Comments on: Vampira: Maila Nurmi 1921-2008

By: joel

joel — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 04:05:06 +0000

Yeah, I remember him from Apt Pupil. Wow, that is really young.

By: Alison Flynn

Alison Flynn — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 02:26:14 +0000

Off topic, but Brad Renfro also died. He was 25. They’re not sure what the cause of death was yet, but he had drug problems…

He was in Ghost World, Apt Pupil, Sleepers, among other films.

By: joel

joel — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 01:39:19 +0000

Yeah, mine too. Landau and Depp.

By: Alison Flynn

Alison Flynn — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 01:38:11 +0000

Joel, Ed Wood is my favorite Burton movie. I don’t like all of his films, but that one is terrific. That’s also the movie in which I discovered Depp.

Before I saw it I had heard about how great Martin Landau was in it. And he was. He was fantastic. There wasn’t a moment where I didn’t think I was actually watching Bela Lugosi. But I also thought that Depp was terrific, and didn’t understand why people were only talking about Landau. It remains my favorite Depp performance.

By: joel

joel — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 01:33:09 +0000

Yeah, and Burton’s Ed Wood definitely makes Plan 9 all the more lovable.

By far the worst movie I’ve ever seen that I can recall is Manos, Hands of Fate. It didn’t help it that I saw it on Mystery Science Theater 3000, but that movie makes Ed Wood look like John Ford. Miserably awful.

Anyway, thanks for noting this here Craig.

By: sartre

sartre — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:15:38 +0000

We both really enjoyed it too. It’ll make a fine movie.

By: Alexander

Alexander — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:06:29 +0000

Yes, she loves that!

I enjoyed it a great deal as well.

By: sartre

sartre — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 23:39:05 +0000

Alexander, has your girlfriend read The Historian? Good vampire yarn, travelogue, and Ottoman history page turner.

By: Craig Kennedy

Craig Kennedy — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 23:04:10 +0000

Plan 9 has its charms which is why I was careful to say it is “lovingly regarded” as the worst.

It has its place in pop-cultural history, for sure.

By: Alison Flynn

Alison Flynn — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:12:08 +0000

Actually, Plan 9 From Outer Space is a hoot to watch (as are all Ed Wood’s movies).

RIP, Maila.

By: Alexander

Alexander — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 21:52:54 +0000

RIP.

Very true, joel.

My girlfriend is Transylvanian, and only came to America about fifteen months ago. Consequently, her interest is piqued every time some vampire-related news story hits the Internet. She’s been busily reading about Nurmi now.

I don’t think Plan 9 From Outer Space is all *that* bad, when you watch it.

I still think it beats The Beast with a Million Eyes from 1955. That movie… wow… It has to be seen to be believed.

By: joel

joel — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 21:21:34 +0000

Amazing the effect she had single-handedly on millions of teens in the 80’s through today regarding the goth movement. Most of them probably have no idea who she is yet they (and their musical idols) have been aping her style for a long time.