Diabolique is back with issue 19 of their truly entertaining horror magazine that makes great strides in breaking out of the doldrums of mainstream horror in favor of indie and underground. Max Weinstein ushers in the issue with another really insightful editorial and profiles many modern and contemporary masters of horror cinema. “The Old, The New, and the In Between” is a great look at the modern works of Dario Argento and Vincenzo Natali, two cinematic juggernauts that offered fans their own unique genre entries in 2013. Argento, of course gave us “Dracula,” while Natali released the very good “Haunter.” I don’t know if I’m a fan of the directors bemoaning the new generation of horror, but I do enjoy the consideration that there are some great auteurs out there, working to deliver some great genre titles, like Jason Eisener, or Ti West.
Tag Archives: Filmmaking
Reel Zombies (2008): Special Edition (DVD)
Many zombie fans will be quick to compare David J. Francis and Mike Masters’ mock documentary set amidst the zombie apocalypse to “Diary of the Dead.” Truth be told, I was prepared to consider it a knock off during the first twenty minutes, but that would be a disservice to “Reel Zombies.” Directors Francis and Masters don’t offer any pretension about their film and are pretty straight forward in its premise and how they’re not even remotely trying to offer social commentary. There’s no message about racism, or sexuality, or the government, it’s just a straight forward horror comedy. “Reel Zombies” won’t be accused of re-inventing the wheel, but even with its flaws, it’s a damn good horror comedy.
Terminator Vault: The Complete Story Behind the Making of The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgement Day [Hardcover]
It’s very interesting how the original “The Terminator” was envisioned as a precursor to “The Matrix.” Long before the Wachowskis, we had James Cameron, who envisioned a world controlled by a sentient technology, and robotic drones that attempted to destroy humanity. Only certain human survivors dared to stand up against the machines, with a few of their rebels using technology to try to change their current reality. Author Ian Nathan who brought us the wonderful “Alien Vault,” is back with a treasure trove fit for fans of James Cameron, Science Fiction, or The Terminator series.
Pulp Fiction: The Complete Story of Quentin Tarantino’s Masterpiece [Hardcover]
We fucking love Quentin Tarantino. And odds are if you’re thinking about buying “Pulp Fiction: The Complete Story of Quentin Tarantino’s Masterpiece” from Voyageur Press, you fucking love him, too. At two hundred pages in length,. the giant tome written by Jason Bailey (with essays from movie historians and critics) doesn’t just fill you in on “Pulp Fiction,” but on everything Tarantino. This is the big Kahuna of Tarantino knowledge, and it’s a hell of a fun book to sift through.
Risky Business: A Look Inside America’s Adult Film Industry (2013)
Director David Mech’s documentary about the ins and outs of the porn industry takes on an especially powerful resonance, when director Mech explores the argument of condoms versus no condoms in filming porn. Now in the midst of the 2013 porn industry debacle involving the AIDS outbreak among a slew of porn performers that began after an orgy scene featuring unprotected sex, the segment involving the condom debate will serve as an especially dire and powerful omen. I was never quite aware there was such a debate, but lo and behold it’s an actual issue in the adult industry.
Birth Of The Living Dead (2013)
It’s no easy feat to create a new dedication to “Night of the Living Dead” that doesn’t feel rehashed or regurgitated from other documentaries. Rob Kuhn’s documentary had every chance to be just a summary of “Document of the Dead,” but thankfully is a fresh and very entertaining look at the horror film that changed the world. Director Kuhns doesn’t just explore how “Night of the Living Dead” changed horror films, but how it changed the pop culture and American landscape for fifty years after its release.
Guillermo del Toro Cabinet of Curiosities: My Notebooks, Collections, and Other Obsessions [Hardcover]
Though released almost at the same time as “Pacific Rim,” co-author Mark Zicree’s hardcover compendium chronicling the creative works of director Guillermo Del Toro is anything but a cash in. It’s a wonderful treasure trove of amazing sketches, and incredible conceptual work, that not only explores the mind of Guillermo Del Toro, but pays tribute to one of the finest fantasy directors working today. Guillermo Del Toro has almost single handedly kept the fantasy genre alive with his dark neo-Gothic epic works, and “Cabinet of Curiosities” gives his fans that rare glimpse in to his mind and his life that they’ll be more than happy to read from beginning to end.