S.P. Oldham's Blog, page 43

Indie Writers Review Magazine - The Offering

Thrilled to have my poem, 'The Offering' included in the Halloween edition of Indie Writers Review! Click the link to pick up your copy for only £1.99!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07HWW9DYW

Film Review: Phantom of the Opera 1925

I just watched another of the films listed in Wednesday Lee Friday’s ’15 Black and White Horror Movies That Are Scary as Hell,’ posted on ScreenRant on 2oth August 2016. Find it here: https://screenrant.com/scariest-black-and-white-horror-movies-ever-all-time/

Today, I watched the 1925 version of The Phantom of the Opera, starring Lon Chaney, Mary Philbin and Norman Kerry.

SPOILERS THROUGHOUT

The opening scene is very dark in a literal sense. Bearing in mind the age of the film, its quality now lends to the atmosphere, in which we first see a man bearing a lantern, peering in what looks like caves but is actually below-stage. We also get our first shadowy glimpse of the phantom. It is of course a clever device, setting the story in an opera hall which has been built over medieval dungeons and torture chambers. What a fantastic setting for a spooky story!

At first, I found the way that the ballet dancers continued to dance even when they were off-stage in the film very annoying, until it occurred to me that, this being a silent film, dance was being used as a means to communicate to me, the viewer. In that sense, the girls expressed their agitation and excitement at having seen the phantom via this means.

I appreciated how the characters and the acting are rather restrained, not over-the-top theatrical as many films from this era seem to be. Lots of the facial expressions made me wish I could hear the actors talking, their physical acting being good. In all honesty though, I found this film hard-going, not because of its content but because of its age and style. A little unfair of me, given that I knew it was made almost a hundred years ago, and I knew it to be a silent film, but true nonetheless.

Just like Frankenstein, this film, despite being set in an opera house, also culminates in the ‘angry mob,’ complete with burning torches, running through the streets of Paris in pursuit of the Phantom. He is fleeing in horse and carriage, our heroine his hapless victim laying captive within.

There is a nice little moment near the end of the film when the Phantom, surrounded on all sides at the banks of the Seine, holds up his clenched fist. The motion is enough to stop the baying crowds on both sides. The Phantom unclenches his hand, revealing there is nothing in it, laughing at the people. To me, this was a clever little device to illustrate how easy it is to control the masses via fear, ignorance and bravado.

I am not quite sure why one or two of the mob jump into the river at the end, as there was no apparent reason for this. Perhaps it was meant to convey the number of people assembled in the small space, them being pushed into the river accidentally, but it looks very much like the simply jumped in. Perhaps it was communication via dance or otherwise, but it looks, now, to be rather unnecessary and even a bit silly. They beat the Phantom to death on this small platform before throwing him into the dark water. Then suddenly, it is Finis; the end. Another abrupt halt to what has been a lengthy story.

Scary as hell? No, though I can well understand that it might have been at the time of its original release. 

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Go direct to the publisher and order yours today! Troubador - Wakeful Children

For an exclusive 50% off, please enter code: 'WAKEFUL'

Get ready to meet a variety of strange people, weird elemental forces and apparently innocuous settings that leave you feeling more than a little unsettled...

Hello Oz!

Nice start to my day! Not one, not two, but three reviews left AND they are my first ever reviews from an Australian reader! Thank you so much to 'CAT' who read all three books and then reviewed them - life blood to an indie author.

I have to say that several readers have now commented that my characters and storylines are 'different.' Why not give me a try and decide for yourself? Zombie romp with a slant - and not just to the neck!

Sleep, Think, Die, - 4 out of 5 stars Worth reading
26 September 2018
"Well written with a different slant on zombies. Characters are likeable and not totally predictable. Made me want to pick up book 2."

The Undertaking - 3 out of 5 stars Still worth reading
26 September 2018
"Book 2 in the series was once again well written but left me bit perplexed by the direction the storyline took with one of its main characters. Certainly worth picking up and reading."

Brutal Truths - 3 out of 5 stars Worth reading
26 September 2018
"On finishing book 3 I was still wanting to know more. The book is still worth reading as far as zombie books go. It has a good amount of suspense in it and characters you love and hate

https://www.amazon.co.uk/…/p…/B07GKY35ZS/ref=series_rw_dp_sw

And the winner is...

Very pleased to announce that the winner of the Hag's Breath competition is @Emma Holding! Emma, I have sent you a message to arrange delivery of your beautiful Hag's Breath coasters, designed and illustrated by Mike Tenebrae, and your free kindle download of Hag's Breath: A Collection of Witchcraft and Wickedness.

Thanks to everyone who entered. Keep an eye here for more competitions to come... and more books!

Hag's Breath: A Collection of Witchcraft and Wickedness on Amazon Kindle

Hag's Breath - COMPETITION

COMPETITION TIME! COMPETITION ENDS MIDNIGHT GMT SATURDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER 2019. JUDGE'S DECISION IS FINAL.

I have done this before for fun, now lets have a bit of a competition. Alternative Horror Titles and their plots

The Alternative Horror Title and Plot that makes me laugh the most or I think is cleverest will win a pair of Hag's Breath coasters featuring the beautiful art work of Mike Tenebrae and a free download of 'Hag's Breath: A Collection of Witchcraft and Wickedness.'

Here are a couple of mine to get you started:

Night of the Living Bed: in which a bed refuses to allow anyone to get in it and go to sleep, by tossing and turning so violently they fall out. Anyone who does manage to lie on it finds themselves in…

Evil Bed: someone left an old book under the covers, which the intrepid would-be sleeper reads aloud to help those sleeping on the floor drop off more quickly. So follows a night of twisted sheets, tortured frames and killer bed bugs that really bite.

Wrong Churn: a medieval milk-maid pays the ultimate price for milking the wrong cow.

Competition in no way associated with Facebook or Goodreads.

Let's have some fun with this! Over to you...

Hag's Breath: A Collection of Witchcraft and Wickedness

Witches Brew...

Sitting up the garden yesterday morning and for the first time in a long time, I could see my breath on the air. Not even my witches' brew was enough to stop it... 

Having a go at something a little bit different but it is in the very early stages. In the meantime, why not check me out, see if I am to your taste:https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B01N2LSUMX

And as ever good people, I am always in need of reviews! Thank you. Have a great weekend.

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Wakeful Children Trailer

Wakeful Children: A Collection of Horror and Supernatural Tales

If you should enjoy the book, I am always grateful for reviews. Thank you.

Trilogy - Available as one download from Amazon

Hey, I like this! Amazon have put all three books together available as one download for £5.97. Nice one!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mindless-Trilogy-3-B…/…/ref=sr_1_7