Movies
[Book Review] Michael Marshall Smith’s New Anthology Is ‘Everything You Need’
After the success of his last anthology, there’s considerable anticipation for Michael Marshall Smith’s newest book of stories, Everything You Need (August 23;Earthling Publications). But considering the British author’s strong cult following, it’s surprisingly hard to track down some of his best stuff.
His white-knuckled Straw Men trilogy is no longer in print, despite the fact that it was originally released as recently as the early 2000s. His 2003 collection, More Tomorrow & Other Stories, was published in a limited edition by Subterranean Press. In spite of its rabid acclaim and International Horror Guild Award for Best Collection, copies of More Tomorrow are hard to come by unless you’re willing to pay a premium price for a used book. Similarly, Subterranean is releasing Everything You Need as a signed, hardbound limited edition of 1,000 copies, so if you’re a Smith fan, you might want to get in on this action while the getting’s good. (Although the $45 price tag may be daunting to non-collectors.)
Of the 17 stories featured, only four are original to this anthology, while the remainder are reprints. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as Everything You Need collects several of my favorite Smith stories from the past few years. In “Sad, Dark Thing”, a mourning wanderer stumbles across a most unusual roadside attraction. In “Substitutions”, a mistaken grocery store order leads to a harrowing neighborhood confrontation. In what is perhaps my favorite story in the collection, “The Stuff That Goes On In Their Heads”, a boy’s tale of schoolyard bullying compels his father to meet with his teacher, with unpredictable, and ultimately shocking, results.
And therein lies Smith’s greatest strength as a storyteller: his ability to take a common everyday occurance like a bullied child or a marital argument and take it someplace unforgettably macabre. Reading a short story by Michael Marshall Smith is like slowly opening a piece of intricate origami only to find a bloody fingernail hidden inside one of the paper folds. Consider yourself warned.
Rating: 4 out of 5 Skulls
Sunrise Films has announced the official North American release of William Bagley‘s horror comedy Hold the Fort, and it’s accompanied by an energetic new trailer.
Hold the Fort debuts on digital platforms on June 23.
In the film, “Lucas and Jenny think their life is finally coming together when the couple become homeowners. Little do they know that their new house comes with a big catch. Lucas and Jenny soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when they become trapped in a battle between their Homeowners Association and an onslaught of monsters from hell. The horror-comedy takes the timely concern of home-ownership and wraps this up in an entertaining action-packed thrill ride.“
Watch the new trailer below, which introduces one wild HOA gathering during an equinox. Things get bloody fast.
Chris Mayers (Adult Swim Yule Log), Haley Leary (“The Walking Dead”), Levi Burdick, and Julian Smith star.
William Bagley writes and directs, in addition to producing with Smith, Matt Dodd, Luke Williams, and Tim Reis (Adult Swim Yule Log).
Ahead of the release, Bagley said, “My goal with this film was to make a hilarious, fast-paced thrill ride while also telling a great story with heart. Hopefully, through all the blood, laughs, fights, and gags, you leave the film feeling inspired to tackle whatever life throws at you.“
Hold the Fort premiered at Fantasia last summer before going on to play FrightFest London, Toronto After Dark, and Beyond Fest.
I wrote in my review, “It’s an infectiously charming assemblage of jokes and monster vignettes bound together by a barebones plot with not much on its mind beyond delivering an entertaining time.”
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