Camera Obscura: Trouble Edition - Piranha 3D; Machete; A Gory Double Feature; The Wilhelm Scream Retires?

The last few weeks have been too full of bad news for so many - untold destruction in the Gulf, flooding destruction in Nashville, Icelandic volcanoes, inept evildoers in Time Square, inept politicos babbling and lawmaking, and then there are those daily woes of so many of us scuttling about the planet who become endlessly caught in struggles either brief or prolonged. It seems trouble need be written as Trouble.

Even I, your humble chronicler, had a wee misfortune recently as my nice shiny sedan was rear-ended by a negligent driver. None were hurt, thankfully, though I also noticed yesterday at that same bothersome intersection a wreck had occurred so massive a LifeStar helicopter was forced to land on the highway.

Trouble, Trouble, Trouble.

As the late, great Frank Zappa sang: "There's no way to delay that trouble comin' every day."

Or as the line in the movie Body Heat goes : "Sometimes the shit comes down so heavy I feel like I should wear a hat."

Well, perhaps if we peruse some upcoming movies, we can poke a bit of fun at trouble --

Like the utterly silly "Piranha 3-D", where we find former "Jaws" alum Richard Dreyfuss back in the waters of baaaad fish and addle-brained tourists. (Thankfully no piranha are threatening Nashville, despite earlier reports) --



Lawmakers in Arizona received a very special trailer for the Robert Rodriguez' new movie, "Machete", a Grade-B drive-in style action tale. I love such movies and where else can one see Danny Trejo scare the crap out of Robert DeNiro? Since the trailer is somewhat NSWF, you can click here to see it.

Although I find this very, VERY hard to believe, the most-used scream sound effect in motion picture history, termed "the Wilhelm Scream", may be out of the biz, according to this article. The history of the "scream" (often credited to one-time Hee Haw regular Sheb Wooley) is here. And here's a clip of just some of its uses in movies.



Two super gory horror films are on the loose -- the French film "Inside" and the more recent bizarro movie of a mad scientist sewing people together called "Human Centipede". Trailers are here and here (warning - not for the squeamish). If one wanted a mega-gory double feature, these are the current winners. And "Centipede" director Tom Six claims his if the first of a trilogy. (yeah, we need three of those monstrosities).


For a more upbeat finale, who among us has not wondered - "What if Mr. Potato Head Was The Star Of That Movie?" Full article/images here - sample image of Iron Man Potato Head below.