David Cranmer's Blog, page 20
August 8, 2017
Transgemination
I had such a kick working with Glenn on Transgemination. The kind of book still giving me chuckles on the third pass. Science fiction, horror, thrills, and lots of humor. It is now available in print and for the kindle. Here's what its all about:
What would YOU do if you stumbled upon a mysterious simmering gooey thing in your backyard? Farm boys Karl and Stew are forced to answer this question when they happen upon an otherworldly blob thing in their cornfield. Before they know it, their normally tranquil farm is transformed into a chaotic, surreal nightmare of sorts, and quickly becomes the epicenter of national attention. Follow Karl and Stew as they struggle to maintain their sanity in this humorous, sometimes outlandish but thought provoking sci-fi novella, replete with bizarre creatures, explosions and even a love story. A must read for fans of retro sci-fi/horror B movies, woven with real science, as only Glenn Gray can do. Buckle up for a fun, yet harrowing ride.
August 7, 2017
August 6, 2017
Robert Mitchum at 100
Mitch would have turned 100 today. I've written three articles for Criminal Element celebrating the actor's centennial. In the first, I take a look at his Westerns. A sample:
Innovative Western artfully directed by Raoul Walsh that noir historian Jake Hinkson (The Big Ugly, The Posthumous Man) calls, “… one of the premier examples of Neurosis In The West.” Controversial topics like repressed memory, hallucinations, and a passing hint of incest are broached in this cutting-edge production.
Both Montgomery Cliff and Kirk Douglas were considered and rejected for the role. Mitchum, known as “the soul of film noir” for classics like Out of the Past (1947), took the dark, tortured outsider and easily adapted it to the Old West while hardly missing his fedora and trench coat.
Damn Good Coffee
I'm enjoying a "damn good" cup of coffee (bypassing usual morning tea) as I prepare tomorrow's Twin Peaks 11-13 episode recap for Criminal Element. Check here for my last write up on the offbeat, subversive revival.
August 5, 2017
August 3, 2017
Making Old New
Scene: a few days ago at a hotel in Virginia. Me: ridiculously happy contemplating how to best preserve this forty-year-old backgammon board my sister Sharon gave to me. It's in rather good condition though needs some glue in a few spots where the felt is coming undone but what should I use for the latches that are rusty and worn with age?
August 1, 2017
The End Has Arrived
After ten months of journeying toward The Dark Tower, I have reached the pinnacle with a small but loyal ka-tet. I originally started my read of King's magnum opus in the 1980's, broke off for a couple of decades, and have now finished it. Here's my last dispatch from on top and what we found behind that final door. Spoilers, my friends, spoilers.
July 31, 2017
The Passing of Sam Shepard
Sorry to hear that Sam Shepard has died. Many top films in a stellar career but one that I immediately think of is Blackthorn from 2011. I reviewed it in my Under Burning Skies: Best of 21st Western Movies article.
Rest in peace, sir.
Rest in peace, sir.
An Uneasy Evening
A great memory from Eddie Muller: An Uneasy Evening with the Noir Legend.
Richard's Storyville
I enjoy reading whatever Richard Thomas writes including his recent column at LitReactor: Storyville: Adding Diversity to Your Fiction.
