The Vent:
There is a vent that runs right through the middle of Bloor Cinema. On the floor, perfectly aligned with the center of the screen. It’s roughly one foot wide and one foot deep. Inside the vent what appears to be black sludge can be viewed along with a small assortment of trash. I’m not sure what its purpose is but I assume it has something to do with the age of the cinema.

The Safe Seat
Last night a group of cinemagoers sat behind me and started arguing over who should sit above the vent. The reasoning behind this was simply that it was creepy. Of course this wasn’t rational thinking, but it’s true. I myself am not immune to this phobia. At every screening I have sat on the chair left of the vent, but never above it. I could argue that this is a conscious decision to keep my case clean as I keep it under my seat. However, on an unconscious level I am sure the fear of something grabbing me from underneath has been a motivation Of course the logic behind this is questionable since something from the vent could easily grab me in my chosen chair.

Atmospherics
The vent is another feature of the Bloor that makes its atmosphere perfect for horror screenings. Last night’s Alone could not have been more suited to exploiting this fear of danger from the dark. It’s an Asian psychological horror in the same vein as The Ring and The Grudge. These types of horror follow the simple but effective formulae of keeping the camera close to the main subject to the point of audience claustrophobia. The audience is left with the actor’s expressions to guide them through the scene -- until the tension has risen so high the audience begins to relax. Then, at this point the camera cuts, for a brief moment, to a horrifying visual which quickly disappears.

Terrifying Thai
If my memory serves correctly, the US has been unable to successfully pen its own version of the genre, instead relying on remaking Asian hits. Alone seems to be no different. 24 Frames, indie distributor, has acquired the US rights to the Thai film. An American remake is bound to be around the corner. Although Alone is not particularly terrifying, the group sitting behind me is bound to disagree. One girl was breathing so loud I thought she was going to hyperventilate. It delivers enough scares to induce sufficient adrenalin to keep one alert; however, I fear that my high expectations resulted in Alone being a disappointment.

Raring in Russia
My low expectations for Wolfhound certainly aided my enjoyment of the Russian fantasy epic. This is one of the most expensive Russian productions ever and to paraphrase programming manager, Peter Kuplowsky, it delivers everything you look for in the fantasy genre. Variety called it “Russia’s answer to Lord of the Rings”, however, it is far more like the 1982 Arnold Schwarzenegger fantasy epic Conan the Barbarian.

Boxoffice to Vaughn
Aleksandr Bukharov plays Wolfhound and this rugged Russian delivers a strong performance. With his large frame, dirty blonde hair and clear blue eyes someone better get a screener of Wolfhound to Matthew Vaughn before he begins casting for Thor.

Spooky Subway
After the screening it was time to travel home. Is there any mode of transport creepier than the subway? After being exposed to so much gore and horror in the last few days, ones thoughts drift into the morbid. What if someone pushes me off the platform? Would I be able to get off the tracks in time? What would it feel like to be crushed by a speeding train?

But none of this is half as scary as the TTC’s announcement that public transport fares are increasing Nov. 4.