R.I.P. Richard Matheson

For those of you who have reading my blog for a while now, you know that I've actually spent the last few years reading the works of Richard Matheson at the rate of one book a month since July of 2011 - I finished earlier this year and one of my favourite aspects of his work was just how varied it was - everything from Science Fiction to Westerns, Mysteries and Crime Fiction to Horror and his own views on the afterlife, Matheson's work always impressed me, from both the basic ways in which his stories worked, to the incredible ideas he came up with.

I couldn't possibly give a list of my favourite novels written by the author as they are so different from each other it's virtually impossible to compare and contrast them.

The stories are great - whether you like WWII stories, straight up Horror or romance, he has stuff that would appeal to you, (My BFF Mike will happily point out that he wrote the original series Star Trek episode The Enemy Within), and I've barely even mentioned his work in television.

In my adult life I've worked my way through the complete fiction of maybe a dozen authors; everyone from Robert B. Parker (Thrillers), to Pierre Berton (Canadian Non-Fiction and History), to Elmore Leonard (pretty much everything), but I can honestly say that Matheson is one of my favourites of the whole bunch - his work was massively influential (Stephen King is quoted as calling Matheson "...the author who influenced me most as a writer"), filled with interesting and intriguing ideas and great characters, and most importantly, a whole lot of great reads.

RIP Ray Harryhausen

When I think back the earliest monsters in my own memory, before horrifying aliens, or slasher killers, or zombies, heck even before floating vampire kids (shudder), there was one that freaked me out more than any other.

I’m talking about The Medusa (pictured above).

 

And I’m specifically talking about the creature created by Ray Harryhausen for the 1981 film, Clash of the Titans.  This thing, rattlesnake tale, lower body of a snake, and snakes for hair freaked me out like nothing else, and the fact that you could never look at it, or you would be turned to stone, simply horrified me as a child.

Although I’ve seen, and appreciated many more of the creatures created for the movies by Ray Harryhausen, for me The Medusa from Clash of the Titans is the thing that showed me just how dark fantasy could get, and in a lot of ways started my lifelong exploration of the genre.

Thanks Ray.

RIP Cliff Robertson

Here's the thing about Cliff Robertson, for me, even though I saw him most recently in the Spider-Man movies (in which he played Peter's Uncle Ben), he will always be best remembered as Charly Gordon in the film Charly (based on the story Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes).

For me, Charly was the first example of a science fiction film that didn't rely on action (laser guns, space ships, etc.), but instead on character to get its point across. The film (and if you haven't seeen it, stop reading and go request it from your local library now) sits as one of my favourite SF movies overall, and the biggest reason for that is the main character, as portrayed by Cliff Robertson.

Honestly, the guy helped lead me towards the more cerebral SF (and stories overall) I enjoy as an adult.

We'll miss you.

RIP Michael Gough

Tonight I’m off to see the Nation Live Theatre Production of Frankenstein, starring Johnny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch, and as I probably wouldn’t have a lot of time to come up with a post I decided to check my usual newsfeeds for anything I could comment on.

Then I read that Michael Gough had passed away at the age of 94. Wow.

Like most kids my age (I was 13 in 1989) I was introduced to Michael Gough as Alfred Pennyworth in Tim Burton’s Batman. Even though I spent a lot of the film fixated on Batman and the Joker, I had to admit that Alfred was a pretty cool dude.

Over the last twenty-two years I’ve come across his work in everything from comedies like Top Secret! to appearances in the Hammer Horror films and even The Avengers (the ‘60s series I watched a few months back) – also a quick note for my BFF Mike – he was married to a Doctor Who companion for a while as well.

To be honest it was my interest in seeing a younger Alfred that led me to Horror of Dracula, which led me to checking out Curse of Frankenstein, which led me to the show I’m checking out tonight, I guess that just shows the effect a really good actor can have on you.

He’ll be missed.

RIP Leslie Nielsen

1926 - 2010

At the Age of 84 Leslie Neilsen passed away today. What can I say? He was Canadian, he was funny, and thinking about him makes me smile.