Patrick Rutigliano's Blog, page 5

Under the Radar – Society

Modern horror movies tend to fall conceptually flat for me. It’s difficult to think of one that doesn’t feature some version of possession/hauntings, zombies, or some lame version of sexy monster. All very bankable, and most of them dull as dirt. Films that have the courage to truly be out there and weird have become a scarce commodity. And, call me nostalgic, I think you usually have to look to past decades to find them. Society came out in 1989, right in that awkward spot between the slasher movie boom and the genre’s decline–an ideal time to slip something unique out to the public.

Bill Whitney leads a superficially ideal life. Raised by Beverly Hills socialites, his family is wealthy and he’s popular at school. However, he also suffers from anxiety and hallucinations–all rooted in an inexplicable sense of alienation. His feeling are written off as paranoia until he catches his sister’s ex stalking her. After kicking him out of the house, the ex approaches Bill later with a secret audio recording he’s made of the Whitney family involved in some manner of depraved orgy. Stunned, Bill sets out to uncover the truth behind the tape only to find manipulations at every turn.

The whole of Society serves as a very unsubtle but effective allegory: the pristine face presented by the upper class is only a mask hiding its true depravity. The cold courtesy that passes for affection from Billy’s parents, the nod to “breeding” during the reveal, and the gluttonous sociopathy running through the town’s wealthy are all very clear jabs. This message is wrapped in a blackly comic shell that still manages to wring out some genuine tension due to good acting on the part of the lead (Billy Warlock) and  inventively grotesque makeup effects. Things do go a bit too over the top into cheesy territory during the last fifteen minutes or so thanks to a few poor choices and some overacting, but it’s still a thoroughly engrossing ride because there’s literally nothing else quite like it.

And They’re Off!

Sorry for the absence, folks. This month has been something of a mess due to a couple medical issues that really needed to be addressed (all gratefully resolved now, so don’t worry). However, the short story section of Wind Chill is now complete and waiting for the final bit of red ink over at Crystal Lake Publishing. With any luck, it should be available to you all right on schedule in a few months.

That being the case, I also have enough time freed up to get The Last Look up to snuff and to start working on some new reviews for Under the Radar. The latter is way overdue, so I’m going to try to get one up later this week.

Some Quick Polishing

Seeing as Wind Chill is out of my hair until I get it back, I’ve been repairing the finished books that got messed up as a result of the computer crash. It’s nothing too serious. I’ve been primarily going back to old beta-reader/editor notes and reinstating suggestions, as well as addressing a few things I missed. All in all, the rest of the work should be done in a day or two. After that, I need to figure out where I want to sell Bestiary (and if I want to continue selling it as one book or a series).

Then, I’ll finally get to tearing The Last Look apart like I intended. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

To the Beta-Reader!

The short story section of Wind Chill is now complete and awaiting the perusal of my chief beta-reader. Here’s hoping he doesn’t have to tear it up too much.

Meanwhile, I’ll be doing some self-editing runs on The Last Look and preparing more installments of Under the Radar to be put up in the near future (sorry I’ve been slacking on the latter; the last few months have not been kind).

I’ve also got two new ideas for books floating around in my head. Both are fighting for the space at the front of my brain. We’ll just have to see how that plays out in the coming months.

The Final Push

I’m now a good bit over halfway through the short stories I need for Wind Chill. A few ate up more time than expected due to some pretty extensive rewriting (one of them being a story that was already largely rewritten before that file died with my laptop *grumble*). I’m going to put the pedal to the metal and get the last few done by the end of the coming week. Then, it’s off to the beta-reader… which should give me a little extra time to polish up The Last Look.

I also got some interesting news the other day that I’m not free to divulge at the moment. However, it means I’ve got some more plans to make for the months ahead…

I’m right about halfway through the short stories I inten...

I’m right about halfway through the short stories I intend to include with Wind Chill. Despite a few sticky points, I should be considerably further along than that by the end of the week.

I’d also like to thank everybody who picked up a copy of The Untimely Deaths of Daryl Handy during the sale. Given it’s age, I may be permanently dropping the price on that book some time soon as a little reader incentive.

And, of course, the idea for my next book strikes while I’m in the midst of all this editing. Oh well. Just that much more time to work out the kinks before I get that one on the page, I suppose.

Free Ebook!

As a little apology for my recent absence, I’ve made The Untimely Deaths of Daryl Handy free on Amazon for the next few days. Pick it up while you can!

http://www.amazon.com/Untimely-Deaths-Daryl-Handy-ebook/dp/B00EZHQKY4

Work on the short story section of Wind Chill is picking up some steam now that I’ve (finally) found a decent combination of treatments to keep my allergies at bay. There’s still plenty of work to do, but it’s getting there. I’m also going to see if I can squeeze in my first reading of The Last Look since finishing the rough draft. Here’s hoping I still like what I see.

Under the Radar – Absentia

Small budget horror films typically have an uphill battle. In a genre that often relies so much on effects, a lack of money often results in cheap sets and laughable monsters. It takes a smart director to know how to turn a production’s limitations into a strength, focusing on character and mood rather than gore. And in Absentia, they result in a somewhat flawed but unsettling sit.

Tricia is still coping with the unexplained disappearance of her husband some seven years earlier when her drifter sister, Callie, moves in. Tricia finally starts accepting the loss and begins the difficult process of declaring him dead in absentia. The nightmares she suffers intensify and devolve to waking hallucinations through the process. However, it’s only after the paperwork is finally filed–and Callie has a strange encounter with a derelict under a nearby bridge–that her spouse reappears much the worse for wear. And still terrified of whatever dragged him away so many years ago.

Fans of the current trend of jump scares and CG blood will want to steer clear of this one. Absentia is a slow burn, taking time to explore its characters and their reactions in as realistic a way as possible. While the pacing does drag a little at points (particularly off and on during the first third), the actors are good enough to keep the ship afloat. The horror element of the movie moves in by slow degrees and does a fine job of feeding off the character moments that came before it to deliver some truly powerful scenes.

Due to either design or its small budget (or both), Absentia’s monster is seen only in glimpses. However, its nature makes this entirely fitting and only adds to the tension. But the real creep factor comes not only from how it conceals itself, but through the hints of intelligence and long-term manipulation intertwined with the plot.

Absentia is the rare example of a subtle creature feature. The characters take precedence over the monster and are well written enough to care about, making their trials far more harrowing for it. Overall, it’s a disquieting experience that I recommend for the more patient, perhaps even literary, horror fan. But be warned, the ending to this one is as black as it gets.

(Slow) Progress

I rather wish I had more to report on this week. Between a rip-roaring sinus pain that kept me in bed for a while and a few days of pretty hellacious weather, I didn’t get to work near as much as I would’ve liked. However, Wind Chill (the novella part of it, anyway) is officially ready for the proofreader. Now, I just need to finish getting those short stories up to snuff. Here’s hoping conditions are more agreeable this week.

Also, I’m going to start compiling a list of titles for Under the Radar to help get those out a little more consistently. And I think I may have already settled on the subject of the next installment…

Polishing and Rewriting

I spent the last week examining the short stories I want to use for Wind Chill, and it’s been quite an interesting experience. Several of the stories have been on various short lists but never quite squeaked their way in. A few years later, with my style being more refined after lots of beta-reads, I can finally see the warts that need removal. It’s always a humbling thing to see one’s mistakes and empowering to know how much progress has been made since. I’m very excited to get this book to you all.

I’m also going to have my own author page up on Crystal Lake Publishing’s website this week!