This Looks Cool (2/26/09)

DeathTroopers a Star Wars horror novel

What I’m Reading Now (2/24/09)

The story of Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden,
Chicago’s first (and only) Wizard P.I.

WIZARD FOR HIRE
By: Jim Butcher

(This Omnibus collects the first three books
in the Dresden Files series…)

“If you look in the Chicago phone book under “Wizards,” you’ll find me, Harry Dresden. I’m the only openly practicing professional wizard in the country. People often laugh, ask me if I’m serious.
But if you’d seen the things I’ve seen….”

Storm Front: Business was slow. Who am I kidding? Business was dead. Fortunately, the police keep me on retainer. When a crime comes along that doesn’t fit neatly on their report—vampire attacks, troll maraudings, faery abductions of children—they call me in. This time, it was a grisly double murder committed with black magic. And where there’s black magic there’s a black mage behind it. Ironically, the White Council of Wizards suspected me, and if they could make their case, deadly justice would be swift. Worse, the killer knew my name. My investigation had become very personal….

Fool Moon: Just when I was wondering where my next meal would come from, a murder came along that was right up my alley. Whatever had killed the guy hadn’t been human. The evidence: fang marks on the mutilated corpse. A bloody paw print. A full moon. One guess what I was up against. Only, the victim was a bodyguard of mobster Johnny Marcone. Gentleman Johnny, bane of the FBI, who didn’t like me much, either. A hairy situation was about to get so much worse….

Grave Peril: I’ve encountered some pretty terrifying foes in my line of work. Giant scorpions. Oversexed vampires. Acid-spitting demons. But I’d never faced anything like this. All over Chicago, ghosts were wreaking havoc. And not just the door-slamming, boo-shouting variety. These ghosts were tormented, violent, deadly. Someone—or something—was stirring them up. But why? And why did so many of the victims have ties to me? I had to figure it out soon, or I’d wind up a ghost myself.

DVD Pick ‘O The Week (2/24/09)

Dario Argento’s Four Flies on Grey Velvet

Rarely seen outside of bootlegs, Dario Argento’s Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971) will see its first official DVD release today, thanks to MYA Communication. The film, the third in Argento’s loose “Animal Trilogy” (following The Bird with the Crystal Plumage and Cat ‘o Nine Tails), has been restored from the original negative. According to DVD Drive-in, the disc will present the movie uncut, in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, and with both the Italian and English soundtracks as options. Special features will include trailers and an extensive photo/poster gallery, as well as the original English opening and closing credits.

Four Flies on Grey Velvet stars Michael Brandon as Roberto, a drummer, who finds himself being followed by a man in dark sunglasses. Confronting his stalker, Roberto accidentally kills the man, a crime which is witnessed by another mysterious figure who takes pictures. Soon, Roberto’s friends begin dying one by one… and the culprit is framing Roberto.