Progress

I'm working on several new projects for the upcoming year.  I've recently completed Mystery, Malevolence & Murder - Volume Two, which will be released under Another Shore Press sometime late 2011 or early 2012.  I'm also working on "The Merchant Chronicles", a short series about an old man who owns a Curio Shop in Chicago and sells strange "knickknacks" that seem to have a life of their own.  At the moment "Lux Ex Tenebris" is entering its third re-write, and since I'm in graduate school it will end up being my thesis project.  I'm expected to graduate on time (December 2011).  I love City College very much and the experience has been wonderful, but I'm ready to get out there and hustle, make my own way.  My time will come, I just need to be a little more patient.  I was once told that you should be careful about wishing away your life.  I agree wholeheartedly, and since I'm now a year away from my goal at CCNY I need to absorb every moment.  I certainly plan on it. 

Stay tuned, folks.  I've got a lot more in store in the near future. 

Dave

The "Devil" made me do it: A Review of M. Night Shyamalan's latest work.

About two weeks ago I watched Trilogy of Terror, a 1974 collection of three short suspense/horror tales all starring Karen Black, whose virtuoso performance introduced us to Julie, Millicent, Therese and Amelia - all very different but compelling characters.  The film was directed by the legendary Dan Curtis of Dark Shadows and The Night Stalker fame.  The stories were penned by Richard Matheson (I Am Legend, What Dreams May Come, Stir of Echoes, Nightmare at 20,000 Feet).  While watching this movie I remember thinking how the genre seemingly has lost its way into the twenty-first century and wondered if this kind of "Poe-ish" style of writing would ever make a comeback.  The days of watching fun TV shows like The Outer Limits, One Step Beyond, Night Gallery and The Twilight Zone (which Matheson wrote numerous scripts) would forever be lost or the stories themselves uninteresting. 

Evidently someone has heard my prayers.

This afternoon I went to see Devil, the first of three short tales in the The Night Chronicles series based on ideas by Writer/Director M. Night Shyamalan.  Given his track record of late, I was hesitant about spending my hard earned money on anything related to Night, but after reading an interview with Bokeem Woodbine, who starred in the movie, and watching the trailers I decided to give it a shot.  The performances were great and the action kept my eyes glued to the screen until the end.

The main plot of Devil surrounds five seemingly random people who become trapped in an elevator of a large office building in Philadelphia.    Being stuck in a crowded space by itself can be nerve-wracking, but there's another problem: one of them is The Devil.  Yes, THAT Devil.  Outside the elevator there are additional issues: no one knows the identity of those trapped inside, the building staff and the fire department have found themselves unable to rescue the passengers with any degree of simplicity, one of the security guards is a devout Catholic whose passed-down tale about how the Devil "works" is unfolding before his eyes, the lead detective has a past that haunts him to this day.  And, oh yeah - every time the lights go out in the elevator something really bad happens.  You can't see it, but the presence of evil is clearly there.  I know all of that seems like a lot to digest at once, but that's actually the point.  These people seem to not be related to one another, but as time passes the truth, and the Devil, both come forth.  I won't give anything away, but as a fan of old school horror, I thought the timing and the implied "frights" that were all over this movie worked well, even down to little details like everyone wearing "red."  Night did the right thing in trusting someone else to expound upon his ideas and I hope it's something he does from now on.

The second film of The Night Chronicles is called Twelve Strangers.  There is no release date as of yet, but it appears to be well on its way.  I look forward to seeing it, and based on what I've seen today, this series could be a throwback to the great horror flicks of the past. 

Hopefully this is a sign of good things to come!

David T. Boyd gives Devil: *** and 1/2 Stars.

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