Author: Gareth

Again, a little while between updates. Sorry about that. Work (both day job and dumb-as-hell-why-the-hell-do-I-put-myself-through-this writing at night) has been kicking my ass for the past week.

No deep, Wil-Wheaton-esque soul-searching this time around, though. I haven’t really got the time today (same goes for Apollyon Noir updates, although I will be getting some more of those up here soon, I promise.) Just a couple of cool links for you today:

Kaiju alert! Giant Bird Sightings in Alaska. Rodan’s back on the block, kids. Can King Ghidorah be far behind? I mean, check this out: Mauna Loa is active again. Volcanos stirring, giant birds appearing….hmmmm.

Am I hearing a “SkreeeeeeONK” in the distance?

Something to think about.

GMS

Get Off Yer Ass & Do Something

So, I saw over at Gareth Hanrahan’s weblog that he’s getting on board with National Novel Writing Month.

Basically, it’s a internet-based pledge to spend November 1-30 writing at least 50,000 words of a novel. No worrying about whether or not it’s any good, no worrying about whether or not it’s saleable–just a deadline: 50K in 30, and few thousand people in the same boat with you.

Sounds like a plan.

What the hell–I’m in. I’ve got nothing better to do in November, except for the commute, the day job, and stuffing myself with Turkey and Punkin’ Pie towards the end there. I need an excuse to get some words on paper, and this seems as good as any.

So, consider this a challenge to those of you out there reading this (I’m talking to you, Melton, don’t try to duck down in the back, there…) to get off yer asses and do the same. I’ve heard more than one of you say that you should be writing–now’s your chance. You’ve got an excuse.

Or, to put it another way: If I’m goin’ insane, I’m not goin’ alone–some of you bastards are coming with me.

GMS

Movie Review

Last night, I caught Dagon on pay-per-view (which is a good thing, because my lame-ass local video store never gets the obscure, nifty stuff). It being October, I was in the mood for a horror film, and there are precious few that I have not seen, so I was pleased to see Dagon on the schedule.

I had a passing familiarity with the film–I knew, obviously, the Lovecraft story which provided the basic tale. I knew that the film-makers were the team who had created those wonderfully tacky Lovecraft adaptations of the 80s–Re-Animator, From Beyond, etc. Having read about the film on Aint It Cool News, I knew that the film was set in Spain, rather than New England as in the original story, largely as an issue of cheap filming.

So…how was it?

Very, very enjoyable. I liked it. It had the same goofy charm of the 80s Lovecraft films, but with the added benefits of CGI special effects, rather than the latex-and-spirit-gum “rubber monster” syndrome that plagued the older efforts. It’s not a great film by any measure, but it’s creepy and atmospheric, and generally well-done.

Setting the film in Spain didn’t detract from the story, but rather enhanced the sense of otherness critical to the tale. The town of Imboca (a nice spanish translation of “innsmouth”, which gives a nice chuckle) is a ramshackle sea-side town, filmed in constant rain. The townspeople, even those unadorned with piscene make-up, are, in many case, casting coups…the town priest has his eyes practically on opposite sides of his head, and it doesn’t take much more than a grey-green pallor to his skin to give him the “Imboca look”.

The lead is annoying and awkward in the same manner as Herbert West or Crawford Tillinghast, which makes his eventual progression to heroism more marked. The film has its usual assortment of breasts and gore as well–hey, it wouldn’t be a low-budget horror film without (*ahem*) titilation (excuse the pun).

Gotta admit, though…the twisted sculptures adorning the town “church”…the huge well at that bottom of the ocean…the writhing of black tentacles…all of it was very evocative and mood-enhancing. When the score rose with a chorus chanting “IA! IA! CTHULHU FHTAGN!”…a chill went up my spine.

Very well done. Recommended.

GMS