Thursday

For several days I haven't paid much attention to Oaxaca. Last weekend, talks* between protestors and the federal government made some headway. The six-month protest seemed poised to relax: protestors planned to allow federal police through barricades in the city center. Monday, a march from Oaxaca that began a couple of weeks ago arrived in the outskirts of México City,* gathered reinforcements, and made camp at the senate building. Yesterday, progress stalled when Oaxacan patrols refused to give access to federal police until governor Ruiz is fired. Then gunshots erupted as protestors attempted to take over local public safety offices. But today senators arrive to judge whether there are truly grounds for Ruiz's removal,* so that's something. Last night's One-man Movie-thon something returned to Hammer Films via The Kiss of the Vampire (1963)*. As the movie begins, British newlyweds have gone astray during their tour of Bavaria. When their teens-era auto invariably runs out of gas, they seek shelter at the local mostly-abandoned inn--the only other tenant a drunkard who stabbed a corpse with a shovel in the pre-credit sequence. The wife feels like she is being watched. Soon enough an invitation arrives by ghostly-horse-drawn chariot, summoning the couple to dinner with Dr. Ravna (cf., revenant, n, 1. one who returns after death) at his haunted-looking "château" on the hill. After a pleasant evening with the bad doctor and his family, they are invited to the parlor where junior hammers out some somber dirges on the piano. None of the Revenant family seems to be drinking the goblets of tokay littering the room. When the bride begins to feel, um, hypnotized by their long evening, they retire to their hotel room. But the doctor has big plans for them at this year's costume party! Classic. Highly recommended. [Cavin]