30 Days of Night

       Graphic novels have made significant gains in popularity and acceptance in the last couple of

decades. The idea that panels of stylized drawings  were once the realm of comics for children only is dead. Now graphic novels can tread into R rated material with surprisingly wonderful results. I enjoy digging into a graphic novel on occasion. As much as I love traditional novels, sometimes you want a good story that is quick and visual. 30 Days of Night by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith is one of the big ones to thrust horror graphic novels into the spotlight. In this case, the praise is well deserved. 30 Days of Night is a enjoyable read that feels classic and modern at the same time.

      The plot is a straightforward attack on the small Alaskan town of Barrow. As the arctic town experiences of a full month where the sun never rises, vampires decide to take the opportunity of the darkness to descend upon Barrow and feed at will.  It's a simple idea and brilliant at the same time. A small isolated populated area that is trapped in night for a month would easily top a vampire's vacation list. Then, this great idea is shattered by another equally simple idea: vampires need to remain hidden from the public view. After all, if people knew of them surely a mass effort to eliminate the creatures would assemble in no time. Vicente (the vampire elder) arrives to fix the mess of the town in order to keep the secret of the vampires safe. This was a great twist that in hindsight should have been obvious and yet was a surprise as the audience is still soaking in the brilliance of the vampires plan for the month long blood feast. The plot kept the momentum moving forward without adding anything unnecessary. Not a single character didn't have it's role to play nor a single scene that wasn't vital to the story.

       The visual part of the graphic novel I felt served the story well. A distinct atmosphere was created by the illustrations that made the story feel other-worldly and unique. The vampires and gore are displayed with a grotesque flair. This is what makes a graphic novel a different reading experience than a standard one. A traditional novel would have more room for character development and sub-plots and so on, however it's impossible to ensure readers see the story exactly as the writer imagines it. Each reader will fill in a traditional novel with their own imagination to some degree. In the graphic novel format, readers actually see what the writer intended with the style and atmospheres visually presented.

       The sub-plot with the Louisianian voodoo woman and her son I'm a bit on the fence about. The emails did give some foreshadowing and the son's arrival gave the reader a false hope of rescue for the remaining trapped people in Barrow. Could the story have done without them? No. Originally, this story was a movie pitch that wasn't picked up (funnily enough, it was made into a movie after the graphic novel did so well). I can see how the the Louisianian woman's attempt to get proof of the vampires would work in a film and it would be a way to leave the world open for a sequel. As the story has continued in graphic novel form, I'm sure this woman has popped up in future plots. So she has her place in the world and the story.

      As far as negatives go, there were some plot holes. How does our hero Eben manage to keep control of himself in vampire form? How do the survivors manage to live through an entire month in freezing temperatures without heat? Why does Vicente wait until the end of the month to try and stop the attack? Why does Eben transform so soon before the sun was to rise and the vampires were to leave? Honestly, these holes were easier for me to forgive than in many of the other works I've reviewed. I think this is in part due to the format. This was meant to be visually appealing and fun, so I read it with a little more lightness than a traditional novel. Characters were not as developed as they could have been, but again this comes down to format. The main focus here is on the quick story and the illustrations. Had this been a standard novel, I would have expected to get to know the characters far better.

      Overall, this is a great quick story that hits the classic monster vein while adding in a refreshingly modern appeal. Perfect if you are waiting in a doctors office or just feel that a concise creepy tale that you can finish in the span of drinking a cup of tea is right for the evening.

Relic

      I recall watching the movie Relic several years ago but was unaware the film was based on a novel. The film version was memorable for several reasons, however I wouldn't say it was something I would watch more than once. As so often happens, Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child is superior to the movie adaptation. There were many elements of this book that hit the right marks for great storytelling, which help to smooth over its faults. This fun imaginative romp is a solid read that delivers to the crime drama/monster aficionado audiences.

      I haven't read too deeply into crime drama genre, but Relic blends the investigative plot structure of those stories with an impressive monster, the Mbwun. I will admit that for me personally, unraveling the mysteries behind the creature was the pull that kept me turning pages. Preston and Childs created a monster that mixed both superstitious origins with scientific explanation. Though I doubt the science side was realistic, I was able to suspend my disbelief enough to engage in the plot. The reveal of the history of the Mbwun wasn't a surprise, as I had seen the movie prior, but I can imagine that those unfamiliar with the story will enjoy the twists and turns throughout. I was also impressed by the empathy that is built for the Mbwun through the book. It is described at several points with a dose of sympathy. I felt this built a more complex creature than the purely evil monsters that often arise in fiction. The audience is able to see the Mbwun as more than just a murderous beast, if only a smidgen, which makes the end reveal of the creatures original form have even more emotional impact.

      The setting plays a big role in why I enjoyed this book so much. A museum is ripe with creepy atmospheres for a creature to lurk around in. It also created a sense of a world with in a world. The academic elitist arena where galas and new discoveries are displayed to achieve affluence and wealth. I felt Relic pokes at this thirst for notoriety and discovery throughout the plot. In a sense, one of the themes for this book is that it's possible to take the quest for knowledge and recognition too far. In fact, the catalyst for the plot is an anthropologist, Whittlesay exploring a lost tribe that is best left forgotten. The dangers of science without conscience has been explored in fiction before (look no further than Mary Shelly's Frankenstein for proof of that) however approaching that theme from the museum mentality is a refreshing twist.

      The pace of the book is wonderful in the first half, but it started to slow after the midpoint. The second half became cluttered with scenes that didn't drive the action forward or I felt were unnecessary. By the latter part of the book I expect us to be driving quicker to the climax and forgoing anything that might slow that momentum. At one point we are treated to a chapter that shows us the results of DNA sequencing (or genre recognition software, something like that) which dragged, when this information could have been condensed into a quick conversation rather than a whole chapter. However, this pacing may be more akin to how crime dramas build not horror.

      Another issue I had with the book was the long character list. I'm not saying a story should have a set limit on the amount of characters involved, but it did get overwhelming to a degree. There were times I forgot who was who or what their occupation was. This may also be on account of my inexperience with crime drama. I tend towards fiction that focuses on a smaller group of characters that I become intimately attached to. This book was more focused to the building mystery and the events as they unfolded. It is also possible that my quick read of this book made it more difficult to get into the characters since they were so numerous.

     I would probably be much more satisfied with the book if the epilogue had been taken out completely. I won't ruin this too much, but let me just say the epilogue seemed so implausible that it left a nasty taste after an otherwise delicious story. I understand the desire to have the horror live on, but Kawakita's drug ending went was over the little hint that most monster stories give that "it isn't really over, dun dun duuuuuunnnn."

     Overall, this is a good read. Fans of crime drama will be pleased with the monster element that makes the story fresh. Monster fans will find a wonderfully different take on a creature story. An entertaining read, just skip the epilogue.

The Blob (1988 version)

     

    The 1988 version of The Blob has undoubtedly become a cult classic monster flick. I remember watching this movie years ago and feeling rather indifferent to it, though I don't think I was really focused on the movie at the time. I hoped a revisit would sway my former opinion. Sadly, it did not. There was some great scenes in this film, no doubt about that, and yet by the end I felt rather underwhelmed. 

     Let's start with what the movie excelled at. The monstrous blob itself was a great creature. It has no remorse, can't be reasoned with, and is insatiable. The backstory provided explained enough without becoming dull and complicated. The deaths in this film were beautifully orchestrated. with what would seem like a rather simple way to dispatch its victims (by engulfing them and dissolving them) the kills were not repetitive. A failed date rape with the woman's shell housing the blob that strikes out once the would be assailant goes in for a grope. A man pulled down the drain of a sink while he is being dissolved. A woman trapped in a phone booth as the blob crushed the glass to rush in and absorb her. You get the idea. The visual effects were also top notch for the time. Some of the shots come off cheesy, but visual effects are bound to age.

     The setting of The Blob is the fictional town of Aborville, California. This little sleepy town praying for snow to bring economical prosperity reminded me of my little hometown of Big Bear Lake, California. I think for that reason the isolation of the film's location struck me personally. It gave the movie a nice claustrophobic feel to it. The characters are trapped in their little rut way of life when the blob descends upon them and the government quarantines them. There's nowhere to go.

     Now for the list of ways this movie failed. All the characters were stereotypes. You have your bad boy with a heart of gold, the cheerleader, the kooky bum, the evil government scientist, the crazy priest, the younger brother with his bad influence friend... and on and on. It was difficult to care about any of them as they were all shallow and typical sorts of people one would expect in a small town. They didn't feel like real people, just place holders. Although some seemingly innocent people die, there were a number of the '80's cliched immoral characters getting killed in horrible ways. The minute the camera lands on the two teens drinking and getting frisky in a parked car, you know there is going to be some gore following close behind. Much of the dialogue and plot was super cheesy and predictable.

     Plot holes were so abundant in this film you have to stumble your way through it. For example, the blob eats half of the bum in the hospital, then swallows up Meg's date whole, but leaves her unconscious right next to it. Also, she is the only one to respond to the screaming (the doctor and the staff apparently didn't feel the need to come running). Brian manages to flee a helicopter and a well trained government task force with great ease by merely jumping a broken bridge. Not a single bullet hits him. The blob is able to explode out the sewers, rupturing the street near the final confrontation and yet takes it sweet time breaking into the building or the windows of the snowmaker truck Brain is trapped in. I could go on. 

     The ending especially felt lack luster. After all the fabulous kills prior in the movie, the blob emerges to attack the gathered town as a huge wad of prechewed gum. It snatches some people as they run, makes a weak attempt at breaking into the building the rest have barricaded themselves in. I should care, The whole population is in peril, but honestly I'm not attached to any of the characters so I'm not really at the edge of my seat. Then the hero and heroine take turns saving each other while destroying the blob. He suddenly develops a case of caring about the community when he had previously been only interested in his own welfare. She magically becomes super bad-ass and goes on the offensive when she was previously running and screaming through the whole flick, relying on Brian. It was too quick a change in character that feel flat for me. Not to mention that these two teens somehow had the balls to confront this massive monster on their own after all the people they have witnessed it eating. It just stank of contrived to me. 

     Overall, I would recommend watching this to enjoy the death scenes and cheesiness. If you're looking for well-rounded characters or a plot that lacks oddles of holes, this one probably isn't for you.

Lovecraftian Goodness

The man himself, H.P. Lovecraft. Not the slightest bit creepy looking.

     As far as the horror genre is concerned, H. P. Lovecraft is widely considered one of the great writers that paved the way for the modern horror to flourish. Even if someone is unfamiliar with his name, his work is probably known to them in one form or another from Reanimator to the dreaded Cthulhu. For this entry, I'll be looking specifically at the short stories The Call of Cthulhu, The Outsider, and Pickman's Model from this highly revered author.

     In each of these stories, Lovecraft built a mythology for the frightening creatures. This focus on the lore of the monsters works as Lovecraft tactfully only gives glimpse of the whole, enough to stir fear while not so much that the sense of mystery is lost. Cthulhu and his cult are approached in a sequence of discoveries following the narrators trail through clues and events. By the end, the impending doom is palatable, and yet the full story of the Ancient Ones is denied. They are still frighteningly unfamiliar, which makes the story all the more terrifying. Likewise, the painted creatures described in Pickman's Model have a lore explained through the painting scenes that is both structured and yet vague. The creatures aren't even given a name, preserving that unnerving feeling of the unknown. The outsider travels through a dreamlike atmosphere before the revelation that it is unnatural is revealed. The audience is left with the impression that this is a deceased individual that has ascended back into the land of the living, but the exact details of the surreal depths remains a mystery, as does the specifics of who the individual was. Just a peek into the supernatural is shown, which keeps that unnerving suspense even after the story is over.

       Lovecraft utilizes the first person perspective beautifully in each of these stories. In The

Cover from R.J. Ivankovic's reimagining of The Call of Cthulhu. Isn't he cute?

Outsider, the narrator is revealed to be the monster in the end. However, seeing his journey through his perspective gives the audience some empathy for the character. We feel bad that this poor man is spending his 'childhood' in such deplorable surroundings and cheer for his accomplishments when he finally emerges into the moonlight. This made the realization of his undead state more frightful for the reader. Once they have made an emotional connection to the narrator, it is awful to know the character you have come to care for is the monster.

 

     Pickman's tale is revealed through his friend, who gives the account of what he witnessed. This perspective not only kept the details of Pickman's creatures secret but also allowed the reader to experience the fear the narrator felt through the plot. Pickman seemed to view the beasts he painted as kindred spirits, which would have been difficult for the reader to connect with had he told the tale. Also, the mystery of his disappearance would have had to be revealed. The narrator gave the audience a perspective the reader can empathize with, that of someone encountering the strange and delusional artist and what  depths he has descended for his art. 

      The Call of Cthulhu used first person to ground the story. With such a fantastical huge scale beast and mythology, it would have been easy for the author to accidentally make the premise seem fake. The narrator's initial skepticism and his retelling of the discoveries that lead to his eventual belief make the fantastical seem possible. This was an educated man uncovering the cult and creature through research, obviously he wouldn't be swayed to believe without substantial evidence. The evidence also provides several accounts of others encountering the Cthulhu mythology in some form, adding to the paranoia of secret cults and conspiracies. The first person point of view leaves the story open in the end. After all the information provided, there is no definite end resolved. Cthulhu lives on to haunt the dreams of the reader forever after.

      It is difficult for me to bring up any way these stories are lacking, as I've been a fan of Lovecraft since my teens. However, to be fair I must reluctantly point out some things. Lovecraft is a drawn out storyteller. These tales take some time to get rolling into full steam; don't expect to be hooked on the story from the first line. In the modern era where we expect instant gratification, this can disappoint readers. We are used to the quick paced stories that jump straight to main points. Lovecraft takes his time, simmering the plot. 

     Pickman's Model and The Call of Cthulhu are more of a factual look back to past events, which can drain some of the in the moment suspense and tension. The narrator is retelling the horror now that it's done with many sensory details left out, so the feeling of being there in the moment is dimmed. Even The Outsider, which is a more personal first person perspective, seems a bit removed from immersing the reader into the journey. The emotions of the narrator are not utilized as much as the stories come off more as documenting the events recalled rather than truly reliving them. For the record, I would like to point out that these negatives are more likely a product of the changing tastes of readers over the decades. These stories are close to a hundred years old. The audience at the time they were originally published likely didn't expect the fast, immersive story that we do today. 

      Overall, these are classic stories that I believe every horror fan should read. Love them or hate them, to analyze how Lovecraft struck fear into his readers is well worth the time. His influence can be seen in many modern horror writers' work. For those who delight in these tales, I would also recommend reading Dagon, Arthur Jermyn, and Herbert West - Reanimator (or really anything he wrote is enjoyable).

Godzilla

      As far as colossal monsters go, many people would count Godzilla as royalty. There is a long and impressive history this creature spans over, though I will admit I'm limited in my knowledge of his mythology. I'm not a big fan of disaster type movies as they seem to be more focused on the big special effects and destruction than characterization and themes. Many people enjoy these stories, it's just not my cup of tea. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised by the 2014 reboot Godzilla.

     I was expecting the sole focus of this movie to be on the monster and his path of destruction; giant monster rampages through city, government struggle to find a way to stop said monster, final battle with big explosions and carnage- the typical formula. This movie went deeper with it's plot line. Godzilla does not arrive to simply wreck metropolises, but to battle against the newly hatched MUTOs. I was a bit confused as to why Godzilla was hunting these other creatures. I was under the impression in the beginning that these MUTO's were parasites that feed off of the Godzilla species, then later it seemed as if they were Godzilla's natural prey, however at the end he slaughters them but does not eat them. So, I'm at a bit of a loss on the relationship there. That confusion aside, this added conflict served to give Godzilla an almost heroic role in the film.

      That doesn't mean that Godzilla was any less terrifying. Even though he was intent on destroying the MUTO threat, he trampled over a bunch of humans as if they were ants in the process. The look of the creatures was well done in my opinion. They didn't look too cheesy but prehistoric and foreign, as they should. Instead of being mutated into these beasts, this film had them being ancient beings that fed off a the natural radiation of the planet. This explanation worked fine for me, I was able to suspend my disbelief enough as it seemed a plausible reason for their existence. I was also pleased that the battles of the monsters and their destruction was shown as a continuation of the plot rather than the sole focal point. At several points, rampages are shown in only the bits that affected characters or even in glimpses on the news. The audience gets the point at how horrific these events are without getting an unneeded play by play. 

     The characters in this film were far more empathetic than I expected. The Brody family gave us an everyday family to root for that had reasons and skill sets that made it plausible for them to be in the midst of the battle. The Admiral Stenz and Dr. Serizawa played off each other with tension of their opposing views. The military approach versus the scientific/more pacifist path. It was easy to see both perspectives. It was also easy to see how these two characters furthered the plot with their actions. Serizawa allowed the male MUTO to grow and feed off the nuclear reactor. Even though he explains they were concerned about the radiation that would be released had they killed it in that state, the desire to study the MUTO is obvious as well. Stenz takes a risk by deciding to use nuclear bombs as a lure for the creatures and hopefully their destruction. This, of course, backfires as the MUTOs intercept the bombs. Characters made decision that ultimately made things worse which made them work even harder to achieve their goals. This is good storytelling. The audience is engaged with these characters because they are doing things that directly affect the story, not just characters watching on the sidelines until the final battle. 

     There were a few things that didn't work as well in the story, besides the confusion regarding

Godzilla's motivation. I was torn about Joe Brody's death. In the beginning it seemed apparent that he was going to be one of the lead characters, yet he was killed shortly after the first MUTO awoke. I thought it was a good twist as it made the audience feel the main characters were in real danger. At the same time, I felt he was killed off too quickly. Having him help with the situation a little longer, perhaps having some dramatic conversations with Serizawa regarding the deception of the what actually happened at the plant, would have added more emotional pull during his death. 

     His son, Ford has a too convenient story line. He always happens to be in the right place to be smack dad in the middle of the action, and just happens to have the experience and skills they need in all the military situations. San Francisco, where his family is, happens to be the final battle setting giving him a personal reason to engage. He is brave and true throughout, doing everything right from the beginning. It's not that I hated him so much as he seemed like a dull good guy to me. I had no fear he would fail because he didn't have any weaknesses. He was your standard American hero.

     Speaking of American, the conversion from Godzilla being a Japanese monster to an American one was apparent in this film. I'm sure this probably didn't go unnoticed to many fans of Godzilla. The film starts in Japan, but quickly travels across the Pacific. In the end, Godzilla is hailed as the savior of San Francisco. I'm not a big fan of the creature, as I mentioned before, but I can imagine the cultural appropriation maybe a negative for many fans. 

      Overall, this was an entertaining watch. It was far better that I had anticipated. This isn't a film that I will watch more than once, nor one that I would say has a deep impact on me personally. However, it was a fun flick to occupy a couple of hours. Audiences will get their money worth here, a quick plot, some good characters, and an appropriate amount of big kabooms. 

Snow

      Everyone has atmospheres that strike them a terrifying on a personal level. For some, it's their

A view of fresh snow from my childhood home

grandparents' dim and cluttered basement or that dilapidated house two blocks over. For me, nothing was eerier growing up that the forest across the street from my house covered in thick, blinding snow. Naturally, when I discovered there was a novel that warped snow into a monster that attacked small towns, like the one I grew up in, I was ecstatic. Surely, this would be the sort of book that would bring all my childhood unease into delightful horror fruition. Ronald Malfi's Snow delivered - at first. I wanted to love this novel, I really did. What I ended up with was a decent book that had the potential to be much more.

     The beginning of the novel had a killer atmosphere. The details and character development is strong and immersive at the start. The four lone travelers crammed into a rental Cherokee in a white out blizzard is tense. Then add in a lone wandering man that has a check mark on every item of my "this creepy guy isn't what he seems" list, and the audience is squirming in anticipation for what happens next. The evil entity is revealed in glorious fashion. As with all good things though, this great start doesn't last. The tension seems to recede over the course of the book. The atmosphere and detailed descriptions become little pockets within a plot line barreling forward. Every innovative element of he book was dragged down when it could have been placed center stage.

     The monsters were a unique and striking creation, especially at first. The idea of something as benign as a little flurry of snow being a blood thirsty entity is startling to say the least. These vapor snow creatures manage to materialize enough to penetrate and invade a body, creating a meat suit to walk around in. Then Malfi adds in that these meat suits eat flesh. The creatures attack and pursue the survivors, both in various snow varieties and body puppet forms, ruthlessly. In a sense, they were a wonderful twist on body snatching type monsters and zombies.

     I think the monsters would have been more impressive if the plot didn't descend into the stereotypical zombie survival structure. The protagonists, Todd and Kate, encounter hidden survivors in a rapid fashion as they scramble through town in an effort to withstand the snow terror. Each time a new stronghold is stumbled upon by the pair, the place and people that had managed to keep concealed for a week are attacked. The local survivors are taken out by various means and the protagonists move on. The audience has little time to develop any connection with the survivors the pair encounter before they are replaced by new survivor characters. This quick turn over made these other characters feel rather stereotypical. There's the lone teenage/young adult girl that's tough as nails, the sweet elderly couple. the psycho that assumes control with violence (who also plays the religious nut), and a whole sheriff's station of characters like the martyr, and the kids who end up turning on the protagonists. The audience gets a quick succession of the various manifestations of psychological mistrust that's expected for a story where anyone could be the enemy. The overall plot is nothing fresh after the popularity of the zombie genre. It's not bad, just a mediocre structure that lacked the innovation I was expecting for such a unique monster.

     The protagonists themselves were decently fleshed out. Todd is a man with a dark past desperate to make amends to his son and ex-wife. Kate is a woman unable to open up and therefore stays in an engagement headed nowhere. There issues are resolved in the end as Todd embraces his son and seems to come to some peace with his ex, while Kate has formed a more honest romantic bond with Todd. These character arcs worked fine, but none of their traits or issues had much effect on the main plot.

      Overall, this wasn't a bad book by any stretch of the imagination. Malfi's monsters are invigoratingly different than the scores of vampires and werewolves that occupy a big chunk of the horror genre. At it's best, the book is haunting in it's description and atmosphere. On the downside, there is little in the way of surprises as far as the plot and characters are concerned. Worth a read if your craving some frozen creatures on a cold winter's night.