Review of Masters of Horror 2: Stuart Gordon's Dream in a Witch House

I actually saw this beforehand in theatres, they premiered it at the Hollywood Theatre at the H.P. Lovecraft film festival. Also Stuart Gordon was there in attendance presenting the movie at the main theatre. I got a chance to meet the man, the playa behind "Re-Animator",'Robot Jox","Dolls","From Beyond", and "King of the Ants". I'm not advent fan of H.P. Lovecraft, but I am a huge fan of Stuart Gordon and I look forward to everything he puts. If it willa made for TV special on showtime called "Space Trucker" or 'CAstle Freak", I still love his work. He has been getting recent comeback with "Dagon" another H.P. Lovecraft adaptation and recently a gangster movie that was done Stuart Gordon style called "King of the Ants". While others found that movie to be ridiculous, I found it to be an underrated masterpiece from the man. I can't wait to see another movie that also goes into the bowels of the mind from a play written by David Mamet called "Edmond". It was screened at the Toronto and Venice film festival and has been getting rave reviews. Mamet and Gordon were best homies back in the day, and as Stuart Gordon is the vessel for H.P. Lovecraft I think he can pull off anything sick and twisted from David Mamet. The movie also stars William H. Macy so you know its gonna be good. And come on, I the hell can you go wrong with David Mamet's writing, the man is a genius, its like Shakespeare. Anyway while I'm still waiting for that to come out, I can make due with this and I have. Anyway, back to how I met Stuart Gordon and the review. I got out of work early(back when I was working at Videorama) and took the bus to the Hollywood Theatre, planning that I would be going to the H.P. Lovecraft film festival from work I took my copy of "Re-animator", "Dolls", "King of the Ants". I took the store copy of 'FRom Beyond". My copy of Dagon got jacked and couldn't get a chep copy of "Robot Jox" on DVD. I arrived to the theatre and it was packed their was a mob outside and everything. I walk up and a bunch of volunteers were talking to me and informed me that they were sold out. I was like man, I got off work early just to see Stuart Gordon, the volunteers pressured me to get tickets for tomorrow, and they told me if Stuart Gordon probably won't be here or not. I was like damn, I walk in and ask the man at the box office if don't have anymore tickets for tomorrow since you guys sold out for tonight. He informs that a man actually gave up his ticket not to long ago, I'll let you have it," It will be between you and me". I was like HELL YEAH, that's some luck, now I hope my luck gets even mo' better. I walked in and he said that Stuart Gordon is in the theatres the place was packed and hard for me to get around. I walk into the main theatre thinking that Stuart Gordon is sitting upfront and look to see if he was there. Then I turn, and there he was, I was like..................I shook up a little bit and just stared at him and see if it was actually him. All these cats sitting right next to him getting interviews and making him sign there copies of "The Re-animator". I just looked at him and he didn't notice me, I just shook up and was star struck. I didn't go anywhere, I just stood there the whole time during the screening of the shorts. Plus I'm Black-Mexican and was wearing a hoody looking all menacing, I think he was like "What the hell is this Black-Mexican doing, all following me!". Man, it felt very stalkerish. Gordon looked like a pimpin' Santa Claus. So, anyway the screening is over for the shorts and every exits the theatres for snacks and I just stood there watching him HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! What the hell was I doing! Then he exits and I was following and he was trying to go the bathroom and all these cats were just stopping him every breathe of the way being,"Can you sign my copy of RE-Animator". I was no exception, I was the second to the last to stop him before is way to the bathroom. I was all stuttering and everything,"Yeah sir, you're Stu-Stu-Stuart Gordon", he replied and I said all this stuff about you're a big part of my child hood and I love everything you put and look forward to it I can't wait till 'Edmond", when is that coming out and of course,"Is it cool if you sign my copy of Re-Animator, Dolls, and King of the Ants". HE signed my copies and I was just sweating on him and before I ended the conversation I did a little ghetto hand shake that ended with some dap at the end. Man, that's some charming stuff. He's never coming back to Portland. He got the hand shake down like that and didn't miss a note implying that he is a G'. That's funny. I just looked at him and he walked towards the bathroom and a hot Asian girl asked for his picture and he was loving that. Now back to the showing of the movie, I walk in 2 minutes late and sit up a row where Gordon was sitting . I sat there and it must be a trip to be in a movie where the director is in the screening. I laughed, overtly clapped at the great gore moments like a dork. I kept looking at him during the screening, and his face was all in contempt and serious. When the whole audience jumped at scary moment(which I did), I looked at Gordon and was thinking he must be loving this. When that moment happened he was pretty humble, but I bet in his mind he was probably,"Yeah, I did my job". It really influenced me, but enough about that. After the screening, everyone clapped and I stood and clapped(once again like a dork), and at the end of it i then again gave him another ghetto hand shake and some more dap and said,"That was tight". That's some funny stuff, funny for me but that's pretty ghetto. All these cats sitting right next him telling him,"You done a good job". At the end of the screening I stayed there for a while and had to leave to get some sleep for work in the morning. I had some idle conversation with Stuart Gordon and talked to him about directors and movies and told him once again it was a pleasure. I went back to north Portland and showed the rest of my co-workers the signed copy of the store's "From Beyond". They didn't care, but then again I don't care. It was my night and Stuart Gordon's night, because think of all that love from the fans........except me!!!!!
Now to the review of the actual movie, I'll spend more time putting effort in this review as much as I have in telling you this lame ass story. Sorry for those you read this story and was looking for a review. But here you go.........
"Dreams in a Witch House", once again teams Stuart Gordon's with "Dagon's" Ezra Godden, it takes place in a rundown apartment complex. The one I notice is how Ezra Godden is very reminiscent of another Gordon alumni, Jeffrey Combs. I think that's what Gordon was going for, with a young Jeffrey Combs. So anyway, it takes place in a apartment complex inhabited by a psycho next door neighbor and a lousy tenant. It also has a hot MILF that lives next door with a baby boy. Her rent is up and Godden's character gets involved and gives her money. His character is a science student from college that is exploring the possibilities of intersecting dimensions. He later founds out his apartment is gate to another dimension. Sounds very hokey from description, but done with Gordon's visceral style and laborate plot devices making it an awesome edition to the "Master of Horror". The one thing I never look for in a Stuart Gordon, but found that it always appear and I;m not complaining because it is done so well is the nudity. One Gordon's top ten films is "Behind the Green Door", he calls it the," The Gone With the Wind of Porno". If watch that movie you see how he handles his sexual perverted sequences in his films, that don't stems from sexual fantasy but unfolds into clever gorefest. We look at it and we love it. The scene when Godden's character has his second dream in the apartment and it's the MILF next door neighbor in his room getting naked, the whole audience just whoo's at the screen. The whole sequence is carefully erotic, but later turns into a nightmare. I don't think Gordon is the only one to have done this, but he is master at it.........Especially in the "Re-Animator". I'm not just interest in this whole scene, but for some apparent reason i find it meaningful. It displays Gordon's brilliance, or is that just me. The whole movie is sick and weird and is awesome. The atmosphere is great where he tells Lovecraft's storie that just doesn't leave an excuse for jumps, but for great elaborate scenes of chaos. Gordon is definitely THE MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!