Home//RUE MORGUE/RM#188/In This Issue
RUE MORGUE|RM#188NOTE FROM UNDERGROUNDI have a bit of a love-hate relationship with superheroes. Growing up, I was obsessed with Batman from the Tim Burton movies, and there was certainly a period where I wanted to be Catwoman when I grew up (in an alternate reality, I stalk the streets of Toronto in black vinyl at night). Then there was the X-Men cartoon show that really grabbed my attention with its pantheon of mutants, each with unique superpowers, aligning themselves with either an academy of inclusive learning or a badass terrorist squad.It’s tough to say which camp I would have wound up in as a mutant and, to me, that was the best part. Spider-man’s uncle Ben is often credited for stating that great power comes with great responsibility, but Voltaire said it first…3 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188MONSTRO BIZARROTHEY CAME FROM THE SKY!When I was young, I was fascinated by both dinosaurs and the movies that brought these prehistoric creatures to life, particularly films that featured stop-motion by the legendary Ray Harryhausen. In a standout scene from the Hammer Studios film One Million Years B.C. (1966), a huge pterodactyl swooped down, snatched a buxom cavewoman (played by Raquel Welch), and carried her off. It was an iconic cinematic moment, but completely unrealistic… right? Perhaps not entirely.On July 25, 1977, ten-year-old Marlon Lowe was playing outside his home near Lawndale, Illinois, when two huge, coal-black birds circled overhead. Suddenly, one of them swooped down, picked him up and began to carry him off, releasing him only when his mother began screaming. The incident was witnessed by seven people, all…2 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188NEEDFUL THINGS1 TRICK ‘R TREATING FOR CHILDREN USB CASSETTE$15 USDTravel back to the age of reel to reel, when a boom box of spooky sounds kept trick-or-treaters second guessing their approach. This newfangled “cassette” contains a fold-out USB port with everything you need to creepify any locale with sound, music, and spoken word spookiness!jcgreening.bandcamp.com2 SKULL ICE BUCKET$29.50 USDFew will argue your party can get any cooler after you bust out this crystal glass ice holder in the shape of a human skull! Holds 54oz of ice or anything else you might need to keep your guests chilled.gentsupplyco.com3 GHOSTBUSTERS MINI MASKS$20 USDClassic Ben Cooper-inspired Ghostbusters mini masks? We’re ready to believe you, Fright Rags! Arriving this summer, these Slimer and Stay Puft masks are shrunk down to fit your Blu-ray case and…1 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188ON THE TRAIL OF A VAMPIREIN 2013, AUTHOR JOE HILL INTRODUCED US TO ONE OF 21ST-CENTURY HORROR’S MOST RESILIENT, TROUBLED AND COMPLEX HEROINES, VICTORIA “VIC” MCQUEEN, IN NOS4A2.By far his longest and most expansive novel to that point, it follows Vic from early youth to adulthood – an existence rife with common trauma ranging from a troubled home life, working-class struggles, and addiction, to supernatural events she can’t begin to comprehend, including encounters with a vampiric child abductor named Charlie Manx. Driving a vintage Rolls-Royce Wraith whose vanity plate gives the book its title, Manx is over a century old, and preys on the souls of the kids he snatches to rejuvenate himself.Vic and Manx have one thing in common: they are “strong creatives” with the ability to bend reality. In Vic’s case, she can…17 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188WRATH, VENGEANCE AND THE AMERICAN WAYWE’VE ALL SEEN HORROR MOVIES ABOUT BEINGS WITH SUPERPOWERS AND SUPERHERO MOVIES THAT ARE OCCASIONALLY SCARY. But co-writers Brian and Mark Gunn (brother and cousin of filmmaker James Gunn, respectively) are poised to marry the two with Brightburn, a genre hybrid where cape and mask meets blood and gore.Out May 24 from Sony, the movie’s storyline contains elements that are familiar enough to horror and comic book aficionados alike; a couple find an asteroid that has landed in their backyard miraculously holds a baby inside. They decide to raise the child as their own, but soon come to realize the boy harbours supernatural powers – ones he intends to wield against anyone who gets in his way. It’s a horrifying twist on one of the most cherished and timeless stories…9 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188A HORROR SHOW AWAITS YOUTHOUGH ORIGINALLY DISMISSED AS NOTHING MORE THAN PRETENTIOUS PORNOGRAPHY by Japanese art critics in the 1960s when angura debuted, the unique, mismatched tapestry of Asian folklore with postmodern transgressive absurdist motifs has caused J-horror junkies in the West to stand up and take notice.Rather than just reading about this movement in the few English-language art journals that happen to mention it, fans can now connect with one another online, order merchandise, and expose themselves to angura in a more meaningful way. Groups such as L’Opera de L’Eclipse Lunaire were founded by disciples of Terayama and continue his work. Another well-known troupe, Kaiten Hyakume (translated as “The Revolving 100 Eyes”), is known for a rather strong emphasis on gore and horror; running the gamut from ghost stories to adaptations of writers…2 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188LAST RITESTHIS ISSUE: LANCE HEADS TO PRISONSAVED BEHIND BARSWRATH OF THE CROWSMTI Home VideoSure, there are many innocent people who’ve had their lives ruined by wrongful conviction, but today’s prisons are mostly filled with the worst of the worst. And that’s exactly how the squalid, filthy prison in this movie is: baby killers, rapists and unrepentant murderers await their fate amongst the rats, shit and tedium of each other’s company. But when a sexy new prisoner arrives, the rest of her cellmates aren’t sure whether to worship her as their saviour or crucify her as a demon. Italian director Ivan Zuccon deftly crafts the first half of his film within the confines of the prison, but then takes sharp turn to the far right with a heavy-handed religious message in the…2 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188REISSUESTHE DEVIL’S IN THE EMAILDEMONLOVER (2002) Blu-rayStarring Connie Nielsen, Chloë Sevigny and Charles BerlingWritten and directed by Olivier Assayas Arrow AcademyOlivier Assayas’ chilly tech-noir piece makes its Blu-ray debut at a funny time: its occasional computer graphics are admittedly dated while its concerns – corporate psychopathy, desensitization, sexual violence, and the discomfiting influence of technology – have never been more relevant.The film busies itself with the chrome-and-glass world of industrial espionage and megabucks deals, where morals are traded and warring factions try to wrest control of the latest advances in tentacle porn. Enter Diane (Connie Nielsen: The Following), an impervious double-dealer and remorseless go-getter who chain-smokes her way to oblivion while making life miserable for assistant Elise (Chloë Sevigny: American Horror Story). The sleazy action moves from neon-lit Tokyo to…6 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188BLOOD IN FOUR COLOURSCreated in 1911 by Marcel Allain and Pierre Souvestre, the French masked villain Fantômas spawned countless books as well as film, radio, television and comic adaptations. With his penchant for clever disguises, master plans and sadistic murders, Fantômas’ influence can be felt across numerous genres including mysteries, action, adventure, superheroes and, of course, horror.Mostly dormant for the last few decades, writer Olivier Bocquet and artist Julie Rocheleau are determined to resurrect The Wrath of Fantômas in an ambitious new graphic novel.“Fantômas remains a major milestone in French popculture,” explains Bocquet. “The original serial novels made a huge impression on everybody back then. People were equally terrified and entertained by this evil figure. But, although the name Fantômas remains synonymous with ‘evil genius’ in modern conversation, there hasn’t been a real…3 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188THE NINTH CIRCLETHE MURDER OF JESUS CHRISTJohn R. LittleBad Moon BooksCaveat: When it comes to genre, The Murder of Jesus Christ largely defies classification. It’s a little bit science fiction and supernatural. It has more than enough God stuff to be considered a religious thriller, but also two unforgettably horrific murders, and an off-page body count of roughly four million. Yet, in the end, the horror of it is a far more existential thing: what if, in your unbelief, you committed an unforgivable crime only to discover that God was actually real?Photographer David Abelman is a Jew and an atheist. He’s such a hardline devotee of science that it wrecked his relationship with Karen, who’s currently on her way to the moon with a team from NASA to investigate an alien signal…2 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188THE FRIGHT GALLERYTHIS MONTH:The Vintage Venom of Lance InkwellNAMELance InkwellHOMETOWNDenver, ColoradoWEAPON OF CHOICE“I prefer to work in traditional mediums; sometimes I colour digitally in Photoshop, but the line work is always inked traditionally, by hand. I am an old-school pen-to-paper type of guy, but I do scan and add colour digitally if the piece needs it.”DEEDS“I recently joined the amazingly talented folks at Studio MDHR (creators of the retro-styled video game Cuphead), doing illustration work full-time! I also do commissions and make comics on the side. One of my biggest accomplishments is working with Eric Powell on his horror anthology for kids of all ages, Spook House 2. I wrote, pencilled, inked, and coloured an 8-page Halloween story that I’m really proud of, called Jack-O’-Lantern Jitters. Go read it if you dare!”MY…1 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188AUDIO DROMECASTLEVANIA: RONDO OF BLOOD/CASTLEVANIA: DRACULA XSOUNDTRACKKonami Kukeiha ClubMONDOReleased on the PC Engine in Japan in 1993 (a.k.a. the TurboGrafx-16 in the US), Rondo of Blood is one of the most passed-over entries in the Castlevania series, though a more popular remake later appeared for the Super NES and PlayStation Portable in 2008 called Dracula X. Not surprisingly, the soundtracks for both games are quite similar, composed by the “Konami Kukeiha Club” (an umbrella name for the company’s credits) and characterized by upbeat electro-pop and swanky guitar solos, like an anime-tinged version of the iconic early NES titles’ music. Though both scores share many of the same tracks, the sound between the two is distinct due to the differing sound chips used in their respective game systems. Mondo clearly put effort…6 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188POST-MORTEMA BOOK AS the cover story of Rue Morgue is good for scary books everywhere. Can’t help but feel this is a victory for the genre and what a lot of us are doing. And leave it to Rue Morgue, who has been consistently brilliant for a long, long time, to do it.JOSH MALERMAN, VIA FACEBOOKANOTHER REASON I love Rue Morgue: a novel makes the cover over a high-profile film remake.@ANDREWKLAUS, VIA TWITTERHOT ISSUE! When the only complaint you have is that you hoped the Invasion of the Blood Farmers piece would be longer, you really don’t have much to gripe about.PJ AMES, VIA FACEBOOKWONDERING IF anyone in California has a bigger Rue Morgue collection than me? I still have to pick up the latest issue.@YOURSTRULY_2019, VIA TWITTERI JUST READ…3 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188BODY HORRORBody HorrorTOM TAYLORLOCATION: Fishtown, PhiladelphiaINSTAGRAM: @tomtaylortattooWith a style that’s both traditional and illustrative, Tom Taylor’s spent thirteen years establishing himself as a sought-after tattoo artist and just as many taking inspiration from the world of horror around him. Also a drummer for hardcore punk outfit Wolves Attack!!, the Philly-based artist loves kayaking and spending time outdoors; anything to get the blood pumping from his heart straight into his artwork. “I’ve always been attracted to the extreme, whether it be music, movies, or people,” he says, “and I think that reflects in the type of tattooing I’m trying to put out these days.”ANDREA SUBISSATIHAVE A GREAT HORROR TAT? SHARE IT WITH US AT: INFO@RUE-MORGUE.COM.…1 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188CRYPTIC COLLECTIBLESHailing from Germany, Nameless Media has caught the eye of many a horror collector with its “Nameless Edition” line, featuring limited remastered releases of films in a variety of collectible formats (steel book, media book, etc.), with impressive bonus items that can’t be found anywhere else.Nameless’ current horror titles include reissues of Waxwork, George A. Romero’s Diary of the Dead, The Hitcher, and Wrong Turn, among others. The discs themselves come with the kind of standard special features you might expect (commentaries, interviews, featurettes) along with a selection of artwork covers to suit your preference. The media book releases also contain a German information booklet built right into the box design.Perhaps most exciting for the avid collector are the giant limited edition busts that accompany the special releases. Dead Snow…2 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188NETFLIX AND CHILLSAFTER VIEWERS JOURNEY THROUGH THE MULTIPLE REALMS OF NOS4A2, they’ll be able to experience one of Joe Hill’s more confined scenarios via Netflix. The streaming service’s movie version of In the Tall Grass, based on the 2012 novella co-written by Hill and his father Stephen King, looks likely to premiere this fall, with Vincenzo Natali writing and directing a cast headed by Patrick Wilson (Insidious), Laysla De Oliveira and Harrison Gilbertson (who co-starred with NOS4A2’s Ashleigh Cummings in Hounds of Love).“I’m excited,” Hill says. “The casting is great, and they worked up terrific imagery for it. Vincenzo fell in love with the story, and wrote a wonderful script that captures everything that was good about it and then added to it, in a way where you’re like, ‘Oh, I love…5 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188FALLEN HEROESDARK PHOENIXThe grandmammy of naughty heroes, the Dark Phoenix saga injected the comic industry with a much-needed shot in the arm back in 1980 with the seduction, corruption, and transformation of Marvel girl-next-door Jean Grey. Artist John Byrne envisioned Jean being possessed by an evil entity akin to The Exorcist, which inspired her shocking physical change from wide-eyed innocent into a sinister, blank-eyed devastator who relished the torture and suffering of her fellow X-Men.KID MARVELMANYears before he wrote Watchmen, Alan Moore began the deconstruction of the superhero genre with a dark relaunch of the classic Marvelman character (a.k.a. Miracleman in North America) in the pages of Warrior Magazine. The newly revived straight-shooter Marvelman is horrified to learn that his one-time apple-cheeked sidekick Kid Marvelman is now a murderous sociopath. For…2 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188GRIM GROOVESWE’RE DIEHARD LOVERS OF HORROR MUSIC ON VINYL AROUND THESE PARTS. It’s a tradition many of us grew up with and saw dwindle over the years to the point where it became a lost art form. And though history has seen fit to revisit those bygone days thanks to a host of new companies getting into the game and releasing horror soundtracks on vinyl with collectible art-enhanced packages, we’re still nowhere close to where we once were. Which explains why I am personally very proud of our Music Editor Aaron (Von) Lupton and regular RM contributor Jeff Szpirglas for their work on Blood on Black Wax, a full-colour, 204-page hardbound tome featuring some of the very best art from classic horror movie soundtracks. The release, which comes under the Rue…4 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188MAD MAESTRO PARTYTo say that Gabe Bartalos’ latest directorial effort – the deranged and unapologetically surreal Saint Bernard – isn’t for everyone is a bit of an understatement, and the filmmaker is the first to agree. In fact, he revels in it.“I went out of my way to make a film that I felt was a bit of an antidote to other cinema,” he tells Rue Morgue, “meaning that when you look at a poster, sometimes it feels like you know the entire film. I wanted to do something that kind of rewarded an audience that was scratching the surface, to give something that I, as a film fan, would be excited to see. The reaction’s been excellent.”Residing somewhere in the no-man’s-land between Terry Gilliam and David Lynch at their most eccentric…3 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188IT CAME FROM BOWEN’S BASEMENTRevenge of (Yet) Another NerdHere’s a great idea for a horror movie: a lonely teenage outcast turns the tables on his/her tormentors after he/she discovers that he/she is ________. or after he/she acquires a ________. or when he/she learns how to ________. Okay, so it’s kinda sorta been done – you’ve got your Evilspeak, your Ginger Snaps, your The Initiation of Sarah, your Fear No Evil, your Christine and your, er, something else by that guy who wrote Christine, I guess. But then you’ve got your Horror High (1973), a 16mm revenge-of-thenerd cheapie that’ll make you forget them all. Well, most of them.Kids, meet teen science whiz and high school whipping boy nonpareil Vernon Potts (Pat Cardi, ex-prime-time child star and future creator of MovieFone). Vernon may not have telekinesis…3 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188QUICK CUTSThere’s a rumour floating around an elementary school in rural Japan: a creature lurks in a tunnel behind the building that could bring about the end of the world, unless offered the perfect sacrifice. What seems like a simple urban legend to frighten children is instead the catalyst to a complex tale that spans more than a decade and involves numerous characters whose haunted lives are intertwined and connected to the mysterious tunnel in the Nijigahara embankment. Nijigahara Holograph’s pages ooze with despair as they explore heady themes of suicide, rape, child abuse, bullying and murder in startlingly realistic fashion, while simultaneously mixing in supernatural elements. The swarms of ghostly butterflies that permeate the story serve as a reminder not to take anything at face value, and the result is…3 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO HELLIN 2013, NATHAN BALLINGRUD’S DEBUT COLLECTION NORTH AMERICAN LAKE MONSTERS, WON THE PRESTIGIOUS SHIRLEY JACKSON AWARD for Best Single-Author Short Story Collection and was shortlisted for the Bram Stoker and World Fantasy Awards. Sadly, like most great writers, he’s not very prolific. It’s taken six years for his second collection, Wounds (out now from Gallery/Saga Press), to emerge but, judging by its contents, it’s been well worth the wait. The book solidifies Ballingrud’s position as one of the most consistently unpredictable, exciting and shiver-inducing writers in the field.Originally titled The Atlas of Hell, the collection now bears the subtitle “Six Stories from the Border of Hell,” and is united by the writer’s desire to explore different ground from his first book.“The primary element uniting these stories is that I wanted…3 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188THE HOMICIDAL HOMEMAKERIN STEPHEN KING’S CUJO, man’s best friend turns into his worst enemy. Fortunately, that’s not the case here at the Rue Morgue Manor, where our hounds of hell only attack with ferocious tail-wags and kisses – these homemade dog cookies are the perfect reward for them!These crunchy cookies include safe and easily digestible ingredients for your pup, with a little parsley to help keep to their breath fresh. They make great gifts and, best of all, you can personalize them with your pup’s name.They also freeze well, so you can make sure you always have some on hand!If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Don’t forget to tag your photo with #ruemorgue and #homicidalhomemaker on Instagram and Twitter.GET MORE RECIPES FROM WWW.THEHOMICIDALHOMEMAKER.COM"CUJO" DOG COOKIES (MAKES 24 SMALL…3 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188LISTEN TO MY NIGHTMAREMy son Cooper was born on December 11, 2018, which meant this past winter was spent watching streaming content until my mind went numb. But when I was tipped off about an upcoming Shudder series called Deadwax, I had a new reason to be excited about staring at a computer screen. Not only was this horror show based around vinyl collecting with a soundtrack that included some of my favourite synth artists (Pentagram Home Video and Wojciech Golczewski, namely), it was helmed by Graham Reznick, a sound designer/composer whose career has fascinated me since his work on movies House of the Devil and The Innkeepers, and, in a truly mind-blowing example, his episode “The Chambers Tape” from the audio drama series Tales From Beyond the Pale (highly recommended!).“Creating a series…2 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188EXPIRING MINDSON RUE MORGUE’S SOCIAL MEDIAWhat superhero would make a great supervillain and why?Batman. Because he’s Batman.LUIZ NORONHADaredevil would be terrifying. Defending the worst people. And throwing the good or neutral opposition into trains, etc.ROSEMARY DIANE KAYEThe Ghostbusters. No matter who you killed, they will return them, and in ghost form too!GARRETT WIWCHARUKNot Scott Summers, he’s a class act, he would never do something rash like kill the professor with the Phoenix force. No, not Scott.TIMOTHY GIBSONDoctor Manhattan, cuz he’s virtually a god.ALEX SANTANABatman. Incredible intellectual and highly manipulative, plus already knows the weaknesses of all the heroes.@THEAUTHOR__, VIA INSTAGRAMGhost Rider, he’s got the aesthetic.@GOTHICNIGHTMAREPWS, VIA INSTAGRAM…1 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188VINTAGE AND CLASSIC(First published by New English Library Ltd. in 1974)Long associated with disease, death and destruction, rats have been showcased in numerous works of horror fiction, including Bram Stoker’s 1897 classic Dracula; the 1968 novel Ratman’s Notebooks by Stephen Gilbert (later adapted into the 1971 film Willard); Stephen King’s 1970 short story “Graveyard Shift”; and James Herbert’s grisly 1974 novel The Rats.The latter concerns an outbreak of large, flesh-eating rats who swarm their victims in houses, a school, a movie theatre, the London Underground transit system, and the zoo, and the attempts by a schoolteacher to help authorities exterminate the murderous creatures.The debut novel from the British-born author, Herbert’s vivid scenes of rats devouring people (children included) and animals made it a taboo best-seller, spawning three sequels: Lair (1979), Domain (1984)…1 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188KILLER CARSCATERPILLAR D9The most unlikely of mean machines comes in the form of a bulldozer that kills, in 1974’s aptly titled Killdozer! While the cool factor for a rumbling hunk of steel energized to run amok in a murderous rampage by an alien force is admittedly low, no construction worker was safe from its destructive power. Watch as this hulking menace takes out workers one by one, fuel capacity be damned!CHEVROLET CAB OVER ENGINEThe image of a deadly jalopy was taken to new heights with the arrival of this unique vehicle in 2001’s Jeepers Creepers. Featuring an old rusted body with dusted-over windows, the appearance of this 1941 Chevrolet Cab Over Engine in said film only brought trepidation, even when seen in broad daylight. And this was before it was revealed…3 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188FAR EAST FREAK SHOWJAPAN: LAND OF LONG-HAIRED GHOSTS, MONSTROUS KAIJU, AND THE RETINA-WOUNDING CINEMA OF ONE TAKASHI MIIKE. No question, the country has a long and rich tradition of horrors dating back to World War II and beyond, and yet, venture into Japan today and you may find some of its most daring and shocking material happening on the live stage where angura, a theatrical tradition with its roots in the 1960s, is currently experiencing a revival. The term “angura” is a Japanese contraction for “andaaguraundo engeki,” or “underground theatre,” and can generally be understood as a hodgepodge of every unpleasant truth dragged from the underbelly of Japanese society and put under a spotlight. More a state of mind than a genre per se, modern angura mixes violence, sex, and other cultural taboos…5 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188CINEMACABREFILM + DVD + REISSUESDOUBLE THREATUSStarring Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Dukeand Elisabeth MossWritten and directed by Jordan PeeleMonkeypaw ProductionsFair or not, it’s hard not to compare Us with Jordan Peele’s smash hit debut Get Out, particularly when the latter hit its mark on so many levels. Here’s the good news that should surprise nobody: Peele’s highly anticipated sophomore effort is both a love letter to horror fans and startlingly unique, with outstanding performances and a haunting, complex story that lingers long after the end credits have rolled.The Wilson family of four are on summer holiday near Santa Cruz but mom Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o) is plagued with flashbacks from a terrible fright she endured at a boardwalk attraction as a child (Madison Curry). Shortly after their arrival, the family is visited by…15 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188DAY OF THE DOCUMENTARYYOU MIGHT IMAGINE IT WOULDN'T BE EASY GROWING UP AS THE SON OF THE MAN WHO CREATED, if late film critic Roger Ebert is to be believed, the “worst movie ever made.” But Terry Zarchi, son of I Spit On Your Grave filmmaker Meir Zarchi and director of the new documentary Growing Up with I Spit On Your Grave, dispels that notion with some pride. “It wasn’t anything I was ashamed of,” he tells Rue Morgue. “It was more like my father made a very interesting movie that shows the brutality of what it is like to be raped. It’s ugly, it’s hard to watch, and there’s nothing pleasant about it. And growing up knowing that’s the kind of movie it is, there’s also a message behind the film that…3 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188FILES FROM THE BLACK MUSEUMUnlocked Potential“IT’S WORTH REMEMBERING THAT ART CAN LIVE INDEPENDENTLY FROM ITS AUTHOR, AND CAN TAKE ON NEW MEANINGS THAT WEREN’T ORIGINALLY INTENDED.”Acommon complaint about the continued proliferation of reboots, remakes and reimaginings is that, with few exceptions, it’s only possible to create a pale copy of the original. When a film is being remade or an author’s literary work is adapted for the screen, we seem unable to escape from an ingrained cultural tendency to treat the original creator’s intentions as not only definitive, but somehow sacred. Though it’s understandable that the artists themselves are protective of their work, this kind of blind audience devotion can be a prison of sorts, boxing us into the idea that the only way to look at art is through its creator’s intended meaning.…4 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188THE NINTH CIRCLESKIDDING INTO OBLIVIONBrian HodgeChiZine PublicationsA new book by Brian Hodge is always a joyous event for every discriminating fan of horror literature. Last year brought his novel The Immaculate Void (RM#182) and now comes his seventh collection, packed with moody atmosphere, body horror, genuine frights and heartfelt emotion.Two ingenious, first-rate stories deserve to be singled out in an otherwise balanced, uniformly great selection. “Scars in Progress” deals with a group of underground searchers after non-human (but humanlike) entities are sighted in the ruins of abandoned factories, warehouses, sport stadiums and the like. The way it merges Ligottian love for (sub)urban decay, modernized demonology, and particle physics is nothing short of genius, and also contains hints of an approaching apocalypse – a motif found in most of the other stories here.…9 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188LIBRARY OF THE DAMNEDHORROR IN BLOOMSpring is in the air and exciting things are happening in our genre. This month we’re going to take a tour of what’s sprouting up from the world of scary stories, and gaze back at an oldie (but goodie) that really needs a timely rebirth.Paperbacks From Hell classic horror fiction re-releases from Valancourt BooksYou’ve heard me go on and on about the importance of preserving of horror lit history, but now Valancourt Books (see RM#183) is actively doing something about it by resurrecting five of the titles covered in Grady Hendrix’s killer look at the mass-market paperbacks of 1970s and ’80s, Paperbacks From Hell. The series kicked off on April 2 with Gregory A. Douglas’ giant cockroach story The Nest, introduced by Too Much Horror Fiction’s Will Errickson.…2 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188PODCAST SPOTLIGHTNAME: Post MortemTHEME: Horror moviesFREQUENCY: Bi-monthlyFORMAT: InterviewWith several bona fide horror classics under his belt, filmmaker and Masters of Horror creator Mick Garris is immediately recognisable as one of the unheralded champions of the genre – a guy who has seen and done it all, from interviewing John Carpenter while he was composing Halloween to doing publicity for the likes of David Cronenberg. That’s probably why Post Mortem, Garris’ interview-format podcast in which he sits down for in-depth conversations with some of the genre’s most popular personalities, is so successful. From interviews with legends such as Peter (The Changeling) Medak and William (Maniac) Lustig to newcomers like Ari (Hereditary) Aster and Coralie (Revenge) Fargeat, Garris accesses his guests' madness like few modern film journalists can. Along the way he treats…1 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188DOO-WOP THOU WILTROCK ‘N’ ROLL HISTORY IS RIFE WITH REFERENCES TO SATAN; from Robert Johnson selling his soul at the crossroads and Seattle’s legendary proto-punkers The Sonics jeering that “he’s waiting” to countless heavy metal acts pledging their allegiance to the Dark One. Husband-and-wife duo Twin Temple are yet another act to pick up the demonic mantle but buck the demonic trend with what they call “Satanic doo-wop,” matching finger-snapping catchiness with politically charged conviction as they pen sultry odes to free will, unbridled sexuality and raw, unfiltered individualism. It’s a dark, curious, and thoroughly enthralling mixture: cheerful vintage classic rock (think The Ronettes, The Shangri-Las, Buddy Holly) wedded to the outré theatrics of LaVeyian Satanism (blood, candles, skulls, acres of black lace) with a positive social message. It’s this distillation that…3 min
RUE MORGUE|RM#188PLAY DEADRESIDENT EVIL 2PS4, Xbox One, PCCapcomWhen it was announced last year at E3 that a remake of one of the most beloved Resident Evil games was poised for release within a matter of months, horror game aficionados very appropriately lost their collective shit. Though some reserved their excitement, history has proven that Capcom is a developer capable of lovingly crafting a complete overhaul of a classic game on a level unsurpassed within the industry, strongly evidenced by their 2002 GameCube release of the first Resident Evil. Thankfully, Capcom manages to once more capture lightning in a bottle with what may be the finest game in the series yet.Choosing either Leon S. Kennedy or Claire Redfield, players will once again return to the notorious Raccoon City, this time sporting more than…3 min
