Clive Barker: Classic or Pinhead?

judging by that link it actually sounds exactly like every Clive Barker book EVAh.

gateway to magic worlds ho hum.

hellraiser iii: CoD

'Hellraiser' is just alright, I think - some of the effects are v. lousy, and the acting is variable to say the least, but it is nice to see a kinky English gorefest in the Michael Reeves tradition. The sequel is redeemed only by good ol' Kenneth Cranham (just as David Cronenberg is the only gd thing abt 'Nightbreed'), and the third one has Dax from Deep Space Nine in it.

The illustrations, though! Ned like. I also lurve 'faerie,' so ha. ;-)

Actually, my thought on this is that it generally seems like Barker is constantly a horror writer, but really isn't, though clearly he's had a major impact in that arena. That it's his Books of Blood material which has so often been made into movies/adapted for comics/ etc. -- Hellraiser being an exception, though derived from a story written around the same time -- has I think perpetuated the image, as did That Legendary Stephen King Quote. If they get around to filming Weaveworld, as is apparently in the offing, then that may start to change -- as it is, the next direct adaptation is going to be "Saint Sinner," which I gather is filming right now.

As it is, I'm most interested in reading Galilee next...

I agree with also agree that Liverpool town centre would be much enhanced with a statue of Pinhead.

lol 'midnight meat train'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pifkqLq6c0

I saw the trailer for that today before Rambo, everybody laughed at the title.

Hmm. As a collision of horror aesthetics it's of interest but I'm not sure beyond that.

looks pretty silly, but some of the Books of Blood were extremely awesome, really a world of their own, scary and creepy in a way that I hadn't been scared/creeped out by. I especially liked the story about the 2 cities who have a giant battle where they climb on each other to build two giants. I read some of the novels, I really loved Weaveworld in middle school, really fun fantasy stuff, and Cabal was a nice quick read, and the movie wasn't terrible, hell, it had David Cronenberg in it, though it could've been a lot darker. What's really laughable are some of the earlier more obscure films, like the movie version of Rawhead Rex. That cracked me up when I was in middle school.

Re-making Hellraiser?!?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0887261/

I don't know if it's just because his influence has been so pervasive it now seems like cliche, but 'Midnight Meat Train' looks like something I keep forgetting I've seen five times already.

Books of Blood were classic, and there were some really weird ideas there. Wouldn't ever write him off. I sort of lost interest around 'Nightbreed', which was just a mess. It seems to have developed a serious cult since, and there's been some talk of a director's cut with cgi fixes.

Seem to remember 'Master of Illusion' was unexpectedly good fun.

Except it was 'Lord of Illusions'. Double bill with 'The Prestige'?

Looking at his IMDB entry, Barker's certainly been keeping busy. All those 'Hellraiser' spin offs! I didn't see the 'Masters of horror' version of 'Haeckel's Tale', though having read the story, I imagine it must have been toned down considerably for broadcast.

the great and secret show/everworld and imajica are all really wonderful horror novels. oh, the damnation game too although it's more raw horror and the others are fantasy based. anyway has anyone read the Abarat books?

people who don't think midnight meat train looks awesome = funhaters

title of the year for sure. movie...we'll see.

i'm excited about it, i just want it to be like the short story. and not just a serial killer thing. you know?

great and secret show/everworld

is he ever gonna finish that? still the only barker books i've read. i liked em but damn don't leave us hanging.

(nb it's everville. pardon the pedant.)

"I especially liked the story about the 2 cities who have a giant battle where they climb on each other to build two giants." 'In the hills, the cities' - great stuff! Remember a nice graphic novel version of this, could be done with CGI pretty easily.

The thing that made 'Hellraiser' so incredible was that it seemed so kinky and so personal. The problem I had with a lot of his subsequent output was that it seemed like just a slightly warped take on absolutely generic stories and characters. From the trailer, the 'Midnight Meat Train' movie looks like your standard direct-to-video serial killer bollocks.

I think it looks good, it's just that the title is so out of sync with the rest of the trailer.

Ever since listening to this great episode of the Weird Studies podcast, I've been meaning to re-read some Barker. Naturally this means I can't find the books anywhere, but I was back at my folks' yesterday and picked up *The Great and Secret Show*. The stuff in the Post Office depot is great but I don't recall the rest of set-up being quite so daft (the nuncio etc). I remember the scenes once they bust through so vividly, I'm going to stay with it.