Monday, November 9, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Random Ramblings from the Vault...
So who are today's equivalents of Price, Lugosi, Karloff, etc.? Is it Englund? Campbell? Henriksen? Anyone?
- Speaking of Karloff, he might be the most terrifying man to ever have a lisp. Just saying.
- Am I the only who always got profoundly annoyed at Stephen King's propensity for introducing dumb little catchphrases into all his novels and having the characters repeat them ad nauseum? They all float down here, indeed.
I never remember so many women being into horror as there are these days. If it had been like this 20 years ago, I might have had a better time in high school.
- FACT: Every person who grew up in the mid 1970s to early 1980s has been permanently traumatized by viewing Don't Be Afraid of the Dark on TV.
- Greatest thing about The Mad Monster Party? Those Jack Davis character designs. Phenomenal.
Important Question: Who was the coolest horror-themed pro wrestler? Papa Shango? Mortis? The Boogeyman? Mankind? Waylon Mercy (gotta love a gimmick inspired by Max Cady)?
- Since we're lucky enough to have Ray Harryhausen still among us, shouldn't someone give the old man a chance to shine just one more time? Show them CGI punks what's what...
- Was any major-release horror film this year met with more general apathy than the Stepfather remake? This decade, for that matter?
- And finally, keep your eyes peeled for more Ms. Horror Blogosphere developments. Candidate interview questions go out later this week...
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
That's Sir Christopher Lee to You, Punk!
Friday, October 30Thursday, November 5, 2009
Retro Review: The Body Snatcher (1945)
Every now and then, the horror gods smile down, the planets come into alignment, and a project like this one comes to be. As horror fans, we are very lucky to have such a remarkable film which, thanks to the miracle of home video, we can see pretty much any time we want.Let's break it down, shall we? The original story comes from a work by Robert Louis Stevenson, author of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. Stevenson apparently based it upon true reports of grave robbers on a spree throughout England and Scotland.
Producing the film version is the one and only Val Lewton, the visionary filmmaker responsible for the finest horror highlights of the 1940s. More than any other producer, Lewton is cited as having a tangible, almost directorial influence on his movies. This is simply one of a string of classics Lewton brought to fruition, including I Walked with a Zombie, Cat People, and The Seventh Victim.
Nevertheless, Lewton did employ a director, and a formidable one, at that. The great Robert Wise cut his teeth as a cinematographer for Orson Welles, but it was Lewton who first gave him a chance to direct--this was the third film Wise helmed for him. Wise, of course, would go on to direct such films as The Day the Earth Stood Still, Somebody Up There Likes Me, West Side Story, The Haunting, The Sound of Music, The Andromeda Strain and Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Not a bad resume, yes?Taking center stage in this lurid tale of the dark side of the early medical profession is a group of actors whose talents would have been renowned whether or not they had ever chosen to appear in a single horror film. Firstly, it should be pointed out that this movie would mark the final on-screen teaming Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi--although Lugosi, already down on his luck and relegated to low-budget Monogram clunkers, played merely a supporting role while Karloff starred.
Fresh off his sinister turn as Dr. Neimann in his last Universal horror flick, House of Frankenstein, Karloff takes to the role of the titular body snatcher John Gray with particular relish. This would be the first of three consecutive Lewton flicks for Karloff, followed quickly by Isle of the Dead and Bedlam. It's debatable, but this may be the best of the three.Playing alongside Karloff is one of classic Hollywood's true unsung heroes, Henry Daniell--a stage-trained British actor who might best be known for playing alongside Charles Laughton in the flawless legal dramedy Witness for the Prosecution. Usually relegated to supporting parts, Daniell appeared with Greta Garbo in Camille; with Charles Chaplin in The Great Dictator; with James Stewart, Kate Hepburn and Cary Grant in The Philadelphia Story; with Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn in Lust for Life; and with Ava Gardner and Errol Flynn in The Sun Also Rises.
But this time out, Daniell takes the lead, playing the tragic role of Dr. "Toddy" McFarlane, a famous surgeon with a sordid past tied to the insidious grave robber and murderer Gray. The interplay between the two is gripping at all times, and their antagonistic yet strangely symbiotic relationship is at the heart of the picture. And the climax, for those who may not have seen it, is one of the most underrated cinematic triumphs of psychological horror ever. Absolutely chilling, in that Victorian-era-horror-yarn kind of way.As with all Lewton films, much of the power here is also the result of the tremendously dark and foreboding look and feel. No doubt having an eye for good camera work himself, given his background, Wise uses as his cinematographer the accomplished Robert De Grasse, who had previously done The Leopard Man for Lewton, as well as the gorgeous Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers musical The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle.
And helping create the look of musty crypts, creepy graveyards and creaky 19th century medical laboratories is the amazing art director Albert S. D'Agostino--whose impressive horror credits include the Lewton films of the '40s, '30s Universal flicks like Werewolf of London and Dracula's Daughter, and '50s gem The Thing from Another World. There's a reason I picked his name to affix to the Cyber Horror Award for Best Art Direction!Put all these ingredients together, and you have what is easily one of the top five horror films of the 1940s. Stevenson. Lewton. Wise. Karloff. Lugosi. D'Agostino. Like I said, an alignment of the horror planets if ever there was one. Highly recommended.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
This is Halloween
OK, so lots of other people seem to be doing the whole "Here's what I did for Halloween" post--so why not me? I apologize for the lateness, but here goes. As you can see above, I went the whole zombie route this year. Unimaginative, I know. But I hadn't done it in many years, and there have really been noticeable improvements in drug store Halloween makeup since the mid 1990s!
Zombelina did the cowgirl thing. I know, I know--we're not especially creative in my household. But who cares, how adorable is she?
Wee-Sol has to push the pram a lot.
Never should've tried that new Gillette Mach 27.
The spread. Yeahhh, can you say "hardcore"? No.... neither can I.
Suburban Parents of the Dead
Yeah, we bobbed for apples. Hear that, Swine Flu? We're not afraid of you! Bring it!
The "Homer Simpson" variation on the tried-and-true swinging apple game. Mmmmm... Samhain.
My Flyboy impression.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Visceral Visionaries: Rachel Sims
If you've ever come across her stuff online, you may know her better as Lipstattoo. Rachel Sims is one of the most prominent and talented horror craft makers out there right now, and so it was a no-brainer that she would be the first craft-related artist to be featured in my little Visceral Visionaries series. Rachel recently took some time out from her thriving UK-based business to answer some questions about her work...What initially attracted you to horror imagery in particular?
I think it probably harks back to the days when I was around 7 or 8 years old, when my Mum would take me to the video store, and I would always end up inching my way towards the horror section, when I should have been picking something with Chevy Chase from the family aisle!
I loved looking at all the lurid covers for the films. That kind of design and imagery has just stuck with me all these years. I think my interest in the horror genre stems from then.
I like most horror, be it in films, music or books. It's just something that has always been in my life, so I couldn't really see myself making anything different from that.
What inspires you the most in what you do?Horror films mostly. There just has to be a tagline in a poster, a scene or a line of dialogue that strikes a chord, and I'm then trying to think of the next item to make. I get quite excited about watching films for that reason, especially the old '80s cheese which I'm so fond of.
When did you start creating your pieces? What led up to it?
Well, it was around 2002-03 ish, and an ex-boyfriend's idea--as much as I hate to admit it. I've always been arty and into crafts, but never really thought I could make money from it. But one day he told me about this new (at the time) social networking site called Myspace, and that I should get on there and advertise my drawing skills for hire for bands and tattoos, etc.
I drew a logo for the ex's record label, something for The Gallows (before they got sooo famous) and Spit Like This, but people were unreliable with payments, and were generally shadey, so I gave that up. I then DIY'ed up an old jacket for a Misfits gig I went to. Lots of people liked it. I started making transfers from my own artwork to put onto clothing, and that's just progressed into painting bags, bangles and my own jewelry.When did you start to realize there was a real demand out there for the kind of stuff you were working on?
The amount of return customers I got spoke volumes. The more time I spent on the horrorpunk/psychobilly/deathrock scene, I could tell that people were crying out for the gore/horror stuff, as there are only a couple of companies making those kind of accessories (kreepsville666 being one). If you're in the UK, pretty much all the girls will be wearing at least one item from them. At least when you buy a Lipstattoo item and go to a gig, you will NEVER run into someone with the same item, as everything is OOAK [one of a kind].
What's been the toughest piece you've ever had to make? Which one are you the most proud of?The toughest items I've made would have to be the handpainted bangles I produced as official merchandise for the band Devilish Presley. Each bangle had 'Voodoo Goddess' painted on it, each had to have three layers of paint, then a coat of varnish. And I made 40 of those! I had nothing but a gnarled claw for a hand by the end.
The items I'm most proud of are the severed finger keychains I hand-sculpted for Steve at the website Horror Extreme as promotional gifts. They were given out at the Gorezone Weekend of Horrors. They were so intricately detailed, and not only did I hand sculpt them all, but I then painted them up all gooey and gorey. I made 20 of those bad boys, and they did look amazing, if I do say so myself.
Has there ever been something that was just too difficult to pull off?Not yet. Sometimes things have been a little awkward, but I just talk with the customer and alter the brief a little to fit it in with what I can do.
I don't tend to do exact copies of pictures or photos, as I prefer to use my own artwork. So sometimes I turn work down on those grounds. Now that I've said that, I'll probably get a request for some fantasical item that needs pixie feet and a unicorn's horn!
Do you get a lot of custom requests? If so, what are some of the more unique ones?
Bar the items I sell though my Etsy store, pretty much everything I make is a custom order. It's so much easier for me because I can get all the details I need to make a really unique item. I think the severed fingers that I mentioned before were the most fun to make and the most unique.
What do you find the most enjoyable aspect of what you do?Other than the creating, I love the networking side of owning Lipstattoo. Be it on Twitter, Myspace, or Etsy, I've met some incredibly lovely, supportive people such as Goreboy, Tom and Matt at The Gentlemen's Grindhouse, and of course your good self. Knowing that people like my work is a huge boost, and keeps me going to make more gore-ific goodies!
How big do you see Lipstattoo Designs becoming?
I see big things in Lipstattoo Designs' future, but not just in accessories. I'd like to expand into greetings cards, shoes, jackets and homewares. Also, I'd like to become more well-known on the horror scene, and have a larger range of items in my store. I'm pretty happy with the way things are going at the moment, but more sales and promotion are always welcome!
Anything big on the horizon you might like my readers to be aware of?
Well, once Devilish Presley gets back on the road after their year break, I will be making a new range of merch, and will be vending at their shows. I'm also making merch for another band called Pink Hearse. On top of that, I'll be making official merch for the 2010 Mis-Fest festival. I've also I've opened a store at www.folksy.co.uk for my UK customers, it's in its very early stages, but keep 'em peeled.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Keep Halloween Going With Vertigo's House of Mystery Annual
DC's edgy Vertigo line has long been a bastion of excellence in the world of comic books, and the House of Mystery series is currently one of the main reasons why. I recently got my grubby hands on House of Mystery's first-ever Halloween Annual, and can honestly say it made my Halloween just a little more festive.Yes, I read the issue on Halloween itself, appropriately enough, which is why I'm posting my review after the holiday (and if you think that's late, wait till you read my review of the Trick 'r Treat graphic novel). It's still on sale for a couple more weeks, and I'd urge you strongly to pick it up if you're looking to prolong that holiday feeling--and really, who isn't?
In some ways, the issue does a better job of recapturing the old Creepy Magazine feel than Dark Horse's actual Creepy revival book--albeit in a more mature, Vertigo style. In other words, this ain't one for the kiddies.
The entire book revolves around a mysterious mask, which appears on the cover via a painting by acclaimed gothic/surrealist artist Esao Andrews. Inside, we have a framing story involving the familiar House of Mystery crew, in which one of the characters finds the mask. This opens the door to a series of fine little illustrated tales, in which the mask features in one way or another.For example, there's a quick little piece that brings back the Neil Gaiman/Sam Keith creation Merv Pumpkinhead, a character which hasn't really been seen since Gaiman's now-classic Sandman series. Merv's return is written and drawn by Mark Buckingham, best known for his collaborations with Alan Moore on the groundbreaking Marvelman (a.k.a. Miracleman) in the 1980s.
We've got a neat little Hellblazer one-off by Peter Milligan, whom you may remember as the guy who totally reinvented X-Force for Marvel, freeing it from the suckage of Rob Leifeld. This one is certainly way more enjoyable than that John Constantine snoozefest I reviewed here a couple weeks back...
The somewhat obscure supernatural DC character Madame Xanadu turns up in a quirky story written by Grendel-creator Matt Wagner, and impeccably drawn by Wagner's current collaborator on Vertigo's newest Madame Xanadu series, Amy Reeder Hadley.But for my money, it's the sneak peek at Vertigo's upcoming I, Zombie series that takes the cake. Written by noted alternate history novelist Chris Roberson and drawn by the absolutely stunning pop-art stylist Michael Allred, this looks to be one hell of an interesting book, and I will be checking it out come 2010 when the official series is set to be launched.
All in all, there's not a clunker in the bunch. Quite obviously, a lot of care went into putting this one-shot anthology together, and so due credit also goes to Vertigo editors Shelly Bond, Angela Rufino and Brandon Montclare for this obvious labor of love. Do yourself a favor and pick it up.
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