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Qeuey Quirkiness from PCG

The latest from PCG’s Quirky Queue

SPECIAL ID

Donnie Yen, the most prolific Asian action star working, is doing what they all do, which is to transition from pure martial arts films to grittier action dramas. This one delivers the goods in almost every department (though it could use a bit of a trim IMO) and as a student of both realistic combat techniques and great action choreography, I was pleased to see how Yen’s always spectacular choreography has continued to not only improve, but work nicely with the story. For example, it’s not unusual to see MMA style techniques in action movies these days, but Yen really knows how to set these up within the framework of a given fight’s psychology.

THE MACHINE

This low budget sci-fi actioner holds up pretty well against its more expensive brethren thanks to good performances from a likable cast. Loved the score for this one, reminiscent of The Terminator though it was.

COME BACK TO ME

A good concept, dark enough to be shocking at times, but more often rather pedestrian thanks to what seems like rushed directing. Like I know anything. But anyway, the cast, looking like soap opera stalwarts, rises to the occasion throughout, making it a decent watch.

RAPTURE-PALOOZA

The end times prophesied by St. John in the book of Revelation are here! And while the tribulation of those left behind, or whatever, is indeed horrendous, it’s also a rich mine of comedy gold. Those little scorpion/locust things are a major annoyance (as well as a hilarious homage to The Outer Limits’ Zanti Misfits) but they pale in comparison to cursing crows, fiery comets and The Beast himself, as portrayed by Craig Robinson.

CLUE

‘Member this one, from 1985? Based on the popular board game (when was the last time that happened?) this one drops some 80s B-listers into an old dark mansion with a scoundrel who is blackmailing them, and of course the bodies hit the floor. The multiple endings have all been clumsily edited into the digital version for Clue completists (?)

SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE’S SHERLOCK HOLMES

The Asylum, progenitors of “mockbusters” like SNAKES ON A TRAIN and TRANSMORPHERS, offers up its take on Sir Doyle’s famous detective, hoping you’ll accidentally rent it instead of the Guy Ritchie/Robert Downey Jr. smash. You could do worse though, as there is plenty of eye candy and decent enough acting.

DEATH ON DEMAND

How do you take a cast of attractive, frequently nude actors and make their sex scenes utterly repugnant? How do you turn the tongue-in-cheek subtleties of a self-conscious slasher script into a humorless embarrassment? How do you make gory, harrowing death scenes boring beyond belief? Apparently, you hire a reality show director, and let him ply his cynical trade, unhindered. To be avoided.

6 BULLETS

Jean-Claude Van Damme plays a retired mercenary drawn back into the game when the American daughter of an MMA contender is kidnapped by sex traffickers. Not as much martial arts as that synopsis might imply, but still plenty of satisfying action, and JCVD’s grown kids are certainly coming into their own as performers.

MR. JONES

Though it’s a little found footagey, this bizarre effort transcends that gimmick in short order, becoming a trippy meditation on the power of art versus the comfort of mundane existence. Not for everyone but those who “get it” will love it.

THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN

Drive-ins of the 60s and 70s seem to have been the targets of the films created by Charles B Pierce, who helmed this 1976 proto-slasher that is probably too deliberately paced for young whippersnappers. I know it was for me; though there are a handful of moments that stand with the best of the early slashers. A good sense of time and place (Texarkana, post-war 1940s) is the film’s greatest asset, making it well worth a watch.

Stay tuned for the next Quirky Queue! Coming soon!

The Last Supper by Allison M. Dickson

The world ended not with a bang, but with a grain of pollen on a puff of wind. People called them serpent weeds, and they consumed all the crops and eventually entire cities and civilization itself. A power rose from the ashes calling itself the Divine Rite, and they asserted a deadly new order in this ravaged world. Putting survivors to the test in a most literal way, they devised a yearly test called Justification. Pass and you can live. Fail, and you receive your Last Supper. This is the only life John Welland ever knew. But after his wife receives her final feast, he gradually immerses himself in a new rebellion, with a group of underground revolutionaries fighting to escape the Divine Rite’s reach. But the farther they travel across America’s haunted landscape, the more surreal and alien everything becomes. Not just the weeds, or the creatures with extraordinary powers, but John himself.

Publishers weekly says of THE LAST SUPPER in a starred review: “Marrying speculative, realistic, and fabulist traditions to dystopian formula, Dickson’s paean to individualism both breaks and strengthens the heart. Welland’s character receives “no comfort as he comes face to face with his own tragedy.” The Kafkaesque world of warped normalcy and cruel politics brings intimacy to the classic theme of self-definition in the face of oppression.”

Today I have the honor and pleasure of interviewing the incredibly talented Allison M. Dickson.

PCG: Well, you’ve gone and written yourself a post-apocalypse. What are we to do with you? What brought you to this vision of dystopia? Are you a prophet?

AMD: I think the real prophets of the dystopian genre were Huxley and Orwell, and I definitely don’t profess to be playing in that ballpark. But back in early 2008, when I started this story, I was pumping hot Orwell-loving Libertarian blood through my veins, and I was also concerned (and still am) about the eroding wall between church and state. While my individualist streak has mellowed a great bit over the last few years (a crashing stock market and resulting recession, which affected my husband and me greatly, had something to do with that), I came back to the story intent on making it more about perversions of nature. I want to be clear that I am not using my book to take a stance on GMOs or religion. I think there is a place for them in this world. Rather, I wanted to write about the potentially bad things that can take place when corrupt individuals gain control of certain technologies or belief systems. I think that latter bit is what brought me to this particular vision of dystopia.

ENTER TO WIN THE LAST SUPPER today through 12/21/14

PCG: We all know it’s coming, but there are a good trillion or so ideas of just what it will be. Which fictional -or sincerely predicted- endorama stuck in your skull during your formative years? How much of that influences this here shit-hitting-the-fan-tasy?

AMD: I had the good fortune of being a teenager in the 90s, when things were relatively peaceful and people were far less afraid of the world. Then 9/11 happened, and we all know the rest. Though we do a good job of rattling our sabers at one another, I imagine if humanity were really to face extinction, it would be at the behest of forces well beyond our control. Asteroids, viruses, climate-driven catastrophes, supervolcanoes or some other Permian-esque event. I cut my teeth on The Stand. I ate up books like The Dark Tower series, where reality is coming apart at the seams. I guess if any of that stuff influenced THE LAST SUPPER, it’s those things, only with a bit of a helping hand from people. Nature will have its way one way or another, but I think a human hand will tip the first domino. Or perhaps already has.

PCG: Ever seen that 50s sci fi flick The Beginning of The End? Reason I ask is because its Big Bad is an army of enormous locusts. There’s an enormous locust on your cover, so for me, there’s a bit of a retro vibe. Would you keep a giant locust as a pet, if it was reasonably manageable? Or are bugs too grody for ya?

AMD: I haven’t seen that movie, but now I feel driven to watch it, because I’m fascinated by locusts. You know, I’m not the biggest fan of bugs, but it’s weird how some drive my phobias and others don’t. I actually love grasshoppers and the like! Cicadas are pretty cool too, and praying mantises. They have the most fascinating exoskeletons, and they seem very intelligent to me. Keep one as a pet, though? Nah. I’m happy to admire them from afar.

PCG: Okay, down to brass tacks. You wrote a short story in 2008 that eventually expanded into this novel. King did much the same with his story Captain Tripps, which sparked The Stand, as well as Jerusalem’s Lot. Do you feel that starting with the short format is a good measure of a story’s viability as a novel?

AMD: Actually, it’s interesting how novels start out, because I know you have developed a lot of your novels from screenplays you’ve written. I have developed quite a few longer projects from short stories, though it isn’t a strategy I actually set out to use. STRINGS evolved from a short story as well. When I write a short, my intention is always to just let it be that, but sometimes you get to the end, and a few weeks or even months or years later, you find there’s still plenty of thread left to spool out. I do think using the short format is a great way to map characters and get a basic trajectory started, but a decent expansion depends on what kind of story you have written. Starting with something more open-ended is vital, I think. I tried to turn “Dust” into the novel, but there was too much finality in the original story. I did stretch it out and add an additional 6000 words for a special edition recently, but that’s as far as I ever got. STRINGS was very easy to develop, because it basically picked up right where the short story left off.

PCG: Without becoming too political, this idea of food changing in some way so that it becomes uncontrollable or deadly may not be too far off the mark in the near future. Are you trying to warn us? You’re a cooking hobbyist, so would it feel like loss for you to have the luxury of cooking and experimenting with recipes disappear?

AMD: As I was putting together the final incarnation of the story, I was in the middle of reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma, which spoke a lot about how our food supply has changed so much over the decades, and I think a good bit of that seeped in. Be that as it may, though, I’m not sure if my intention was to warn people about that with this story. If I write too much with a message in my head, it has a way of stilting things. THE LAST SUPPER is more about self-discovery than anything external. The oddities of the world in which John Welland finds himself are more of the vehicle for him learning the great and terrible things he’s capable of. As for losing the ability to cook if some of the events of this story came to pass, I think I can adapt. Being of limited means most times, I thrive on finding solutions and alternatives when options are few. And the good news is in the Supperverse, the fermenting of various fruits and grains lives on. As long as that remains possible, I know I can survive.

ENTER TO WIN THE LAST SUPPER today through 12/21/14

PCG: Which character in The Last Supper has the most you in it? Do you intentionally choose a character to represent your feelings and opinions going in, or does that happen organically –or at all?

AMD: I think it’s so impossible separate yourself or your personal knowledge completely from your characters, at least if you’re writing honestly. Even if those characters are terrible people, they aren’t truly three-dimensional until you put that spark of humanity in them and let them be complex, and that usually happens when you imprint something of yourself onto them, even if it’s something subtle that only you can see. I try to refrain from letting characters be my mouthpieces for my views – that’s Heinlein territory, and it was cute when he did it, but it can be tiresome when authors do it to excess. But John represents the part of myself that is on a constant journey of self-discovery, and all the pain and fear and guilt that goes with it. Genevieve represents my more feminine sensibilities, but also the no-bullshit side. Turpin, the old man, represents the part of me that knows the score deep down, even if I’m not ready to face it.

Scenes from THE LAST SUPPER

PCG: There’s a pretty elaborate world built here that delves into different versions of bio-domes, banned literature, as well as hardcore social upheaval. Was the idea to keep it as close as possible to the direction our society could very well go, given recent events, or did you want to delve a bit more into fantasy? Of course, this question assumes that those are a matter of relative perspective.



AMD: In the earliest version I wrote of this story, it had none of the fantastical elements, and I think I had intended to keep it more about a reality-based upheaval. But eventually I started weaving in the fantasy and mystical elements and it just took on a life of its own. I have often felt that sci-fi is a genre of possibilities, which is why I don’t like to strictly define SUPPER as sci-fi, but more of a mixed bag of sci-fi and fantasy. A bit in the same way Star Wars is, I guess.

PCG: As a personal aside, I’m divided between looking at your blog entries about TLS and just letting it surprise me. STRINGS was page after page of surprises, and I really liked that. I don’t expect that TLS will be as intense, at least not as relentlessly so. Are there any nightmare moments for us hardcore horror sickos?

AMD: Good question! While there are more harrowing and sad moments in the book than downright frightening, there is one good nightmarish scene that takes place in a basement. Aren’t basements pretty much the scariest of human inventions? I think so. They’re basically like graves beneath our houses that we put our junk in.

PCG: So The Mystic Oracle tells me there has been some interest in bringing some AMD to the film world. How much can you tell us about that?



AMD: Well, I had the good fortune of having a gentleman name Jim Terr take heavy interest in my Consumption Trilogy for film development, and I got to sign my very first film option earlier this year. So far he’s done a staged reading of a script he developed, but he’s also hoping to pitch it to some big wigs in the film industry. As you probably know, getting things like this to catch on in Hollywood is like trying to light a campfire with wet matches, but it’s just been fascinating (and a little scary?) watching people act out my work, and I remain hopeful something will spark. People can watch the reading if they want to here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DognYowCidI

PCG: 2014 has been a good year for you! Celebrate with us a bit, your accomplishments and coming soons, that we might worship.



AMD: Well, in addition to seeing TLS enter the world, Strings had a great run in its first year. I also completed my suspense novel KUDZU back in June, and that earned me representation by my agent, Stephanie Rostan. Hoping we see big things happen with that one in 2015. I also sold a story to Apex Magazine (my first pro-rate sale), which will be appearing in the January 2015 issue, and I had the great fortune of having two of my stories appear in anthologies (Wrapped in White and Wrapped in Black) by the lovely Sekhmet Press! I also hit the comic con circuit in my area this year with my good friend and Colt Coltrane artist, Justin Wasson, and it’s been great meeting local people and watching them take interest in my books – Justin is hard at work on the cover for the next Coltrane book releasing in March 2015! Finally, I was just offered a position to teach a writing workshop in January of 2015 at a local arts center. Hoping it goes well enough that I can get more workshop gigs, either at the center or at writing conventions. So it’s been a fantastic year, and a lot of seeds have been planted that are set to bloom next year, and that’s always the most exciting part. It keeps me going.

PCG: Other than Yerz Trooly, which author could call you tomorrow, ask to collaborate, and send you into an absolute giddy headspace of uncertainty and terror and anguished joy?



AMD: Actually it’s funny you say that, because I would totally love to collaborate with you on something one day. Other authors would be Chuck Wendig or Joe Hill. I don’t consider my style identical to theirs, but I think we could complement, challenge, and energize each other, and it would be a pretty awesome product at the end.

PCG: What kind of music or other ambiance, do you employ during the brutal rapture of creating?



AMD: Brutal rapture is a great choice of words. It really depends on the project. When I’m working on Colt Coltrane, it absolutely has to be jazz. But I have a selection of movie scores I like to choose from with varying moods. The Red Violin is a big favorite, as is the score for The Fountain. A recent favorite has been the Hans Zimmer score for Interstellar, which is just so awe-inspiring. When I was writing Kudzu, I listened to Carolina Drama by The Raconteurs almost religiously. I also listened to a lot of forlorn sounding bluegrass, like You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive by Ruby Friedman.

PCG: So, back to the apocalypse: how long do we as a race have? What can we do to stave off the screaming and the suffering and the zombies and the seas of blood?



AMD: Honestly, I think we have longer than we think we do. That’s usually the case. Human, being cursed with knowledge of their own mortality, love to meditate heavily on death and mass extinction. Of course that doesn’t mean millions of us won’t die in the rising seas and wars perpetuated ugly fights over greed and dwindling resources, but that has been the story of human existence since its inception. I guess if we don’t find a way off this rock or learn to adapt harmoniously, we probably have another 5000 years or so before we either die out or the earth opens up its maw and swallows us. But who knows how human we’ll actually be in even 500 years? I imagine we might be some plasticized hive mind by then.

PCG: Far as you know, are there more sojourns to Dystopia in your future?



AMD: The Last Supper is actually a planned trilogy. Hopefully the first book is successful enough to warrant the second book. If it isn’t, I’m actually satisfied with where this story ends. Either way, I always have hellish futures swirling around in my brain. And equally hellish present days. Anyone looking for a case of the shiny happies within my pages, regardless of genre, will be sorely disappointed.

Allison M. Dickson writes dark contemporary fiction, covering both speculative and realistic realms. Her debut psychological horror novel, STRINGS, released to rave reviews in 2013 and has topped Amazon’s bestseller lists several times. She is also the author of an abundance of short stories as well as the 1940s sci-fi noir Colt Coltrane series. Readers can look forward to her upcoming dystopian epic, THE LAST SUPPER, later in 2014. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found wandering the urban sprawl of Dayton, OH with her husband and two rapidly growing children, or crawling some dungeon in search of good loot. For more information on how to reach Allison or to read her blog, visit http://www.allisonmdicksonbooks.com.

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What reviewers are saying:

“A rip-roaring quick read told so vividly, you’ll feel like you’re watching a movie.

Bigger than the battle between man and Bigfoot is the battle between man and son. Three father/son relationships, each one has their own complexities, dramas and heartaches. Although different, they also share a painful similarity: loss. Loss of respect. Loss of innocence. Loss of control.

A horror story that goes beyond monsters lurking in a forest..a story of monsters lurking within living beings..of broken relationships and misunderstandings that wreak more havoc than Bigfoot himself.”(Edited for length) Jen’s Pen Den

“…surprisingly good, very solid writing, likable (or very much not likable) but always three dimensional characters, strong pacing and just overall engaging storytelling. One can read it as drama with meditation on parenting, action thriller with concentration on a hunt and its consequences or just a story about Sasquatches. Either way it works and well.” (Edited for length) Bandit – Goodreads

“This story is much more than a Bigfoot tale. It’s a coming of age piece of art, about a father and son who experience something deadly behind their wooded home. Mr. Greene has a poetic prose in his writing, and Progeny is a quick and fun read.” Leigha Langston – Amazon

“[PROGENY] climbs inside and demands at least one more page to be read before stopping for the night.” Dean – Amazon

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PROGENY FROM AMAZON

 

LATEST QUIRKY QUEUE CRAZINESS

Thoughts on recent viewings:

MISCHIEF NIGHT- I’m usually up on all the latest horror releases, and had a good heads up on this decent slasher. However it turns out there are TWO films called MISCHIEF NIGHT that were released within a year of each other. I’d seen the trailer for the other one, which made for an unsettling experience based on unmet expectations. In this one, a blind teen gets the See No Evil treatment when ax-wielding masked men target her on the night before Halloween.

ALL HALLOWS EVE- Anthology flicks are the in thing right now, probably thanks to the V/H/S films, and TRICK R TREAT before them. This one makes up for its low budget and simple script with sheer gory audacity.

MAY- Angela Bettis is one of horror’s beloved beauties, thanks in large part to this bleak, funny and often sweet character study from Lucky McKee. Some script elements seem out of place at times, but this only adds the its unsettling overall feel.

SHADOW PEOPLE- Yet another film that shares its title. This is a 2008, no budget DTV offering with a cast of unknowns. I have to admit, I did not get past the first few minutes. I try not to be a budget snob, but the problem here is not the lack of funds, but apparently, a lack of talent. The “shadow people” phenomenon is one that interests me to no end, but I saw nothing here that could hold a suspension of disbelief for me.

THE MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN- Ryuhei Kitamura brings his manic visual style to one of Clive Barker’s most grisly short stories, expanding and realizing the story quite fittingly. A great balance of gore, atmosphere and suspense.

STAY ALIVE- We’ve all seen horror and sci-fi films that rely overly on CGI effects to the point you feel you’re being asked to make a great leap of imagination to accept their veracity. This underrated studio effort turns that problem around nicely by making the antagonist an entity which realizes its manifestation in the “real” world through a cursed videogame. Okay, so the teens are a bit stereotypical–but teens sort of are, so….

THIS IS BLACK METAL- After the fascinating UNTIL THE LIGHT TAKES US, I’ve been on the search for more great docs about black metal, but unfortunately this is not one. Mostly just interviews with bands and fans interspersed with some live performance footage but not presented in any sort of groundbreaking or even entertaining manner. It’s the usual questions about touring that receive the same general answers. Come to think of it, most of these bands don’t really qualify as black metal, so there’s that.

FUN SIZE- One of my internet haters recently referred to me as a “manchild,” and when I found myself smiling at this cookie cutter Nickelodeon vehicle for one of its TV stars, I realized it was a hard point to argue. It’s a good one for the fam, the only racy moments presented as the common rites of passage that they are. Also, Supernatural fans will be glad to see The Prophet Kevin himself, Osric Chau, in a fun supporting role.

THE PROPHECY- This 90s anomaly, starring Virginia Madsen, Elias Koteas, and Chris Walken at his most eccentric as the pissed-off angel Gabriel, held up pretty well when I re-visited it recently, and apparently scored well enough at the box office to spawn three sequels, which I have yet to see. Watch this space.

DON’T LOOK IN THE CELLAR- The keywords “abandoned asylum” drew me in, even as the one star rating shouted its warning. The luxury of streaming affords us the ability to simply move on to something else if the first few minutes of a film don’t at least try to meet our expectations, such as when two girls dressed like slutty nurses can walk into an asylum and simply enter padded (with crumpled paper, BTW) rooms at will. I don’t think I need to elaborate.

RITUAL- Not to be confused with the more recent film by the same name (apparently a common theme lately) this 2002 effort boasts the Tales From The Crypt umbrella, though it offers no appearance by the Crypt Keeper, nor is it based on any of that beloved comic’s stories. Despite some gore and nudity it feels kind of like a Lifetime version of Wes Craven’s The Serpent and The Rainbow.

BARRIO TALES- Another low budget anthology offering twisty tales of terror as told by a wisecracking Mexican chap to a pair of entitled white boys. All the gringos get what they deserve and if you accept the small scope of the production you’ll have a good time.

SCARY OR DIE- Still another anthology of short horror tales, wrapped by a nowhere segment featuring an unseen ghoul clicking around on the titular website. If you think the trope of evil clowns has been overdone, you might be pleasantly surprised by the central tale. The story of a Korean businessman attempting to be a good samaritan to a damsel in distress does its job as well, but the others seem mostly like filler to make this feature length.

UNTO THE EARTH by Patrick C. Greene

excerpt from

WRAPPED IN BLACK

Thirteen Tales of Witches and the Occult

UNTO THE EARTH by Patrick C. Greene.

via UNTO THE EARTH by Patrick C. Greene.

Geeking Out Over the Return of the Way of Meng Long Guo Jiang

Hong Kong Poster

It’s no secret I’m a fan of the legendary Bruce Lee, the famous martial arts star who died at the age of 32, just as his film career was taking off. Lee completed just four films as lead actor before his death. My favorite is Return of The Dragon.

I discovered Bruce Lee as a boy. At that time, grindhouse theatres were still a thing, and it wasn’t uncommon for older films to accompany a new release as a second feature. Such was the case with Return of The Dragon. I’m not sure what the main feature was, but I will never forget the experience of seeing Return for the first time.

My father was on a deadline so he recruited one of his college students to take my brother Egan and me to the enormous, aging Plaza theatre in downtown Asheville. The lively crowd was comprised primarily of young black men who had no issue with voicing their enthusiasm for our hero’s triumphs.

Years later, I acquired a VHS copy of Return from a video store closeout sale. It was an excellent SP copy that came with a hard clamshell case, the cover of which was the original release poster, bearing the great tagline “Man, can we use him now!”

I must have watched that tape several dozen times, learning its many nuances and researching the film’s background along the way.

Return of The Dragon bears that title only in U.S. territories, where it debuted a year after Lee’s breakout Hollywood hit Enter The Dragon. The “Return” in the title was probably meant to give the impression that it is a direct sequel to Warner Brothers’ Enter, though it was in fact produced by Golden Harvest and Lee’s own Concord Films a year before Enter, and is a wildly different film in almost every respect. The more apt British title Way of The Dragon hints at the subtext that Lee, serving for the only time as writer and director, attempted to weave into the film.

From a critic’s standpoint, it’s not exactly a mindblowing artistic achievement. The story: Lee’s character Tang Lung travels to Rome to help his cousins fend off a small time mob boss with designs on their restaurant property.

That’s about it; a far cry from the international scope and James Bond feel of Enter. The camera work is something less than subtle, even a little clumsy at times. Plot points tend to repeat. The English dubbing is ridiculous. But I’m not a critic. I’m a geek. And what I want from my kung fu films is good characters fighting good fights, both morally and technically.

Return has been on Netflix streaming for a while and I finally got around to revisiting it, seeing as how the VCR half of my DVD/VCR combo has taken to angrily chewing to bits anything that disturbs its years-long hibernation. I can’t stand the thought of my treasured heavy-ass VHS copy being digested and pushed through the bowels of that hungry, obsolete beast. Plus, the streaming version is in glorious widescreen!

That’s not all, as I learned. As I saw it in theatres and on VHS, Return of The Dragon runs a few minutes shorter than the version Netflix has acquired. Somewhere along the distribution route, someone decided some cuts were needed–but this version is fully intact. Thus, I was delighted to see footage in this lifelong favorite that I had never seen before! Perhaps this is the British “Way” cut, but the title card says otherwise.

Do the cuts change the story? Well, let’s say that seeing them added back in adds to the story, but will probably not mean anything to the average, non-obsessed viewer.

It opens with Tang Lung standing in a Rome airport, an Italian woman staring at him like he’s an odd creature. His stomach is growling, you see, and he doesn’t speak Italian, so he can’t ask about restaurants. Eventually, though, he finds one, and this is where the first cut fits. He sits down to order, only to find the menu incomprehensible. So he points at several random words, expecting the smaller portions common to Asia. Instead, he receives a massive tray loaded with dishes, which he now feels obligated to finish.

Not exactly a riveting flashback loaded with fascinating back story, but it illustrates that Tang Lung is not the usual kung fu bad ass, but rather a simple fish out of water. This adds a great deal of contrast that makes his later fistic exploits seems all the more violent and explosive–and tells us not to judge this book by its cover.

Even more telling is a later scene where Tang’s female cousin, played by Nora Miao, encourages him to be more receptive to the friendly overtures of Italian locals. Shortly, Tang is approached by a prostitute, and innocently accompanies her to her flat. Left in the bedroom alone, Tang finds a full length mirror and checks his techniques; first a blistering backfist, then a series of kicks so fast, it is impossible to tell whether he is throwing a sidekick or a lead leg snap roundhouse.

His new friend reappears–topless. Tang is so shocked he beats a hasty retreat. Contextually, with this scene missing, it’s easy to assume they’d had sex, undermining the notion of Tang Lung as an innocent naif.

Not surprisingly, it’s the fight scenes for which Return/Way is most remembered, but not just because Lee is a spectacular martial artist. Lee’s training and fighting method, dubbed Jeet Kune Do, was based around the philosophy he espoused in his books and lessons, which is freedom of individual expression over adherence to a set system. This applies to physical training obviously, but also to just about everything else.

The third act finds the mobsters sending out for a trio of fighters to dispense with Tang Lung and his cousins through sheer physical intimidation. These fighters include Korean Tae Kwon Do master Whang In Sik, 70s karate tournament stalwart Robert Wall and of course Chuck Norris, who at that time was a semi contact world champion and frequent training partner to Lee.

Lee puts Whang In Sik and Wall on the road to defeat, allowing his cousins to finish the job while he is lured to no less than the Roman Coliseum for the showdown with Norris’ Colt character. What we get next is pure martial genius.

Lee, who choreographed the fights in addition to his many other duties, eschewed traditional chopsocky multiple combination exchanges for a more intimate, stop-and-start style of fight that allows the characters and the audience to occasionally catch their breath and register what they had just experienced. But cooler still, and consider this a spoiler alert, Lee’s character, finding himself losing to his stronger, pastier opponent, does something truly inspired.

Rising from his strong low stances, he begins to move about like Muhammad Ali, light on his feet, constantly moving in circles and side to side, frustrating Colt by hopping in to strike then fading away. By the time the American karate champ realizes that the smaller man’s new tactic has overcome his power, he is seriously injured, his shattered arm trembling, his supporting leg useless.

And this is when Lee makes perfect use of an opportunity to create layers of psychology and subtlety rarely seen in action films. An unspoken communication takes place, as Colt struggles to rise, the determination on his face painted with pain. Lung stops his rhythmic footwork, something like shock on his face.

In what is the single most sublime moment of Chuck Norris’ acting career, his Colt character gives Tang Lung a slight smile. Lee/Lung shakes his head -not theatrically, just a tiny movement with a clear understanding of what he is being asked to do.

Colt attacks, essentially just falling into Tang Lung’s neck crank and firing a couple of weak punches to the body, knowing he will now die at the hands of a great warrior. Tang Lung snaps his neck and eases him to the ground, his bloody face now very sad.

Tang Lung fetches Colt’s gi jacket and black belt and drapes them across the American’s body, kneeling with him for a moment of reverence.

In that fight scene was drama, suspense, supreme action, and the ultimate wordless expression of Lee’s philosophy; absorb what is useful. The individual is more important than the style. All men are brothers.

PREPARING FOR “THE OUTSIDE MAN:” THE FLEXIBILITY FACTOR

My pet project web series THE OUTSIDE MAN isn’t really “my” project in any true sense. It’s really very much a collaboration between several dozen artists of varying mediums. Today I’d like to talk about some of the physical preparation, and how a revolutionary flexibility program I lucked upon has put me on the path to exceeding even  my lofty expectations.
For the early stages of my training, I realized I had to change things up. Having worked as a trainer and coach for mixed martial arts competitors for a few years, I had gotten into the habit of training myself as well as the fighters in terms of efficiency of movement -the most power or damage done while expending the least amount of energy, and simultaneously taking the least amount of damage upon oneself, within the confines of MMA rules.
With the concept of THE OUTSIDE MAN percolating in my solid-metal brainpan, I thought of my previous experience with the world of fight choreography on various sets, attending stunt fighting schools with luminaries like Cynthia Rothrock, Joe Hess, Eric Lee and Michael DePasquale Jr., and the countless hours of fight films I had watched. I have worked on numerous films where shortcuts were taken, both in terms of safety and aesthetics in the fight scenes and I dearly wanted to avoid having that happen in OM. And it had to start with me.
Flexibility training has changed a lot over the years, and having a few injuries from fighting and training, I had developed a few weak spots. I really needed an edge in my stretch routines that would bring me back up to speed so I did searches for splits, kicking higher, etc. Amid the many tried (and mostly true) programs available, the work of Paul Zaichik and his Elastic Steel system caught my attention for its emphasis on safe and thoroughly scientifically researched flexibility enhancement.
When one thinks about making goals for gaining flexibility, in terms of martial arts at least, there’s an unfortunate tendency to become myopic. Many martial artists try to achieve the splits position for instance, as a goal itself rather than a means to an end. And while it’s very helpful to be able to do splits, it doesn’t, as I learned the hard way, instantly grant you flawless technique, balance, or muscle control. 

GO TO ELASTICSTEEL.NET

Turns out it’s actually easier to improve in all those areas by simply understanding how and why the muscles work for and against each other, and what you can do to train them efficiently. Zaichik has studied -and continues to study- these elements extensively, and has made his knowledge accessible and easy to understand. I only wish I’d had some of this information when I started training, but I’m stoked that I was able to implement it now. At any rate, he’s easy enough to find via ElasticSteel.com and on youtube, where one can find scores of helpful tutorials. It’s just fun to watch him demonstrate kicks as well, as he can perform just about any technique with power and speed.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that Paul’s research and teaching isn’t limited to martial arts. He has devised sport specific routines for baseball, yoga, dance, running, rock climbing and probably just about everything else. I’m currently using an intermediate hamstrings program, which I’ve been on for a couple of weeks. The striking thing about this method is that it’s almost the opposite of what I had come to expect as a martial artist, in terms of rigor and time spent. The routines don’t take long and aren’t overly taxing or painful; just very very efficient. 
For the series, that translates to maximal fight scene badassery and minimal danger to the participants, like it oughta be.
 
Next time you’ll meet the psychos behind the camera.

The Hows, Whys and WTFs??? of Launching a Dramatic Martial Arts Web Series

It was about eight months ago while toiling away in the gym that the thought came to me: MAKE A WEB SERIES MEATHEAD! THEN YOU CAN HAVE A REASON FOR DOING ALL THIS!!!!

“All this” constitutes weight lifting, strict dieting, stretching, bag work, wrestling, sparring and countless hours practicing kicks. At a young age I decided I would be an action star; more specifically a martial arts movie hero. Along the way, that interest in martial arts morphed into the pursuit of actual competitive fighting; which you might imagine is a whole different animal.

Fast forward a decade or two and I find myself enjoying some success as a writer. Now rewind again, and I am writing a script to sell with myself attached as star–just like Stallone.

So, life happened. And I never quite pulled the trigger on that extended stay in LA and the casting calls and schmoozing that are requisite to becoming the next Van Damme.

On the set of VS

I did spend a very strange summer there, landed a few roles in martial arts films that somehow never saw general release, choreographed fights for some indie flicks, but I never leveled my focus purely on that pursuit. And in retrospect, I realize that the idea of actually getting there kind of scared the hell out of me. It has its downsides believe it or not. One need only research the biographies of even the most well-regarded and enduring principals of the action genre.

But now we find ourselves in an era when web series are a thing, and it doesn’t take millions of dollars to commit your story to film or video. It does take some substantial planning though, and a concerted effort from a good many people to bring to life even the simplest tale. And that’s what THE OUTSIDE MAN is–a simple tale that will place the martial arts and its practitioners in its truest light; redemption, self sacrifice, doing right because it’s right–and not just for the sake of winning the girl or avenging the humiliating defeat. These are the themes to which the creators of THE OUTSIDE MAN and I aspire.

In coming weeks I’ll write more about my preparations, my bumblings, my highs and lows and most importantly about the amazing people on my team. By the end of this project I hope to have created something that moves you.

Better Late Than Never

Tag – I’m it.

Recently I was invited to participate in a blog hop, but didn’t manage to get the blog posted in time. ( I’d blame it on my wife/editor, except that she’s typing this right now and has decided she will accept no blame.) So, here it is…better late than never.

1. What Am I Working On?

My current project in progress, UNDER WICKED SKY, is an apocalyptic siege story that has to do with a situation in which law and order has essentially begun to break down as global warming becomes a more serious problem. The main character is a veteran of the current middle eastern conflicts, a drifter who just wants to get out of the sun until dark so he crashes a bed and breakfast that has been outfitted with cutting edge comfort technology, thus making it a valuable commodity to certain outside interests, as it were.

My vampire novel THE CRIMSON CALLING is about a tough ex-military chick who is recruited by a cabal of vampires for a coming war with a separate faction which seeks to subjugate mankind. It’s in late drafts and editing with Hobbes End now, with CC being the first of a series that will span several historic eras. We really hope to have that out by October.

Third is THE OUTSIDE MAN, a web series which follows the current Hong Kong trend of martial arts opuses with heavily dramatic elements. It will be shooting in my hometown of Asheville North Carolina with all local cast and crew. We’re aiming for intense fight scenes and emotionally involving characters.

Finally, an illustrated novella titled PIECES OF MIRACLE is in the works. Text is done, and the illustrator, Audrey Lynn Brennan, is finishing the illustrations–that is, when she’s not taking care of her beautiful newborn! It’s a disturbing, E.C. Comics-esque tale of an unsolved crime, a girl on the cusp of adulthood with very special abilities, and a nightmarish creature.

2. How Does My Work Differ from Others of Its Genre?

All art is the result of its creator’s experiences as filtered through their personalities, and in general, my experiences are unique to me. For me, magic is very real, though I don’t view it in a traditional sense. It’s an elusive, complex and fickle element, over which mankind has long since lost any real control or understanding. When I say magic, I mean the mysterious, the spiritual, the unexplained, The Unknowable. Therefore, even when I’m writing something very much grounded in the rock-solid reality upon which we all more or less agree, there is still a deep underlying sense of magic–which is madness, which is truth.

3. Why Do I Write What I Do?

I’m really struggling with this question, if mostly because the most honest answer has become cliche’. I love horror and that’s my main fixation obviously, but I try to do more than that, in terms of both genre and the confines of horror itself. So the answer is that I write horror because it seems very real to me, very immediate and very intimate because its characters are living (or dying, or killing) in a heightened state of awareness, which is what fear boils down to, after all. Paradoxically, our attempts to present something “real” -gritty dramas or TV reality shows- seem false, forced, even pointless at times. If we are not trying to peer past the veil then what are we trying to accomplish?

4. How Does My Writing Process Work?

The idea or concept usually comes at some inopportune time, drawing my mind away from more mundane but unavoidable matters, then I have to force myself to remember just its most basic elements, bare bones plot and whatever has formed in regards to the main character, until I can get somewhere and write down or email myself the concept. It might languish there for months or years. especially during a period like now when I’m busy finishing other projects.

As for getting down to business, it’s not really an interesting process. I have a night job that allows me a lot of free time so I sit down, turn on some music, and write every night for a few hours. The music can be anything from metal -anybody who knows me will tell you I’m a devout metalhead- to dark ambient or horror soundtracks. The fact that I’m writing at night is helpful; I can always step out and get a little taste of the dark.

 

And there you have it. My process. I hope you will check out some other fantastic authors including Allison M Dickson, Bryan Alaspa, James Glass, Suzi M, and Michael G. Williams.

 

Some dark serendipity plopped a young Patrick C. Greene in front of a series of ever stranger films-and experiences-in his formative years, leading to a unique viewpoint. His odd interests have led to pursuits in film acting, paranormal investigation, martial arts, quantum physics, bizarre folklore and eastern philosophy. These elements flavor his screenplays and fiction works, often leading to strange and unexpected detours designed to keep viewers and readers on their toes.

Literary influences range from Poe to Clive Barker to John Keel to a certain best selling Bangorian. Suspense, irony, and outrageously surreal circumstances test the characters who populate his work, taking them and the reader on a grandly bizarre journey into the furthest realms of darkness. The uneasy notion that reality itself is not only relative but indeed elastic- is the hallmark of Greene’s writing.

Living in the rural periphery of Asheville North Carolina with his wife, youngest son and an ever-growing army of cats, Greene still enjoys acting and fight choreography, and trains in martial arts when he’s not giving birth to demons via his pen and keyboard.

In addition to his novel PROGENY, and the short story collection DARK DESTINIES, Greene has several FILM projects in the works, and just finished writing his second novel – THE CRIMSON CALLING -the first in the action-adventure vampire trilogy, The Sanguinarian Council.

The Harbinger Awaits

Today we welcome David James Bright to the PCG Blog.

David is the author of the new release from Hobbes End Publishing

 HARBINGER

When a mysterious fog sets upon the small town of Rowley, Pennsylvania, its residents quickly find themselves isolated from the world. As the thick haze envelopes their once peaceful town, all communication systems fail and residents begin to go missing.  As order gives way panic, the town devolves into violent lawlessness, every citizen with a score to settle acting out their darkest impulses hidden by the cloak of fog.
Amidst the chaos, Ben Dowling realizes something is terribly wrong. It’s not just how people are acting crazy; there’s something more. There’s something out there butchering people. Something that is evil and vicious. 
Something that is hungry.
Ben and his childhood friend Elise venture out into the unknown and confront the shadowy figure behind the mist. Dodging the chaos in the streets they have only each other to depend upon as they try to save their hometown from complete destruction.
The Harbinger awaits them.

 

THE INTERVIEW

What kind of music do you listen to for inspiration?

I don’t listen to music often when I write, but there are times I like to turn on classical music as I’m typing away. It is both soothing and relaxing, and I find it loosens my mind up and the words come flowing out.

Have you ever started a project, felt it run out of steam and had to abandon it? 

I’ve had a few projects that I started, just toying around with them and seeing where they would go, and I lost steam and nothing came of them. Only one time did I approach a project seriously and run out of gas. I believe I got 10,000 words or so in and then the well went dry. It’s strange – I still had the plot outlined and knew where the story was going, I just couldn’t sit down and write it. I have that project as well as the others saved in case I ever feel the urge to complete them.

What’s the most shocking book or story you’ve ever read?

I’m currently reading Haunted by Chuck Palahinuk, and that already takes the cake. I thought some of my stuff was vile – now I’m not even sure if I can compare.

Do you remember a particular moment or incident that made you decide to be a writer

My freshman year of college, when I attended the University of Pittsburgh, I met someone who would end up becoming a dear friend of mine. We were talking and I told him I was a writer. I told him this because I’d come up with story ideas, start a few casually, and never really take them seriously. It dawned on me then that I was lying to him – I wasn’t a writer, I was a dilettante. In that moment I realized I should harness my creativity and truly become a writer. I couldn’t let it all go to waste.

Do you have a certain space and time set aside for writing or is it more of a free-form process?

Definitely more of a free-form process. If certain days look like they will be free I’ll try to get writing in but by no means do I schedule what I’ll do, how much I’ll do, etc. I’m always thinking about my projects, so when the inspiration particularly strikes that’s when I try to get as much done as I can.

How would you describe your writing style?

It’s certainly evolved since I wrote Harbinger. I think it’s interesting that the public is going to get to read Harbinger and it’s style, when I have four other completed works that all vary very differently. My style, especially with Harbinger, is very literary, somewhat poetic. Very verbose, descriptive of features and thoughts, and using beautiful words often. As I’ve progressed as a writer, however, I’ve tried to cut down on the density of my writer, and my most recent projects are much leaner, allowing the reader to do more of the work. I think there’s much to be appreciated in both approaches.

 What other sorts of themes or genres would you like to explore?

I’ve been writing in the horror and transgressive fiction genres. I’m starting to dive more into transgressive and I’m loving it. As for other genres, I’m interested in writing a fantasy novel. I have a few concepts in mind (one of which was the project I abandoned) and would love to break into that genre.

Please briefly describe your path to publication.

It was long one. As stated, Harbinger was my first serious attempt at a novel. After a few months I landed representation with Trident Media Group, a large and well known agency. I thought my journey was over – I thought I made it!

The journey had only just begun. After getting rejected from Random House, Penguin, and a few others, I nearly had a deal with Amazon’s 47North. After going back and forth on it for a few weeks, the editor eventually decided to pass. Months later my agency left the agency and no other agent there desired to represent a horror author. The relationship with Trident Media Group ended (after about a year) and I took my work to Hobbes End, who were enthusiastic about it. Working with them has been a true pleasure.

Who are your favorite fictional antagonist and protagonist and what was it about them that struck a chord for you?

I’m going to go the Palahinuk route again here and say the narrator/Tyler Durden from Fight Club. Same person, technically the same character, definitely the protagonist and the antagonist. I enjoy the jaded view of the world that comes from the narrator and his observations about people, society, and their habits. I love Tyler Durden’s philosophy and methodology. I think both characters really provide stunning insight into human nature in very different ways; that’s why that book will always be one of my favorites.

Aside from writing, what is your favorite artistic medium?

I enjoy paintings. No ability in creating them, but I have a few artist friends and I always love viewing/discussing their works. I also enjoy museum trips to observe paintings and learn the history behind them. It’s the one talent I lack I sorely wish I had.

 

David James Bright is an author of horror and transgressive fiction. His debut novel, Harbinger, has received acclaim from such authors as New York Times Best Seller Jonathan Maberry. He is currently a graduate student at the University of Scranton and resides in northeastern Pennsylvania.