DVD Review: COUNTESS PERVERSE (1974)

COUNTESS PERVERSE
Directed by Jess Franco
Distributed by Mondo Mocabro / TLA CULT/Danger After Dark

Well, I am back from LASEK surgery, and while my eyes are not healing as well as expected, they are good enough now for me to at least type up a review.  The last movie I watched before going under the laser, was the 1974 Jess Franco film, COUNTESS PERVERSE, or "La comtesse perverse" as it is known in it's original French language.  Here is the basic plot synopsis from the TLA Cult website:

A pair of decadent aristocrats turn their private island into a human hunting ground where they stalk their naked prey. The captured meat is then cooked and fed to their unsuspecting guests who themselves will become the next victims of this cruel game.

If you are not familiar with Director Jess Franco, then this would be a great film to get introduced to him.  I think he is a great director, but he is one of those that people really have mixed feelings about.  Is he really that good, or is he so bad that it is good?!  Who knows, but what I do know is that if a movie has Franco's name attached to it, I am probably going to like it!  COUNTESS PERVERSE is no different, as I found myself thoroughly enjoying this one.  

An early predecessor to films such as BATTLE ROYALE and even THE HUNGER GAMES, COUNTESS PERVERSE focuses on a woman who loves to hunt.  But what she loves to hunt is other women....and of course it helps if they are naked.  In fact, the Countess hunts in the nude as well.  Why?  Well, because it is a  Jess Franco film and he loads his films with tons of nudity...mainly just for the heck of it.  Why have a beautiful woman hunting another women fully clothed when you could have  her hunting a naked woman while being naked herself?  Well, you really can't deny Mr. Franco's logic there, can ya?  Makes sense to me!  HA!

This is a very fun film in Mr. Franco's Euro-sleaze collection.   The DVD is available now and contains the following special features:

*  Introduction: Intro by critic Stephen Thrower
*  Exclusive profile of director Jess Franco
*  Interview(s): Interview with actor Robert Woods
*  Mondo Macabro previews


CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

The 4H Blog is taking a break for a few days...I am having eye surgery!

Yep, just like Olivia from FINAL DESTINATION 5, I am having corrective vision surgery tomorrow, 7/26.   After Lasek surgery, I should be free of glasses and contacts forever!

After going under the "laser", I will have to rest the next few days and pretty much keep my eyes closed for a few days afterwards. 

So, there will be no new post until next week, probably mid week or so.  Well, wish me luck and I hope my eye surgery goes better than Olivia's did.    If you never saw FINAL DESTINATION 5, click the link below to see how Olivia's surgery turned out. 

CLICK HERE to see the results of Olivia's eye surgery!

DVD Review: ZOMBIES VS STRIPPERS (2012)

ZOMBIES VS STRIPPERS
Directed by Alex Nicolaou
Distributed by Full Moon Features

 I knew from just the title of this film that I was going to love it.  With a title like ZOMBIES VS STRIPPERS, how could you not like this film!  Luckily, the movie is just as good as I expected it to be and contains plenty of what the title tells you!  Here is the basic plot of the film from the Full Moon website:

 The Tough Titty is a strip club that's seen better days. But tonight it's gonna see a whole lot worse. Spider has been losing money on his business for years. Now it's finally getting the traffic he's always wanted...unfortunately, most of his patrons are undead. With a sudden outbreak of the zombie virus, Vanilla, Bambi, and Sugar Hills deal with the disaster the way only a stripper can. Blood and braziers go flying, in this exciting horror-comedy.

 This movie is a lot of fun and a great addition to the Full Moon library!  The zombie effects are nothing too special, but these aren't supposed to be the rotted flesh, raised from the dead type zombies. These are more of the virus/sickness zombies like in 28 DAYS LATER...except these zombies don't run and they aren't as smart.  In fact, if they don't find any living humans to eat, they'll start eating each other!

  The acting in ZOMBIES VS STRIPPERS is actually pretty good, and there is a lot of comedy throughout the film.  The film starts with a mostly empty strip club, except for the workers, but when the zombie outbreak happens, a couple of different groups come into the club to seek shelter.  The first one is a Eli Roth looking dude who is the lead singer of a punk rock band.  He is a goof and brings some comic relief to the scenes he is in.  Another group that comes in a biker gang, led by a tough biker nicknamed Red Wings, played by actor Brad Potts.  He definitely earned his nickname, which I'm sure you will agree after you hear how he earned that name!  Actor Brad Potts does a great job and was actually one of my favorite parts of this film.  You will just have to watch it to see what I mean, but the way he talks and his great dialog makes for a very enjoyable character.   My other favorite part of this film was actress Adriana Sephora, a beautiful blonde with a great set of "acting abilities".  Wink, wink!   All kidding aside, she is a great actress and is very funny in this film, playing your typical blonde bimbo.  

  ZOMBIES VS STRIPPERS was a lot of fun and a film I would definitely recommend to anyone that enjoys a great horror/comedy.   The DVD is available now from Full Moon Direct and contains the following special features:

*  THE MAKING OF ZOMBIES VS STRIPPERS
*  KILLER PUPPETMASTER SERIES PROMO
*  KILLJOY GOES TO HELL PROMO
*  FULL MOON TRAILERS
 

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to order the DVD

This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, July 24th, 2012

Here are this week's horror/exploitation related DVDs and Blu-rays coming out 7/24:
(Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)
 
* 100TH STREET HAUNTING:  THE GHOST OF RICHARD SPECK
*  BATHORY:  COUNTESS OF BLOOD
*  THE BLACK HOUSE
*  BUTTERFLY
*  CORRIDOR 
*  THE DAY AFTER HALLOWEEN (aka. SNAPSHOT)
*  DEADTIME
*  THE HUNT
*  I SPILL YOUR GUTS
*  THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU [Blu-ray]
*  THE MONITOR
*  RED EYE
*  SILENT HOUSE [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  THEATER OF THE DERANGED
*  WEREWOLF FEVER
*  ZOMBIE UNDEAD

DVD Review: CHRONICLE (2012)

 
CHRONICLE
Directedy by:  Josh Trank
Distributed by:  20th Century Fox Home Entertainment

  If you didn't get a chance to check out CHRONICLE in theaters earlier this year, then you missed out on one hell of a sci-fi/action film.  What I thought was going to be a regular sci-fi movie actually turned into one of the best super-hero movies I have seen in a long time.   Now keep in mind, this was not your typical super-hero movie, along the lines of a Superman or Spiderman, but it did turn into a film about people with special powers with one turning bad and the other good, battling it out in an epic finale. Before I go any further with the review,  here is the plot description from the 20th Century Fox website:

Seen through the lens of a troubled teen’s video camera, yet filled with eye-popping action and jaw-dropping special effects, Chronicle is as real as it gets. When three ordinary high school friends make an extraordinary discovery, they acquire amazing abilities beyond their understanding. But as their powers develop, so do their darker sides. Fun, harmless pranks soon lead to much riskier activities as the boys’ “gifts” — and their lives — spin dangerously out of control!

  This movie was one of the most enjoyable films I have seen in a long time.  The acting was great and the effects were spectacular.   The film starts off with some teens discovering something in a hole in the ground....something we assume came from space, like a meteor or something.  The guys touched the thing and they soon discover they have some very special heightened senses and powers.   The main thing the discover is the ability to move things with their mind.  While the start with very small things (like a hilarious scene with a little girl and a teddy bear), they eventually learn to move bigger things like cars and such.  The guys explain that this power is like a muscle, and they more they use it, the stronger it gets.    This is also apparent in a very cool scene when they realize that they can levitate.  They just go a little ways off the ground at first, but they more they keep trying, the higher they get until a cut scene shows them flying at ease up above the clouds!  Very cool stuff!!

  I won't say too much, as I don't want to give anything away, but the movie turns into a sort of super-hero film when a one of the guys starts using his powers for bad reasons.  One of the other guys realizes he has gone too far and battles it out with his friend in one of the coolest fight scenes I have seen in quite some time.

  If you have not seen CHRONICLE, check it out as soon as you can.  Even if you have seen it already, I'm sure you will want to see it again.  CHRONICLE is out now on DVD and Blu-ray from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.
 

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD or Blu-ray

Have you seen the Red-Band trailer for REC 3: GENESIS?

If not, you need to go check this out now!  The illness has left the apartment building and has invaded the wedding.  Carnage ensues.  Check out the trailer and let me know what you think....I love the REC movies and REC 3:  GENESIS looks like it is going to be a very cool addition to the franchise.
 
 
 
 
CLICK HERE to watch the Red Band trailer

Check out the trailer for the Soska sister's newest film, AMERICAN MARY

  Last November I did a DVD review for a film called DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK, which was written and directed by the Soska sisters, Jen Soska & Sylvia Soska.  You can read that review here.
I could tell back then that the Soska sisters were going to be major players in the horror film industry for years to come.  Their newest film, AMERICAN MARY, looks like it is going to definitely back that up and put them in the ranks with some of the top horror directors working today.
  Here is the basic plot of the film from it's imdb page:

The story follows medical student, Mary Mason, as she becomes increasingly broke and disenchanted with the surgical world she once admired. The allure of easy money sends Mary into the world of underground surgeries which ends up leaving more marks on her than her so called 'freakish' clientele.

  Check out the trailer and let me know what you think.  I personally can't wait to see this film.  I loved DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK and have a feeling that AMERICAN MARY will be just as good, if not even better!  
  
  
CLICK HERE to watch the trailer for AMERICAN MARY
CLICK HERE to visit the official website of Twisted Twins Productions

This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, July 17th, 2012

 






Here are this week's horror/exploitation related DVDs and Blu-rays coming out 7/17:
(Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)
   
*  THE BLOOD BEAST TERROR [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  BURKE & HARE  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  DARKNESS  [Blu-ray]
*  DOCUMENTING THE GREY MAN
*  DOOMSDAY PROPHECY  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  GIRLS GONE DEAD:  UNRATED AND EXPOSED
*  HELLRAISER VI:  HELLSEEKER [Blu-ray]
*  INTRUDERS  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  MIDNIGHT SON

Check out the trailer for the German zombie film, EXTINCTION: THE G.M.O. CHRONICLES

 I came across this trailer while browsing some other trailers on You Tube tonight.  This is a German zombie/post-apocalyptic  thriller called, EXTINCTION:  THE G.M.O. CHRONICLES.  I don't know much about this film...there is not much info out there on it.  It looks like it was released to DVD last year in Germany, but there is no U.S. distributor for it yet.
Check out the trailer and let me know what you think.  I think it looks like it could be a pretty cool flick!

 
CLICK HERE to watch the trailer

DVD Review: ABRAHAM LINCOLN VS. ZOMBIES (2012)

ABRAHAM LINCOLN VS. ZOMBIES
Directed by  Richard Schenkman
Distributed by  The Asylum

Well, the good folks at The Asylum are back with another straight to DVD knock off of a major theatrical release.  This time the set their sites on ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER with their own take on ol' Honest Abe, with ABRAHAM LINCOLN VS. ZOMBIES.   Here is the basic plot from the film's imdb page:

While the Civil War rages on, President Abraham Lincoln must undertake an even more daunting task - destroying the Confederate Undead.

Now I know some people are not a big fan of these knock off films The Asylum puts out, but you will want to put those feelings aside and give this one a chance.  In fact, this could be the best Asylum film to date! 

  The production value on this film looks huge compared to other Asylum films.  The acting is actually really good, and I think the actor portraying Abraham Lincoln, Bill Oberst Jr., might have actually made a better Abe than the actor from VAMPIRE HUNTER.   The costumes in this film were great, as were the sets and location shots.

  Another great thing about this film was, of course, the zombies!  The zombie make-up was done very well and there are tons of great zombie kills all throughout this film...including a number of zombie be-headings courtesy of Mr. Lincoln's trusty scythe! 

  This is one Asylum film you will most certainly want to check out.   The mixture of history and fiction really makes this a fun film, and the ending was remarkable.   I wont say too much about the ending, but lets just say that a certain tragedy that befell President Lincoln is explained here in a very unique and cool way.   Check this one out for sure!  ABRAHAM LINCOLN VS. ZOMBIES is available now on DVD from The Asylum.


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer and purchase the DVD

Need a great summer vacation idea...how about taking a cruise? But not just any cruise......

 
 







 











  
  How about hopping aboard the SAW AT SEA cruise!   That's right, an entire cruise based on the the SAW films, including celebrity guests and movie screenings!!  Here is a brief description of the cruise from the main website, sawatsea.com:
 
Let’s play a game...onboard the beautiful and luxurious Carnival Glory! If you’re a Fan of the "SAW" movies, you don’t want to miss this once-in-a lifetime opportunity to cruise with your favorite "SAW" Celebrities. This amazing (5) night cruise departs from New York City and travels to the most beautiful points in Canada (the last six "SAW" movies were filmed in Canada). Your onboard meals are included. Each cabin will also receive a $50 Carnival Credit. During this amazing cruise, you will be able to party with the "SAW" Stars and meet other fans who love "SAW" just like you! You will attend fantastic pool and dance parties, question and answer Sessions and many special events. You can also get autographs from the "SAW" stars, take FREE individual photos with the "SAW" stars, attend FREE movie screenings, and much, much more.


  I think this is a very cool idea.  Cruises are a lot of fun anyway, but having actors from your favorite saw films, movie screenings, and tons of horror fans all on the cruise together sounds like a blast!!
Here is some info about the guests that will be appearing on the cruise:


Meet and party with SAW legend, Costas Mandylor ("Hoffman"), Ned Bellamy ("Jeff" the Drill Chair Man in the original SAW movie), the very sexy Anne Greene (who played "Dina" in the opening scene in SAW 3D) and the beautiful actress Rebecca Marshall ("Suzanne" who gets killed in the "Eye Trap" in SAW 3D).  
Dan Yeager and Mark Rolston are coming on the Cruise: Meet Dan Yeager, who stars as the legendary "Leatherface" in the new movie: Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D. Dan is a gracious and incredible person -- learn all about the man behind the Chain-SAW! Best of all, everyone on the SAW Cruise will get a FREE Dan Yeager Autographed Photo.
Mark Rolston is also coming on the Cruise. Mark played "Erickson" in SAW 5 and SAW 6 and he’s great with fans. Mark is an outstanding actor and he’s been in many unforgettable movies including The Shawshank Redemption, Eraser, Aliens and The Departed. In a special appearance, Jigsaw's legendary "Puppet" will be onboard the Cruise! This Puppet was used and seen in the SAW movies.


Sounds like a blast!  I can't tell from the website if there are still openings available or not.   At one point on the website it says "Cabins Still Available", but at the bottom it looks as though they might all be sold out.  If you are interested in going, call the 800#  below to check on availability.
If they are booked up for this cruise, then you know they will probably do another one soon!


Travel arrangements by Boca Raton Travel & Cruises
CLICK HERE to book online
or Contact Dee or Lauri at 1-800-326-1414

Horror In The News: A West Virginia man tortures and keeps wife chained up for 10 years!

  
  If this were the plot of a horror movie coming out, I'm sure we'd all rush to the theater to see it.  But when something like this happens in real life, you just can't help but wonder how one person could do this to another. 

Apparently, Peter Lizon, age 37, imprisoned his wife and tortured her in different ways for a better part of 10 years.  This torture included burning her all over her body, forcing her to give birth while chained  up, and breaking both of her feet with a "piece of farm equipment".   This is just a few of the things this poor woman had to suffer through.  Read the full article for all the details.  

This is pretty sick and shocking, and I wish the woman involved a full and speedy recovery from her injuries. 


CLICK HERE to read the full article from the Duluth News Tribune

This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, July 10th, 2012

  









 
Here are this week's horror/exploitation related DVDs and Blu-rays coming out 7/10:
(Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)

*  BLADE 2 [Blu-ray]
*  DARK SHADOWS:  THE COMPLETE ORIGINAL SERIES
*  FELL
*  FREAKSHOW APOCALYPSE:  THE UNHOLY SIDESHOW
*  TWINS OF EVIL  [Blu-ray/DVD combo pack]
*  YOU'RE NOBODY TILL SOMEBODY KILLS YOU

Check out the trailer for the crazy shark film, SAND SHARKS!

   
  Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water....well, now you can't even go on the beach!   If you haven't seen the trailer for SAND SHARKS, I suggest you go watch it now.   This looks so over-the-top that it could be a lot of fun!  The film stars Brooke Hogan (daughter of wrestling legend, Hulk Hogan).   Here is the basic plot of the film from the Phase 4 Films website:
 
 
Jimmy Green, a prodigal party boy, is throwing the spring break festival of a lifetime. Little do the hundreds of teenage party-goers know, an underwater earthquake has cracked open a crater beneath the ocean’s surface. This demolition unleashes the first beast to ever swim through sand. It mercilessly feeds on anything that crosses its path, and it is up to those left on the island to stop the carnage.                              
 
 
Check out the trailer and let me know what you think.  It looks like lot of cheesy fun to me!!  SAND SHARKS will be released on DVD July 31st.
  
  
CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to pre-order the DVD from Amazon.com

Check out the red-band trailer for the Australian shark film, BAIT 3D!

  Back in May of 2011, I posted a trailer for an Australian horror film called BAIT 3D, about a killer shark in a supermarket.  Now, I know that sounds a little far fetched, but the film actually looks really good.  Here is the plot synopsis from the Upcoming Horror Movies website:
 
In a sleepy coastal resort community, shoppers at an underground supermarket find themselves terrorized by a crazed bandit when the unimaginable occurs... A monstrous freak tsunami swallows the town.

Now trapped inside a flooded supermarket with an armed maniac and rushing water threatening to entomb them all in a watery grave, tensions mount, tempers snap, and the imprisoned band of survivors discover the threat from without has ignited an even more immediate threat from within. Their own desire to survive whatever the cost.

However as hostilities reach breaking point the survivors discover they are not alone. The tsunami has brought some unwanted visitors from the depths, and as the waters rise they must overcome not only the threat of drowning and the human menace within their midst, but a threat more deadly than both and far more bloodthirsty... packs of hungry tiger sharks.
 
 
  So, as you can see from this plot synopsis, a shark in a supermarket makes total sense!  BAIT 3D is set for DVD/Blu-ray release on September 18th (with a limited theatrical run September 14th).


CLICK HERE to watch the red-band trailer

MUST WATCH! Check out the trailer for the new kung-fu film, THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS

     

 

 

  Ok, I know what you are thinking.  Why am I plugging a Kung-fu movie on my horror blog.  Well, because the trailer for THE MAN WITH THE IRON FISTS looks freakin' awesome, that's why!!  Check it out and see for yourself.  Plus, there are few horror elements to it.  For one, it looks like the battle scenes are going to be bloody as hell.  Also, horror Director Eli Roth (HOSTEL, CABIN FEVER) co-wrote the screenplay along with RZA, known for his love of horror movies and kung-fu films (you probably know him as a founding member of the group Wu-Tang Clan).  This is RZA's first film, and it looks like it is going to be an amazing debut!!  
  Check out the trailer and let me know what you think!


CLICK HERE to watch the red band trailer
CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website

Movie Review: AREA 407 (2012)

 

AREA 407
Written and Directed by Dale Fabrigar & Everette Wallin
Distributed by IFC Films

A while back I did a blog post about the trailer for a good looking "found footage" film called, AREA 407.   I was hoping the movie itself would be as good as the trailer made it look to be, and I can honestly say that it is.  In fact, it is even better than I thought it was going to be based on the trailer.

For those not familiar with the film, here is the plot synopsis courtesy of the IFC Films website:

AREA 407 features lost footage too real for reality and too disturbing for fiction. Following two teenagers flying from New York to Los Angeles on New Years Eve, a nightmare quickly begins when their plane hits extreme turbulence mid-flight. The relentless weather attack causes panic and terror amongst the passengers until the plane ultimately crashes in a remote government-testing area. The handful of survivors from the crash, bloody and disoriented, are then insistently pursued in the darkness by unknown predators that, unbeknownst to them, are part of the government's top-secret Mesa Experiment.

  I know a lot of folks are getting tired of the "found-footage" type of films, but do not let that keep you from watching this film.  AREA 407 sets the standard for what "found-footage" type films should be.  

  The film grabs you from the very beginning with a very realistic scene of a plane going down.  The camera roles as you hear the panic an desperation in all the passengers.   I can't imagine anything more frightening than being in a plane crash, and this film puts you right in the middle of one.  But...as the tag line states,  "The plane crash was just the beginning".  And right they are.  The crash was just the beginning of the problems the survivors have to go through. 

  The acting is very good in this film and is very realistic.   The survivors are made up a very diverse group of people, and personalities clash when they are threatened by something lurking in the dark. 

  I don't want to say too much about this film, as I don't want to give any of it away.  Do yourself a favor and check this out as soon as you can.   AREA 407 is available on demand from some cable providers and the DVD is set for release next month, on August 28.


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to Pre-order the DVD from Amazon.com
    

Happy 4th of July!!! Check out the awesome 4th of July sale from Full Moon Entertainment!

 
  The great folks over at Full Moon Features wanted me to tell you about an awesome 4th of July sale they have going on now through July 9th.  They have 4 new items in the store this week and you will get free giftcards with your purchase (over certain $ ammounts).  
 
Here is the info from the Full Mon website:


 Full Moon is unleashing its annual 4th of July sale, running from Tuesday, July 3rd through Monday, July 9th!
 
 In addition to releasing four brand new items in our online store, we are offering a special Gift Card deal for customers who spend a certain amount during the sale. The Gift Card promotion works in several tiers, as explained below:

Spend $50, get a FREE $25 gift card!
Spend $100 , get a FREE $50 gift card!
Spend $200, get a FREE $100 gift card!
Spend $400, get a FREE $200 gift card!*

*(In order to get the next higher gift card, you must qualify for each tier before shipping costs. If a gift card is used during the sale to make a purchase, you will not get an additional free gift card.)

Now check out the four new items that will be available for sale starting July 3rd!
 
 
The brand new replica of Drill Sergeant from Retro Puppet Master!

  





 

The Pinhead resin statue, available for the first time in years!

 
   
 

     
 
 

The Six Shooter resin statue, available for the first time in years!

      

     

 

 
  

The Zombies Vs. Strippers DVD, available for the first time anywhere!

      
  

 

 
  

Check out all these great deals over at the Full Moon website!!  Hurry, sale ends July 9th!!

(Click on the images above to purchase these items, or CLICK HERE to browse the entire Full Moon Direct store) 

This week's Horror related DVD/Blu-ray releases: Tuesday, July 3rd, 2012

  

Here are this week's horror/exploitation related DVDs and Blu-rays coming out 7/3:
(Click on a title to see a trailer for that film)

*  THE ENTITIY  [DVD & Blu-ray]
*  ELVIRA'S MOVIE MACABRE:  GIANT MONSTERS
*  GHOST IN THE MACHINE
*  JOSHUA
*  NIGHTWATCH
*  QUICKSILVER HIGHWAY
*  SOME GUY WHO KILLS PEOPLE

Book Review: JOSS WHEDON: THE COMPLETE COMPANION

-------------Review by contributing writer Scott Baker------------------

   

JOSS WHEDON: THE COMPLETE COMPANION

Published by Titan Books

 

When Hayes mentioned that he had received a book about Joss Whedon, I cut him off in mid-sentence and told him that I HAD to read it for review. After all, I explained, Joss Whedon is one of my all-time idols. He is my Elvis and my Graceland, all rolled into one. And how can you not like the guy? He’s one of the greatest entertainment minds of our century!

 

The book is JOSS WHEDON: THE COMPLETE COMPANION and I’ll be honest: it’s not what I was expecting. I’m not sure why, but I automatically assumed it would be a biographical book, or at least a summary guide to his work. But, oh no...this book is way beyond that and is so much more than I can put into words here.

 

If you are not familiar with JOSS WHEDON: THE COMPLETE COMPANION, here is the book’s synopsis courtesy of the Titan Books website:

 

THE ESSENTIAL UNOFFICIAL GUIDE TO THE WHEDONVERSE

Joss Whedon’s importance in contemporary pop culture can hardly be overstated, but there has never been a book providing a comprehensive survey of his career as a whole – until now. The Complete Companion covers every aspect of the Whedonverse through insightful essays and interviews, including fascinating conversations with key collaborators Jane Espenson and Tim Minear.

Over 40 contributors have been brought together by PopMatters, the acclaimed international magazine of cultural criticism, to provide an irresistible mix of analysis, interpretation and sheer celebration. Whether you’re a student looking for critical approaches to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or a Browncoat who follows Nathan Fillion on Twitter (or, let’s face it, both) there is plenty here to enjoy.

Covers all the TV series, movies, and comic books, including:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, Fray, Astonishing X-Men, The Avengers... and more!

   

 First off, let me say that this is one of THE BEST books about an entertainment-industry figure that I’ve ever read. It is beyond comprehensive, and it goes so much deeper than just a filmography or even a simple biography could. Contained on these pages are true insights and analysis of how one man has changed the world.

  

The format of JOSS WHEDON: THE COMPLETE COMPANION is simple: each of Whedon’s major TV shows (Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse) has their own section, and inside each section is a variety of interviews, essays, and analytical interpretations of said work. There are also separate sections for Whedon’s films and comics as well. The insights into his works are amazing and give you many reasons to look at his creations with very different eyes.

  

For example, some of the essays are in-depth explanations of the symbolism and meanings within specific TV show episodes; others are interviews with the cast and/or creators of the shows; some give enlightenment as to the spiritual aspects of the shows; and other pieces simply explain the fun factors behind the stories. Every piece in this book helps to showcase the intricacies and love of the Whedonverse; these pieces are works of passion, created and analyzed by (mostly) true fans of Joss Whedon’s creations.

  

I highly recommend this book as a ‘companion’ to Whedon’s art. If you’ve never seen a Joss Whedon creation (shame on you...you’re missing out), then this is the perfect book to read before you do. And if you’re already a fan, then you’ll be in Whedon-Nirvana. Regardless of which one you are, you’re sure to learn a little bit more about who Whedon is, and probably yourself along the way. 

 

-MSB

  

CLICK HERE to purchase JOSS WHEDON: THE COMPLETE COMPANION book from Titan Books