Weekend Update

Sorry about the lack of capsule reviews this weekend. we're working on it. I imagine it'll be a big one next time, since the Baron has the week off. I myself am also a little dry on movie reviews. But, we have a few things in the pipeline. Hopefully we'll be posting some reviews in the next week or two from Chuck Wilson, and "Cinematic" Rich. I've also been toying with doing some kind of audio feature on here, but that'll be a ways off. Until then, may your holiday be creepy.

Scream Queen of the Month: Ashley Laurence

Well, since the first one was a hit, as I promised, we have a new scream queen of the month, and a most appropriate month at that.


Filmography:
1. Red (2008) .... Mrs. McCormack
2. Chill (2007) .... Maria
3. Lightning Bug (2004) .... Jenny Graves
4. Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2002) .... Kirsty
5. Warlock III: The End of Innocence (1999) .... Kris Miller
6. Cupid (1997) .... Jennifer Taylor
7. Lurking Fear (1994) .... Cathryn Farrell
8. Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) .... Kirsty Cotton
9. Hellraiser (1987) .... Kirsty Cotton

What is there I can say about Ashley Laurence that wont end with me appearing as some slobbering, slack jawed, uber-dork lusting uncontrollably. Not much. Just one look at her and you get a good sense of her magnetism. See her in a film, and you'll be hooked. And, while I suppose that most of you who visit this blog think she's a very talented actress, I can;t help but feel that she's still a bit of an unknown in the land of movies. She's the star of the first two Hellraiser movies, which are huge successes, but I never really hear her talked about much when it comes to the short list of great horror actresses. This is really a shame as well since she's also one of the nicest celebs I've ever met, and honestly, even hotter now than then. See for yourself, here. Anyway, I urge anyone out there who doesn;t have a strong memory of any of her performances, or who has only seen the Hellraiser flicks, to check out more of her work. She's a real talent. Oh, I forgot, she's also an accomplished painter. Check her out here.

Book Review: Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft

So, why a book review? Well, we all love movies, and horror movies especially, here at TWTT, but just like with anything else, you need to mix it up every now and then. I love writing about films. I've always been passionate about it, even to the point where I find it daunting at times. Therefore, I figured why not take a break from film and talk about this fab new graphic novel I picked up today, Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft.

Locke & Key is written by Joe Hill, son of Stephen King and recipient of a shitload of awards, including two Stoker Awards. Now, before I get into the plot I need to issue a warning here. I am a huge fan of the writings of H.P. Lovecraft. He is easily my favorite horror author of all time and one of my favorite authors in general, regardless of genre. If you have no idea who I'm talking about, I would recommend two websites on the man and his writings: The H.P. Lovecraft Archive or, for a quick rundown, there's always Wikipedia. Anyway, the reason I bring all this up is because, the man's name is in the title of this book. But, what you Lovecraft fans need to know is that the story here has little to nothing to do with Lovecraft. Now, after reading this it's pretty clear to me that Joe Hill is well acquainted with both Lovecraft and his father's work, since the spice of both can be found here. So, if your looking for slimy, betentacled horrors, look elsewhere. Lovecraft is simply the name of the Massachusetts town our characters relocate to in the first issue.

The plot is pretty straight forward at first glance. One weekend afternoon, three siblings are out at their neighbors, fooling around. They return home to find their father being murdered by two of their high school classmates. They then must fight to survive themselves. After their terrible ordeal, they all move in with their uncle who owns Key House, a mainstay of the family's past for an undisclosed amount of time. It is here that they find strange creatures, living echoes, and doors that can lead a person in some unexpected directions. Now, I'm being a little vague here because I don't really want to give anything away. Sufficed to say, the tale is not as "magical" as it sounds, and is in reality down right disturbing at times. While I obviously felt the shadows of Lovecraft and King here, the association that I felt the strongest, and that popped into my mind first, was that of Clive Barker. Now, that could be a subconscious reaction on my part. You see, the illustrator of Locke & Key, is the same guy who did the recent Great and Secret Show graphic novel adaptation. That aside, I still think the dark fantasy elements here are reminiscent of the Abarat series, while the serial killer, family dynamic, and sexual elements are strongly influenced by some of Barker's earlier works. Don't get me wrong though; while all of these elements are strongly present, Joe Hill does bring his own distinctive and strong voice to the story. He is simply very adept at taking the mythology and styles of modern horror and drawing from that diverse pool, much like Neil Gaiman does with folklore and mythology.

Now, I'd be remiss if I didn't bring up illustrator Gabriel Rodriguez. I was a little put off by Rodriguez's artistic style. At first glance, his characters are drawn in a very vague, cartoony sort of way, with angular features, and a certain lack of facial definition. As I looked closer though, I realized how wrong I was. What may at first appear generic and caricaturish is in actuality highly detailed, but in an expressionistic style. This is confirmed by the amount of detail that can be found in his seemingly simple backgrounds, and everyday objects like the wood grain on a door, or a piece of jewelery. This combination of subtle expressionistic illustration, combined with Hill's ability to keep the constant danger lurking just beneath the surface is a strong mixture, and one that takes this book up another notch.

So, if any of you out there are getting burnt out on horror films or novels, or are simply looking for a good graphic novel to pass the time, then I couldn't recommend Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft any higher.

Weekly Capsule Reviews

Maid in Sweden
Directed by Dan Wolman and written by Ronnie Friedland and George T. Norris.

This is an erotic drama, which is an unusual choice for me. I thought it was a well made, if exploitative film, but I didn't like it. Don't get me wrong, I love soft core porn as much as the next guy (especially from Sweden!). But this movie takes a wrong turn early on with a rape scene that is glossed over by both the victim and raper. After that, everything else in the movie was tainted..ya know...with the RAPE! But it is a fairly decent, if standard, end of innocence story.


The Foot Fist Way
Directed by Jody Hill and Written by Jody Hill, Ben Best, and Danny R. McBride.

This was an unusual comedy that I waited a long time to see, since it was so indie it didn't come out in the Cincinnati area. I love Danny R. McBride, and he's been all over the two top comedies I saw this summer (Pineapple Express and Tropic Thunder) and I can't say he disappoints in this either. That being said, this movie is a very dark comedy. Its funny, but more in a "hmmm..yes, amusing" kind of way rather than a "hahaha I'm dying here" kind of way. Its good, but don't go in expecting to laugh your ass off, this comedy is more stealthy..like a NINJA.


The TV Set
Written and Directed by Jake Kasdan.

This movie was excellent. If even a tenth of what is portrayed here is true, then I have even more respect for the few shows on television with integrity and quality. Its the story of a writer/creator who struggles to get his pilot made, and then picked up. All the while he is slowly having to compromise his vision. David Duchovny, Signourney Weaver (no one plays a souless bitch quite like you Sigourney!), and Ioan Gruffudd are excellent in this. Its funny, its tragic, its ...kind of, sort of, realistic. Its very watchable!

Jesse "Baron Ironfury" Stevens

Maniac Cop Lives!

On the heels of the recent announcement by Bill Lusting that he and Larry Cohen are going to be doing a Maniac Cop 4, I came across a recent fan film by the highly talented Chris .R. Notarile. Chris is a struggling independent film maker who, for fun and notoriety, has done a number of fan films in the past along with his own original projects. You can checkout his work at Blinky Productions, where you can watch all his fan films, or buy DVD's of his original projects. His latest fan film (which is also serving as a bid to be included as a filmmaker in a new Maniac Cop film) features Matt Cordell himself, the Manaic Cop!