Page 6
Arts & Life
The Clarion — November 18,2005
Paris Hilton, before her gruesome death.
photo from imdb com
‘House of Wax’an excuse to
see Paris Hilton in underwear
by Matt Rutherford
Arts & Life Editor
House of Wax
Directed by Jaum Collet-Serra
(Warner Brothers, 2005)
★
What do you get when you
combine a gaggle of O.C.
doppelgangers, Paris Hilton,
unashamedly blatant symbol
ism, and possibly one of the
worst horror flick scripts? You
get another crappy, unintelligent
plot driven work of ignorance.
House of Wax, released on DVD
Oct.25 is without a doubt this
year’s worst horror film.
On their way across Louisi
ana, the six unsuspecting friends
(Elisha Cuthbert, Paris Hilton,
Chad Michael Murray, Jared
Padalecki, Jon Abrahams, and
Robert Ri’chard) loose their way
and decide to camp out until
dawn. When their massive,
brand new SUV’s refuse to start,
they hike to a nearby forgotten
town. In the middle of this deso
late pot hole is the “House of
Wax,” filled with what else? Wax
figurines. Naturally, our numb
skull characters don’t realize
these are not wax statues, but
real people who have been
skinned and dumped in wax; not
to mention the insane antagonist
is still on loose looking for new
victims.
This film absolutely wreaks
of mediocrity, bad casting (Paris
Hilton?), and the terrible produc
tion studio. Dark Castle Enter
tainment. Let’s go over some of
their other flops. Remember Thir
teen Ghosts'? How about
Gothika'} Or Ghost Ship"? Nei
ther do I. All these Halloween
released horror flicks created by
this one company are outright
laughable attempts to create
anything close to something that
should be shown on the big
screen. House of Wax was just
another excuse for lustful eyes
to see Paris run around in her
underwear 1 wonder if this movie
was made specifically to give the
pop culture starlet more public
ity.
The one good thing about
House of Wax was the death
scenes. The effects were top
notch. Little CGI was used to
simulate poles going through
heads or waxy skin being peeled
away from muscle tissue.
Like every other Dark Castle
film, House of Wax lacks every
thing it takes to make a good
horror film. For example: Fear in
ducing images.
What’s more troubling is
that the film actually has too
much plot to end in a timely man
ner. Instead of a bang-up grab
your attention ending, we get an
overly symbolic, poetic even,
ending. The kind of ending
someone writes as last minute
assignment for a creative writ
ing course.
The Cliirion Review Rating Guide
* * ★ *: Outstanding, worth time & $$$
* * * : Not great, but still worth a lcx)k
* * May do in a pinch
* Don't bother
Matt’s Take-
Pop culture dictates self image
by Matt Rutherford
Arts & Life Editor
Have you ever wondered
why we have so many issues
with our self image? Or why we
rag on those with image prob
lems? I blame the media. Our
media “somehow” through its
numerous ads of perfection
and extremely high standards
seeps into our homes and into
our minds. With the media con
trolling our every social move
ment, from how we eat to how
we dress, its no wonder that
we get caught its deceitful web.
I think it is unfair for some
corporate higher up or whom/
whatever is in charge of the me
dia stru-oture to decide for us
what is beautiful, what’s in, etc.
I say this because it is setting
an unrealistic goal. Of course,
1 think setting higher goals is
key in getting anywhere in life,
but I don’t think your local Joe-
Shmoe will ever be the next
Brad Pitt.
There are some serious is
sues being caused by setting
these unrealistic goals. For ex
ample, anorexia, bulimia, de
pression, even suicide. A large
amount of people with these
diseases have them because
they want to be just like the
images that are seen in these
ads in magazines, television,
movies, the internet, and now
our cellular phones. Every
where you turn these ads are
going to find someway into
your head. Isn’t that a fright
ening thought? Its like we’re
being brainwashed into all
thinking that one stereotype is
what we should all strive to be.
What I would like to say
to all of you who think that be
cause you don’t look like one
of those images that are unfor
tunately and unwillingly im
printed into your mind is this;
don’t worry about it. I realize
it’s easy just to say that, but
it’s the truth. What you should
do is strive to be the best you
that you can be. Don’t pay at
tention to what “they” say is
correct, do what you think is
correct. Wear what you enjoy,
eat what you like, or shop at
the stores you enjoy. As I’ve
said before, its time for us to
wake up and take control of
ourselves and our destiny. Do
not let someone or something
else decide anything for you,
it is your life.
• ‘House of Wax’ is a remake of a 1953 film
by the same name. Vincent Price starred in
the original. It was filmed in 3D. The origi
nal film featured a scene where an actor was
placed in a fully functioning guillotine.
The Clarion
needs writers and photographers to
cover Brevard College sports. Join the
newspaper staff. We meet Tuesdays
at 7:00 p.m.