262. Notes toward } illustration in horror films.

 

The final episode of The Monster Club retells, w/ great fidelity, R. Chetwynd-Hayes’ short story “The Humgoo”; in the story, protagonist Gerald Mansfield spends a night in a church where he (conveniently) finds notes that explain his origins of Loughville—a village hidden by a spell & occupied by ghouls. In the short story, there is only text, but in the film, while Gerald reads, we see a series of seven illustrations. They’re not animated, but the camera pans & zooms over them for dramatic effect.

It’s strange. Cheaper than animation or live action? The use of the illustrations suggests that the notes Gerald finds are illustrated—though they’re not.

In the club itself, above the table where John Carradine enjoys a glass of tomato juice, is a “monsters genealogical chart”—Vincent Price uses it to explain “the basic rules of monsterdom.” The chart & the Loughville flashback illustrations were drawn for the film by illustrator John Bolton.

[ Screenshots of The Monster Club (1981), directed by Roy Ward Baker for Amicus Production. ]

261. Unfinished houses in } weird Providence.

 

Joshua Rex, house historian, will read w/ me & Rick Claypool this Saturday (April 25, 6pm) at the Arcade (65 Weybosset Street), known also as Lovecraft Arts & Sciences, known also as the laundry room. Rex is not related to Stephen King. He’ll read from his new collection Haunted Victorian America (Rotary Press); Mr. Claypool will read from his novel Skull Slime Tentacle Witch War (Anxiety Press). Of Claypool, I’ve read The Mold Farmer (Six Gallery Press, 2020). Joshua is Rhode Island homes, Rick reads tent encampments.

& I read unfinished houses. Although the event flier claims I’ll read from Stone Gods (NO Press), I’m uncertain. I probably will. But there’s a new story in an anthology called Back Into the Ground, edited by James Strayer & Erick Mertz; the story’s called “Amid the Hills of the Palouse” (as in Palouse, Idaho) & I’ve episodes from a novella in process.

The reading celebrates the illustrated hardcover edition of Stone Gods, w/ interior illustrations & a painted cover by Ru Kachko. There’s a chance Ru will be there. Autographs!