Magazine Watch

DVD WORLD, from the current issue (82 ) has dropped its porn content (previously they reviewed porn films) in order to concentrate on the cult film market, but deciding that their readers were a bunch of wankers they have ditched the tits and arse. Good news, I think, because the magazine has always been interesting, covering films that are ignored by the mainstream press, but the porn content has always stopped me buying the magazine. I've often browsed at it in Smiths and thought I'd like to read the article on Dario Argento or B movie horrors but have been put off my the, usually huge tits on the cover. Not that I've anything against huge tits, mind.

The new look magazine is a great read and a welcome antidote to all the mainstream film magazines. Nowhere else will you find features on John Russo, co writer of Romero's original Night of the Living Dead or get to read an interview with the director of Black Blooded Brides of Satan. There's even a review here of John Wayne's classic The Green Berets.

Brilliantly tacky.

There are four new all action Commando titles on sale at the moment:

Raven and the Renegade by Ferg Handley with art by John Ridgway.

An Inch from Death by Ian Clark with art by Garijo

The Shadow War by Mike Knowles with art by Denis Mcloughlin

Rifleman from Rio by Alan Hebden with art by Mike White

Nightmare on Elm Street 2010 NEW POSTER REVEALED

There is much anticipation for the new Nightmare on Elm Street movie and the new one sheet poster (left) has been revealed on the film's website. The new Nightmare, that is, with Jackie Earle Haley donning the stripey jumper and unflattering hat once worn by Robert Englund.

The plot, of course, remains the same for this remake / reimagining / whatever. Freddy Kruger is a child murderer burned alive by the vengeful parents who returns to take his own fiery, pointy, slicey, squishy vengeance on their kids.

A Nightmare On Elm Street is directed by Samuel Bayer, also stars Clancy Brown and Kellan Lutz (stop screaming, Twilighters) and comes out in the UK on May 7.

AMERICAN AUTHORS COLLECTION

Radio 4, probably the best station in the world, has as part of its Front Row series looking at American Authors, a series of in depth author interviews available for all to listen to online. The interviews are to be available permanently and among the writers spoken to are Stephen King, Patricia Cornwell, John Updike, Elmore Leonard, John Irving and just about anybody who is anyone in American literature.


I'm not sure the interviews are available anywhere in the world but I believe American web-users are able to access the interviews. Some of the interviews run more than a hour and I found the Patricia Cornwell feature very enlightening. Check it out HERE

World Book Day 2010

Today is World Book Day and I'm looking forward to visiting a local school this afternoon to give a chat on my western books, get them reading young is what I say. Check out the World Book Day website HERE

HOLY INSOLVENCEY!

The sister of Batman star Christian Bale was declared bankrupt yesterday and now faces losing the home she shares with her three daughters.

But Sharon Bale, 42, who lost thousands of pounds on the property market is not expecting any help from her brother, reportedly worth £30million. They have not spoken since a bust-up two years ago at London's Dorchester hotel ahead of the Batman premiere. Christian, 36, was arrested after the row but police took no further action against him.

Sharon, of Corfe Mullen, Dorset, had her application for bankruptcy accepted at Bournemouth county court yesterday. She said: "I have never asked him (Bale) for money, ever, and he's never offered it."

That man Brazill

Archive friend and prolific writer Paul D Brazill is the subject of new series of Showcase articles on The Journal webzine - Details HERE

A POLICEMAN'S LOT AND SHERLOCK HOLMES AND JACK THE RIPPER

The Archive's been quiet this week, but I've been on set of a new version of the Sherlock Holmes stories for the BBC. Sherlock - it looks interesting folks and should be seen later in the year. As a huge Holmes fan it was great for me to work on the show.

The end of this month sees my western, Arkansas Smith - so expect some big-time promotion here this month. However jumping forward to the summer when my mystery/crime novel A Policeman's Lot will be published - initially as an eBook and then a paperback a month or so later. I've managed to get hold of the readers report on the book and I thought I'd like to share this:


A Policeman’s Lot, by Gary Dobbs. Murder mystery. 56K words. Fascinating concept, setting, and characters. Set in Wales during Buffalo Bill’s 1903/1904 tour of the United Kingdom, the story begins with Inspector Frank Parade carrying out his daily duties in the town of Pontypridd, duties complicated by the unprecedented presence of 500 members of Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show encamped outside the town, not to mention the thousands attending the show every day. A series of depraved murders quickly makes things even more complicated. Buffalo Bill stands squarely in his path when Parade tries to investigate the likely possibility that one of the hundreds of show members is involved. And soon enough Parade’s own superiors are blocking his inquires, too. Still more deaths occur as Parade sifts through the thin evidence available and finds a trail that may lead to the perpetrator of the most heinous crime of the 19^th Century—London’s “Ripper” murders. Before the story is done, Parade develops a dramatic theory that may solve the Ripper mystery, as well as the murders he faces in idyllic Pontypridd. The story itself is wonderful—clever and intense.