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Reviews & Commentary by Adam Groves
ORGY OF THE DEAD (Film)
From Ed Wood, a charmingly archaic sexploitation outrage that was apparently conceived as a loose sequel to PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE
BURNING PARADISE
For me, this “gothic hell prison movie” will always be the most satisfying film directed by Hong Kong’s late Ringo Lam (1955-2018)
POKOL INFERNO
Dante’s Inferno, adapted as a much weirder-than-average Hungarian TV movie from the 70s
TALES FROM THE GIMLI HOSPITAL
The debut feature of Canada’s Guy Maddin, and a potent signifier of what was to come
COBB
A failed, but quite interesting, biopic on the late baseball star, and trigger-happy nut, Ty Cobb
STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE (Book)
One of the more famous late Twentieth Century movie novelizations was this prose rendering of the first STAR TREK feature, credited to series’ creator Gene Roddenberry
PETER IBBETSON
A 19th Century classic (of sorts) that served as a direct forerunner to fantasy narratives ranging from THE STAR ROVER to SOMEWHERE IN TIME
THE MEN IN THE JUNGLE
A nasty ‘Nam allegory by sci fi legend Norman Spinrad
COLD FRONT
A recently republished 1980s horror novel that’s strong, descriptive and thoroughly Canadian
SKIN
The third and most widely praised of Kathe Koja’s grunge-era horror novels, resissued in a snazzy new edition
GILLIAMESQUE
A “Pre-Posthumous Memoir” by the outspoken London-based cartoonist-turned-director Terry Gilliam, and everything you’d expect
NEUE SLOWENISCHE KUNST
From the underground publishing outfit Amok Books, a sumptuously designed art book about a most unique European art collective
THE EXOTIC ONES: THAT FABULOUS FILMMAKING FAMILY FROM MUSIC CITY, USA–THE ORMONDS
It’s hard to believe this large format hardcover is the first book devoted to the Ormonds, but I’m glad it’s finally here, and that it delivers on its promise
AESTHETIC DEVIATIONS: A CRITICAL VIEW OF AMERICAN SHOT-ON-VIDEO HORROR, 1984-1994
The first in-depth critical study of SOV horror, written by an author who really appreciates this stuff
THE EXORCIST LEGACY: 50 YEARS OF FEAR
A 50 year overview of an enduring classic, written by an author who was ideally suited for the job
Shelley Duvall: 1949-2024
Shelley Duvall: Hollywood’s prototypical Quirky Actress.
Robert Towne: 1934-2024
Another important showbiz death? I’m afraid so…
Donald Sutherland: 1935-2024
In the category of underappreciated actors, the recently deceased Donald Sutherland looms rather hugely
On A FELADAT and BLINDPASSASJER
It’s a fact that much of the world’s most vital televised science fiction emerges from outside the US, and here are two examples
Roger Corman: 1926-2024
R.I.P.