Linda Stevens inherited more than a house when her mother passed away; she also came into a wealth of fear. In the 1982 film Next of Kin, darkness closes in on Jackie Kerin’s character as she moves back to her rural hometown and honors her mother’s last wishes. Yet the longer she stays and digs into the past, the more Linda puts herself in danger. Death lurks around every corner of this Ozploitation classic.
There was a stretch of time where Australian horror was not commercially successful in its own homeland. The cinematic renaissance of the ‘70s and ‘80s (also known as the Australian New Wave) produced a number of homegrown horror films, yet the immediate public was not all that receptive. In fact, some of these films ended up being more beloved and victorious outside their birthplace. Next of Kin certainly did not find its audience until years later,...
There was a stretch of time where Australian horror was not commercially successful in its own homeland. The cinematic renaissance of the ‘70s and ‘80s (also known as the Australian New Wave) produced a number of homegrown horror films, yet the immediate public was not all that receptive. In fact, some of these films ended up being more beloved and victorious outside their birthplace. Next of Kin certainly did not find its audience until years later,...
- 4/27/2023
- by Paul Lê
- bloody-disgusting.com
Many artists are not appreciated till after they have long passed away or society catches up with their ideas. Dying is not a prerequisite to fame since garbage is still garbage. In the case of the singular Jean Rollin, you have a double-edged sword which in documentary Orchestrator of Storms: The Fantastique World of Jean Rollin (2022) tells well.
Jean Rollin was one of the later to become Eurocult cinema’s most misunderstood personalities. These creators imbue their personalities in their work, unlike mainstream directors. Mainstream will say they create unique stories or camera angles with the full knowledge that it all comes down to one from a studio. The Diabolique films team of Dima Ballin and Kat Ellinger who Directed, Wrote & Produced this roughly two-hour documentary has done a solid job without being academically dry.
Orchestrator of Storms (2022) features lips and interviews with key people in Rollin’s past. The...
Jean Rollin was one of the later to become Eurocult cinema’s most misunderstood personalities. These creators imbue their personalities in their work, unlike mainstream directors. Mainstream will say they create unique stories or camera angles with the full knowledge that it all comes down to one from a studio. The Diabolique films team of Dima Ballin and Kat Ellinger who Directed, Wrote & Produced this roughly two-hour documentary has done a solid job without being academically dry.
Orchestrator of Storms (2022) features lips and interviews with key people in Rollin’s past. The...
- 3/10/2023
- by Horror Asylum
- Horror Asylum
The smash hit monster-gore popcorn flick comes to 4K Ultra HD two years and four months after a deluxe Blu-ray, so we do a pointed comparison for purchase-crazy fans that want official sanction for their madness. Happily, you don’t need to be full-moon looney to go for the 4K: David Naughton and Griffin Dunne’s descent into a lycanthropic nightmare is as wrenching as ever.
An American Werewolf in London 4K
4K Ultra-hd
Arrow Video
1981 / B&w / 1:85 widescreen / 97 min. / Street Date March 15, 2022 / Available from / 59.95
Starring: David Naughton, Griffin Dunne, Jenny Agutter, John Woodvine, Brian Glover, Frank Oz, Sydney Bromley.
Cinematography: Robert Paynter
Art Director: Leslie Dilley
Film Editor: Malcolm Campbell
Original Music: Elmer Bernstein
Special Makeup Effects Designer and Creator: Rick Baker
Produced by George Folsey Jr., Peter Guber, John Peters
Written and Directed by John Landis
The street date for a 4K disc of a certain high-profile...
An American Werewolf in London 4K
4K Ultra-hd
Arrow Video
1981 / B&w / 1:85 widescreen / 97 min. / Street Date March 15, 2022 / Available from / 59.95
Starring: David Naughton, Griffin Dunne, Jenny Agutter, John Woodvine, Brian Glover, Frank Oz, Sydney Bromley.
Cinematography: Robert Paynter
Art Director: Leslie Dilley
Film Editor: Malcolm Campbell
Original Music: Elmer Bernstein
Special Makeup Effects Designer and Creator: Rick Baker
Produced by George Folsey Jr., Peter Guber, John Peters
Written and Directed by John Landis
The street date for a 4K disc of a certain high-profile...
- 3/5/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
That’s how things ought to work — give this reviewer Exactly the great disc he wants to see and wait for the flood of praise. This Italian-French gothic gem can hold its own in the Eurohorror Renaissance of 1960, with fine direction, an attractive cast, a seductive heroine/villainess, and lush color cinematography that turns a Flemish windmill into a young lover’s Garden of Horrors. It’s a period picture with fairy tale overtones, atrocious medical crimes and a sensual romance that leans heavily on squeamish Victorian taboos . . . yes, it’s irresistible. So is the lavish presentation, one of this disc label’s very best. Call it Holiday Horror, perhaps.
Mill of the Stone Women
Blu-ray
Arrow Video
1960 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 90, 95, 96 min. / Street Date December 14, 2021 / Available from Arrow Video / 59.95
Starring Pierre Brice, Scilla Gabel, Herbert Böhme, Wolfgang Preiss, Dany Carrel, Liana Orfei, Marco Gugliemi.
Cinematography Pier Ludovico Pavoni
Production Designer...
Mill of the Stone Women
Blu-ray
Arrow Video
1960 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 90, 95, 96 min. / Street Date December 14, 2021 / Available from Arrow Video / 59.95
Starring Pierre Brice, Scilla Gabel, Herbert Böhme, Wolfgang Preiss, Dany Carrel, Liana Orfei, Marco Gugliemi.
Cinematography Pier Ludovico Pavoni
Production Designer...
- 12/7/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Jon Bon Jovi went home Sunday night (Oct. 27) for the 11th annual New Jersey Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The rocker helped induct Southside Johnny Lyon with the honor at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park. Bon Jovi was reverential, telling the audience that without Southside Johnny, there wouldn’t be a Jon Bon Jovi. “I grew up on the sounds of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, but I always wanted to be an Asbury Juke,“ Bon Jovi said.
A clearly moved Lyon, who noted how he never understood why “Tonight Show” host Johnny Carson always made cracks about New Jersey, said he always felt a need to defend the state with an “axe to grind.” Said Lyon: “I wanted to prove that New Jersey was just as good as any other state.”
Backed by the house band The Kings of Suburbia, Bon Jovi and Lyon then teamed...
A clearly moved Lyon, who noted how he never understood why “Tonight Show” host Johnny Carson always made cracks about New Jersey, said he always felt a need to defend the state with an “axe to grind.” Said Lyon: “I wanted to prove that New Jersey was just as good as any other state.”
Backed by the house band The Kings of Suburbia, Bon Jovi and Lyon then teamed...
- 10/28/2019
- by Michele Amabile Angermiller
- Variety Film + TV
Some movies just don’t get the respect they deserve, which cues pushy reviewers to sing their praises. Forget everything you’ve read and give this Roman Polanski picture a chance — it’s the classiest Halloween treat ever, a lavish blend of Hammer horror, slapstick comedy and wistful romance — plus a vampire horde more balefully scary than a carload of zombies. It’s the beloved Sharon Tate’s best picture, and its vampire king is an original apart from Bela Lugosi and Chris Lee’s Draculas — an aristocratic one-percenter on a satanic mission to put all of humanity in a graveyard of the undead. Warners’ Panavision-Metrocolor restoration is drop-dead beautiful. And they’ve even revived Frank Frazetta’s original ‘jolly chase’ poster art.
The Fearless Vampire Killers or: Pardon Me, But Your Teeth Are in My Neck
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1967 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 107 91 min. / Dance of the Vampires, Your...
The Fearless Vampire Killers or: Pardon Me, But Your Teeth Are in My Neck
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1967 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 107 91 min. / Dance of the Vampires, Your...
- 10/8/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Four out of five psychologists agree that something rotten is alive and well between the sawdust and the high wire in the delirious Circus of Horrors. Lame big-top horror pix are common enough, but this fiendishly entertaining delight would inspire the voyeur-sadist in MisterRogers. Anton Diffring is the steely-eyed medical maniac with a mission to populate an insane circus exclusively with cosmetically-enhanced prostitutes and criminals. And I won’t turn that into a White House joke.
Circus of Horrors
Blu-ray
Scream Factory
1960 / Color / 1:78 anamorphic 16:9 / 88/92m. / Phantom of the Circus / Street Date September 10, 2019 / 29.95
Starring: Anton Diffring, Jane Hylton, Kenneth Griffith, Erika Remberg, Conrad Phillips, Yvonne Monlaur, Donald Pleasence, Colette Wilde, Vanda Hudson, Yvonne Romain, John Merivale, Carla Challoner.
Cinematography: Douglas Slocombe
Film Editor: Reginald Mills
Makeup: Trevor Crole-Rees
Art Direction: Jack Shampan
Original Music: Muir Mathieson, Franz Reizenstein
Written by George Baxt
Produced by Leslie Parkyn, Julian Wintle
Directed...
Circus of Horrors
Blu-ray
Scream Factory
1960 / Color / 1:78 anamorphic 16:9 / 88/92m. / Phantom of the Circus / Street Date September 10, 2019 / 29.95
Starring: Anton Diffring, Jane Hylton, Kenneth Griffith, Erika Remberg, Conrad Phillips, Yvonne Monlaur, Donald Pleasence, Colette Wilde, Vanda Hudson, Yvonne Romain, John Merivale, Carla Challoner.
Cinematography: Douglas Slocombe
Film Editor: Reginald Mills
Makeup: Trevor Crole-Rees
Art Direction: Jack Shampan
Original Music: Muir Mathieson, Franz Reizenstein
Written by George Baxt
Produced by Leslie Parkyn, Julian Wintle
Directed...
- 9/14/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Peter Strickland's Berberian Sound Studio (2012) and The Duke of Burgundy (2014) are showing in June and July, 2019 on Mubi in the United Kingdom.“…if the film or television image seems to ‘speak’ for itself, it is actually a ventriloquist’s speech.”—Michel Chion, Audio-Vision, 1990In an early scene in The Duke of Burgundy, a character describes how one can tell two seemingly-identical species of butterfly apart by the sound each makes, saying, “Since these species are so visually indistinguishable from each other, the sound they produce should differentiate the two.” In a way, the statement provides a thesis for much of the cinema of Peter Strickland relative to his aesthetic forebears. According to the majority of film writing that takes either of his two features Berberian Sound Studio or The Duke of Burgundy as a subject, Strickland’s oeuvre owes something to European genre cinema—more popularly known in French...
- 7/11/2019
- MUBI
From their "Hammer's House of Horror" screenings to their 21-movie Mario Bava spotlight, New York's Quad Cinema has been an essential source for celebrating the horror genre's past, and they will continue to do just that this October with a massive retrospective series celebrating filmmaker Jean Rollin, as well as a complementary set of screenings highlighting some of horror's most memorable female vampires.
Read on for full details on Quad Cinema's Jean Rollin Retrospective (kicking off on October 18th) and "A Woman's Bite: Cinema’s Sapphic Vampires" (beginning October 26th) and be sure to visit their official website for more information!
"Jean Rollin Retrospective + Sapphic Vampires
October 18-November 1
This October the Quad salutes the lurid eroticism of Jean Rollin with a retrospective including Fascination, Requiem for a Vampire, and Lips of Blood
Plus a survey of sapphic vampire films indebted to his aesthetic with titles including The Hunger, Lust for a Vampire,...
Read on for full details on Quad Cinema's Jean Rollin Retrospective (kicking off on October 18th) and "A Woman's Bite: Cinema’s Sapphic Vampires" (beginning October 26th) and be sure to visit their official website for more information!
"Jean Rollin Retrospective + Sapphic Vampires
October 18-November 1
This October the Quad salutes the lurid eroticism of Jean Rollin with a retrospective including Fascination, Requiem for a Vampire, and Lips of Blood
Plus a survey of sapphic vampire films indebted to his aesthetic with titles including The Hunger, Lust for a Vampire,...
- 10/15/2018
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Renato Polselli’s vampire rally ups the on-screen babe count first and provides horror thrills second, yet Ernesto Gastaldi’s screenplay introduces an interesting wrinkle or two to the bloodsucking genre. This new bilingual release is a good presentation of what for American chiller fans has been a long-absent title.
The Vampire and the Ballerina
Blu-ray
Scream Factory
1960 / B&W / 1:66 widescreen / 85 min. / L’amante del vampiro / Street Date May 22, 2018 / available through Kino Lorber / 27.99
Starring: Walter Brandi, Hélène Rémy, Tina Gloriani, María Luisa Rolando, Isarco Ravaioli, Gino Turini (John Turner), Pier Ugo Gragnani.
Cinematography: Angelo Baistrocchi
Film Editor: Renato Cinquini
Assistant Director: Ernesto Gastaldi
Original Music: Aldo Piga
Written by Ernesto Gastaldi, Giuseppe Pellegrini, Renato Polselli
Produced by Bruno Bolognese
Directed by Renato Polselli
We’re told that all of Europe jumped on a horror bandwagon with the success of the first two Technicolor Hammer gothic films, but it took...
The Vampire and the Ballerina
Blu-ray
Scream Factory
1960 / B&W / 1:66 widescreen / 85 min. / L’amante del vampiro / Street Date May 22, 2018 / available through Kino Lorber / 27.99
Starring: Walter Brandi, Hélène Rémy, Tina Gloriani, María Luisa Rolando, Isarco Ravaioli, Gino Turini (John Turner), Pier Ugo Gragnani.
Cinematography: Angelo Baistrocchi
Film Editor: Renato Cinquini
Assistant Director: Ernesto Gastaldi
Original Music: Aldo Piga
Written by Ernesto Gastaldi, Giuseppe Pellegrini, Renato Polselli
Produced by Bruno Bolognese
Directed by Renato Polselli
We’re told that all of Europe jumped on a horror bandwagon with the success of the first two Technicolor Hammer gothic films, but it took...
- 5/26/2018
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Welcome to a pair of vintage mysteries with George Simenon’s popular Inspector Jules Maigret, a gumshoe who gets the tough cases. Top kick French actor Jean Gabin is the cop who keeps cool, until it’s time to rattle a recalcitrant suspect. In two separate cases, he tracks a serial killer in the heart of Paris, and travels to his hometown to unearth a murder conspiracy.
Maigret Sets a Trap
and
Maigret and the St. Fiacre Case
Blu-ray (separate releases)
Kino Classics
1958, 1959 / B&W /1:37 flat; 1:66 widescreen / 118, 101 min. / Street Date December 5, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber: Trap, St. Fiacre / 29.95 ea.
Starring: Jean Gabin, Annie Girardot, Jean Desailly, Olivier Hussenot, Lucienne Bogaert, Paulette Dubost, Lino Ventura, Dominique Page / Jean Gabin, Michel Auclair, Valentine Tessier, Michel Vitold, Camille Guérini, Gabrielle Fontan, Micheline Luccioni, Jacques Marin, Paul Frankeur, Robert Hirsch.
Cinematography: Louis Page
Film Editor: Henri Taverna
Original Music: Paul Misraki...
Maigret Sets a Trap
and
Maigret and the St. Fiacre Case
Blu-ray (separate releases)
Kino Classics
1958, 1959 / B&W /1:37 flat; 1:66 widescreen / 118, 101 min. / Street Date December 5, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber: Trap, St. Fiacre / 29.95 ea.
Starring: Jean Gabin, Annie Girardot, Jean Desailly, Olivier Hussenot, Lucienne Bogaert, Paulette Dubost, Lino Ventura, Dominique Page / Jean Gabin, Michel Auclair, Valentine Tessier, Michel Vitold, Camille Guérini, Gabrielle Fontan, Micheline Luccioni, Jacques Marin, Paul Frankeur, Robert Hirsch.
Cinematography: Louis Page
Film Editor: Henri Taverna
Original Music: Paul Misraki...
- 12/9/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Of all the legendary early horror films Carl Theodor Dreyer’s vampire nightmare was once the most difficult to appreciate — until Criterion’s restoration of a mostly intact, un-mutilated full cut. Dreyer creates his fantasy according to his own rules — this pallid, claustrophobic horror is closer to Ordet than it is Dracula or Nosferatu.
Vampyr
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 437
1932 / Color / 1:19 Movietone Ap. / 73 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date October 3, 2017 / 39.95
Starring: Julian West (Baron Nicolas De Gunzberg), Maurice Schutz, Rena Mandel, Sybille Schmitz, Jan Hieronimko, Henriette Gérard.
Cinematography: Rudolph Maté
Art Direction: Hermann Warm
Film Editor: Tonka Taldy
Original Music: Wolfgang Zeller
Written by Carl Theodor Dreyer, Christen Jul from In a Glass Darkly by Sheridan Le Fanu
Produced by Carl Theodor Dreyer, Julian West
Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer
Carl Theodor Dreyer’s Vampyr is a tough row to hoe for horror fans, many of whom just...
Vampyr
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 437
1932 / Color / 1:19 Movietone Ap. / 73 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date October 3, 2017 / 39.95
Starring: Julian West (Baron Nicolas De Gunzberg), Maurice Schutz, Rena Mandel, Sybille Schmitz, Jan Hieronimko, Henriette Gérard.
Cinematography: Rudolph Maté
Art Direction: Hermann Warm
Film Editor: Tonka Taldy
Original Music: Wolfgang Zeller
Written by Carl Theodor Dreyer, Christen Jul from In a Glass Darkly by Sheridan Le Fanu
Produced by Carl Theodor Dreyer, Julian West
Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer
Carl Theodor Dreyer’s Vampyr is a tough row to hoe for horror fans, many of whom just...
- 9/19/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Kirk Douglas grits his teeth and goes full macho, wrasslin’ with that beautiful Sioux up in the high country — the Sioux miss in question being the Italian model Elsa Martinelli in her screen debut. Kirk can’t decide if he wants to stay with Elsa, or lead what must be the most shameful bunch of pioneer bigots ever to cross the plains. Walter Matthau and Diana Douglas are standouts in this vigorous action western directed by André de Toth.
The Indian Fighter
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1955 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 88 min. / Street Date May 9, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Kirk Douglas, Elsa Martinelli, Walter Matthau, Diana Douglas, Walter Abel, Lon Chaney Jr., Eduard Franz, Alan Hale Jr., Elisha Cook Jr., Ray Teal, Frank Cady, Michael Winkelman, William Phipps.
Cinematography: Wilfrid M. Cline
Art Direction: Wiard Ihnen
Film Editor: Richard Cahoon
Original Music: Irving Gordon, Franz Waxman
Written by Robert L. Richards,...
The Indian Fighter
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1955 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 88 min. / Street Date May 9, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Kirk Douglas, Elsa Martinelli, Walter Matthau, Diana Douglas, Walter Abel, Lon Chaney Jr., Eduard Franz, Alan Hale Jr., Elisha Cook Jr., Ray Teal, Frank Cady, Michael Winkelman, William Phipps.
Cinematography: Wilfrid M. Cline
Art Direction: Wiard Ihnen
Film Editor: Richard Cahoon
Original Music: Irving Gordon, Franz Waxman
Written by Robert L. Richards,...
- 5/5/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Seddok, l’erede di Satana (Atom Age Vampire)
Region 2 Pal DVD
Terminal Video Italia Srl
1960 / B&W / 1:66 flat letterbox / 103 min. / Street Date June 12, 2011 / available through Amazon.it / Eur 6,64
Starring: Alberto Lupo, Ivo Garrani, Susanne Loret, Sergio Fantoni, Rina Franchetti, Franca Parisi, Roberto Bertea.
Cinematography: Aldo Giordani
Film Editor: Gabrielle Varriale
Makeup Effects: Euclide Santoli
Original Music: Armando Trovajoli
Written by: Gino De Santis, Alberto Bevilacqua, Anton Giulio Majano; story by Piero Monviso
Produced by: Elio Ippolito Mellino (as Mario Fava)
Directed by Anton Giulio Majano
Let me herewith take a break from new discs to review an Italian release from six years ago, a movie that for years we knew only as Atom Age Vampire. Until sporadic late- night TV showings appeared, it existed for us ’60s kids as one or two interesting photos in Famous Monsters magazine. Forry Ackerman steered away from adult films, with the effect that...
Region 2 Pal DVD
Terminal Video Italia Srl
1960 / B&W / 1:66 flat letterbox / 103 min. / Street Date June 12, 2011 / available through Amazon.it / Eur 6,64
Starring: Alberto Lupo, Ivo Garrani, Susanne Loret, Sergio Fantoni, Rina Franchetti, Franca Parisi, Roberto Bertea.
Cinematography: Aldo Giordani
Film Editor: Gabrielle Varriale
Makeup Effects: Euclide Santoli
Original Music: Armando Trovajoli
Written by: Gino De Santis, Alberto Bevilacqua, Anton Giulio Majano; story by Piero Monviso
Produced by: Elio Ippolito Mellino (as Mario Fava)
Directed by Anton Giulio Majano
Let me herewith take a break from new discs to review an Italian release from six years ago, a movie that for years we knew only as Atom Age Vampire. Until sporadic late- night TV showings appeared, it existed for us ’60s kids as one or two interesting photos in Famous Monsters magazine. Forry Ackerman steered away from adult films, with the effect that...
- 1/21/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Mad doctors! Mortiferous maidens! Horrifying hallucinations! A key early Euro-horror and one of the very first in color, this French-Italian production is a medical horrorshow crossed with a folk tale -- its centerpiece is a vintage carillon attraction in an old mill; creepy Scilla Gabel is the minatory seducer who bridges the gap between life and death. Mill of the Stone Women Region A+B Blu-ray Subkultur / Media Target Distribution GmbH 1960 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 90, 95, 96 min. / Die Mühle der versteinerten Frauen / Street Date June 30, 2016 / Amazon.de Eur 24,99 Starring Pierre Brice, Scilla Gabel, Wolfgang Preiss, Robert Boehme, Dany Carrel Cinematography Pier Ludovico Pavoni Production Designer Arrigo Equini Film Editor Antonietta Zita Original Music Carlo Innocenzi Written by Remigio Del Grosso, Giorgio Ferroni, Ugo Liberatore, Giorgio Stegani from Flemish Stories by Peter Van Weigen (possibly apocryphal) Produced by Giampaolo Bigazzi Directed by Giorgio Ferroni
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
2016 is shaping up as a...
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
2016 is shaping up as a...
- 7/23/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
It's reassuring to learn that the gulf between east and west isn't as great as we might assume: it turns out that, in the sixties, just as they did in Europe and America, people in Japan got about mainly by means of jump-cuts.Nobuhiko Obayashi is best known for Hausu (a.k.a. House, 1977), a dayglo, balls-out insane horror movie that plays like a cross between The Evil Dead, a lunatic's idea of Douglas Sirk, and a girl's comic, all fed through a mincer and laced with psilocybin. The prolific filmmaker (still going strong today) actually began in the sixties with TV commercials and experimental films, of which the forty-minute oddity Emotion is one.The movie, a collage of camera effects, stills, pixillation and every other trick the decade had to offer, opens with a dedication to Roger Vadim's Blood and Roses, but though the film does feature lesbianism and vampirism,...
- 11/12/2015
- by David Cairns
- MUBI
The first coproduction between England’s Hammer Films and American International Pictures is an appropriately lurid affair, with many heaving bosoms showing the telltale marks of Carmilla, the lesbian vampire. Not as arty as Roger Vadim’s superior “Blood and Roses”, this was a big enough hit in 1970 to spawn two pulchritudinous follow-ups, “Lust for a Vampire” and “Twins of Evil”.
- 12/15/2014
- by Trailers From Hell
- Thompson on Hollywood
Finally seeing Roger Vadim's Blood and Roses (a.k.a. Et mourir de plaisir, 1960) in a watchable, if imperfect form, was a minor revelation. (If all you're interested in is major revelations, move along.) By plundering freely from Cocteau, and doing so with some panache, Vadim surpasses his usual standard of titillation and serves up some haunting images, with much help from regular cinematographer Claude Renoir (yes, of that family), and anticipates a whole lot of developments in the European horror field.
By borrowing both from La belle et la bête (a masked ball allows the cast to get into period costume) and Orphée (mythology goes mod) Vadim is paving the way for all those films that combine Gothic with pop, particularly those of Jean Rollin, who simply upped the kink factor while retaining the crumbling castles, vampires and costumed role-play pioneered by Vadim.
The movie would doubtless be...
By borrowing both from La belle et la bête (a masked ball allows the cast to get into period costume) and Orphée (mythology goes mod) Vadim is paving the way for all those films that combine Gothic with pop, particularly those of Jean Rollin, who simply upped the kink factor while retaining the crumbling castles, vampires and costumed role-play pioneered by Vadim.
The movie would doubtless be...
- 6/11/2014
- by David Cairns
- MUBI
Okay, that was pretty clever – after dropping the Gay Bomb on us in the closing seconds of last week’s episode (I have yet to find half of the pearls that rolled under my couch after I clutched them straight off of my throat), Penny Dreadful opted not to return to the scene of the crime at all this week. Instead, they offered up a standalone episode that unraveled the deliciously demonic backstory of Vanessa Side-Eyeves (Eva Green).
In a gorgeously grim hour that brings to mind some of the best period-set European Gothic horror tales of days past (Blood and Roses, the original Woman in Black, The Innocents, many of the Hammer and Amicus films of the ’60s and ’70s), we learn that Vanessa and the continuously imperiled Mina Murray were once next-door neighbors and best friends. They spent their childhood days skipping back and forth between their colossal...
In a gorgeously grim hour that brings to mind some of the best period-set European Gothic horror tales of days past (Blood and Roses, the original Woman in Black, The Innocents, many of the Hammer and Amicus films of the ’60s and ’70s), we learn that Vanessa and the continuously imperiled Mina Murray were once next-door neighbors and best friends. They spent their childhood days skipping back and forth between their colossal...
- 6/9/2014
- by Brian Juergens
- The Backlot
The stunning and talented Nnedi Okorafor is an award-winning author of several novels and short stories, and she is also a college professor. The writer took some time out of her schedule to talk about her writing and horror.
Your work is often categorized as fantasy or science fiction. Yet there are definite elements of horror - chaotic landscapes, death, destruction, monsters. Can you talk about how your work crosses those boundaries?
There are some stories I tell that are horrific. When I’m writing these stories or these parts of stories, I’m fully aware of the fact that I’ve crossed into horror. It’s necessary. There’s a story in my short story collection Kabu Kabu called “The Black Stain.” When I was writing it, I knew the moment where it happened and I remember pausing and shivering and thinking, “This is just…evil.” Then I kept writing.
Your work is often categorized as fantasy or science fiction. Yet there are definite elements of horror - chaotic landscapes, death, destruction, monsters. Can you talk about how your work crosses those boundaries?
There are some stories I tell that are horrific. When I’m writing these stories or these parts of stories, I’m fully aware of the fact that I’ve crossed into horror. It’s necessary. There’s a story in my short story collection Kabu Kabu called “The Black Stain.” When I was writing it, I knew the moment where it happened and I remember pausing and shivering and thinking, “This is just…evil.” Then I kept writing.
- 4/14/2014
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
Lovecraft's Monsters, edited by Ellen Datlow and published by Tachyon Publications, is a reprint anthology of some carefully chosen and mighty fine Lovecraftian short stories, novellas and poems. A small selection of some of my favorites from this well-rounded collection include “Only the End of the World Again,” by Neil Gaiman; “Red Goat Black Goat,” by Nadia Bulkin; “The Same Deep Waters as You,” by Brian Hodge; “Love is Forbidden, We Croak and Howl,” by Caitlín R. Kieran; and “The Sect of the Idiot,” by Thomas Ligotti.
Neil Gaiman's “Only the End of the World Again” is the story of a unique “man” very much out of place in a strange town. Everyone seems to know who and what he is, and they all have an opinion on how he can get rid of or be relieved of his “ailment.” But there's more in store for him than he suspects.
Neil Gaiman's “Only the End of the World Again” is the story of a unique “man” very much out of place in a strange town. Everyone seems to know who and what he is, and they all have an opinion on how he can get rid of or be relieved of his “ailment.” But there's more in store for him than he suspects.
- 4/11/2014
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
The Dark Horse Comic, Buffy Season 10 was released earlier in March, and that's as good of a reason as any to look back at the start of the heroine's journey. (Also note that James Marsters and Nicholas Brendon are also a part of the Buffy Season 10 team, as writers. Ohmygodsoamazingwhat!)
During its run on television, and after, Buffy the Vampire Slayer inspired the creation of philosophical books, college courses, Joss Whedon's equally profound and fun spin-off series Angel, and countless Buffy-like fictional characters. Buffy herself became an icon of epic proportions. The show also changed the way people viewed television – not just in the experience of watching it, but how it was considered as a medium for telling powerful stories.
Season One is where it all began (well, actually ... it all began with the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie, but I digress) and it's interesting to see how...
During its run on television, and after, Buffy the Vampire Slayer inspired the creation of philosophical books, college courses, Joss Whedon's equally profound and fun spin-off series Angel, and countless Buffy-like fictional characters. Buffy herself became an icon of epic proportions. The show also changed the way people viewed television – not just in the experience of watching it, but how it was considered as a medium for telling powerful stories.
Season One is where it all began (well, actually ... it all began with the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie, but I digress) and it's interesting to see how...
- 4/10/2014
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
Trailers From Hell welcomes all movies great and small but sometimes a particular trailer may not be up to the visual quality of the rest of our catalog or is simply too oddball to present in our usual format. Nevertheless, there’s such a wealth of exciting, strange and unusual films out there, we’d be remiss not to call attention to them. We’re happy to present the Tfh Misfits.
The Vampire and the Ballerina (L’amante del vampiro) was the second in an unofficial Italian trilogy pairing up a licentious bloodsucker with a sexy dance troupe. The titular star of Vampire and the Ballerina, Walter Brandi, also appeared in the first of these sex/horror outings, The Playgirls and the Vampire. The Monster of the Opera (directed by Ballerina‘s helmer, Renato Poselli) was the third in this shortlived series.
And if you can’t get enough of these sexy vampire shenanigans,...
The Vampire and the Ballerina (L’amante del vampiro) was the second in an unofficial Italian trilogy pairing up a licentious bloodsucker with a sexy dance troupe. The titular star of Vampire and the Ballerina, Walter Brandi, also appeared in the first of these sex/horror outings, The Playgirls and the Vampire. The Monster of the Opera (directed by Ballerina‘s helmer, Renato Poselli) was the third in this shortlived series.
And if you can’t get enough of these sexy vampire shenanigans,...
- 4/9/2014
- by TFH Team
- Trailers from Hell
Cemetery Dance is one of the longest running and most well-known horror publishers in the game. They recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of their acclaimed horror magazine. Here are some noteworthy books to add to your reading to-do list: December Park by Ronald Malfi: Signed limited editions of this chilling novel are now available, but will be sold out soon. December Park tells the story of several young friends and the horrors they unearth while searching for a young girl's killer. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn: Signed limited edition copies of the best-selling novel are available, but they're going fast. Gone Girl (soon to be a major motion picture) tells the story of Nick Dunne, a seemingly innocent man blamed for his wife's sudden disappearance. [Note: cover art shown above is from the Standard Edition.] Sometimes, Cemetery Dance sells other publisher's books like The Hogben Chronicles by Henry Kuttner: 500 special-edition copies will be available from Cemetery Dance, but...
- 3/7/2014
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 10, issue #1 goes on sale March 19th. Squee! Writer Christos Cage (Avengers Academy) and artist Rebekah Isaacs (Angel & Faith) take the helm, and from the looks of things they deliver the goods, as always. As fans of the show and the comic know, Buffy's been through some tough times (what? No!) since she liberated the Slayer line. !!!!Spoilers!!!! Angel was possessed by a god, magic was stripped from the world, people died, magic was restored, and did I mention that people died? Stuck in the middle, Buffy was blamed for most – if not all – of it, even if things (mostly) seemed to work out… eventually. Now, it appears that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Buffy's still being a bad-ass Slayer, but maybe she'll have some new “friends” to tag along. Take a look, and let us know what you think in the comments!
- 3/7/2014
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
“A Study in Emerald” is an interesting alternate universe story in which the world of Sherlock Holmes and the Hp Lovecraft Cthulhu Mythos combine. The version of the story that is available online at Neil Gaiman's site features ads throughout that are about other stories, such as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The artwork is creative and fits nicely with the narrative. The narrator of the story tells of his friend, a famous and respected detective in a society made “perfect” by the return and rule of the Old Ones. But all is not well. One of the royal family has been murdered, his green blood splattered across a room, with an ominous message written in the royal's gore. As the story continues, the detective and narrator easily discover who the murderers are. However, catching them is not so simple. It turns out that they are just as smart,...
- 2/20/2014
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
In addition to being Black History Month, February is also recently known as Women in Horror Month. Throughout the history of horror, numerous women have published works that have won fans and a place in the literary world, but too often they are overlooked in the larger scheme of things. Mary Shelley is probably one of the most famous female authors of the genre. Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus is a work on par with other horror gems such as Bram Stoker's Dracula, and it has spawned numerous movies and other adaptations. While it is also considered a science fiction story, one can't overlook the horror elements. What started as a friendly competition between peers to make a chilling story turned into an iconic vision. Frankenstein's monster has, throughout the years, become a symbol of the quintessential lost, potentially dangerous but also misunderstood being, struggling to find a place in the world.
- 2/7/2014
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
I recently had the opportunity to interview Jane Espenson and Brad Bell about their new web series Husbands. They also shared their insights about Buffy, writing, and what makes a series pop.
FEARnet: How did Husbands get started?
Jane Espenson (Je): It got started because Brad had an idea. He's a young writer I really admire, and I really respect his ideas. He had this idea about doing a new sitcom for the marriage-equality age, and that's worth doing.
FEARnet: I was reading a bit about that and wondered if, as the creators, you faced any of the same controversy that your characters face in some of the episodes?
Je: Not so much, people are really loving it. (To Brad) I think in your life you faced some of that.
Brad Bell (Bb): Not specifically about Husbands, but the other day I saw some comment online and it was something like,...
FEARnet: How did Husbands get started?
Jane Espenson (Je): It got started because Brad had an idea. He's a young writer I really admire, and I really respect his ideas. He had this idea about doing a new sitcom for the marriage-equality age, and that's worth doing.
FEARnet: I was reading a bit about that and wondered if, as the creators, you faced any of the same controversy that your characters face in some of the episodes?
Je: Not so much, people are really loving it. (To Brad) I think in your life you faced some of that.
Brad Bell (Bb): Not specifically about Husbands, but the other day I saw some comment online and it was something like,...
- 1/10/2014
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
In the introductory review to this book, I mentioned the general sense of the character of Rosie and it turns out that while there is a great deal more to Rosie than meets the eye, I wasn't far off.
There's a nice clarity to the writing, and it reads much like an informal biography. The use of the unseen interviewer is a nice touch, bringing the reader in to that position with questions from Mrs. Kirkland answered for the sake of the interviewer/reader.
As the story progresses, it becomes clear that Rosie is not as old as she first seems. In fact, she's only in her late fifties, early sixties. However, she considers it more than a little late to have discovered that she has extraordinary powers. Despite the lateness, she embraces her new power and new life.
It all started when her mother passed away and she met...
There's a nice clarity to the writing, and it reads much like an informal biography. The use of the unseen interviewer is a nice touch, bringing the reader in to that position with questions from Mrs. Kirkland answered for the sake of the interviewer/reader.
As the story progresses, it becomes clear that Rosie is not as old as she first seems. In fact, she's only in her late fifties, early sixties. However, she considers it more than a little late to have discovered that she has extraordinary powers. Despite the lateness, she embraces her new power and new life.
It all started when her mother passed away and she met...
- 1/9/2014
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
2013 is on its way out and 2014 is ready to go! Here are just a few titles I'm really looking forward to reading in 2014.
Doctor Sleep: Yes, Doctor Sleep was published in 2013. But I'm looking forward to reading it in 2014. There has been a lot of excitement over this sequel to The Shining, and it's pretty much guaranteed to live up to the hype.
Black Wings of Cthulhu, Volume Two, edited by S. T. Joshi: The title alone is enough to get my interest. I haven't yet read the first volume, so that can be added to the list as well.
The Best Horror of the Year, Vol. 6: A year really doesn't feel complete without at least one Ellen Datlow edited anthology. Ms. Datlow takes the time to collect and read short stories from all over the place, and presents her findings for eager readers. Definitely one not to miss.
Doctor Sleep: Yes, Doctor Sleep was published in 2013. But I'm looking forward to reading it in 2014. There has been a lot of excitement over this sequel to The Shining, and it's pretty much guaranteed to live up to the hype.
Black Wings of Cthulhu, Volume Two, edited by S. T. Joshi: The title alone is enough to get my interest. I haven't yet read the first volume, so that can be added to the list as well.
The Best Horror of the Year, Vol. 6: A year really doesn't feel complete without at least one Ellen Datlow edited anthology. Ms. Datlow takes the time to collect and read short stories from all over the place, and presents her findings for eager readers. Definitely one not to miss.
- 1/8/2014
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
While a number of these books and stories were published in 2013, some were not. But I still highly recommend them all for readers that haven't had a chance to add them to their lists.
2013 has been quite the tumultuous year. One theme in publishing that has stood out is that of the apocalyptic tale. The draw to apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic works has been going on for some time now and doesn't show any signs of slowing, which is great. Some of the best stories this year have blossomed from that sub-genre.
Aside from that, there are numerous dark, horrific fiction works that stand head and shoulders above the rest. Here is just a small sampling of a few of my favorites read this year.
Things Slip Through by Kevin Lucia: Recently reviewed, this is undoubtedly one of the best works I've read this year. The writing is excellent, the stories flow,...
2013 has been quite the tumultuous year. One theme in publishing that has stood out is that of the apocalyptic tale. The draw to apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic works has been going on for some time now and doesn't show any signs of slowing, which is great. Some of the best stories this year have blossomed from that sub-genre.
Aside from that, there are numerous dark, horrific fiction works that stand head and shoulders above the rest. Here is just a small sampling of a few of my favorites read this year.
Things Slip Through by Kevin Lucia: Recently reviewed, this is undoubtedly one of the best works I've read this year. The writing is excellent, the stories flow,...
- 1/7/2014
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
Kevin Lucia's Things Slip Through is a collection of short stories that reads more like a novel due to the importance of the wrap-around story and the way the tales interconnect. There's a bit of the tone of The Twilight Zone and Amazing Stories in this enjoyable (and too short!) read. And, of course, many readers will recognize the connections to tales and creatures of H. P. Lovecraft throughout the book.
The descriptions in Things Slip Through are extremely vivid. With simple phrases, Lucia paints pictures of familiar and yet terrifying creatures. Having read other works by Mr. Lucia, I'd say this is one signature of his, and he uses his skills as a writer to draw in the reader without exposing the seams of the work.
In my introductory review, I stated that Sheriff Chris might regret wanting to know more about the mysterious town and its inhabitants. Sure enough.
The descriptions in Things Slip Through are extremely vivid. With simple phrases, Lucia paints pictures of familiar and yet terrifying creatures. Having read other works by Mr. Lucia, I'd say this is one signature of his, and he uses his skills as a writer to draw in the reader without exposing the seams of the work.
In my introductory review, I stated that Sheriff Chris might regret wanting to know more about the mysterious town and its inhabitants. Sure enough.
- 12/6/2013
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
In the past few years, the Horror Writers Association (Hwa) has been expanding its membership and its reach, getting people interested in the works of both famous and lesser-known horror fiction writers, as well as encouraging aspiring writers. This year is no exception, with Hwa booking a booth for the first time at New York Comic Con. According to Hwa Chairperson James Chambers, they received a wonderful response. Numerous people gathered information from Hwa on new horror releases, upcoming author events and more. Despite horror growing in popularity over the years – with shows like American Horror Story, The Walking Dead and Supernatural dominating even among people that don't consider themselves fans of the genre – organizations like Hwa find that fans often don't know where or how to find horror books by authors who aren't as well-known as Stephen King. While bookstores have dedicated fantasy and science fiction sections, horror is...
- 12/6/2013
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
With Christmas just around the corner, it's time to take a look at some great gifts for the horror fans in your life (or for your own holiday wish list). Here are just a few notable notions... [Click the titles for ordering info.] Custom Made Zombie Shoes These zombie shoes will come in handy during the zombie apocalypse. And they're still useful if the apocalypse never happens. It's a win-win. Edgar Allan Poe Scented Candle Yes, please. And why not add a six-pack or so of RavenBeer while you're at it? Cthulhu Chess Set Because Cthulhu wins. Always. Dawn of the Dead Custom Sneakers These would go well with the other custom made zombie shoes. In fact, these shoes are so awesome one can only hope that there never will be a zombie apocalypse, just so these sneakers don't get ruined with mud, blood and guts. Cemetery Dance's Limited Edition of Stephen King's Doctor Sleep...
- 12/5/2013
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
This season of The Walking Dead (based on the comic by producer Robert Kirkman) is on track to be one of the best seasons yet. It's receiving huge fan approval, and at the New York Comic Con the cast and crew gave fans some insight into the upcoming season and how they feel about their characters.
Already at the mid-season finale mark (see Alyse Wax's detailed recaps for more), we've seen the return of the Governor (David Morrissey); Carol (Melissa McBride) has been banished; and many of the new arrivals to the prison have died. It almost seemed for a time that Hershel (Scott Wilson) and/or Glenn (Steven Yeun) might die of the flu-like illness, with Maggie (Lauren Cohan) determined to join them. Carl (Chandler Riggs) is continuing to prove that – despite his father's wishes – he can protect himself and others. Michonne (Danai Gurira) is officially an irreplaceable member of the crew.
Already at the mid-season finale mark (see Alyse Wax's detailed recaps for more), we've seen the return of the Governor (David Morrissey); Carol (Melissa McBride) has been banished; and many of the new arrivals to the prison have died. It almost seemed for a time that Hershel (Scott Wilson) and/or Glenn (Steven Yeun) might die of the flu-like illness, with Maggie (Lauren Cohan) determined to join them. Carl (Chandler Riggs) is continuing to prove that – despite his father's wishes – he can protect himself and others. Michonne (Danai Gurira) is officially an irreplaceable member of the crew.
- 12/3/2013
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
(dis)Comfort Food, published by Post Mortem Press, starts off with a newspaper clipping detailing several brutal killings or possible suicides. It's the kind of article that stirs the imagination instead of putting matters to rest... and so begins the story, told by a narrator who seems to know more about things than she lets on. The prologue introduces the voice of this narrator, Rosie. She's a kind elderly lady, but there's something behind the tone of the writing that suggests that, when she wants to, she can smile and show rows of razor-sharp fangs instead of regular teeth... and one of the last statements in the prologue is, “I don't bite.” Which, of course, suggests the opposite. Part One is titled “Leitmotif.” It is defined as “an associated melodic phrase or figure that accompanies the reappearance of an idea, person, or situation” (per the Merriam Webster Dictionary). This is important,...
- 10/11/2013
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
Things Slip Through by Kevin Lucia, with an introduction by award-winning author & editor Thomas F. Monteleone (Borderlands), is a collection of connected stories. The beginning tale, “Clifton Heights, New York,” is introduced by the narrator, Chris. He's an outsider cop who has lived in the mysterious and disturbing Clifton Heights for only a year. He starts by discussing the issue of truth, particularly truth between friends. How much truth is too much? But on the issue of what makes Clifton Heights so disturbing: Chris has had enough of just pieces of the truth, or outright lies. He wants answers, and he weighs the consequences of demanding those answers from his friends Fitz, Gavin and Father Ward. Will they still be friends by the end of the evening? He decides that it's worth the risk, even though the thought of the truth scares him more than he's willing to admit. Because people are disappearing.
- 10/9/2013
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
Jeff Strand's work often blends comedy and horror seamlessly, and “Specimen 313” is no exception. It's a story told from the point-of-view of a genetically altered flesh-eating Venus flytrap. Max, Specimen 278, is unhappy, despite being able to eat all of the humans he wants, delivered to him by the mad scientist Dr. Prethorius.
He passes the time thinking, or watching the Dr. discard other Venus flytraps not as advanced as himself. Or he enjoys watching others eat, devouring the unsuspecting humans Prethorius brings to the greenhouse.
But it's not enough.
Soon, however, he gets a new friend. One plant is discarded and another, Specimen 313, is planted beside him. They become fast friends.
Without giving too much away, it's safe to say Specimen 313 is unique among all of the killer plants the scientist has created. She and Max form a bond that's not soon broken.
Overall, the writing makes you feel for the killer plants,...
He passes the time thinking, or watching the Dr. discard other Venus flytraps not as advanced as himself. Or he enjoys watching others eat, devouring the unsuspecting humans Prethorius brings to the greenhouse.
But it's not enough.
Soon, however, he gets a new friend. One plant is discarded and another, Specimen 313, is planted beside him. They become fast friends.
Without giving too much away, it's safe to say Specimen 313 is unique among all of the killer plants the scientist has created. She and Max form a bond that's not soon broken.
Overall, the writing makes you feel for the killer plants,...
- 10/8/2013
- by Alyse Wax
- FEARnet
People of the Ethereal Realm, published by Post Mortem Press, starts off with a blind man seeing a dead woman. A pretty good start to what seems to be a fascinating novel. Gerald is a man that lives alone and appears to get along well in his surroundings. With this short intro, it is clear that he is not unfamiliar with the unusual and the mystical. The quick prologue leads into the first chapter which deals with a husband and wife, Justine and Adam Kroger. They have a routine that doesn't do much for either one of them. She works at hospitals at night while he drinks himself into a paranoid state. She comes home and he goes to work. Then they do it all again the next day and the next. While Justine is away, Adam's paranoia creeps in slowly but surely, and though he tries to squash it,...
- 10/4/2013
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
Gregory Maguire is probably best known as the author of Wicked. Featured in the anthology After, this somewhat adorable yet disturbing tale is about a young protagonist who writes about a world half-destroyed, and how that came to be.
While the future-world (mis)spellings are different, to say the least, it's easy enough to get through. And Hapless Joey—along with his teacher, Big Ant—move the story forward at an interesting, fast pace.
What Joey describes is a planet that dissolved, leaving the inhabitants in “The Cold Time.” Joey can't remember the time before that because he was just a baby, but his Grandfather told him stories. And he writes an essay to tell a special committee what he knows.
But what he doesn't know is that Big Ant and the committee have other plans for him and other promising children just like him.
What makes this story disturbing...
While the future-world (mis)spellings are different, to say the least, it's easy enough to get through. And Hapless Joey—along with his teacher, Big Ant—move the story forward at an interesting, fast pace.
What Joey describes is a planet that dissolved, leaving the inhabitants in “The Cold Time.” Joey can't remember the time before that because he was just a baby, but his Grandfather told him stories. And he writes an essay to tell a special committee what he knows.
But what he doesn't know is that Big Ant and the committee have other plans for him and other promising children just like him.
What makes this story disturbing...
- 9/13/2013
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
Featured in The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror, #20, “Through the Cracks” by Gary McMahon is, in a way, about what can be described as an idea virus. However, it's much more than that. Prentiss is a man that knows about the cracks, knows about the evil that lives there. And whether anyone believes him or not, the things in the cracks are real – and they want out.
His ex-girlfriend, Emma, is one who does not believe him. But she listens and she cares. And, despite what appears to be insanity and decrepitude on his part, she is drawn to him. Shortly before a visit to her sister's place, she gets a call. He wants her to visit. Even though her sister protests, she does.
What she finds is a man that has completely lost his grasp on the world in order to—as he believes—save it. Emma wants nothing to do with this.
His ex-girlfriend, Emma, is one who does not believe him. But she listens and she cares. And, despite what appears to be insanity and decrepitude on his part, she is drawn to him. Shortly before a visit to her sister's place, she gets a call. He wants her to visit. Even though her sister protests, she does.
What she finds is a man that has completely lost his grasp on the world in order to—as he believes—save it. Emma wants nothing to do with this.
- 9/13/2013
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
What is the price of working with evil in order to defeat evil? Featured in The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Four edited by Ellen Datlow, Simon Bestwick's “Dermot” raises this question, and unlike in many stories that deal with the same, the answer isn't so reassuring.
It starts off with the description of Dermot himself. The kind of man you want to avoid. Not because of his looks, but because of his essence – that incomprehensible evil that seeps off of him like a toxic leak. And you know you want no part of whatever he has planned.
From there, Bestwick takes us to a police unit called “Special Projects.” They deal with the things and the people not even the most jaded cops want to face. And this is Dermot's destination.
Throughout the story, there's the tension of anticipation. Dermot's, the officers' and the reader's. But each is a different type of anticipation.
It starts off with the description of Dermot himself. The kind of man you want to avoid. Not because of his looks, but because of his essence – that incomprehensible evil that seeps off of him like a toxic leak. And you know you want no part of whatever he has planned.
From there, Bestwick takes us to a police unit called “Special Projects.” They deal with the things and the people not even the most jaded cops want to face. And this is Dermot's destination.
Throughout the story, there's the tension of anticipation. Dermot's, the officers' and the reader's. But each is a different type of anticipation.
- 9/12/2013
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
“The End of the Whole Mess” by Stephen King Available in the collection Nightmares and Dreamscapes, this disturbing piece of literature does not deal with the supernatural or crazed maniacs. No demonic monsters, serial killers or the like cause the horror that makes this story so chilling. Rather it is human error (and perhaps even arrogance) and that's what makes this story hit home. Like much of Stephen King's work, it has been adapted for the screen. I first read this as a teenager, and its frightening conclusion has stayed with me ever since. “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce It's a good guess that just about everybody has read this story at least once in school, or has heard about it, or has seen one of the numerous films adapted from or inspired by it. Written in the late 1800s, Bierce captures that sense of...
- 9/5/2013
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
“You Won't Feel a Thing” by Garth Nix is a prequel to his novel Shade's Children, and is featured in the Ellen Datlow/Terri Windling anthology After. I haven't read the novel, but the story is an interesting tale, full of people forcibly enhanced/changed by alien-technology. Part-human, part-animal, with special, almost magical gifts. This story “[starts] with a toothache.” One of the main characters, named “The Arkle,” has a severe toothache. Through following The Arkle as he thinks about his tooth and the pain, the reader gets background on this After world, and we learn how many adults simply disappeared in a flash while children were herded onto strange vehicles and sent to be experimented on. The imagery touches upon the horrific events of the Holocaust. Some managed to escape as adults before the full transition and maintained most of their humanity. This story deals with a few of them.
- 8/12/2013
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
“These Things We Have Always Known” is a creepy, methodical Southern Gothic tale about a small town called Cold Rest. The casual style of the first-person narrative is interspersed with lyrical, poetic phrases that fit seamlessly within the story. It is featured in The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror #20, edited by Stephen Jones.
The narrator, Neil, goes into detail about how unusual the town is, how people are always waiting on some unnatural thing to make its presence fully know. And strange, wonderful and yet sinister things happen in Cold Rest. For instance, Neil is a sculptor – and the things he creates literally take on life of their own.
Living in a house with his wife, daughter and visiting brother, Neil begins to notice that things are heading to a place he's not sure he wants to go. He works on his normal art of birds and woodland creatures,...
The narrator, Neil, goes into detail about how unusual the town is, how people are always waiting on some unnatural thing to make its presence fully know. And strange, wonderful and yet sinister things happen in Cold Rest. For instance, Neil is a sculptor – and the things he creates literally take on life of their own.
Living in a house with his wife, daughter and visiting brother, Neil begins to notice that things are heading to a place he's not sure he wants to go. He works on his normal art of birds and woodland creatures,...
- 8/8/2013
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
Steven Gould is the author of many short stories and novels, including Jumper, which was turned into a movie (a fun flick worth seeing if you haven't already). His story in the Ellen Datlow/Terri Windling anthology After is a heartwarming (pun intended) story of family survival. It starts off with the main character, Jeremy, watching what – at first – seems to be normal beetle-like bugs crawling across a soda can. But they are not ordinary bugs; they are metal-eating insects, devouring any and all metal they can find. Jeremy and his family – father, mother and sister – set out on leaving their home, going to a safe-zone in order to avoid the creatures. But they miscalculate and find themselves (and their car) deep within a swarm. Since the creatures are only interested in metal, it would seem that humans are safe. Unless they have fillings or, say, a pacemaker... which the father has.
- 8/6/2013
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
Ellen Datlow is an Editor Extraordinaire who needs little introduction. She has edited numerous anthologies, and co-edited many with other editors such as Terri Windling. She's won at least one of every major award for fantasy, science fiction, and horror fiction, and for her “Best Of" anthology she probably reads more in a month than most people do in a year. Ms. Datlow took some time out of her schedule to answer questions for FEARnet about her upcoming anthology, Fearful Symmetries. FEARnet: Fearful Symmetries is a new joint venture coming from you and ChiZine Publications. Can you tell us how this came about? Ellen Datlow: I enjoy editing non-themed anthologies, but in my experience they just don’t sell as well as themed anthologies do. So understandably very few publishers buy them. While I was wandering around the dealers’ room at World Fantasy Convention last year, it occurred to me...
- 8/1/2013
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
So far this year, Post Mortem Press (Pmp) has traveled across the country, debuted at the World Horror Convention in New Orleans, and published new fiction. In part two of our interview (read part one here), Publisher Eric Beebe briefly talks about making films and what it's like to travel to places both known and unknown. FEARnet: Will Pmp expand into other areas as well? Eric Beebe: Well, we've put our toes in the water for films. One short story, “Out in the Cold” by Joe Williams, which is in a book called Detroit Macabre, has already been made into a short film. If you remember, several years ago there were these short commercials imported from Detroit – they had Eminem in them and a hip-hop beat in the background. Well, the people that made them made the movie Out in the Cold. It's in post-production now. There's another one from...
- 7/5/2013
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
The film, horror and publishing communities, and fans everywhere, were saddened to learn of Richard Matheson's passing last week. Known for his extensive work in both publishing and film, he was a voice of many generations, creating timeless works that people of various ages and cultures identified with and enjoyed. Matheson is legend and will be deeply missed. [FEARnet's Alyse Wax goes into detail about Matheson and his works in this article.] Richard Matheson was as much of a master of short fiction as he was with longer tales. In his story “Venturi,” which first appeared in He is Legend: An Anthology Celebrating Richard Matheson and was later republished in The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 21 by Stephen Jones, he deftly details a man's surreal experiences as he tries to stay vigilant against real or imagined hungry blazes. Pulling from his own experience of losing his home in Malibu to fire, Matheson creates a dreamlike world in a short span of time.
- 7/4/2013
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
Kevin Lucia's novella, And I Watered It with Tears, is a tense, methodical tale about a man who can't – who refuses – to remember the truth. It's a ghost story, of sorts (don't want to spoil the ending!) and it leads the reader along on a ghastly non-linear journey to discover that truth. The main character, Andrew, has bills piling up, was fired from a teaching position and is underemployed in a county job. To make matters worse, he's dealing with a painful divorce. While waiting in line to pay his electric bill, he meets Deyquan and several others waiting to do the same, only with different situations. Deyquan, for instance, only decided to stop in on a whim to pay his bill early. A decision he soon regrets. Just before the bill collection agency closes, one of the women in line discovers a dead body in the bathroom. At first,...
- 7/2/2013
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
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