tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003758772971289930.post4862961294249665650..comments2024-03-27T12:35:33.631-04:00Comments on The Deadly Doll's House of Horror Nonsense: Nerd Alert! Books Books Books (& Books)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003758772971289930.post-12940450947571785612010-11-30T22:22:00.008-05:002010-11-30T22:22:00.008-05:00Shiftless: Watched it. Loved it!
Aaron: I always ...Shiftless: Watched it. Loved it!<br /><br />Aaron: I always have an issue with the whole thriller vs. horror debate when it comes to film, and I don't really know where I fall when it comes to fiction. Something like Silence of the Lambs, for example...I refuse to call the film a thriller, and as a novel, it doesn't necessarily feel 'different' in genre from most Ketchum books. But then you think of how a Ketchum book or story makes you feel, which is truly horrible (not a bad thing; I love Ketchum!). It's complicated!deadlydollshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06061028044836745499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003758772971289930.post-42352508647054439142010-11-30T14:22:57.601-05:002010-11-30T14:22:57.601-05:00I think I know the cover of Cover you mean, from t...I think I know the cover of Cover you mean, from the Leisure release. It kind of fits the theme of the novel anyway.<br /><br />As to my suggestion that Ketchum is more of a crime writer than a horror writer, I suppose I say that because - for the most part - his novels really don't use any sort of a weird angle nor un-human monsters or even the supernatural generally (aside from She Wakes), which is how I (erroneously) differentiate between horror (or at least weird horror) and more mundane true crime style fiction.<br /><br />That said the man writes crazy cannibals like no one else - aside from maybe Richard Laymon.<br /><br />- AaronThe Idler After Darkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13349725567379546628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003758772971289930.post-46740663440023734022010-11-30T07:14:36.706-05:002010-11-30T07:14:36.706-05:00Oooooh, I've totally never heard of this movie...Oooooh, I've totally never heard of this movie but my goodness! Sarah Polley? Cronenberg? End of the world? I think I just had a moviegasm.deadlydollshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06061028044836745499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003758772971289930.post-28626341171596546402010-11-30T00:28:29.957-05:002010-11-30T00:28:29.957-05:00No, the mini-series is languishing at around #303 ...No, the mini-series is languishing at around #303 in my Netflix queue. I'll get to it soon as I do like Bryan Brown and Rachel Ward. If you haven't seen it, check out Don McKellar's Last Night (available on instant Netflix) with Sarah Polley, Sandra Oh and a bunch of other cool Canadian character actors (plus David Cronenberg!). It's a last-night-on-earth movie with a lighter tone than On the Beach. It's one of my favorite pre-apocalyptic films.Shiftlesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01593430909737600045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003758772971289930.post-36041418583274880132010-11-29T19:41:30.711-05:002010-11-29T19:41:30.711-05:00Funny Aaron, I never would've thought of Ketch...Funny Aaron, I never would've thought of Ketchum as a crime novelist but I guess it could make sense. His work really doesn't fit the 'mystery' bill, and I guess because he doesn't downplay violence, it makes sense as horror. But I guess when you compare something like Stephen King to Ketchum, you do see a difference. Cover wasn't my favorite Ketchum and I can definitely see your Rambo point, but it still worked for me. <br /><br />Not sure about that cover. In Ketchum's intro, he actually discusses how the book went through different cover art, some of which was skewed to a horror audience, other that was a little more 'literary.' My cover (of Cover!) was different, very stalker-y. Ketchum sometimes has bad luck with cover art (witness the dreadful skeleton cheerleader for The Girl Next Door). I like the one here, was kind of blah to the one on my recent copy.<br /><br />Shiftless: I'm curious if you've seen the 2000 miniseries adaptation made in Australia? It was much darker than the first film version, even though it has one glimmer of happiness at the end. Rachel WArd played Moira in a MUCH more interesting way than Gardner. I actually loved her performance, although there was something even sadder about the novel's Moira being so young (I think 24) with no life lived. Definitely the most fascinating and tragic character in the story. Also, I love me some Bryan Brown, and he easily kicked Astaire's dance toned ass!deadlydollshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06061028044836745499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003758772971289930.post-78569321052826875142010-11-29T18:34:45.005-05:002010-11-29T18:34:45.005-05:00I preferred the novel of On the Beach to the 1959 ...I preferred the novel of On the Beach to the 1959 movie. One reason is the female lead, Moira, is a much more interesting and believable character in the book. The choices she makes seem unorthodox for a woman especially at that time. Ava Gardner's characterization seemed much more like the standard stand-by-your-man girlfriend/prop, and I thought the script kind of sold her out. The racing stuff was also a lot better in the book and was much more riveting, plus I didn't buy Fred Astaire as a race car driver. It's still a decent film, but the book was better.Shiftlesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01593430909737600045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003758772971289930.post-68836296778739776922010-11-29T09:44:45.723-05:002010-11-29T09:44:45.723-05:00It's strange how Ketchum gets lumped in (and I...It's strange how Ketchum gets lumped in (and I by no means use that term derogatorily) with horror authors when, for the most part, his stuff is much more in line with true crime style fiction and the like.<br /><br />Granted most of his stuff is extremely bloody and violent, but that hardly makes it horror. Or does it?<br /><br />At any rate Cover was well written, as you mentioned, but my memory of the story beyond it being something of a more misguided Rambo is hazy at best. Perhaps not a good sign as it's not too many years ago that I read it.<br /><br />The cover image you used there, is that from a trade paperback or the old/original release? The Leisure version is quite different.<br /><br />- AaronThe Idler After Darkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13349725567379546628noreply@blogger.com