David A. Riley's Blog, page 118
June 20, 2012
June 19, 2012
The Return
Just signed and returned the contract for the publication in the States of my Lovecraftian horror novel, The Return which, hopefully, will be out next year. I'll post more news about this as and when I have it.
Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes Films
Just ordered a set of all eight Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes films, digitally remastered. Looking forward to a Holmesian marathon in the near future.Although he's not my favourite Holmes (that would be Jeremy Brett, of course), he's still up there alongside Peter Cushing, if only for the atmosphere, which is a strong element in these films.
June 12, 2012
The Screaming Book of Horror
There's a new link to The Screaming Book of Horror.
Contents are:
Larva – John Brunner
The Swarm – Alison Littlewood
Natural Selection – Robin Ince
One of the Family – Bernard Taylor
What Shall We Do About Barker? – Reginald Oliver
Cut! – Anna Taborska
Old Grudge Ender – David A. Riley
Bird Doll – Claire Massey
The Christmas Toys – Paul Finch
The Quixote Candidate – Rhys Hughes
Helping Mummy – Kate Farell
The Iron Cross – Craig Herbertson
The Baby Trap – Janine Wood
Sometimes You Think You Are Alone – Alison Moore
The Tip Run – Johnny Mains
Christenings Can Be Dangerous – John Llewellyn Probert
Jack and Jill – Steve Rasnic Tem
The City of Plenty – Alex Miles
Imagination – Chris Fowler
The Blackshore Dreamer – John Burke
Contents are:Larva – John Brunner
The Swarm – Alison Littlewood
Natural Selection – Robin Ince
One of the Family – Bernard Taylor
What Shall We Do About Barker? – Reginald Oliver
Cut! – Anna Taborska
Old Grudge Ender – David A. Riley
Bird Doll – Claire Massey
The Christmas Toys – Paul Finch
The Quixote Candidate – Rhys Hughes
Helping Mummy – Kate Farell
The Iron Cross – Craig Herbertson
The Baby Trap – Janine Wood
Sometimes You Think You Are Alone – Alison Moore
The Tip Run – Johnny Mains
Christenings Can Be Dangerous – John Llewellyn Probert
Jack and Jill – Steve Rasnic Tem
The City of Plenty – Alex Miles
Imagination – Chris Fowler
The Blackshore Dreamer – John Burke
June 11, 2012
Snow White and the Huntsman
While we had our day out at the Lowry, we also watched Snow White and the Huntsman, a brilliantly conceived alternative to the Disney classic. The sets were incredibly realistic, especially the castles, while the dark forest was as atmospherically ominous as any I have ever seen. The storyline created a much more adult plot, helped along by some great acting. I was especially interested to see the dwarfs, played by such iconic actors as Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone, Ian McShane, Nick Frost and Toby Jones and others. The best dwarfs since The Time Bandits, even though none of these actors is an actual dwarf! The CGI special effects were for once excellent, especially the troll, and helped to create a special sort of dark fairytale realism.
Charlize Theron, as the wicked queen Ravenna, was especially well cast, at once beautiful, cold and stunningly evil.
Although there were quite a few young children in the audience when we watched this film, it is perhaps a testimony to how good it was that they stayed virtually silent throughout.
Charlize Theron, as the wicked queen Ravenna, was especially well cast, at once beautiful, cold and stunningly evil.
Although there were quite a few young children in the audience when we watched this film, it is perhaps a testimony to how good it was that they stayed virtually silent throughout.
Prometheus
Went to see this at the Vue cinema, the Lowry Centre, Salford on Friday. I had been looking forward to watching this for some time and, gladly, was not disappointed. It definitely lived up to my expectations, with some superb special effects, solid acting and a well written script, which answered some questions about the whole Alien mythology, but intriguingly created many more.
Perhaps only Ridley Scott could have come back and created a prequel to Alien as good as this.
Perhaps only Ridley Scott could have come back and created a prequel to Alien as good as this.
Horror! The Darkness and Horror! Under the Tombstone
I have just heard from Dave Sutton that he will be reprinting the anthologies New Writings in Horror and the Supernatural volumes 1 and 2, originally published by Sphere Books in 1971 and 1972. These included my stories The Farmhouse and A Bottle of Spirits.
The Farmhouse will now be republished in Horror! Under the Tombstone, and A Bottle of Spirits will be in Horror! The Darkness.
The Farmhouse will now be republished in Horror! Under the Tombstone, and A Bottle of Spirits will be in Horror! The Darkness.
June 9, 2012
Screaming Book of Horror
Steve Upham and Johnny Mains have created a special facebook page for
The Screaming Book of Horror
.
June 7, 2012
The Screaming Book of Horror edited by Johnny Mains
Johnny Mains has just issued a list of the contributors so far (I believe there are still two more stories to be included):
Larva – John Brunner
The Swarm – Alison Littlewood
Natural Selection – Robin Ince
One of the Family – Bernard Taylor
What Shall We Do About Barker? – Reginald Oliver
Cut! – Anna Taborska
Old Grudge Ender – David A. Riley
Bird Doll – Claire Massey
The Christmas Toys – Paul Finch
The Quixote Candidate – Rhys Hughes
Helping Mummy – Kate Farell
The Iron Cross – Craig Herbertson
The Baby Trap – Janine Wood
Sometimes You Think You Are Alone – Alison Moore
The Tip Run – Johnny Mains
Christenings Can Be Dangerous – John Llewellyn Probert
Jack and Jill – Steve Rasnic Tem
The Blackshore Dreamer – John Burke
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Larva – John Brunner
The Swarm – Alison Littlewood
Natural Selection – Robin Ince
One of the Family – Bernard Taylor
What Shall We Do About Barker? – Reginald Oliver
Cut! – Anna Taborska
Old Grudge Ender – David A. Riley
Bird Doll – Claire Massey
The Christmas Toys – Paul Finch
The Quixote Candidate – Rhys Hughes
Helping Mummy – Kate Farell
The Iron Cross – Craig Herbertson
The Baby Trap – Janine Wood
Sometimes You Think You Are Alone – Alison Moore
The Tip Run – Johnny Mains
Christenings Can Be Dangerous – John Llewellyn Probert
Jack and Jill – Steve Rasnic Tem
The Blackshore Dreamer – John Burke
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