So ironic, isn't it girls????????? After my last book post, where I express my hesitancy with short story collections, along I come with one that actually demands to be read.
As a horror maven from the sand pile up, I was aware very early of Richard Matheson. The surprise starts with the brilliantly designed jacket cover; it took me days to recognize the illusion in the background. As for what is inside, well, most of us know the famous "Nightmare At 20, 000 Feet," dramatized so memorably on "The Twilight Zone," with William Shatner. It is even better on the printed page. Then there is my favorite, "Prey" which became the basis for the famous short film pitting Karen Black against a Voodoo doll, doing her actress all not to be upstaged by the object! On print, it is even more terrifying.
Some of the stories, like "Blood Son," are sparked with genuine humor, and many of them feature ghoulishly funny, or ironic endings. While they may also sound familiar, and the influence of other writers--like Ray Bradbury--can be seen, this is one anthology where every story resonates. And that is a rarity.
Perfect reading for a dark night, in front of the fire, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with you on Prey.
ReplyDeleteThat Karen Black scene was actually kind of hilarious to me; I guess it depends on how old you are.
A "Best Of" that did not disappoint.
A rarity indeed!
Now I know what book I want for Christmas. Huge Matheson fan, but oddly don't have anything of his on my shelf. My collected works of Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clark and Phillip K. Dick could use a new neighbor.
ReplyDeleteRegarding "Prey", its a tragedy that computer games and predictable CGI have so thoroughly corrupted the human palette over the past couple of decades. The lovingly crafted "practical effects" (i.e. there was actually something there in front of the camera) of classic films "Trilogy Of Terror" are now laughed off the screen. Its a damn shame that precious few viewers under 40 learned the ability to "just go with" old-school film magic. You knew it was fake, but you appreciated the effort involved and it was somehow more fun. That willing suspension of disbelief has been lost forever, and we're artistically poorer for it (imagine if "Close Encounters" was made today: the majestic, organically-lit, handcrafted, $3 million Mothership model would instead be a ho-hum byproduct of Nintendo designers wired in from Pakistan- blecchh!).
Of course, "Trilogy Of Terror" is also afflicted by the horribly dated directing style of Dan Curtis: in the 60s and 70s this was appreciated as a novel form of terror camp, a derivation of the Hammer horror films. Unfortunately it is a style firmly rooted in its time, so comes off ridiculous today (unless you're old enough to remember when "Dark Shadows" and "Kolchak" were hip water-cooler topics).
Whether one thinks the Karen Black "Prey" segment is utterly silly or a fun vintage curio, we should give the team kudos for their effort. When filmed in 1974, the budget for the "Prey" segment was $250,000 (most of which was spent creating the animatronic voodoo doll). This was the single most expensive half hour of television ever made to that point, and held the record for many years afterward. That crude Zuni Fetish Doll realization was state-of-the-art FX in '74, imperfect but groundbreaking technology.
ReplyDeleteVictoria,
You had to hand it to Karen
for giving it all her all.
Watching it is both chilling and
campy. But reading it is a
horrific experience.
ReplyDeleteDarling,
The thought of 'Close Encounters' being
made today revolts me. I love
the Karen Black segment; her performance
makes the whole thing convincing. Like
Ellen Burstyn in "The Exorcist."
But that doll is both terrifying and cute.
I would love to have one, but David would
never allow it!