Jeremy Burgess
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Writer/producer of @DontDieMovie and other films. Mastermind of the @DustOnTheVCR newsletter. Go Grizzlies. 🐻
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Articles by Jeremy Burgess
Selma and Montgomery Gear Up to Commemorate a Civil Rights Milestone
Decades ago, Central Alabama served as the home base for the Civil Rights Movement. Today the region is a hub of American history, though the work of its freedom fighters lives on through museums, churches, and the outreach of ordinary citizens.
On Willie Mays’ last day, the stands were full at his first home field: Op-ed
This is a guest opinion column Last Tuesday (June 18), as my friends and I walked through the gates of Rickwood Field, we were greeted by a makeshift museum exhibit dedicated to the legends of baseball’s Negro Leagues. Colorfully designed pillars paid tribute to players like Jackie Robinson, Josh Gibson, and Satchel Paige. But I couldn’t help but point at the picture of Willie Mays. “Y’all know he was the greatest of all time, right?” I said to anyone willing to entertain me.
Honokiol decreases alpha-synuclein mRNA levels and reveals novel targets for modulating alpha-synuclein expression.
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The High School Coach in Above the Rim (1994) is Incredibly Irresponsible
Note: This piece contains major spoilers about Above the Rim. It’s a good movie and I think you should watch it, so if you’re averse to spoilers, watch it first and then come back. March Madness is officially upon us, and it’s a good time to be a Hoya. (Shouts out to the legend Patrick Ewing and his Big East champions.) The spring of 1994 was also a good time to be a Hoya.
Steve McQueen was Far Too Old to Play a Teenager in The Blob (1958)
The Blob is a lot of things. Most of us would agree that it’s a cheap B-movie—it is, after all, a film about a giant alien blob destroying (consuming?) a small town in Pennsylvania—but it’s also in the Criterion Collection. (Kind of an odd choice for the esteemed preservationists of classic cinema, but I appreciate that it’s there.) The Blob also became something on accident: It became a launchpad for a bona fide movie star in Steve McQueen. Steve McQueen was a great actor.
The Muppet Movie (1979) is a Southern-Fried Culinary Nightmare
The Muppets have been in the news recently, mostly because Donald Trump Jr. doesn’t know how anything works. There is one person, though, who actually tried to cancel the Muppets. One person whose scheme would’ve permanently derailed the gang’s origin story and prevented this delightful film and television franchise from existing. (And it isn’t Nancy Pelosi.) That would be Doc Hopper, proprietor of a chain of frog legs restaurants. The most memorable moments of The Muppet Movie are the joyful ones.
Welcome to Dust On The VCR
Friends, family, acquaintances, strangers, enemies: Welcome to Dust On The VCR, my new writing project. Let me start by saying: I like writing about movies. I started writing about movies a lot in college. I’ve written about movies occasionally for newspapers and magazines and blogs.
Soul in Cinema: ‘Lovers Rock’ is a Reggae Blues House Party for the Ages
Words by Jeremy Burgess As Lovers Rock begins, we catch quiet glimpses of West London on a Saturday night in 1980. A train rolls into town. A woman does her friend’s hair. A trio of cooks prepares a curry goat dish in the kitchen. And a DJ crew rearranges the furniture in a two-story house so they can clear out a dance floor and set up their booth.
‘Saint Maud’ filters psychological horror through a religious lens
One of William Blake’s core principles—and perhaps one of his more controversial in its day—was a formal rejection of organized religion. He believed it was more of a social constraint, one that held Christians back from a more liberating and fulfilling spiritual life. This tenet of Blake’s philosophy is presented as a clue for the audience and the protagonist alike in ‘Saint Maud’. Maud herself reads his words out loud, quoting from a book that her patient has given her.
[Nightstream 2020] ‘Boys From County Hell’ Brings Vampire Lore Home to Ireland
When it comes to the origins of vampire lore, the rest of Europe always gets all the credit. Dracula and Nosferatu, both based on Bram Stoker’s original character, are centered on the villain’s home in Romania. Browning and Murnau sprinkle in some England and Germany as well. But we don’t often associate vampires with Stoker’s home country of Ireland. Boys From County Hell seeks to change all that.
[Nightstream 2020] 'Reunion' Blends Family Drama and Haunted House Horror
Jake Mahaffy is leaning into a handful of horror tropes with Reunion. There’s a young woman in distress. There’s a family that was fractured by a tragic event many years ago. And there’s a big, beautiful house that’s probably haunted, which serves as the single location for the film. Perhaps the biggest clue for viewers is one of the most specific ones: Our heroine, Ellie, is a writer.
Van Halen brings substance, not much flash to Oak Mountain Amphitheatre
As my cousin John and I were driving away from the Oak Mountain Amphitheatre last night, he shed some casual wisdom, as he often does. "You know, I think that at any given moment, in any given genre, there's one band or one artist that's the unquestionable number one in the game," he said. "Nirvana. Metallica. And at one point, that was Van Halen." Cousin John saw Van Halen twice on the "1984" tour, so he makes a good case. Trouble is, that was 30 years ago.
‘Possessor’ Proves Brandon Cronenberg is No Novelty Novice
To review a Brandon Cronenberg film without mentioning his father is a near-impossible task. At least, it probably felt that way in 2012. When the son of the legendary Canadian director announced himself with ‘Antiviral’, it was surely a gift and a curse. The quality of the filmmaking proved that he belonged, but his decision to explore similar themes (and lean into similar special effects) didn’t help him step out of his father’s shadow.
Don't Die | Seed&Spark
The problem of unattainable healthcare has been an issue for years, especially in the South. Don’t Die started as a lean crime thriller, but as the script developed, resonant ideas weaved their way in. We’re excited for an opportunity to craft a cinematic story that’s both entertaining and relevant. Several acres of hunting land in a small Tennessee town, complete with a big red barn, a herd of cattle, a vast stretch of woods, a lovely little farmhouse…and a super creepy basement.
It’s Time to Stop Villainizing the Little Boy from ‘The Babadook’
Yesterday, the IFC Midnight Twitter account cashed in on a popular meme about movie villains by referencing one of its most popular acquisitions to date: The Babadook. There was one problem, though: Samuel Vanek, the little boy played by Noah Wiseman, was the one portrayed as “the real villain” of the film. Before I go any further, I have to cut IFC Midnight some slack, as this piece isn’t meant to be targeted directly at them. Obviously, the tweet was meant in jest.
Jeremy Burgess’s profile • Letterboxd
Favorite films Recent activity All Pinned reviews More Jasper Mall 2020 ★★★★½ Rewatched 23 Jun, 2020 14 "Thank you so much for shopping with us over the years." The circle of life as reflected through the prism of a small-town shopping mall an hour from where I grew up. It's all here, but everything must go. Documentarians truly are the prospectors of the film industry, and these two directors dug up some golden moments, all the while keeping it in service of a bigger picture.
‘Shirley’ is a Brilliant Meditation on the Madness of the Creative Process [Review]
By Jeremy Burgess • 22 hours ago • Featured, News, Reviews Those who pen horror stories are often well-adjusted, personal people who just happen to enjoy crossing over into the darkness. Shirley Jackson always seemed…different. Her fiction seems a bit too good to come from a “normal” mind, and her noted lack of desire to engage the public about her work added even more mystery. Surely she was a reclusive madwoman with a gift for articulating the wicked ways of the world.
How 3 Birmingham groups are giving back during COVID-19
If you’ll forgive a rather loose and mawkish metaphor, consider how steel is made. It’s a two-step process. First, iron ore is mined from the ground. Then, it’s brought to a blast furnace where the impurities are removed and carbon is added. Finally, that steel is used to build things. We weren’t prepared for COVID-19. And to our credit, nobody was. But in the face of everyday uncertainties, some of our more resilient natives came together and shined a light.
[CFF 2020] ‘Killer Queen’ Channels the Grindhouse Era Through Lo-Fi Sensibilities
By Jeremy Burgess • 2 mins ago • News, Reviews It would be easy to dismiss Killer Queen as a gimmick of sorts. The film premiered in 2019, but it looks like it would’ve been screened in grindhouse theaters 45 years ago. While shooting on 8mm film may feel like a parlor trick to some viewers, the aesthetic choice here is likely what enabled first-time filmmaker Ramin Fahrenheit to capture his vision in the first place.
[CFF 2020] ‘The Pandemic Anthology’ Showcases Impressive Low-Budget Creativity From Across the Globe
By Jeremy Burgess • 2 mins ago • News, Reviews We knew the coronavirus films were coming. In fact, at least one was already here. And now, thanks to the Fantaspoa International Fantastic Film Festival in Brazil, we’ve got a whole anthology full of freshly made quarantine-themed short films from 14 different filmmakers across the globe. (Cue the groaning and eyerolling.) But sometimes, as right-brained people can attest, magical things can happen when you’re low on resources and on the clock.
[CFF 2020] 'Climate of the Hunter' is a Trippy Retro Conversation Piece on Mental Illness
By Jeremy Burgess • 2 mins ago • Reviews Mental illness on film is a tricky thing. When it’s told in a straight-forward linear manner, it can feel hollow or disingenuous (looking at you, Ron Howard). But if it leans too far into the abstract, it can be difficult to comprehend exactly what’s going on, or what we’re meant to believe. As with many psychological conditions themselves, sometimes the answer is that there are no easy answers.
[CFF 2020] ‘The Yellow Night’ is an Eerie Head Trip Across a Deserted Brazilian Island
By Jeremy Burgess • 17 hours ago • News, Reviews Low-budget horror films aren’t the type that usually have an accompanying single. The Yellow Night has one. Sort of. It’s an upbeat, old-school punk song by Metá Metá called “Me Perco Nesse Tempo”, and it plays at three different points throughout the film.
‘Shirley’ Trailer Promises a Glimpse Into the Mind of a Legendary Horror Author
Shirley Jackson has been overdue for the biopic treatment. Perhaps the most impactful voice in 19th century gothic horror, Jackson’s influence has hovered over the genre like a ghost. She gave us classic novels like “The Haunting of Hill House” and “We Have Always Lived In The Castle”, and if you’ve ever taken a high school English class, you’ve probably read her seminal short story “The Lottery”. Now, fresh off a buzzworthy debut at Sundance in January, we have our first trailer for Shirley.
Chattanooga Film Festival Teams with Microsoft to Go Virtual This May
For years, the Chattanooga Film Festival has been one of the most horror-friendly non-genre-specific film festivals in the country. And the 2020 edition was supposed to happen a week and a half ago. Of course, that was before the damn coronavirus ruined everything. With only a month of advance notice, executive director Chris Dortch II and his team had no choice but to postpone the festival indefinitely, leaving a few question marks in their wake. And then a tech giant swooped in and saved the day.
Shudder’s ‘Cursed Films’ Series Exhibits the Power of Persuasion in Film Marketing
Horror has always been a genre that lends itself to superlatives. Every year, a handful of movies comes around claiming to be the “scariest” or “bloodiest” or “craziest” thing since the last scariest, bloodiest, craziest thing. And whether those proclamations hold up or not—and let’s be honest, they usually don’t—they undeniably build excitement for certain viewers, and they often sell more tickets overall. But nothing puts butts in seats quite like a good old-fashioned curse.
‘Tone-Deaf’ is the Boomers vs. Millennials Thriller You've Been Waiting For [Review]
The era of Trump-inspired horror films has officially begun. Yes, Get Out kicked off the cinematic parallels of the Donald Trump presidency in grand fashion, and others not too far behind it, but our current political climate can be connected to age-old moral themes. (12 Angry Men is just as timely today as it was in 1957, unfortunately.) More importantly, though, is that filmmaking is a years-long process.
‘Gwen’ Blends Standout Cinematography and Engaging Performances to Conjure a Dark Folk Tale [Review]
The utility of a period piece varies from filmmaker to filmmaker. Some may see it as a more romanticized setting, some are drawn to the societal paradigms to work within, and others simply want to bring history back to life. In the case of the horror realm, it’s a bit different, but no less effective. A handful of recent genre films—most notably Robert Eggers’ The Witch—have branded themselves as a “folk tale,” placing their stories during the Industrial Revolution (or earlier).
Sloss Tech moves into its 4th year without Sloss Fest
The definition of “technology” has evolved quite a bit—especially the connotation behind its abbreviated first syllable—since 1882. Nonetheless, it’s fitting that Sloss Furnaces, the blast furnace that produced the pig iron that put Birmingham on the map in the late 19th century, has become the namesake of the city’s most innovative annual event. Sloss Tech was introduced in 2016, when the Sloss Music & Arts Festival was just in its second year.
Octavia Spencer Brings the Party in the Delightfully Demented ‘Ma’ [Review]
The most talked-about (and perhaps the most frustrating) term in the horror world as of late is “elevated.” Granted, good horror films have always been smart and full of big ideas. Recently, wider audiences are starting to catch on thanks to the likes of Jordan Peele, Ari Aster, Jennifer Kent, and Robert Eggers. These, and other young filmmakers, blend precise technique with high-level execution for a weighty, memorable experience. Tate Taylor ain’t concerned with none of that shit.
Soul in Cinema: ‘Amazing Grace’ Provides a Glimpse of Aretha Franklin in Her Prime
Words by Jeremy Burgess The live album is a curious thing. For an artist to forgo the “best” (or, at least, most polished) versions of their material in favor of more energy, more verve, even more mysticism is likewise to invite and embrace imperfection, the unavoidable errors (however small or ultimately insignificant) that come with any performance.
‘The Dead Center’ is a Fresh Homage to Classic Sci-Fi/Horror [CFF Review]
Just about every branch of the horror tree is rooted in a fear of the unknown. Things that lurk in the shadows, wait for us behind closed doors, shroud themselves in disguise, or hide in plain sight. Things that we don’t know that can hurt us. But just a bit deeper in the soil lies something even more terrifying: the unexplained. How can you stop something that you can’t comprehend—even when it’s staring you in the face?
‘Body At Brighton Rock’ Blazes a New Trail for Director Roxanne Benjamin [CFF Review]
Wendy, the junior park ranger protagonist of Body At Brighton Rock, is warned before venturing out into the woods. She’s cautioned on the standard protocol from her boss, Sandra, like avoiding predatory wildlife, layering up to combat the incoming cold front, and packing the essential supplies. But it’s a particular condemnation from her coworkers that hits the hardest: She’s just not ready to be on the trails alone. It’s hard to separate the protagonist here from the woman behind the camera.
‘In Fabric’ Weaves Arthouse, Horror, and Comedy into a Colorful Tale [CFF Review]
Consider the dressmaker. His or her job, if you strip it down to its bare essence, is simple—to clothe. It’s a matter of how to clothe, and with what, that separates fashion from utility and allows the great designers a platform for creativity. Thusly, it’s the duty of filmmakers like Peter Strickland (of Berberian Sound Studio renown) to entertain. Yes, there are certainly other endeavors to be found in filmmaking—to educate, to inspire, to endure.
Chattanooga Film Festival Event Recap: Education, Inspiration, and Fellowship for Genre Fans
With film festivals in every major city these days, it’s pretty easy to drive an hour or two to see some amazing films–sometimes many months before they hit theaters or streaming services. But the great film festivals give you something more than that: A chance to see, experience, and even participate in something you might not ever do again. That’s part of what makes the Chattanooga Film Festival, now in its sixth year, one of the best film festivals in the South.
‘Us’ Blends Iconic Imagery with a Classic Horror Formula and Cryptic Commentary [Review]
Jordan Peele gave himself one hell of a problem. He shook up the cinematic landscape with his debut feature and enjoyed an impressive award tour as the year wound down. How exactly do you follow that up? It’s the most obvious narrative tethered to the lead-up for his sophomore feature, but it’s a worthy question. Many filmmakers before him have made a similar splash without living up to their first impression, and in some cases, faded away altogether.
‘Girl On The Third Floor’ Uses Gnarly Effects to Freshen Up an Overcooked Story [SXSW Review]
Horror fans might not have known Travis Stevens’ name before now. But they’re almost certainly familiar with his work. As the main man behind Snowfort Pictures, he’s damn near a veteran after producing some of the freshest genre fare of the decade—Cheap Thrills, We Are Still Here, A Horrible Way To Die, Starry Eyes, Big Ass Spider!, XX, and more. Not to mention venturing outside the genre on films like Jodorowsky’s Dune and Buster’s Mal Heart.
‘Climax’ Creates Visual Mayhem Through Killer Choreography and Drug-Induced Trauma [Review]
There’s a moment halfway through Climax—the turning point of the film, essentially—where a DJ fires up his crew of dancers with a patriotic plea: “This is for France, Guys! Let’s slaughter those Yanks! This is war!” Gaspar Noé may not be trying to antagonize American viewers with this proclamation, exactly. But he is issuing a challenge of sorts. As a name brand provocateur, he wears his polarizing reputation as a badge of honor.
‘Velvet Buzzsaw’ Throws Bloody Spaghetti at the Wall, and Some of it Sticks [Review]
By the nature of its own premise, Velvet Buzzsaw is a challenge. The concept of a spooky thing that brings death and destruction to all who see it, hear it, watch it, read it, etc. is one that tends to be more impactful in literature. From Robert W. Chambers’ “The King In Yellow” to Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” and other non-yellow reads in between, stories where we’re forced to imagine the haunted entity become all the more haunting.
Lupita Nyong’o Is A Scream Queen Now, And I Will Not Hear Otherwise
The world at large—save for Sundancers, Blumhousers, and maybe some Australians—has yet to actually see Lupita Nyong’o in a horror film. Doesn’t matter. She’s a scream queen now, and you will respect her as such. The Mexican-born Kenyan actress exploded onto the red carpet scene in 2013 with her incredibly affecting supporting role in 12 Years A Slave—which, though truly terrifying, isn’t technically a horror movie.
'Upgrade' Director Takes on 'The Invisible Man’ to Springboard Blumhouse's Universal Monsters
Yesterday, Variety broke the news that Jason Blum has put his moniker on yet another long-standing horror franchise—Universal Pictures’ classic monsters. The first of potentially many resurrected Universal monster movies to be announced is The Invisible Man, which will be directed by Blumhouse regular and Saw writer Leigh Whannell. This will only be Whannell’s third directing gig, after Insidious: Chapter 3 and last year’s minor hit Upgrade.
Kiss and Motley Crue rock on at Pelham's Oak Mountain Amphitheatre (video)
In 2000, Kiss embarked upon their much-publicized "Farewell Tour." Eight tours later, they're still at it. And for this round – which they've simply dubbed "The Tour" – they've hit the road with hair-metal titans Motley Crue. When the two legendary rock 'n roll quartets came to Pelham's Oak Mountain Amphitheatre on Tuesday, they didn't do anything particularly out of the ordinary (for them, at least). But they did give the packed-out venue nearly three hours of exactly what they'd paid to see.
Phish delivers at Oak Mountain Amphitheatre exactly what devoted fans want
Phish at the Oak Mountain Amphitheatre Friday night;review gets four out of five stars. They show up to concert venues hours early to tailgate like football fans. They wear shirts featuring song titles presented in a number of clever designs. They discuss live shows the way music fans would compare other artists’ studio albums. And they take seemingly every opportunity to substitute a “ph” in place of an “f” in everyday language whenever something Phish-y is involved. And there are lots of them.
Birmingham Filmmakers Make SXSW Debut With Suzanne Ciani Documentary
For a group of Birmingham-based filmmakers, the fourth time's a charm. And a bit of a homecoming. "A Life In Waves," the latest documentary from Birmingham filmmakers Brett Whitcomb, Bradford Thomason and Ali Clark, was announced January 31 as part of the South By Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas in March.
‘Patriots Day’ review by Jeremy Burgess • Letterboxd
"Not what you expected, huh Commish?" "It never is." A thing that I didn't expect to happen in 2016: Me becoming a legit Peter Berg fan. (This was on the verge of a 9/10 for me, but the unnecessary pandering of the last five minutes really bothered me.) There's a lovely calculated naturalism to both Deepwater Horizon and Patriots Day. Berg makes us feel like we're there, and that's all the more important when bombs go off or oil rigs malfunction.
‘13th’ review by Jeremy Burgess • Letterboxd
"You have to shock people into paying attention." I guess I can't say Ava DuVernay's one of my favorite directors, since I've only seen two of her offerings. But she's 2 for 2 in terms of challenging me in the best way. I'm from Birmingham, Alabama, so I walk with ghosts. My mother, she was raised in South Alabama and went to college in Marion (the city where Jimmie Lee Jackson was actually murdered) during the time of the marches.
‘Loving’ review by Jeremy Burgess • Letterboxd
"You were just born in the wrong place, is all." Loving doesn't set the world on fire, if you have crazy-high expectations like I always do for a Jeff Nichols film. (I wonder if perhaps working in the biographical realm limited his creativity, though I'm glad this project didn't fall into the hands of a lesser director, i.e. most directors.) It is, however, remarkably lovely and important and worthy of our praise and our money.
‘Arrival’ review by Jeremy Burgess • Letterboxd
"If all I ever gave you was a hammer..." "...Everything's a nail." There's a horror movie podcast I listen to that presented a theory I've come to subscribe to: When we look back upon film history and the relationship between cinema and society, it's not the drama, or the comedy, or the romance that most accurately reflects our cultural affectations of the time—it's the horror and sci-fi.
‘Manchester by the Sea’ review by Jeremy Burgess • Letterboxd
[Seen at the 2016 Indie Memphis Film Festival] "He looks dead. He doesn't look like he's asleep. He doesn't look gross or anything either." This didn't *quite* overwhelm me like it seems to have most critics (and the company I was with in the theater), but it's nonetheless great and worthy of your time and praise. This was my introduction to Kenneth Lonergan, so when I heard that he's a prominent playwright too, that made a lot of sense.
‘Moonlight’ review by Jeremy Burgess • Letterboxd
[Seen at the 2016 New Orleans Film Festival] "I want to do a lot of things that don't make sense." Barry Jenkins couldn't have planned this, of course. Medicine For Melancholy was eight years ago, and he tried to bring other projects to life in the interim. But sometimes you simply do what you love and the thing you create becomes the right thing for the right time. Moonlight is an absolutely necessary movie for 2016.
‘Lion’ review by Jeremy Burgess • Letterboxd
[Seen at the 2016 New Orleans Film Festival] Lion is the type of film you could evaluate two ways, and neither would be wrong. You could approach it sheerly on the gravity and importance of the issues and themes at hand—those of missing children, the hardships and rewards of adoption, and the importance of knowing who you are and where you come from. Saroo's story is a very specific one, but it's something you can empathize with even if you can't relate.
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