My exploration of the zombie genre with DK Canada’s eminently enjoyable Monsters in the Movies book continues with this over-fictionalized adaption of a real anthropological exploration and documentation of real-life zombies by ethnobotanist Wade Davis. Director Wes Craven used Davis’ book of the same name as the launching point for his horror film starring Bill…
Tag: fear
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1998) – Far Beyond the Stars, and One Little Ship
Station log: stardate unknown Avery Brooks directs this exemplary episode from a script by Ira Steven Behr and Hans Beimler from a story by Marc Scott Zircee. It first aired on 11 February, 1998. The episode sees Benjamin Sisko (Brooks) being given a full sensory vision by The Prophets that allows him to become Benny…
Die, Monster, Die! (1965) – Daniel Haller
There are more mad scientist films to explore as I dig deeper into DK Canada’s Monsters in the Movies book, and Die, Monster, Die! is the next one up. Which is weird, because I didn’t really notice a scientist in the film. Based very loosely on H.P. Lovecraft’s Color Out of Space, the film plays…
Space: 1999 (1976) – Journey to Where, and One Moment of Humanity
Moonbase Alpha continues to hurtle among the stars drawing us with them as Koenig (Martin Landau), Russell (Barbara Bain), Alan (Nick Tate), Maya (Catherine Schell), Tony (Tony Arnholt) and the rest of the crew try to survive. Trouble rears its head this week in Journey to Where, penned by Donald James this episode first debuted…
Space: 1999 (1975) – Collision Course, and War Games
Moonbase Alpha continues it’s journey across the stars in this week’s pair of episodes! Up first is Collision Course, written by Anthony Terpiloff, this episode first debuted on 18 September, 1975. Alan (Nick Tate) is leading a flight of Eagles in front of Alpha to blow up an asteroid that is on a collision course…
Persepolis Rising (2017) – James S.A. Corey
The seventh volume in the brilliant, and highly enjoyable science fiction series, The Expanse, finally finds its way to the Book Shelf this week, and it was so worth the wait. I love this series so much, and this book, Persepolis Rising does two things that haven’t really happened in the series before: there’s a…
Cujo (1981) – Stephen King
This week’s visit to the Book Shelf brings me another early King classic. Apparently he wrote this one quickly, and was under the influence while he did, and doesn’t even remember it. Unlike some of his other earlier works, this one didn’t wow me, and for the first time I came across a King story…
Doctor Who (Peter Capaldi) – Kill the Moon, and Mummy on the Orient Express
The Doctor (Capaldi), Clara (Jenna Coleman) and one of her students, Courtney (Ellis George) find themselves in a strange adventure this week in Peter Harness’ Kill the Moon. This episode first aired on 4 October, 2014, and sees the trio and the TARDIS on the moon, and on Earth of the 21st century, as our…
Doctor Who (Peter Capaldi) – Robot of Sherwood, and Listen
The Doctor (Capaldi) and Clara (Jenna Coleman) embark on a bit of a lark with Robot of Sherwood. Written by Mark Gatiss this episode first aired on 6 September, 2014. Clara has always wanted to meet Robin Hood, which the Doctor insists was made up. To prove the point he takes her to Sherwood Forest…
Star Trek: The Next Generation (1992) – Time’s Arrow Part II, and Realm of Fear
Captain’s log: stardate 46001.3 Season six of Star Trek: The Next Generation got underway with the resolution of the season five cliffhanger, Time’s Arrow, on 21 September, 1992. The season opener was penned by Jeri Taylor from a story by Joe Menosky. Picard (Patrick Stewart), Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Troi (Marina Sirtis), Crusher (Gates McFadden) and…
Fake Blood (2017) – Rob Grant
Whether Canadian film-makers Rob Grant and Mike Kovac movie is fact or fiction isn’t the point of their latest cinematic effort. What is important is the film’s subject matter, and the commentary it makes on film, violence in cinema and the responsibility of the film-makers. Opening Friday at the Carlton here in Toronto, Fake Blood,…
It (2017) – Andy Muschietti
The crowd-pleasing big screen remake of Stephen King’s 1986 novel, It, brings the scares home today thanks to Warner Brothers. Debuting on blu-ray and DVD the entertaining, updated adaptation will make you float too as you visit the town of Derry, Maine. A town of secrets, and terrors in this wonderful coming of age tale….
