Monday 26 May 2014

Clive Barker’s Book Of Blood: A Review

26th May, 2014

Can I make a confession, here … ?

I’ve known of — although not read much by — Clive Barker, for some years.

Certainly for long enough to know the man is — if not prolific — then certainly someone who has fingers in pies.

Quite a few fingers.

In lots of pies.

Lots of different types of pies.

You know, like a forefinger in a strawberry pie: a pinky in a steak and kidney pie.

Maybe with a ring finger in some kind of quiche.

That’s sounding just a little ambiguous, isn’t it … ?

The guy covers quite a bit of creative territory, is what I’m trying to say … !

After all, the man who wrote The Books Of Blood, and Weaveworld is also the man who did the cover art for The Books Of Blood.

And directed the original film version of Hellraiser: from his own novella, The Hellbound Heart.

Probably wouldn’t surprise me if he did the costumes, background music, and make-up for Gone With The Wind, in his spare time, either.

But … !

But you take my point: Clive Barker’s a bit of a polymath.

Or gets bored easily.

One of the two.

~≈®≈~

The point I’m trying to make, here … ?

Is that Mr B’s noted for both creative writing: and creative projects that spin off from them.

You can’t blame a man for wanting to follow through on a project, can you … ?

At any rate … ?

At ANY rate, I’ll be honest: I’ve managed to squander a bit of cash on renting a film, tonight.


And yeah … Mr B had a hand in the production of this one.

As a producer, I should add … !

~≈®≈~


25th May, 2014

Oooooh … that’s better

I have to admit, to just having had a shower: not something I usually do, this time of night.

But, play fair: I’ve been clearing a shed all day, today.

The fact that’s made my muscle creak that much … ?

Meant a shower seemed a good idea.

I mean … it’s not like I can exactly afford a qualified masseuse … !

~≈®≈~

At ANY rate … ?

At any rate, I was tell you about last night’s movie, wasn’t I?

Yes, I was.

With the movie in question … ?


~≈®≈~
26th May, 2014.
Filmed in and around Edinburgh, The Book Of Blood starts in a small cafe: with a heavily disfigured young man eats a hearty fry-up.

The young man in question?   Is Simon McNeal, a man being followed by Wyburg: who’s after something specific from Simon.

His skin.

His heavily scared skin.

Simon had, months earlier, joined Professor Mary Florescu: a paranormal researcher who — along with investigation partner, Reg — was investigating a house in the older part of town.

Investigating ghost, ghoulies … 

And the dead who seem to want to tell their story by writing them on the walls … and on Simon’s skin … 

~≈®≈~

Now … was I taken with Clive Barker’s Book Of Blood … ?

You know, I don’t that I was.

I have to admit, I like what I’ve seen of the film versions of Clive Barker’s work: the most recent being Midnight Meat Train, which is a barrel of gruesome fun.

But Clive Barker’s Book Of Blood didn’t completely impress.

It’s very well made.

But not completely engrossing …
Clive Barker’s Book Of Blood
★★☆☆

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