Black Gate

It was 1926 when author A. A. Milne (1882-1956), wrote the children’s classic Winnie-the-Pooh followed two years later by The House at Pooh Corner. Now, as we approach the 100-year anniversary of the creation of the cuddly, inspiring bear of our youth and his little pink sidekick, two things have happened. First, according to US copyright law, Milne’s creations became public domain when they turned 95 years old and two, Milne is spinning in his grave like a rotisserie ham.

Though Pooh and friends were officially licensed by the Walt Disney Company in 1961, resulting in films and merchandising, all that went straight out the window earlier this year. A British, indie-film production company called Jagged Edge pounced on the newly instated public domain decree to reimaging all the characters in a wholly different and definitely “adult” way.

Welcome to Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey.

And no, this isn’t a joke.

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Shelley Duvall, 1970

By now it’s no secret that filming The Shining took a serious toll on Shelley Duvall. Calling this my number one favorite horror movie while acknowledging this fact takes some of the joy out of watching what is an incredible performance on Duvall’s part. Her vulnerability and frailness alongside her emotional bully of a husband, played by Jack Nicolson, is a big part of what Stephen King hated about director Stanley Kubrick’s interpretation of King’s work. If you’ve ever read the novel The Shining, then you know Duvall’s character Wendy as a much different person. But it is the performance Kubrick wrenched out of Duvall that really makes the film. She personifies the horrors happening around her, which are etched on her face in nearly every scene.

And before you say that perhaps Duvall was already mentally fragile when she went to work on the film, and Kubrick’s isolating, task-master tactics was him just being a brilliant director, I invite you to watch the documentary filmed by Kubrick’s daughter. Vivian Kubrick was 17 when she filmed and directed The Making of the Shining for the BBC, alongside the actual filming of the movie. The short film eventually appeared on DVD editions of The Shining. But it wasn’t until 30 years after its making, and a lot more enlightenment about mental health issues, that the documentary generated articles and conversation about the mistreatment of Duvall by Kubrick which was evident throughout.

I found The Making of the Shining in its entirety on YouTube if you want to see for yourself…

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Bride of Killer Piñata

It’s true that in the horror movie industry, premiers are often referred to as “black carpet” events, as opposed to “red carpets.” When you think about it, either color would work, but it makes sense that our more alternative industry would want to distinguish itself from the mainstream.

Regardless, the concept is the same.

A theater is booked for the first-ever big-screen showing of a new film. There’s a cool backdrop near the entrance, against which photos are snapped. The director, the stars, and the whole production staff roll up, along with their family and friends, while intermingled is press and local reviewers. Usually there are a few speeches before the lights go down, then an uproarious cheer when the movie title appears on the screen. It is literally one of the coolest things you could ever get to do, so if you get invited to one, accept immediately.

And that is exactly what happened to me recently.

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October is, unsurprisingly, my favorite month of the year for all the reasons you would suspect. And though tucking into a new scary book or movie is a pleasure I indulge in throughout the year, October is the month I make very deliberate entertainment choices. My goal for each day of the month is to revisit my favorites while seeking out new works as well.

For instance, in homage to the great Peter Straub who we sadly lost in September, I have reread the only novel which still manages to scare the crap out of me regardless of how many times I’ve read it; Ghost Story. I have rewatched Sleepy Hallow, Halloween, American Werewolf in London and Fright Night (both the original and remake).

On the “new” side, I have watched The Invitation, House of Darkness and the new AMC series Interview with the Vampire, which I told you about last week. I am also nearly done with the Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling) novel Ink Black Heart, which, though not a horror novel strictly speaking, is still suspensefully written and the latest installment in one of my favorite series. But its another relatively new movie title that I want to share today.

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Let the Right One In (Showtime Original)

With the Fall comes all manner of scary goodness to watch on both the big and small screens. As I’ve mentioned, vampires seem to be the monster-du-jour for 2022, though one might have expected zombies, with C19 still in the news. Still, I’m not complaining one bit, even when the offerings are less than stellar, as was the case with The Invitation. We can still look forward to the Interview with the Vampire series coming soon to AMC, and (maybe) House of Darkness, which started streaming this week on YouTube (if you’ve already seen it, don’t tell me anything).

And then there’s this.

Thanks to Stoker’s Dracula, one could argue that all the vampire stories that have come after are simply different takes on the same core idea; and you wouldn’t be far wrong. For instance, The Invitation was pretty much a modern take on Dracula’s brides. But to me at least, things are getting weird in the entertainment industry, when vampire tales begin… well… eating themselves.

Case in point is the vampire story, Let the Right One In.

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First, everything you’re about to read contains spoiler after spoiler. So, if you’re planning on seeing the new vampire flick, The Invitation, stop now – then again, maybe you should actually keep reading.

I pretty much love any story containing a vampire, so it was with a huge amount of anticipation that I first told you about The Invitation back at the beginning of August. All the better that I hadn’t heard of the stars or the director as it didn’t require me to suspend any disbelief about the characters. Though the trailer took some flack on the horror forums, I thought it looked fabulous. Sony Pictures clearly didn’t skimp on the production values. And yes, it was rated PG-13, but as a fan of classic horror films, I personally don’t think an R-rated blood bath equals a fabulous movie. So off I went to see The Invitation on the night it opened. I was even excited enough to drop some coin to see it in a swanky theater with waiter service, reclining lounge seats and craft cocktails.

If you’re still reading and haven’t seen it, here’s a quick synopsis.

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