News

The Scarlet Gospels is the horror novel of 2015!

Published

9 years ago

May 19, 2015

In November of 1986, Clive Barker first unleashed his most enduring creation on the world, when Dark Harvest published his novella The Hellbound Heart. It was an intimate story involving a secretive family, the unlikely opening of the gates to hell, and a group of creatures known only as the Cenobites. The Hellbound Heart laid the foundation for a long-running series of films, comics and stories for the past three decades. And introduced us to a now classic icon of modern horror, the Lead Cenobite, who came to be known as Pinhead over the years.

Mr. Barker was not yet a household horror name at the time, but he was well on his way. At the time, he had only published his hugely influential Books Of Blood and his first novel The Damnation Game. He had received the incredible blessing of Stephen King, who labeled him “The future of horror”.The influence of Hellraiser over the years has been astounding. A very personal glimpse into the deviations and fantasies of a young author were there on the big screen for all to witness, and the film tapped a vein in popular culture that had fans clamoring for more Pinhead.

While the first few sequels, most notably Hellbound : Hellraiser 2, built upon the foundation Barker originally created, the quality of the films strayed further from the source material with each following film. Now, nearly three decades later, Barker has returned to the material with a vengeance. First announcing that he will be heavily involved in a new film iteration of the classic, and bringing our anti-hero back to the pages in his first full-length horror novel in years!

Make no mistake, The Scarlet Gospels is a straight up horror novel, featuring all of the psychosexual deviant behavior and twisted visions we have come to expect from the depths of hell. It brings us an uncompromising vision of Clive Barker’s Hell, and expands and builds upon his own mythology in ways no one else has in the intervening decades.

Barker has his own distinct vision of the architecture and hierarchy of the underworld, and he brings it to life in painstaking detail with this new novel. Right from the first pages, we are witness to the return of the beloved Priest of Hell, disrespectfully known as “Pinhead” but never to his face, and his epic crusade to essentially take over Hell. It is an interesting new way to look at an established character, especially one who we have seen mainly in short scenes in the films, his new ambition all consuming.

In fact, the most fascinating thing we get from this novel is the extended view of who this Lead Cenobite really is, as compared to who he would like to be, and who the audience perceives him as. Despite all of the intimidating and serene speeches of suffering we have seen over the years, we learn that Pinhead is in fact very low on the totem pole of Hell. All of his interdimensional meddling over the years has essentially been keeping this priest in his place as a glorified dog catcher, collecting up strays and mutts who chance upon the unassuming portal in the shape of a puzzle box.

The Scarlet Gospels documents his time and rise to power as he assuredly slaughters and slays through the ranks of the Underworld. Of course that means we are introduced to many characters, including armies of angry demons and wise old alchemists, all the way up to the Lord of Hell himself, Lucifer. But the Lord of Hell is not alone in showing us these sights. Tying together some of his other literary work, Barker crosses the paths of his iconic Cenobite with the fascinating character of Harry D’Amour and his friends. D’Amour is a character that originated in the short story The Last Illusion (brought to the screen by Scott Bakula in the film Lord Of Illusions) and made an appearance in Barker’s giant fantasy epic Everville. His vast knowledge of supernatural events and somewhat unlucky knack of being in the wrong place at the wrong time put D’Amour and his friends directly in the path of Pinhead’s crusade. The story of D’Amour and his friend’s involvement is a fascinating one early on in the novel, and their involvement is central to the world Barker is building. They are especially good comic relief and add a heart and a more human point of view to the spectacle.

And what a spectacle it is! An epic war in Hell, instigated and carried out by the priest who has had enough of his miniscule position and has ambitions bigger than any mortal or demon. The final third of the book is an action-filled war of epic proportions deep in the bowels of Hell, putting Pinhead in a position we fans had never imagined. The warrior of Hell has come to take over, and he has all manner of magic and torture at his disposal, and will stop at nothing to achieve his lofty goals. It is immensely satisfying reading, written in an excitable style by one of the great imaginers of our generation. It isn’t often that a complete re-invention of a decades- old character is successful, but this one hits all of the right notes. This novel is what King was talking about back in the 80s when he had seen the “future of horror”. The future is now. Clive Barker is back and Pinhead has come to take over.

The Scarlet Gospels is the horror novel of 2015!

Order your copy here!

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Movies

First Look: On Set of ‘Welcome to Derry’ & Interview with Andy Muschietti

Published

6 hours ago

May 10, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Rising from the sewers, drag performer and horror movie enthusiast The Real Elvirus took her fans behind the scenes of the MAX series Welcome to Derry in an exclusive hot-set tour. The show is scheduled to release sometime in 2025, but a firm date has not been set.

Filming is taking place in Canada in Port Hope, a stand-in for the fictional New England town of Derry located within the Stephen King universe. The sleepy location has been transformed into a township from the 1960s.

Welcome to Derry is the prequel series to director Andrew Muschietti’s two-part adaptation of King’s It. The series is interesting in that it’s not only about It, but all the people who live in Derry — which includes some iconic characters from the King ouvre.

Elvirus, dressed as Pennywise, tours the hot set, careful not to reveal any spoilers, and speaks with Muschietti himself, who reveals exactly how to pronounce his name: Moose-Key-etti.

The comical drag queen was given an all-access pass to the location and uses that privilege to explore props, facades and interview crew members. It’s also revealed that a second season is already greenlit.

Take a look below and let us know what you think. And are you looking forward to the MAX series Welcome to Derry?

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News

New Trailer For This Year’s Nauseating ‘In a Violent Nature’ Drops

Published

10 hours ago

May 10, 2024

Timothy Rawles

We recently ran a story about how one audience member who watched In a Violent Nature became sick and puked. That tracks, especially if you read the reviews after its premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival where one critic from USA Today said it had “The gnarliest kills I’ve ever seen.”

What makes this slasher unique is that it’s mostly viewed from the killer’s perspective which may be a factor in why one audience member tossed their cookies during a recent screening at Chicago Critics Film Fest.

Those of you with strong stomachs can watch the movie upon its limited release in theaters on May 31. Those who want to be closer to their own john can wait until it releases on Shudder sometime after.

For now, take a look at the newest trailer below:

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News

James McAvoy Leads a Stellar Cast in the New Psychological Thriller “Control”

Published

12 hours ago

May 10, 2024

Anthony Pernicka

James McAvoy is back in action, this time in the psychological thriller “Control”. Known for his ability to elevate any film, McAvoy’s latest role promises to keep audiences on the edge of their seats. Production is now underway, a joint effort between Studiocanal and The Picture Company, with filming taking place in Berlin at Studio Babelsberg.

“Control” is inspired by a podcast by Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie and features McAvoy as Doctor Conway, a man who wakes up one day to the sound of a voice that begins to command him with chilling demands. The voice challenges his grip on reality, pushing him towards extreme actions. Julianne Moore joins McAvoy, playing a key, enigmatic character in Conway’s story.

Clockwise From Top L-R: Sarah Bolger, Nick Mohammed, Jenna Coleman, Rudi Dharmalingam, Kyle Soller, August Diehl and Martina Gedeck

The ensemble cast also includes talented actors such as Sarah Bolger, Nick Mohammed, Jenna Coleman, Rudi Dharmalingam, Kyle Soller, August Diehl, and Martina Gedeck. They’re directed by Robert Schwentke, known for the action-comedy “Red,” who brings his distinctive style to this thriller.

Besides “Control,” McAvoy fans can catch him in the horror remake “Speak No Evil,” set for a September 13 release. The film, also featuring Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy, follows an American family whose dream holiday turns into a nightmare.

With James McAvoy in a leading role, “Control” is poised to be a standout thriller. Its intriguing premise, coupled with a stellar cast, makes it one to keep on your radar.