RAMSEY CAMPBELL, MASTER OF SHORT HORROR FICTION: "ALL FOR SALE"

Think this guy can't scare you? Think again.

Last night, I was perusing my collection of horror anthologies—a collection of collections!—when I alighted on The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror, from 2002 (and purchased somewhere around that time). Having recently become interested in the fiction of Thomas Ligotti, his name on the cover caught my attention and I flipped to the table of contents.

That's when I spotted it... a Ramsey Campbell story with a title that was altogether new to me!

For context, I've been a fan of Campbell's work since my teens, getting to know him first as one of Stephen King's most talented contemporaries, then as one of the modern masters of Lovecraftian mythos fiction (kind of a backwards “reeling in” of his actual career trajectory). But whatever the subject matter, Campbell is an uncontested master of the short story form, and his inclusion in an anthology is usually reason enough for me to pick it up.  Campbell’s short stories are so well regarded, in fact, that whenever he’s collected, his name usually has pride of place among the first two or three mentioned on the cover.

Not so, for some reason, with this particular edition of Best New Horror. Which is odd, because the story in question, “All For Sale”, is an absolute beast.

I can’t say too much about it, because it’s short and compact and I don’t want to spoil any aspect of it for you. Suffice it to say that "All For Sale" is goddamn terrifying. An incredibly effective slice of all-too-possible life… the way the bottom can drop out from underneath you in one sickening moment, the way the rational mind can sometimes have trouble keeping up with the reality of a horrifying situation... the mounting tension, the unforgiving hopelessness that resolves into a visceral dread... it's a fucking masterpiece.

In trying to think why this story hasn't been more widely anthologized, I kept coming up blank. It's lean, it's mean, it works like gangbusters, and it packs a powerful punch, the kind that bruises for days... It’s got everything you would think anthology editors love about short genre fiction. Also, it’s got deep literary roots, which, if I elaborate, will give away too much, so for now, I won’t. And so, for now, as far as I can tell, the only two places you can find it are in the above-mentioned Best New Horror (2002) and in a prohibitively expensive and difficult to come by all-Campbell collection, Told by the Dead (2003).

Or, thanks to Google Books’ inability to go through every single anthology in their system to make sure that complete stories don’t slip through their random-page-omission method of “respecting” publishers’ copyright claims… you can read it here and now, on the web, for free.

I recognize that this is not ideal, particularly for Mr. Campbell, who—despite being widely and justifiably recognized as a leading figure in horror, or dark fantasy, or “the weird”, or whatever nomenclature has been assigned to this most primal and powerful of literary forms of late—is not immune from the vicissitudes of fiscal fortune. However, seeing as I am not responsible for Google’s boo-boo in this instance, and seeing as I believe Campbell’s work (in general and this piece, specifically) is of such high quality that anyone reading it is all but certain to seek out more of it—via venues that are more financially remunerative for author and publishers both—I feel justified in pointing it out.

Enjoy! And, if you’re new to the work of Ramsey Campbell… you’re welcome.

Sincerely,

Yer old pal Jerky

MINDHUNTER: TO BINGE OR NOT TO BINGE?

In early 2018, Netflix offered up one of their more intriguing original programs since the first season of Stranger Things. Produced and partially directed by David Fincher, Mindhunter brought viewers sexy, decompressed story-telling at its episodic best. A sexy, chilling, well acted, beautifully mounted, and relatively truthful exploration of the role played by fine, upstanding young white men from the suburbs (men who just happen to be a little cracked in the head regarding certain things) in the development of the FBI's profiling techniques. It also features the best Ed Kemper impersonation ever committed to celluloid!

I realize some of these "reviews" are ridiculously short, but the truth is, I'm using this blog as a way to remind myself of the movies I've seen, the books I've read, the comics I've perused, and the music I've listened to... or at least those that have left an impression on me. Mindhunter, while good, only just made the "remarks-worthy" cut by thismuch.

GRAPHIC NOVEL SERIES "DEMON" EDITIONS 1, 2, 3 and 4

A tour-de-force of over-the-top storytelling. An instant classic, DEMONS has the odd quality of being completely off-the-wall insane, and yet totally making airtight sense in terms of the rules it lays out for the reality in which the events depicted take place.

A 21st century schizoid take on Alfred Bester's bonkers sci-fi masterpiece The Stars My Destination (aka Tiger! Tiger!), Jason Shiga's DEMON is technically (and commercially) split into four volumes, but the story of protagonist Jimmy Yee's life and/or lives (which is already giving away too much) progresses from one part to the next in a propulsive, unbroken narrative of revelation, destruction and bloodshed. All this, while simultaneously engaging in some serious philosophical discussions relating to all the Big Questions, like, why do we exist? and, what is the true nature of the mind/body divide? and, what gives life meaning?

I had the good fortune of having this series recommended to me by someone whose opinion in such matters I trust implicitly--comics legend Stephen Bissette, of Swamp Thing and Taboo infamy--so I purchased the first volume despite the artwork not being my cup of tea, and despite not knowing a single goddamn thing about the story. I was maybe ten pages in before I knew that I'd be picking up the other three volumes on my next visit to my favorite (and by far Toronto's finest) comics shop, The Beguiling.

I honestly believe that going into DEMON fresh is the best way to experience it, because it begins as a puzzle box and then, just when you think it might be getting too complex or bizarre or impossible to understand, it all starts making (a ridiculous kind of) sense. This ongoing roll-out of DEMON's many revelations is intensely satisfying on a number of levels. Also, remember that if you purchase it via my Amazon affiliate link, I get a few shekels in my begging cup!

Finally, for those of you who feel the need to know a bit more about the book(s) before plunking down your hard-earned dollars--pussies, in other words--this here is a decent but spoiler-filled rundown of Jimmy's crazed, debauched saga. 

Enjoy! I know I sure did!

THE 50 BEST HORROR MOVIES YOU'VE NEVER SEEN

I mean... I've seen most of these flicks, myself, but I'm a horror freak of distinct and august vintage. Most likely, the majority of y'all out there reading this have only seen a handful of them.

KUNG FURY!

BULLET REVIEWS ~ FILMS I'VE RECENTLY SEEN

I've been focusing more on long-form projects like my concordances for Season of the Witch and In The Dust of This Planet, and also catching up on my movie watching lately... hence the paucity of updates at the Daily Dirt Diaspora, Kubrick U, The Mediavore, or anything other than "on this day" segments at the Useless Eater Blog. So I thought I'd throw up some filler content by doing short little bullet reviews of some of the movies that I've seen which I think are worth commenting on, one way or the other. So, in absolute random sequence and in no way related to the order in which I watched them, here are my thoughts on some of the movies, great and small, that I've recently watched! - Jerky

The Childhood of a Leader ~ This is "one of those" movies... the kind that really wowed me, but which I suspect will resonate powerfully with just a few, while the majority fart into their couch cushions and wonder what the hell they just watched. Which is too bad, really, because this is a top-notch thriller with one of the best musical scores of the new millennium, courtesy of Scott Walker, of Walker Brothers fame.

The story is deceptively simple, and rooted in real world history. Following the end of the First World War, an American ambassador, his French speaking wife and their young son are temporarily relocated to Europe to work on the Treaty of Versailles.The film's structure is based on a their son's transgressions, followed by his tantrums at being reprimanded, eventually leading to unexpected aftermath. These transgressions and tantrums become more brutal and disturbing as the film goes on.

If you do start in on this one, please do try to stick with it, because even though it feels as though the film is going to end without revealing anything, there does come a moment of shock revelation as the story veers with self-assurance into speculative fiction territory. One of my favorite films of 2018 so far.

***

The Bar ~ Spain's most prolific and adventurous genre director Alex de la Iglesia strikes again! Unfortunately, this time, the director of such classics as Perdita Durango, Day of the Beast, Accion Mutante, and The Last Circus doesn't have much to work with. Essentially a knock-off of the instant classic Spanish rage virus film [REC], only set in a small corner bar instead of a large, spooky apartment block The Bar swiftly succumbs to the limitations of its setting, not to mention the irrational and occasionally inexplicable decisions Iglesia is forced to have his characters make, simply to keep the plot moving forward. Despite being a fan of Iglesia's work in general, I'd recommend you give this one a miss. Go watch [REC] again, instead, and follow it up with one of Iglesia's better films (like any of the ones I mentioned above). 

***

The Shape of Water ~ As much as I love Guillermo Del Toro, and as much as I enjoyed this humanistic ode to the beauty of the broken ones, this lovingly crafted homage to the hypnotizing make-believe of old Hollywood, this exploration of deeply flawed people at an even more flawed time, the best of them trying and occasionally succeeding to make family and happiness where and however they can... I still couldn't help but think Dunkirk got robbed. And I'm not even a Nolan fan!

***

Thor: Ragnarok ~ A big hit with both critics and casual audiences, I have a feeling that time will not be kind to the third entry in Marvel's Thor cinematic saga, if only because of the decision to turn what should have been a somber, emotionally devastating event -- Ragnarok, the total destruction of Thor's homeworld of Asgard, including the grizzly deaths of numerous beloved friends and fellow warriors -- into a series of sight gags and mediocre jokes.

The formerly noble citizens of Asgard are here reduced to homely, obese, whiny, simple-minded, helpless fools who are in constant need of saving. Contrast this to the unironic celebration of "hotep" wish fulfillment tropes that Wakanda and its citizens embodied only a few months later in Black Panther, and it's not difficult to see how some alt-right bozos might have gotten the impression that there's something more than coincidence behind the joke-ification of Norse mythology, gussied up in Jack Kirby-esque comic book science-fiction flare though it may be, in Ragnarok.

Is it fun? Sure. Director Taika Waititi, who helmed the awesome vampire comedy What We Do In The Shadows, does a more than decent job of crafting a cohesive narrative out of the disparate elements he's been given to play with. It was great seeing The Hulk, who's mostly been wasted since the first Avengers flick. And Jeff Goldblum being Jeff Goldblum is always a treat. But I can't help but wonder what could have been.

***

IT ~ Written at the height of horror-meister Stephen King's cocaine habit, the novel IT is mostly remembered for its length, the TV miniseries it spawned (featuring Tim Curry), and one of the most inappropriate endings in contemporary popular literature (a 13-year-old girl pulling a train of 'tweens in a sewer?!). Now that the first part of the cinematic version of IT has turned out to be a surprise late summer blockbuster in 2017 -- and that was without the benefit of Tim Curry's memorable turn as Pennywise the Clown -- maybe it will be remembered for something more. With the arrival of Part 2 next year, we'll know more.

To be honest, I don't really have much to say about this particular flick. I enjoyed it, for whatever that's worth, but it was mostly empty movie calories. The jump scares jumped, the rush scares rushed, there were a few genuinely freaky moments, but it was ultimately all so cliche'd and bound up in shopworn horror tropes that it's hard to get too enthused over the end results. It would probably be a really great movie to play in the background during a Halloween party, though, I'll give it that much.

***

Tommy ~ If you haven't seen Tommy yet, then what the Hell are you waiting for?! Get out there, find a copy and watch the damn thing! it's a goddamn rock opera masterpiece, with one of the most compelling plot lines in the history of prog! The music is great, the guest spots are great, the imagery is great (thanks Ken Russell!), Roger Daltry's performance is great, as are those of Ann Margaret and Oliver Reed... For a long time, this movie suffered a lot of hate, but NO MORE! Let its myriad charms wash over you and know the feeling of liberation that comes with playing pinball when you're deaf, dumb and blind!

***

Mom and Dad ~ Selma Blair and Nick Cage star as a typical, upwardly mobile middle class mom and dad with two kids and an Asian housekeeper. One day, the whole town is inundated with a signal that makes parents fall prey to an overwhelming rage and a need to destroy their own children (and ONLY their own children... other people's kids, they couldn't care less). Works both as gripping horror / black comedy AND as a bracing satire of the increasingly unbridgeable generational divide. Cage and Blair are both superlative, giving it their all for every second they're on the screen. A future classic. But, yeah, trigger warnings galore. 

"MAMMON" A GRAPHIC NOVEL BY MICHAEL HAGUE

With Dark Horse's recent release of renowned fantasy illustrator Michael Hague's millennia-sweeping Decadent/Gothic epic vampire graphic novel Mammon, a new high water mark for illustrated horror has been set, and I imagine it will be a long time before it's bested.

Simultaneously beautiful and brutal, Hague's narrative begins in the early 1920's, following a journalist, Mr Meeks, whose obsession with vampires brings him to the attention of a reclusive, wealthy, Eastern European aristocrat who promises to reveal all he knows about the subject, as long as Meeks agrees to trust him unconditionally. Anxious for adventure, Meeks eventually meets his mysterious benefactor, who goes by the name Mammon.

To reveal more about how Mammon unfolds would rob the reader of the great pleasure of the story's unfolding. Suffice it to say that Meeks soon becomes Mammon's amanuensis/apprentice, and has to reckon with his host's bizarre double-transgression, which includes an absolutely twisted conversion story in which monsters formerly in league with Satan embrace the power of Christ... but on their own, incomprehensibly vile terms.

.So, if you've ever wondered what a full-fledged graphic novel by, say, 19th century Decadent Satanic fin-de-sciecle artist Felicien Rops might have looked like -- put together in a beautiful hardcover package, with the greatest attention paid to aesthetics -- wonder no more. Mammon is a top notch entry in a genre you probably didn't know you needed in your life. Serious horror aficionados owe it to themselves to reckon with this work on both the literary and artistic levels. Hague has produced a masterpiece.

DICK COUGHLIN'S "GENESIS OF JIHADI SATIRE" ~ AN APPRECIATION OF CHRIS MORRIS' "FOUR LIONS"

The Genisis of Jihadi Satire from Dick Coughlan on Vimeo.

ANDY KINDLER'S STATE OF THE INDUSTRY SET AT JUST FOR LAUGHS 2018!

Every year, I look forward to hearing stand up comic Andy Kindler deliver his "State of the Industry" set at Montreal's Just For Laughs comedy festival, wherein he gives a roast-style assessment of what things are like in the world of professional comedy. Thanks to Vulture.com and Soundcloud, you can listen to this year's edition, delivered this past Friday, below.

SUBLIMINAL DEMON IN NEW TRAILER FOR 'GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS'?

Spotted by Twitter's @EuzebTusk, one spooky-looking motherfucker, who writes: 

“Am I the only one who caught this? What is it... Godzuzu?! Also, if it's supposed to be an 'ancient' location, then why does it appear to be taking place deep underground?”

NEW GREATEST VIDEO EVER

NEW CHILDISH GAMBINO SONG/VIDEO A MASTERPIECE

This is some REAL shit right here.

THE ALL TIME GREATEST COMMERCIAL FOR A BOOK

THE TRIAL OF TIM HEIDECKER IS A COMIC MASTERPIECE

Easily the finest moment in American comedy for the year 2017 was the trial of the People of California versus Timothy Richard Heidecker in the matter of 20 cases of second degree murder during the Electric Sun Desert Music Festival. Of course it was midwifed by the mad geniuses of [adult swim].

This is some next level stuff on so many fronts. For an overview of this deep dive/long game semi-improvised comedy project, check out Den of Geek's take. And then, once you've familiarized yourself with the background, enjoy the full trial, right here or on Youtube.

HORRORBABBLE'S READING OF "THE YELLOW WALLPAPER"

One of the greatest tales of terror ever penned, Charlotte Perkins Gilman's early feminist short story The Yellow Wallpaper is one of the most bone-chilling stories you're likely to read. Why not have it read to you by the lovely folks at HorrorBabble?