Blog Archives
Saturday At The Movies: They’re All Going to Laugh At You – David Ward Revisits Carrie
In October, we will see the release of the remade Carrie, this time starring Chloë Grace Moretz in the titular role and Julianne Moore as her religious-zealot, overbearing, and abusive mother. I am cautiously optimistic about this upcoming film, as I feel both Moretz and Moore are singularly gifted actors who will likely bring something very interesting to the roles, never mind the special effects, which will almost certainly eclipse those in the last twenty to thirty minutes of the 1976 original.
Given the new film is coming out in the next few months, I decided, for the first time in many years, to re-watch Brian DePalma’s take on Stephen King’s first (well, first published) novel. I wasn’t disappointed. Despite the feathered hair and, in terms of today’s displays, rather lacklustre effects (even for the time, the effects are pretty cringe-worthy in places), it still holds up as a terrific supernatural thriller encased in a horrific tale of adolescent abuse, both at the hands of Carrie’s peers and her mother.
Tales from the Longbox – Batman #400 (1986)
Every other week, Jason Shayer will highlight an issue or a run of issues pulled from the horde of comic book long boxes that occupy more room in his house than his wife can tolerate. Each of these reviews will delve into what made that issue or run significant as well as discuss the creative personalities behind the work. “Long Box” refers to the lengthy, white cardboard boxes most comics find themselves stored within – bagged, alphabetized and numerically ordered.
Batman #400
“Resurrection Night”
October 1986
Writer – Doug Moench
Artists – Art Adams, Terry Austin, Brian Bolland, John Byrne, Paris Cullins,Karl Kesel, Joe Kubert, Steve Leialoha, Rick Leonardi, Steve Lightle, Bruce Patterson, George Pérez, Bill Sienkiewicz, Ken Steacy, Tom Sutton, Ricardo Villagran.
In the fall of 1986, Batman celebrated his 400th issue anniversary and did it in style. Horror writer Stephen King penned the introduction to this issue:
“Maybe the real reason that Batman appealed to me more than the other guy [Superman]. There was something sinister about him. That’s right. You heard me. Sinister. Like The Shadow and the Moon-man of the pulps, like a vampire, Batman was a creature of the night.”
“I’d like to congratulate the Caped Crusader on his long and valiant history, thank him for the hours of pleasure he has given me, and wish him many more years of heroic crime-busting. Go get ‘em, Big Guy. May your Bat-Signal never fail, your Batmobile never run out of the nuclear pellets it runs on, your utility belt never come up fatally understocked at the wrong moment. And please, never come busting through my skylight in the middle of the night. You’d probably scare me into a brain hemorrhage… and besides, Big Guy, I’m on your side. I always was.”
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“The Walking Dead” Recap – Season 3, Episode 13: Arrow on the Doorpost
Before I begin last week’s highlights and this week’s recap, did anyone solve the trivia question that I left on my last post? The question: which four cast members of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” all worked together on a 2007 movie based on a Stephen King story? Answer: The movie was The Mist and the actors Laurie Holden, Melissa McBride, Jeffrey DeMunn worked with producer Frank Darabont. I’m sending a zombie hug to everyone who guessed right.
Last week’s episode, “Clear,” found us on a road trip with Michonne, Rick and Carl. Searching for more weapons before the Big Bad Wolf kicks down the door, they zoom down the highway with little time to spare on either walkers or hitchhikers. When they arrived at Rick and Carl’s home town, they discover two things, an old friend still lives there, and yes, you can build a giant mousetrap. Do you remember Morgan? He is the sole survivor, having lost his son to a shuffling family member, plus he’s a little bit crazy. While Rick tries to convince the unhinged Morgan (Lennie James) to join them at the prison, Carl and Michonne go searching for a crib and more. Carl learns that girls do rule, while fighting with the patrons (walkers) of a café. He and Michonne escape with their lives intact and a keepsake. Morgan stays, they leave, and the hitchhiker bites the dust. Meet me after the jump for this week’s episode.
Apocalypse November: Swan Song
Earlier this month, Biff Bam Pop!’s own Marie Gilbert wrote about Stephen King’s apocalyptic opus, The Stand. That is one of my favorite books, and its comparison to another book got me interested in the works of another king of suspense, and his magnum opus of the world after a terrible disaster. After the jump, I’ll tell you about Swan Song by Robert R. McCammon.
Apocalypse November: World War Z
If you want a good feel and vision of how the Apocalypse would affect those of us living in a modern world, then you have two books that do the job of bringing the end of times to your front door. My review of The Stand by author Stephen King told about the results of a man-made pandemic and the battle between good and evil.
With my review of World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by author Max Brooks, we learn about a new type of pandemic… a walking plague. I consider the messages of The Stand and World War Z, a crash course on what to expect when civilization decides to go to hell, big time. More on World War Z after the jump.
Apocalypse November: The Stand
The Stand, Stephen King’s Apocalyptic Tale, shows what can happen when we mess with genetically altered viruses and prions and allows the readers to witness how civilization comes apart at the seams. The Stand with its well woven plot, takes the apocalypse head on. The novel was nominated for the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 1979 and was adapted for both a television miniseries for ABC and as a limited series by Marvel Comics that was eventually collected in a trade paperback collection. Meet me after the jump.
31 Days of Horror: Creepshow
Halloween is my favourite holiday for a good reason – costumes, candy, mischief… but I think what really thrills me is the idea that all things evil could become awesome. As a kid, I adored this holiday because it flipped convention on its head – celebrating the things that would normally horrify people, Halloween definitely sparked a love for the horror genre. And Creepshow nurtured it in to a full blown obsession.
Creepshow was released in 1982, directed by George A. Romero and written by Stephen King. With credentials like that, I probably don’t need to add that it was inspired by the classic E.C. Comics of the 1950s. Tales from the Crypt, The Vault of Horror, Weird Science and even MAD magazine were the creations of this incredible publisher. No doubt these inspired horror icons like Romero and King, but I was born in the 80s and this movie was to be my first taste of their genius.
If you’ve seen this Michael Jackson video, or this Twisted Sister video, or the beginning of Tenacious D, you’ll recognize the beginning of Creepshow… A Dad who unknowingly rouses bad mojo by being mean to his kid. In this case, tossing the Creepshow comic book in the garbage, inspiring rebellious kids everywhere to lust for blood.
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31 Days of Horror: Surviving Nightbreed
I was (and still am) a huge Clive Barker fan. I devoured his “Books of Blood” as they came out. I saw Hellraiser on opening night. And so of course I also saw Nightbreed the night it was released. I remember it was pretty good. I remember it had a guy in it that looked like Mac Tonight. And I remember that it scared me, really scared me – scared me enough that I’ve never watched it again. Here I go again, I give the film another shot, after the jump.
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