Sleepwalker (1984) BluRay review - BFI Flipside

You know me by now…...

I like to think of myself as many things: intelligent, fearless, loyal, lover, fighter, and daredevil are all but a few of my many qualities. I firmly believe that when the inevitable Zombie apocalypse happens I will undoubtedly be the 'Rick character', fearlessly leading my trusty band of fellow survivors to evade the Zombie hordes. Of that I have little doubt.

With regards to being something of a love-god, I'm also certain in my own mind that one day Helena Bonham Carter will finally remove those pesky restraining orders, dump that director fella of hers and finally see the light that I'm the real love object of her dreams.

Now, for some reason that I cannot fathom, but there are some people in the world that that profess to know me who would actually regard the thoughts that I have about myself as near being near-delusional. The words cowardly, nerdy and sadly fixated would probably be more like the descriptions that they (my so called friends and family) would have of me. They may have a point. After all, the medication has yet to quite kick-in and those voices in my head are still chattering away. 

So maybe I won't survive the Zombie apocalypse - or if I do I'll probably end up being that guy that goes insane and hides away in some top story apartment with his collection of firearms and a few department store mannequins for his conversational needs………And Helen may thank her lucky stars that I'll never utter those words of romance that I long to say - " Get your Bellatrix Lestrange outfit on, m'dear".

What I AM sure about is my love and passion for many things science fiction, fantasy and horror. When it comes to horror, my love of the genre knows few bounds but when it comes to British Horror, especially obscure British horror, then I'm well and truly obsessed. There is a huge catalogue of lost and forgotten gems of UK films out there that we need to keep established in the public psyche. Thankfully I'm not alone in that endeavour.

The British Film Institute (BFI) Flipside series has one singular purpose - and that is to revisit and reassess British film releases, particularly those movies that may have become overlooked, brushed aside or simply misunderstood at the original time of release. I'm not talking about the established collection of British classics that may have suffered for whatever reason on their initial release but have since garnered a reputation of loving cult proportions - The Wicker Man is an obvious example. No, what we are talking about movies which still lurk outside the list of acknowledged classics.

The BFI Flipside titles are all remastered to High definition and are always accompanied by a veritable plethora of extra goodies, many of which are often previously unavailable short films, documentaries and interviews. If that wasn't enough, each film title has it's own individual numbered packaging together with illustrated booklets often with contributions from the actual filmmakers themselves - you can tell I'm a fan, eh?!

So when I received the preview copy sent from the BFI (via the fantastic UKHorrorScene of the latest release of a long-thought forgotten gem of British Horror - well put it this way, I almost choked on my mouthful of Red Wine when I saw the title.

The reason for my excitement is many fold, perhaps mostly because it's a film that I've had high on my wish-list for many a year. I've wanted to see this for many reasons, not just for the film's content, but also because the film's initial critical reception, problematic release and eventual curtailing of a potentially great directing career could be a film plot of of it's own. It's an all-too familiar tale of the failure of the British film industry to recognise what talent it has on it's hands.

Sleepwalker (1984) is the 27th title in the BFI Flipside series. Directed by Saxon Logan, it is a biting mix of horror and social satire. 

THE PLOT

Not exactly the happiest of couples…..

The story is a relatively simple one. It features a wealthy couple Richard and Angela Paradise who are driving on their way to visiting friends Marion and Alex Britain in their decomposing country family home, the interestingly named 'Albion'. Tensions between the immediately obnoxious Richard (played by the always excellent Nicholas Grace) and his meek wife (Joanna David) are obvious - especially when Joanna has problems directing her husband in the ever-worsening rain storm to her friend's home. Meanwhile, intermixed between the scenes of the visitors marital disharmony we witness, back at Albion, snippets of some violent nightmares that the host Marion (played by the gorgeous Heather Page) is experiencing. Her mood isn't improved when the on the evening that the visitors are due to arrive the violent storm has smashed one of the windows of the ever-decaying house and ruined the meal that she had been preparing - I hate it when that happens….

Marion has no forced to abandon plans for the cosy candlelit meal, much to the displeasure of her brother Alex, a 'couple' who also seem to be perpetually on the edge of argument and who seem to be harbouring more than the usual level of sibling rivalry.  The atmosphere, on the arrival of the wealthy couple, is immediately strained with the meeting for the first time between the two men resulting in obvious dislike. The  foursome head for a local restaurant where the conversation becomes ever more aggressive with comments on the state of the nation, greed and power. The contempt that the wealthy and obnoxious Richard has for the more socialist principled Richard is palpable - the dialogue here is deliciously aggressive.

When the foursome return back to the house the so far strained evening of drunkenness and the heady mixture of social and sexual rivalry soon turns to horror as the inhabitants become the victims of a violently disturbed attacker…………………..

How not to shave without a mirror

Sleepwalkers is part horror and cunning social commentary - it has real intelligence at it's core. Logan's film cleverly puts together two contrasting couples who's social tension parallels the political and wider social tension of the time of filming. This was the 1980's when Thatchers' Britain was in full swing with all the new ideas of greed, ambition and uber-capitalism fighting headlong with the decaying socialist and perceived ideas of the traditional way of British life. Indeed, the director clearly signposts his intentions with the surnames of the main characters - brother and sister "Britain' who live in 'Albion' (the ancient name of Great Britaian) representing the dwindling fortunes of a once great era who's best years are clearly behind it. The surnames of the wealthy 'Thatcherite' couple -  Paradise - is a unmistakable reference to the new conservative ideal of a place where society no longer exists and where the world of socialism and it's 'life-sucking' ideals have disintegrated into dust. 

The dialogue, particularly between the Alex and Richard who clearly despise each others view of the world, is biting and snarling - the scene where Richard, seeing that Alex is little more than a pseudo-socialist, lets loose in this fabulous verbal broadside: 

"You know what you are, don't you? You're the meat-eater that can't bear the blood. And do you know what's put all that flab on your conscience? Blood. Hundreds of years of it. It's bought you your little nest to get squeamish in. You're a pimp Alex, you're a kept man."

This is no left-wing attack on the times, it looks at the absurdity of both extremes of the respected ideology. If that wasn't enough the story also contains more than it's fair share sexual undercurrent and tension - the feeling of frustrated lust and pent up violence is delicious. The scene where the previously aggressive Richard meekly shuns away from the overt sexual advances of Marion is genuine gold.

There's a little something in your eye m'dear

It would be pure hyperbole to suggest that Sleepwalker is a complete masterpiece. Its is good, very good, though are are a couple of mementoes when the story falters slightly - but only very slightly. The atmospheric  and violent beginning and end of the movie is brilliantly filmed by lighting cameraman Nicholas Beeks-Sanders. The editing,  by Michael Crozier is simply stunning and is pivotal to the potency of the film with it's images of violence and horror. The final scenes are as powerful as any I can remember. 

So why did this particular film slip into the cracks of movie history, and apart from the rare appearance in selected cinemas rarely has rarely shown its face in nearly 30 years? Perhaps one reason is it's short running time of just 49 minutes, making it neither a short film or a feature length film. In the newly booming world of VHS sales providing a sanctuary for even the most forgetful of movie productions, the running time provided a real problem of how to fill the rest of the tape.

Yet, upon initial completion of the film things had began so well. The initial screenings at the Berlin film festival were received with great enthusiasm, so much so that it received the prestigious Special Jury prize. Saxon Logan had fully expected the film to perform as the opener for another more bankable release, however the ever-increasing 'multiplex' mentality of 1980's movie distribution meant that the old headlining feature with supporting featurette had died. Quite simply, even though it had received critical acclaim, the British distributors completely failed to understand both what the film was about and what to do with it. Consequently, the film was stuck away in storage and largely forgot about….. forgotten that is, apart from a few in the industry and some of here in internet land.

Not only was a fine film ignored, a potential great direction career was damaged. Zimbabwe-born Logan had originally cut his teeth under the tutorship of the great Lynsey Anderson, acting as the great man's assistant during the filming of the classic O Lucky Man! Indeed, the Anderson-esque feeling of Sleepwalker is clear for all to see.

However, so disillusioned was he with the movie process within the disintegration of the British film industry that films projects on such a scale of Sleepwalker failed to materialise again. It was only thanks to the director himself that actual proof of the existence of the film in fact existed.

It is my hope that not only now will the existence of an excellent piece of British Horror filming reach the audience it deserves but also the talent of Saxon Logan will be finally recognised. It is still not too late for him to flourish.

The Extras included in this set are more than up to the BFI Flipside's usual quality

* Presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition

* The Insomniac (Rodney Giesler, 1971, 45 mins): a man experiences a night-time world that is part nightmare, part sexual fantasy 

* Stepping Out (Saxon Logan , 1977, 10 mins): a couple's untraditional early morning ritual is observed in a short drama which originally supported Polanski's The Tenant in UK cinemas 

* Working Surface: A Short Study (with Actors) in the 'Ways' of a Bourgeois Writer (Saxon Logan, 1979, 15 mins): Bill Douglas plays a writer struggling with a script about two women (Joanna David and Heather Page) 

* O Lucky Man: Saxon Logan in Conversation (2013, 72 mins): exclusive feature-length interview with the director of Sleepwalker

* Extensive illustrated booklet with new essays on all films and complete credits 

Sleepwalker (1984) is due for release on 23rd September 2013, it is remastered from the only surviving print and presented for the very first time on a home entertainment format. The title is available both on BluRay and DVD as a dual format edition.

This article can also be found on the most excellent of horror websites http://www.ukhorrorscene.com/sleepwalker-1984-bluray-review-bfi-flipside/

The Fall of The House of Usher BluRay review - Arrow Films

My mate Vincent - minus umbrella festooned scarlet drink

I once, quite some years ago, had a dream about Vincent Price. As many dreams tend to be, it was a rather strange one. It took place on a warm sunny afternoon, I can remember sitting outside a pub with a drink. However it wasn’t my normal butch & manly drink of a Jack Daniels & Coke, but some cocktailed concoction with that was the most vivid crimson red in colour and filled with what seemed like a hundred multi-coloured umbrellas. Just as I was about to taste said umbrella festooned red coloured drink when who should come walking by, but Mr Vincent Price. Now apparently in this dream Mr Price and I were the best of best buddies as I shouted out “Yo, Vincent!”

“Stuey!!” was the reply as a hearty man-hug was exchanged between the two of us.

I don’t remember much of the conversation that we had at that point (well it was many years ago) but I do remember three distinct things. Firstly, I realised that in retrospect Vincent ( I feel I can still call him that) on this warm sunny afternoon was dressed exactly as he was as Roderick from the movie ‘The Fall of The House Of Usher’ – swept back wavy blonde hair, crimson red coat etc. Secondly, I remember asking him if he knew the delicious Hammer Horror actress Madeline Smith and if he would be prepared to ‘put in a good word for me’. The good news was that he said that he did know her gorgeousness herself and that he would give her my telephone number later that day. Thirdly, we then began to sing together a verse from MacArthur park - the Richard Harris version, not the Donna Summer version, naturally…. We then exchanged another hearty manly hug and he walked off into town. The bad news was that I never heard from Maddie Smith.

Why no call, Maddie. Why?!

By this point I’m sure that you’re out there in blogland wondering why I’m blathering on again about something and nothing before getting down to the serious business of actually reviewing something. Well, at the time of the dream I was becoming seriously obsessed with classic horror – devouring from my local, and not so local video outlets all things Hammer, Universal, Amicus, Hitchcock etc etc.  Yet for some reason I had yet to fully discover the series of Roger Corman's Edgar Allen Poe adaptations and believe it or not, this dream became the catalyst for my love for a series of movies. A series which perhaps provided Corman with the greatest critical acclaim of all his cinematic works. After visiting the local library to research Vincent Price and crimson red coats ( yes  kids, this was in those dim and dark pre-historic days pre-internet) I discovered that my best buddy Vincent had indeed appeared in my dream as the tragic Roderick Usher – and a journey of discovery & joy began.

So the bottom line is that when boss Andy from UKHorrorScene suggested in his usual ominous  friendly way that I might review the new digitally remastered BluRay of 'Usher' produced by Arrow Films I immediately jumped at the chance. It was simply too much of temptation to revisit this 'old friend' of a movie.

The stunning limited Edition SteelBook Packaging

The Fall of The House of Usher Was the first in American director Roger Corman's series of adaptations of stories by writer Edgar Allen Poe. The series was filmed between 1959 and 1965 and consists of eight classic Poe tales: House of Usher, The Pit & The Pendulum, The Premature Burial, Tales of Terror, The Raven, The Haunted Palace, The Masque of The Red Death and finally The Tomb of Ligeia. All the films in the series featured my mate Vincent, except for The Premature Burial.

Now at this stage in proceedings I must mention one particular point - I'm not exactly a huge fan of Poe. In fact i'd go as far as saying that I don't like his works very much at all. I've always felt that as a horror nerd that I SHOULD love his work and believe me I've tried. However, try as I might to be part of the 'Poemania' that if anything, seems to have increased as the years go by, I just cannot get past his writing style. I find his style of writing is stifling and overly poetic in its phraseology which then serves t detract and distract me from the plot of the story itself.  When I read Poe's work I can almost hear the words  say "Look at me, look at me!, I'm so descriptive!"

However, Roger Corman was a huge fan of his work and was someone who had held a desire since his childhood to bring Poe's tales of darkness and terror to the cinema and doing so, provide the public with rich, colourfully lavish productions that would rival any Hammer productions- and boy did he succeed. 

THE PLOT

Darling, there's something coming between us...

The film begins with love-struck Philip Winthrop (played by Mark Damon) who has travelled to dilapidated and isolated old mansion, The House of Usher, to visit his fiancee Madeline Usher (played by the gorgeous Myrna Fahey). Upon reaching the mansion, Philip is met by Madeline's brother, Roderick (played by you know who) who immediately makes it clear to the young romeo that he completely opposes any relationship or marriage between the young lovers. He tells Phillip that the bloodline of the Usher family is cursed for all-time, with any continuation of the bloodline only meaning further family descents into violent and agonizing madness. Naturally, the love struck romeo isn't particularly impressed with Roderick's increasing desperate warnings and refusal to even let him see Madeline. He himself becomes so desperate with the situation that he plans to elope with Miss Usher, to which she initially agrees to.

However, events soon take an even more dramatic turn when it becomes clear that Roderick will resort to the most extreme of measures to ensure that he keeps Phillip and Madeline apart……

Released initially to mixed reviews, Usher has gained a reputation and following over the years of huge proportions. It is a movie that has everything for any aficionado of horror. Raging insanity, misty desolate moors, a deathly imposing old house and oozings upon oozings of splendidly colourful Gothic splendour. Whether or not Corman was directly or non-directly inspired by the lavish productions that Hammer was becoming famous for is open to question. What is not a matter of debate is that this film began a series of equally lavish productions combined with themes of tortured minds and souls all rounded off with a roll call of stellar performances from its leading character actors. They may not of out- Hammered Hammer, but they came mighty close.

Roderick and family

Of course, one cannot mention this movie without making reference to Vincent Price, who along with such luminaries as Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing forms part of the three kings of classic horror. Of the five principle characters in The Fall of The House Of Usher, Price provides a performance that brilliantly conveys the tortured mind of a man who knows that he has no choice in the terrible actions he has to take. He makes Roderick a genuine figure of sympathy and empathy - Roderick is not evil, nor the villain of the piece as many people incorrectly seem to summise. We see his loving commitment to his sister and that the knowledge of what the curse will eventually of to her is slowly devouring his soul. 

The performances of Damon, Farney and Harry Ellerby as the Usher's loyal manservant are less successful. It would have been difficult for anyone for any actor worth his or her salt to have matched the magnificence of Price's performance. It is Damon in particular that comes across as little more than a wooden pretty boy who never quite seems comfortable in the part of the pining lover who refuses to believe anything that he is told about the family curse. The weak link in the supporting cast could have severely detracted to the resulting movie, and perhaps this may be the reason that for some people, Corman's later movies in the Poe series such as The Masque of the Red Death, are viewed largely as superior pieces of cinema.

That crack's going to need some polyfilling…..

I mentioned a moment ago that there are five principle characters in the film. The final one isn't a human character, it is the house. Corman expertly makes the crumbling Usher mansion, along with Roderick as the main player in the piece. It is the house, not Price's character that is the real villain of the story as it guides and punishes the behaviour of it's human inhabitants. 

So when I heard that Arrow video were due to release the digitally restored movie from it's original Aspect Ratio my excitement was palpable. This is no word of exaggeration, the excitement I felt when the preview copy from Arrow dropped through my letter box was huge - no word of a lie. Quite simply, the job that Arrow have done is a triumph. 

I was genuinely taken aback by the visual restoration with the richness and texture of the colours threatening to flow effortlessly off the screen at any moment. The original set production and photography is enhanced beyond all recognition which perfectly brings to life the depth and lighting of the various scenes. The famous nightmare sequence is now a sumptuous psychedelic and Gothic delight with the blues and yellows being given a life that that completely transcends any visual experience that I've had for quite some some time. 

Unlike some restorations that I've come across, the remastering doesn't detract from the original visual experience of horror that Corman and his crew were string to achieve way back in the early 1960's. The cleaned up image is now umblemished and smooth with only a few minor outline glitches along the way which are only noticeable if one is really looking for them.

The audio experience has also been restored to an exceptional level coming in at 2.0 stereo PCM - the experience is sublime. The musical score, sometimes aggressive, often melancholy together with the sound effects from the soundtrack is now something to be heard on the modern family audio systems that accompany even the basic of family entertainment systems. Perhaps the greatest joy from the audio restoration is the clarity and power of the dialogue, with Price's voice in particular not surprisingly sounding as crisp and full of emotion as he ever did.

As well as the sublime resonation of vision and audio there are a gaggle of excellent special features and extras in the BluRay release which cannot help but add to the overall experience. 

The special Feature included in the Arrow video release are as follows:

-Limited Edition SteelBook Packaging

-High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the feature, transferred from original film elements by MGM

-Original uncompressed 2.0 Mono PCM Audio

-Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing

-Audio commentary with director and producer Roger Corman. This is a typically detailed and humorous commentary from Corman which provides a plethora of insights into his thinking process throughout the making of the movie - a real treat.

-Legend to Legend: An interview with director and former Corman apprentice Joe Dante
-Interview with author and Gothic horror expert Jonathan Rigby. If you like your humour filled movie anecdotes (and don't we all?) then this extra is for you.

-Fragments of the House of Usher: A Specially-commissioned video essay by critic and filmmaker David Cairns examining Corman’s film in relation to Poe’s story. This I loved, my only complaint is that I wish that it's running time was longer. The video cleverly combines the thoughts and observations of David Cairns which are intermixed with pieces of Poe's prose. It provides a genuinely insightful look at the themes and inferences that Corman was attempting to convey throughout the film.

-Archival interview with Vincent Price. I must a admit that I thought i had seen every interview Mr Price had made over the years, but this one was new to me. It may be short but it is a wonderful example of the charm and humour that the man had in spades - a real little gem.

-Original Trailer

-Collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by author and critic Tim Lucas and an extract from Vincent Price’s long out of print autobiography, illustrated with original archive stills and posters. I can only take the makers word for how good this will be as it obviously wasn't for inclusion with my preview copy.

This may not be the best of the Poe adaptations by Roger Corman, but it is still a sublime piece of filming which after the restoration is further cemented as a true great of cinematic storytelling. All too often the remastering of classic movies can leave an artificial and less than palatable result which can occasionally dilute and diminish the memories that one may originally have had when first seeing the film. This doesn't happen here, the mood and atmosphere is given a resounding amplification in this 'new version'.

The only negative feeling of writing this review is the knowledge that I am still awaiting that message from Madeline Smith.

I have no hesitation on giving the BluRay release 9/10.

The Fall of The House of Usher BluRay from Arrow Films was released on 26th August 2013.



This article can also be found on the most excellent of horror websites http://www.ukhorrorscene.com/the-fall-of-the-house-of-usher-1960-arrow-film-bluray-review/

A Psycho's Medley by Terry M. West - a book review.

When I was asked by El Presidente Andy, of UKHorrorScene, if I would be so kind to review another book my usual reticence once again re-appeared. It wasn't as if I was asked to do it with a gun to my head. I know I could have refused - after all, Andy is a nice guy, especially now that threats he makes to his writers to do good work or 'face the wrath of the boy's' have stopped. 

Frankly, I have never met the boys or experienced their wrath….but I'm a born coward and so have quite wisely in my eyes never decided to risk the consequences. It's not as if a badly written review has ever resulted in anything bad to one of his writers…..yet. 

No, the email request was perfectly fine; 

" Dear minion,

Now then Anderson old bean, I'm giving you another chance to redeem yourself so I want you to read and review a collection of short stories by a chappie called Terry M. West. He's already pretty well known to most horror fans as the director of the critically-acclaimed independent horror film Blood for the Muse and Fever Dream’s Flesh for the Beast. 

He's returning to the horror genre after nearly a decade. so be a good chap and rustle up one of those pseudo-witty and half-decent attempts at a book review of yours…..and don't let his rather moody and sinister look in his photo put you off, he's apparently a very nice guy, so you can be perfectly honest in your review without any, er, consequences….i think.

Have a smashing day dear chap and let me have the review as soon as possible. 

Ta ta

Andy (The Leader)

P.S The boys say hello………………….."

You see? All in all pretty OK, even though writing email's to one writers in dripping red blood colour could be somewhat misconstrued I suppose. So what, may you ask, is the reason for my reticence? You know me by now, I love horror and love reading horror…..Stoker, Lovecraft, Barker, King - many of my most enjoyable times in life have been immersing myself in the bloody and terrifying landscape of this most wonderful of genres.

So what is the issue? Well, the problem is short stories - they simply have never been my favourite form of horror writing. As I mentioned, I love Stephen King's works…… no, I ADORE his books. I have read everything, and I mean everything that he has ever written. The problem is that I'm not the greatest fans of short stories, even Kings's short stories - and before any of you out there in Blogland start badgering me with emails about 'The Body" or 'Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption', they weren't short stories they were novella's….so there. No, I just have some innate preference for the long story, the novel, something that I can lose and immerse myself in. A Novel is like a fabulous night's sleep -  refreshing and rewarding. Short stories on the other hand are like a nap on the sofa - occasionally acceptable but more often than not resulting in a headache and being swiftly awoken by the cat sitting on your chest waiting for his dinner. 

Hence, the reason for my reticence for reviewing a collection of short stories. However, after due consideration I decided to put aside my dislike of the format and be the professional that I am…..OK, I meant be the enthusiastic amateur that I am.

A Psycho’s Medley is a collection of five short stories and one longer story at the end.  For those of you wanting to bathe in the current fetish for supernatural tinged horror then go back to your 'Conjurings' and 'Sinisters'. Because the concept that runs through each of the six stories is the existence of the very real psychopath. There is no handiwork of the devil, vampires or ghostly like apparitions controlling the human impulses in this book - no, instead the stories delve into the psychological motivation and methodology of people (them and and us) who wander through existence adrift in a world of tortured and violent madness. In other worlds, there is nothing supernatural to hide behind in any of theses tales, no comforting sense of being able to say to oneself  " well it's only make believe monsters, and there's never really one ever hiding underneath my bed". This collection sits you gently down, asks you if you are comfortable……. and then introduces to the very real human monsters that could well be lying there under your bed and just waiting to introduce you to their insanity.

A Psycho's Medley

"I was embracing the shadows with dear Mr. Hyde. 

He lent me the cape and cane.

He gave me justification

and searing reason

and just a spark of the flame. "

A Psycho's Medley, the first story in the collection is the taken from a the private journal of serial killer John Newport, written not long after his arrest whilst undergoing observation in an institution. It also happens to be my personal favourite. 

The story is a delightful first-hand look into the mind of a psychopath. The journal takes the form of written accounts and poetry of John's memories, thoughts, and reasoning behind his becoming a serial killer. I really don't wish to give anything away about this or any other of the stories, but what I will say is that the strength of this particular look at a serial killer is the shades that the author uses to build up the psychopaths character. There is no black and white, there are degrees of sanity and insanity on show here and all written with a degree of humour that at times made me almost like the character of of John Newport. 

"….Boy, the judge's head would sure look nice on a spike. And that prosecutor... man, I'd like to cut him open and fuck his entrails and let him watch right before the last breath rattled from his body... Call me a hopeless romantic… "

The thought that many psychopaths can be quite charming and funny is an unsettling thought in itself.

The Night Out

"(...you are a thirty year-old virgin...father would roll over in his grave and mother would be proud..…)"

The second descent into the realm of madness is called The Night Out. The story is about Kevin who goes out for a night at the Silver Pistol Club, a topless bar, and the events which occur as he attempts to reconcile the broken pieces of his memories with his complex upbringing. Here in the club he meets one of the waitresses, who just happens to be a long lost love from his days at High school. 

This story is deliciously paced with the reader being gradually carried to the point where we witness an ever increasingly inevitable collision of the mans tortured past and sexually oppressed present. The writing too is clever, the complex mix of tortured memories vying with the attentions of Kevin's present thought process is a nice examination of a tortured mind.

Another story high on my list of favourites in the collection.

Morsel

“I don’t know. Peace. I don’t want to be anxious all of the time. It doesn’t take a lot to keep my chin up, you know. I just need a little morsel of happiness from time to time. I just need something to take away the monotony.”

The third story in the collection is Morsel . The story is begins with introduced to a business man, angry and disillusioned with his life who we find in a city hotel room. We see him talk on the phone with his wife - their relationship is clearly strained and unfulfilling from his point of view,. We hear his thoughts about his career as a travelling businessman, as an adult, as a man - he is bored, he hates the fact he has little control over his life. 

The need to find something fulfilling and satisfying, to be in control of something in his unhappy existence see's him arrange for a prostitute to visit him in his hotel room….. and here we discover that this disconsalete man enjoys a rather abnormal and particularly grungy fetish.

What I particularly enjoyed about this story is the ending. I had previously ignored any other reviews or opinions about A Psycho’s Medley before writing this piece, for obvious reasons. One review I did see about this story regarded the ending as a something of a disappointment, referring to the ending as being somewhat disappointingly positive. I would regard that as a major misjudgment of the climax of the story. In fact I would regard the nature of the ending as a chilling forbearance of the things to come - the continuation of a man's descent into insanity.

Waiting For The Thunder

"she had been waiting for the thunder her whole life, it seemed…"

Waiting for the Thunder is perhaps my least favourite of the collection - perhaps the fact that it is the shortest of all the stories has contributed to that opinion. It is a very brief glimpse into the consciousness of a woman who is perhaps insecure of herself and certainly has issues regarding commitment to relationships, especially one's that constitute one night stands. 

The writing and language is the usual high standard, but it ultimately left me feeling slightly unfulfilled, rather like the main character. Blimey, that might just have been the point!

Traiteur

“You gotta hunt to survive, lessen you want to end up a purty boy, kissin’ uptown men in Orleans?” The boy shook his head, reaching for the weapon……"

The penultimate story takes place in the southern American Swamplands and features the tale of a father taking his son (Dreg) on a hunt for the first time. Ah bless, a beautiful father/son bonding session. It beautifully focuses on the absolute need of Dreg to impress and not let down his father, whilst also hinting at the power that a father can have over a son to condition his behaviour - regardless of the horror of the activity.

When I read this I can genuinely remember thinking that whilst being a reasonably satisfying short story in its own terms, this would work better as excellent first chapter of a novel. Well bugger me, for once in my life I seem to have got something right as it IS actually the initial chapter of Terry's novel Dreg.

Again, it's not my favourite of the six stories, for one thing the direction the story took wasn't a particular surprise. But as an excercise into looking at the power of conditioning the human mind to performing acts of absolute horror- it is powerful and thought provoking.

Hair And Blood Machine

“And Johnny, I know there is something you are reluctant to talk to me about,” the doctor said, with a knowing look. ………"

“……...I don’t know what you mean,” Johnny said. “I’ve talked about everything with you.”

“I can see it in your eyes, Johnny. There so much you want to talk about, but you are afraid. You don’t have to be. I’m here to help you.” 

The final story, Hair and Blood Machine is the longest , and perhaps my second  favourite of the selections. It features Johnny, a young man from small-town America who has suffered a terrible personal tragedy and loss and is desperately attempting to keep his sanity under control. His problems are compounded by the not unknown small-minded approach of small towns everywhere after the way his grief and loss publicly manifested themselves on one particular tortuous occasion. 

In his conversations with his therapist show him to be at his core a decent, caring person who is probably suffering from some form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. However, the author clearly hints at something darker, something in-decent lurking within him. This darkness is addressed by a chance meeting with the woman of his dreams at the town carnival.

So its a love story then? Well if you regard love as dark, twisted and violently vengeful then this is the sort of romance that will appeal to you - it certainly appealed to me.

Perhaps the most delightful part of the story is the day that Terry M. West takes you along a slightly familiar psychological journey, only to then use the most original slight of hands to take you to the most satisfying of climaxes. A delight.

So has Terry M. West changed my mind about the short story format? I will admit that I genuinely enjoyed reading this collection of journeys into the mind of the psychopath. Some of them are very different forms of insanity, each with their own origins and manifestations, but most of them equally effective. It could be that I never  manage to reconcile my usual avoidance of short stories - I know for a fact that my next visit to my favourite book shop will include numerous novels, and possible few short story collections. However, that may be be a fault that lies with me. What is certain is that this collection may have gone a little way in changing my reading behaviour in future - and that is a glowing reference indeed methinks.

My personal rating 8.5 out of 10

C'mon Terry, give me your best moody
look mate..

Terry M. West is a well known author, filmmaker and actor. He has written several books in the young adult field (most notably the graphic novel series, Confessions of a Teenage Vampire) and he has also authored several horror stories as well as the novel, Dreg. His short horror work has appeared in FrightNet, Scream Factory, Agony In Black, Lacunae, Jackhammer, House of Pain, Dark Muse and Moonletters. He was a finalist for the 1997 International Horror Guild Award for a short story (The Night Out) and he made the 1999 Bram Stoker Award preliminary ballot for a piece of long fiction (Hair and Blood Machine). He was also mentioned on the 1997 TV Guide Sci-Fi Hot List.

His film works include his debut film Blood for the Muse (based on his comic book of the same name which was a finalist for the 1998 International Horror Guild Award for a comic) and Flesh for the Beast. He has acted in the films The Blood Shed and Gallery of Fear (both directed by Alan Rowe Kelly) and had a starring role in Joseph M. Monks debut film, The Bunker. Upcoming projects include: a revised

edition of Dreg, What Price Gory?, Fear and Lesbians in New Jersey and

Dead Aware. West currently lurks in southern California with his wife

Regina and son Terrence.

A PSYCHO’S MEDLEY can be found at the link RIGHT HERE

Terry's official Facebook page can be found RIGHT HERE

This article can also be found on the most excellent of horror websites http://www.ukhorrorscene.com/a-psychos-medley-by-terry-m-west-book-review/

A Review of a brand new novel - The Fall Of The Angel Nathalie by Jamie Brindle

"Do you believe in Angels and Daemons? It doesn't really matter, because they believe in you"…..

Reading first-time published novels can occasionally be a tricky business - they can occasionally be excellent, sometimes often reasonable, but even more often be instantly forgetful (and that is being distinctly kind). However, It has been my pleasure in my last couple of book reviews to read two very different, but equally excellent first-time novels  with (Starblood, by Camilla Voiez and Siberian Hellhole, by Michael Mulvihill). 

So after answering the urgent request of the Grand Master and Generalisimo of UKHorrorScene for someone to review a brand new debut Horror Fantasy then I was pretty certain that my luck would have run out on this third occasion. After all, my weekend has gone as good as it could possibly get with England winning again in the cricket against Australia and then finding a forgotten bottle of rather expensive wine languishing in a kitchen cupboard - surely there there had to be a sting in the week's tail? There had been no more information than that the story was a horror fantasy and it was the writer's debut novel - not much to go on really.

So when the friendly and dependable postman dropped the well-wrapped package through my letter box on Wednesday I did wonder whether my run of two excellent reads was about to end. I could have started the review earlier in the week as I had been offered the choice of either an electronic copy or or in the traditional as-god-intended- paper-state every book should be - not that I'm old fashioned when it comes to books you know….well actually I am. I love the feel of them, the texture of them, the weight of them and ( call me strange) especially the sound they make when you tap them…... Yes I know….

So after opting for a proper copy of a book I eagerly unwrapped it and onto the table place the book 'The Fall Of The Angel Nathalie' by Jamie Brindle. As a consequence of opting for the paper edition I had given myself less time to read & then review it ……. In other words, if it was bad then the pain wouldn't last as long.

So, in the long anticipated and still imagined words of Bellatrix Lestrange after a night of Wizardry and Witch shenanigans  - " Well, how was it for you, Stuart?"

In all genuine honesty, The Fall Of The Angel Nathalie is quite simply a triumph.

PLOT OUTLINE

It is not my intention to give away many details of the plot. I don't hate many people in life, but people who divulge book details, or even worse, people who skip to the end of a book to read the final few pages should be taken out and shot at dawn. So consequently, i will endeavour to relay as much as I can about the story without hopefully giving too much away

The story essentially deals with a timeless battle between the Angels and daemons for the possession of human souls, ALL human souls. It is a war between the immortals fought not with weapons of destruction, because direct Intevention is not allowed. Instead we are moved, influenced, tempted with the merest of whispered suggestion in a  person's ear, a barely noticed nudge on one's will.

The fact that much of humanity no longer believes in heaven or hell, god and the devil or Angles and deamons is inconsequential. In fact it is playing right into the hands of the immortals - because it makes their job all that easier, they are everywhere and they are fighting over you.

The plot moves from the Angel's realm, the Gardens of Avalon where the grass is green and the sun always shines to the Deamon realm of Daemonhearth where pain, damnation and darkness stretches for infinity. And in-between there is the planet Earth, with it's cites of endless possibilities for battling over our souls.

So what about the character from the title, Nathalie? Well she is a powerful, beautiful Angel and her task is to make sure she stops evil being committed. The problem is that the realm hierarchies believe in the utmost importance that humans should be given as much free will as possible - direct intervention is frowned upon……And that is frustrating for Nathalie, very frustrating.

The Deamons too are bound by the same rules, they cannot intervene directly…..but they can tempt. The finely tailored and flawlessly handsome Jason, once an Angel but now fallen to become a deadly daemon is set on one particular target of his own, tempting one individual who should definitely NOT be tempted...

The story is a wonderful rich tapestry of Sin, temptation and the notion of whether we actually have, or need free will. It examines thoughts that all of us have had at one time - if we could stop evil taking shape before it happens, just how far would we go? If we choose to commit murder to stop murder, or even just to think about committing a sinful act in itself but which in turn could stop increased pain and death……does that make us just as bad, or worse.? And just because we stop someone murdering simply by the merest act of suggestion, does the fact that they wanted to in the first place mean that in their soul is damned?

The characters of The Fall Of The Angel Nathalie are wonderfully drawn and layered. The complexities and contradictions in Nathalie and Jason are delightfully described and the cast of 'supporting' characters are given plenty of room to breath and eve love - though not always in ways that we expect. The fact that not some may not be quite as they seem keeps you guessing right to the end, there is no black and white here.

Sometimes...the best things are done by the worst people and the worst things done by the best of us.

The are a couple of negatives, though I would hardly call them complaints, more accurately they could be described merely as minor quibbles. The main one being that the story occasionally travels a little too fast with a couple of the episodes feeling ever so slightly rushed - the introduction of Nathalie's first 'understudys' Blake and Laura being a case in point. The underworld of Daemonhearth could have benefited from a more detailed description of the realm. Moreover, the relationship between Nathalie and Jason, which is the cornerstone of the narrative is merely hinted at. I would have loved to have read a more detailed back story of their relationship. The last two points to make up some elements of a future novel perhaps Mr Brindle?

However, as I mentioned these are but minor quibbles about a story that had me transfixed from the very first chapter to the heart-stopping finale. I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this book to anyone who has even the most tenuous affection for Fantasy. For those of us that love fantasy with a true and unrelenting passion, then this will not disappoint. In fact it may even reaffirm those who may have become jaded and somewhat disillusioned with fantasy and horror in this post-Twilight sparkly world that we inhabit. 

To those out there who poo poo the idea of anything fantasy or horror related, then I suggest you read The fall of the Angel Nathalie - it may just change your mind.

About the Author Jamie Brindle

"Jamie was brought up by loving ex-hippy parents who sold boomerangs for a living and had a hedge maze in their back garden. He was home-educated until the age of fourteen, before being eased gently into the idea that the world, by and large, expects you to get up earlier than is really civilised for the majority of your life.

Jamie trained as a biochemist at the University of Sussex. Following graduation, he realised he would find this deeply boring, and after a brief sojourn working in a school for deaf children (which he enjoyed much more than his home-educated prejudices had led him to believe), he studied medicine at the University of Warwick. He now works as a junior doctor, and writes speculative fiction mainly as a way to ground himself after long shifts in the bizarre fantasy world of the NHS."

Overall rating 9/10

You can buy The Fall Of The Angel Nathalie HERE at Amazon

In praise of Star Wars Episode I;The Phantom Menace

All right, I'll get this out of the way straight away….

I LOVE The Phantom Menace - I truly do. It is in no way the disaster that many people suggest that it is. In fact, It quite simply is something of a sublime movie…..

So, there I said it. Now I could sit back and wait for the avalanche, the Tsunami, the absolute cacophony of outrage that will come from many in my fellow Geek fraternity at the sheer audacity of that comment. For few movies in the history of cinema have been condemned  and criticised as much as this was and in many ways, still is. For example, only yesterday I saw a "Kill Jar Jar Binks - save the series" t-shirt advertised on some online store. The strength of 'anti-Phantom Menace' feelings amongst many is frankly disturbing in its intensity. I would argue it is time for a re-appraisal.

For those of us that experienced the first wave of the force back in 1977, we were quite simply blessed to be part of the whole insane adventure. Prior to the arrival of Messrs Skywalker, Solo, Vader et al, the science fiction scene was dire. Star Trek was nothing but a distant memory and the genre was wallowing in memories of well meaning (and some not so well meaning) B-movies. The injection that George Lucas provided to sci-fi was seismic in proportions and arguably the greatest revolution in cinematic history that can still be felt in the genre today. 

To those that weren't around in those heady days it is difficult to explain just how exciting and new the Star Wars universe was. It was everywhere; in film, literature, merchandising, music, in fact there wasn't one facet of popular culture that wasn't affected during those mad early years which evolved into living through the release of three truly iconic films. The news. some 20 odd years after the first release that not just one, but three new Star Wars films were going to be made simply sent us all into further geek rapture.

The original three movies, and the subsequent build up to the new releases had heightened the expectations of fans to the impossible extent that I firmly believe that no film would have ever been able to meet them. Now, don't get me wrong. I am in no way way saying The Phantom Menace is the best of the lot or that it is perfect - It certainly has numerous flaws, a couple of which I'll talk about in a moment. What I am saying is that this movie such not be treated as the much maligned Star Wars pariah that it has been since the day of it's release.

So before I go onto to change the minds of all you Phantom Menace doubters out there, i feel for evenness sake it is only fair that I mention what are regarded as two of the major flaws in the film.  Yes Jar Jar Binks and Anakin Skywalker, I'm talking about about you two!

THE NEGATIVES

Jar Jar Binks

Grab him by the throat Qui-Gon, grab him by the throat!

Of course he's one of of the main problems with this movie - that fact cannot be denied, even by we lovers of the film. The character has few redeeming qualities at all. It's almost as if George Lucas sat in his office one day and thought to himself "I want to make a character that will irritate, anger and quite possibly offend as many people in the world as possible" Well congratulations Georgie boy, you did it. I'm assuming that Binks was intended as a source of comedic relief, rather along the lines of C3P0 in the original series. 

However it all goes badly wrong. It's difficult to know whether it is the pseudo-Rastafarian voice employed by actor Ahmed Best, the offensive racial stereotyping, or simply the fact that the character is a complete moron that grates so much. His inclusion in the film was a miscalculation of gigantic proportions for not only did he seem to piss the whole of the world off, he became the focal point for all what was regarded as wrong with The Phantom Menace. 

Anakin Skywalker

It's a close call, but the second most annoying character in the film isn't too much of a stretch for most people. Now I don't want this to turn into a personal attack on the boy who played the future Mr Vader. However, Jake Lloyd was at best a bit rubbish and at worst, completely annoying. There wasn't a stage at any point in the movie where there was even a hint of the turmoil or menace that should have lain beneath the character. Whether it was Lloyd's acting inability, or bad direction from Lucas, the seminal role in the film was badly put together and ineptly one-dimensional.

In my view, people tend to overlook the some of the weaknesses of the first three movies, the clunky dialogue, the holes in some of the plot-lines to name but two things. For those that propose that the likes of Jar Jar Binks and Annakin Skywalker ruin the film beyond redemption - let me leave you with this thought. Ewoks.

THE POSITIVES

Darth Maul

Darth Cool

The Phantom Menace may not have the pervading intimidation of a heavy breathing & Asthmatic Darth Vader. It may not have the enigmatic yet charismatic presence of Boba Fett. It does however have a character that if at all possible, could arguably out-Darth Darth Vader. 

The Lightsabre fight involving Maul, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan has the excitement and complex choreography to rival anything that had been seen before, thanks in no small part to actor Ray Park's martial arts skills - and you can never go wrong in character's death scene involving him being cut in half!

Darth Maul's character had all the charisma and depth that was missing form the Anakin Skywalker character - and yet, and yet. A chance was possibly missed by Lucas as his screen time added up to approximately 3 minutes. Now that is a crime.

The visuals

Yes, The Phantom Menace has strange and confusing plot twists, dialogue that puts the cheese in Cheesy and a list of loose threads galore. However, so did the original series - for instance there is the well told story of Harrison Ford telling George Lucas that he couldn't write dialogue for shit.

There is still so much to love and appreciate about this film. Some of the battle and action scenes are quite simply breathtaking in their scope, excitement and their intricate production. The pod race through the desert has some obvious Ben Hur chariot race homage going on in it's excitement and stature. The special effects are incredible, taking the Star Wars Galaxy to new levels of colourful textured complexity. The detail afforded to the various creatures, landscapes, underwater cities, interiors and general scenery are staggering and completely convincing. These help provide the movie with a mythical storybook feel, the colours, textures and hues are simply beautiful - never has a Star Wars film looked better.

You could also add to that some magical central performances from Liam Neeson and Ian McDiarmid. It's also only for Samuel L. Jackson in it for crying out loud!

I believe that in part the movie suffered greatly from unfair comparisons to the earlier films - I agree with the people that argue that it is far inferior to any of them - barring the bloody Ewoks. What we need to do is celebrate The Phantom Menace partly on it's own merits as a singular piece of work and also as prologue to the catastrophic changes that are going to take place in the Galaxy in the years to come.

When you look at it dispassionately, it is actually a very good piece of cinema that takes us through the straightforward plot of a planetary trade dispute at an often steady and understated pace. Whereas the previous movies were seemingly a sequence of one cliff-hanger after another, this is a story that needs to take it's time to allow the viewer to immerse himself or herself in the experience by providing the underpinning of the story that has begun - The disintegration of the Republic and eventual emergence of the empire. 

There are glaring weaknesses in the film, but the various strengths far outweigh the few weaknesses. So open your mind and watch it again and see if you change your mind. If it doesn't change then that is ok. It's still a fine film in my eyes.

And remember, as great as the first 3 Star Wars movies were, one of them contained those bloody Ewoks.