PHOENIXVILLE PUNK ROCK FLEA MARKET: ROOT DOWN BREWING CO/PRE-VALENTINE'S (1/24)

FAREWELL, JEANNOT SZWARC

Your movies brightened our hearts and souls, and sometimes when need be, sent shivers down our spines. 

Some would say that the imagi-movie realm is where you rose highest, with Somewhere in Time, Supergirl, Santa Claus: The Movie, The Devil's Daughter, Murders in the Rue Morgue 1986, Bug 1975 and the summertime blockbuster, Jaws 2. 

You brought marked artistry as well to Enigma; Extreme Close-Up; Grand Larceny; La Vengeance d'une blonde; Honor Bound; Night of Terror; Hercule et Sherlock; Code Name: Diamond Head; You'll Never See Me Again; A Summer Without Boys; The Small Miracle; Mountain of Diamonds; Les soeurs Soliel; and Lisa, Bright and Dark.  

On television, you tackled Rod Serling's Night Gallery (a walloping, nineteen installments), The Twilight Zone (1980s run), The Six Million Dollar Man, Smallville, Heroes, Fringe, Seven Days, Supernatural, The Rockford Files, Columbo, Kojak, Castle, Bones, Cold Case, The Practice, Private Practice, Grey's Anatomy, Boston Legal, JAG,  CSI: Miami, Without a Trace and much more. 

In my estimation (and I do know many others who feel as I do), you've held your own with the best of them. Your resume proclaims and confirms it, Mr. Szwarc, along with the infinite quality of your work. 

WISE WORDS:

 

TALKING SMALL PRESS COMICS #81: STEVE & LARNED'S LABOR-OF-LOVE GEMS

Talking Small Press Comics #81 is another tasty one, so full of so many enjoyable tidbits, as hosted by the always avid Steve Keeter and Larned Justin.  

Shot before Christmas, #81 delves into a slew of end-of-the-year treats, which were concocted to uplift the next. 

First up is Larry Johnson's Tales of the Broken B #6 (see Bizarrechats, December 2024 post), which makes excellent use of its ghostly, gypsy ingredients. This is followed by Keith Newsome's most inventive (and most personal) submission to Tom Fellrath's strange times six called "Renaissance Man." Then there's Jason DeGroot's heroic, good-cause Shelter Dog! (with endearing contributions by Larned Justin, Teri S. Wood and John Muller); Micah Liesenfeld's satirical and flavorful (patrons' only) Mustard Comix; Dale Martin/Mid-South Cartoonists' hilarious and offbeat The Good, the Bad & the Sketchy #10 & #11; Steve Keeter's clever, "jam"-led curation, Slithers of Light; plus Clark Dissmeyer's cute-as-a-button (er, rather fungus) Mushy's Twelve Days of Christmas!

Enjoy all the stimulating, small-press details at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taTNX22LJLU&t=648s

ORLOK IS DRACULA! NOSFERATU = STOKER!

The know-it-alls, those poor purveyors of Facebook, X and what not, are at it again, with one after another proclaiming that Count Orlok is not Count Dracula, that Nosferatu is not based on Bram Stoker's legendary tale. 

When I was in fifth grade, a condensed version of Nosferatu was shown in class, presented under the label, The Story of Dracula. Werner Herzog/Klaus Kinski's Nosferatu uses the names from Stoker's novel, even if Kinski's visage stems from Schreck's. Kinski is not called Orlok; he is called Dracula.

Bram Stoker's widow, Florence, won a lawsuit regarding the matter. All prints of F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu were to have been purged, because her husband's novel had been adapted without permission.  

It shouldn't be that hard for even the most delusional nitwits to unravel. Pay attention to the bloody story! Nosferatu, in any incarnation, by any filmmaker (and no matter the stylized tropes), is Dracula. Period. And yet, as they always do, the know-it-alls will persist, once more never knowing (or at least never admitting to) what little-to-nothing they do, in fact, know.

LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS #51: SCHRECK, LUGOSI, ROMAIN & MORE

Little Shoppe of Horrors #51 brims of many dark beauties and is headlined by Jeff Preston's Max Shreck/Count Orlok portrait.

To accompany the Nosferatu, making-of details, Issue #51 contains two articles on Hammer's Macdonald Carey/Oliver Reed, radioactive gem, (These Are) the Damned, represented by a cast-driven, Stewart McKissick back cover. 

There's also an interview with of one of horror's all-time sexiest, Yvonne Romain of The Curse of the Werewolf, Devil Doll, Night Creatures, Corridors of Blood and Circus of Horrors, with a colorful, inside-cover collage by Neil D. Vokes. 

Then, to cap off the main features, readers are treated to a look at Hammer's first horror submission, The Mystery of the Mary Celeste (Phantom Ship), starring none other than Bela Lugosi, with inside-back cover artwork by Adele Noufaux. 

Among its outstanding bonuses, Little Shoppe #51 includes a rare glimpse into Hammer's unmade, Bram Stoker biopic, A Victim of His Imagination, plus an interview with Witchfinder General (Conqueror Worm)'s Robert Russell, buffered by other grand, sinister supplements. 

Little Shoppe #51 is comprehensive and fun: ideal for quenching any horror fan's scholarly thirst. 

Order at 

https://www.littleshoppeofhorrors.com/LSoH51.htm

PINUP TIME: GRACE LEE WHITNEY IS YEOMAN JANICE RAND