Zine Update

The first issue of Nightmare Town, the journal, is about to see the light of day. Issue #0, the preview issue, is thirty-six pages of film, book, and music essays and reviews. Included are lengthy pieces on:

The Seven Stigmata of Guillermo Del Toro by W. S. Gregory

Love, Death, and Coming of Age: Hellboy by Lisa Moore

Michael McDowell's Dark Currents: The Blackwater Series by Lynda E. Rucker

The Kramers v.s. The Brood by Lisa Moore

Also included is an excellent examination of the classic Japanese horror film, Kwaidan, by Scott McMillan, a look at the Lone Wolf & Cub graphic novels by David J. Schwartz, and Dean Sharp's Sonic Doom! Plus a bunch of short reviews and a little something called Under the Influence, wherein two inebriated movie watchers try to make sense out of the travesty that is The Butterfly Effect.

Interested in a copy? You can place an order now by emailing me at:

nightmaretown@gmail.com

The first issue is free, though subsequent issues (the next one won't be out until late-spring) will cost a small amount.

Film Reviews Update

A bunch of my most recent reviews have gone live over at the excellent Images web site. A few Japanese yakuza and exploitation films, Yasujiro Ozu's splendid masterpiece Floating Weeds, and the low-budget, black & white adaptation of the cult classic oddity that is Wisconsin Death Trip. Check 'em all out:

http://www.imagesjournal.com/2004/reviews/Wisconsin/

http://www.imagesjournal.com/2004/reviews/sada/

http://www.imagesjournal.com/2004/reviews/floatingweeds/

http://www.imagesjournal.com/2004/reviews/hasebe/

http://www.imagesjournal.com/2004/reviews/battleswithout/

Yakuza Dreams

For those of you who have ever seen the brilliant Branded to Kill or Tokyo Drifter, you know what a remarkable and anarchistic director Seijun Suzuki is. Three more of his films have recently been released on these shores, and although they aren't as over-the-top and stylistically shocking as the above mentioned films (Branded to Kill got Suzuki fired for life from Nikkatsu studios), they are splendidly hallucinatory and entertaining.

Check out my review at the Images web site:

http://www.imagesjournal.com/2004/reviews/suzuki/

Update

Well, I'm back from Japan and just starting to get my equilibrium back. That means plenty of updates, reviews, and a whole lot more. So please check back! I'll have something new here by the end of the week. And there's also the hard copy of Nightmare Town which should be ready to hit the dark city streets within the next couple of weeks or so. Be ready, it's gonna be cool.

Update Coming Soon!

A lot has been going on around these parts, namely making Nightmare Town a hardcopy zine. Unlike this blog, which I realize is not updated as much as it should be, the print version of Nightmare Town will be full of film and book reviews and essays focusing on the horror, crime, and Western genres. Also, anything that is just dark, weird, and simply can't be comfortably squeezed into a genre box will also be covered. There will also be a music column and much, much more. Oh, and the best part is, it's not going to be all written by moi! That's right, there are a number of excellent writers contributing to this peculiar, misshapen endeavor known as Nightmare Town.

If you're interested in grabbing the first issue, keep checking back for info on how to get it. You can also email me at the above address. Hopefully, the first issue will be out within the next few weeks before I leave for Japan.

Cheers!

Images Update

Fans of Japanese cinema might be interested to know that I've got two new reviews live at the Images site. Check them out at:

http://www.imagesjournal.com/2004/reviews/cure/

http://www.imagesjournal.com/2004/reviews/fukasaku/

More reviews should be going up within the next couple of weeks, so check back if you're so inclined.

Bloody Birthday Greetings

It's novelist Cormac McCarthy's birthday today. McCarthy is the author of numerous books, including All the Pretty Horses, The Crossing, and Cities of the Plains. But my favorite is Blood Meridian, McCarthy's black magic Western incantation to the beast in man. Here's a quote from Mr. McCarthy:

"There's no such thing as life without bloodshed. I think the notion that the species can be improved in some way, that everyone could live in harmony, is a really dangerous idea. Those who are afflicted with this notion are the first ones to give up their souls, their freedom. Your desire that it be that way will enslave you and make your life vacuous."

Amen.

Mild Devotion to Majesty

The new Polyphonic Spree CD, Together We're Heavy, came out today in North America and it is indeed a fucking masterpiece. Go now, brothers and sisters! Go now and partake of this wonderful, beautiful, cosmic soundscape before it's too late. The End is nigh and you must enjoy these sounds while you still can! It's dark here in Nightmare Town, so you gotta receive salvation where and when you can!

Ramsey Campbell

It's sad to think that there are some people in the world who have never had the, eh . . . pleasure . . . of reading a Ramsey Campbell novel or short story. In all seriousness, he is probably the greatest living practitioner of the modern horror tale. Campbell is prolific, so you should choose wisely when first approaching him. For novels, start with either Nazareth Hill (1997), The Darkest Part of the Woods (2002), The Doll Who Ate His Mother (1975), or the truly harrowing The Face that Must Die (Scream/Press edition, 1983). For short stories, a good place to start is with the splendid Arkham House anthology, Alone with the Horrors (1993).

Here's a link to a pretty good interview with Mr. Campbell on the Suicide Girls web site:

http://suicidegirls.com/words/Ramsey+Campbell/

And while you're there, don't forget to check out Quinne, Jenna, Seraphim, Danielle, Adora, or any of the other lovely girls who make life a little more interesting!

R.I.P. Part Two

Marlon Brando died today at the age of 80. If you knew Brando only for his intermittent film work during the 1980s and 1990s, then you haven't had the pleasure of witnessing a truly great actor at work. His body of work will live on, no doubt continuing to fascinate, frustrate, and ultimately serve as a template for what acting can achieve.

Check out the following links for more info:

http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,12589,1252926,00.html

http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,12589,1252894,00.html

http://film.guardian.co.uk/gall/0,8544,1252898,00.html