Sunday, December 17, 2023

MAUSOLEUM Blu-Ray

Thrilled to receive my comp copy of the stunning new Blu-ray release from Treasured Films in the UK, MAUSOLEUM (1983). For this deluxe release I contributed a 20-minute video essay on the film's enigmatic male star, Marjoe Gortner (who was the subject of my last book, WILDCAT!). This was my first video essay and while I am always a little uncomfortable being on camera (especially on a stinking hot day such as this one was filmed on), I still had fun and appreciated the opportunity, and very grateful to Jarret Gahan and Chris Chappell for their invaluable assistance. Haha, the end credits on the featurette even includes some outtakes of me whinging and complaining about the heat, and wishing Treasured had just asked me to do a standard booklet essay instead! But it is all a good learning experience, and I am happy to be doing more work for the company moving forward. Order MAUSOLEUM Here!





PARALLEL LINES

New work announcement! I was recently asked by the fabulous and very talented writer/filmmaker Staci Layne Wilson to contribute a short story to the latest edition of her great ROCK & ROLL NIGHTMARES series of books. While many of the editions are of a non-fiction nature, the latest one, PARALLEL LINES, is more along the lines of Marvel's WHAT IF? series of comic books and the animated series, looking at alternative and speculative rock & roll histories.
For my story, "KISS Face-Off", I went with the scenario of "What if KISS took off their make-up in 1978 at the height of their fame?" To make it a bit more fun, I wrote the story under a female pseudonym and did it in the style of a classic teen magazine report from the day (SWEET SIX-TEEN is the name of the faux magazine).
To help inspire the story and get me in the right frame of mind, I even designed a faux magazine cover. PARALLEL LINES is being published on January 8, 2024 (in honor of Elvis' birthday). It will be available as a paperback, kindle, and audiobook. The kindle is already up for pre-order on Amazon, paperback and audiobook options should be added shortly. Will post links once all editions are available.



Thursday, October 12, 2023

HAMMER HORROR TRIPLE SHOCK Vol. 2

New work announcement! I'll be providing the 16-page booklet to be included in this new triple-set of Hammer Horror coming from Umbrella in January 2024. Containing SHADOW OF THE CAT (1961), NIGHT CREATURES (1962, aka CAPTAIN CLEGG) and PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1962). Posters and art cards also included in the limited collector's edition set, which can be preordered from the link below.

HAMMER HORROR TRIPLE SHOCK Vol. 2 Pre-Order Link



FROZEN TEARS: SILENCE OF THE NIGHT – DELUXE TURBO EDITION

Set your turbo engines to full speed ahead! When Frozen Tears released their Brazen Whisper album in late-2021, the Melbourne-based melodic hard rock outfit found themselves winning rave reviews and conquering the hard rock radio charts all across the globe. Fans of bands like KISS, Whitesnake, Dokken and other classic rock acts lapped up the album’s spirit, power, and positive energy, something which was sorely needed in a world still dealing with a pandemic and lingering lockdowns.

In the wake of its success, and to appease those who have been eagerly awaiting the follow-up to Brazen Whisper, Frozen Tears have reissued their 1997 album Silence of the Night in a new special edition that is certain to not only please existing fans of the band, but lure in a whole new audience with its tasty serving of rock candy for the ears.

Long out of print and highly sought after by fans and collectors, Frozen Tears’ core duo of Thanis Akritidis (lead vocals) and Jon Powers (guitars, keyboard, bass) have gone the extra mile in ensuring their new edition of Silence in the Night not only retains the spirit of the original release, but significantly improves upon its sonics.

Six of the tracks have been newly remixed and remastered with Jon Powers adding more fuel with extra guitars and keyboards to the remixed tracks, while the remaining four have been remastered, with Arkansas producer/engineer Tÿ Sïms doing a superb job on all fronts. Sïms’ work really brings a new freshness to the album’s sound, bringing it more up to date and adding an extra degree of oomph to its overall power. The new mixes and mastering also provide a lot of clarity to the vocals and instrumentation, allowing them to breathe more.

Akritidis’ commanding and impassioned vocals, and Powers’ impressive multi-talents, combine well with a tight, steady backbeat to make the songs soar with an infectious exuberance. Drumming duties on the album are split between Bernie Goldstein, who performs on the six remixed numbers, and Steve Sisma. And while Andy Parson’s original production job has been given a more modern sheen, Silence in the Night is still an unabashed celebration of classic hard rock and AOR sounds from the 1970s and 80s. “Let Down” powers along with a terrifically sleazy riff that melds classic Ratt and Motley Crue, highlighted by a crisp and expressive guitar solo, before it breaks down into some more melodic touches and keyboard highlights, adding an additional pleasing layer to the song, which must surely rank up there as one of the band’s best.

Elsewhere, songs like the title track, "Silence of the Night", show a softer side of the band, with its power ballad aesthetics and emotional vocals, while “One More Time” builds slowly from a chugging acoustic guitar riff and pleading vocal delivery. Other standout tracks include the grand synth-infused rock of “Warriors”, and “Do You Love Me”, which is not a cover of the KISS classic but rather a rework of a song dating back to Akritidis’ early-eighties band, Knight. It’s another impressive, big balladic number which opens with spoken word dialogue and ends with some moody keyboards reminiscent of vintage Deep Purple.

Sharing the bulk of the songwriting credits, Akritidis and Powers exude a potent chemistry and prove to be a fine collaborative pair, melding both their individual and their shared musical influences to create a hybrid that pays clear tribute and respect to the music they love, while also melding to create its own sound, the distinctly Frozen Tears sound. As the band’s prime instrumentalist, Jon Powers deserves specific mention for the range of skills he displays across the album, his fluid playing exhibiting power, delicacy, and atmosphere, often combining all three in the one musical passage.

Topping off this Deluxe Turbo Edition of Silence of the Night is a brand-new track, the exhilarating “Feel the Fire”, which opens the album and is sure to become a new fan favourite and instant classic, with its compelling mix of Diver Down-era Van Halen and KISS circa Crazy Nights.

Accompanied by a stunning new piece of cover art, provided by Jon Powers himself, Frozen Tears once again seem bound for worldwide recognition within the melodic rock community, and Silence of the Night: Deluxe Turbo Edition will hopefully cast their net even further and a limited yellow vinyl pressing which record collectors will surely lap up.

Full track listing:

1: “Feel the Fire”
2: “Let Down”
3: “Silence of the Night”
4: “Will I Ever”
5: “Do You Love Me”
6: “One More Time”
7: “It’s Over”
8: “Love Can Be Real” (Piano Mix)
9: “Warriors”
10: “Wounded Man”
11: “Fire Still Burns for You” Check out Frozen Tears on Facebook HERE!



Friday, August 11, 2023

ENTER THE VIDEO STORE!

Received my contributor's copy of this stunning new box set from Arrow. ENTER THE VIDEO STORE: EMPIRE OF SCREAMS collects five films from Charles Band's Empire Pictures (DOLLS, ROBOT JOX, THE DUNGEONMASTER, CELLAR DWELLER, ARENA) and packages them in a wonderful box that recreates the video store experience of the past. Packed with extra features, postcards, a video store membership card, and a cool book with writings on the five films. I got to contribute the essay on ROBOT JOX for this release. Looking forward to checking this set out...might start with THE DUNGEONMASTER for a matinee movie.








New CINEMA OF THE '70s Article!

The latest issue of CINEMA OF THE '70s (#9) is now out and looks like another absolute beauty! I contributed a nine-page article on some of my fave movie magazines from that decade, but there are lots of other pieces in it that I am looking forward to reading, including coverage of CAPRICORN ONE, BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS, DUEL, Raquel Welch, GRAND THEFT AUTO, and much more! 100 full color pages, available from Amazon in most regions.






HOUSEBOAT HORROR Pulls Into Port!

I can finally bar up, now that my contributor's copy of HOUSEBOAT HORROR has arrived! This notorious 1989 Australian cheapie is a very divisive one amongst horror fans...either way, the stunning job which Umbrella have done with their new collector's edition of this infamous Banned-In-Queensland wonder cannot be denied. I got to contribute an essay on Melbourne's "Shot On Video" underground filmmaking scene of the 1980s and early-90s, which is included in the book that comes as part of this set (and Queenslander Andrew Leavold gets to contribute a look at the whole Banned-In-Queensland home video hysteria of that time). There's also a terrific essay by Emma Westwood, paying tribute to the brains behind the film, the late Ollie Martin. Thanks to Michael Helms and Mark Savage for their help with providing some important info for my essay, and special congrats to Ben Hellwig and Jarret Gahan for their incredible work on this set.



A TALE OF TWO SISTERS Blu-ray Booklet Essay

Was great to work on Umbrella's lovely new deluxe edition Blu-ray release of Kim Jee-woon's beautifully haunting Korean folk ghost story, A TALE OF TWO SISTERS (2003). I contributed an 18-page essay, entitled "Bringing the Frost: An Overview of Contemporary Korean Horror Cinema", to the 48-page perfect bound book that is included in the release.




WITNESS Blu-Ray from Arrow

Super proud to be a part of this upcoming release from Arrow. Peter Weir's WITNESS (1985) is one of the great crime thrillers and character studies of the 80s, as well as a superlative "fish out of water" story, and one of Harrison Ford's best performances. It was the film which emphatically proved there was more to Ford as an actor and screen character than just Han Solo and Indiana Jones. I wrote an essay on the film for the 60-page perfect bound book that comes as part of the set, which is due for release in October (local Aus peeps can pre-order through Cinemaniacs). Great to also be amongst such other great talent as Staci Layne WilsonDennis CapicikJarret GahanAmanda Reyes and others, who appear elsewhere on the wide range of supplementary features that were assembles and produced for this release by Lee Gambin



Thursday, March 30, 2023

BOX OF BURT!

Received my contributor's copy of the new BOX OF BURT Blu-ray set from Umbrella today. I had a lot of fun writing the 32-page fanzine/booklet that comes with this set, in which I take a look at various aspects of Burt's life and career. The Umbrella folk did a terrific job illustrating the booklet, and the films themselves look to have a wealth of great extras, including contributions from Andrew Nette, Lee Gambin, Nathaniel Thompson, Adam Devlin and others!











Saturday, March 18, 2023

NEW HAMMER HORROR

Umbrella's new Hammer Blu-ray box set hit the stores a week or so ago. I was thrilled to contribute a 16-page booklet essay for this limited release, which contains PARANOIAC! (1964), NIGHTMARE (1964), and THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN (1964), all directed by the great Freddie Francis. The set also includes a bonus Blu-ray packed with Hammer trailers, and each of the individual films includes new audio commentaries, relevant podcast episodes, and other cool extras.








ART FOR ART'S SAKE

Umbrella's new TERRIFIER box set is now making the rounds, featuring the two films as well as the original ALL HALLOW'S EVE. I was thrilled to contribute a ten-page essay for the THIS IS ART book that is included with this amazing set, in which I take a look at evil and scary clowns, predominantly on film but also in comic books, pulp paperbacks, and even true crime.






Thursday, March 2, 2023

CINEMA OF THE 70s No. 8

Clint as Josey Wales graces the cover of CINEMA OF THE '70s No. 8, hot off the press and featuring my ten-page article on the disaster movies of that decade. Lots of other great-looking stuff in this 100-page issue, including articles on HAIR, NORMA RAE, THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, STARCRASH (with Marjoe!), Woody Allen, DEATH WISH, SORCERER, cinematic demon children of the '70s, and much, much more! Available from Amazon in most regions




Tuesday, February 28, 2023

CORMAN/POE

I take a sneak peek at Chris Alexander's excellent upcoming Headpress book, examining the eight Edgar Allan Poe film adaptations which Roger Corman directed in the 1960s. New over at FilmInk, click on the link below to read. CORMAN/POE Book Review



SUNSET CAPRI

Very much enjoyed Denise McKinney latest novel. The story of a handsome, rich British vampire and his adventures in 1982 Hollywood, SUNSET CAPRI creates a pleasing, singular voice with its mix of eclectic influences - think a mélange of Anne Rice, Ian Fleming, and Quentin Tarantino, as if written by an MTV VJ who also freelances for the L. A. WEEKLY. Apart from the undead Nigel, McKinney populates her novel with a roster of intriguing Hollywood fringe characters, like Veronica the punk rocker/struggling writer, and Peter the wanna-be big-shot showbiz agent, characters who live within the apartment walls of the mid-century modern block that give the book its title.

McKinney is certainly familiar with the history and the music of the book's era and location, and this knowledge really lends an authenticity to the novel's sense of time and place. It will bring a nostalgic pang to those who lived through it, while also making it palpable to those who didn't. It's also a very funny novel, I chuckled quite a few times, both at lines of dialogue as well as character thoughts and observations. There is a definite edge of biting sarcasm to McKinney's humor, yet at the same time you can tell she has a genuine love for the era and it's detail. And while it is more of a pulpy, pop character study than a horror novel, it still delivers some atmosphere and a couple of memorable vampiric moments.
The book also has a QR code at the front, to download a suggested playlist to enjoy while reading. It's a nice selection and adds a fun, interactive element to the novel, of course I supplemented it with my own selections.
Available from Amazon in most regions.