RIP NATALIE TRUNDY...

You made monumental, science-fiction history by starring in four of the original "Planet of the Apes" adventures for your diligent spouse, Arthur P. Jacobs: "Beneath", "Escape from", "Conquest of" and "Battle for", playing a mutant, a compassionate, human scientist and Caesar's mate, Lisa.

You also occupied "The Careless Years", "A Girl Can Tell", "The Monte Carlo Story", "Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation", "Walk Like a Dragon", "Huckleberry Finn '74" and such television series as "Bonanza", "Quincy", "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour", "Thriller", "Climax!" and "The Twilight Zone".

Your arresting aura was always recognizable, no matter the disguise, and your performances empathetic and touching throughout. 

May your kind soul now grace dear Heaven, while your legacy continues to grow upon this Earth. 

I saw Dracula 2020...

I saw the new "Dracula", released this early year of 2020 per Netflix. It should come as no surprise, my dear reader, that I adore Bram Stoker's novel and all the cinematic installments that have followed. This one, a miniseries, is no exception. 

It's adapted by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat (of "Sherlock" fame) and directed by Paul McGuignan, Damon Thomas and Jonny Campbell. It keeps Drac, played by the charismatic Claes Bang, in tune with tradition, though bridged by jolting twists that keep the blood flow bright and fresh during his story's three, juxtaposed parts. 

At the start, we find Johnny Harker (John Heffernan) to be a Renfield variant, rather like the vice-versa, Dwight Frye spin of  Tod Browning/Bela Lugosi's version, albeit with much more of a telepathic, undead plunge. (For the record, Renfield does eventually make an appearance via the aforementioned Gatiss. Cool!)  Johnny's account is told to a no-nonsense nun, Sister Agatha, who ultimately morphs into the scrutinizing Dr. Zoe Van Helsing (Dolly Wells): Ah, how's that for clever reinvention!

The rest of the presentation subscribes to what we know and respect about the mythology, with alternating shades and great, time-displaced segments, in which an extended Demeter portion plants its stake, as well as weird, current-day antics, underscored by a dark, endless ebb of terror and sensuality. It's at various times Universal, Hammer, Marvel, "Dracula 2000", "Dracula Untold"; Francis Lederer, Jess Franco, Dan Curtis, Clive Barker, and many more in the way of the devilish macabre, all rolled up into one ghastly, mean and quippy ball. 

Bang's performance is hip, humorous yet sly and sadistic. It's an interesting interpretation, but it never deviates far from the Stoker source. This Count is never too pompous to fear the cross. 

All the actors and their semblances are, in fact, beyond excellent, including Heffeman's Harker (so sickly and sad), Wells' Van Helsing counterparts (shrewd and alluring in their Ingrid Bergman tonalities) and Morfydd Clark's Mina Murray, who's sexy, pious and uncanny in the way her ends meet, even if her presence is much too brief. Lydia West is also effective as Lucy Westenra, our beloved, if not unsettling, bloofer lady.  

I'd love to see more of this incarnation. I'd love to see its makers tackle "Frankenstein", "Jekyll and Hyde" and/or "The Invisible Man". After all, it's not easy to pull off the old good-vs-bad and make it seem new, to redesign the heart of something legendary without turning it unrecognizable or blasphemous. "Drac 2020" deserves hardy applause for having reached its amazing level. As a lifelong fan, I walked away damn impressed.  

MAIN ENTERPRISES' WHAT EVER!!!

WHAT EVER! (Winter 2020) is the latest in a long line of eclectic entries from publisher Jim Main. This one is every bit a blast as its predecessors and distinguished by a moody, Anthony C. Gray front cover and a colorful, George Lane, Marvel-tribute back cover.

To bolster its varied splendor, WHAT EVER! contains a hearty homage to one of the greatest, on-screen Superman adventures ever made: "Superman and the Mole Men", starring George Reeves as the Man of Steel and Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane. Buck Oviatt's article, enhanced with ideal illustrations by Doc Boucher and Scott McClung, is comprehensive in its making-of details. The article is accompanied by a number of striking photos from the production, which aficionados will appreciate. 

In addition to the "Superman and the Mole Men" retrospective, WHAT EVER! features a cordial essay by Steve Keeter on the passing of small-press maestros, Sam Gafford and Bill Shelly, with lovely illustrations by Boucher and Jack Bertram, as well as a set of powerful "Tell-tale Heart" Bertram illustrations that are certain to have Poe fans salivating. To enhance this amazing ambiance, there's also a "To be Continued!" movie-serial, pictorial section and a clever, Headless Horseman cartoon by Brien Wayne Powell. 

Mr. Main's "This and That" sets the tone for this issue, where he again grants his gracious charm.

WHAT EVER! is one helluva delightful periodical!

If you're interested in obtaining WHAT EVER!, please contact Mr. Main at mainjim23@gmail.com for details. You'll be super glad you did. 

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: KING AND QUEEN

GREEN-FLESHED FIENDS: RADIO ARCHIVES' AUDIO EDITION, PERFORMED BY PAT CURTIS

Hello, my dear "bizarrechats" readers and New Pulp devotees. 

The Radio Archives audio book of my Airship 27 Productions novel, "The Persona: Green-Fleshed Fiends" is now available for purchase, brought to exciting life by voice actor, Paul Curtis (featured in the distinguished photo below).

Curtis invests great respect into each and every characterization of my "twisted reality", including the vocalization of wee Sontar, which he pulls off with cool credibility. 

The Radio Archives release is unabridged (running approximately 6 hours) and consists of 6 CDs (all packaged in a stylish, collector's case). One can also download the novel for a more immediate listen. 

I'm pleased and impressed by Mr. Curtis' expressive interpretation of my work and honored that he and Radio Archives are associated with my mystical mythology. 

One can order the "Green-Fleshed Fiends" audio book at 
https://www.radioarchives.com/The_Persona_Green_Fleshed_Fiends_p/ra784.htm.  (A sample of Curtis' polished performance is available for one's listening pleasure at the site.) 

CHAMBERS OF HORRORS: THE UNSAVORY SCOOP

I was asked at a recent, impromptu literary event why Chambers of Horrors, a fiction/essay fanzine I financed in the early '90s, never went beyond one issue. Was it due to a lack of interest and/or funds? I explained the matter to those gathered and now offer the unsavory scoop to my "bizarrechats" readers: one that holds a valuable lesson.

At first I was reluctant to embark on Chambers. I wished to dabble further on my Magical, Literary Elixirs (a title that spotlighted my experimental fiction), but I met this fellow at the college where I worked, and he claimed that if we teamed, we could gain greater exposure with a Fangoria variant than I could ever by publishing my meager self-indulgences.  

I agreed to the endeavor, and soon thereafter another individual was enlisted to help with the production. He had worked on my literary elixirs and ended up supplying ample illustrations for the new periodical (for which I'm most grateful), but he wasn't keen on the Chambers concept or its promotion. (In retrospect, I can't say I blame him.)

Even with the evident lack of enthusiasm and doubt (and the fact that the initial partner did not shell out one dime toward the project), the president of the Small Press Writers of America contacted me with a short story by an author she believed would suit our title. It was in the style of Clive Barker's "The Yattering and Jack".  I loved the story, but my censorious partners called it "pornographic" and urged against its acceptance. (The story had some harsh, sexual sprinklings, but no more so than Barker's bolder tales. Besides, Chambers wasn't meant for the kids or prudes.)

I should have gone on instinct and ignored their advice, for by rejecting the story, I caused a rift with the once supportive small-press honcho. She was none too pleased with Chambers' ultimate content, and it's obvious why.  (I understand her stance, but she could've been more respectful regarding what did emerge. Her lack of professionalism still irks me.) 

As such, Chambers died on the bloody vine, hampered by a lack of promotion and praise. I passed the title over to my college pal who thought he could do better, but for the record, never produced a follow-up. 

I continued with a second volume of Elixirs, but was discouraged by the second partner to proceed with a third, since he dismissed my additional stories as substandard. I embraced the denouncement, thus causing my homespun, literary aspirations to crash and burn. 

It should be noted that one those trampled "literary elixirs" (which just as well could have worked as a "Chambers" tale) has risen from the grave. The concept will appear in an upcoming, Airship 27 Productions, New Pulp volume. How 'bout that?

The lesson: With any project, listen to your gut. If your decisions aren't the greatest, so be it. Take charge on all fronts, and don't be afraid to face regret or plaster your face on your failures. When it comes to your wins, plaster 'em even more. That's the only way you'll succeed.

Too bad and no surprise that Chambers did not. 

HAPPY (SPIDEYPOOL) NEW YEAR 2020!!! (TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE)