Wednesday Cover: The Consummata

I was in a bookstore yesterday for the first time in months, and finally got to see the new Hard Case Crime releases from Titan Books. The new, larger trade paperback size is certainly attractive, but it's going to make it a bitch shelving the new releases with the earlier, standard-sized, HCC titles.

I picked up two: Quarry's Ex by Max Allan Collins, and The Consummata by Mickey Spillane & Collins. The Consummata is the long-awaited sequel to Spillane's The Delta Factor, wrapped up and polished by Collins and published by HCC under this gorgeous Robert McGinnis cover painting.

Oh, by the way, I'll have some interesting news to share regarding my involvement with some Max Allan Collins re-releases soon.

Farewell, China

A little over two weeks ago, we lost our dog, China. She contracted an especially virulent case of Lyme Disease at the end of October, and although it looked as if she was going to pull through - twice - she experienced acute renal failure, and on Sunday the 13th, we took her to the vet and let her go.

I have attempted, several times, to write about this over the last two weeks, but each time I tried, I was overcome with emotion and unable to continue. Many people may not understand the depth of my bereavement over the passing of a pet, but China's death really shook me up. She was not just a member of our family - she was our family. Brandi and I adopted her from the Palm Beach Humane Society in December of '02. Over the ensuing years, she was not just our pet, but our constant companion. She accompanied us on road trips and hiking expeditions, weekend drives and camping trips, and, since we moved to Maine in '04, to every family gathering and holiday celebration.

I'm having a very difficult time adjusting to her absence. For the last six years or so, I've worked from home, and my girl was near my side all the time. I still find myself thinking several times a night that I should get up from my computer and go take her for a walk, or, often, find myself slowing as I pass the couch, reaching out to rub her belly.... and then experiencing the cold, hard feeling in my gut that reminds me that she's not there.

It's especially difficult for me because, literally less than a month ago, she was proclaimed to be in perfect health for her age, and it looked like she would be around for many more years. But once her kidneys failed, she seemed to completely give up.

I've lost pets before, and three years ago, I was devastated when we had to put our cat Audrey to sleep. But this loss is hitting me particularly hard. China was a big part of my life every day for almost ten years, and everything just feels "wrong" without her in it.

I haven't done much work over the last two weeks, and things have piled up. I have a design gig that I'm finishing up today, and a huge stack of DVDs and Blu-rays to review for my DVD Late Show website. I haven't even been up to posting to this or any of my other blogs. Hopefully, writing this indicates that I'm ready to get back to work.

Damn. I miss that dog.

DANGER 5!

Happy Charles Bronson Day!

Let's raise our glasses in remembrance of the great Charles Dennis Buchinsky on the 90th anniversary of his birth! They don't make tough guys like Charles Bronson anymore!

31 Days Has October: Anniversary

Early in the movie The Crow, a character asks, "Who the f*ck gets married on Halloween?" Well, my wife and I tied the hangman's knot eleven years ago today. It still astounds me that I found someone to marry me at all, and that she's hung around this long still surprises me. Yet, here she remains, and we're still remarkably happy. Sure, life could be better - money and medical issues cast an omnipresent pall over our day-to-day existence - but our union remains strong and passionate.

So to my beloved Brandi - and to all who chose this haunted holiday to marry -- Happy Anniversary!

31 Days Has October: Our FRINGE Binge

One thing that's been eating into our Halloween horror film watching has been the fact that the Blu-rays of the second season of Fringe have been showing up this month from Netflix, and Brandi and I keep binging on episodes. We didn't catch the show when it premiered - we didn't (and still don't) have cable - but a year or so ago, we found the first season on Blu-ray new at Wal-Mart for a ridiculously low price. As Brandi was a huge fan of Lost, and Fringe was from the same creator, (J.J. Abrams) we decided to pick it up.

We really enjoyed the show, but subsequent season sets were priced beyond our means. Eventually, we put the show on our Netflix DVD queue, and they started showing up in our mailbox a few weeks ago. We've just finished watching Season 2, and Season 3 discs should start showing up next week.

It's a fun show with a fascinating premise and a good cast. My particular favorite is John Noble as Dr. Walter Bishop. I love the fact that he's a mad scientist; a direct descendent of the characters that Boris Karloff played in all those Columbia B-movies back in the 1940s. In fact, I think the reason I like the show so much isn't because of the weird X-Files-like mysteries or the "alternate universe" mythology, but because it's the only TV show where a mad scientist is (essentially) the main character.

And although it's taken our attention away from the scary movies I'd intended to concentrate on these last few weeks, the show contains enough creepy and spooky stuff to still qualify as legitimate Halloween viewing.

31 Days Has October/Wednesday Cover: TOMB OF DRACULA

"Gaze into the eyes of Dracula, human fool...!" A delightfully psychedelic cover by Gene Colan and Tom Palmer, from Marvel's Tomb Of Dracula #55.

31 Days Has October: Decorations

This is the Halloween wreath created by my beloved wife Brandi for this year's holiday. Each year, she spends hours decorating the house for Halloween, coming up with her own creations, carving pumpkins, and planning outdoor displays, basically imbuing this old place with the spirit of the season.

This weekend - weather permitting - we'll be putting up the Styrofoam cemetery in the front yard and hanging the ghouls from the trees...

31 Days Has October: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

Over the weekend, I watched the new Phantom Of The Opera (1925) Blu-ray from Image Entertainment. I still have to work my way through the other features (including the 1929 re-release versions of the film) before I can write my full review (for DVD Late Show), but the restoration of this silent film classic is really quite amazing. It's impressive how engaging and thrilling a cinematic experience it is, even now, after nearly a century.

31 Days Has October: GHOSTBUSTERS

One of the least-scary but most financially successful "spooky" comedies of all time is Ghostbusters, but that was our Countdown to Halloween movie tonight. Neither of us was in the mood for anything heavy, Brandi had to go to bed early, and we hadn't watched the Ghostbusters Blu-ray we bought a few months ago yet. So.... anyway, sometimes it's relaxing to just revisit a movie that you know by heart.

31 Days Has October: VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED

Tonight's Countdown To Halloween movie: Village Of The Damned, from 1960. Earlier today, we re-watched Halloween III: Season Of The Witch. Boy, even with Tom Atkins and Dan O'Herily, that film was a complete misfire. Intriguing premise, but unfortunately lackluster execution. Still - I can't get that damned Silver Shamrock jingle out of my head.

William Castle week didn't really go all that well, unfortunately - Brandi's been having a rough time at work lately, and she really wanted to burn our way through the Fringe season 2 Blu-rays that we've been renting from Netflix. So most of the week, we concentrated on those episodes, and she tried to get to bed earlier than usual. This left no time for our nightly fright features.

On Friday night/early Saturday morning, I did watch the new Blu-ray edition of the 1925 Lon Chaney Phantom Of The Opera. It looks great, and the film still holds up as a remarkable cinematic experience.

31 Days Has October: MR. SARDONICUS

Trailer for William Castle's 1961 Gothic horror film, Mr. Sardonicus.

31 Days Has October: Bela Lugosi Day

Remembering the immortal Be'la Ferenc Dezso Blasko on the anniversary of his birth. Hollywood's boogieman supreme, now and forever.

31 Days Has October/Wednesday Cover: TERROR TALES

31 Days Has October: THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL

Confession: the wife and I did not watch any scary movies tonight. Brandi was really tired, and we kinda got hooked on watching Psych episodes on Netflix.

But, as I'm determined to post something Halloween-related every day this month, here's the original theatrical trailer for William Castle's classic, The House On Haunted Hill, from 1958. I love this movie, and I even like the 1999 remake. In fact, I'm thinking we'll probably watch a double feature of both versions on Friday night. Maybe....