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[TV Review] HBO’s “Westworld” Will Be Your Next TV Obsession

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Westworld Review

HBO is in a bit of a predicament. Game of Thrones will be ending in two years and they don’t have another drama series that comes close to its ratings or critical acclaim. Westworld is the network’s attempt to have another hit series before Game of Thrones goes off the air and if the pilot is any indication they have nothing to worry about. Westworld is a marvelous, intriguing and unpredictable show that is guaranteed to be your next TV obsession.

Without having seen Michael Crichton’s original 1973 film, I can confidently say that I have never seen anything like Westworld. Those who are fans of extensive world-building will no doubt find the series to be right up their alley. Though the “wow factor” will most likely be lost on viewers who are familiar with the original or are even aware of the general plot (I managed to avoid trailers and reviews before watching the pilot), you can’t deny that this is impressive stuff.

If you wish to go into the series blind, (and I highly recommend that you do) then stop reading now.

In the future, members of the upper class get their rocks off by going to Westworld, a sort of amusement park themed after the Wild West. Westworld is inhabited by near-perfect cyborgs (known as “hosts”) that follow multiple storylines programmed into their hard drives. Patrons (known as “guests”) pay to enter Westworld and interject themselves into the various story threads. The actions of the patrons (which tend to gravitate towards the violent and/or sexual) dictate which story threads the cyborgs follow before the day ends. The park then resets and they begin the next day as if the previous day just restarted. Think Groundhog Day meets The Purge.

Overseeing all of this is an unnamed company run by Dr. Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins) and his team of technicians. Lead programmer Bernard Lowe (Jeffrey Wright) begins to notice that a recent update to some of the cyborgs has led some to malfunction in subtle ways.

Developed by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy (Person of Interest), and co-produced by J.J. Abrams, Westworld drops you right into the middle of the action and doesn’t waste a lot of time on exposition. Viewers are left to figure everything out for themselves. It is a dense series and by the end of the pilot episode there are still plenty of questions left unanswered, but the intrigue is there.

The societal commentary and themes in Westworld are easily apparent (man’s inclination towards violence, the existence of a moral code, etc.), and while it may sometimes be too on the nose, it still makes for compelling television. The pilot doesn’t delve too deeply into these themes yet since it is focused on the initial exploration of its two different worlds, but the seeds are most definitely planted.

HBO chose to hire Game of Thrones‘s Ramin Djawadi to score Westworld and that choice pays off in spades. The score is hypnotic. Djawadi’s creative use of original music and covers (there is a climactic battle set to an orchestral version of The Rolling Stones’s “Paint It Black” that is simply mesmerizing) cement his place as one of the best composers working today. The special effects, as expected, are also top notch (HBO reportedly spent around $100 million to produce the season).

Westworld is dense television, but it’s also rewarding television. If the pilot is anything to go off of, then HBO has a surefire hit on their hands. Boasting an A-list cast, a thought-provoking narrative and outstanding special effects, Westworld is destined to become the talk of the Fall television season.

Westworld premiered on Sunday October 2nd, 2016 on HBO.

A journalist for Bloody Disgusting since 2015, Trace writes film reviews and editorials, as well as co-hosts Bloody Disgusting's Horror Queers podcast, which looks at horror films through a queer lens. He has since become dedicated to amplifying queer voices in the horror community, while also injecting his own personal flair into film discourse. Trace lives in Austin, TX with his husband and their two dogs. Find him on Twitter @TracedThurman

Books

‘In Search of Darkness’ Book Review: A Must-Have for ’80s Horror Fans

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In 2019, the documentary of 80s horror In Search of Darkness became an instant hit with horror fans. Now, a beautiful coffee table style companion book is available and is a must-own for all fans of one of horror’s greatest eras. The book is a walk down the horror aisle of the best mom and pop video store in the heyday of VHS, featuring full color photos, poster art, insightful essays and more. More than just a nostalgic throwback, In Search of Darkness is the kind of book I wish I’d had back in my years as a burgeoning horror fan but is also satisfying for the film fanatic I have become in the years since.

The format is beautifully and simply laid out, with at least a dozen (usually more) movies from each year of the decade presented in order of release accompanied by informative and insightful essays by the authors Heather Wixson and Patrick Bromley. Both authors have been mainstays of film journalism, specializing in horror, for many years. Wixson began her career in 2007 with Dread Central and has spent the past ten years as the Managing Editor of Daily Dead, from which she recently retired to focus on books and other projects. She has devoted the past several years to interviewing and writing books about the Make-up and Special Effects wizards that have brought so much to film over the years, specifically the horror genre.

Bromley is a film journalist and critic whose work can be found all over the place including right here on Bloody Disgusting. He recently provided the commentary for the Vinegar Syndrome release of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and is known as something of a Tobe Hooper expert. He is also the founder and editor of F this Movie!, an eclectic film website, and host of its accompanying podcast. So, to be clear, the authors know their stuff.

Wixson and Bromley divide writing duties roughly in half and though each has a distinctive voice, their writing styles dovetail beautifully into a cohesive whole. Each author plays to their strengths. Being familiar with both their work I didn’t even have to look at the bylines to know that Heather covered Christine and Terror in the Aisles and Patrick took on The Funhouse and Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers. Wixson’s passion for make-up effects is clear and comes through in many of her contributions. In general, Wixson takes on the “big” titles, the movies that defined the decade the most, and Bromley covers what the more cynical among us might call schlock, but he would likely call pure cinematic bliss. There are exceptions and surprises, of course, as there should be (Patrick covers The Shining for example). Each essay dives into the history behind the film, the major players involved, the reception, and legacy with often surprising aspects drawn from interviews with the filmmakers from various sources and insights from the authors.

For all their in-depth explorations of each film, in general the authors keep their critics’ hats safely stowed, keeping in mind that every entry on the book has its fans. In fact, they may well have sold me on finally hitting play on some of the schlockier offerings of the decade like Evilspeak, Nightbeast, and Blood Diner. Hell, I may even give The Beast Within a spin for shits and giggles. The point is that this book is a celebration through and through. The authors are honest about the critical receptions of the films, which were often unkind, and sometimes let their own opinions shine through, but recognize how beloved even the schlockiest films can become given time and availability. And that is an ongoing theme of In Search of Darkness. What may have been dismissed in its day often becomes revered as the years pass. Variations on the phrase “the years have been kind to…” referring to various maligned projects like The Thing, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, The Blob and many, many others, can be found throughout the book for good reason.

Each chapter of the book also includes a rundown of the top horror movies at the box office for the year as well as the top movies of all genres for context. The final page for each year highlights some of the major news and pop culture events including the top songs, albums, and television shows. There is a large central section that pays tribute to the talent involved with the greatest horror films of the 80s including directors, actors, effects artists, and more. This section includes brief biographies of John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Stephen King, Tom Savini, Barbara Crampton, Robert Englund, and many others presented in a dynamic and engaging fashion.

One of the beauties of the book is that it covers so much ground. Sure, you’ll find Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Hellraiser, and the Halloween sequels in it, but you’ll also find deeper cuts like The Changeling, The Being, and Tetsuo: The Iron Man. I was happy to find the same love given to Frank Henenlotter and Larry Cohen as to George A. Romero and David Cronenberg. In other words, In Search of Darkness is extraordinarily eclectic, highlighting the diversity that truly defined what is often viewed as a homogenous decade. The authors make the case that the 80s was horror’s greatest decade, and with what they lay out throughout this book, it’s tough to argue against that. I even came across a film or two I hadn’t even heard of before, which has become increasingly rare as the years go by.

At just shy of $85, the cover price may give some horror hounds pause, but believe me, it’s worth every penny. This is a beautiful volume that every fan of 80s horror will want on their shelf or prominently displayed on their coffee table. Filled with favorite titles, hundreds of full color photos, insightful and informative writing, this is simply a must own.

You can order your copy now.

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