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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Jan 2, 2024 18:14:43 GMT
Would anyone be interested in buying such a publication and, just as important, submitting stories to it? I'd certainly be interested in both.
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Dec 27, 2023 13:19:24 GMT
Daniel, that production of The Quatermass Xperiment must have been amazing. It genuinely was. With only two of the six original episodes existing (the final four never having been recorded as the technology was too primitive at the time), it was incredible to have the whole thing re-enacted in the same building it was broadcast from seventy years before. And Kneale's script is so strong that the audience (well, this audience member, at least) forgot they were watching about 25 actors holding scripts at microphones and got drawn into the drama. James Swanton's physical contribution helped enormously here, and the entire cast were fantastic. Incidentally, the director and narrator for that live performance, Jon Dear, provided the mummy's 'voice' for 'Lot No.249', and the commentaries on several of the '70s Ghost Story for Christmas productions on the BFI Blu-Rays (joined by his Professor Quatermass, Mark Gatiss, on 'The Signal Man'), and is currently researching and writing a book on the Ghost Story for Christmas productions.
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Dec 26, 2023 21:19:29 GMT
I also enjoyed 'Lot No. 249'. I thought James Swanton - who I last saw playing the infected astronaut Victor Carroon in the live 70th anniversary staging of 'The Quatermass Experiment' at Alexandra Palace in September - made the creepiest mummy I've seen onscreen in a long, long time. Good fun to see the author of 'English Gothic', 'American Gothic', 'Euro Gothic', and other excellent books and articles on horror cinema, Jonathan Rigby, as the college porter. Terrific cast, a great looking production - amazing given the ridiculously short schedule and low budget - and I found Mark Gatiss's ending more effective than Conan Doyle's.
Last week, I went to my local arts cinema to see 'The Eternal Daughter', a ghost story starring Tilda Swinton as mother and daughter visiting a haunted hotel. Various reviews described it in terms of Hammer horror, but while it was atmospheric, beautifully filmed, and haunting, it certainly isn't a horror film. I did find it engaging and quite moving. And there's a nice guest appearance by a Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories.
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Dec 20, 2023 3:53:34 GMT
I think I recognized Cushing as one of the three gods (?), in some panels there was some likeness. But who were the others supposed to be? The three officers were named in the script - but not in the dialogue - as Airforce Officer Cushing, Naval Officer Lee, and Army Officer Price. {Spoiler}Airforce for Cushing as he was supposed to be an angel, so he had 'wings', and navy for Lee as he was meant to be the 'boatman' carrying souls to the afterlife. And the army was the only one left for Price, who was intended to be a Devil, if not THE Devil. I really was imagining it as if I was being allowed to make an Amicus film in the mid-1970s, and I wanted to pay tribute to those gentlemen of horror. It was quite complex, but I enjoyed the challenge. Really glad you enjoyed reading it.
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Dec 8, 2023 17:16:46 GMT
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Nov 7, 2023 19:08:43 GMT
Fabulous that the wonderful Amicus portmanteau films were acknowledged. It was gratifying to me this year to see several folks in classic horror fan groups mention viewings of From Beyond the Grave, a favorite that finally seems to be coming into its own in the fandom. Such a marvelous role for Peter Cushing, and a beautifully accomplished performance from him, headlining a fab ensemble cast. From Beyond the Grave is my favourite of the Amicus portmanteau films, and also one of my favourite films in general. So much so that I have just acquired an actual copy of the screenplay that was used during the making of the film fifty years ago, The script originally belonged to one of the scenic artists employed on the film. It takes pride of place among my Amicus-related books and Blu-rays. And, needless to say, I took great care not to haggle or attempt to rip off the seller... just in case the script arrived with a surprise 'gift'... Anything involving a train always makes me think of Dr Terror's House of Horrors--another firm favorite here. The train setting is a deliberate homage to that film, just as scenes set in fairgrounds and strange old antique shops are deliberately chosen as tributes to other films in the cycle. I really know nothing of this publication and it sounds like something of a rara avis--congratulations on securing a copy! Commando has been running since 1961, and used to be a staple of newsagents' racks and shelves, as well as a household name in the UK. With the rise of supermarkets, many traditional comics have become harder to find on the high street, but Commando is still plugging away with its tales of derring do, heroism and valour... with the occasional ghost or zombie or express train to terror to keep things interesting.
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Nov 5, 2023 15:59:45 GMT
I like the cover of that German edition.
Having just read the Pan edition, I enjoyed it a great deal. Burke's fleshing out of events and back stories really adds something fresh, particularly after having watched the film many times over the decades.
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Nov 3, 2023 19:22:44 GMT
Well done, gents. Absolutely loved it. Great fun scrutinising both text and pictures for nods to the Amicus anthologies. You really must do more of these. I'm glad a copy finally found its way into your grasp. It means there's one less of them out there, causing untold chaos in an unsuspecting world. Delighted you enjoyed it, too. Mike's art is an atmospheric joy. As for doing more... they may have to physically restrain me if they want me to stop now. And as if I haven't talked about Nightmare Express enough, here I am, talking about the inspiration behind the script: downthetubes.net/creating-commando-comics-nightmare-express-writer-daniel-mcgachey/?
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Nov 2, 2023 20:37:24 GMT
I think it was also Lesley Anne Down who suffered similarly in the opening minutes of the Out of the Unknown episode 'To Lay a Ghost' the same year. It was, indeed, and for a while it looked like she was forever doomed to play 'schoolgirl attacked in woods'. Thankfully she moved into other roles quickly enough. By coincidence, she was in my Hallowe'en night viewing, not being molested in the woods but in danger of being trapped in an impossible room behind an antique door, in From Beyond the Grave, the last - and, to my mind, best - of the Amicus anthologies. Four terrific tales in a delightfully macabre framing story.
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Oct 29, 2023 14:34:33 GMT
I'm currently reading his novelisation of Dr Terror's House of Horrors, which thoroughly fleshes out the characters and their back stories from Milton Subotsky's screenplay.
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Oct 27, 2023 20:29:07 GMT
I ordered this one today. I'm intrigued by the book's description of a story involving an 'infamous nobleman and his dread companion'... which sounds like a sequel to a favourite story by a favourite ghost story writer.
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Oct 27, 2023 19:41:15 GMT
I think this one is an instance of television material being edited together for a theatrical issue. Indeed. They were episodes of a 1975 tv anthology series called Classics Dark and Dangerous.
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Oct 27, 2023 17:49:45 GMT
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Oct 27, 2023 10:57:54 GMT
Following my 50th anniversary viewing of Vault of Horror the other night, I'm rewatching all the Amicus anthologies in no particular order. Last night it was time to let fearful funfairs, a malign feline, Hollywood horrors, possessive pianos, and lethal literature all take root in the Torture Garden...
Probably the weakest of the Amicus anthologies, though still a lot of fun, particularly in the weird opening tale with Michael Bryant and the head-eating cat (with a nice appearance from Night of the Demon's Karswell himself, Niall MacGinnis), and the closing tale with Jack Palance and Peter Cushing as rival Poe fanatics.
All of the individual stories are adapted by Robert Bloch from his own short stories, and he would do the same for The House That Dripped Blood and Asylum. Add the Amicus adaptation of The Skull of the Marquis de Sade to the equation, and I can't help thinking there could be a nice themed collection of Bloch's original 13 tales that inspired the Amicus anthologies.
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Post by The Lurker In The Shadows on Oct 26, 2023 21:53:54 GMT
Seems digital will have to wait. There is a gap of a few months, the newest to buy is 5682. Yeah. Up until April they were always on Kindle/ComiXology a day before they hit the shops... but, then, up until April I was the guy who made sure they were there. Ahem... Readly is up to date, and I'm assuming PageSuite and other platforms are, though I haven't checked. Amazon always had different deadlines, so that may be the issue there.
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