Clive Barker is Awesome!

I love Clive Barker.  He is such a sick and awesome weirdo.  I have not had a chance to read any of this books or novellas, but I am going to get on that stat!  I didn't actually even know he produced Candyman until I researched a little bit.  How cool is that!?

I know its cliche, but Pinhead is one of the most twisted, depraved, and sinister creations I have ever had the pleasure of being introduced to.  He has probably the best list of movie quotes of any character in horror I can think of.  They are all intelligent, disturbing, and provocative wrapped up into a little ball of terror.  I have to say, the first time I watched Hellraiser, I was afraid to go to bed for weeks and was just waiting for pinhead to come onto our plane and come into my bedroom and tell me all the things he had to show me.  No, thanks.  I appreciate the offer, but you can have the box and go back home.  Peace out.  

Candyman, also, kind of a sexual character.  His voice is husky.  He wants you to be his victim in you are Helen.  He kinda digs her.  He's kind of in love with her, but wants her to suffer with him, go figure.  Hummmm, sounds like real love?  Suffering, an element of love and pleasure.  This is right up Clive's alley, even though he was just the producer.  I can see how he would have an extreme appreciation for this movie and want to be involved in this subject.

I can't say I loved Lord of Illusions.  It was just not my thing, but I do love his mindset often on the underlying forbidden tones within all of us.  We all want pleasure and sometimes are willing to endure unimaginable pain and pay costs, which we have no idea are as high as they are to experience such forbidden delights.

The Plague was a totally different type of film, but classic in the concept that spliced Children of the Corn's type of feel with a touch of Village of the Damned.  This film came from the company, Midnight Picture Show, in which he created.  I am a little surprised that he went out of the box with this one, but backing a creation you have not made that is great in its own rite makes sense.

 

You can watch Hellraiser I & II as well as Candyman, and The Plague on our movie theater page on this blog, which is located here...(click).  They are all free to watch and you aren't required to sign up for anything to watch them.

 

I also want to make mention of the short short story, which was part of a Clive Barker Anthology, on which the film in the Master's of Horror television show, Haeckel's Tale is based, Dark Delicacies: Original Tales of Terror and the Macabre, is featured.  You can actually watch it here.  It was supposed to be directed by George A. Romero, but was replaced by John McNaughton.  I'm glad they made that choice, because although I love Romero, I am pleased with how it turned out in style, setting, and tone.  You can check it out here for free on Hulu.

Ebola - Worse Than The Plague?

The onset of Ebola begins with the sudden appearance of flu-like symptoms, which of course manifests as general malaise, a fever and chills, muscle and joint aches and pains, and chest pain. This malefic disease causes nausea, accompanied by stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting.  

In addition to these fun and super symptoms, one suffers from a sore throat, a cough, hiccups, and shortness of breath.  The central nervous system comes into play and then the symptoms involved with that are severe headaches, agitation, confusion, fatigue, depression, seizures, and sometimes a coma might happen.  If so, you're probably lucky.

Sometimes people experience small or larger flesh colored raised bumps, sort of like hives.  They also might be red in color much like hives.  In addition sufferers may be afflicated with bruises, hematomas, broken blood vessel appearance like they are turning into zombie or a vampire, particularly around the eyes.  

Other possibility are red or purple blotches on the skin, which of course indicates bleeding under the skin.  Its not good when victims start bleeding under the skin and when they get bruises and blood-related issues.  

Pretty much, you bleed out the eyes, mouth, ears, and genitals, too.  It affects your vascular system.  Generally, sufferers die because their organ(s) fail.  This all occurs in less than 2 weeks, generally, but may go on as long as nearly a month.  It depends on who is afflicted. 

Cultural traditions making deadly Ebola outbreak worse, experts say by NewsTv247

Bubonic Plague & The Black Death

One of my most loved and exciting topics that I hold near and dear to my black and rotten heart is horrible history, which of course includes, death, war, destruction, greed, disease, starvation, murder, genocide, rapier (the Latin term for the obvious), and whatever, fill in the blanks, you sinners and sodomites.  You malfeasors and malefactors, what is wrong with you!?  What is with all the malfeasance going on?!!!

The History Channel - The Black Death - Article & Information Page

The Black Death - The Greatest Catastrophe Ever - YouTube Video

The Black Death - BBC Documentary

Secrets of the Dead III (2002): 2. Mystery of the Black Death

Secrets of the Black Plague 

 

 

 

 

The Plague & Season of The Witch - Similar, But Different

At long last somebody has covered the Black Plague in Europe and has applied a supernatural horror concept to it, and it has been done more than once this year, and both flicks are quite unique, and I would say equally good.  I must say I enjoyed Season of the Witch a bit more, but I really liked both films, the other being Black Death. 

Black Death - The Black Death was probably more psychological than anything else, and heralded less special effects.  It relied on the creepiness of witchery and Pagan evil more than anything else.  And when I say Pagan evil, I mean actual evil Pagans.  Most Pagans are peaceful and practice nice and helpful Wicca, not straight out hurting people and casting plagues among their peoples.  These guys were a bit more sneaky, and weren't as fun as the girl in Season of the Witch, but that's what I liked about it.  Its worth watching!  I was very surprised.  I had not idea how the film would approach their fight of evil, but I found out.  It was quite suspenseful, and not what I expected, wholly. 

Black Death - Trailer

Season of the Witch - Season of the Witch had great special effects, a seriously strong, and scary little teenage witch.  She had personality.  She was manipulative, and actually did nice things every so often, but they were all for her own purposes.  It had an interesting host of characters, not much different from that of The Black Death, but still it was fun, and super suspenseful.  The plagued dead were gross, and had bugs buzzing all around them.  The crusty corpses added a nice effect.  There was also a "holy war" plot and showed all the battles the two main characters had engaged in.  They desert their cause, and to spare their own lives are charged with another "holy mission", to see "The Black Witch" to an abbey to be dealt with supernaturally, neat!  I dug the way the witches were executed in the beginning, too.  You will have to watch, authentic.  The one thing that bothered me was the absence of a Medieval accent or way of speaking, and the fact that everyone spoke in an American accent.  It took away from things, but it was still a good flick.

Season of the Witch - Trailer