31 Days of Horror: The Uninvited

"They call them the haunted shores, these stretches of Devonshire and Cornwall and Ireland which rear up against the westward ocean. Mists gather here... and sea fog... and eerie stories... "

The Uninvited (1944) is one of my favorite haunted house movies. The story is simple - Ray Milland and his sister Ruth Hussey buy an abandoned house that faces the ocean in small seaside resort. The previous owner's daughter died there and his granddaughter (Gail Russell) has be forbidden to ever enter the house. Of course that doesn't stop Milland from becoming infatuated with Russell and inviting her into the house.

Milland leaves his sister to fix the house up while he's away in London. When he returns he finds out that their dog has run away and there are certain spots in the house that give you a cold chill. And at night they can hear a woman crying. And Russell is being drawn back to the house time and time again.

The movie is one of those quietly creepy movies that slowly builds and builds the tension. The cinematography won an Oscar and Ray Milland plays it cool despite all the creepy events.

The fact that this movie isn't currently available on DVD and that Universal Studio has released Dracula, Frankenstein and The Mummy on DVD three times each but hasn't found the time to release this classic is just a crime.

Radiothon wrapping up

Hopefully, it isn't too late to put in a plug for CJTR's Radiothon (cjtr.ca). During the donation drive, different programs are announcing different prize giveaways for donations, but the overarching one is an entry for every $25 you donate means you've entered a draw, with the winner receiving a trip to a Mexican resort. (My mother-in-law is pulling for my wife and me to win – on the provision that if we go, I have to make my own way back – 'it'll save the travel agency some money,' she says.) The fundraiser ends Friday, I think.

In all seriousness, they're looking to raise in the neighbourhood of $20K, and they deserve every penny. The radio station has done so much for the Regina music and cultural scene – it's time to reciprocate a little love their way.

Friday Afternoon Kitty: Monty Python-Style

Is your cat...confused? If not, they can help.

Six In The Morning

OBAMA WINS SURPRISE NOBEL PRIZE Why did Obama win the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize? Maybe things have gotten so bad in the world, having a President who isn't a crazy warmonger with a psycho sidekick is now prize-worthy. Or maybe the Nobellers want to give the President O. a little push to progressive politics. Or maybe, the Nobel committee wanted to get this one out of the way before some Conservative teabagging bastard shoots the president. Posthumous Nobels are such a drag. (Guardian)

IMMOLATION BID DOUSED A Saskatoon man is fortunately stopped from hurting himself very, very badly. Very weird and troubling and mysterious and probably crazy. (CBC)

DZIEKANSKI'S MOM SUES Mother of the man fatally tasered by RCMP launches legal action as hearing heads to a (second) close. (Toronto Star)

PEDOPHILE GETS CHANGE OF ADDRESS The Roman Catholic bishop busted for laptop photos of young boys fondling and fellating has a court's go-ahead to relocate to Ottawa after New Brunswick residents complained about him living in their community. (Globe And Mail)

GOOD SCIENCE CAN BE BORING United States outer-space organization NASA successfully shoots an empty rocket at the moon to search for lunar water and all we get is a lame video. Oh, and knowledge. (Washintgton Post)

WHAT? NO PYTHON? It's coming later today, I promise. Check back at 12:01. In the meantime, here's a piece by Murray Dobbin about progressives winning a victory against Big Asbestos (Big Ass for short). (The Tyee)

So, how come it's always the crazy lefties complaining about health hazards and trying to protect people from corporations? Aren't lefties weird, dangerous people? And yet these days THEY'RE ALWAYS RIGHT. About almost everything. George Bush (he was bad). Banks (they need to be regulated). The Iraq war (stupid, expensive and pointless). Asbestos (causes cancer). Global warming (it's real).

Huh. It's almost like...they should be listened to.

Naw, that's just crazy.

Pick of the Day: Arctic

Not to be confused with the English alt-rock band the Arctic Monkeys (or the weather, for that matter), Arctic is a Vancouver-based ambient rock band fronted by Marcus Martin. Having spent his childhood in Yellowknife, Martin comes by his band's moniker honestly. In 2007, Arctic released Today Brought Me Here-- a CD unique for the fact that if you went to http://www.projectarctic.com/ you could design your own cover for it. Tonight, Arctic is at O'Hanlon's Pub with the Calgary band Friendo. Here's video of Martin and his band performing a song called "Some One Turning". (YouTube)

Famed U.S. crooner Tony Bennett is in Regina tonight too. Here's some video I found on YouTube of him performing a song. I wouldn't call it a duet, although you should be tickled to see who he's singing to.