Recap: “Monster Movie"
Tuesday, 21 October 2008 10:51 | Last Updated on Tuesday, 03 August 2010 23:44 | Written by Alice Jester | 
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I’m still picturing how such a crazy idea of an all black and white campy horror movie episode got pitched in the writers room and made it through the initial brush off. Not that I mind, for “Monster Movie” is brilliant, but still, its so nice to see that a show has established itself enough where it can get away with such goofiness and not get protests from the network. Granted, such episodes are for the fans rather than the masses, and the lower ratings for these episodes prove that, but fans matter most. Every trick in the movie making book from the 1930’s is done here. Someone did their homework, and I credit this to be the most technically perfect episode of the series. We discover no detail is spared the second the old Warner Brothers logo fades on the screen, the same logo that kicked off such Warner classics as Jezebel, The Maltese Falcon, and Casablanca. The credits roll, with names displayed in creepy block letters while eerie music playing prominently in the background. My only complaint so far is that the black and white is too clear. Everything was so grainy back then. I’m sure that’s asking for too much authenticity though.
A dark hazy night and the Impala’s headlights zoom from the horizon to the increasing sound of running violins. The darkish Impala swishes by, and after a lightening flash “Welcome To Pennsylvania” is changed to “Transylvania.” This supposedly takes place in Canonsburg, PA, which is known as the most radioactive town in America. I’ve been through it on my way to Pittsburgh a few times myself, and the statue of hometown boy Perry Como alone tells me this town is off.
Dean turns off the scary music (the radio around here sucks, hee) and we hear the rumble of the Impala, reminding viewers this is still a Supernatural episode. Dean is geeked about the prospect of cutting off some vamps heads, Sam is in a dour “the world is ending” mood. Good thing they’re going to Oktoberfest, Sammy needs to loosen up a little. Dean properly sets the perspective. “It’s like the good old days, honest to goodness monster hunt. It’s about time the Winchesters got back to tackling a straight forward black and white case.” Ah, there’s that Ben Edlund biting wit!
The Impala goes off in the horizon and a giant circle closes around it before going to black to signal end scene. I never understood why the old films did that but hey, cool to see it here. Loud Polka music plays (The Happy Schnapps?) and the outrageous Oktoberfest village set appears, with plenty of men in lederhosen and gorgeous women in maiden outfits with short skirts, one even posing for a picture from a tourist. The hokey small town festival banner is shown just in case we don’t know what’s going on. “Oktoberfest”, complete with strange sponsors like 97.2 FM Rocks. “Classic Rock that Rocks.” So classic rock doesn’t roll? I don’t know how many times I’ve been to podunk festivals here in Ohio that had a banner ripe for my instant nitpicking. They make it too easy. The black and white scenery is interrupted by one of those ugly bright green CW banners, and man do they stick out like a sore thumb against the black and white background. It ruins the authentic look, not that they aren’t annoying during regular episodes.
Sam and Dean get out of the Impala in suits. Wow, they look just as great in black and white as color. The white shirts stand out more. Given the German costumes everywhere, they’re overly dressed. Dean mentions they still need to see the new Raiders movie, and Sam says he already saw it. “You were in Hell.” “That’s no excuse.” Aw, come on Dean, when are you going to accept Sam went on with his life?
Dean naturally spots the big pretzel, buys two, and what’s this, Sam takes a bite?? Sam?? The brother that never eats?? Not only does he take a bite, he digs in as vigorously as Dean. Man, Sam has changed since Dean’s been in Hell.>
The brothers chomp away and sexy blonde girl in skimpy German costume walks by. For a true old-fashioned Hollywood recreation, the damsel in distress must be a knockout blonde. There were never brunettes and redheads would have appeared as blonde. They both ogle, but then Sam finds the sheriff, and they’re agents Angus and Young. Fantastic! We’ve been waiting several seasons for AC/DC aliases. There’s another reminder that this is a Supernatural episode.
They examine the body in the morgue, and the sheriff thinks the whole thing is a shame, happening during tourist season and all. Sam pulls the sympathy for the victim card. “Definitely not the thing Marissa Wright needed.” In those days, heroes were highly moral and there was a clear line between right and wrong. Sympathy for victims disappeared when films with high body counts and anti-heroes like Bonnie and Clyde came along. The sheriff has a profile. “Some satan worshipping Ann Rice reading gothic psycho vampire.” Sam shrugs, actually agreeing with that assessment. Who knew Ann Rice could wreak such havoc?
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Comments
Second, the scene in the bar where Dean's tells Jamie what he really does, I always thought he said 'some people pay'. Just checking.
Third, thank goodness they didn't go with the grainy quality pictures, all the better for us to drool at black and white Winchesters!
I'm thinking Monster Movie is rather quick in the whole scheme of things. FIrst off this was meant to follow right after Are You There God but it got shuffled back in order to be mytharc heavy the first four. Are You There God is only three days after the end of Lazarus Rising (as stated by Castiel when he speaks with Dean in Bobby's kitchen) and while In The Beginning is possibly a few weeks after that it's likely not much further as Castiel and Dean do not have much of a rapport and and it's not likely he would have waited too long to alert Dean to Sam's 'extracurricular activities" so a couple of weeks to a month at the most and we know MEtamorphosis is right after that so Monster Movie is perhaps a month after Dean was resurrected...that's my guess.
As for the line, yeah, Dean says...some people paint. Maybe an inside joke on painters????
I liked Jamie! She was cool. She goes down in the trivia books as 'just another one'. When will Dean ever fall in love?
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