workers, are using their factories as fronts for an Opium/Heroin Smuggling Ring. Which he tries to stop. With the exception of thinly showing anti-racism between the Thai and The Chinese, there wasn't really anything I could find remotely influencing about the movie itself. Save for Bruce Lee's performance of course. The next movie on the other hand....

Fist of Fury. Was chock full of propaganda.  This movie was based on one of many conspiracy theories based around the death of Huo Yuanjia, famed founder of Jing Wu School as well as revolves around the life of one of his student's Chen Zhen.  Who believes that Huo is murdered and sets out to expose the murderers and avenge his teacher.  All the while, a rival school that believes Japanese Bushido is superior to Chinese Kung Fu, constantly torments and ultimately kills the Jing Wu school due to Chen's actions. The movie itself is a prime example of someone attempting to use the star power of a known celebrity, to influence and enrage as many fans as possible into siding with the person.  In this case Lo Wei specifically created this movie to restart tensions between Japan and China at a time when war could have broken out before them at the slightest of whims. A notion said star was aware of. Sick of the One-sided racism his own people and fans seemed to eat up, Bruce quit Lo Wei and took the bulk of Golden Harvest with him. But not before making a few changes. While Chen was meant to live in the end, Bruce as another attempt at using media to create a better message, had his variation of Chen killed off in a firing squad. In an attempt to tell his fans that murder is not OK especially in terms of revenge and rage.  As a final "Fuck you" to the man, Lee directed the next Golden Harvest Movie.

Way of the Dragon. Written by Bruce, Directed By Bruce, Starring Bruce and he even did the percussion work for the theme music.   This was one of many attempts where Bruce tried to avoid type casting. In this case rather than be typecast as an easily enraged, but powerful action hero, he tried to branch out in a more comedic setting.  In this Bruce plays Tang Lung, a man from Hong Kong sent to Rome to help his Uncle's friends from going out of business there. Said friends run a restaurant, that is constantly being terrorized by the Roman Mob lead by a man named Boss. Who wan the land their eatery stands on.  While the other movies get dubbed for convenience, this was the only movie in the Bruce Lee library that points out the language barrier. Which is often used for laughs. In this case despite the dubs, Tang Lung can't speak English, so he would need someone who spoke Cantonese or Mandarin to translate for him and vice versa. As a result many scenarios ensue including but not limited to him accidentally following a prostitute to her house.  Of course being a Bruce Lee movie, a fight finally happens and Bruce shows off his skills.  Which in turn causes his friends to admire him as a teacher and his enemies to continue escalating.  It all culminates in a climactic fight in the Roman Colosseum. Where Bruce faces off an American Black Belt, named Colt. Played by Chuck Norris. While the movie itself was mostly for laughs there have been a lot of aesops planted within it.  Since Bruce wrote and direct it, it gave the opportunity to briefly put in his philosophies on life and martial arts. In the case of the latter, Tang Lung mentions that it doesn't matter if the moves are from foreign influences, as long as it can help you out in a fight.  Whereas, Lung himself has had a moment of expressing bigotry based on bigotry he's faced in the past. In the case of the prostitute scene, it all started with Tang having trouble at the bank.  In this case, he didn't trust the banker even though his friend Chen Ching-Hua vouched for him simply because he was Italian like the people that hurt his friends. Later in the movie, Chen tries to give some heartfelt advice to Tang which was meant to invoke "Not everyone who isn't us is a criminal." notion of racism all races had the luxury of being victimized of. Of course this being a comedy movie he takes her advice literal and puts himself in hot water. That said if there was an example of media influencing us in a positive way it's that. Of course it doesn't hurt that we get to see two legendary martial arts fighters go at each other to boot.

However any attempt at further influence for the better was tragically cut short. Which leads to this:

Before Hollywood decided to call Lee back and bring him back to the American Spotlight, Bruce worked on a secret project that if done just right, would have made a massive change in media entertainment.  That was Game of Death.  According to the notes, the movie itself ontop of being action was meant to be Bruce's first Martial Arts, Edutainment movie, where he would finally showcase Jeet Kune Do for all to see. A notion previously touched upon in his guest spot on Longstreet. The original story was as followed. Bruce plays Hai Tien, a martial arts champion sought out by the Korean Mob.  The reason being is that they are after a treasure, rumoured to be inside a pagoda.  However the Pagoda is guarded floor by floor by one or many people.  Each floor showcasing a different martial arts concept.  Tien refuses, until the mob captures his family. Hai Tien and two others storm the pagoda.  The formula would be simple, but still entertaining: They face off against a master or masters of an individual style, the two others with him get beat up to show their concepts won't work and Tien comes in show casing how Jeet Kune Do is superior to that style. With an occasional line from Tien which is taken from Lee's Book. Literally. Sounds like a cool concept right? HA HA!!!! We never got to see it fully. It wasn't even finished by the time Lee got contacted to do Enter The Dragon and as a result, Lee died just as he was about to get back to it. While don't get me wrong, Enter The Dragon is a good movie and had he lived it would have made him a world star rather than just make him limited to America and Hong Kong; I can't help but feel frustrated for various reasons:
The first is that missing out on what could have been is a major sore spot for me. There was so much that could have been done, that would have made this movie much bigger than Enter The Dragon could ever be and it's gone.  The closest you'll ever get to seeing it, is if you watch Bruce Lee: A Warrior's journey. It's one thing to accuse media of influencing, but it's another to miss out on what kind of influence this could be.
The other? Rather than simply piece together his notes, Golden Harvest and Robert Clouse created a disgusting abomination. Feeding into the conspiracy craze Lee's death sparked and inadvertently predicting the death of his son Brandon. Turning what would have been a great gift into the bane of movie existence.

What's really tragic, is that not too long after, media would later be accused of something else entirely. Cursing the people making it.

While some of Warner Bros, was still busy on Enter The Dragon in Hong Kong, the rest had their focus on another unique concept that helped shape media entertainment: Religious Horror. While this wasn't anything new as religious themes have existed in horror stories for centuries, The Exorcist was unique in which it combined the very idea of religion itself with Horror. The movie was a multilayered story revolving around Three Characters: Lankester Merrin, Damien Karras and Chris McNeil. Damien Karras is a Jesuit Priest and Psychiatrist in Georgetown Washington who has suffered a crisis of faith when he loses his mother to dementia and death.   Chris McNeil is trying to figure out what's wrong with her daughter Regan when she starts acting out without warning. From swearing, to violent behavior, to unexplained circumstances that lead her to believe that her daughter is being possessed by a demonic entity. Upon confirmation from Karras that Regan is indeed possessed, Merrin is called into assist Karras in saving the poor girl.  Merrin himself having faced the demon before on many occasions. A once acclaimed movie was later accused of being Catholic Propaganda due to the horrific nature presumably scaring even the most stubborn of atheists into being believers. However that is far from true. However if you want definitive proof that there exists an evil entity trying to put a stop to this movie, look no further than this. Among most things to happen, Linda Blair's career took a swan dive and the set itself caught on fire through unknown means. Leading fans to cry the existence of a curse, believing the devil himself was trying to stop the movie from being made.  Now why does that sound familiar? That's right, because that's what many media detractors have also been trying to do with some going through similar extremes to do so.  While this was the first movie to be accused of being cursed, there have been many before and after that follow the lead.

The Omen, much like Exorcist was trying to cash in on religious horror. However while the Exorcist had had few instances of bad luck. This movie had bad luck all around.  The movie revolves around Robert Thorn, a diplomatic American living in England and expecting a child.  However the child dies upon being born and as a result of trying to hide it from his wife, he secretly adopts a baby in the hospital. Naming him Damien.  As the child grows up a series of bad circumstances leads Robert to believe that Damien may be the Anti-Christ. The Son of the Devil in Human Form. Who is using his family name in an attempt to connect himself to other world leaders and dominate the world for Armageddon. Upon producing this movie a lot of things went wrong. From the animals used for Damien's influence actually attacking the cast and crew, to a series of unfortunate deaths to an airplane even getting struck by lightning. This movie on top of being unfairly compared to The Exorcist ends up having topped it off in curses.

While this trend slowly died down, it made way for something else entirely.

Welcome to the 80s. The Cold War reaches it's peak and you have many things to choose from. Such as a wide variety of action movies, multiple genres of horror from gore-fests to psychological and many more.  However on top of that it was movies between this era and the 90s that were most accused of being a huge influence on the world for better and worse. With some in the movies themselves on top of the usual accusations of propaganda.

 

First Blood was Stallone's attempt to get out of the Rocky spotlight and show what he could really do as an actor, before he got typecasted as an overall action star. It tells the tale of John Rambo, a former green beret and veteran of the Vietnam War. A man who has been through many hardships, from losing his friends in the war, to being treated like garbage at home. As he goes into Hope Washington he is accosted by Sheriff Teasle. A former Korean Vet who looks down at Rambo as nothing more than a Vagrant.  Upon arresting him and subjecting him to his fellow officer's cruelty, Rambo's PTSD sets in and he snaps, beating the officers, escaping and fleeing into the woods. A manhunt for him escalates into war between the two after he accidentally kills one of Teasle's Deputies. It's up to Colonel Sam Trautman to stop the battle.  While there have been many movies before, that have been Pro-Nam and even given some story that offer sympathy to the soldiers, whilst the real world gave next to none. This was one of the first movies to delve deep into the psychology of a vet who went through hell as well as dived into what would make them feel like they're in hell.  Giving heart to a character we as a society would normally spit on and call baby killer. The only influence it can give was to show that soldiers are no different than civilians. But positive or negative, it's not really a big example of media within media accusing media.

Then you have Poltergeist another example of the cursed film trend. However this one is unique compared to them and I shall explain why. The movie revolves around a family being haunted by a group of ghosts who communicate with their youngest daughter through a television set, before eventually kidnapping her.  While there was little to no exact talk about media influencing, there have been media related moments.  Attention to detail regarding the equipment the parapsychologists use in order to capture footage of the ghosts, the remote war between neighbors and of course the main TV being the cause of it all. While one could see it as a coincidence that the whole thing starts with a TV talking to Carol Anne and directly influencing her and ending with a TV getting thrown out; I beg to differ.  Considering that one of the people that helped make this movie, has tried to use media in a different way to influence people.  Let's go back to the 70s just briefly.

Tobe Hooper originally got his claim to fame making the famous slasher film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.  Many have interpreted this movie among most things as a Pro-Vegan film. Stating that the Cannibals are doing to Sally and her friends are no different than what humans do to cattle or pork or poultry.  A notion that Hooper didn't deny.  And while Spielberg was the main creator of Poltergeist, it's quite easy to tell who's ideas were what in it.  For example, the infamous face tear scene, started with one of the Parapsychologists trying to get something to eat. Among most things, the ghosts mess with him by causing a steak to crawl by itself across a counter and maggots to appear in all the meat products. That along with the gorey face tear, was a definite Hooper moment. So needless to say any anti-media subtext within the film was also Hooper too.

But as the years went on, many have discovered that media itself rather than be a direct influence, can and would be used as a tool to further their own influences around the world. All starting with a warning from the most fucked up master of body horror imaginable: David Cronenberg.

While Cronenberg was already famous with movies like Rabid, Scanners and the Brood, this was the movie many talk about the most when it comes to him. Filmed on location in Downtown Toronto, Ontario Canada; Videodrome starts off with Media Mogul Max Renn, who runs a late night television and adult content TV station called Civic-TV (CityTV in real life.). While looking for new material for this channel, he stumbles upon a snuff show called Videodrome, which seems to be nothing but endless torture porn. However upon watching it, Max ends up suffering from a series of hallucinations as he's caught up in a war between Brian O'Blivion, an activist who believes Television is the next step to a peaceful world and Barry Convex, who believes violent and sexual media are the causes of lowlives and the world becoming soft as a result of immersing themselves in it. The movie itself let's us hear from both sides of the war and even leaves so much ambiguity that it leaves room for us the audience to decide who is right and who is wrong on the matter. Making it the ultimate tool of influence of it's time.  This was a time when the internet was still being worked on. A time when the most universal forms of communication were Radio, Theater and of course Television and even then the channels were limited to the signal and the time of day. Before the internet, this was the thing that was blamed for the world's woes as well as being praised for many highlights and it's ability to reach people from all over the world. Yet while many people have a love-hate for the internet and social media, TV in the end is still the most loved form of multimedia entertainment. This movie is the prime example that media is not an entity, but a tool that one can use their own influence on for better or worse. As for who I side with. There is only one answer to that "Long live the new flesh."

Of course while this was one of the first, it wasn't the only movie to poke fun at media influence for good or bad.

Welcome to the 90s, where the 80s go to die and the 2000s used to mean the end of the world. Ya...used to. This was in my opinion where media in general reached it's peak. Granted there were ways of making it better and making it worse in the 2000s, but this was the tip of the scale. The Cold War was finally over, 9/11 didn't happen yet and many kids including yours truly either watched reruns of old shows or got caught in the gross-out humor trend. But the adults of the time seemed to be at their wits end. Where stories about media influencing violence were very few and often dismissed, this was where the most headaches came from and the headaches of the 2010s continued on from. The only difference between the outrages was the main topic at hand. In the 90s, there have been many controversial shows that got popularized by it, whether they started in the late 80s and gained traction or started in the 90s and became instant hits.

The Simpsons was one of those shows.  While not the first cartoon adult family sitcom, it became the stepping stone for what came after in the 90s to the 2000s. Often always going border-line to even crossing the border in offensive humor among most things.  But while it like other shows were often accused of being bad influences. With George Bush making the famous line "More like the Waltons and less like The Simpsons." They were no stranger to poking fun at those accusing them. From the writers, writing as Marge telling off Barbara to, Marge accusing Itchy and Scratchy for causing Maggie to attack Homer. However while still going on today, back then they barely scratched the surface.

When South Park first started out, it was mainly an R-Rated Peanuts with fart and death jokes, but as the years went by, they too tried to influence people through surprisingly good life lessons.  One of which became the basis for my Electronic Mirror Essay. In the episode "Death", much like Simpsons before it, parents were protesting against a TV show.  In this case where the Simpsons was dealing with violence in the media and whether or not it influences real life violence, South Park went a different direction. One of the tamest controversies compared to the sexual and violent influences being accused in the media, is swearing. Me I see no big deal on swearing and see it as a way to get a fucking point across to those who don't fucking listen. These parents on the other hand see it as the end all be all to childhood existence. While Marge's protest aggressive it may be was peaceful; the parents of South Park went as far as sling-shooting themselves against a TV station killing them instantly and even that didn't work. The episode itself was also pointing out the hyopcritical elements of the parent's protest. In a subplot, Stan's Grandfather Marvin Marsh is trying to get him to kill him after being alive and in agony for 102 years.  Upon caving in, Death arrives and it's assumed he's after the kids for trying to kill Marvin.  However it turns out as part of the running gag, Death was only after Kenny. However during the chase, Stan and the others try to call their parents, but they ignore them claiming to be too busy "protecting" them with their protests.  Which brings the aesop that parents are so focused on what's influencing on TV, that they don't care what happens to their kids in real life. Especially with their life in danger. As well as another aesop, one I have grown tired of seeing. The notion that Parents see TV as their kid's babysitter. And rather than take responsibility and simply change or block the channel, they blame an inanimate object for what's causing their kids to swear or go violent.

Stan: Dammit!!! You know, I think that if parents would spend less time worrying about what they watch on TV and more time worrying about what's going on with their kid's lives, the world would be a much better place. 

Kyle: Yeah, I think that parents only get so offended by television, because they rely on it as a babysitter and the sole educator of their kids.


Hell the reason why many parents get offended is because they see the Television as this magic box that solves their daily problems.  And when said box does something they don't want it to do, they blame it rather themselves for abusing said box.

It didn't help that some kids in the mid 90s up and killed their classmates and the only thing they could blame for their behavior was a bunch of metal posters, horror movies and video games that have been plastered in their room. Which leads me to my final entry of this look.

Scream is the the culmination of everything many detractors have seen as wrong with movies. Even though it's message on top of simply trying to kill the Slasher Genre, was actually pro-media rather than anti.  Scream takes place in Woodsboro which is infamous for the rape and murder of Maureen Presscott.  On the one year anniversary of the case, a serial killer is on the loose killing students and staging them in the form of death scenes in slasher movies.  Their main target being Marueen's daughter Sidney.  Spoilers for those living under a rock, the killers are her boyfriend Billy Loomis and his friend Stu Macher.  As revenge for Maureen having an affair with Billy's dad and breaking his family up.  During the climax of the movie, Billy and Stu plan on killing Sidney, framing her father for the crimes and staging themselves to look like the sole survivors left for dead.  As they prepare, Sidney claims they're sick fucks who watch too many movies. To which Billy responds "NOW SID DON'T YOU BLAME THE MOVIES!!! MOVIES DON'T CREATE PSYCHOS, MOVIES MAKE PSYCHOS MORE CREATIVE!!" That line stuck with me ever since and it brings me to the conclusion of this essay. 

On the whole Media is not the direct influence many detractors of this era along with new detractors of the recent decades bring it out to be.  It doesn't cause violence, racism, sexism or any atrocities we know in the past century. It can however be used as a tool for influence and it's often based on the will of the person using it. Whether it's the exec trying to please their sponsor or the worker that is trying to bring something positive to the table.
If you feel the need to kill someone after watching a horror movie, then there is something seriously wrong with you. Whereas if the person making the movie is saying "You think Leatherface is a monster? Well what makes human meat different than that burger you're eating?" Then that's on the fault of the person making it. He is not the media, he is merely someone who knows how to use that tool well.  Here endeth the lesson.

All Lives Matter? I used to think so. Covid-19 Update

First of all I want to address something.  I first wish to express my condolences to any friends and family members of George Floyd. You have my condolences and I also wish to in advance apologize for what I am about to say. Because anyone who reads further than this would believe that what I say will downplay your grief over this tragedy.

With that out of the way let's get to the meat of this.

For those that don't know, George Floyd was murdered while in Police Custody. I won't get into any of the details, but it has caused a massive resurgence of protesters from the radical group, Black Lives Matter. Or BLM for short. Whom despite common sense telling them and their associates that they should stay indoors are willing to risk infecting themselves and each other in the pandemic just to have their voices heard. 

However while "noble" as their intentions are (If you can call this group Noble.), it is the most disgusting display of ignorance I have ever witnessed in my life. Not just disgusting, but downright hypocritical. Before this incident occurred, even they were aware enough about how dangerous this pandemic is. That gathering together in groups of more than four is dangerous, that being within 6 feet of each other is dangerous, to any act that allows saliva particles in the air. Such as the yelling and screaming of protesters. However when Floyd's murder has been announced. Suddenly to BLM, the pandemic doesn't matter anymore. It's harsh to say, but as said before "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one." George was the one. Yet according to groups like BLM and the news stations that encourage their risky behaviour based on that alone, the death of a man at the hands of a cop, is worse than the millions of deaths that have been happening around the world. Deaths that won't stop until a cure is found.  And that's just my take on them simply going outside.  I won't even begin to tell you what they're capable of. Riots, looting, arson.  It's all happening again.  When's it gonna be enough? It's one thing if they were ignorant to the potential infections its another when they're intentionally hurting people. Hell I believe they're gonna intentionally spread it in hopes it kills every cops. But don't get me wrong, I'll get to that other side next.

First off, everyone knows it's a felony to assault someone in police custody. Cops are not exempt from that, but since this one went as far as killing the man, I wouldn't be surprised that they're gonna really burn him for that. Which they are. Yet rather than wait until it was official, BLM and their affiliates do their song and dance before Floyd's family have a chance to give him a proper funeral. They don't care about Black Lives as much as they claim too otherwise they would have at least given them time to grieve. As well as have the patience to wait and see if the Justice System fucks up. Which they didn't.  Both sides of this thing are to blame, but when one side jumps the gun more than the other and blames the other side for it, I'm sorry, but you're stupidity is gonna kill everyone.

Second off, there are other ways to protest that don't involve going outside in large groups.  You all could have petitioned, face-timed each other or god forbid aired your grievances on youtube or something. It's 2020, you're voice can be heard without leaving the fucking house and guess what, no one would be at risk of getting sick. But no, you opted the traditional way and as a result you risked killing everyone for nothing. So fuck you.

Whenever people asked me if I believed Black Lives Matter I always said the same response over the year. "All Lives Matter." I grew up to believe that you shouldn't limit your empathy to only one race, sex or orientation just because some yahoos on the internet tell you to. The response I get is the same "You're racist for not focusing on only black lives. You fucking white privilege POS!!" You say it's racist, yet you never say how it's racist. The closest I get to an explanation is that apparently according to the world the only people that should matter are Black Lives. Well if you really cared about Black Lives you wouldn't be risking those very lives you claim to care about or you wouldn't be out there getting yourself or others you care about sick. I guess Optimus Prime is also Racist considering his famous quote "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings." Or Spock is Racist "The Needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few or the one." These were characters that many of these so called groups, grew up watching yet they would throw them under a bus if it made them look better on TV. Making those very claims I made the comparisons out of. But alas. The world is changing. So I am gonna rather than make a positive change to my response and give you all the cold harsh truth.

NO LIVES MATTER!!!

Which in the long run is true. The cold hard truth is no matter what we do, no matter who we are. No matter what color our skin is, what our religion is, what our orientation, lifestyle and political views are, every thing that makes us unique and independent in the long run doesn't matter anymore because of the cold hard truth that not only we share common ground for each other, but other life forms on this world and the next. We're born, we grow up, we die.  Some of us more quicker than others, while some of us more slower than others depending on the circumstances.  But in the long run everything we've ever done in the past millennia is pointless simply because we are all gonna die one day. Does that sound bad yes it does, but unlike my last response on the matter, there is no way in hell anyone can interpret it as racist, because we're all thrown under the bus by this saying. No Lives Matter. Fuck everything. 

Fuck the cop that sparked this shit. 

Fuck BLM for putting their priorities over the lives of millions. 

Fuck the News for encouraging them after months of telling everyone to stay in doors.

Most of all FUCK YOU if you disagree. I don't give a shit anymore. 

Cure this thing and let us live with our fucking lives already.