FRANKIE'S FRIDAY FUNNIES NO. 191

HARRYHAUSEN'S LAST WORK

Readers of this blog know that I am a big fan of Ray Harryhausen. When I came across this at an auction site, I just had to share it.

Ray Harryhausen's stop-motion animation and imaginative subjects are beyond compare. The piece shown here is known to be the last work that he produced during his lifetime.

The bronze sculpture is titled, "Giving Life to Fantasy". It was originally limited to 12 pieces when it was first created in the early 1990's and then production cast in 2010. Included on this beautiful self-portrait are a number of his creations, including the Cyclops and Dragon from THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD, the giant octopus from IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA, and the Brontosaurus from KING KONG.

The sculpture is mounted on a green marble and wood base with the entire piece measuring 19" x 11.5" by 11" tall. To fully appreciate this, click on the images for a larger size. A truly beautiful work of art!

THE MUMMY GETS A BAD WRAP

THIS INTERESTING ARTICLE from the web explains why, of all the monsters, The Mummy is the outsider of the group. I agree that his origins in the East create a decidedly different perspective than the gothic horrors of Frankenstein and Dracula from Europe and The Wolf Man from Wales. The fascination of Egypt after Howard Carter's fabulous discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922 was an influence on Universal's first Mummy movie. But even after the success of the film at the box office, the character remained oddly in his tomb until THE MUMMY'S HAND eight years later.

Excavating the Mummy, the Most Maligned of Movie Monsters

By Darren Mooney | October 23, 2020 | escapistmagazine.com

Halloween is fast approaching, so it seems like as good a time as any to talk about that most maligned of movie monsters: the Mummy.

The Mummy has been part of every major wave of Gothic monster movies. It followed Dracula and Frankenstein as the third of the major Universal Classic Monsters of the 1930s. It was the third of director Terence Fisher’s updates of classic movie monsters for Hammer Horror in the 1950s, behind The Curse of Frankenstein and Horror of Dracula. It arrived late to the party started by Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in the 1990s. It killed “the Dark Universe” in 2017.

The Mummy is interesting because it’s consistently the outlier in these cycles — sometimes for good, sometimes for ill, sometimes just for strangeness. The Mummy films always stand apart from the general tone of the monster movies around them, as if the production team has no real idea about what it is supposed to be doing with the core concept, and so adopt a “throw everything at the wall and see what sticks” approach that is curiously compelling.

By now, casual audiences understand the basic hook into each of the other classic monsters. Dracula represents threatening sexuality, what Stephen King called “the ultimate zipless fuck.” Frankenstein and his monster are about the horror of technology run amok and reproductive monstrosity. The Wolfman is about the animal trapped inside each human being, struggling to break free. The Invisible Man is about the fears of what a person might do if nobody else was watching.

So, what exactly does the Mummy represent? There are some big ideas tied to the monster. Notably, the original version of The Mummy was released in December 1932, just a month over a decade from the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb. Even into the 1930s, pop culture was fascinated with Ancient Egypt, particularly (largely apocryphal) stories about curses striking down those explorers who had violated the sanctity of these resting places.

The Mummy was just one piece of art reflecting this fascination with Egypt. The Art Deco aesthetic of the 1920s took cues from Egyptian culture. (Many 1920s movie houses would have been adorned with extravagant Egyptian décor.) Two years after The Mummy, Belgian cartoonist Hergé would publish the complete Cigars of the Pharaoh. That same year, Cecil B. DeMille would release his epic Cleopatra. This fascination might be seen as an extension of the “Egyptomania” of the late 19th century.

One of the many films dealing with the "Exotic East" (Motion Picture News, 1921)

The Mummy is often read as an expression of “late imperial anxiety.” Like Dracula, the Mummy story is about a creature from a foreign land preying upon western protagonists. Unlike Dracula, the Mummy films are tied up in colonial exploitation; typically, an archaeologist has disturbed a sacred site of a foreign culture and provoked a monstrous response. Horror is built around transgression and punishment. In the Mummy films the transgression is intrusion into a foreign culture.

The films built around the Mummy have often struggled to articulate these core fears as clearly as those built around the other iconic monsters. Perhaps there are obvious reasons for this; the Mummy seems like a creature specifically aligned with particularly British postcolonial anxieties in the early- to mid-20th century than to any fears recognizable to a United States that was still emerging as a global power and still largely politically isolationist at the time.

This might explain why the Mummy often seems out of place in the context of the other 1930s classic movie monsters. Compared to Dracula or Frankenstein, rewatching The Mummy is a very strange experience. Most obviously, while the other films codified the appearance of their monsters for decades, the creature in The Mummy only briefly appears in its iconic wrapped-in-bandages form, which itself feels like a metaphor for the gulf between the perception and the reality of the monster.

Instead, Karl Freund’s The Mummy feels like a retread of Tod Browning’s Dracula from the previous year, only starring Boris Karloff as the creepy foreign monster rather than Bela Lugosi. (Freund had worked as a cinematographer on Dracula and by some accounts co-directed it.) Universal had famously sold Dracula as a love story, and Lugosi became something of a sex symbol. However, there’s an appreciable difference in tone between Dracula and The Mummy.

A large part of this is down to the differences between Lugosi and Karloff as performers. Lugosi oozed raw and untamed sexuality, while Karloff suggested a more introspective tenderness and vulnerability. The Mummy is as much a weird timeless romance as a traditional horror. Under Freund’s direction, The Mummy leans more heavily into the aesthetic of German expressionism than Dracula or Frankenstein. The result is a movie that is somewhat undervalued by horror fans.

The Mummy was resurrected in the late 1950s as part of the Hammer Horror revival of Universal Classic Monsters. These films updated the monsters for ’50s audiences, with more violence and more explicit horror. However, there’s a sense of obligation to this adaptation, even reflected in the title. While Frankenstein and Dracula were boldly updated as The Curse of Frankenstein and Horror of Dracula, the British studio’s take on the shuffling Egyptian monster was simply titled The Mummy.

Terence Fisher’s 1959 adaptation is arguably more visually influential than the 1932 original, in that Christopher Lee spends far more of the movie lurching around in bandages. This take on the creature also taps explicitly into the colonial anxiety that powers the monster, which makes sense. Hammer Horror was a British production company, and it was making movies in the aftermath of the Second World War as the British Empire was being dismantled. That fear plays through.

The Mummy was clearly aimed at teenagers growing up amid the decline of the British Empire. The Mummy is focused on John Banning (Peter Cushing), the son of British explorer Stephen Banning (Felix Aylmer). The film is largely about John coming to terms with his father’s transgressions. It was Stephen who broke into the tomb and provoked the monster and who is committed to a “nursing home for the mentally disordered.” However, Hammer also struggled with The Mummy.

Like the earlier Universal film, it casts its lead against type. Peter Cushing was great as the creepy Victor von Frankenstein in The Curse of Frankenstein, the learned Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles, and the wise Van Helsing in Horror of Dracula, but he doesn’t really work as a dynamic young lead. Similarly, the movie drags with extended flashbacks that kill momentum and seem to exist to stretch the runtime and get Christopher Lee out of makeup. Again, it’s an odd film.

The Mummy was next revived in the context of the more artisanal and auteur-driven monster movies that emerged in the 1990s. R-rated films like Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Kenneth Branagh’s Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Mike Nichols’ Wolf, Paul Verhoeven’s Hollow Man, and even Stephen Frears’ Mary Reilly all consciously amped up the psychosexuality of their updates to classic movie monsters. Again, Stephen Sommers’ take on The Mummy stood apart from the crowd.

Sommers’ version of The Mummy was a PG-13 crowd-pleasing blockbuster with no aspirations beyond being a family-friendly pulpy throwback. The film is notable for its action set pieces and for the screwball comedy chemistry that exists between actors Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. In this sense, the 1999 version of The Mummy is perhaps the only adaptation of the classic monster that has aged appreciably better than many of the self-serious monster movies around it, at least in the popular memory.

And then there is the most recent adaptation of The Mummy, directed by Alex Kurtzman and starring Tom Cruise. Although it arguably followed earlier updates like 2010’s The Wolfman and 2014’s Dracula Untold, Universal positioned The Mummy as the launching pad of a proposed “Dark Universe” that would fashion its monster properties into a cohesive shared universe. The movie failed so spectacularly that the universe was stillborn.

This failure allowed for a more intimate and contemporary approach to these established properties with Leigh Whannell’s reinvention of The Invisible Man. Even when The Mummy gets to go first and is pushed to the front of the lineup, it is still the odd monster out. There is something fascinating and compelling in this, even beyond the tacit understanding that most monster movie producers have no idea what to do with the concept.

Even almost 90 years after its theatrical debut, the Mummy is still a freak among freaks. There’s something almost heartening in that.

Darren Mooney is a self-professed nerd living on the East Coast of Ireland. He runs his a blog (the m0vie blog), co-hosts two weekly film podcasts (The 250, Scannain) and has written books on The X-Files and the films of Christopher Nolan. Ironically, his superpowers are at their strongest when his glasses are on.

FRAZETTA ART AUCTION

The late Frank Frazetta's work has been a perennial favorite for fans and collectors alike. His original art has demanded record earnings in the auction world, and the group shown here today is no exception. Bidding is open for these magnificent pieces on Friday, October 30 at Heritage Auctions. Descriptions are by the dealer.

Frank Frazetta Creepy #4 Cover Painting Original Art (Warren, 1965). Frank Frazetta's art has been pulling a lot of interest in recent years, and he was always a popular artist to start with! But here is something to really howl about! Creepy was not even a year old when this was published, and it came at one of Frazetta's artistic high-points. The combination of Frank Frazetta's covers and Warren Publishing's interest in revitalizing the Horror genre worked well together.

You can see the amount of fine detail work that Frazetta poured into this piece, which is indicative of pieces the artist was very passionate about. It is a classic composition, and the earthy brown and green tones in the foreground and that big orange moon in the sky make this a perfect Fall-themed piece. In fact, there are almost no primary colors on this dark and moody work at all.

Created in mixed media on illustration board with a matted image area of 14.25" x 19". There is a minor ding on the right edge, and minor edge/corner wear. Matted to 21.25" x 26". In Excellent condition.

Frank Frazetta Swords of Mars Paperback Illustration John Carter and Dejah Thoris Original Art (Ballantine, 1974). The Earthman who becomes the warlord of Mars, and the Princess who holds his heart. This is a lovely piece by Frazetta and from a very strong period for him as well. It was published in 1974 on Page 29 of the eighth book in the Barsoom series by Edgar Rice Burroughs. It has been reprinted in many Frazetta compilation volumes. Rendered in ink and ink wash over graphite. Signed and dated in the lower right of the 13" x 9.75" image area. Matted to 19" x 15.75". In Excellent condition.

Frank Frazetta - Van Helsing Character Study Animated Movie Concept Original Art (Orsatti Productions, 1975). Frank Frazetta painted this portrait piece for an animated Dracula feature that never happened. The work is a real eye-catcher, with the fine details on the face, and the somber tones overall. The provenance for this piece is that it was originally consigned with Heritage in 2006 by one of the producers, and has been viewed and signed by Mr. Frazetta himself. Rendered in mixed media on paper with a matted image area of 16" x 20". Signed in the image area. Matted to 8" x 11.5". In Excellent condition.

Frank Frazetta - Nude Woman Illustration Original Art (1993). Frank Frazetta shows why he is known as one of the best fantasy illustrators! A delicate, yet detailed rendering of a woman standing in a pond shows his mastery of the female form. Frazetta originals are in great demand, and this piece would be a standout in anyone's collection. Rendered in graphite with an image size of 13" x 12", matted and glass-front framed at 26.5" x 20.5". Light smudging and the frame has slight damage and wear. Signed and dated by Frazetta in the lower left image area. Overall, in Excellent condition.

Frank Frazetta - Female Warrior Fighting Monster Illustration Original Art (1993). Frank Frazetta's expert craftsmanship is on full display in this drawing of a simian creature attacking a curvaceous battle-ready warrior. World-famous for his fantasy art, Frazetta originals are hard to come by and in even greater demand. Rendered in graphite with an image size of 12.5" x 11", matted and glass-front framed at 25" x 20.5". Light smudging and staining and the frame has slight damage and wear. Signed by Frazetta in the lower left image area. Overall, in Very Good condition.

Frank Frazetta - Tarzan Illustration St Original Art (undated). The intensity and attitude Frazetta's dynamic comes alive at any size. This tiny Tarzan battles to survive another day in the dangerous jungle. Created in ink over graphite on art paper with an image area of 6" x 4". The paper is toned due to age, has some small chips along the edges and is signed in lower right. In Very Good condition.

Frank Frazetta's Death Dealer by Randy Bowen Limited Edition Bronze Cast Sculpture #11/50 (Dark Horse, 1994). Sculpted by master craftsman Randy Bowen in collaboration with Frank Frazetta himself, this limited edition bronze casting of the Death Dealer is a highly sought-after collectible. Incredibly detailed down to his spurs and chains, the Death Dealer stands an awe-inspiring 12" high, and is mounted on a striking black marble base. This sculpture was individually finished by hand and was limited to a production run of 50 numbered pieces. This particular casting was numbered #11/50, and is in Excellent condition. This lot features only the sculpture itself; there is no box or other material included.

Frank Frazetta Death Dealer Signed Limited Edition Print #270/345 (Paradox Productions, c. 1980s). The Death Dealer is one of Frank Frazetta's most famous images. It has been used as a Molly Hatchet album cover, graced the cover of American Artist, and inspired a comic book series. Numbered 270/345, the image was printed using twelve-color, continuous-tone inks on archival-quality, acid-free, cotton rag, with a special Opalesque finish. This print is silk-textured and signed by Frank Frazetta and numbered just below the 16" x 23.5" image area. Elegantly matted and Plexiglas-front framed at 26.5" x 35.25". Some wear to the frame. Overall, in Excellent condition.

Frank Frazetta Signed Prints Group of 3 (c. 1970s). A triplet of prints from the master, Frank Frazetta including a stunning black and white print of the rejected Famous Funnies Buck Rogers cover that Frazetta modified for EC's Weird Science-Fantasy #29, a limited edition #5/100 Nude Woman print, and lush print of Glamour Gals and Ape Men. Image sizes range from 20.75" X 4.5", 8.75" x 10.75", and 10" x 13" matted to 16" x 20". Prints are signed and in Excellent condition.

THE 100 BEST HORROR BOOKS (26-50)

Here are the next 25 titles from the 100 Best Horror Books list from reedsy.com.

 

26. Ghost Story by Peter Straub (1979)

A group of old men in a quiet town call themselves The Chowder Society. Every so often, they gather to share ghost stories with each other. It’s all just fun and game… until it isn’t. In the wake of a horrific accident, the men are forced to confront one of their stories — and the consequences of the worst thing that they’ve ever done in this brilliant homage to “Night of the Living Dead.”

27. Whispers by Dean Koontz (1980)

Whispers stars Thomas, a screenwriter living in Los Angeles. One day, she is attacked by Bruno Frye, the proprietor of a vineyard she recently visited. She forces him to leave at gunpoint and immediately calls the police — who then call Bruno’s home, where he answers, not more than seconds after the attack. Later on, she is once again attacked by Bruno but manages to get injure him as he escapes. When she called the cops again, she learns that her assailant was found dead hundreds of miles away. But if you think that will put an end to her assaults, then you’re in for a big surprise.

28. The Mask by Dean Koontz (1981)

Not to be confused with the Jim Carrey comedy, The Mask is a shudder-inducing novel from Koontz follows Carol and Paul, a hopeful couple who welcomes a young, amnesiac foster girl into their home. But though “Jane” (who can’t remember her real name) seems angelic at first, her increasingly strange behavior and the mystery of her true identity begins to worry her potential adoptive parents… who may have a closer connection to her than they realize.

29. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill (1983)

Now a major motion picture starring Daniel Radcliffe ( as well as a long-running stage play in London), The Woman in Black is often described as “if Jane Austen wrote horror.” This take on a classic ghost story follows solicitor Arthur Kipps as he travels to the English moors to settle the affairs of Mrs. Alice Drablow of Eel Marsh House. What he finds really finds is a mansion haunted by the elusive “Woman in Black”. Readers who love a slow build-up and the sensation of being watching will be thrilled.

30. The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks (1984)

Frank Cauldhame is sick in the head, even by the standards of the horror genre. Though only sixteen, he lives in isolation and has developed a number of sociopathic tendencies, including torturing wasps in a machine he calls “the wasp factory.” As the reader gets to know more about Frank’s twisted past, they begin to understand why he’s like this — and another twist toward the end of The Wasp Factory makes Frank’s everyday activities seem practically banal.

31. Books of Blood by Clive Barker (1984)

As Britain’s leading purveyor of shocking horror, Clive Barker has made a bit splash as both an author and a film director. While cinephiles may recognise his works Candyman and Hellraiser, he first appeared on the horror radar with his short story collection, Books of Blood. Compulsively blood-curdling, these contemporary stories see regular people sucked into grotesque, disturbing, and often comic scenarios. A brilliant gateway for Barker newbs.

32. City of Glass by Paul Auster (1985)

City of Glass is the first installment in Auster’s landmark New York Trilogy, and a genuinely psychedelic work of intertwining narratives. It begins with a private investigator and former fiction writer who’s driving himself crazy trying to solve a case, then unspools into countless more intertextual threads and questions — the possible answers to which will have readers questioning their own sanity and stability by the end of this book.

33. It by Stephen King (1986)

In the story that injected clowns straight into the nightmares of an entire generation, the title character is a demonic entity that disguises itself while pursuing its prey. And for the children of Derry, that mostly involves taking the form of Pennywise the Clown. Alternating between two time periods (childhood and adulthood), It is packed with fascinating tangents that expertly flesh out the sad, traumatized, and occasionally nostalgic natives of this quiet Maine town.

34. Beloved by Toni Morrison (1987)

The horrors of Beloved, considered by many to be Morrison’s seminal work, are thoroughly intertwined with the ghastly history of America. Sethe is a former slave who had to slit her infant daughter’s throat to prevent her from enduring the same profound injustices and trauma as her. Eighteen years later, the child still haunts her — in some ways more than others. Between the intensely surreal atmosphere that pervades the entire book and Morrison’s deep-cutting prose, Beloved is a masterpiece beyond that of most contemporary horror novels.

35. The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing (1988)

In the 1960s, Harriet and David Lovatt are normal parents with four normal children in England — until Harriet gives birth to their fifth child. Ben is the devil incarnate: he is too strong for his own good, insatiable when it comes to sustenance, and abnormally violent. As he grows up, the family becomes increasingly paralyzed by fear and indecision. Underneath the thrills and agony of The Fifth Child lies a dangerous question about parenthood and the obligations of family.

36. The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris (1988)

The basis for the Oscar-winning film, The Silence of the Lambs is the follow-up to Red Dragon, which was the first novel to feature cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter. In this sequel, FBI trainee Clarice Starling enlists the help of Dr. Lecter to find “Buffalo Bill” — another killer on the loose. In order to do so, the inner workings of a very dark mind are probed, and spine-chilling suspense ensues.

37. Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons (1989)

Carrion Comfort is based on a brilliantly unique premise: that throughout history, a select group of individuals with psychic powers (known as “The Ability”) have compelled humans to commit horrific violence. Acts such as the cruelty of Nazi guards, John Lennon’s assassination, and the Iranian Hostage Crisis can all be attributed to people with The Ability — and they may be planning something even worse. It’s up to one man, a Holocaust survivor, to extinguish this ancient evil before they do any more harm.

38. Ring by Kōji Suzuki (1991)

The premise is a modern-twist on a classic trope: there is a videotape that warns viewers they will die in one week unless they perform an unspecified act. And, yes, the videotape does keep its promises. This Japanese mystery horror novel was the basis for the 2002 film, The Ring, a film which kickstarted the trend of adapting Asian horror for English-speaking markets. Indeed, the nineties was when international readers really started to pay attention to the chilling work being produced by Japanese genre writers like Suzuki.

39. Drawing Blood by Poppy Z. Brite (1993)

In Drawing Blood, Trevor McGee avoids his childhood home in North Carolina for a reason. Years ago, when he was only five years old, his father murdered his mother and his younger brother before hanging himself. Now he’s determined to return and confront his past, but there’s a small problem: the demons that drove his father to insanity might never have left the house.

40. Parasite Eve by Hideaki Sena (1995)

Described as a “medical fantasmagoria,” comparable to Frankenstein in its scientific acuity, this Japanese sci-fi horror follows Dr. Nagashima, who is overwhelmed with grief at the loss of his wife. To cope, he begins the process of reincarnating his wife using a small sample of her liver. What he isn’t prepared for is when her cells begin to mutate, and an ancient, unseen consciousness starts rising from its long sleep.

41. Uzumaki by Junji Ito (1998)

Uzumaki is a seinen horror manga series. Kurôzu-cho, a small fogbound town on the coast of Japan, is plagued by a supernatural curse in the form of uzumaki — spiral, otherwise known as the hypnotic secret shape of the world. As the hold of the curse over the town strengthens, its inhabitants begin to fall deeper and deeper into a whirlpool of madness.

42. From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell (1999)

The peerless Alan Moore put aside V for Vendetta and Watchmen to write this graphic novel, bringing to life the world of Jack the Ripper and his reign of terror in the 1880s. From the grisly theories surrounding the Ripper to the personalities that stood tall during the desperate investigation, Moore spares no gruesome detail as he examines the motivations and identity of the most famous serial killer of all times. With Eddie Campbell’s stark illustrations, this extraordinary graphic novel is a reminder that the most horrifying truths lurk inside the depths of the human soul — and that not all monsters live in Hell.

43. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski (2000)

Though Danielewski’s experimental debut remains largely uncategorizable, it definitely contains strands of horror DNA. This mammoth 700-page novel follows "The Navidson Record" — a documentary about an apparently haunted house (if by "haunted" one actually means "alive"). The Navidson house seems to mutate, changing size and sprouting corridors in a dizzying labyrinths, all while emitting an ominous growl. But what makes House of Leaves truly frightening is Danielewski’s intertwining of plot and structure, the latter’s chaotic layout mirroring the former.

44. Skin Folk by Nalo Hopkinson (2001)

Skin Folk is a short story collection that includes science fiction, Caribbean folklore, passionate love stories, and downright chilling horror. While not all the stories would be described as horror, the darkest of the collection is “Greedy Choke Puppy,” which features a bitter woman who discards her skin at night, and replenishes herself by killing children for their life force.

45. Coraline by Neil Gaiman (2002)

There’s a mysterious door in Coraline’s new house. The neighbors all warn her that she shouldn’t open it under any circumstances… but Coraline never was a girl who listened to other people’s advice. From the mind of the bestselling author who brought you American Gods and Neverwhere comes a novel of wondrous and chilling imagination. Coraline is one of the staples in Gaiman’s remarkable oeuvre for a reason.

46. 30 Days of Night by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith (2002)

This dramatic comic book miniseries brings supernatural terror to life: for a town in Alaska, prolonged periods of darkness means that vampires can openly kill and feed upon humans at almost any time. Their victims are rendered helpless by both the incapacitating darkness and the vampires’ vicious attacks — attacks that Ben Templesmith depicts with such gory immediacy that his illustrations could almost be crime scene photographs.

47. Come Closer by Sara Gran (2003)

Come closer, indeed. This 2003 novel by Sara Gran revolves around a woman named Amanda, who has an ostensibly perfect life. But one day she realizes that some things are a little off. Like the quiet but recurrent tapping in her apartment. And the memo that she sent earlier to her boss that was somehow replaced by a series of insults. Then there are the dreams: those of a beautiful woman with pointed teeth, and a seashore the color of blood. As this mystery escalates in size and terror, Amanda is forced to confront nothing less than her own self.

48. The Good House by Tananarive Due (2003)

The Good House is named after a Sacajawea, Washington home that was much-beloved… until a young boy died behind its doors. Two year later, Angela hadn’t planned on returning to the house that bore silent witness to her son’s death, but then terrible things start happening to the community. Now Angela has the chance to lay to rest once and for all what exactly happened to Corey — and what it has to do with a curse that Angela’s grandmother may or may not have placed on the community decades ago.

49. Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist (2004)

Oskar is a young boy living with his divorced mother in a suburb of Stockholm. Mercilessly bullied by kids at school and increasingly insular, he makes a much-needed connection when Eli, a child of a similar age, moves in next door. Little does he know that his new bestie isn’t as young as he thinks… and that he has a peculiar set of appetites. Titled after the lyrics of a Morrissey song, this sweet but frightening novel has been adapted twice into film and once as a stage show.

50. Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler (2005)

To read one of Octavia E. Butler’s book is to become a fan for life. In Fledgling, Butler demonstrates her mastery of horror once again. On the surface, Shori seems to be a young girl who suffers from severe amnesia. Yet a discovery leads her to the horrifying revelation that she is in fact a 53-year old vampire who has been genetically modified by someone who wants her dead. Now she must decide whether to pursue more answers, even though it might lead her to her own doom.

My top 5 recommended reads from this list (in the order that they appear):

1. Ghost Story by Peter Straub (1979)

2. Books of Blood by Clive Barker (1984)

3. It by Stephen King (1986)

4. The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris (1988)

5. 30 Days of Night by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith (2002)

If you can't wait for the rest of the list here, follow this LINK to the original post.

MONDAY MORNING MIRTH

 

When it comes to politics, not much has changed over the years, including how people feel about the subject. This cartoon by O'Dell Dean from the Dayton Ohio Daily News was published in 1925! The title is "The 'Applesauce Season'" -- applesauce in this context meaning "baloney".