Archive for May, 2008
Posted by Horror Grinder on
May 31, 2008
Coffin County
Gary A. Braunbeck
Leisure Fiction
Paperback, $7.99 (review based on advance reading copy)
Review by Sheila Merritt
“As the sun perched on the horizon like a vulture examining a field of fresh carrion,” is a striking simile. It is also an example of multi-Bram Stoker (and other) awards recipient Gary A. Braunbeck’s eerie ease with words. In Coffin County, he creates a universe whose denizens deal with disaster, dread, and distress. Within the town of Cedar Hill, Ohio, “where the corners of the finite and infinite don’t quite come together as they should,” is the slum district called Coffin County. “Coffin County is where the spirit would have to rally in order to reach hopeless. It is a place where the odd and the damaged, the despondent and the discarded, the lost and the shabby come when they reach the end of their rope and life offers no alternative but to crawl into the shadows of poverty and just give up.” This tone of despair permeates a novel which reflects upon the seeming randomness of rampage, the catastrophic characteristics of chaos, and the inevitability of evil.
Evil has erupted in Cedar Hill for centuries. The town is a vortex for violence, “where the scrim separating this reality from whatever waits on the other side becomes all the more weaker.” When a slaughtering spree spawns seemingly supernatural situations, law enforcement officials try to exercise rational thought. They are hampered, however, by evidence which defies reason: “Every set of fingerprints identifies one of the victims as either a dead mass murderer or a dead serial killer.”
Chaos theory, “the butterfly effect,” and Judas Iscariot all play roles in what is happening. It is not necessary, however, to be a physicist, philosopher, or Biblical scholar to enjoy this book. Having some knowledge of concepts and characters discussed in it does enhance the pleasure of reading it. Going to Wikipedia for crash courses certainly increased this reviewer’s appreciation!
The volume includes two bonus stories, also set in Cedar Hill. In these stories, and especially the novel, the author tackles difficult plotting, and writes beautiful, poetic passages. He is also adept at characterization; creating a comprehension of those who may not possess redeeming qualities, and reaffirming, through deft description, the likeability of others.
Coffin County has many likeable characters, and many of them die. This is brave of Braunbeck; in the novel, nothing is predictable, anything is possible: Rather like chaos theory.
Tags: Book Reviews, Gary A. Braunbeck, Leisure Fiction, Sheila Merritt
Book Reviews, Gary A. Braunbeck, Leisure Fiction, Sheila Merritt
Stabbed first by HELLNOTES
Posted by Horror Grinder on
May 31, 2008
>We’re proud to announce that joining the official Platinum Dunes page is now the official Darren Bousman Blog, where you can interact directly with the writer-director who has become a household name in the horror genre. Bousman is the man behind SAW II, SAW III, SAW IV, Lionsgate’s upcoming REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA and an up coming episode of FEAR ITSELF entitled “New Year’s Day”. Keep your eyes over at the official spot for new images, blogs, announcements and confirmation on crazy rumors that spread throughout the land. If you head on over there now you can read an introductory piece and check out a brand new pic of Bill Moseley and Ogre in REPO! Talk directly to the director - feel free to leave comments under the bog posts as Bousman WILL be reading them!
Stabbed first by Bloody-Disgusting Horror News
Posted by Horror Grinder on
May 31, 2008
We have a huge announcement this afternoon - joining THE MOTHER OF TEARS Uncut at this month’s HorrorHound Weekend in Pittsburgh (June 20-22) is Chris Sivertson’s exploitation film Wicked Lake and the gore-filled Japanese film Machine Girl. All films will be 100% FREE with every paid admission to the convention, click here for a list of all films playing. Also, don’t forget that the Alamo Drafthouse is hosting a very special screening of DAWN OF THE DEAD inside Monroeville Mall! Check out the official website for guest info, ticket info and more! See you there!
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Posted by Horror Grinder on
May 31, 2008
Mezco Toyz recently announced the arrival of Living Dead Dolls Series 15. These sweetly twisted, irresistible dead dolls from beyond by creators Ed Long and Damien Glonek keep you dying for more. This series includes Death the dastardly reaper with his scythe, Bathory, the blood thirsty countess, and their friends Judas, Flamingo, and Gypsy. Inside you can read our review of Gypsy and see what all the hype is about.
Stabbed first by Bloody-Disgusting Horror News
Posted by Horror Grinder on
May 31, 2008
After the debacle that ensued back in February (read about it at CHUD), we learned that Warner Bros. Pictures is scheduled to do reshoots on Spike Jonze’s Where the Wild Things Are in Los Angeles from June 5-30. It is unclear how much is being reshot, but there are new casting calls out for various stand-in roles. After a rash of test screenings this past February, it was reported that WB would be retooling - if not completely reshooting the adaptation of the popular kids book, which follows of Max, a rebellious young boy who runs away from home after a fight with his mother and finds himself in a forest where the wild things roam.
Stabbed first by Bloody-Disgusting Horror News
Posted by Horror Grinder on
May 30, 2008
Weird Tales is proud to present a visual-art project of epic proportions: “365 Days of Blasphemous Horrors,” a year-long, daily online series of all-new, Lovecraft-inspired artworks by the Baltimore-based mixed-media artist Steven Archer (also known as half of the musical duo Ego Likeness). The collaboration was announced Saturday evening at Balticon, the Baltimore-area science fiction convention, where attendees enjoyed a sneak peek at the first several weeks’ worth of material. Today marked the official debut of “Blasphemous Horrors” at WeirdTalesMagazine.com, where new works will be unveiled every day for the next year.
Weird Tales, the world’s first magazine of fantastic literature, was originally founded in 1923. In its early years, H.P. Lovecraft was the magazine’s creative superstar; in later years, many writers and artists have striven to build upon the horrific ideas and aesthetics that comprise Lovecraft’s popular Cthulhu Mythos. “365 Days of Blasphemous Horrors” is the first major Lovecraftian creative work presented by Weird Tales since the magazine undertook a top-to-bottom revamp in 2007.
Not only will readers of WeirdTalesMagazine.com be able to view the “Blasphemous Horrors,” they’ll have the opportunity to own the original artworks. Archer will be selling each piece (with occasional exceptions) for a flat fee to the first bidder, as detailed at the website. All the pieces in the series are a combination of oil paint, paper, graphite, acrylic paint, scotch tape, and ink. They are mounted on the inside of hardcover book covers and vary in size from 5×8 to 7×10 inches.
“An awful lot of Lovecraft fans are going to be blown away by Steven Archer’s artwork,” says Weird Tales editorial & creative director Stephen H. Segal. “There’s no lack of shiny Mythos art out there, sure — but this stuff is really different. It’s intimate, primordial. Not only does Archer have a unique visual style, his work has a passionate urgency that bleeds through every piece with a sense of mystery, pathos, and creepiness. By the time these 365 days have passed, I think the Cthulhu culture will know his name well.”
Steven Archer is an artist and musician who happens to share the same birthday as H.P. Lovecraft. When not recording songs, D.J.-ing, or producing art, he and his wife, author Donna Lynch, tour with their dark electronic rock band, Ego Likeness; their fourth album is scheduled for a 2008 release. Archer has a B.F.A. from the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, DC, and has shown his work at galleries and other venues along the East Coast, as well as on album covers and in magazines. He has also written and illustrated a children’s book, Luna Maris, which was published by Raw Dog Screaming Press earlier this year.
Tags: Horror Art, Steven Archer, Weird Tales
Horror Art, Steven Archer, Weird Tales
Stabbed first by HELLNOTES
Posted by Horror Grinder on
May 30, 2008
This afternoon Universal Pictures provided Bloody-Disgusting with the full official synopsis for Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell, which stars Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Jessica Lucas, Dileep Rao, Lorna Raver, David Paymer, Adriana Barraza,Fernanda Romero, Reggie Lee, Alex Veadov, Bojana Novakovic and Bill E. Roger. Raimi calls it a ’spook-a-blast,’ a wild ride with all the chills and spills that ‘Evil Dead’ delivered, without relying on the excessive violence of that film. Filming has begin in Los Angeles, CA.
Stabbed first by Bloody-Disgusting Horror News
Posted by Horror Grinder on
May 30, 2008
Although still in very early talks, we learned last night - and confirmed with various sources - that Ghost House Pictures is looking to produce the sequel to the adaptation to his popular vampire comic, 30 Days of Night, only this time the film is planned (not yet decided) for a direct-to-DVD/Blu-ray release. No word yet on writers or a director, but we’ll let you know as soon as word comes in. The first movie was set in the isolated town of Barrow, Alaska, in the extreme northern hemisphere, which is plunged into complete darkness annually for an entire month. When most of the inhabitants head south for the winter, a mysterious group of strangers appear: bloodthirsty vampires, ready to take advantage of the uninterrupted darkness to feed on the town’s residents. As the night wears on, Barrow’s Sheriff Eben, his estranged wife Stella, and an ever-shrinking group of survivors must do anything they can to last until daylight.
Stabbed first by Bloody-Disgusting Horror News
Posted by Horror Grinder on
May 30, 2008
Horror comic book legend Steve Niles revealed on his blog this week that the adaptation to his Wake the Dead is still alive and kicking with Jay Russell now attached to the project. Originally announced by Dimension Films, Niles’ vision is still looking for a new home, hopefully we’ll hear something soon! Based on Niles’ comic book, the supernatural series is a retelling of the Frankenstein legend in the style of cult favorites THE CROW and DARKMAN. You can check out a montage of the comic by reading on.
Stabbed first by Bloody-Disgusting Horror News
Posted by Horror Grinder on
May 30, 2008
This morning 20th Century Fox provided Bloody-Disgusting with not only two new stills from Alex Aja’s Mirrors, but also a first-look behind-the-scenes video featuring star Kiefer Sutherland! Arriving in theaters August 15, the story follows a security guard at a high-end department store who begins to investigate mysterious deaths occurring in front of the stores’ mirrors. He soon discovers that there are murderous reflections out for revenge. Read on for the new pics and the clip!
Stabbed first by Bloody-Disgusting Horror News
