#Regan Stirling

[ukrfeminism]

3 minute read

The Scottish government has been urged to block the transfer of a violent transgender prisoner from a men's prison to a women's jail.

It is understood that Tiffany Scott, who was previously known as a man called Andrew Burns, has applied for the move.

The Daily Record first reported that the transfer has been approved and is likely to happen later this year.

The Scottish Conservatives have called for the move to be stopped.

A spokesperson for the Scottish government said it was an operational matter for the Scottish Prison Service.

The prison service said decisions about where to place transgender prisoners were made on "an individualised basis".

It follows the imprisonment of Isla Bryson - a transgender woman convicted of two rapes before she changed gender - in Cornton Vale women's prison.

She was later moved to a male wing of HMP Edinburgh.

Scott is serving an indefinite sentence as she is subject to an order for lifelong restriction (OLR), meaning she will only be released when she is no longer considered an "unmanageable risk to public safety".

She was handed that sentence in 2013, after admitting stalking a 13-year-old girl by sending letters from her cell.

In 2017 Falkirk Sheriff Court was locked down amid safety fears as Scott was sentenced over a series of violent incidents in Glenochil Prison in Clackmannanshire.

They included striking a prison nurse on her back with a hurled chair, punching a prison officer in the face, and spitting at another officer and trying to bite him.

She also smeared excrement over her cell, tore a drip needle out of her arm, and ripped up "tear-proof" clothing.

The Scottish Conservative equalities spokesperson, Rachael Hamilton MSP, said Scott presented a "grave risk" to the safety of women who came into contact with her.

"Nicola Sturgeon has repeatedly tried to reassure the Scottish public that the Scottish Prison Service's risk assessment would protect women from predatory men, yet the process is clearly not fit for purpose if this dangerous offender has been approved for transfer to a women's jail," she said.

"Women's safety must not take a backseat to the wishes of violent criminals.

"Nicola Sturgeon has already U-turned under public pressure to belatedly remove double rapist Isla Bryson from a women's jail, she must now intervene to block the transfer of this violent individual before it takes place, or knowingly risk the safety of some of Scotland's most vulnerable women."

SNP MSP Ash Regan, who quit a ministerial role over the Scottish government's Gender Recognition Reform Bill, has also opposed the move.

In a post on Twitter, she said: "Tiffany Scott, formerly Andrew Burns, one of the most dangerous prisoners in Scotland has gained approval to be moved into the women's prison estate.

"Scott has attacked female prison officers and stalked a child from prison. No men should be placed in a women's prison."

If Scott is transferred to the female estate, it would likely not be to HMP Cornton Vale as it is due to be replaced by a new facility called HMP Stirling later this year.

The Scottish Prison Service said it would not comment on individuals.

"Decisions by the SPS as to the most appropriate location to accommodate transgender people are made on an individualised basis, informed by a multi-disciplinary assessment of both risk and need," a spokesperson said.

"Such decisions seek to protect both the wellbeing and rights of the individual as well as the welfare and rights of others around them, including staff, in order to achieve an outcome that balances risks and promotes the safety of all.

"Where there are any concerns about any risks posed by an individual, either to themselves or others, we retain the ability to keep them separate from the mainstream population until an agreed management plan is in place."

A Scottish government spokesperson said: "The placement of prisoners is an operational matter for the Scottish Prison Service who use comprehensive individualised risk assessments to inform decisions, such as the appropriate location of transgender people in custody.

"SPS is reviewing their policy on managing transgender prisoners in partnership with the Scottish government and that process is nearing completion."

[movies-to-add-to-your-tbw]

Title: Snow White and the Huntsman

Rating: PG-13

Director: Rupert Sanders

Cast: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Sam Claflin, Ian McShane, Ray Winstone, Nick Frost, Noah Huntley, Toby Jones, Eddie Marsan, Lily Cole, Rachael Stirling, Hattie Gotobed, Bob Hoskins, Sam Spruell, Johnny Harris, Brian Gleeson, Vincent Regan

Release year: 2012

Genres: drama, adventure, fantasy

Blurb: After the Evil Queen marries the king, she performs a violent coup in which the king is murdered and his daughter is taken captive. Almost a decade later, a grown Snow White is still in the clutches of the queen. In order to obtain immortality, the Evil Queen needs the heart of Snow White. After Snow escapes the castle, the queen sends the huntsman to find her in the Dark Forest.

[kolak-magiia]

Basics:

Name: Melody Birthday: 29th Sun of the 3rd Astral Moon (May 29th) Star Sign: Gemini Voice Claim: Alix Wilton Regan Theme: "The Upside" - Lindsey Stirling (ft. Elle King) Job: Warrior of Light, Dancer, Astrologian Race: Au Ra Height: 5′2″ Weight: 110lbs Age: 25 (29 at the end of ShB) Gender: Female Sexuality: Demi-Sexual, Bi-Romantic Relationship status: Single Family: N/A Moral Alignment: Neutral Good

-----

Fun Facts:

Melody started as a dungeons and dragons character I played some few years ago. She was a tiefling bard with holes in her memory and naught but a battered violin to her name. Sadly, the campaign she was in ended pretty abruptly, but I ended up writing up the end of it to fit her new lore~

Melody has a daughter named Vylria in her DnD verse.

[namesetc]

Masc names similar to Kane?

ale

adam

aaron

aiden

blade

blain / blaine

cole

connor

caleb

callan

callum

cal

callahan

conan

daven

donavan

dash

earnest

fawke

finian / finnian

holt

harve

harvey

jack

jake

kylan

khronos

kyle

kian

kyler

kade

kaden

koda

kaolin

killian

luke

mason

nevin

orin

odran

pierce

rune

reece

ryan

regan

russ

russel

shane

stirling / sterling

plenty more here

[kolak-magiya-a]

Basics:

Name: Melody Birthday: 29th Sun of the 3rd Astral Moon (May 29th) Star Sign: Gemini Voice Claim: Alix Wilton Regan Theme: “Love Goes On And On” - Lindsey Stirling (Ft. Amy Lee) Job: Warrior of Light, White Mage, Dancer Race: Au Ra Height: 5′2″ Weight: 120lbs Age: 25 (29 at the end of ShB) Gender: Female Sexuality: Demi-Sexual, Bi-Romantic Relationship status: Single Family: N/A Moral Alignment: Neutral Good

Headcanons || Visage || Meta

Physical Notes:

Melody is about as tall as an Au Ri can get. She stands just 2 inches shorter than her D&D verse.

(ShB Spoilers) With each lightwarden defeated, Melody’s hair gets paler along with her skin. After the events of Shadowbringers, her visage is returned to normal.

Mental Notes:

Melody suffers amnesia and has very little recollection of her past.

Misc:

Melody excels in the Bard and White Mage jobs to the point where she’s a natural even from the start. She has an innate talent for music, singing, and dance, and performs well.

Her magic manifests a little differently than most mages, in that the color of it is almost always a rose-gold hue. She has no explanation for this.

Brief History:

If one were to sit down and observe this strange Au’Ri from afar, it would become apparent that she was either extremely sheltered, or did not grow up with any knowledge of this Star. Or suffered severe amnesia, which would be closer to the truth. Even so, she found her duty as the world’s “Warrior of Light”, which has become her greatest strength, but also her greatest weakness.

Melody shows a great interest in the workings of the Crystal Tower, though to what end she has kept a secret thus far.

Plot Hooks:

Anomaly -

A woman lay unconscious under the shade of the Twelveswood following the wake of a violent storm. She wakes with no memory of her past, aside from her name. There was something odd about the storm, a strange energy that surrounds her - like even the world knows that she doesn’t belong.

Warrior of Light -

Melody is, for all intents and purposes, among those that are called the Warriors of Light. She survives in this world solely on the Blessing from Hydaelyn and little more.

A Figure in the Deep -

There’s something that draws Melody to the Crystal Tower. Something she feels is connected to her past somehow. There were figures in the Void that drew utter terror from her - and they know her name. A figure, a horrific visage of malice, of a fuse of man and dragon, has promised to take what is rightfully his, whether it be her world or this one.

Ships:

;Hold on and take a breath. I'll be here every step Walking between the raindrops with you (Melody x Tal’um) @tornscale

;If love is a lie then why do we need it? (Melody x Narin) @azure-seadragon​

;I’m not looking for somebody with some superhuman gifts; I want something just like this (Melody x Meteor) @polemistes​

;Under the bright But faded lights You set my heart on fire (Melody x Syla) @mistdrinkersblade​

;All the things she said (all the things she said) runnin’ through my head (Melody x Iriste) @ahkmourn​

[capeshifters]

all muses

All muses shortly

italics - pc   bold- canon   normal -oc

some muses might have verse specific ships or they are not shippable at all

DRAGON AGE 

Nedra Surana //  mage elf warden- hof | multiship | pansexual | FC: Lindsey Stirling

Narya Lavellan // dalish inquisitor |Single ship with @thebloodychampion​ in her main verse, other verse open  | heterosexual | FC: Emile De Ravin

Merlyn Lavellan // Narya’s cousin, archer and hunter | multiship- | homosexual | FC: Eddie Redmayne (inquisitor verse available)

Litriel Lavellan // mage, necromancer and dreamer, also Narya’s cousin and Merlyn’ sister | multiship | heterosexual| FC: Alina Kovelenko

Nova Lavellan //dalish Inquisitor, has a very bad eyesight, necromancer, dreamer and uses wisps to see. loves dragons |�� multiship |heterosexual | FC: Lauren De Graaf

Lesi  Aras //the master of smith work. Has her won shop, very inspired by Dagna | multiship | heterosexual | FC: Isabela Moner

Rin Ril Seraya //born to be female, works as a body guard of an Orlesian Lord. Disguised |multiship |undecided | FC: Winona Ryder

Aila Synelis// young elf, has a two years old girl, waitress,sweet but too trusting |multiship | heterosexual | FC: Dasha Sidorchuck

Armando Fiorenci // ex first enchanter o the circle in Dairsmuid, Rivain. Escaped death. jolly and a good mage. mage rights supporter.| multiship | pansexual | FC: Sam Elliott

Francesca Fiorenci // Armando’s sister, made tranquil. Whereabouts unknown  | multiship | heterosexual | FC: Oona Chaplin

Kai Kresge // magekiller, from tevinter |multishp| pansexual | FC: Ian Bohen

Kaisa Kresge// Kai’s little sister, mage and healer and herbalist, blind.| multiship |heterosexual | FC: Elise Aarnik

Sherborne Guyader “Guy” // professor of history and arts at the university of Orlais. born in Antiva | multiship | bisexual fc: Eoin bailey

Anna Alerion // mage ,dalish, slave, servant. Now Marquis tool for his twisted desires. Secretly when able she plots to free elves.- | multiship |bisexual

Regina le Bail // ex slave, run away from tevinter, mage but uses spear to fight, companion with a wolf | multiship | heterosexual | FC: Maia Mitchell

Alan Bearhold //avvar warrior, hunter, tall man, grumpy , protects his little sister |multiship |pansexual | FC: Manu Bennett

Valerie Bearhold// mage, talks to spirits, healer, herbalist, skilled. - | multiship |heterosexual | FC: Rachel Weisz

Millicent Cadash // Inquisitor, badass rogue, thief, spy, dwarf and what else.| multiship |  heterosexual | FC: Amy Manson

Devon Trevelyan // mage. from Ostwick Circle, born as a bastard son to a servant of Trevelyan family. Skilled mage, flirty but good mannered. | multiship |pansexual | FC: Richard Madden

Bella Lupus // Dragon Age - Tevinter mage, black mage, small woman, good at magic- multiship-heterosexual

Marcus Lupus // Bella’s little brother, warrior, has prosthetic arm and leg | multiship | bisexual | FC: Matthew Daddario

Janus Lupus // Bella’s and Marcus father, magister, master and killed by his brother.|single ship with @thebloodychampion​ |homosexual | FC: Luke Evans

Alceon Lupus // middle brother , brother of Janus, evil and mean magister. |no ship | bisexual | FC: Ansom Mount

Adrian Lupus // youngest brother, magister at the seat, divorced, likes elves | multiship.| pansexual |FC: Tom Pricone

Luca Lupus//Adrian’s son, rogue, likes training and solitude | multiship |pansexual | Fc: Adian Gillen

Gigi Trevelyan (Auriel// mercenary and Inquisitor - burns scars on her hands and feet - assassin || multiship |heterosexual | FC: Sarah Bolger

Rufus Trevelyan //  ex- templar , Gigi’s uncle - mage friendly- never too old for fun | multishipo | pansexual | FC:Rufus Sewell

Adam Hawke // Hawke, shy dork, loves his dog more than people- | multiship | bisexual | FC: Garrett Hedlund

Anders//he feather mage merged with spirit, not so mage rights obessed- loves cats | single M!Hawke ship with   @thebloodychampion​ (other muses okay to ship) | pansexual | FC: David Garrett

Dorian // the sassy one From house of Pavus- the lost son- the failure | multiship | homosexual | FC: David Gandy

Hampus Luck // archer and companion , noble but hides it, a flirt | multiship |pansexual | FC: Jamie Dornan

Appius Trius  “The Architect”// High Priest of Urthemiel, a bit dork, but lovable, magister from the ancient times | single ship verse with @thebloodychampion​ other verse open |  pansexual | Fc: Hugh Dancy

Hay // slave from the ancient times - traveled through a rift |selective ship | heterosexual | FC: Hera Hilmar

Nellie Cousland // hero of ferelden, badass redhead |multiship | heterosexual | FC: Rose Leslie

Jacob Rivera//  pirate, thief, treasure hunter | multiship |bisexual | FC: Jarod Joseph

Albany Perdue // non binary, young magister , better than you- | multiship | undecided | FC: ErikaLinder

Lisetta Walgan // chasind scout/hunter - wild and untamed| multishp |pansexual | FC: Karen Gillan

Lilah Bearhold //  Lady of The Skies- goddess/avvaar/ - immortal | selective ship| bisexual | Fc: Julie Kennedy/Rachel Ward(old)

Mario Albergotti lamberto De Villacorta // rogue, noble, mercenary |bisexual |Pentaghast Blood |likes dragons | FC: Matthew Mcnulty

Vixten Adaar // Inquisitor - ex-mercenary | has a twin sister |mage |pansexual | kind giant | FC: Mahesh Jadu

Veran Adaar // Vixten’s twin sister | rogue |bisexual

Seranna Trevelyan - Inquisitor and templar | fears magic | bisexual | andrastian | FC: Michelle Alves

OTHER FANDOMS 

Quiet // Metal Gear Solid V // sniper and bad ass, does not talk- |multiship |bisexual | FC: Game face/Stefanie Joosten

Diana // Marvel DCEU // Wonder Woman, badass but sweet        | multiship | heterosexual | FC: Gal Gadot

Mei // Overwatch// climatologist, blogger, Overwatch agent | multiship | bisexual | FC: Game Face

Catwoman //Marvel // Selina Kyle, the catwoman  |multiship |heterosexual | FC:Camren Bicondova

Belle/Lacey //OUAT/Disney// Belle from both Ouat and Disney and Lacey from Ouat | multiship | heterosexual | Emilie de Ravin, Cartoon face, Emma Watson

Red//OUAT-// Red from the series Once Upon A time - werewolf | multiship | bisexual | FC: Meghan Ory

Nagini Nabila // Harry Potter // Voldemorts’ Snake with a canon divergent story, reborn |  multiship | pansexual | FC: Nathalie Emmanuel (young)/ Angela Bassett (old)

Augustus Rookwood//Harry Potter// Death Eater, Prisoner in Azkaban, a bit of coward |  multiship | bisexual | FC: Tom Payne

Neville Longbottom//Harry Potter// student, later professor, not married yet | multiship | heterosexual | FC: Matthew Lewis

Ailla Longstar // Star Wars // twilek, bad ass pilot, spy | multiship | pansexual | FC: Milla Jovovich

Zara Andromedra // Star Wars //  mandalorian warrior, arms for hire, skilled fighter , bounty hunter | multiship | bisexual | FC: Cladia Black

Lilo Young // works in the ministry of magic | FC:Nyakim Gatwech |  - Harry Potter

Lassie Young // ministry worker , lilos brother |homosexual| FC: Jordan Bolger |  - Harry Potter

Simon Wolfe // Deathh Eater | bi, homoromantic |FC: Alec Secreanu |  - Harry Potter

Salvia Pepper // werewolf | heterosexual | FC: Natalia Ramos - Harry Potter

Gilda Gloomsdale // vampire , not dragonborn but can be // FC: Aiyana Lewis - Skyrim

MASS EFFECT

Nedra Shepard//Shepard , biotic, paragon, earthborn, war hero-| multiship | pansexual | FC: Emily Browning

Nigel Shepard// Nedra’s twin, more evil and drunkard and a gambler |multiship| bisexual | FC: Eddie Redmayne

Nolus and Tunar Abgius // smuggler brothers even if one is a turian and other a krogan | multiship.|  Nolus is bisexual | Tunar is homosexual | Nolus FC: Brandt Daugherty | Tunar Fc: Aleksander Skarsgard

Lisell Avequa// Asari assassin, Has a adopted son Han.|multiship- |heterosexual | FC: Tracy Ifeachor/Danai Gurira

Jirida Avequa//Lisell’s grandma, a bit crazy old asari |no ship- |bisexual | FC: Whoopi Goldberg

Nyx Avequa// an asari consort at Citadel-, not using biotics, kind |single ship |heterosexual | FC: Yaya De Costa

Han Xanis Vas Astra-//LIsell’s adopted son, quarian. Good in tech |- multiship |bisexual | FC: Logan Lerman

Vivia Bonisis // pink turian but good C-sec cyber crime detective - | single ship with @thebloodychampion | heterosexual | FC: Penelope Mitchell

Camilea -// pretty and deadly turian Blue Sun assassin |-multiship | pansexual | FC: Cara Delvigne

Salla Ryder //-  female Ryder , biotic | multiship. |bisexual | FC: Emma Watson

Garrus // the one we love. does a lot of calibrating |multiship| bisexual | FC: Andrew Garfield

Liara// the blue doctor and Shadowbroker | multiship |bisexual | FC: Yara Shadhidi

Drack // the old grumpy grandpa | multiship |heterosexual | Fc: Jeff Bridges

PeeBee // the joyful and happy asari explorer|multiship-|pansexual | FC:Senait Gidey

Avitus Rix// turian pathfinder, loves Mason  |single ship  with @thebloodychampion Mason | homosexual | FC: Charlie Hunnam

Tibesius Suldonis  // a hastatim unit leader, gay , married to a woman, manipulated by his friend and ex lover Cosna |  Single ship with @thebloodychampion | homosexual | FC: Nathan Fillion

Quitilia Suldonis // sweet, Serlio’s and Silia’s mother, dead  by Cosna | no ship | heterosexual | FC:Bridget Regan

Lucius Suldonis // the youngest sibling, model  turian, bit of playboy, skilled pilot | multiship | pansexual | FC: Tyler Hoechlin

Serlio Salvilus // Actually son of Cosna’s brother Caius . good in politics, future turian councilor  | multiship |  bisexual | FC: Josh Bowman

Silia Salvilus-//blind. Serlio’s little sister, had many hardships, works in Citadel , not daughter of Cosna, but born from a relationship her mother had with Haral Nyras. | multiship| heterosexual| FC: Lyndsy Fonseca

Cosna Salvilus // the evil mastermind, took his brother’s life and played him -|no ship-|bisexual | FC: Christian Bale

Caius Salvilus // got in an accident and was in coma and memory loss for decades. Real father of Serlio | multiship | bisexual | FC: Christian Bale

Tokol // pink, hanar and definitely not someone you should trust | no ship| asexual | Fc: game face

Anaya Kiuk // a young drell assassin, suffers from deadly illness , works for Tokol- | multiship | bisexual | FC: Naomi Scott

Sunip Molane // a salaria assassin, scientist , works for Tokol |multiship |demisexual | Fc: Allyson Hannigan

Bono Baffabar-//batarian mercenary and assassin, works for Tokol -| multiship | bisexual | FC: Jake Gyllenhaal

Luc Laxius// turian business woman, mother of twins | no ship-heterosexual | FC: Meryl Streep

Maxius Kryik // son of Nihlus Kryik, C-sec officer  |multiship |pansexual | FC: Sebastian Stan

Titus Faion // thief and turian, disguises as a male | multishp- heterosexual | FC: Charlize Theron

Tasha Tissel // ex asari assassin, now a doctor  | single ship with @thebloodychampion  | heterosexual | Fc: Chrishell Stubbs

Magnar Shepard // the viking, tall and blond, gets the job done-  | multiship | pansexual | FC: Chris Hemsworth

Camephilia  Octatus// Camilea’s little sister, young, raised on Omega | no ship, single ship in the future times  with @thebloodychampion |  heterosexual | fc: Anna von Klinski

[accio-rpg]

The following members have not been active since an activity rule was established in the roleplay. If your character is listed, you have seven days to become active. Those who have not will be removed from the roleplay (original characters will be removed, canon characters will be reopened). 

Ivy Gribble - @ivygribble

Parker Stirling - @stirlingsilvcr

Percival Regan - @percivalsregan

Please keep in mind that photos, audio posts, memes, and ask posts do not count as activity, while paras and character development both do.

[museinspo]

Could I get some good first and last names for KJ Apa please?

let me know if you’d like some more suggestions for kj , babe ! 

kaisara , ajax , alistair , arlo , blaise , wyatt , bhodi , regan , caelan , cain , joshua , caspian , semo , dante , darcy , ezekiel , malaki , fox , grey , kainano , harrison , hayden , isaiah , levi , lincoln , issac , reese , & tai !

palamo , vavau , saluni , tanielu , nanai , leapama , naea , taalitua , sapani , manaia , wilson , simpson , carson , douglas , graham , hughes , lindsay , masson , stirling , & rutherford ! 

[detectivestirling-arpd-blog]

AC Self: The Infamous Avon Edinburgh

So, to quickly clarify: Avon Edinburgh was a character played by someone else a long time ago. Isla’s biggest resemblance to Avon is her, well, resemblance. I’m not trying to recreate that character at all, just spark some new plots using this fc.

But here’s some of the story so far:

Avon was a Latin Professor with a thing for taxidermy. Specifically, supernatural taxidermy. She sees herself as highly superior and the supernatural as subhuman. We can see where this is going.

With regard to AC Marley:

Marley, as an empath, was intrigued with Avon because she was a borderline sociopath. she thought of avon as a challenge and fell into a game of cat and mouse with her, without really realize she was the mouse in the equation. once she realized that, though, she tried to distance herself from her. But not before she was involved in something that would later come to haunt her. Some key chatzies are: this,    this,    this,    and this.  

With regard to Regan Kavanagh:

Upon realizing that Regan wasn't human, Avon sent veiled threats to the medical examiner. Regan, out of desperation to learn more about her "condition," ended up working with Avon as tense and tentative research partners to test the limits of her abilities. Of course, once Regan surpassed her usefulness, Avon had every intention of dispatching of her-- and making a fine banshee taxidermy. Before that could happen, Avon got to Andris...

With regard to Izel and Andris Evans:

Avon came to MLC for supernatural texts, but Izel’s unease made her curious about the Evans family. It wasn’t long before she came to suspect that some of Izel’s siblings were Mara. 

AC Marley helped prove that Izel’s youngest brother, Andris, was a mara

Avon then played on Izel’s kindness to gain even more information about her brother and succeeded, leaving Izel in a bit of a mess (gore for the second link)

Andris was captured

...And then murdered and taxidermied (gore)

This didn’t go well for Avon. Regan’s banshee vision revealed her as the murderer, and Izel, in her grief, well, murdered Avon. (also gore) Very, very, very few characters know about this. As far as most are concerned, Avon is alive and at large. 

WITH REGARD TO YOUR CHARACTER:

If they’ve been in AC since before September of 2015, they would have heard about the kidnapping and murder of Andris Evans, and they would have known it was Avon Edinburgh. They would know she hasn’t been caught, and while they’ve probably seen pictures of her, probably wouldn’t recognise her on sight. Not at first, anyway. 

If they’re well connected with the local SPN community, they would know that it was because Andris was a supernatural being. 

If they’re a scribe, they would definitely know about it, because Avon came to them for help - their information was what got Andris dead. Izel made this well known, and it was a PR disaster for them. 

If your character is in college, the fact one of the previous latin teachers dissected a new student is definitely still big gossip. They might not know the details, but...

Any googling of Izel Evans, Mystery Loves Company, or Avon Edinburgh will get them to this information very easily. 

Ergo, any character can find out about this relatively easily. This means any character can be involved in plots about this very easily. 

If your character was a UMAC student way back in September 2015, they would very likely recognise her on sight. 

IF YOUR CHARACTER IS FROM AR: Isla Stirling is a kind cop with a quick mind, who is aware of the supernatural but is largely disinterested in engaging with it. She’s from the south somewhere, but has spent most of her life in New England, and joined the ARPD 8 years ago. She was promoted to her detective position as leads investigator in missing persons two years ago. 

[jenmedsbookreviews]

This past weekend I have been on my travels again. After a fairly sedate week at work, where I spent most of if trying to work out what day it was thanks to the Bank Holiday, Mandie and I have headed oop north, very far up North as it happens, to Stirling in readiness for the launch of Bloody Scotland 2018, which takes place today at the Golden Lion Hotel. Excited muchly? Yes. Yes I am.

As if this wondrous happening wasn’t enough, we also booked out trains, hotels and accommodation for Bute Noir in August. this is the first time I have been off mainland Scotland and while it may not be the furthest away island I am still a touch excited and totally looking forward to it. Much of my holiday time is being spent exploring parts of the British Isles that I have either not experienced before or not visited in years. You would think with my job I’d be bored with travelling the UK by now but you’d be wrong. Have you actually stopped and taken time to look around you lately, or perhaps a little further afield. Our island, small, waterlogged and generally poo on the weather front as it may be. is actually a pretty bloody fantastic place to visit and there are so many parts I have yet to explore. Bring it on. Despite this being the fifth time in a smidge over two years that I have been to Stirling, this is the first time I’ve been to the Wallace Monument so there is always the chance to do something new, no matter how many times you go somewhere.

On the bookish front, it was all rather quiet again until mid week when I received a package from the lovely Karen at Orenda Books. Copies of Big Sister by Gunnar Staalesen, The Lion Tamer Who Lost by Louise Beech and Overkill by Vanda Symon. I also received a copy of the next Leigh Russell Geraldine Steel title, Death Rope from publishers No Exit and How Far We Fall by Jane Shemilt from Penguin. I also received a digital arc of A Steep Price by Robert Dugoni from Thomas and Mercer. Super tidy book week for me then 🙂

One Netgalley ARC this week which is one I have been looking forward to. I picked up The Thieftaker’s Trek by debut author Joan S. Sumner. I met Joan on the Crime and Publishment course in March and we had a really good talk about her writing. It turns out I have a little knowledge of the area in which Joan has set her books, if not of the era in which she has written them, but I’m really excited to read it and find out more.

So … last week I was on a bit of buying slump. Yeah … that’s over. 😀 I bought the following: The Defence, The Plea, and The Liar (also on audible) by Steve Cavanagh, The Lion Tamer Who Lost by Louise Beech, After He Died by Michael J Malone, The Girl With No Name and Her Mother’s Grave by Lisa Regan. I also took the liberty of ordering the US cover of Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh as it is very pretty (Not out until 2019 but I can wait …) and Death Rope by Leigh Russell.

Normal service has resumed. Yay. (For Amazon anyway).

Books I have Read

Ultima – LS Hilton,

The shockingly audacious conclusion to the international bestselling phenomenon that began with Maestra. If you can’t beat them – kill them

First there was Maestra. Then there was Domina. Now – there is Ultima.

Glamorous international art-dealer Elizabeth Teerlinc knows a thing or two about fakes. After all, she is one herself. Her real identity, Judith Rashleigh, is buried under a layer of lies. Not to mention the corpses of the men foolish enough to get in her way. 

But now, caught in the murderous crossfire between a Russian Mafia boss and a corrupt Italian police detective, Judith is forced to create an even more daring work of art – a fake masterpiece she must take to the world-famous auction house where she used to be a lowly assistant and sell for $150 million.

For Judith the prospect of putting one over her loathsome former employer and the world’s art establishment is almost as thrilling as the extreme sex she’s addicted to – especially when the price of failure is a bullet in the back of the head.

But exposing her new identity to the glare of the spotlight puts her at risk of an even greater danger. Like a beautiful painting stripped of its layers of varnish, something altogether different could be revealed. 

A truth about her past even Judith might find shocking.

Yes. I know. I surprised me too. But you know what? I actually enjoyed this. Slightly steamier than your average thriller, there was a great story and really strong characterisation behind this book and as this was the final part in the series, I’m actually looking forward to going back and reading the first two. You can read my review here and purchase a copy of the book here.

…

Follow Me Home – DK Hood

‘Don’t you agree Detective? That some people deserve to die? I’ve killed the first. I’ve killed the second. Now will you catch the others, or do I have to kill them too?’

The body of Amos Price lies in a pool of blood on the polished floor of an otherwise empty house. With no signs of a break in, and no clues left at the scene, Detective Jenna Alton is at a loss.

But as the team begins to unpick the life of the reclusive victim, they discover a disturbing link between Amos and the disappearance of several young girls in the county going back years. 

Days later, another brutally murdered body is found, in a remote motel on the outskirts of town. Ely Dorsey was killed in a frenzied attack and Jenna fears not only that the murders are connected to the missing girls, but that the killer hasn’t finished yet.

As Jenna tries to work out who will be next, the killer suddenly starts sending her deputy, David Kane, messages. Is she being taunted? Or does the murderer want to be caught? And will Jenna discover who’s behind these killings before more people die?

An absolutely nail-biting thriller with plenty of twists, Follow Me Home is perfect for fans of Robert Dugoni, Karin Slaughter and Rachel Abbott.

The third part in the Kane and Alton series sees them on the hunt for a vicious killer who seems to be extracting their own kind of justice for truly heinous crimes. The subject matter is tough to read but carefully handled. The murders are brutal and varied. You’ll be able to read my review as part of the tour and can order a copy of the book here.

…

First to Die – Alex Caan

A DARK AND EDGY CRIME THRILLER FOR FANS OF SARAH HILARY, KATERINA DIAMOND, ANGELA MARSONS AND ROBERT BRYNDZA.

SOMEWHERE IN THE CROWD IS A KILLER 

Bonfire Night and St James’s Park is filled with thousands of Anonymous protesters in a stand-off with the police. When a cloaked, Guido Fawkes mask-wearing body is discovered the following morning, Kate Riley and Zain Harris from the Police Crime Commissioner’s office are called in.

The corpse has been eaten away by a potentially lethal and highly contagious virus. The autopsy reveals the victim was a senior civil servant, whose work in international development involved saving lives. Why would anyone want him dead? 

THEY WILL STRIKE AGAIN 

As the research team looking into the origins of the deadly virus scramble to discover an antidote, first one, then another pharmacist goes missing. Meanwhile, a dark truth starts to emerge about the murder victim: he was an aggressive man, whose bullying behaviour resulted in the suicide attempt of one of his former staff members.

AND TIME IS RUNNING OUT . . .

With thirty lives potentially at stake, Kate and Zain have their work cut out for them. Can they find the two missing pharmacists in time, or will they too end up dead?

Gah. You have no idea how long I have wanted to read this book. I have had several false starts, plus some emergency blog tour reads which demanded my attention but have finally been able to finish what I started and boy am I a happy bunny. Uncannily topical this book had me hooked from start to finish. Oh how I have missed Zain. You’ll be able to read my review around publication day (not long now – 14th June) but can preorder a copy here.

…

Three books. Not bad considering I got distracted by Bute Noir and spent half a day driving to Stirling. I am actually half way through another audio book as well so I am still being productive if not effective. Blog wise, I have no idea but here is a recap.

Ultima by LS Hilton

Guest Review: Six Stories by Matt Wesolowski

Absolution by Paul E. Hardisty

Summer at the Little Cottage on the Hill by Emma Davies

When the Waters Recede by Graham Smith

Okay. So not so busy, Well I did say i was slowing down … This week I have blog tours today for Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh and on Friday for Big Sister by Gunnar Staalesen. If you stop by on Sunday, I may have a bit of a surprise for you all too.

Funny old week this week. I’m only actually in the office for two days (yippee) because I have a two day leadership conference to attend at Alton Towers of all places (less yippee) and of course today I am in Stirling. Then I am off work for a whole week so no office for me. Cannot wait. I may even remember to put my out of office on the email this time as well. Whoops.

Have a fabulously bookish time this week folks. I’m sure you’ll be hearing from me again very soon as I let you know all about this year’s Bloody Scotland line up. I am so excited.

If anyone wants to know why I blog and why I travel the country so much then this … this is why. I am super privileged to be in a position where I can do this kind of thing, where I am offered the chance to be part of something really special and where I am trusted enough to help to spread the word. You can keep the free ARCs, I am lucky enough to be able to afford my own books (as this weeks purchases will confirm). I appreciate being trusted with the books, I truly do, but they are not why I do this. What drives me, what I love about blogging, is being given the opportunity to support, champion and shout out about the bookish community that I love. What a gift.

Speak soon.

Jen

Rewind, recap: Weekly update w/e 03/06/18 This past weekend I have been on my travels again. After a fairly sedate week at work, where I spent most of if trying to work out what day it was thanks to the Bank Holiday, Mandie and I have headed oop north, very far up North as it happens, to Stirling in readiness for the launch of Bloody Scotland 2018, which takes place today at the Golden Lion Hotel.

[themastercylinder]

(Left) Tobe Hooper (Right) Richard Kobritz

RICHARD KOBRITZ-Producer

Richard Kobritz is a creative producer in the Thalbergian sense. He is, in other words, a benign monarch. He believes in hiring the most talented cast and crew available to him, establishing the ground rules before shooting begins, then setting them loose to do their best work. As vice-president for production at Warner Bros Television, Kobritz monitors all of the studio’s TV output, a task which only allows him time to personally produce one film a year.

Strong willed producers are, of course, nothing new in television, where individual expression is stifled and a director’s personality is no more evident in a weekly series than in the commercials that interrupt it. But Kobritz, apparently, is different than most producers. His need for control is less a matter of ego than a desire to create a quality production. Kobritz trusts his intuition and wants to surround himself with collaborators who agree with his basic concept, yet will not hesitate to offer suggestions or changes. The measure of his formula’s success is that Tobe Hooper, still reeling from disastrous producer interference on two features and a fruitless 18 months at Universal Pictures, emerged from SALEM’S LOT with nothing but praise for Kobritz.

Kobritz entered the film industry in 1964 at age 23. He worked as an assistant director on several Doris Day comedies, then served as production manager on three films directed by Gene Kelly: A GUIDE FOR THE MARRIED MAN, HELLO DOLLY and THE CHEYENNE SOCIAL CLUB. He toiled briefly as a producer in the exploitation field for a few small companies, notably Fanfare, a now-defunct outfit. “Everything you’d do for a company like Fanfare was horror in some way, shape or form,” says Kobritz, who remembers the unreleased HOT SUMMER WEEK as representative of the firm’s exploitation horror product. Kobritz later worked as an associate producer for director Martin Ritt on “a couple of features,” including CONRACK (1974), starring Jon Voight. He has also been under contract to Twentieth Century-Fox, for whom he produced a number of television pilots.

You produced John Carpenter’s SOMEONE IS WATCHING ME.

Right, which was called HIGH RISE when we shot it. The network changed it. It didn’t look like an NBC made for-television movie. It had a much more distinctive style. A lot of NBC’s TV movies all tend to look like THE ROCKFORD FILES.

That’s obviously intentional on our part, and I think you’ll find the same thing is true of SALEM’S LOT. I only personally do one of these a year, because I’m also in charge of production here, which doesn’t permit me to do more. I guess I’ve got a few rules. Number one is I try to find a director who has never directed television, and who has probably never directed a union film, but who has directed a nonunion feature in Carpenter’s case DARK STAR and ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13, and in Tobe Hooper’s case THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. It’s kind of a strange process I go through. It’s hard to find something you really want to do if you don’t have to do one, so you tend to be choosy within your own parameters. I generally gravitate toward the same kind of material, you know, horror, terror, something like that in a kind of Hitchcockian mold. To put it that way sounds very egotistical, but I don’t mean it like that. I’m just trying to get us into clear categories. Anyway, once I find that material we progress to the screenplay and in the meantime I try to see every movie I can, try to come up with somebody who is young and who is inexperienced with all of the problems of working a heavily unionized major studio operation.

Why is that?

Because I’m looking for somebody who is visual, who isn’t wasting his time worrying about the politics of what the unions are doing, that’s my job. More than anything else I want a director who is visual, who knows how to tell it in terms of camera, not in terms of dialogue, or not in terms of conventional camera coverage. There are two rules I always stress, and in both John and Tobe’s case, they not only embraced what I said, but that’s the way they would have done it anyway. I don’t want a zoom lens on that camera and I want to keep that camera moving. That’s, unfortunately, become the way of television. So what I try to do is a small feature within a short shooting schedule which is difficult, but that’s television.

What changes did you have to make in the novel in scripting SALEM’S LOT for television?

We went with the concept of a really unattractive, horrible looking Barlow. We went back to the old German NOSFERATU concept where he is the essence of evil, and not anything romantic or smarmy, or, you know, the rouge cheeked, widow peaked Dracula. I wanted nothing suave or sexual, because I just didn’t think it’d work, we’ve seen too much of it. The other thing we did with the character which I think is an improvement is that Barlow does not speak. When he’s killed at the end, he obviously emits sounds, but it’s not even a full line of dialogue, in contrast to the book and the first draft of the screenplay. I just thought it would be suicidal on our part to have a vampire that talks. What kind of voice do you put behind a vampire? You can’t do Bela Lugosi, or you’re going to get a laugh. You can’t do Regan in THE EXORCIST, or you’re going to get something that’s unintelligible, and besides, you’ve been there before. That’s why I think the James Mason role of Straker became all the more important. And he is, I must say, perfect. That sounds like puffery, but he was well worth it. We wondered if he would be available, if he would be attracted to the material and he was available, and he loved the material. It’s just an incredibly good piece of casting. We were fortunate. It’s a very good part, but he gives it so much himself he’s such a classy actor.

What was Stirling Silliphant’s involvement? He’s listed as executive producer. Did he also do a script at any time?

He wrote a script for the theatrical version, which was never used—and of course, it was not used for this one. In fact, he has nothing to do with this picture. There is an agreement with the studio because of his prior involvement with the project. He made some encouraging phone calls, and I think showed up a couple of times to say hello to people, but he has nothing to do with the production. I understand there’s a Writers’ Guild arbitration underway challenging Monash’s solo credit on the script. We should know the outcome of that soon. No other scripts were ever considered. Monash was never even offered the other material. Obviously, the source is the same everybody read the book, everybody wrote his own screenplay. This is the one we went with. I would hope Paul would get sole credit. Of the three other what we’d call “contributing writers,” Stirling Silliphant has not protested, Bob Getchell has not protested, it’s just this Larry Cohen who had a really lousy screenplay. That was back before we were ever involved with it, back when the feature department had this very hot book, went through three screenplays and could do nothing with it.

What other changes were made from book to screenplay?

The changes we brought from Paul’s original draft, which was very much like the book to what we ended up with from him make for a very classy movie. The major changes included Barlow, and that the Marsten House must never be clean and immaculate inside like Straker is. The house was very crucial, it must look like a veritable cesspool. I even put the line in the script myself that it must look like a shithole, only being that graphic just to get the point across. I wanted the audience to say, how could this man of Edwardian dignity live in such a place? And yet he does. And the third point was not to have Barlow in Eva Miller’s cellar as he was in the book at the end. it just doesn’t work I mean, from a point of sheer construction in a well written screenplay, he’s got to reside inside the Marsten House. He’s a major star in the picture the third or fourth most important character he’s got to be there. It may have worked in the book, but not in the movie. That house is the essence of evil God knows, Ben Mears talks about it till he’s blue in the face so to me that was very important. And one last thing I pushed the death of the last vampire to the end of the film. There were three violent deaths right in a row Straker, Barlow and her and all of a sudden, the killing and the device of killing became a really nothing, you know? So I changed that.

In what way does the inside of the house resemble a cesspool?

It is a house of horrors. I don’t mean with ghosts and that, I mean the dirtiest, filthiest house you’ve ever seen, as opposed to being pristine, which it is in the book. I like that dichotomy of Straker being immaculately dressed all the time, without a piece of lint on his lapel, and yet you walk into this mansion with him, the interior we created on a stage and you know the plumbing doesn’t work, the walls fairly seep with moisture, and you say to yourself they must defecate on the floors and in the corners because you know there are no bathrooms in here. And that all adds to it. I just couldn’t believe the beautiful Victorian Gothic mansion in the book it was like the last scene in 2001, and I felt that would play against the horror. It worked well in the book, it wouldn’t work for us. I believe that to be a distinct improvement, I really do.

One of the gossip magazines said David Soul was drinking on the set.

No, I didn’t notice any of that. It’s a very difficult script in that there is very little dialogue and the story is very intense. The pressure was hard on him. I even told him one day, “Let the neuroses play it’s working for the character.” He was not doing a normal script, with a lot of dialogue and everything explained. He was doing a very serious genre piece, dealing a lot in effects. I don’t mean special effects only, but where scenes tied into other scenes because we’re going for a special optical and stuff like that. In the same way that Cary Grant could question, in NORTH BY NORTHWEST, “Why does my character react this way? I would never be walking into a wheat field in my suit” and finding five very logical reasons why not to do it. But that unfortunately is the way it has to be done. That’s the whole thing with that THIRTY-NINE STEPS, SABOTEUR, NORTH BY NORTHWEST, MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH genre of Hitchcock. By the same token, we were going for a genre piece here that was not always explainable in normal script language and normal dialogue, and I’m sure that would be very frustrating to an actor who takes his work seriously.

Did you realize how much Lance Kerwin and Soul would look alike?

Yeah, but they really don’t. They’re both blonde, but, David is incredibly so he’s this blonde, beautiful, California young man. Lance is also light haired, but there’s this astonishing kind of forlorn, haunted expression to him. And he’s a remarkable young actor, without a doubt the most talented young actor I’ve ever worked with. He is good, that boy, because there’s an innate sadness not as a person, but as an actor. He’s able to portray a depth and a profundity you just don’t find in kids that young. You mentioned effects a moment ago.

Were there a lot of opticals, or mostly physical effects?

Almost all physical effects, very few opticals. It’s not a picture where we’re going to spend weeks with miniatures or in post production ironing out the details in the opticals.

There’s a superimposition of Barlow’s face on the moan in the last page of the script.

Yeah, I wrote that. We’re testing it and we’ll see if it works out. I put that in myself as a blue page, only because I kept thinking of it and finally I decided, why not? Lees have a final little laugh at the end. For the rest of the picture there’s no laughs at all, and this is kind of cynical and a little ironic.

Another effect is the disintegration of Barlow, will we see that? On TV, usually you see it but it’s so abbreviated.

I know. I hope you see it. We shot it. That’s obviously out of my hands, but the network approved the script and it’s in there. There’s a still of Ed Flanders impaled to a wall of antlers. I can’t imagine how we’ll see. You will not see that. You’ll see what’s in the script we fly up to the wall with him and the moment of impact is in his face. The long shot would be strictly for European theatrical, like the stakings.

How did you show the town burning at the end?

We never show it for two reasons, (a) we didn’t have the money to show it properly and (b) it’s too time-consuming to show that. I really want to wrap the picture by that time. I think the audience has caught up with us as far as what vampires are, the killing of vampires, the appearance of vampires in a sense we must now go to the ending in Guatemala as quickly as possible.

Another change was the use of hawthorne instead of garlic.

Yeah, you know why? I was tired of garlic. And I was tired of every cheap joke, is it gonna be an Italian vampire, all that kind of stuff. So I said, lets go with something a little different, and our research people came up with hawthorne. I’m just tired of all the NIGHT GALLERY business where you hold up garlic and he says, “I’m not Italian,” or a crucifix and he says, “But I’m Jewish” I just didn’t want to get near a line like that, to wind up with an unintentional laugh at a moment when I definitely don’t want it.

You obviously did more than just “produce.” Were you on the set?

Constantly.

And that didn’t bother Hooper?

Not at all. I don’t want to put words in his mouth here, but I think it added security. It was a very good collaboration. Things were discussed when we shot, before we shot. It was a very close relationship. I’m sure that doesn’t happen much.

And you shot on location

Yes, during July we shot two weeks in Ferndale, just outside of Eureka, sort of a New England Victoriana village, about 100 miles south of the northern California border. Then we came back here and shot an additional six.

The location brings to mind HARVEST HOME, the NBC miniseries based on Thomas Tryon’s book That was like four hours of boredom with a half-hearted climax.  Did you see it?

I did, and that was my feeling, too, unfortunately. Again, I think we have better material going in. Number one, the screenplay is better. They just had Bette Davis and were hanging their hat on one performance. What we’ve tried to do in everything from our vampires to our head vampire was to be different. We’re using a remarkable contact lens which is like half a ping gong ball, fits over the whole eye, and can only be worn for 15 minutes at a time before it has to be removed to let the eye rest for 3O minutes. They’re not just bloodshot eyes. I wanted an effect like the eyes in VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED and its sequel CHILDREN OF THE DAMNED I wanted them to be sick and decayed and, I hate to use the word but pus-filled. We also added one element which had not been done before, we put a reflective material in the contact, and when we turn our lights on it, they glow back  at us. That way we didn’t have to do burn ins, we didn’t have to do opticals, all of which you never have the amount of time to do thoroughly. I looked at VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED three weeks ago when it played here, and I realized how seldom their eyes really glow in the picture. For us, when there’s a vampire, his eyes are shining, and that is important. Another thing was that we didn’t fly our vampires in on wires, because even in the best of films you can see them.

In THE EXORCIST you can..

Yes, exactly. We wanted a method whereby we could actually fly a person in through a window. So we took a normal crane, like a Titan crane, and we put a long pole at the end of it, and we put the actor in a body harness at the end of that, so we were able to shove him into a room, and at the same time control his body movements. He could fly in, he could straighten up, he could tilt to one side, as long as the pole was not visible in the shot. We wanted to get a feeling of floating. And the effect is horrific, because you know there’s no wires, we’re shooting the whole window including the sill and wall above it. It was also something we were very nervous about, because you haven’t got the time, in a television show, to make a special effects mistake it had better work. We also did something else we shot the whole thing in reverse, and are projecting it forward, in the levitation and floatation scenes, because we want the smoke to be behind the vampires. That way we have more control over it. I think it turned out better than we had even hoped for it has a very spooky, eerie quality to it. And the key, again, is getting a visual director, because if you read the script, you’ll see there’s not much dialogue. That’s not to say there aren’t those expository scenes, those getting acquainted scenes but for a four-hour movie of the week, it is what you’d call “light on dialogue.” And that’s all the more reason why it has got to be visually strong.

Are you shooting a hard and a soft version to accommodate the foreign theatrical release?

Not in terms of nudity or anything like that, but in terms of intensity.

You mean, in the TV version, a stake will be driven through a vampire’s heart and go out of camera range, while in the European theatrical, the audience will see the blood and —

Exactly. We’re protecting ourselves. It’s a different market out there, one where you have to pay, not where you see it for free. But in a horror picture done primarily for television, you’ve got to deal in scares instead of blood, which is what we’re trying to do. What we want is to have the bogeyman jump out of the closet at the audience every few minutes. If it works, were successful. If we’re not successful we’re not successful. And that’s the hard part—trying to find someone who can pull that off. I’ve been lucky. In Carpenter’s case, he’s a guy we’ll come to recognize, not just because of the success of HALLOWEEN, but in the next few years through universal recognition, as a major talent. And the same is true of Tobe. Because I happened to like THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, which I think is brilliant. I saw it a few times and I know they did it for $100,000 in 20 days with a student crew, and all those things that don’t help to make a picture good and still there was an incredible visual quality. What was hinted at and never seen really intrigued me.

There isn’t that much outright blood and gore in TEXAS CHAINSAW. You just think you see it

Exactly. There are some beautiful touches. My God, I saw the way the camera was moving, the way the exterior of the house was established, things you don’t normally see in big features, let alone television.

Dollying in under the swing after the girl as she enters the house..

Right—that scene in particular. I couldn’t believe how well that film had been made, especially under those conditions. But once I saw it, I had my director.

How did you find Hooper? After losing his Universal contract, and the fiasco with THE DARK he just disappeared.

I didn’t know anything about a Universal contract or any of that. I heard about that later. For me, I find the best way to operate is to find the project first and then the director. I just ran a lot of films, some of them by people who were very well hyped. Some were okay, some were really terrible, and there were just none that compared to TEXAS CHAINSAW. I hadn’t seen it before, when it came out. It was just a title I knew of— it’s obviously a very memorable title. I knew it had made some money. I had heard Billy Friedkin had liked it and had recommended Hooper, that he’d worked on a few subsequent projects, some of which were aborted —one, EATEN ALIVE, was made. That I never did see. But once I saw TEXAS CHAINSAW, my mind was made up. I didn’t even know whether Tobe lived here. We found he had an agent, and we called him up. Obviously I had to have a meeting with Tobe, to tell him how I worked, which was probably totally different than anything he’d been exposed to even at a major studio, even at Universal. I said I work very closely. It’s essentially my decision what the final script is. Not to say your voice won’t be heard, but—

But you’re the boss.

Right, and this is what I want to make. Last year I did this kind of picture, this year I’m doing this kind of picture. They’re in the same genre, but it’s a dissimilar subject matter. I like a very fluid camera, I want incredible visual style on the picture and I also want to make sure it is cast impeccably well. We naturally have to deal with some television names to satisfy the network, but I really want to make sure it’s a classy act we’re putting together.

That’s an unusual list. I would never expect a TV producer to say he wants a fluid camera, he doesn’t want zoom lenses. Was Hooper impressed?

I don’t know. Well, yeah I think anybody who hears that is very surprised. I know I can keep a pace going and there’s certain things I can change or modify as we go along. But I care that the thing ends up looking like a feature, that it just is not something that looks like every other television movie with a modern jazz score behind it. Then again, it’s a subject matter that I’ve always liked and want to see dramatized well. I’m not into that, I don’t collect stills or anything, I just feel I want to make an interesting horror movie one with class, with believability. After I met Tobe, I decided he was the man to direct SALEM’S LOT. So I went to the network, they said okay I don’t mean they were overly enthusiastic. They didn’t even know who a Tobe Hooper was and I just said, “Don’t worry.”

Was any other director ever considered?

No. There were a lot of directors that wanted to be considered, but weren’t. The book was originally purchased by our feature department, which then had several screenplays done on it and this is going back a few years ago and not one of the screenplays worked. The president of our TV division thought if we could sell it to a network as a four-hour, we might put out another screenplay with a brand new writer and see if we could lick the problem. We got Paul Monash and structured some things very much different than the book and totally different from the previous screenplays I mean, they were just bad screenplays. In a crazy way, SALEM’S LOT works better in a longer version than in a normal, theatrical version.

Not much happens in the book for the first half and then everything explodes.

Also, the more you read of Stephen King—I’m like you, I’ve read most of his stuff—he’s damn hard to translate to the screen.

The characters all think to themselves. .

And all those internal monologues that give you goose-flesh while you’re sitting alone reading area real problem to deal with cinematically. So we had to work on that.

I heard somewhere that George Romero was considered to direct.

Well, I always liked NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and his name was one that I’d thought of. But I never contacted him because I’ve got all the problems of, will he come out here, can I convince the network when a man only makes pictures in Pittsburgh? It was easier with Tobe. But more important, I just liked TEXAS CHAINSAW better. It’s a film that has gone, I think, beyond a cult status, which it always had.

In theatrical features today, its probably safe to say no holds are barred in explicit horror. Since, on TV, you can’t show that, and even if you could, you’d panic the average home viewer, can SALEM’S LOT satisfy both the horror buff and the mainstream audience?

I think we can. It is really superbly cast. Even in the supporting roles, we always went for actors instead of stars. We have in Ed Flanders who plays Bill Norton, the doctor a man who just got an Emmy nomination for TRUMAN AT POTTSDAM. We wanted complete credibility, complete believability. That to me was the real horror, a nice little town that’s slowly being eaten alive by vampires and all of a sudden wakes up to that realization. We had to get actors of a caliber that could give us the credibility, not just nice TV names who are limited in their acting ability. That’s Number One. Number Two is playing Barlow the way we did. He’s not in competition with Frank Langella, not in competition with Bela Lugosi it’s back to German Expressionism in the final analysis.

And it’ll be the first time most people will have seen that, anyway.

Right! And again, trying to give it believability by not having him talk. He’s a monster, a fiend. And one last point, to me and I’ve heard this before and never quite believed it, but now I do, you’re frightened more by what you don’t see than by what you do.

The credo of the Val Lewton films of the 1940’s . .

That’s it exactly. There’s that off-screen noise. . .and you don’t have to see a person’s neck ripped open, just that quick cut of the vampire or whatever, a hand coming into frame, is more frightening. HALLOWEEN was the best horror film I’ve seen in the last five to seven years in that respect, because you were jumping out of your seat every two minutes, and every scene was manipulated but it was a valid scare. And that, to me, was important. You really weren’t seeing a bloodbath up there. It was almost like seeing a 3-D movie, because things were jumping out of the screen at you. In a way, I think that’s what any good horror film tries to do.

Specifically, whose idea was the NOSFERATU look yours, Hooper’s, the make-up man?

Mine. We brought the concept to the make-up artist, and he made a few sketches. We’d say, “No, we want the eyes darker”. . . and it was his and miss, trial and error. It went like that until we had what we wanted. And early on, 1 knew who the actor was going to be. Even back when I worked with Paul on the screenplay. Barlow, once he was determined to be ugly, was always going to be this one actor in my mind, if he was living in the United States.

Reggie Nalder-had you seen him in MARK OF THE DEVIL?

No, I remembered him from Hitchcock’s film THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, the remake, and I thought he had a really unattractive face then. He was the one for me.

Curtis Harrington used him in a TV movie a few years ago, THE DEAD DON’T DIE (1974).

Really? He obviously works sporadically because of his face, unfortunately. But I knew that if the man was in town and available, that was my Barlow. Nobody else was considered or even discussed.

So you telescoped the book a great deal—binned dialogue, combined characters

Only because there was no way of doing everybody in the town, especially when their fate was relatively the same. Its a small town of 2,000 people and we tried to concentrate on the doctor in the town, the sheriff in the town, the children in the town, and some other peripheral characters-a representative cross-section. But where possible—except in the case of what wouldn’t translate cinematically or was just too long—we are very faithful to the book.

Everybody I’ve spoken to on SALEM’S LOT says CBS wants the movie on in November. Can you do that?

I know they’d love to put it on during their November ratings sweep, and I think its a good piece of material for a sweep week. But I also know that in this sort of movie, a good, atmospheric, old-fashioned, Bernie Herrmann type score is essential, and weve got to get that done yet.

Do you think one season CBS might be anxious to get it on in November is they don’t want a vampire movie on after 1979, that the crest will have passed?

No, I don’t think that’s it at all. This craze is going to go far beyond the end of this year. Especially when you’ve got so many important movies coming out, in particular Kubrick’s THE SHINING, another Stephen King novel which I’ve got to believe is going to be a masterpiece that’s going to lead all of them. I would think thats going to carry the genre even further in success and longevity.

Are you concerned about TV censorship of SALEM’S LOT?

Well, my problem is obviously going to be Standards and Practices what they’re going to allow us to show and what they’re not. The script went by them. They approved it. But I know they’re going to come back and say they want a horror film but they don’t want to scare people either. I have no doubt that’s going to be the battle. I wouldn’t mind a disclaimer at the beginning, “Viewer Discretion Advised” if anything, that usually lifts the rating points up. I just don’t want to start cutting out the horror of the picture. To make a horror picture and then start cutting out the horror, why make the damned thing in the first place?

– Bill Kelley Cinefantastique – Volume 9, Number 2 (Winter 1979)

(Available at Amazon) Salem’s Lot 1979 Blu-ray

SALEM’S LOT (1979) RETROSPECTIVE -Filming Horror for Television (Part 3) (Left) Tobe Hooper (Right) Richard Kobritz RICHARD KOBRITZ-Producer Richard Kobritz is a creative producer in the Thalbergian sense.

[capeshifters]

face claims

face claims 

mostly for me that i  have them all somewhere 

Nedra Surana - Lindsey Stirling; Jennifer Lawrence (skyrim), Camren Bicondova (fall out) Narya Lavellan -game face, Emilie de Ravin Quiet - quiet, Stephanie Joosten Diana - diana , Gal Gadot Mei - mei , Kelly Marie Tran Belle - Emma Watson, Belle, Emilie de Ravin Selina Kyle - Camren Bicondova

Hay - Hera Hilmar Gigi Trevelyan - Sarah Bolger, game face Rufus Trevelyan - Rufus Seawell Adam Hawke - Garrett Hedlund Anders - David Garret, game face Dorian - David Gandy, game face Bella Lupus - Emeraude Tobia Marcus Lupus - Matther Daddrio

Architect  (Appius Trius) - Hugh Dnacy

Janus Lupus - Luke Evans Alceon Lupus - Ansom Mount Adrian Lupus - Tom Pricone Luca Lupus - Aidan Turner Merlyn Lavellan - Eddie Redmayne Litriel Lavellan - Alina Kovalenko Guy Gyader - Eion Bailey Anna Alerion - Gemma Arterton

Alan Bearhold - Manu Bennett Valerie Bearhold - Rachel Weisz Nellie Cousland - Rose Leslie Regina le Bail - Maia Mitchell  Tasha Tissel - Chrishell Stubbs Nedra Shepard - Emily Browning Vivia Bonisis - Penelope Mitchell 

Nolus Abgius - Brant Daugherty 

Nedra Shepard - Emily Browning Tunar Abgius ( Chede) - Aleksander Skarsgard Camilea Octatus - Clara Delvigne Camephilia Octatus - Anna Von Klinski Jirida Avequa - Whoopi Goldberg Nyx Avequa -Yaya de Costa Lisell Avequa - Tracy Ifeachor/ Danai Gurira Han xanis vas astra - Logan Lerman 

Max Kryik - Sebastian Stan Titus Faion - Charlize Theron Luc Laxius - Meryl Streep Nigel Shepard - Eddie Redmayne Serlio Salvilus - Josh Bowman Silia Salvilus - Lyndsy Fonseca 

Tibesius Suldonis - Nathan Fillion Lucius Suldonis - Tyler Hoechlin Quilitia Suldonis - Bridget Regan Caius/Cosna - Christian Bale 

Anaya Kiuk - Naomi Scott Sunip Molane - Allysson Hannigan Bono Baffabar- Jake Gyllenhaal Tokol- a hanar 

Garrus - Andew Garfield Liara - Yara Shahidi PB - Senait Gidey Drack - Jeff Bridges Avitux Rix - Charlie Hunnam

Mei Ling Zhou - Kelly Marie Tran Justice the Spirit - Ben Dahlhaus Aila Synelis - Dasha Sidorchuk  Kai Kresge - Ian Bohen

Kaisa Kresge - Elise Aarnik Armando Fiorenci . Greg Berzinsky Francisca Fiorenci - Oona Chaplin RinRil Seraya - Winona Ryder Nova Lavellan - Lauren de Graaf Lesi Aras - Isabela Moner Millicent Cadash- Amy Manson

Magnar Shepard - Chris Hemsworth  Jacob Rivera - Jarod Joseph Albany Perdue - Erika Linder Ashe - game face Baptiste - game face

Lilah Bearhold - Julie Kennedy(young) Rachel Ward (old) Nagini Nabila - Nathalie Emmanuel (young) Angela Bassett (old) Snake Devon Trevelyan- Richard Madden Neville Longbottom - Matthew Lewis Augustus Rookwood - Tom Payne Lisetta Walgan - Karen Gillan

Ailla Longstar - Milla Jovovich Zara Andromeda - Cladia Black  Red- Meghan Ory  Lilo Young - Nyakim Gatwech  Wilhelm Marble - Santiago Carbera  Serafina Rosario - Manni L. Perez/sim

Hermione Granger - Emma Watson