There is a creep that stalks the night. He is like a wild animal, on the prowl and desperate for food. He preys on women. Attractive, rich, and vulnerable women. The city is his playground. The shadows his sanctuary. He lives in darkness. He is … Continue reading The Paperback Review: “The Mugger” (1956)
I’ve lost my direction. There’s no more stories for me to tell. In recent months I’ve felt this way, like my reservoir for ideas has dried up and the concrete that once held water is now cracked. Weeds grow through the cracks and useless debris … Continue reading “Tomato Red” & Woodrell on Writing
Teeg Lawless has got it hard while serving hard time. He was actually looking forward to 30 days of monotony in a jail cell, it gives a man time to focus and figure things out, but this jail sentence ain’t gonna be no cake-walk. Somebody’s … Continue reading Genre Smash: “Savage Sword of Criminal”
Film Noir is said to have taken place between the years 1941 and 1958, beginning with the release of John Huston’s The Maltese Falcon and ending with Orson Welles’ Touch of Evil. The genre was named by French film critics who recognized a cynical and pessimistic … Continue reading Neo-Noir in “Nightcrawler”
There’s good detective work, and there’s inadequate detective work. A detective should never assume or rush to conclusions. They must see the crime from all possible angles and ask questions, not only of the suspect(s), but of themselves as well. When Detective Rhonda Boney enters … Continue reading Character Profile: Det. Rhonda Boney
It’s nice to see the return of Terry Gilliam. His films offer us a unique perspective of the world. One that is obtuse and obscure and always at a slant. The world that his characters inhabit, and the fantasy world that his characters dream up, … Continue reading “The Zero Theorem”: Let It Be
This July marked the celebration of 75 years of Batman. Seventy-five years since The Bat-Man’s first appearance in Detective Comics #27 (1939). With 75 years of publication history, it’s almost impossible to read everything Batman related. Some issues are not compiled in trade paperbacks and … Continue reading 5 Favorite Batman One-Shots
Dog bites man, man bites back and puts dog down. That’s just the way of life for these Texans in 1983. There’s no need to involve the law. Scores are settled with guts and bullets. There’s no time for pity or for words. Gut-up, grab … Continue reading Joe R. Lansdale on the Screen: “Cold in July”
Hardboiled crime novels don’t get any better than those penned by Dan J. Marlowe. By the late 1960’s, Marlowe was a master of his craft, spinning tightly-plotted paperback novels of criminals trying to get their piece of the American pie. His heroes were hardly considered … Continue reading The Paperback Review: “One Endless Hour” (1969)
Not your typical revenge thriller. Not by a long shot. Blue Ruin depicts a man out for vengeance, but this man is no Frank Castle (a.k.a. The Punisher). He does not come with a built-in set of skills to hunt, wound, or kill. He’s no … Continue reading “Blue Ruin”: Revenge Served Differently
Orphan Asylum 