Disney’s A Christmas Carol 3D….Bah, Humbug?

Welcome back to The Expressionist Magazine

Who needs another version of the beloved Charles Dickens’ classic, you might ask.  Well, I was thinking the same thing, but this may be one of the best versions to date.  Granted, it’s animated and is in 3D, but Robert Zemeckis’ take on the original black and white, is a sheer delight.

Okay, so we all know the story about the Victorian-era miser named Ebenezer Scrooge who gets taken on a journey of self-redemption, with the help of three ghosts.  I believe I have seen all versions of the tale (I personally always liked the 1970 Albert Finney Scrooge), but I wasn’t too sure about the latest installment to the classic.  I mean, it is a cartoon, right?  Well, not your traditional, run-of-the-mill cartoon by any means.  It is beautifully crafted, so much so, it doesn’t even feel like you are watching animation.  And yes, it is shown in 3D.  Now, when I think of 3D, I think cheesy.  I think the effect was ruined for me back in the 80s with such 3D movies as Jaws III and Friday the 13th III. Let’s just say after seeing these corny fright flicks, my expectations were pretty low for Disney’s A Christmas Carol.  However, I was pleasantly surprised.  The 3D effect was brilliantly used here, and not overused like in some older films.  It’s not so “in your face” or over-the-top, but more like you are actually in the film itself.

There is an all-star cast, which makes the movie even more enjoyable.  Jim Carrey stars as Ebenezer Scrooge, and does an excellent job with his portrayal. In addition, he plays the three ghosts.  Colin Firth, Gary Oldman, Robin Wright-Penn and Carey Elwes also star.  Robert Zemeckis shines with his adaption of A Christmas Carol.  In fact, many movie critics are calling it one of his most polished pieces to date.  You may know this director by a famous collection of films including Forrest Gump, Back to the Future, and his other well loved animation, The Polar Express starring Tom Hanks.  Many seem to think that Zemeckis’ A Christmas Carol may become more popular than The Polar Express.  This could indeed happen as crowds rush to the theater to see the season’s hottest new film.

I will say though, A Christmas Carol is not recommended for young children.  Parents may be confused by this since this is a Disney animation, two words that children love dearly.  However, in this case, there are quite a few mature scenes, some even considered frightening and dark.  In addition, Zemeckis’ makes much use of Old English dialogue, which may not be easy to understand for younger viewers.

So now that I know what magic and intelligence this new version of A Christmas Carol possesses, I definitely urge those who ask the question, “Why another?” to change their mindset and get to the theater this holiday season to see this beloved classic come to life in a whole new, refreshing way.

Fright Flicks

‘Tis the season for getting scared.  What’s better than curling up with your sweetie on the couch, candles flickering, while watching your favorite horror movie on the television.  So, when it comes to great horror movies, what comes to mind?

I asked friends and family in a recent Halloween poll what their favorite scary flicks are.  Here are some of their responses:

20.  The Texas Chainsaw Massacre-the original:  This flick was supposedly based on true events, which makes it just that much scarier.  I could easily picture myself stranded on the side of the road in some honky donk country town out there in Texas, having this happen to me.  A good reason to always carry a cell phone, keep your gas tanked filled and to not trust anybody!

19.  House of Wax:  Who doesn’t want to see Paris Hilton get gruesomely murdered?  The movie is unsettling, but more than anything, is entertaining to watch.  I especially liked the movie theatre scene.

18.  The Others:  Nicole Kidman was excellent in this haunting film.  There is no blood or gore, which can be quite refreshing.  I enjoyed the movie’s surprise ending.

17.  Silence of the Lambs:  Anthony Hopkins was well cast as everyone’s favorite cannibal, Hannibal Lecter.  Many of us still quote lines from the movie as of today.

16.  The Birds:  Great classic Hitchcock thriller, especially for all you bird lovers out there.  I know some people who refused to buy a parakeet after seeing this movie.  I always hated the one scene with the farmer who was found with his eyes pecked out.  To a young child, this made for terrible nightmares and a irrational fear of chickens.

15.  The Strangers:  This movie greatly disturbed me, and made it difficult to watch the whole way through.  The masks used by the three killers would be perfect for trick or treating.

14.  Alien:  As a child, I was terrified seeing this film.  I’m not much for space horror or sci-fi, but this is such a classic and one of the most intense horror movies to date.

13.  Paranormal Activity:  Yes, this is the just released thriller that is captivating movie audiences everywhere.  I have been told that it is extremely suspenseful, and probably would make for a great date movie since most people will find themselves grabbing the person next to them in absolute fear.

12.  Psycho:  Another Hitchcock favorite.  Yes, the blood used in the shower scene was only Hershey’s chocolate syrup, but in reality there was nothing sweet about this horror flick.  Most who saw this movie refused to use their showers after this, making bath tubs increasingly popular again.  And Anthony Perkins made it downright terrifying to be a “momma’s boy.”

11.  The Blair Witch Project:  Okay, so this movie got mixed reviews.  At first everyone loved it, thinking it to be a real documentary about three lost college kids in the woods.  Then, after we all learned those college kids were merely actors and there was a script involved, the movie’s reputation became greatly damaged.  I, personally, loved this movie and despite the fact it wasn’t based on true events, I still enjoy watching it each and every Halloween.  The eerie moaning sounds emanating from the woods and the child handprints inside the creepy house always freaked me out.

10.  Saw (I and II):  When I watch this movie, I imagine what I would do if something like this were to happen to me.  Could I gauge my eye out in order to find a hidden key that I would need to free myself from ultimate death?  Or would I possibly be able to cut off my foot with a dull, rusted saw just so I could to get to another level?  Yes, I would probably have to, but thinking about it and seeing different straining scenarios played out in this movie, is definitely not much fun.

9.  House:  A cult classic, I believe.   This flick is not only scary, but humorous too, which is hard to pull off successfully.  William Katt is great in this movie; an actor you don’t get to see very often.  And then there is George Wendt, our favorite Cheers bar patron, who provides comic assist to this film, not to mention Richard Moll, formerly of Night Court, who makes a mean ghost. One of the greatest parts in House is the troll scene, and the nightmarish monster woman with her slinky dress and red fingernails.  A can’t miss during the season.

8.  The Uninvited: This is a film that pre-dates many other horror films.  The Univited came out in 1944, and is still haunting movie fans to this day.  The mysterious tale revolves around a ghostly seaside abode discovered by a brother and sister. Some feel that it’s the vintage horror flicks that are much more terrifying than the modern day slasher, gore films.  I couldn’t agree with this more.

7.  The Sentinel:  This 1970s horror film stars Ava Gardner and Fright Night‘s Chris Sarandon and is set in a Brooklyn Heights apartment.  The movie is full of surprises, including a very sexually disturbing scene involving a young Beverly D’Angelo.  The ending of this movie is very frightening, and so is an earlier scene involving a half naked old man with a cut off nose.  Did I spark your interest yet?

6.  Freaks:  Another downright scary, and visually disturbing vintage horror flick.  It debuted in 1932, and was about sideshow carnival freaks.  There was no fancy special effects or make-up artistry used, which brought a truly terrifying factor to the film.  It was all very real and all very creepy.

5.  The Sixth Sense:  Perhaps it’s a tad played out by now, and we all know the surprise ending, but this is a Halloween classic.  If you are into the paranormal, you will truly appreciate this movie even after seeing it for the gadzillionth time.  I can still remember seeing this the first time at the theatre and the unified gasps of all the movie goers after the amazing ending was revealed.  One of the best ghost films ever.

4.  It:  Simple name, scary movie.  This is a movie that defined what it’s like to be clown phobic.  If you aren’t scared of clowns prior to this film, you can almost guarantee you will be afterwards.  It took me years to walk by storm drains after seeing the film. “They all float down here…”  Beware of big rubber shoes and bright red noses.

3.  Rear Window:  This is by far one of my all time favorites.  Rear Window is a psychological thriller without any blood or guts to be seen.  Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly are phenomenal here.  As a woman, it is worth it to see this movie just for Kelly’s beautiful change of costuming throughout.  Talk about elegance!  But as a horror lover, this is a must-see.  Hitchcock is genius with Rear Window.  This flick makes me miss my apartment days for sure.  Disturbia, starring Shia LaBeouf, is a modern day version of this classic, but holds no comparison.

2.  The Shining:  Another favorite horror movie of mine.  Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall were perfectly cast in The Shining.  The acting was superb and the one liners in this movie are classics to this day.  ”Heeere’s Johnny!”  When I first saw this movie as a child, there was a lot I didn’t understand.  Seeing it as I got older, I definitely understood and that wasn’t always a good thing.  Many of the scenes in this film are not only frightening and gruesome, but deeply disturbing.  I was particularly scared of The Shining as a child mostly because my dad was a dead ringer for Jack Nicholson.  Having a dad that looked like a deranged killer was a bit unnerving.

1.  Halloween-the original:  When I took this poll, most people responded with this movie as being their all time favorite.  It conjures the image of what Halloween should be:  fallen leaves strewn across quiet neighborhood streets, carving pumpkins, watching scary movies, trick or treating and what the “boogeyman” is.  This movie set the standards for all other classic horror movies.  It also put Jamie Lee Curtis on the map.  The soundtrack to this film is one of the most listened to of all scary movie soundtracks of all time. Afterall, it just wouldn’t be Halloween without Halloween.

Brian Harnois Interview

If you love watching the Sci-Fi channel, or now shown as SyFy channel, you probably saw the hit series Ghost Hunters with Jason and Grant as they lead their team of paranormal investigators across New England and the rest of the United States searching for some scientific evidence, or evidence of reasonable acceptance that ghosts do exist.  For many they set the bar on how to investigate, and we got to speak to their original tech manager Brian Harnois, best known for his “DUDE, RUN!” incident at Eastern State Penetentary in Philadelphia, PA.

Brian has been with the group for years, and has since moved on to other paranormal ventures like his new paranormal radio show, which is set to debut in October of 2009.  We had the esteem privilege to sit and talk with him, about his journey in the paranormal, his time on Ghost Hunters and see where he’s headed in the future.  We also have the podcast of the interview if you would like to listen on our podcast link.

Did you ever have a real paranormal experience before you started to investigate it?

Yeah, that’s how I started out in my paranormal career. I was eleven at my friend’s house. I was sleeping over there. He always said his house was haunted. So that night I was on the top bunk, he was on the bottom, and it was then I saw a full bodied apparition walking through his room. It freaked me out enough that I wanted to know more about the stuff. That’s where I started.

What do you love most about the paranormal, what is so fascinating about it to you?

The whole point of knowing do they actually really exist. There is no real proof, no scientific proof ghosts exist. It seems like the more you go investigate the less you find. If there are ghosts they are so diligent on not being found out. That’s one thing I am fascinated about, trying to find that one good piece of evidence, the one that blows everyones mind.. still haven’t found it yet.

What made you say… TODAY I am going to be a paranormal investigator?

After the experience when I was younger, I started reading and doing research. Then when I was old enough to go out by myself at night and drive, when I was around 16 to 17 years old, I started to go into different buildings and places to find another ghost. The passion grew so I wanted to find more places to investigate.

Did you ever have a group of your own prior to TAPS, or do your own private investigations?

TAPS was my first group. I did it by myself for two years prior, but in 1999 I joined TAPS. That was my first real experience with a group.

When did you join TAPS and why?

It was a fluke actually. In 1999 I wanted to join a group so I Googled “Rhode Island” and the word “paranormal,” and the first one that came up was TAPS. I clicked on their site. I saw Jason Hawes was one of the co-founders of the group, so I emailed him. Then like five minutes later the phone rang. He must have been online at the time. I did leave my phone number, and he asked me to meet him at Bess Eat’n Donuts in Warwick, Rhode Island and I joined… it was a fluke.

From your experience, what is the most common mistake paranormal investigators make on evidence?

Orbs. Someone will take a picture of a room with tons of dust particles in the air. They see the picture and they’re like, “Look, look, orbs!” They really have to realize a lot of it’s nothing but dust. That’s one of the common mistakes with groups on their websites. It’s a big mistake. That is just now being realized.

How important is it to keep your heart and emotions out of the research when you investigate?

On a technical standpoint, I never do, but it’s hard not to. If I were someone doing an investigation, I never would because when dealing with some entities they feed off your emotions, and if you come in with your emotions ablaze, they can pick those things up and use it against you. The only emotion I show is when I find something. You should be calm, cool and collective. It can also distort what you see. If you want to see something bad enough, your imagination can take over and you will see a ghost that’s not there. So the best thing to do is investigate the way you should. If you find something, you find something, if you don’t, you don’t… just let it be the way it is.

What advice do you have for amateur or independent paranormal investigators?

Best thing is don’t go in there thinking you need 10k dollars of equipment. You need knowledge more than anything. You go into an investigation you make sure you have knowledge and book smarts. On the equipment, you don’t need that much money in it, if you think you do, then your not ghost hunting the right way. When I go in, I have my EMF detector, flash light, digital recorder and camera, that’s it. You don’t need a DVR, you don’t need a thermal camera. Just go in and have some fun, but make sure you bring knowledge. If you go in without any concept of what your doing, that could get you in some serious trouble.

I know you’ve investigated graveyards. Many people say they are not haunted, and why would they be? The person’s body is there and they’re not connected to it anymore. Do you believe that? Any proof that the statement is wrong?

I have been to many cemeteries, that’s where I started. I saw some things and caught some things. I have seen some apparitions and shadows. Why are they there? Maybe they want to be with their body. I never really found out why they stay with their body, but some of them do, and heck it works for me because I get to investigate them.

What was the most frightening experience you had as a paranormal investigator?

I would have to say back in 2003 when I did an exorcism with my mentor Keith Johnson. She was 87 years old, and turned into a demon. Her eyes turned black, she talked in all different kind of languages and it took four to five people to hold her down. That was really scary and the most frightening thing because it wasn’t just a spirit, but demonic and attached to a human, and a human can hurt you. It wasn’t just dealing with a ghost but dealing with a live person and that is sometimes scarier than dealing with a ghost. That was one of the most frightening experiences of my life.

While working with TAPS, what was your most memorable experience?

I would have to say the St. Augustine Lighthouse down in Florida. It was amazing. We were shooting that part of the show, Jason and Grant went in, then said there was something in there they wanted us to investigate. So, me and Dustin went in there, and all hell broke loose. The things were talking to us, we said hello and it said hello back, we saw full body apparitions walking up stairs, full battery drains on everyone in the whole crew in the lighthouse. Everything you could possibly get while dealing with a ghost you got in that St. Augustine Lighthouse that night. I was totally flabbergasted; it was the Holy Grail of ghost hunting. Funny thing is, they didn’t want us to investigate the lighthouse, they said nothing ever happens in there.

Who were you closest with on the team and why?

Keith Johnson was my mentor, he kept me going and taught me everything I need to know. It was like a big brother/little brother, father/son situation. I started getting close with Steve Gonslaves. I knew him a few years before the show started. I urged Jason and Grant to get him on the show; I wanted him by my side. I shared a hotel room with him, and investigated with him constantly. The first episodes of Ghost Hunters, they didn’t know what to do with us because we didn’t talk. The producers wanted them to make us talk. The reason why we didn’t was because we were so in sync with each other with ghost hunting, so we didn’t need to talk. We just would go into a room and we knew what each other was doing; you were supposed to be quiet anyway on a ghost hunt.

Does your paranormal side venture into UFOs, legends and what have you?

Well, I think I saw a UFO when I was 16 -years-old here in Warwick, Rhode Island. It was a scary situation, creepy actually. I saw a triangle in the sky with yellow, red and blue dots on it. I believe in stuff like UFOS; we can’t be the only intelligent life form in this solar system. Cryptozoology, like Bigfoot maybe, the Chupacabra, I don’t know. The Jersey Devil, Moth Man, no, I don’t think so. The Moth Man was just a gimmick. I have never seen anything like a huge moth. Voodoo, zombies… yeah, I believe in those. Vampires and werewolves, do I believe in them, even though they are in the limelight now? Probably not, but ghosts can’t be the only thing. I do believe in other things in the paranormal but I never ventured into those areas but one day I might.

Lets move on to your current gig… paranormal radio. Tell us how you got involved with paranormal radio?

I haven’t started it yet because of the baby, but when I talked to Fred Angel, he wanted me to do a paranormal radio show and I had done one a year ago with Donna LaCroix called Demon Radio and it got a huge reception. People wanted to hear us on the radio, Blog Talk Radio. We crashed Blog Talk Radio twice. For Blog Talk Radio you don’t get much of a following, and the last show we had, had 35k people. So Fred Angel asked me if I would do a radio show, and I said, “Alright, I can do it.” It’s under a business I started called Beware Promotions, probably called the Brian Harnois Hour. It’s not your mother’s paranormal radio show. I am going to get down to the nitty gritty of things. I am going to take the drama and bring it to the forefront; there is just too much drama in the field now and I am sick of it. I want to call attention to it so the drama dies out and we can get back to investigating before Ghost Hunters started. We aren’t a community anymore, and that is why I want to do this. I hope it kicks off and becomes a success. We can do a lot more things in the future. It should start in October, at night, around Halloween. I am not going to be nice to the guests. I am going to do the hard hitting questions like Larry King and Don Irmus.

If people want to get a hold of you, see what your doing… how can they?

Very easy, I have a bunch of websites: www.brianharnois.net, www.wicks.com/brainharnois/brainharnois, and www.bewarepromotions.com. This {last} one connects different para-celebs, and para-events… you know, be like an agent for the people in the paranormal fields. We connect groups with groups. We are going to be like the the TAPS family and get other groups where they can all communicate on cases and help them to get the case done. Right now it’s got a good review; lots of groups and radio stations that want to be represented. I want to bring the whole paranormal community together and it’s growing fast. The other websites are www.facebook.com/brianharnois or www.myspace.com/wheezy.

Before we finish up, let’s do a quick drill to find out more about you.

1.Favorite Food – Pizza

2.Favorite Horror Flick – Night of the Living Dead

3.Favorite All Time Movie – Star Wars

4.Favorite Song – “Summer Breeze,” by Temp Negative

5.Favorite TV Show – Scrubs

6.Favorite Hobby – ghost hunting

7.Most memorable childhood moment – The haunting at my friend’s house.

8.Favorite Sport – Football

9.Favorite Team NFL – Bills, MLB – Red Sox, NBA – Celtics, NHL – Bruins

10.Most Used Quote – “Dude, Run!”

11.Favorite Book – World War Z,  by Max Brooks

“Dude, Run!” with Brian Harnois

If you love watching the Sci-Fi channel, or now known as SyFy channel, you probably have seen the hit series Ghost Hunters with Jason and Grant as they lead their team of paranormal investigators across New England and the rest of the United States searching for some scientific evidence, or evidence of reasonable acceptance that ghosts do exist.

Ghost Hunters became one of the first shows on television that actually took you around to these different places and showed you a real ghost investigation. The investigators come out to each location and set up some amazing high tech and oh so expensive equipment which makes viewers sit in awe to see what they can capture.

The group featured on Ghost Hunters is actually TAPS, and TAPS has really set the bar on the standards for investigation groups across America in terms of how to investigate and how to call a place based on evidence. TAPS also has a huge network of ghost hunting teams across the globe; to be one of their teams in their network you must apply and accept their basic beliefs.

However, for one of their former members, Brian Harnois, his humble roots in ghost hunting began by a personal experience, and living both sides of the spectrum he truly believes that ghost hunting should remain simple and fun.

Brian’s love of ghost hunting and the paranormal started back when he was very young, around 11 years old. He spent the night over at one of his friend’s houses, and his friend told him that the place was haunted. That didn’t deter Brian from coming over and having a fun sleep over with his friend. However, this particular night he would see first hand that his friend wasn’t joking. Brian remembers settling into bed that night; his friend had the bottom bunk, and Brian took the top. He laid there about to shut his eyes, when out of nowhere a full bodied apparition appears and walks through the room only to disappear as fast as it came. Only a true ghost hunter could fall asleep after seeing something like that.

From this point on, Brian’s fascination for the paranormal blossomed. He started reading up on ghosts with books that told of ghostly tales to more scientific books that focused on topics such as demonology for instance. Finally around the age of 16 to 17, he was able to drive himself around at night and that’s when he started his life of investigating. He would stay out till the wee hours of the morning, or whenever his curfew brought him home, gathering evidence and trying to find another spirit like the one in his friend’s house.  No matter where that took him, he didn’t care if it was a cemetery or a house, he was going to find one.

So, what keeps Brian coming back for more?  It’s the idea that there is no real or scientific proof that ghosts exist. It’s his mission in life to capture that one piece of indisputable great piece of evidence that wows everyone. He is also bugged by the fact, and any real investigator will understand, that the more you investigate the less you find.  If there are ghosts around, they are diligent on not being found.  If they are out there, Brian is diligent on making them known; they can’t hide forever with him on the job.

In 1999, Brian was interested in joining a paranormal group and his first and only group came by a fluke as he says. One day he sat at his computer with a mission, to find a paranormal group, so he Googled “Rhode Island” and “paranormal” as keywords, and the first listing was TAPS. Brian started from the top of the list, and clicked TAPS. He found that the group was located right in his home city of Warwick, and Jason Hawes was one of the co-founders.  He e-mailed them his name and request, along with a phone number and upon clicking the send button, hoped they would respond. Ironically, within a few minutes, he got a phone call from Jason who asked to meet him at Bess Eaten Donuts in Warwick, and from that point on he came on as tech-manager for TAPS.

While on the TAPS group Brian got the chance to visit some pretty impressive places.  Some were truly haunted and some were not; they were able to debunk all the claims the owner experienced. It was at Eastern State Penitentiary where he coined the phrase, “Dude, run!”  This happened when something spooked the camera man, which spooked Brian in a rare occurrence.  He never really got to live that one down. However, one of his most memorable cases was here in Florida at the St. Augustine Lighthouse.

“It was amazing. We were shooting that part of the show and Jason and Grant went in, then said there was something in there they wanted us to investigate. So, me and Dustin went in there, and all hell broke loose. The things were talking to us, we said hello and it said hello back. We saw full body apparitions walking up stairs, full battery drains on everyone in the whole crew in the lighthouse. Everything you could possibly get while dealing with a ghost you got in that St. Augustine Lighthouse that night. I was totally flabbergasted; it was the Holy Grail of ghost hunting. Funny thing is, they didn’t want us to investigate the lighthouse. They said nothing ever happens in there.”

Throughout his tenure with TAPS, he left once and returned, but in his return he was no longer the Tech-Manager.  That title went to one of his best friends, Steve Gonslaves.  That didn’t bother him at all; he knew Steve earned it. Despite leaving TAPS and coming back, Steve and Brian remained close.  It was Brian, after all, who convinced Jason and Grant to bring Steve on board. The pair was magical when they investigated because they knew what each other was doing. There was no need for talking, which Brian laughed at because it really got the producers of Ghost Hunters irritated. They wanted them to talk and didn’t know what to do with the pair, so they compromised and talked more. Brian was also taught by one of the best, Keith Johnson, who he credits as his mentor and today still shares a tight bond with beyond the Ghost Hunters realm.

Today Brian is a happily married man, a role he takes very seriously. He is also the proud daddy of two beautiful children whom he loves spending time with. Brian has also left the TAPS team and is currently pursuing new ventures in the paranormal realm. He has a new website that is coming out soon, and has a paranormal talk radio show called “The Brian Harnois Hour” which is set to take the airwaves in October, close to Halloween.

The Brian Harnois Hour is a project by his company, Beware Promotions. “ It’s not your mother’s paranormal radio show. I am going to get down to the nitty gritty of things. I am going to take the drama and bring it to the forefront; there is just too much drama in the field now and I am sick of it. I want to call attention to it so the drama dies out and we can get back to investigating before Ghost Hunters started. We aren’t a community anymore, and that is why I want to do this. I hope it kicks off and becomes a success, so we can do a lot more things in the future with it,” explains Brian.

Beware Promotions is Brian’s “baby,” something he is trying to put together quickly so it can benefit ghost hunting groups and paranormal affiliates everywhere. It will even benefit those who need the services of these groups.

“Beware Promotions will connect different para-celebs, para-events. You know, be like an agent for the people in the paranormal fields. We connect groups with groups; I call it a big umbrella. We are going to be like the the TAPS family, and get other groups where they can all communicate on cases and help get groups to get the case done. Right now it’s got a good review; lots of groups that want to be represented, radio stations, and a bunch of people that want to be represented. I want to bring the whole paranormal community together and it’s growing fast,” states Brian.

Brian has had the opportunity that not many ghost hunters will ever get, and still he prefers the old fashioned way. He was on television, radio, and now he brings his experiences and connections to ghost hunting groups across the world. His ambition to find the invisible is unmeasurable; it’s what makes him so good in the field. Like many investigators in any field, Brian’s ways are based on knowledge and truth.  He reports only what he finds and what is true, leaving his emotions aside to give us cold hard facts. There isn’t anything that makes one more true in life, making his words credible. I look to see some great things for this amazing individual in the future. Believe it or not, with all he’s done already his career is just beginning.

If you want to contact Brian or know what he’s up to, check out these sites and look for his radio station set to air in October 2009. These sites will have the details:

www.facebook.com/brianharnois

www.myspace.com/wheezy

www.wicks.com/brianharnois/brianharnois

www.bewarepromotions.com

www.brianharnois.net

Click here to read the actual transcribed interview with Brian and The Expressionist Magazine, or listen to it on our podcast. It can also be found at our paranormal magazine, Beyond The Limits.

Patrick Swayze Dies At Age 57

I think the closing scene of Dirty Dancing says it best, when describing the life of Patrick Swayze.. “I had the time of my life.”  Today, at the age of 57, acclaimed actor Patrick Swayze surcome to pancreatic cancer; passing away quietly at his home with his wife and family by his side. He lived life doing what he loved and had so much fun doing it.

Patrick was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer almost two years ago.  The actor bravely fought for a cure, while fighting for his life, never once giving in to the disease that was ravaging his body.  Swayze in the last few months of life looked frail and sickly but his heart was full of strength and will.

This is not the first time this disease has taken out an actor of his caliber, just look at Michael Landon.  Swayze’s best and most recognized roles include Dirty Dancing (Johnny Castle), and Ghost (Sam Malone).  Swayze was currently working on a television series “The Beast.”  According to A&E this series had a respective 1.3 million viewers during the short 1 year of publication before being pulled.  Swayze remarkably went through the series without pain killers because they would affect his performance.  Swayze was also putting together a memoir of his life with his wife; look for that to hit stores in the future.

We will all miss this great actor, and wish his family our best in a time of tragedy.

Unforgettable Productions

There’s no doubt about it, Lindsay Lohan is definitely unforgettable, espeically with those outlandish parties and her ghastly behavior that has made the tabloids rich.  The Expressionist thought that Lohan just needed something to believe in, and when that came, she would rise to glory again.

It seems that day has come.  The starlett already was an entrepreneur with a spray tan product and leggings, but now it appears Lohan will be teaming up with the head of her 6126 fashion brand and will take television by storm, creating her own production company, “Unforgettable Productions.”

She already did a TV movie for the Family Channel, one of the first television roles she’s had since her meltdown.  It appears that her hand in television won’t be performing, instead it will be production, a faux-reality series and a dating show.

This appears to be a step into the right direction for this troubled child star, and though history we see many child stars went down the same path she did.  So congratulations to Lindsay Lohan; we can’t wait to see what you have in store for us next.

Who Ya Gonna Call? GHOSTBUSTERS

“Are you troubled by strange noises in the middle of the night?  Do you experience feelings of dread in your basement or attic? Have you or your family ever seen a spook, specter or ghost?  If the answer is ‘yes,’ then don’t wait another minute.  Pick up the phone and call the professionals:  The Ghostbusters.  Our courteous and efficient staff is on call 24 hours a day to serve all your supernatural elimination needs.  We’re ready to believe you.”

The 1984 comedy about a group of paranormal investigators in New York City has emerged as a cult classic.  It’s hard to believe that 25 years ago I was sitting in a movie theatre with my friend watching Ghostbusters.  The story line was new and fresh, and the characters were lovable.  Dan Ackroyd starred as Dr. Raymond Stanz, Bill Murray was Dr. Peter Venkman and Harold Ramis portrayed the very dry Dr. Egon Spengler.  Actor Ernie Hudson hooked up with the ghost busting trio later in the movie as Winston Zeddmore. Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis and Annie Potts also joined the all star cast.  The Ghostbusters, equipped with jumpsuits and proton packs, had to save “The Big Apple” from an ancient Sumerian god, otherwise known as Gozer the Gozerian.

The movie was no doubt a success.  T-shirts and bumper stickers began popping up everywhere with the famous movie quote, “He slimed me.”  Just about every kid in the 80s owned a Ghostbusters metal lunch box, and paranormal investigation was introduced to America in a whole new way.  The movie still has many of us today quoting its lines.  Ghostbusters is just as much loved now as it was in its debut year of 1984.  There are rumors of a third Ghostbusters film being made, and an official Ghostbusters video game has been flying off store shelves.  The movie’s merchandise (t-shirts, DVDs, and Halloween costumes) are still selling strong.

Then, there are the Ghostbuster fans that take their adoration for the beloved movie to a whole other level.  Groups of men and women all over the country are dressing up in patch covered jumpsuits and driving around in their Ecto-1′s.  To some it may seem silly, but to many of the movie’s fans, these ghost busting guys and gals are celebrities.  They attend conventions and their “get-ups” are nearly identical to those used in the movie.  When it comes to Ghostbuster trivia, these guys know everything.

I recently was fortunate enough to interview Tampa Bay’s own Ghostbusters.  Patrick Creel, the creator/founder of the group, said he had wanted to be a Ghostbuster since the tender age of four.  As Creel got older, he began attending many sci-fi and horror conventions.  There was one main thing these conventions were lacking:  Ghostbusters.  It was then that Creel decided to put together a group.  So, in January 2008 he got his crew together for the FX Show.  Creel’s group ended up winning best sci-fi costumes.  According to Creel, the rest was pretty much history.  More people got involved with the Tampa Bay Ghostbusters and bigger things would soon follow.

Kimberly Balevre remembers bumping into Creel at several conventions in 2008.  ”He was dressed as a full-out Ghostbuster with music even coming out of the proton pack!” recalls Balevre.  ”We got to talking, became friends, then started dating and now live together.”  Balevre admits she always wanted to portray a female Ghostbuster, so this year at MegaCon 2009, she got her chance. In addition to her Ghostbuster role, Balevre also enjoys playing her version of Janine.  Jason Rawley, the third group member, also joined last year.  ”I wanted to just put on the uniform and show off my props to entertain people and see where it would take me,” states Rawley.  Currently, Tampa Bay Ghostbusters have five members:  Patrick Creel, Jason Rawley and his wife Dawn, Kimberly Balevre and Ken Plant.

It seems that most of us who have seen the movie have a favorite character or Ghostbuster.  Perhaps there is a specific Ghostbuster we find ourselves identifying with.  With the Tampa Bay Ghostbusters, each member plays the role of a character based around their own personalities in the Ghostbuster mythos.  According to the group, “none of the members really assume the roles played by Bill Murray, Dan Ackroyd or Harold Ramis.  We are ourselves for the most part; we just ramp up the sarcastic humor and biting wit in order to play a Ghostbuster.”  Balevre exclaims, “I don’t incorporate it into the group really, but I consider myself to be a Ray Stanz type.  When he slid down the fire pole and was dorking about that firehouse and blew up the chandelier off the ceiling [in Ghosbusters 1] and had the occult book store [in Ghostbusters 2].  I was like, ‘Yup, I’m Ray!’”

And speaking of Ran Stanz, the Tampa Bay Ghostbusters have had the great honor of meeting the actor who portrayed him in the movie.  When Creel met Ackroyd it was one of the best experiences of his life.  ”To me, this was the Holy Grail of people in my life to meet and I have met him twice.  He was the creator of Ghostbusters.  He is the definition of a gentleman.  He loves his fans and fans like us, he really loves.  He has made himself very accessible to the Ghostbuster community; he cares about what he has created.  A 100% class act.”  Balevre remembers when he referred to her as the female cadet of the group and then got up and hugged her.  Rawley believes Ackroyd ranks at the top of most celebrities when it comes to his charisma and fan dedication. “He definitely went out of his way for us and it’s very encouraging to see someone like him who is not ‘too big’ for their fame.”

The Tampa Bay Ghostbusters take much pride in their wardrobe, gadgetry and even their vehicle.  But how do these guys and gals acquire such fancy equipment and accessories?  According to the group, they build all their own props.  Creel works at a home improvement store, which aids in the Ghostbuster’s prop making, such as the proton pack and other various pieces of equipment. Creel states that the props do just what the ones in the movie do, before they add in the effects.  Their uniforms are Air Force flight suits with equipment and attachments that have to be found or built.  In addition, the group says they refer to a Ghostbuster fan community site online in which research and resources can be shared.  As far as a vehicle, Rawley recently purchased a Chevy HHR and along with Ghostbuster Ken Plant, began converting it into the Ecto-1X.  Rawley claims this is a “somewhat secret that everyone knows about.”

So, what do the Ghostbusters do when they’re all suited up and ready to go?  ”We attend comic/sci-fi and horror conventions in Tampa and Orlando.  These conventions include the “Spooky Empire Screamfest,” the “FX Show,” “MegaCon,” and the “Tampa Comic Con.”  In October, the group gets festive.  Creel and his fellow Ghostbusters march and throw beads in Ybor City’s Guavaween parade, which is a smaller version of Mardi Gras.  When they’re not attending conventions or hamming it up for parade crowds, the Ghostbusters help raise money for local charities and appear at their events such as “Stars of Hope,” the “Leukemia and Lymphoma Society,” and animal shelters.  ”Doing the charity events came naturally as my wife and I already supported the “Leukemia and Lymphoma Society” due to [my wife] Dawn being diagnosed with and surviving AML (Acute Myeloid Leukemia) years before,” states Ghostbuster Jason Rawley.

Who makes up the majority of the Ghostbuster’s fan base here in Tampa Bay?  ” We run into a lot of other adults our age who remember Ghostbusters fondly, but it’s amazing how the younger generation also recognizes us from a movie that pre-dates them,” explains the group.  ”In this way, we can have a good time challenging the kids with our humor and entertaining their parents all at once.  Also, as the 25th anniversary comes into play and Ghostbusters is being seen more and more, new fans emerge and old ones remember what at a fantastic movie Ghostbusters is.”

So, what is it that makes Ghostbusters such a classic?  According to the group, “Few movies combine just the right elements of comedy, drama, sci-fi, story, characters, setting and effects perfectly, but Ghostbusters pulled it off.  Here we are 25 years later and it still makes everyone’s top list of movie comedies.  Our success as a group is also a testament to how enduring Ghostbusters is.”

Since the movie is so great, how many times have these guys seen it?  Rawley says that he remembers going to the Largo library as child and seeing Ghostbusters in the VHS section for rent.  ”We would select three movies and I’d say about 75% of the time, Ghostbusters would be one of them.  I saw the movie so many times growing up, that it is according to Webster’s dictionary, ridiculous!”  Balevre says she has seen the movie too many times to remember and Creel confesses, “I know this will sound sick, but the amount of times I have watched Ghostbusters, between both movies (1 and 2), I would say it would at least take up a good year of my 30 years of life on this planet.”

And how do the Tampa Bay Ghostbusters feel about the new video game?  Rawley says he can’t wait to play it, while Creel is proud to have beat it.  ”I love it!  They really captured the original Ghostbusters magic.  I’m very impressed as a fan,” states Creel.

The Tampa Bay Ghostbusters have felt great success since their debut in 2008 and plan to embrace even more success in the coming years.  ”We have seen our work get us noticed by professional people in the movie and entertainment industries and I hope that as we continue, we will see more and more positive results from that,” states the group.  ”In the meantime, we will just continue to do what good we can in our community.”

And so here is the question I have been dying to know:  Do the Tampa Bay Ghostbusters really ghost bust?  ”Amateurs at best!  We get asked that a lot, but one thing we can all say is that we believe there is definitely something out there,” states the group.  Well, perhaps these guys aren’t paranormal experts in the field, but to the fans of Ghostbusters, they are the real deal.

To learn more about the Real Tampa Bay Ghostbusters, visit them at www.myspace.com/tampabayghostbusters

In addition to the Tampa Bay Ghostbusters, there are other Florida divisions, as well as divisions throughout the United States.  For more information on joining a Ghostbuster division or finding out their locations, go to the website: gbfans.com.

Freedom Of Speech vs. Morality

This article is something that’s near and dear to my heart, something I wish and hope that everyone who reads this will listen to and apply to their everyday lives.  I don’t know if you actually look at the entertainment industry nowadays, but it’s grown out of control on so many aspects.  For instance, look at the celebrities with their drinking and drug use.  They seem to have total disregard to their community, mocking the judicial system by getting off easy simply because of their name.  We also can’t forget to mention the violence and vulgarity on the silver screen that’s piped through our television and radio.  Things are not like they used to be.

Growing up in the 80s, it was taboo to say the word “damn” on the television or radio.  Now anything goes except the “f-bomb” and sadly enough, the word God.  In today’s radio and television we glorify sex, murder, gangs, blood, guts and gore.  Though absolutely hilarious, we show television programs that depict people doing stupid stunts that we all want to try.  Now, none of this stuff would have been seen 20 some years ago. Yet, today this is what our children are watching and want to be like. Where did our values go?  Ask the ACLU.

Despite all the violence, swearing and sex on television, the silver screen, radio and the Internet, those that watch also idolize these situations and celebrities that are running a muck.  This is a scary situation that predicts a dismal future.  Why you ask?  Those that idolize and want to replicate these stunts and behavior are our children.

Since the 1980s with morals in the trash can, we have seen a huge increase in violence.  I don’t know how many times children and those easily influenced have been on trial for a crime they saw or heard through music, television or the movies.  They literally act them out in real life, forgetting that this is not the way of life we live.  Those on the silver screen that were killed or raped or what-have-you, are sitting nicely in their trailers collecting a huge paycheck to “act” that incident out and “play” a victim.  However, our children don’t know that, and neither to the easily influenced.  That does not excuse the fact that now their lives are forever ruined and the reality of their actions slap them hard in the court of law.  They don’t have a name to get them off of their crime, and their victims may not always get up or live their lives the same again.

With this new revolution of “anything” goes I have also seen an alarming increase of parental disrespect by children that the parents just take and do nothing about.  I see troubled teens turning to the fantasy world for answers, when their parents are right in the next room… or are they?

That’s exactly my point, as parents it’s our duty to monitor what our children are watching and listening to.  It’s okay to let them watch that stuff and listen to those explicit lyrics in music as long as you do your job and parent them.  Talk to them about that song or movie, tell them what is right and what is wrong and why it’s wrong and what the consequences are.  Tell your children that talking back, and disrespecting you as a parent is wrong and will not be tolerated.  Let them know that you are always here to help them out with any problem they have, and that the only role model they need in their lives is you.  Like it or not you are their role model, and they should mimic you in everything you do; another reason to live life the best way you can.  Modern America, with all the goodies and luxuries we want, condemns us to work almost around the clock.  Yet, those who suffer are the children, despite the fact they can go to school in their own BMWs.

Don’t let them be influenced by these celebrities, and don’t let fantasy glorify your children or family into doing something that they will forever regret.  As America turns for the worst down the road of morality, it’s our duty to remind those what the right morals are that our founding fathers infused into our great country.  Be their parent and not their friend, that is the only way you can keep from seeing your child’s face in the newspaper for something you absolutely don’t want.

I can think of two great songs that depict what I am saying to the fullest.  Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young sang, “Teach your children well, their father’s hell did slowly go by, and feed them on your dreams, the one they picked, the one you’ll know by.”  And probably the one by Whitney Houston, “I believe that children are our future, teach them well and help them lead the way, show them all the beauty they posses inside.”  It’s a simple thing to do, while lending wisdom to your child and spending quality time with them.

Obsessed With The Unnecessary

This world is filled with talented and superb actors, actresses, performers, artists and musicians, yet I can’t help but notice their talents are being overlooked. Sadly, this is happening because of the insane obsession with the mute details of their personal lives that don’t touch anyone at all.

America has an unquenchable thirst for knowing everyone’s private life.  We need to know who shopped where, who’s dating who, who’s tanning at what beach, who’s wearing what and so on and so fourth.  None of this has anything to do with something that can touch our lives.  Instead it’s become an obsession that has caused paparazzi gangs to go and take pictures of these celebs while they are minding their own business. The frenzy has even led to people profiting off this information such as the Sun and Enquirer. These companies often take the truth and distort it while we fuel the fire by purchasing these publications.

We made television shows like the entire !E station that is dedicated to the red carpet and celebrity gossip, one of the hottest stations on television.  Then there are Joan and Melissa Rivers, the mother and daughter duo, who report about nothing except fashion blunders on the red carpet.  Don’t worry about the job these actors and actresses have done, it’s what they wore out in public that matters.

The insanity around this obsession has even turned Joan Rivers into a cat woman with plastic surgery, trying to avoid being on the wrong side of what she exploits. Quite ironic, don’t you think.  In doing so she ruined her face to avoid the same fate she gives her stars… oh, the hypocrisy of it all.

As Americans over the last few years we’ve become worried about our personal lives being exploited and known by the government.  It’s unseen that anyone should know our personal lives other than those whom we choose to tell.  If we were the target of such exploitation who knows what we’d do.  However, we don’t seem to have a problem when it’s done to our favorite stars.

We’ve completely made their personal lives more important and more in demand than the work they put out for us to enjoy.  Secrets have cost American Idol stars the championship, and have cost some celebrities major acting roles.

The paparazzi have even caused the famous to lose their lives, such as Princess Diana, just for a picture with her beau. In addition, they have ruined celebrities’ reputations, but at least we know what their personal lives entitle.  We say at The Expressionist, “Don’t give into the madness; it’s an invasion of privacy, and you wouldn’t want it done to you so why do it to someone else.”  Instead look at these people’s amazing talents and focus on that.  It’s what made them of interest in the first place.

David Carradine Dead

David is best known for his television role as Kwai Chang Caine of the popular 70s karate drama “Kung Fu”, which reincarnated in 1992 as “Kung Fu, The Legend Continues.”  David also had many other televison appearances to his name that span almost three decades. Probably his most notable silver screen appearance was in Kill Bill, David played Bill “The Snake Charmer.”  If you haven’t seen that insanely popular movie, I know you’ve seen him on the Yellowbook.com commercial.

Sadly, the Kung Fu actor was found dead in a hotel in Thailand on June 4th.  He apparently hung himself in a closet, naked, and oddly enough other parts of his body were tied together too.

Thai police call it suicide, but many are asking more questions into how valid that assumption is.  How could Carradine hang himself, when his legs and hands were bound also.  The pieces are not adding up, which many are overriding the suicide claim calling it murder.

His death shocks the world, his manager Chuck Binder goes on record to say “He was full of life, always wanting to work… a great person.”  Something that doesn’t sound like someone who is suicidal.

Despite acting, David also is a notable artist, musician, composer, and musical performer… oh yea he also sculpts.  An artist in many fields, its a sad day for all the arts.

He is survived by his wife, Annie Bierman, and three children including actresses Calista and Kansas. He was 72 years old.

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