Sunday, 27 March 2011

The Haunting In Connecticut: A Review

27th March, 2011

Isn’t it funny how these thing’s work out, sometimes … ?

Bless, I’ve got to confess, Movie Night Adrian and I managed to — rather sleepily, in Adrian’s case — managed to catch a movie, last night.

He’d been pulling his pointy thing, all of yesterday.

It’s not QUITE what you’re thinking: he does field archery, in his spare time …

At any rate … ?

The pair of us managed to get together to catch a film, last night: minus Kevin D, bless him, who was in London.

At a TUC protest, in case your asking: the peaceful daytime one, rather than the riot it degenerated into, later.

I’ve got to admit, I was hoping someone would chuck a custard pie at Bob Crowe: not that I don’t like the RMT, but its leader really needs a sense of humour …

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At ANY rate, last night saw myself and Movie Night Adrian — at my place — watching the 2009 horror film, The Haunting of Connecticut.

Seemingly based on a true story, The Haunting in Connecticut sees Virginia Madsen and Martin Donovan as Sarah and Peter, the parents of cancer-stricken teen, Matt, deciding that they have to rent a property that’s nearer the hospital where Matt is being given both chemotherapy, and experimental treatment.

Sarah doesn’t think to ask why the house she eventually ends up renting for the family is available so cheaply.   It’s only as the film progresses they realise that some of the uncanny noises and strange smells aren’t necessarily due to the age of the place …

And the strange hallucinations Matt seems to be suffering … ?

Aren’t down to the chemotherapy …

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Now, one thing I do know … ?

Is that seeing Virginia Madsen as Sarah, at the start of The Haunting of Connecticut had me wondering where on Earth I’d seen her before.

Until, of course, I realised I’d seen her in an episode of Star Trek: Voyager, as a defecting police-woman from an especially xenophobic culture that selectively wipe the memories of its members, when they’ve had outside contact.

It wasn’t until I read her Wikipedia entry that I realised she’d played Princess Irulan, in the David Lynch version of Dune, back in 1984!

I do tend to let these thing’s slid past, don’t I … ?

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At any rate …

At any rate, I know that myself and Adrian had … well …

Various impressions of The Haunting In Connecticut.

Personally?   I found it to be entertaining, if a touch predictable.

There’s an gag Eddie Murphy came up, not long after the release of the original Amityville Horror: that effertively says that, when the estate agent is showing you around a house, a hideous, demonic, disembodied voice from the pits of hell comes out of nowhere and yells “GET OUT”, in a way that freezes the very marrow in your bones, and causes your bladder to immediately empty itself … signing the tenancy agreement if not a good idea.

Not unless that estate agent is really good.

I’m also very aware Adrian — while he found it just as entertaining, perhaps — found The Haunting In Connecticut a touch reminiscent of Poltergeist.

Like I say, entertaining …

I’ll leave you there, I think.

But … ?

Not without these …

Paul: Watcher ★★☆☆
Adrian: Nice ★☆☆☆
Overall: ★½☆☆

1 comment:

Debbi said...

FWIW, you spelled the state correctly. :)