Wednesday, April 29, 2009

New Clive Barker review and Hellraiser remakes news


The Adventures of Maximillian Bacchus by Clive Barker
Bad Moon books 90 pages

In reviewing or discussing this novella it's important to get out of the way what it is. This short book is a treat for Clive Barker fans. Written when he was a teenager and only slightly edited this little book shows that the young unknown brit had fantasy chops at a young age. It is far from a master work but it is important piece for those interested in learning from the development of this master...

Full review will be up on Monster Libraian next week...

Oh yeah Clive Barker on the new Hellraiser...

"It's being written and directed by two Frenchmen. They actually made a very good movie called À L'Intérieur, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. Bob Weinstein hooked them up with me. They're going to remake it - and radically re-design it.
"I am, [OK with that], Andrew. I look at it this way: the film that Clive made is the film that Clive made. I made it my way, and it wouldn't make sense to try to remake it. So what they've done is take the basic elements and reconfigured it in a way that makes a lot of sense - and they have a lot more money. I had $900,000 and 23 days to film it, and was paid the morbid sum of $21,000 to write and direct it."
Clive Barker: Raising Hell
By Andrew Davis, Windy City Times, 9 January 2008 (note - full text available online at www.windycitymediagroup.com)"

"My understanding there is that I will receive a treatment for a script from the director – who made a wonderful movie called The Martyrs, a French picture – and I’m supposed to receive that, I think today, actually, and then we’re going to have a conversation and, all things being equal, he will then go away and write the script and I will executive produce the movie and he will direct."
Pod of Horror #52
By Mark Justice, Pod of Horror, March 2009 (note: full podcast online at www.horrorworld.org

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Thursday, April 9, 2009

The Apocalpse Reader



A month or so ago Cari and I went to see local Author Jemiah Jefferson read from her new Cyberpunk web novel First world. She did an excellent reading, from talking to Jemiah at events around town I was already sold on the project but her reading was quite good. You can read the novel for free online, and vote on the direction of the remaining chapters.

Here and this address:

There was another author reading that night who has a book out with the same publisher. Brian Evenson, who I had not heard and now I feel bad for having missed him. I saw him before the reading looking at Thomas Liggoti books which is a fanstastic sign.

He read from his book Last Days, and I was sold. A couple days ago i looked him up at the library and I found short story collection which I put on hold and I am waiting for, and an anthology that he has a short story in called The Apocalpse Reader.

I started reading the AR and I have to say this is a must read for fans of dystopias, end of the world fiction or dark fiction in general. It features HP Lovecraft, Ursala K Leguin,Michael Moorcock, HG Wells and many more.

Evenson's story about a post apoc midwestern cannibal man mistaken for Jesus is a stand out but It is alot of the classics that really make this a must read. HG Wells's story "The star" written in 18th century about stray planet coming the earth way is an amazing read.

Most powerful to me was a story written in 1844 called the Earth Holocaust by Nathaniel Hawthrone. Gotta read it.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Earth Crisis To the Death pre-release listening party in Portland!



Sunday April 26th at Chaos Café (26th and powell) 5 PM

All Proceeds benefit Try Vegan PDX – A vegan outreach and local mentoring program.

XXX Buy one dollar raffle tickets to win CD’s (To The Death before it hits streets, Heaven Shall Burn, Maroon and many more.) Free posters, stickers and other give-aways.
XXX Great vegan food at Chaos Café
XXX Vegan Milkshakes by Sip
XXX DJ spinning 90’s hardcore
XXX Exclusive preview of Burning fight (a book about 90’s hardcore)
XXX Classic Earth Crisis karaoke

Monday, April 6, 2009

Screams from a Dying World avilable for pre-order at the horror-mall!




http://www.horror-mall.com/SCREAMS-FROM-A-DYING-WORLD-by-David-Agranoff-Paperback-p-19185.html

Cell phone towers fall as an ancient prophecy plays out in the heartland. A young woman begs an angel to let her die, while trapped in an ecological wasteland. An android designed to be a sex slave plans her escape. With themes both serious and grotesque, these 13 tales of horror and science fiction will leave you wondering—how will it end? With a whimper or a scream?

“Screams from a Dying World by David Agranoff is a moving reading experience rich with descriptive prose that makes each story come alive and a subtle message that will leave you looking at the world in a whole new way.” —Horrorworld.org

“You’d likely find his collection of stories dark, imaginative and disturbing…These are stories that not only entertain, but they stick with you and may even challenge your thinking.” —Bram Stoker award nominated author Fran Friel

“Screams from a Dying World is the kind of dangerous stuff that makes its neighbors look like creepy comfort food. Agranoff brings an artist’s eye and an activist’s fist to these chilling reports from our war on the natural world, and restores a sense of beauty and purpose to a genre all too enamored of vapid shock tactics.” —Cody Goodfellow, author of Radiant Dawn and Jake’s Wake

“A kaleidoscopic burst of strange stories and righteous anger, balanced by a real concern for the future of our species, and more importantly, the ever-more-ravaged sphere we inhabit…a wonderful new voice.” Jeremy Robert Johnson, author of Siren Promised



Details

SKU SKU19185
Store: Bloodletting Books
Author: David Agranoff
Publisher: Afterbirth Books
Edition: Trade Paperback
Release Date: May 2009
Page Count: 180
Cover Artist: Shane Durgee
Price: $12.95

Friday, April 3, 2009

Heads For Sale! Strange chop socky



So I have not bought kung Fu movies in a awhile, outside of signed hardcover books and old Sci-fi pulp novels Kung Fu DVD’s are about the only thing I collect anymore. So for my birthday this year I bought myself three movies. I know big spender.

So I have access to renting great Kung Fu movies here in town at movie madness, so if I’m buying movies it’s because they are ones that are hard to find. First up was an old Shaw brothers classic from 1972 called ‘Heads for Sale.’

The director went on two years alter to make the classic film King Boxer(AKA Five Fingers of Death). I first heard of Heads for Sale on a commentary track for King Boxer. The commentators on the track were Quentin Tarintino and NY times Movie reviewer Elvis Mitchell. Both of whom have fantastic taste in martial arts cinema.

At one point they talked about what a strange Kung Fu movie Heads for Sale was. They compared it to Deadly China doll and Lady Snowblood which are women’s revenge films. This one stars Chiao Chiao who is best known for her role in the one armed swordsman (rare role for a woman in a Chang Cheh film).

While this is a great chop socky masterpiece for sure there was not as many decapitations as I expected. The plot is ultra strange and is best seen. It’s not exactly a revenge film. Chiao’s charter falls in love with a swordsmen but his family rejects hers. So she goes on sword wielding rampage. Her lover ends up getting arrested and she starts decapitating the people who jailed him.

Yep. That is the plot. Does it make a lot of sense. Not the point. Great movie check it out. Worth the $14 buck to buy from HK flix if you like chop socky.