Let's Talk About Horror Fiction and Film

[RJDiogenes]

Tell us about this "Repairman Jack" series, please.

Speaking of which, is anybody familiar with Manly Wade Wellman's "John the Balladeer" stories? Wonderful stuff.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Amazon says that Bride of Frankenstein: Pandora's Bride is shipping, but the availability is "Usually ships within 1 to 3 months."

I don't what's up with these things and their delays. But it's available from some sellers now, so it seems more likely that it's shipped.

Right now, I'm reading Summer of Night by Dan Simmons, and it's excellent, so far. I bought it because I had picked up A Winter Haunting, only to find out that it's kind of a sequel to Summer of Night.

I'm glad I did. There are some strong horror elements here and there, but Simmons is very successful at capturing some essence of boyhood in 11-year-old protagonists.

From what I've read, A Winter Haunting picks up 30-40 years later with at least some of the same characters.

[RJDiogenes]

Thanks. I'll order Bride of Frankenstein with my next batch of stuff. DH's Universal books really do seem to be in some kind of behind-the-scenes mess, don't they?

On another note, I don't know if this is horror or sci-fi or both, but I finally read I Am Legend. It was quite good and very different from both previous movie versions.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Summer of Night was excellent. It may be the best modern horror novel I read in 2007. Not only does Simmons accurately capture the feel of boyhood, but there's some great, spooky atmosphere in this novel, as well as some really disturbing parts. I'm looking forward to A Winter Haunting, and I've also picked up Children of the Night, which is his take on Dracula and vampires.

My wife and In-Laws spoiled me with horror books and DVDs for Christmas. Check out this haul:

The Terror, also by Dan Simmons.
Universal Horrors: The Studio's Classic Films, 1931-1946. This large book has great write-ups, trivia, etc. about the films.
World War Z by Max Brooks.
Frankenstein's Bride by Hilary Bailey.

For DVDs:
American Silent Horror Collection--Great set.
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (Ultimate Edition) Enough said, really.
Nosferatu (The Ultimate Two-Disc Edition)--This is a brand new restoration, and it's a stunner. In my opinion, this is now the version of the film to own. The F.W. Murnau Foundation really did some good work cleaning it up.

It's funny that I got so many silent films at Christmas. (These are just the horror ones. I also got Metropolis. And in the non-silent, non-horror vein, I got The Fantastic Films of Ray Harryhausen - Legendary Science Fiction Series and Planet of the Apes - The Legacy Collection. Between all of these, I may have to start up Caption This! again.)

I'm a really, really happy husband and son-in-law.

[Kegek]

Spaceman Spiff said:
Nosferatu (The Ultimate Two-Disc Edition)--This is a brand new restoration, and it's a stunner. In my opinion, this is now the version of the film to own. The F.W. Murnau Foundation really did some good work cleaning it up.

Stop making me jealous. Murnau fan that I am, I didn't have the money to triple dip on this movie (owning as I do the Image release, and then getting the Kino release in their Murnau boxset).

Ah well... I've got Battleship Potemkin.

It's funny that I got so many silent films at Christmas. (These are just the horror ones. I also got Metropolis

Ah yes, the Kino release. Seen it yet? It's the movie like it's never been before; one of my all time favourite DVDs.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Why the Vulcan smiley?

I peeked at it, just to admire the work they did. I'll probably watch it soon.

I've got the Image release of Nosferatu, too. When I get a chance, I'll compare them. But the Image one is worth having for some of the features. I like the featurette where they revisit some of the locales.

When I compare them, I'll mention it in here. Maybe I'll do some screencaps and show them. But right off the bat, I was surprised by how clean it looked.

[Kegek]

The Vulcan smiley is just the one I chose to overuse. I look serious and arch my eyebrows a lot in the real world. I think I've seen too much Star Trek.

The old Kino release is better than the Image release and has a considerably more atmospheric score. But, according to what I've just read, this newest version... has a restoration of the original score.

You lucky dastard. I've got to get that now.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I forgot to mention that my wife got me The Fly Collection.

I feel like such an ingrate.

[RJDiogenes]

Whew! Nice haul!

Spaceman Spiff said:
Universal Horrors: The Studio's Classic Films, 1931-1946. This large book has great write-ups, trivia, etc. about the films.

I think I've got that one.

Nosferatu (The Ultimate Two-Disc Edition)--This is a brand new restoration, and it's a stunner. In my opinion, this is now the version of the film to own. The F.W. Murnau Foundation really did some good work cleaning it up.

That sounds beautiful. I'll add it to my shopping cart.

I also got Metropolis.

Is the picture quality really good? The version I have is the next best thing to useless.

And in the non-silent, non-horror vein, I got The Fantastic Films of Ray Harryhausen - Legendary Science Fiction Series

That's already in my shopping cart, waiting for the right moment.

I've been in more of a science fiction mood lately, but either The Mummy or The Bride Of Frankenstein (Dark Horse) are probably in my near future.

Actually, the book I'm reading now-- A Voyage To Arcturus by David Lindsay, originally published in 1920-- might be considered horror. It's certainly in no way science fiction. It's a surrealistic nightmare.

I also got this. Some may call it "horror." I call it "my childhood."

[Kegek]

RJDiogenes said:
Is the picture quality really good? The version I have is the next best thing to useless.

RJDiogenes, not only is the picture quality excellent, but the plot has been reconstructed, additional film has been found (not complete, but as close as we're going to get) and the entire original score by Gottfried Huppertz has been performed and recorded. This is the definitive version of Metropolis, I cannot commend it more highly.

Remaining unconvinced? See the trailer, and hear the glory of the score for yourself!

This is one of my favourite DVD releases of all time.

[RJDiogenes]

Oh, yeah, that looks fantastic! Right into the shopping cart with that. Thanks.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Yeah, the clarity is pretty startling on that one. There are parts that look as clear as Call of Cthulhu.

Jeez, after gloating about my Christmas haul, I just got spoiled for my birthday, too. Here are the latest additions:

TCM Archives - The Lon Chaney Collection

The Ghoul, with Mister Boris Karloff (to you).

From the Dust Returned, by Mister Bradbury.

And, funnily enough, The Bride of Frankenstein: Pandora's Bride, right after we were talking about it.

(I also got one of the new Blade Runner sets, but it ain't horror.)

My weeknights are set for a couple of months.

[Robotpo]

I know I'm late to this thread, but I just want to say if you're into horror fiction, there are two manor names which can not be missed:

Richard Matheson
H.P. Lovecraft

That is all.

[RJDiogenes]

Oh, yeah, I read everything (and I mean everything ) by Lovecraft years ago. As for Matheson, I've been delving into this volume periodically for the past couple of months.

And while looking for that on Amazon, I discovered that there's a series of Hell House novels, not by Matheson.

[Spaceman Spiff]

RJDiogenes said:
And while looking for that on Amazon, I discovered that there's a series of Hell House novels, not by Matheson.

I had to look it up after reading this. Interesting. Each is listed as having 48 pages, and they're published by IDW Publishing, which is an independent comic book publisher. (They've recently acquired the Star Trek license, incidentally, and have started putting out new Trek comics.)

I like Matheson a lot. As part of the "required reading" in On Writing Horror, I ordered Richard Matheson: Collected Stories, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. I haven't read them yet; they're in my enormous "must read" pile.

I've read Hell House and I Am Legend, and I've enjoyed the films he's written, too. Most recently, I enjoyed The Comedy of Terrors and The Raven together on this set (which has apparently gone out of print ).