Afghanistan Banana Stand

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Met up with Rob today for a burger and a catchup and he gifted me this cool as ice THE HOT ROCK (1972) poster

I wrote about this, one of my favourite movies, over on Midnight Quatermass, but you can read the full thing here.

I also wrote about two movies I love, THE JOKERS (1967) and THE PARTY’S OVER (1965)  for Rob last year here and here.

I’m scared to work out how long Rob and I have been friends now, but back in the day he created the website that went on to become Londonist and hired me. We’ve had a lot of fun over the years and even wrote a book together. He’s one of the good guys and I’m looking forward to seeing what he comes up with next.

And what a fucking nice thing to do. I love that poster.

Overthinking it as usual

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Quick note on the 15 Horror Movies I can’t live without thing.

I’m only listing movies that I keep coming back to. So while I love THE OMEN I can go years without rewatching it and while I saw TEXAS CHAINSAW at the right age (8?) I don’t really enjoy it that much. So the list is a mix of stuff that left a mark when I was younger and newer movies that made my jaw drop.

But It’s a tricky proposition. I grew up on and love the Hammer movies but I don’t think they’ll make the list. 15 isn’t that many. Might squeeze a Universal Monster movie in there. Also I’m trying to not do the posters or the scary gory parts of the movie and also avoid spoilers. That all narrows it down. Also some movies like EXORCIST 3 don’t have a lot of high quality stills online.

Looking back at what I’ve listed so far they’re all (to me) perfect movies. I may really like newer work such as TERRIFIED and WHEN EVIL LURKS, but more for significant scenes within them than the complete movies so I’m not sure they’ll make the cut. Yet films that aren’t nearly as good like THE BEAST MUST DIE almost certainly will because it hit the sweet spot as a kid.

Plus, you know, the werewolf clock.

Wrong words

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Mondays tend to be a pretty odd mix of ‘life stuff’ and work prep for the coming week. That means it’s already noon and I haven’t written a single word. That’ll change tomorrow when it’s head down on the final section of the crime thing I’ve been writing. I’m also working out the next couple of pitches. I have something that’s a spiritual follow up to FETCH in a similar vein but with a sci-fi setting. I’ve also got something aimed at older kids in mind that’s more of a heartbreaker. Once I’ve nailed those I can start thinking about the next true horror thing I want to write. Then its on to a couple of things that have been on my long-term to-do-list for a year or so.

But also we moved into the new place in October and we’re still not really settled. The stuff left to do involves other people so it gets tedious and complicated pretty fast.

With all that to do you’d think I wouldn’t have the time to tinker with this website…

“Created to demonstrate the futility of individual effort.”

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Blogroll: noun ‘a list on a blog page, usually running down one side, that has links to other blogs, websites, or online discussion groups’

The nice thing about controlling my own space online again is the ability to do what I like. No one blogs anymore, but it doesn’t mean I can’t have a goddamn blogroll.

Don’t worry, it’ll grow.