MIX/VHS | Halloween Edition!
BAM! We're back! With Austin School of Film settling in to their new home at the Motion Media Arts Center, the good ol' folks at MIX/VHS is coming out of the spooky fall fog to bring you some Halloween recommendations!
Hausu (dir. by Nobuhiko Ôbayashi)
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE!
Oh my goodness! With Halloween coming up so soon, I couldn't help but recommend Hausu. We stumbled upon this gem in the 'cult classic' section of I ♥︎ Video and were drawn in by it's 70's magic cover art featuring an illustration of 'Blanche' the witch cat in the film.
The plot follows a young girl named 'Gorgeous' (yes, her name is literally Gorgeous.) and six of her classmates: 'Kung Fu', 'Prof', 'Fantasy', 'Mac', 'Melody', and 'Sweet'. When their original summer plans are cancelled, Gorgeous suggests the group take a trip to her Auntie's home in the country. We soon realize something is seriously off with Gorgeous' old Auntie and it's confirmed when the young girls begin disappearing one by one.
This film is a great example of director Nobuhiko Obayashi's special brand of wonderfully trippy special effects and the perfect thing to get you in the Halloween spirit!
- Felix
The Growlers // I'll Be Around (dir. by Warren Fu)
WATCH IT HERE!
I love this new video from California based Beach Goth band The Growlers. Their newest video for their track 'I'll Be Around' boasts a 70's kitsch horror vibe, full of ghosts, pills, and plenty of dancing.
When Brooks is dropped of in the ER from a bit too much partying, he's unable to be revived and his posse and the medical team argue it out via a dance battle. His ghost can't resist the groove, and the dead rise to take part in the disco daze. I love the campy feel of this video, and the song is infectious. Definitely a great countdown to Halloween video, with its fun spooky vibes and even an appearance from the grim reaper with a keytar...
- Sloane
It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (dir. by Bill Melendez)
WATCH IT HERE!
Believe it or not, this timeless short is 50 YEARS OLD this year! And even more amazing, the director of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is also the voice of Snoopy in the film! Neat stuff!
So many nostalgic moments in this short that I find myself quoting this time of year (with "I got a rock." clearly being the standout). The earnest, lovable inhabitants of the Peanuts cartoons always seem to make grin like a damn idiot every year, and when the Great Pumpkin forgets (yet again) to come this year, I tide my sorrows over in knowing it's almost time to play the A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack in my car.
- Spencer
Only Lovers Left Alive (dir. by Jim Jarmusch)
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE!
I stumbled upon this movie during my "31 Horror flicks in 31 days" project. Really pretty compositions, great sound track, and great acting from both Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston. Kind of convinced she might actually be a vampire. I mean, does anyone know how old she actually is? I digress.
The pacing is a little strange and can lull at times. Over-all though, I enjoyed their thoughts on human-kind, whom they call the zombies, and their way of life. I feel like this is the serious version of What We Do in the Shadows (which I highly recommend).
- Carrie
Bathroom Secrets (created by Antonio Maria Da Silva)
WATCH IT HERE!
The spin-off to a popular mashup video making the rounds about a year ago, Bathroom Secrets takes the combined cinematic universe of every just about every movie to its logical conclusion - the toilet. Beyond allowing the audience to take delight as their favorite characters inhabit the same sanitary space, the short video uses clever editing and even cleverer cutaways to force awkward, and sometimes even horrifying, interactions.
- JJ
Working With Jigsaw (dir. by Chris Capel)
WATCH IT HERE!
Just when I thought our world was slipping deeply down a terrible rabbit hole, a YouTuber by the name of Chris Capel put a refreshing smile on my face three years ago when he made a short titled Living with Jigsaw. It was a hilarious satirical look of what it must be like to live with a maniacal serial killer doll that is in a non-stop deadly-trap creation phase. Now, Jigsaw returns, this time to the cubicle work life, and is ever so much of an annoyance. You would think Saw/Jigsaw jokes would have overstayed their welcome by now, but as with anything, with the right creative touches and wit, Capel has fashioned another comedic classic video.
- Jake
Like this mix? Tell us what you think in the comments below, and let us know what you’re watching this week!