Great! I haven't listened to this yet but i watched this movie the other week and really enjoyed (?) it. Very well done. Looking forward to my bus ride tomorrow now.
What a great conversation on so many interesting topics - it's funny how the horror genre seems to be full of the nicest, most thoughtful, enthusiastic, and accessible-to-their-fans people in the industry - can't wait to see what Eric does next.
I watched Contracted a few weeks ago based on Patrick's Netflix recommendation and, some minor quibbles aside (are doctors in the US really that bad? Though I can see now that part would have worked better had it taken place in an Eastern European shithole), I really liked it. Based on my (limited) expectations going in, the biggest surprise for me was the lack of gratuitous gore which, as someone who isn't particularly a gore-hound, I appreciated. There were several scenes that were very effective at making me squirm, but I never felt assaulted by anything, if that makes sense. It's always great when something manages to be both subtle and powerful.
There was a discussion on this site recently about movie endings and this is definitely one where the ending makes the whole movie even better - I'll sort of avoid a spoiler and just say that what seems like a decent take on one particular horror subgenre becomes a really awesome (I should be a film cricket) and original take on another subgenre that I didn't see coming at all. That combined with your conversation in general has me very much looking forward to a second viewing that has the potential to be even better than my first.
Great job Patrick and a big thanks to Eric for coming on this podcast I love.
True confessions time: Im a fucking idiot. a) because im making my second comment before finishing the episode (im only 30 mins in so far), and b) because it wasnt until it was mentioned on the show that I realised that Contracted is a zombie movie prequel, or that Samantha had turned into a "zombie" as such.
Like I said, Im a fucking idiot.
When I watched the movie (and like I said previously, I really enjoyed it and was engaged throughout, although I admit it was a Netflix viewing) I interpreted it as purely body horror, with her transformation being representative of her inner "ugliness" (self perceived and as per society) and ugliness projected onto her by those around her, with it all becoming less contained by her. Also, throughout the movie I was VERY UNsympathetic towards the mother, basically because she was a bitch. But that there was such an skewed, misplaced and/or absence of empathy and compassion from her towards Sam that, while it can be seen as indicative of their relationship having been down this road before with previous drug addiction and the mum being disappointed/burnt out, it also showed me what a cold mother she was in general. Therefore, due to the psychological make up of people being mainly made up from Nuture and how our primary attachment figure (i.e. mother) views us and treats us, I saw the mother as a major catalyst for the inner ugliness (i.e. shame, disconnect, maladaptive relationships and coping strategies) of Sam. So the ending, where Sam has become more and more primal to the point of being stripped of all humanity only being left with her ugliness, then having her final act to be to launch at and attack her mother, was perfect. Perfect for my interpretation that is. The creature the mum inadvertently created is the death of her.
I tend to view things from the psychological perspective, due to being a clinical psychologist myself, so I may be reading too much into it. But the way it fit together perfectly when viewed through this lens meant that the "Zombie" realisation completely passed me by because it all made sense in a non-"Oh cool, its a Zombie movie" way. With the beauty of this whole thing being that now I get to watch it again and enjoy the coolness of watching a Zombie prequel.
Sorry for the ramble. Great show. Great movie. Great interview. Great interviewee. Thanks guys, and thanks Eric.
Nice podcast and very interesting things Eric England has to say. I finally saw Contracted yesterday. On the budget and the circumstances under which it was made, it turned out fine. I wasn´t totally on board, because it really really bugged me, how Samantha reacted to the symptoms of her "illness". And the reaction of her dumb doctor is beyond me. Also the reactions of her friend Alice and her bad girlfriend to her decaying appearance didn´t work for me. I can´t stop my brain thinking what I would do if a friend of mine looks that shitty and severely ill. I would drag him or her to the next hospital without any discussion. I only can accept those reactions, if I read them like nobody really cares for her and everyone is so self centered that the well being of friends isn´t of any real interest for them. On a technical and filmmaking perspective, the film was very well made. I liked the fact that England shot the guy BJ, who infected her, was blurred in the background during their whole conversation at the party. Very funny, that this guy was played by Simon Barrett, the writer of "You`re next" and "The guest". So, all in all for me it was a mixed bag, but an interesting one and I look forward to what Eric England will do next.
Great! I haven't listened to this yet but i watched this movie the other week and really enjoyed (?) it. Very well done. Looking forward to my bus ride tomorrow now.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great conversation on so many interesting topics - it's funny how the horror genre seems to be full of the nicest, most thoughtful, enthusiastic, and accessible-to-their-fans people in the industry - can't wait to see what Eric does next.
ReplyDeleteI watched Contracted a few weeks ago based on Patrick's Netflix recommendation and, some minor quibbles aside (are doctors in the US really that bad? Though I can see now that part would have worked better had it taken place in an Eastern European shithole), I really liked it. Based on my (limited) expectations going in, the biggest surprise for me was the lack of gratuitous gore which, as someone who isn't particularly a gore-hound, I appreciated. There were several scenes that were very effective at making me squirm, but I never felt assaulted by anything, if that makes sense. It's always great when something manages to be both subtle and powerful.
There was a discussion on this site recently about movie endings and this is definitely one where the ending makes the whole movie even better - I'll sort of avoid a spoiler and just say that what seems like a decent take on one particular horror subgenre becomes a really awesome (I should be a film cricket) and original take on another subgenre that I didn't see coming at all. That combined with your conversation in general has me very much looking forward to a second viewing that has the potential to be even better than my first.
Great job Patrick and a big thanks to Eric for coming on this podcast I love.
Thank you for listening and watching the film! Your kind words mean a lot :)
Delete-Eric
True confessions time: Im a fucking idiot.
ReplyDeletea) because im making my second comment before finishing the episode (im only 30 mins in so far), and
b) because it wasnt until it was mentioned on the show that I realised that Contracted is a zombie movie prequel, or that Samantha had turned into a "zombie" as such.
Like I said, Im a fucking idiot.
When I watched the movie (and like I said previously, I really enjoyed it and was engaged throughout, although I admit it was a Netflix viewing) I interpreted it as purely body horror, with her transformation being representative of her inner "ugliness" (self perceived and as per society) and ugliness projected onto her by those around her, with it all becoming less contained by her. Also, throughout the movie I was VERY UNsympathetic towards the mother, basically because she was a bitch. But that there was such an skewed, misplaced and/or absence of empathy and compassion from her towards Sam that, while it can be seen as indicative of their relationship having been down this road before with previous drug addiction and the mum being disappointed/burnt out, it also showed me what a cold mother she was in general. Therefore, due to the psychological make up of people being mainly made up from Nuture and how our primary attachment figure (i.e. mother) views us and treats us, I saw the mother as a major catalyst for the inner ugliness (i.e. shame, disconnect, maladaptive relationships and coping strategies) of Sam. So the ending, where Sam has become more and more primal to the point of being stripped of all humanity only being left with her ugliness, then having her final act to be to launch at and attack her mother, was perfect. Perfect for my interpretation that is.
The creature the mum inadvertently created is the death of her.
I tend to view things from the psychological perspective, due to being a clinical psychologist myself, so I may be reading too much into it. But the way it fit together perfectly when viewed through this lens meant that the "Zombie" realisation completely passed me by because it all made sense in a non-"Oh cool, its a Zombie movie" way. With the beauty of this whole thing being that now I get to watch it again and enjoy the coolness of watching a Zombie prequel.
Sorry for the ramble. Great show. Great movie. Great interview. Great interviewee. Thanks guys, and thanks Eric.
Nice podcast and very interesting things Eric England has to say. I finally saw Contracted yesterday. On the budget and the circumstances under which it was made, it turned out fine.
ReplyDeleteI wasn´t totally on board, because it really really bugged me, how Samantha reacted to the symptoms of her "illness". And the reaction of her dumb doctor is beyond me. Also the reactions of her friend Alice and her bad girlfriend to her decaying appearance didn´t work for me.
I can´t stop my brain thinking what I would do if a friend of mine looks that shitty and severely ill. I would drag him or her to the next hospital without any discussion. I only can accept those reactions, if I read them like nobody really cares for her and everyone is so self centered that the well being of friends isn´t of any real interest for them.
On a technical and filmmaking perspective, the film was very well made. I liked the fact that England shot the guy BJ, who infected her, was blurred in the background during their whole conversation at the party.
Very funny, that this guy was played by Simon Barrett, the writer of "You`re next" and "The guest".
So, all in all for me it was a mixed bag, but an interesting one and I look forward to what Eric England will do next.