David Moody's Blog, page 79
January 15, 2013
The Impossible
Most of the film recommendations I share here are post-apocalyptic movies, but today I’m making an exception. Kind of.
Back in 2008, just after Guillermo del Toro’s involvement in the planned Hater movie had been announced, other names soon became attached to the project. Glen Mazzara (late of AMC’s The Walking Dead) wrote a script and Juan Antonio Bayona was lined up to direct. I immediately got hold of a copy of Bayona’s debut feature – The Orphanage – and was very, very impressed by the film. If you haven’t yet seen it, I suggest you check it out. Bayona was also kind enough to blurb Hater, saying ‘Be careful with Hater; chapter by chapter it will make its way into your soul ‘til it finds the seed of evil which lurks within.’
For one reason or another (and I still don’t know exactly why), the Hater movie didn’t happen. And just for the record, because I seem to get asked several times every day, I don’t know what the current status of the project is.
Fast-forward to now, and J A Bayona’s second feature – The Impossible – has recently been released. I’m sure you’ve already heard plenty about it. The film is based on the true story of a Spanish family of five who, despite being split up and scattered by the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004, all managed to survive and were later reunited. The sheer improbability of their story gives rise to the title of the movie.
Ewan McGregor plays Henry, Naomi Watts his wife Maria. Good as they are, the two of them are acted off the screen by the young lads who play their three sons, particularly Tom Holland as their eldest boy, Lucas. The strong, believable cast, supported by a number of genuine tsunami survivors, make it easy for the viewer to invest in the story. There’s never any sense that this is a return to the old-school disaster movie clichés of movies like The Towering Inferno or The Poseidon Adventure. With those films, you could guess which characters would die and who would survive from the moment you saw them. Not here.
There’s a lot about The Impossible to admire. Without doubt, the depiction of the devastating tsunami and its immediate aftermath is an incredible technical and emotional achievement. Utilising detailed miniature models rather than CGI, the massive wave and the destruction left in its wake appears remarkably realistic, and Bayona’s superb direction of these chaotic scenes is spot on. It’s genuinely harrowing as characters are whipped away by the raging surf, dragged under the surface, then carried miles inland. It’s relentless and suffocating, leaving you feeling like you’re the one being swept along by the current. Here’s a taster:
The horror doesn’t let up when the water subsides. Once Maria and her eldest son reach a hopelessly overcrowded hospital, the human impact of the disaster becomes apparent in some of the grimmest hospital scenes since the BBC’s 1984 nuclear opus, Threads.
I said at the beginning that, to my mind, The Impossible is kind of an apocalyptic movie. As I mentioned, it’s based on a true story with a happy ending, so you know things are going to end well, but that apart, it’s a sobering reminder of the sheer power and unpredictability of our planet. One minute normality; the next, absolute chaos and fear. We’re all living on a permanent knife-edge, and there’s nothing we can do about it. For me, that’s one of the fascinations of the post-apocalyptic genre.
There’s some unforgettable imagery here, and some truly remarkable scenes. As a bitter old cynic, I have to admit that the ending of story (even though it’s based on fact), felt contrived – truly impossible – but that apart, I definitely recommend you watch The Impossible and keep an eye on Bayona. Put it this way, if I was told tomorrow he’d still be helming a movie adaptation of Hater, I’d be a very happy man.
The Impossible is a post from: David Moody - author of TRUST and the HATER and AUTUMN books
January 7, 2013
Happy New Year – want a free book?
A belated Happy New Year all! I hope you had a great time over the holiday period. Back to work now…
Things are likely to be quiet around here for a while as I’m focusing on several new books and other projects I can’t/don’t want to talk about just yet, but I’ll make sure I post as often as I can with updates along with book and film recommendations, details of upcoming appearances, and the like.
In case you missed it, TRUST wrapped up at the end of last month, and the book is now available to read in its entirety at www.trustdavidmoody.com. I’d like as many people as possible to get to read the book while it’s free (it’ll be up for another month at least, maybe longer), so I thought I’d start 2013 with a giveaway. Help spread the word about TRUST and your name will go into a draw to win a copy of the limited edition of the book along with limited editions of AUTUMN: AFTERMATH and AUTUMN: THE HUMAN CONDITION when they’re released later this year.
All you need to do is tweet about the book (use hashtag #trustdavidmoody) or post on Facebook (tag me so I catch your entry) before 31st January. Simple. Enter as many times as you like but, as always, no spamming or flaming etc., and my decision is final.
Happy New Year – want a free book? is a post from: David Moody - author of TRUST and the HATER and AUTUMN books
December 24, 2012
Happy Holidays!
This post was prepared in advance so, if you’re reading this, the world obviously didn’t end last Friday (it obviously wasn’t going to anyway – when will people stop believing in fairytales and bullshit?) and I can keep writing about the apocalypse for a while longer yet! This is my last post of 2012 and I wanted to briefly look back, look forward, and say a few thanks.
It’s been an interesting year for me personally, to say the least. Various issues at home kept me away from work for far longer than I expected (pretty much from mid-March right the way through to mid-September), but since then my family and I have been in a far better place and, though you haven’t yet seen the benefits, I’ve actually been quite productive! All that said, I managed to get a few books out in the last year. I’m particularly pleased with AUTUMN: AFTERMATH, JOE & ME, and TRUST (which is now online in its entirety at www.trustdavidmoody.com).
As is often the way, some stuff didn’t happen. We managed to make very little progress with ISOLATION, for example, but I hope we’ll put that right early in the new year.
Some of the highlights of the year for me were spent in the company of other people. Wayne Simmons and I did a lot of joint events, and I enjoyed every minute of them (even the odd tumbleweed moments in far-flung branches of Waterstones, Wayne!). I’m already planning my schedule for 2013 with several events pencilled in including trips to Scotland and Spain. But I can’t look back at 2012 without mentioning the two occasions I got to meet and spend time with James Herbert (click here to remind yourself what happened). What an absolute honour.
So what’s coming in 2013? I’ve already talked a bit about what I’ve got planned. Top priority is to finish 17 DAYS (which you can read a little about here). Next up will be the first book in my new horror/science-fiction series THE SPACES BETWEEN, as well as STRANGERS (which is the closest I’m ever going to get to a vampire novel – and as I’ve already said, it’ll be a disease and depravity-filled read without a sparkle in sight).
I’m planning to continue the resurgence of INFECTED BOOKS in the new year with, as I recently mentioned, the AUTUMN: AFTERMATH limited edition hardcover, and the definitive reissue of AUTUMN: THE HUMAN CONDITION. If time allows, I’m also considering giving STRAIGHT TO YOU the same treatment as TRUST – i.e. total rewrite and online serialisation. Watch this space.
That’s about it for now. I just wanted to thank all the authors and other professionals I’ve worked with this year, and all the event organisers too. Huge thanks as always to Moody’s Survivors. Finally, sincere thanks to everyone who bought one of my books this year, or who encouraged someone else to read my work. I don’t say it enough, but I’m hugely appreciative.
Whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever you do or don’t celebrate, best wishes. Have a fantastic holiday period and here’s to a brilliant 2013!
Happy Holidays! is a post from: David Moody - author of TRUST and the HATER and AUTUMN books
December 21, 2012
TRUST – entire novel free online (just in time for the apocalypse)
Five months seems to have flown by in five minutes. I’ve been serialising TRUST since the 23rd July and today the final chapters have been posted. The entire novel is now available for your reading pleasure at www.trustdavidmoody.com. The book will be staying online until the end of January at least, though I’ve not yet decided exactly how long. That’s assuming, of course, the world doesn’t end today!
Please share the book with your friends or via Facebook or Twitter etc. If you’d prefer a physical copy to read, you can always pick up the paperback (Amazon/B&N/Book Depository/Waterstones/Infected Books) or the limited edition signed hardcover (which includes an exclusive essay). The eBook is available in a range of formats: Kindle/Nook/Kobo/iBook/ePub/everything else.
Huge thanks once again to Craig Paton for the stunning artwork he produced for the book (click here to see a selection), and to Dan Boucher for turning a 2001-style Flash movie into a 2012-style landing screen. Thanks also to all the reviewers who gave the book their time, and to Moody’s Survivors for their support and help with publicity. Cheers, all!
I’ve really enjoyed revisiting TRUST and putting together this definitive version. Resurrecting Infected Books has been a pleasure, and I’ve a few more IB releases planned for 2013 including the AUTUMN: AFTERMATH hardcover, and a long-overdue re-release of AUTUMN: THE HUMAN CONDITION.
TRUST – entire novel free online (just in time for the apocalypse) is a post from: David Moody - author of TRUST and the HATER and AUTUMN books
December 19, 2012
New issue of SCREAM magazine now available
Here’s my regular plug for SCREAM, which I continue to enjoy very much.
Issue 15 is out now (click here for details). As well as a nice write-up of the always excellent Grimm Up North festival and the usual reviews and interviews, there are a number of great features for horror fans of a certain age – not least a retrospective of Don Coscarelli’s Phantasm movies and an interview with Ian McCulloch, star of Zombie Flesh Eaters.
New issue of SCREAM magazine now available is a post from: David Moody - author of TRUST and the HATER and AUTUMN books
December 17, 2012
TRUST – last chapters online this week
Chapter 42 of TRUST is now online over at www.trustdavidmoody.com. The final three chapters and the epilogue will go live on Friday morning, and the entire novel will remain available until at least the end of January 2013. Hope you’ve been enjoying it. See you on Friday for the end of the world.
TRUST – last chapters online this week is a post from: David Moody - author of TRUST and the HATER and AUTUMN books
December 14, 2012
The end is (almost) nigh…
…and chapter 41 of TRUST is now online. The story ends next week. Have a good weekend.
(and don’t forget to visit the 2012 book sale if you’re short of ideas for Christmas!)
The end is (almost) nigh… is a post from: David Moody - author of TRUST and the HATER and AUTUMN books
December 11, 2012
The real Kieran Cope
Had a great time at Waterstones in Swindon on Saturday with Wayne Simmons at our final stop on the ‘Never Trust a Man With Hair’ tour. A highlight was getting to meet the real Kieran Cope (remind yourself of his story here and here), and presenting him with a signed print of the stunning artwork produced by Craig Paton.
It’s not the first time I’ve met someone who appears as a character in one of my books. Who could forget Swill Odgers from The Men They Couldn’t Hang, and his and the band’s appearance in chapter 4 of HATER?
And in case you’ve missed my numerous plugs recently, you can now get signed copies of the UK paperback edition of AUTUMN: AFTERMATH from my Infected Bookstore and Amazon, and if you’re interested in the limited edition hardcover due out in early 2013, register your interest here.
The real Kieran Cope is a post from: David Moody - author of TRUST and the HATER and AUTUMN books
December 10, 2012
2012 Book Clearance Sale
The Infected Books website has been updated with a full list of signed books available in my annual book sale. Visit www.infectedbooks.co.uk for more information. Copies of the UK paperback edition of AUTUMN: AFTERMATH are now shipping! Bring a little apocalyptic horror into your family’s Christmas this year!
And as it’s Monday, a new chapter of TRUST is also available. Chapter 40 is now online at www.trustdavidmoody.com.
2012 Book Clearance Sale is a post from: David Moody - author of TRUST and the HATER and AUTUMN books
December 7, 2012
Another last minute, end of the day, end of the week update
Hello! As I said earlier this week, I’m rapidly approaching a deadline so updates have been sparse this week. Here are a few bullet points for Friday evening…
Chapter 39 of TRUST is now online. Visit www.trustdavidmoody.com to read it. Two weeks left until the story reaches it’s conclusion…
A quick head’s-up: A little later than most years, but I’ll be launching my annual end of the year signed book sale next week, clearing the shelves for 2013. Expect big reductions on certain titles. You’ll also be able to get your hands on signed UK AUTUMN: AFTERMATH paperbacks, though stocks will be limited.
And finally, I’ll be at Waterstones in Swindon tomorrow for my last signing event of the year with Wayne Simmons. If you’re in the area, please come and say hello. We’ve had a brilliant time out and about these last few weeks. Thanks to everyone who came along and supported us and to all the stores/event managers for having us! We’ll be at Waterstones from 11am tomorrow.
Another last minute, end of the day, end of the week update is a post from: David Moody - author of TRUST and the HATER and AUTUMN books
