Issa López can't stop winning.
Season 4 of the hit HBO series "True Detective" was a massive risk, with show creator Nic Pizzolatto stepping back after three seasons to collect executive producer checks and whine on Instagram, while López took the series into a completely different direction with "Night Country" and navigated her predecessor's pettiness with the utmost grace. The risk paid off, big time, as "Night Country" became the most-watched season of the series yet, as well as the highest-rated on Rotten Tomatoes. So it's no surprise that HBO has wisely decided to renew the acclaimed drama for a fifth installment, with López returning for a new season under a multiyear overall deal with the company. Meaning, she will not only create season 5 of "True Detective," but she will also provide additional projects exclusive to HBO and the Max streaming platform. Personally, I've got my fingers crossed for another horror...
Season 4 of the hit HBO series "True Detective" was a massive risk, with show creator Nic Pizzolatto stepping back after three seasons to collect executive producer checks and whine on Instagram, while López took the series into a completely different direction with "Night Country" and navigated her predecessor's pettiness with the utmost grace. The risk paid off, big time, as "Night Country" became the most-watched season of the series yet, as well as the highest-rated on Rotten Tomatoes. So it's no surprise that HBO has wisely decided to renew the acclaimed drama for a fifth installment, with López returning for a new season under a multiyear overall deal with the company. Meaning, she will not only create season 5 of "True Detective," but she will also provide additional projects exclusive to HBO and the Max streaming platform. Personally, I've got my fingers crossed for another horror...
- 2/22/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
“From the dusty mesa, her looming shadow grows.”
10 years ago, these ominous lyrics (courtesy of the alternative country duo The Handsome Family) introduced us to a horrific world of crime, conspiracy and multi-layered madness in the infamous intro to HBO’s hit show, True Detective. From that very first episode, we all knew this was going to be something special, with Nic Pizzolatto and Cary Fukunaga teaming up for a cinematic fusion of different genres that would end up earning countless accolades.
And while this made it difficult for subsequent seasons to compete with that masterful debut (even if they were all entertaining in their own unique ways), Issa López’s ongoing True Detective: Night Country is finally harkening back to the quasi-supernatural terror that flavored Marty and Rust’s story, with the showrunner going so far as to describe her new tale as a dark mirror of the first season.
10 years ago, these ominous lyrics (courtesy of the alternative country duo The Handsome Family) introduced us to a horrific world of crime, conspiracy and multi-layered madness in the infamous intro to HBO’s hit show, True Detective. From that very first episode, we all knew this was going to be something special, with Nic Pizzolatto and Cary Fukunaga teaming up for a cinematic fusion of different genres that would end up earning countless accolades.
And while this made it difficult for subsequent seasons to compete with that masterful debut (even if they were all entertaining in their own unique ways), Issa López’s ongoing True Detective: Night Country is finally harkening back to the quasi-supernatural terror that flavored Marty and Rust’s story, with the showrunner going so far as to describe her new tale as a dark mirror of the first season.
- 1/23/2024
- by Luiz H. C.
- bloody-disgusting.com
Suffice it to say that 2021 has been a big year for author Mike Thorn. February saw the publication of his debut novel, Shelter for the Damned, June witnessed the release of his revamped short story collection, Darkest Hours: Expanded Edition, and October set the stage for his third book of the year, Peel Back and See, featuring 16 new short stories lurking between the covers of what Thorn says could be his "bleakest book to date."
With the horror holiday shopping season upon us (it should be noted that Peel Back and See would fit very nicely in a stocking), we caught up with Thorn in a new Q&a feature to discuss the timely themes rippling through his latest short story collection, the collaborative joys of working with JournalStone on all three of his book releases this year, and some of his holiday horror movie recommendations to help get you...
With the horror holiday shopping season upon us (it should be noted that Peel Back and See would fit very nicely in a stocking), we caught up with Thorn in a new Q&a feature to discuss the timely themes rippling through his latest short story collection, the collaborative joys of working with JournalStone on all three of his book releases this year, and some of his holiday horror movie recommendations to help get you...
- 12/13/2021
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Kiyoshi Kurosawa is a unique case of a filmmaker, even for an industry as diverse as the Japanese one, and not just for his additional roles as a film critic and a professor at Tokyo University of Arts. Starting with Pink Film and low-budget V-cinema, he went on to be nominated for an Oshima Prize at Pia Film Festival, worked with Shinji Somai, and won a scholarship to the Sundance Institute by submitting his original screen play for “Charisma”. This particular achievement allowed him to study in the US despite already being a director for almost ten years, which led him to his first major international success, with “Cure”. The film kickstarted a path that led him to the top of J-horror, with his movies, though, implementing a unique approach, that of the “slow-terror”. Some years later, he re-invented himself as he started to deal with family dramas with particular success,...
- 11/19/2020
- by AMP Group
- AsianMoviePulse
The ever excellent Arrow Video have released “Pulse” in a duel format package, and it is available now! As this is an Arrow Video release, you’ll be guaranteed a top of the range transfer, in High Definition, intriguing extras and a special collector’s booklet; available with the first pressing of the release. Arrow Video’s high quality releases speak for themselves, so on with the film!
Buy This Title
“Pulse” is an uncanny J-Horror film from 2001 exploring alienation and the accelerating pace of technological change, a ghostly incursion and an existential apocalypse. The late 1990s and the early noughties were a boom time in Japanese Horror, with fresh ideas woven around modern technology, curses, vengeful ghosts, sordid buildings or melodramas of extreme violence. Chilling entertainments like “The Ring”, “The Grudge”, “Dark Water” and “Audition” were all the rage.
Kiyoshi Kurosawa, the writer and director, created an uncanny and...
Buy This Title
“Pulse” is an uncanny J-Horror film from 2001 exploring alienation and the accelerating pace of technological change, a ghostly incursion and an existential apocalypse. The late 1990s and the early noughties were a boom time in Japanese Horror, with fresh ideas woven around modern technology, curses, vengeful ghosts, sordid buildings or melodramas of extreme violence. Chilling entertainments like “The Ring”, “The Grudge”, “Dark Water” and “Audition” were all the rage.
Kiyoshi Kurosawa, the writer and director, created an uncanny and...
- 7/27/2020
- by Jonathan Wilson
- AsianMoviePulse
Scorn is one seriously disturbing game. Its emphasis on grotesque representations of the human form with a slightly alien twist is not only worthy of its influences — the H.R. Giger inspiration is clear — but showcases a level of body horror we rarely see in video games.
“The team has drawn visual inspiration from Swiss painter H.R. Giger and Polish painter Zdzislaw Beksinski,” Kowloon Nights, which partially funded the game, explained in a press release. “Conceptual inspiration has come from works by unique writers like Franz Kafka and Jorge Luis Borges, horror and sci-fi writers like Thomas Ligotti and J.G. Ballard, and the weird cinema of David Cronenberg and David Lynch.”
Since this game was first announced in 2014, it’s been bill as much more than a disturbing work of art. According to the tiny team of developers over at the Serbian studio Ebb Software, Scorn is actually a first-person...
“The team has drawn visual inspiration from Swiss painter H.R. Giger and Polish painter Zdzislaw Beksinski,” Kowloon Nights, which partially funded the game, explained in a press release. “Conceptual inspiration has come from works by unique writers like Franz Kafka and Jorge Luis Borges, horror and sci-fi writers like Thomas Ligotti and J.G. Ballard, and the weird cinema of David Cronenberg and David Lynch.”
Since this game was first announced in 2014, it’s been bill as much more than a disturbing work of art. According to the tiny team of developers over at the Serbian studio Ebb Software, Scorn is actually a first-person...
- 5/7/2020
- by Matthew Byrd
- Den of Geek
Now that Halloween season is over, it feels a little empty playing eerie soundtracks and revisiting favorite nightmares. The atmosphere just isn't quite there. But that's easily fixed, and few things build atmosphere more deftly than music. I've spent improper amounts of time trying to find artists who evoke the spirit of horror and Gothic fiction, but since music isn't a narrative genre by definition, it can be a nebulous process. Some musicians just go perfectly with certain storytellers, though. Here are five performers who complement a few of my favorite authors scarily well:
Clive Barker and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Both hailing from England and rising to fame in the same decade, Barker and Cave seem like a duo destined for emotional evisceration. Barker’s stories evoke an urban landscape that's gritty and hard, but also full of transcendent wonder. His language is high, poetic, and epic...
Clive Barker and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Both hailing from England and rising to fame in the same decade, Barker and Cave seem like a duo destined for emotional evisceration. Barker’s stories evoke an urban landscape that's gritty and hard, but also full of transcendent wonder. His language is high, poetic, and epic...
- 11/25/2017
- by Ben Larned
- DailyDead
Horror fans don’t need a time-sensitive excuse to indulge in uncanny and unnatural literature, but there’s nothing quite like steeping oneself in a novel of the strange as the October winds blow, bringing half-imagined whispers of phantoms from the pages. Some books evoke this sense more effortlessly—and frighteningly—than others. Here are seven chilly, liminal examples of literature’s power to bring us across the veil.
Books of Blood by Clive Barker: While technically five volumes, Clive Barker’s masterwork of short horror fiction brings the perfect mixture of pulpy violence, grotesque monstrosities, and transcendentally disturbing themes. His tales take the reader through gritty urban wastelands, liminal spaces of decay or transgression, where the rejected pieces of society manage to make a life—and encounter monsters in the process. Particularly poisonous treats include the titular story, a nightmarish diatribe on the roadways of ghosts; “Rawhead Rex,...
Books of Blood by Clive Barker: While technically five volumes, Clive Barker’s masterwork of short horror fiction brings the perfect mixture of pulpy violence, grotesque monstrosities, and transcendentally disturbing themes. His tales take the reader through gritty urban wastelands, liminal spaces of decay or transgression, where the rejected pieces of society manage to make a life—and encounter monsters in the process. Particularly poisonous treats include the titular story, a nightmarish diatribe on the roadways of ghosts; “Rawhead Rex,...
- 10/20/2017
- by Ben Larned
- DailyDead
Prior to Labor Day weekend, I was given the opportunity to interview Nick Antosca who is the creator, showrunner and executive producer of Syfy’s horror television series, Channel Zero. While each season was a different story, I felt it necessary to watch the first season, Candle Cove, since I abandoned ship halfway through the season. As the show was airing on Syfy, I thought Candle Cove was interesting but, personally, I didn’t have much of a connection with the main character and the story seemed pretty basic. What I did think was that the imagery excelled it above something that would be, quite frankly, forgettable. It also seemed pretty unapologetic when it was dealing with a story that heavily involved children, I admired that as well.
I have read maybe a handful of creepypasta stories, which most of them are fabricated, overindulgent urban legends. There will always be...
I have read maybe a handful of creepypasta stories, which most of them are fabricated, overindulgent urban legends. There will always be...
- 9/20/2017
- by Andy Triefenbach
- Destroy the Brain
There are horror authors whose fiction never sees the light of a film screen. This is likely for the best—their works are so complex and visually bizarre that an adaptation would destroy them. Thomas Ligotti is a prime example of this barrier. Most of his stories are so perfectly phrased and nebulous that seeing them, rather than reading them, would break their terrifying spell. That does not mean that their themes or aesthetics can’t be translated into film through different, less rigid structures. Perhaps unintentionally, Alex Proyas embodies many of Ligotti’s qualities in his cinematic masterpiece, Dark City.
Thomas Ligotti’s fiction is identifiable by its grotesque, gloomy worlds where characters encounter cosmic entities straight from the nightmares of Nietzsche. He evokes visions of greenish darkness and expressionistic cities populated by alien forces and human minds pushed beyond the limits of reality. Many of his stories feature metaphysical creations,...
Thomas Ligotti’s fiction is identifiable by its grotesque, gloomy worlds where characters encounter cosmic entities straight from the nightmares of Nietzsche. He evokes visions of greenish darkness and expressionistic cities populated by alien forces and human minds pushed beyond the limits of reality. Many of his stories feature metaphysical creations,...
- 6/9/2017
- by Ben Larned
- DailyDead
December 25th is internationally marketed as a day of cheer, togetherness, and bright lights during one of the darkest nights of the year. But, there are those of us who want to indulge in that darkness. There is a wealth of terror to be found in winter nights, and the following stories are perfect fodder for that breed of dread. Curl up by the fire, turn the lights off, and read... if you dare.
"The Wendigo" by Algernon Blackwood: A group of hunters in snowbound Montana encounter a windy, wintry forest spirit in one of Algernon Blackwood’s scariest tales. By taking an ancient, metaphorical legend and bringing it face-to-face with research and authentic characters, Blackwood forms an account of elemental terror that freezes the soul. Nothing is creepier—or more fun—on a windy December night.
"The Yattering and Jack" by Clive Barker: A family, tormented by...
"The Wendigo" by Algernon Blackwood: A group of hunters in snowbound Montana encounter a windy, wintry forest spirit in one of Algernon Blackwood’s scariest tales. By taking an ancient, metaphorical legend and bringing it face-to-face with research and authentic characters, Blackwood forms an account of elemental terror that freezes the soul. Nothing is creepier—or more fun—on a windy December night.
"The Yattering and Jack" by Clive Barker: A family, tormented by...
- 12/23/2016
- by Ben Larned
- DailyDead
Who are we? Why are we here? And what exists beyond what we see—beyond the limits of this conscious life? These are questions that philosophers and authors of fantastic fiction have asked for centuries—from Leibniz to Schopenhauer, Machen to Lovecraft. The short stories of Thomas Ligotti, beginning with his recently republished collections Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe, explore the same themes as these authors. Yet something about Ligotti is incomprehensible—some chimerical makeup that creates a singular, uncanny, and utterly haunting experience.
Several elements of Ligotti’s stories have reared their heads in pop culture many times, both before and after his first collection was published. Several of his stories are dedicated to Lovecraft, and rightly so—they embody that master’s themes of an incomprehensible universe and a questionable reality with chilling effectiveness, even sporting a few tentacled beasts of their own. His decaying landscapes,...
Several elements of Ligotti’s stories have reared their heads in pop culture many times, both before and after his first collection was published. Several of his stories are dedicated to Lovecraft, and rightly so—they embody that master’s themes of an incomprehensible universe and a questionable reality with chilling effectiveness, even sporting a few tentacled beasts of their own. His decaying landscapes,...
- 11/11/2016
- by Ben Larned
- DailyDead
Who the hell is Thomas Ligotti? That’s the question many people were asking after a spate of articles last week speculated on plagiarism charges leveled against True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto on an H.P. Lovecraft website. The media attention spiked sales of the book at the center of the controversy — Ligotti’s nonfiction philosophy tome The Conspiracy Against the Human Race — to the point that it began to outsell Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. HBO had to issue a statement refuting the claim, and social media raged (and may still be raging) with discussions of “Hey, just what is plagiarism?” Suddenly, too, Subterranean Press’s new Ligotti books — the rather dry metaphysical story collection The Spectral Link and a riveting collection of interviews with the author, Born to Fear — began to receive renewed scrutiny. Which is all to good, because the “Who the hell is Thomas Ligotti?” question is...
- 8/13/2014
- by Jeff VanderMeer
- Vulture
Like some elaborate act of God and conspiracy that crosses timelines and layers of philosophy and perspective worthy of True Detective itself, a dense conversation has formed over the last week regarding whether True Detective showrunner Nic Pizzolato plagiarized the character and idea of Rust Cohle off of similar ideas in the book Conspiracies Against the Human Race by Thomas Ligotti. The debate first started when writer Mike Davis over at The Lovecraft Zine posted an interview he conducted with the head of Thomas Ligotti online, Jon Padgett. The article cites numerous instances of fairly similar expressions and turns of phrase that feel inspired by the Ligotti novel from 2010, including arguments that Pizzolato only brought up Ligotti in interviews when prodded and never alluded to the author on the DVD commentary. Padgett alleged that this was particularly serious because Rust’s character helped make the show unique:
The most egregious...
The most egregious...
- 8/8/2014
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
True Detective creator and current Hollywood Reporter cover subject Nic Pizzolatto briefly came under fire this week when a blog accused the writer and executive producer of plagiarizing the work of Thomas Ligotti and other authors. The turnaround for a response was speedy. The claims focus on similarities between quotes delivered on the series by the character Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) and passages in Ligotti's novel The Conspiracy Against the Human Race. Both Pizzolatto and HBO issued statements on Thursday flat-out denying the accusations. "Nothing in the television show True Detective was plagiarized," said Pizzolatto. "The philosophical thoughts expressed
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read more...
- 8/7/2014
- by Michael O'Connell
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
True Detective Creator Nic Pizzolatto Responds to Claims of Plagiarism Exactly Like Rust Cohle Would
True Detective was the breakout hit of the past TV season, but is some of the show's success due to plagiarism? Creator Nic Pizzolatto has been accused of plagiarizing both phrases and ideas from Thomas Ligotti's The Conspiracy Against The Human Race: A Contrivance of Horror, among others, but both HBO and the showrunner told E! News that no plagiarism ever took place. The network released a statement that is very complimentary and supportive of Pizzolatto's work. "True Detective is a work of exceptional originality and the story, plot, characters and dialogue are that of Nic Pizzolatto," HBO said. "Philosophical concepts are free for anyone to use, including writers of fiction,...
- 8/7/2014
- E! Online
With True Detective poised to provide serious competition for awards heavyweight Breaking Bad at this year’s Emmys, neither HBO nor creator Nic Pizzolatto were too happy yesterday when accusations of plagiarism were lobbied at Pizzolatto. A rather detailed report over at The Lovecraft E-zine highlighted extensive similarities between scripts for the first season of True Detective and Thomas Ligotti’s “The Conspiracy Against the Human Race,” with other works including ones by William S. Burroughs and Alan Moore also noted in the site’s argument.
Naturally, HBO and Pizzolatto both have a stake in defending True Detective‘s reputation, and now official statements from both have arrived. Check them out below:
HBO Statement:
‘True Detective’ is a work of exceptional originality and the story, plot, characters and dialogue are that of Nic Pizzolatto. Philosophical concepts are free for anyone to use, including writers of fiction, and there have been...
Naturally, HBO and Pizzolatto both have a stake in defending True Detective‘s reputation, and now official statements from both have arrived. Check them out below:
HBO Statement:
‘True Detective’ is a work of exceptional originality and the story, plot, characters and dialogue are that of Nic Pizzolatto. Philosophical concepts are free for anyone to use, including writers of fiction, and there have been...
- 8/7/2014
- by Isaac Feldberg
- We Got This Covered
HBO and True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto are breaking their silence about accusations that the writer plagiarized some of the dialogue in his critically-acclaimed hit series. The series’ creator has been accused of directly lifting phrases from various authors—particularly cult horror novelist Thomas Ligotti—when composing the philosophical musings of Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey).
First, HBO issued a statement on the matter: “True Detective is a work of exceptional originality and the story, plot, characters and dialogue are that of Nic Pizzolatto. Philosophical concepts are free for anyone to use, including writers of fiction, and there have been many such examples in the past.
First, HBO issued a statement on the matter: “True Detective is a work of exceptional originality and the story, plot, characters and dialogue are that of Nic Pizzolatto. Philosophical concepts are free for anyone to use, including writers of fiction, and there have been many such examples in the past.
- 8/7/2014
- by James Hibberd
- EW - Inside TV
HBO and Nic Pizzolatto have responded to recent allegations that the writer and showrunner of “True Detective” plagiarized parts of his Emmy-nominated show. “True Detective is a work of exceptional originality and the story, plot, characters and dialogue are that of Nic Pizzolatto,” HBO said in a statement. Also read: ‘True Detective’ Plot Details Emerge; Vince Vaughn in Talks, Elisabeth Moss Circling The show has come under fire in recent days when horror fansite The Lovecraft E-Zine founder Mike Davis and Thomas Ligotti Online founder John Padgett published on Monday their evidence that themes and even dialogue from Pizzolatto's show bore too.
- 8/7/2014
- by Linda Ge
- The Wrap
One of the most unexpected stories earlier this week was a report accusing "True Detective" creator/writer Nic Pizzolatto of plagiarizing significant portions of his scripts for the show.
Specifically, an article on The Lovecraft E-zine noted similarities between dialogue from "True Detective" and portions of Thomas Ligotti's "The Conspiracy Against the Human Race". Elements from works by William S. Burroughs and Alan Moore were said to have been lifted as well.
Now, both the network and Nic Pizzolatto are denying that "True Detective" was plagiarized, saying conceptual and philosophical ideas are free for anyone to use. No mention is made of specific passages in Ligotti's work that appear to have been quite closely appropriated in Pizzolatto's scripts:
HBO Statement: "'True Detective' is a work of exceptional originality and the story, plot, characters and dialogue are that of Nic Pizzolatto. Philosophical concepts are free for anyone to use,...
Specifically, an article on The Lovecraft E-zine noted similarities between dialogue from "True Detective" and portions of Thomas Ligotti's "The Conspiracy Against the Human Race". Elements from works by William S. Burroughs and Alan Moore were said to have been lifted as well.
Now, both the network and Nic Pizzolatto are denying that "True Detective" was plagiarized, saying conceptual and philosophical ideas are free for anyone to use. No mention is made of specific passages in Ligotti's work that appear to have been quite closely appropriated in Pizzolatto's scripts:
HBO Statement: "'True Detective' is a work of exceptional originality and the story, plot, characters and dialogue are that of Nic Pizzolatto. Philosophical concepts are free for anyone to use,...
- 8/7/2014
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Earlier this week, the interwebs lit up when a detailed argument surfaced accusing "True Detective" creator/writer Nic Pizzolatto of plagiarizing significant portions of his scripts for the show. A piece over at the at The Lovecraft E-zine noted the startling similarities between dialogue from "True Detective" and portions of Thomas Ligotti's "The Conspiracy Against the Human Race." Other examples, including works by William S. Burroughs and Alan Moore, were brought to light as well. Naturally, it was only a matter of time before a response was issued from the HBO camp, and indeed it has arrived. Both the network and Pizzolatto deny that "True Detective" was plagiarized, saying that conceptual and philosophical ideas are free for anyone to use. While that's true, neither statement makes any mention of the specific passages in Ligotti's work in particular (or mention him by name) that appear to have...
- 8/7/2014
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
There is a fine line to be walked between homage and plagiarism, particularly in our current, pastiche-crazy culture. Filmmakers have been accused of lifting large sections of novels, plays, poetry, and other films to be cast pell-mell into their own works, prompting accusations of “hack” work as well as praise for these directors as post-modern pastiche artists. But what happens when whole sections of dialogue are lifted from other works and remain unattributed in a film or television show? Is that homage, plagiarism, or some nebulous category in between?
That’s the issue now facing the hit show True Detective and writer/creator Nic Pizzolatto. Pizzolatto is being accused of plagiarizing work by the horror writer Thomas Ligotti, among others, and using it in dialogue without attributing it. Conversation has begun between The Lovecraft E-zine‘s Mike Davis and Thomas Ligotti Online‘s founder Jon Padgett (via The Playlist), to...
That’s the issue now facing the hit show True Detective and writer/creator Nic Pizzolatto. Pizzolatto is being accused of plagiarizing work by the horror writer Thomas Ligotti, among others, and using it in dialogue without attributing it. Conversation has begun between The Lovecraft E-zine‘s Mike Davis and Thomas Ligotti Online‘s founder Jon Padgett (via The Playlist), to...
- 8/6/2014
- by Lauren Humphries-Brooks
- We Got This Covered
The timing could probably be a little bit better. With an Emmy campaign underway and a helluva lot of buzz around the second season, "True Detective" writer/creator Nic Pizzolatto has been hit with charges of plagiarism. You can read the full details here, but essentially some horror fiction pundits allege that the influence the show takes from the work of Thomas Ligotti goes beyond mere homage to outright theft. Nevertheless, Pizzolatto is still one of the hottest names on the TV landscape, and in a new profile in THR he reaches beyond season two to talk about what season three of the hit HBO drama could look like (even as he doesn't see the show going beyond that). Noting that the big brain behind the grim HBO series is also a fan of "Community," "30 Rock" and "Arrested Development," the trade says Pizzolatto has a "fantasy"of doing a third...
- 8/6/2014
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
"The only honorable thing for our species to do is deny our programming, stop reproducing and march hand-in-hand into extinction," the always cheerful Rust Cohle says in the memorable, meme-inspiring car conversation sequence from "True Detective." That line and many others from the sequence are heavily indebted to the work of horror writer Thomas Ligotti, in particular his book "The Conspiracy Against the Human Race." While series creator Nic Pizzolatto has cited Ligotti for his influence on the show, two horror scholars have alleged that he stepped over the line from homage to plagiarism. A discussion is in progress over at The Lovecraft E-zine, involving the site's Mike Davis and Thomas Ligotti Online founder Jon Padgett: the two are conversing over email about Pizzolatto's use of Ligotti, and the latter makes a vigorous case that that the "True Detective" writer crossed an ethical line. Providing many examples...
- 8/6/2014
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
What do you mean you haven’t seen “True Detective”?
This is the question that kicked off one of the strangest television odysseys of my life. A friend, upon determining the answer to this question, decided that I really needed to see it. I’ve watched a lot of detective and crime shows, some of them I’ve loved, some of them I’ve hated, and a bunch of them have been given column space.
I’d seen a few reviews here and there, mostly talking about the performances of Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey and adding descriptions like convoluted into the mix. What frustrated me, more than anything, about those reviews was they weren’t very helpful about why the show was so engrossing. I just kept seeing a lot of recommendations to watch the thing without ever being offered a why.
Fortunately, I got the option to binge-watch the show.
This is the question that kicked off one of the strangest television odysseys of my life. A friend, upon determining the answer to this question, decided that I really needed to see it. I’ve watched a lot of detective and crime shows, some of them I’ve loved, some of them I’ve hated, and a bunch of them have been given column space.
I’d seen a few reviews here and there, mostly talking about the performances of Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey and adding descriptions like convoluted into the mix. What frustrated me, more than anything, about those reviews was they weren’t very helpful about why the show was so engrossing. I just kept seeing a lot of recommendations to watch the thing without ever being offered a why.
Fortunately, I got the option to binge-watch the show.
- 5/2/2014
- by dragonwomant
- Boomtron
Lovecraft's Monsters, edited by Ellen Datlow and published by Tachyon Publications, is a reprint anthology of some carefully chosen and mighty fine Lovecraftian short stories, novellas and poems. A small selection of some of my favorites from this well-rounded collection include “Only the End of the World Again,” by Neil Gaiman; “Red Goat Black Goat,” by Nadia Bulkin; “The Same Deep Waters as You,” by Brian Hodge; “Love is Forbidden, We Croak and Howl,” by Caitlín R. Kieran; and “The Sect of the Idiot,” by Thomas Ligotti.
Neil Gaiman's “Only the End of the World Again” is the story of a unique “man” very much out of place in a strange town. Everyone seems to know who and what he is, and they all have an opinion on how he can get rid of or be relieved of his “ailment.” But there's more in store for him than he suspects.
Neil Gaiman's “Only the End of the World Again” is the story of a unique “man” very much out of place in a strange town. Everyone seems to know who and what he is, and they all have an opinion on how he can get rid of or be relieved of his “ailment.” But there's more in store for him than he suspects.
- 4/11/2014
- by Nancy Greene
- FEARnet
1. The McConnaissance has officially hit its peak.
It's now belaboring the obvious to state that Matthew McConaughey has morphed into one of the most interesting actors working today — an unpredictable phenomenon that we can carbon-date back to 2011 and his Rockford Files-esque turn in The Lincoln Lawyer. His career-resurgence modus operandi was simple: kiss off the typical leading-man roles that were slowly suffocating him and go moody (Mud), dowdy (Bernie), psycho-ugly (Killer Joe), or campy, where-are-my-bongos batshit-crazy (The Paperboy). Where once his two modes were open-shirted or altogether shirtless, McConaughey started...
It's now belaboring the obvious to state that Matthew McConaughey has morphed into one of the most interesting actors working today — an unpredictable phenomenon that we can carbon-date back to 2011 and his Rockford Files-esque turn in The Lincoln Lawyer. His career-resurgence modus operandi was simple: kiss off the typical leading-man roles that were slowly suffocating him and go moody (Mud), dowdy (Bernie), psycho-ugly (Killer Joe), or campy, where-are-my-bongos batshit-crazy (The Paperboy). Where once his two modes were open-shirted or altogether shirtless, McConaughey started...
- 3/10/2014
- Rollingstone.com
Could be Woody Harrelson, could be Matthew McConaughey. Or could the real star of True Detective be Louisiana?
A few things – good things, there are only good things – about True Detective (Saturday, Sky Atlantic).
Intrigue
On one level, it's a cracking murder mystery. A woman's body is found next to a burning sugar cane field, under a big old tree, surrounded by (and also wearing) weird stuff that points to some kind of dark symbolic significance – a crown of leaves, deer antlers, a twig pyramid that may or may not be a devil trap. It's unlikely to be the first time this killer has struck. Won't be the last either, unless they get him.
Sure, there's the odd cliche of the genre – a pair of mismatched cops, with difficult home lives (or a total lack of a home life in the case of one), drink, drugs, and more. But then...
A few things – good things, there are only good things – about True Detective (Saturday, Sky Atlantic).
Intrigue
On one level, it's a cracking murder mystery. A woman's body is found next to a burning sugar cane field, under a big old tree, surrounded by (and also wearing) weird stuff that points to some kind of dark symbolic significance – a crown of leaves, deer antlers, a twig pyramid that may or may not be a devil trap. It's unlikely to be the first time this killer has struck. Won't be the last either, unless they get him.
Sure, there's the odd cliche of the genre – a pair of mismatched cops, with difficult home lives (or a total lack of a home life in the case of one), drink, drugs, and more. But then...
- 2/22/2014
- by Sam Wollaston
- The Guardian - Film News
True Detective, Season 1, Episode 5: “The Secret Fate of All Life”
Written by Nic Pizzolatto
Directed by Cary Fukunaga
Airs Sundays at 9pm Et on HBO
The climax of episode 4 of True Detective, titled “Who Goes There’” is a feat of technical mastery that would sit proudly along side the work of a master director like Alfonso Cauron. Cary Fukunaga and his Dop Adam Arkapaw have clearly forged an excellent partnership. The big showpiece sequence - a single long tracking shot — which lasts a shade under six minutes – is a masterclass of filmmaking. The ways Fukunaga places, moves, and times his cast and camera to be at the right place at a precise time is brilliant, and a feat accomplished without the aid of post production magic. Every episode of True Detective has so far exceeded its predecessor in terms of quality, and as we pass the half-way mark, we...
Written by Nic Pizzolatto
Directed by Cary Fukunaga
Airs Sundays at 9pm Et on HBO
The climax of episode 4 of True Detective, titled “Who Goes There’” is a feat of technical mastery that would sit proudly along side the work of a master director like Alfonso Cauron. Cary Fukunaga and his Dop Adam Arkapaw have clearly forged an excellent partnership. The big showpiece sequence - a single long tracking shot — which lasts a shade under six minutes – is a masterclass of filmmaking. The ways Fukunaga places, moves, and times his cast and camera to be at the right place at a precise time is brilliant, and a feat accomplished without the aid of post production magic. Every episode of True Detective has so far exceeded its predecessor in terms of quality, and as we pass the half-way mark, we...
- 2/19/2014
- by Ricky da Conceição
- SoundOnSight
A new anthology of stories based on H. P. Lovecraft creatures is coming our way in April, and we have all of the details on Lovecraft's Monsters, edited by Ellen Datlow, arriving from Tachyon Publications on April 15th.
The roster of authors who participated is a virtual who's who of horror talent: Neil Gaiman, Joe R. Lansdale, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Laird Barron, Elizabeth Bear, Kim Newman, Nick Mamatas, Nadia Bulkin, Gemma Files, Howard Waldrop, Steve Utley, Karl Edward Wagner, Thomas Ligotti, William Browning Spencer, Brian Hodge, Fred Chappell, Steve Rasnic Tem, and John Langan.
Synopsis:
Welcome to ultimate darkness...
In the century since master of horror H. P. Lovecraft published his first story, the horrors that slithered out of his brain have become legend: alien, tentacle-faced Cthulhu, who sleeps beneath the sea awaiting his moment to rise; demonic Azathoth, mad beyond imagining, who lies babbling at the center of the universe; the nightmarish Deep Ones,...
The roster of authors who participated is a virtual who's who of horror talent: Neil Gaiman, Joe R. Lansdale, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Laird Barron, Elizabeth Bear, Kim Newman, Nick Mamatas, Nadia Bulkin, Gemma Files, Howard Waldrop, Steve Utley, Karl Edward Wagner, Thomas Ligotti, William Browning Spencer, Brian Hodge, Fred Chappell, Steve Rasnic Tem, and John Langan.
Synopsis:
Welcome to ultimate darkness...
In the century since master of horror H. P. Lovecraft published his first story, the horrors that slithered out of his brain have become legend: alien, tentacle-faced Cthulhu, who sleeps beneath the sea awaiting his moment to rise; demonic Azathoth, mad beyond imagining, who lies babbling at the center of the universe; the nightmarish Deep Ones,...
- 1/27/2014
- by Debi Moore
- DreadCentral.com
Back Roads & Frontal Lobes reminded me a lot of a collection I read many years back, and I was reminded of that other book because of its utter uniqueness. Like the author of that book, there is no one else writing quite like Brady Allen. His stories are amalgamations of the classic weird tale, each containing something archetypal of the genre but each equally new. His is a voice you won’t find anywhere else, and that’s something truly special. His stories brim with originality and a sense of place as strong as anyone in the genre, including the author of that collection I was reminded of while reading Back Roads & Frontal Lobes.
The places and people in this collection are palpably real, as if Brady scooped them straight out of Southern Ohio and put them on paper. The people are fully realized and so much a part of...
The places and people in this collection are palpably real, as if Brady scooped them straight out of Southern Ohio and put them on paper. The people are fully realized and so much a part of...
- 11/8/2012
- by Chris Shearer
- FEARnet
When we first told you about the availability of Jacob Cooney's short film entitled "The Frolic" based on a short story of the same name by Thomas Ligotti, it was only available as a rather spendy collector's edition DVD or a finicky download that wouldn't work with all players. But that's been remedied now as Cooney has informed us that he's partnered with a new online digital vendor at a greatly reduced cost.
With the use of Indie Reign's technology, Cooney is now offering the film digitally at just $1.99 to rent for up to 7 days or $5.99 to own. Check it out below!
Directed by Jacob Cooney and produced by Jane Kelly Kosek (Wonder Entertainment), "The Frolic" follows the story of Dr. David Munck, a prison psychologist, who uncovers a deadly supernatural force in one of his inmate patients that ultimately leads him to his breaking point.
Starring Maury Sterling...
With the use of Indie Reign's technology, Cooney is now offering the film digitally at just $1.99 to rent for up to 7 days or $5.99 to own. Check it out below!
Directed by Jacob Cooney and produced by Jane Kelly Kosek (Wonder Entertainment), "The Frolic" follows the story of Dr. David Munck, a prison psychologist, who uncovers a deadly supernatural force in one of his inmate patients that ultimately leads him to his breaking point.
Starring Maury Sterling...
- 11/11/2011
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
We're always on the lookout for interesting sounding new films to clue you guys into, and an email that recently landed in our inbox from director Jacob Cooney details just such a project: a short film entitled "The Frolic" based on a short story of the same name by Thomas Ligotti.
Here's the skinny:
Directed by Jacob Cooney and produced by Jane Kelly Kosek (Wonder Entertainment), "The Frolic" follows the story of Dr. David Munck, a prison psychologist, who uncovers a deadly supernatural force in one of his inmate patients that ultimately leads him to his breaking point.
Starring Maury Sterling (John Doe), Michael Reilly Burke (Dr. Munck), Jennifer Aspen (Leslie Munck) and Kailey Swanson (Colleen Munck), this short film has played in numerous film festivals including the Cannes Film Festival, Los Angeles International Short Films Festival, Dead by Dawn Film Festival, Shriekfest and Dances with Films and has frightened audiences across the world.
Here's the skinny:
Directed by Jacob Cooney and produced by Jane Kelly Kosek (Wonder Entertainment), "The Frolic" follows the story of Dr. David Munck, a prison psychologist, who uncovers a deadly supernatural force in one of his inmate patients that ultimately leads him to his breaking point.
Starring Maury Sterling (John Doe), Michael Reilly Burke (Dr. Munck), Jennifer Aspen (Leslie Munck) and Kailey Swanson (Colleen Munck), this short film has played in numerous film festivals including the Cannes Film Festival, Los Angeles International Short Films Festival, Dead by Dawn Film Festival, Shriekfest and Dances with Films and has frightened audiences across the world.
- 11/19/2010
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
Finally, after a summer from hell (for most of the Us anyway), there is a chill in the air, the leaves are changing colors and Halloween, our favorite holiday, is almost here. So, in the spirit of the season, here are some new Halloween titles (as well as a couple of classics) you might want to pick up at your local bookstore.
How to Be a Zombie: The Essential Guide for Anyone Who Craves Brains by Serena Valentino. From the author of the Nightmares & Dreamscapes series of graphic novels, including 1140 Rue Royale, comes this hilarious and colorful book on how to become a zombie. With chapters ranging from "What Is Your Zombie Archetype?" and "Living with Humans" to "Zombie Fashion" and "Essential Zombie Films", this little (144 pages) book would make an excellent prize at your Halloween party. Or an unexpected stocking stuffer at Christmas.
4 out of 5
Horror! 333 Films to Scare...
How to Be a Zombie: The Essential Guide for Anyone Who Craves Brains by Serena Valentino. From the author of the Nightmares & Dreamscapes series of graphic novels, including 1140 Rue Royale, comes this hilarious and colorful book on how to become a zombie. With chapters ranging from "What Is Your Zombie Archetype?" and "Living with Humans" to "Zombie Fashion" and "Essential Zombie Films", this little (144 pages) book would make an excellent prize at your Halloween party. Or an unexpected stocking stuffer at Christmas.
4 out of 5
Horror! 333 Films to Scare...
- 10/9/2010
- by thebellefromhell
- DreadCentral.com
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