A Gritty Little Thriller...M.R reviews David Croneberg’s Crash

David Croneberg’s Crash is never beautiful, but somehow intensely sensual.  The films focuses on kinky sex and car crashes, but is not about either action.  Sex is merely a release of tension the characters feel, tension that builds from their intricate study of car crashes.

Croneberg has created a character study, with characters that have vague back stories if any. The focus is always on the present, never the past or future.  These people believe in the intensity of the moment, and the question becomes why?  And the audience in free to apply their own experiences into this question, because Croneberg is not going to help you.     

The entire cast is amazing but Deborah Unger is a clear stand out.  She purrs her lines with a layered sense of emotion, conveying intensity in her eyes that her body and words try to hide.   She does everything that she can to support her husband, as they both spiral further into a dark dangerous world. 

Elias Koteas is memorizing as the main catalyst for the intense sensations that the cast searches out.  He is neither a villain or hero, he merely is.  He provides an outlet for what you feel, but will never help you truly understand it. 

David Croneberg’s Crash is a hypnotic film that draws you into a world that exists on the verge of our own.  The score by Howard Shore is memorizing and with each viewing of this film I take something new from it.  This from a film I hated the first time I saw it, though it was the heavily censored version blockbuster carried.  (Geographic convenience sorry).  I cannot emphasize what a car wreck(get it) this version is.  Scenes aren’t just trimmed, but entirely removed, important scenes that without, the film makes NO SENSE what so ever.  If this is the only version you have access to don’t bother.  

Sandy Deluca Painting and Quote

Night of the Living Dead Volume 3 by Mike Wolfer & Dheeraj Verma

Night of the Living Dead Volume 3 by Mike Wolfer & Dheeraj Verma.  This is a tricky book to review, because you can see a great deal of effort put into it.  The two stories contained in this volume are Death Valley and an untitled bayou bonus. 

In each arc there is a clear attempt to elevate the characters involved above typical horror tropes, that being said it does not always succeed.  The art hurts especially in Death Valley in this regard as the characters are nearly identical.  They look as though they were inspired by Liefeld from the mid 90’s, so the cast they seem to be nothing more than people with perfect bodies, with a total lack of nuisance.  Again I am not being a prude, but when the cast is mostly naked, and the features are so similar it is difficult to keep track of who is who.  This is a shame, especially with the intricate back stories that were worked out to show character growth. 

The action and gore sequences though are quite well done, and I know if I stumbled on this book back when I first began reading comics they would have been ingrained in my mind in their intensity and graphic detail. 

In keeping true to Romero, each story makes an attempt at some level of social commentary, however it never really works. 

This collection was a fine read but frustrating as it never reached the level the creators were clearly trying for.  That being said I always prefer an honest attempt at something, rather than half asses shit even the creator has to admit they didn't give their full effort to. 

The Fountain Graphic Novel Darren Aronofsky and Kent Williams

I saw The Fountain when it was in theaters wondering if this was an amazing film, or beautiful nonsense that would fall apart if I stopped and thought about it. With each viewing of the film the story and images resonate deeper than they did before.  Until recently I was ignorant of the graphic novels existence.

Kent Williams style of painting works incredibly well, and the small differences from the film add small elements of nuance that I appreciated.  Izzi has a greater role in the future sequences.  I was captivated by this work and will be buying a second copy so tear apart and frame some of the images.  The graphic novel captures simple truth and beauty of Aronofsky's story.  Don't hesitate if you are interested, buy this now.

This Book Is Full of Spiders: Seriously, Dude, Don’t Touch It Book by David Wong

John Dies at the End was one of the most original horror/comedy hybrids I have read and I was completely blown away by it.   I was excited about the sequel, This Book Is Full of Spiders: Seriously, Dude, Don’t Touch It which, at the very least, is a great title with an amazing cover.  Read my review at Ravenous Monster...

Linnea Quigley's Horror Workout

Linnea Quigley's Horror Workout...

Yes this exists and you can stream it be

below, see how much you can make it through...

The Crow Skinning the Wolves #3 Review

The Crow Skinning the Wolves #3

James O’Barr

Jim Terry

In issue three of Skinning the Wolves The Crow confronts The Commandant and the scenes between the two are wholly satisfying.  With The Crow the reader has established that The Crow cannot be killed, and in this the audience is looking not for a simple revenge killing, but an experience of retribution and revelation.  In this Skinning the Wolves #3 delivers. 

As The Crow assaults The Commandant the pair converses.  During these scenes the audience is treated to flashbacks as The Commandant remembers who The Crow was.  This is an issue of revelation and mediation, that delivers on both fronts. This was a product of great dialogue between the two.  

The artwork is again strong, with a distinct style that works to tell a story, and never distract from it.  While this book is less moody visually, it works not to distract the reader from the interaction between The Crow and The Commandant. 

By keeping each man nameless it also lets their battle of wills extend beyond the two specific men into something larger and more universal.  If your just picking up this book without reading the other two, you will probably be disappointed.  The Crow Skinning of the Wolves is a book that rewards the reader with rich complete story telling, and while the script is not overly complicated from the perspective of narrative, this is an issue of emotional revelation that was well earned over the previous two issues.  

Thrilling Tales of the Downright Unusual

Click above to create your own vintage pulp magazine cover.  

Schwarzenegger & Stallone bust back to back weekends

This is a bit non genre, but so be it.

Schwarzenegger & Stallone both bombed back to back weekends with The Last Stand and Bullet to the head respectively.  And it got me thinking about Arnold, and for such a strong man, aside from the Predator he generally faces foes that are pretty weak by comparison.  Here he is with Bennett from Commando.

He was supposed to be the heavy in the film.  Or what about the bad guy Salim Abu Aziz played by Art Malik.  

Hell, even cuffed Arnold seems to have the edge.  In Total Recall has a big throw down with Sharon Stone.

His biggest Franchise, The Terminator films, when he's the good guy who's he up against.  

So compare that with Rocky's antagonists, hell Stallone through down with Stone Cold in The first Expendables and let'  not forget Rourke in Get Carter. 

An action needs a good foe and Schwarzenegger's just been slumming for years.  

Top 10 Funniest Horror Ass-Kickers

Read my top 10 list at Ravenous Monster.

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