Pet Semetary – 5 Films With Killer Animals

Originally published on Set The Tape

Pet Semetary, the latest Stephen King film adaptation, comes to home release next week, bringing the story of cursed burial grounds and killer zombies into people’s houses. One of the more iconic parts of the film, and one that was used heavily in marketing, is Church, the killer cat. If you’re like myself you’ll love a good bit of Natural Horror in your movies. We’ve made a list of 5 other films that are worth checking out if you want more of this, and something a little unusual too.

Arachnophobia (1990)

A black horror comedy starring Jeff Daniels and John Goodman, Arachnophobia tells the story of a new deadly species of tarantula that’s discovered deep in the Amazon rainforest. The scientists discover that the spider appears to be a drone, making it part of a larger colony; something that is unusual for spiders. When one of the team is bitten and killed by one of the spiders his body is sent home to the States, along with one of the spiders that crawled into his coffin.

Now in small town California the spider mates with a regular house spider, producing a legion of spiders that look no different from regular ones, but possess a bite that can kill. As the spiders begin to slowly kill people all over town it’s down to a local doctor, played by Daniels, and an exterminator, Goodman, to find a way to destroy the deadly colony before it spreads across the country.

Arachnophobia is a film that never takes itself completely seriously, something that actually helps it, as the premise is a bit silly. However, thanks to some great writing, a brilliant cast, and a crew that includes such names as Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, and Stephen Spielberg, it is easily an overlooked classic.

Piranha (1978)

When Jaws hit the big screen in 1975 it inspired a lot of studios to want to produce their own version of the film, in much the same way that Star Wars prompted a slew of science-fiction movies. One of the more famous films to come out of this was Piranha. The film almost received an injunction from Universal Studios to stop its release as it was due to coincide with the release of Jaws 2, but the plans were dropped after the film received a positive review from Spielberg.

Directed by Joe Dante (of Gremlins fame), Piranha tells the story of a community that becomes terrorised by a swarm of gentically altered killer Piranha that get released into the local river. Having been created as part of Operation Razorteeth to combat Viet Cong movement in the Vietnam War, the creatures are set loose into the river-ways during an investigation. It’s then down to a local, drunk boat captain to find a way to stop them before they reach a water park and local summer camp.

Piranha proved to be a successful film in its own right, spawning both sequels and remakes thanks to it’s popularity. Whilst the 2010 remake, Piranha 3D, may be much glossier and sillier, the original is still an all time great.

Anaconda (1997)

Anaconda sees a documentary film crew travel down the Amazon River in order to capture footage of the long-lost tribe of Shirishamas people. When they come across a stranded snake hunter the group finds themselves drawn into a hunt for the deadly green anaconda.

Whilst the film centres on the giant killer snake, and many people are killed by the creature, the main conflict of the film comes from the human characters, particularly the hunter Serone, played by John Voight. It’s Serone’s obsession with the anaconda, and his desire to make money, that puts the other people on the boat in danger, and he even kills in order to achieve his goals.

Thanks to some decent writing, effects that were good for the time, and an all star cast that included Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Jonathan Hyde, Danny Trejo, and Owen Wilson, Anaconda became a hit, earning more than three times its budget and receiving three sequels, as well as a crossover with Lake Placid.

Night of the Lepus (1972)

When creating a list of animals that would make for a good antagonist in a horror film you’d be likely to go for something that’s large, dangerous, and possibly scary looking. That makes perfect sense, as audiences need to fear the creatures that are killing characters on screen. However, Night of the Lepus seems to have forgotten this and done things their own way when it told the story of giant killer bunnies.

Based upon the novel The Year of the Angry Rabbit, the film tells the story of a small town that falls victim to an infestation of giant mutant rabbits. In all honesty Night of the Lepus isn’t a good film. However, it falls into that category of being so bad and so silly that it’s actually a hell of a fun experience to watch. The film uses a combination of real rabbits on miniature sets, as well as actors in rabbit costumes to create the scenes of rabbit carnage that look so ridiculous they become somewhat charming.

Despite the kooky nature of the film it was treated with great seriousness at the time, and included some big name actors, including Janet Leigh and DeForest Kelley. Watch Night of the Lepus if you want a little fun and aren’t after a real horror experience.

Orca (1977)

Have you ever watched Jaws and thought, ‘this is good, but I’d rather be able to identify with the shark more’? Then Orca is the film for you!

One of the films that tried to cash in on the success of Jaws, Orca tells the story of a fishing crew that falls victim to a vengeful killer whale. The fishing crew capture a pregnant female orca, who miscarries when they bring her on board the ship. Tossing the dead baby into the sea they are attacked by the orca’s mate, who manages to drag her back into the water. When the female subsequently dies the distraught orca begins to target the crew, killing them off one by one. Yes, Orca is a revenge story where the whale is the hero.

Despite this somewhat ridiculous premise, Orca takes itself completely seriously, which just adds to how good it is. The boat captain, played by Richard Harris, sympathises with the animal, having had his own pregnant wife killed by a drunk driver, and film culminates in a battle between the two of them on an iceberg. Orca is so bizarrely different to other films in the genre that it’s worth checking out just for the unusual nature of it, and is sure to leave an impression simply for how strange it is.


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Shazam! – 5 Great Shazam Books To Check Out

Originally published on Set The Tape

Shazam! comes to home release this week, bringing the latest entry in the ever expanding DCEU to new audiences. Possibly one of the bigger gambles that DC has made, Shazam! introduced a lot of new people to a character that has existed for decades, but has never really reached mainstream awareness. With that in mind, here are five books that are totally worth checking out for anyone wanting to learn more about the character.

Shazam! Origins

Recently re-released in a new edition for the movie, Shazam! Origins collects together several issues of Justice League following the New 52 relaunch. These issues tell the new, revised, origin story for Billy Batson and the superhero Shazam. This version of the character is incredibly close to the one seen in the movie, and several plot points and characters that were new to this version of the character were featured in the film.

However, one way that this book differs from the origin story as seen in Shazam! is that the main villain for this story isn’t Doctor Sivana but Black Adam. Possibly the most iconic villain in Shazam’s rogues’ gallery, the conflict between Shazam and Black Adam is legendary, and this book makes great use of both characters.

Shazam! Origins was written by Geoff Johns, one of the most prolific writers in comics in the industry, a man responsible for reinventing and popularising series such as Teen Titans, Justice Society of America, and Green Lantern. Artwork was provided by Gary Frank, who has worked on titles like Action Comics, Superman: Secret Origins, and Wonder Woman.

The Trials of Shazam!

Written back when Shazam was still known as Captain Marvel, The Trials of Shazam! is set shortly after the events of Infinite Crisis, where the entity known as The Spectre destroyed the Rock of Eternity and the wizard Shazam. Following these events Captain Marvel becomes the new wizard, using the name Marvel, leaving the title of Captain Marvel vacant.

Freddy Freeman, Billy’s friend and the former Captain Marvel Jr. takes it upon himself to take up the mantle of Captain Marvel, but first has to set out on a quest to prove himself worthy to the ancient gods that bestow their powers upon the hero. However, Freddy isn’t the only person vying for these powers, and he finds himself competing against the evil sorceress Sabina. Culminating in a huge battle involving several heroes and an army of demons, The Trials of Shazam! was such a big story that it ended up being spread over two volumes.

The series was written by Judd Winick, a popular DC writer who had previously worked on titles such as Green Lantern, Batman, and Green Arrow. Winnick’s work has been celebrated in the past for his inclusion and diversity. Artwork on the book was provided by Howard Porter, until a hand injury prevented him from finishing the book, which was then completed by Mauro Cascioli.

Shazam! Power of Hope

Shazam! Power of Hope shifted its focus from the hero to his alter-ego Billy Batson, in a story that highlights that despite his appearance, the hero is still a young boy. When Billy receives a letter from a terminally ill child in hospital he decides to visit them as Captain Marvel. Billy wows the children with stories of his exploits, and even takes some of them flying in an attempt to make them happier.

The book took some very dark themes and tried to use them to show that even in some of the worst circumstances hope still exists, and made Billy face some difficult realities. One scene, in which he goes to the father of one of the children as the hero and threatens him not to hurt his son anymore is a particularly powerful moment.

The book is written by legendary superhero writer Paul Dini, a man who has worked on numerous titles over the years, but may be best known for his work on Batman: The Animated Series, where he created the character Harley Quinn. The artwork is provided by the phenomenal multi-award winning Alex Ross, who hand paints every panel of the books he works on.

Superman/Shazam!: First Thunder

Superman/Shazam!: First Thunder tells the first meeting between the two heroes. Unlike a lot of first meetings between superheroes, where they end up fighting each other until they realise they’re on the same side, the first meeting between Superman and Captain Marvel proves to go remarkably well. The two characters find a mutual respect for each other, and quickly become good friends.  The story tells more of a ‘laid back’ adventure as the two of them help each other to tackle a plot that puts innocent people in the crossfire.

The story also marks the point where Superman discovers Billy’s true identity, something that ends up causing him to confront the wizard Shazam for bestowing these powers on an 11-year-old boy. By the end of the book Superman becomes something of a mentor to the young hero.

The book is written by Judd Winnick, who also worked on The Trials of Shazam!, with art provided by Joshua Middleton, who has also provided art on books such as X-Men Unlimited, NYX, and Street Fighter.

Shazam! The Greatest Stories Ever Told

Shazam! The Greatest Stories Ever Told collects together stories from across the DC universe to bring readers a series of stories that span the entire history of the character. The book gives a good insight into not just the various versions of the character, but how comics in general have changed over the years.

The book includes Whiz Comics #2 from 1940, which was the very first appearance of Captain Marvel; as well as stories that showcase members of the Shazam Family, and their many villains. Collecting stories across more than 50 years, the book is an incredibly interesting read for anyone who wants learn more about the characters origins.


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The Animals of Farthing Wood by Colin Dann - Book Review

'Farthing Wood is being bulldozed, and there’s a drought. Fox, Badger, Toad, Tawny Owl, Mole and the other animals must band together and set off to a far-away nature reserve. Their journey is full of adventure and fraught with disasters, and the animals must work together to survive. 

'The Animals of Farthing Wood is one of the most popular animal stories in children’s literature and is still in print nearly 40 years after first publication.'

The Animals of Farthing Wood is something from my childhood that I remember very fondly. I still have very clear memories of watching the animated series and being hooked by the plight of the characters. Unlike other shows the story wasn't wrapped up at the end of each episode, but continued on into a huge narrative. The characters were always in danger, and some not only died, but had brutal and tragic deaths. There were feuds and rivalries between groups where they plotted to gain power and thought of ways to harm the others. Looking back at it, it was like having a child version of Game of Thrones, and I suspect the series is a big reason why I enjoy serialised and deep narratives in my entertainment. Surprisingly, however, I had never read the book.

Picking up a copy of the newly released version of the first book, which chronicles that animals journey to White Deer Park, I was surprised at how much I still enjoyed the story. Whilst aimed at children, and written in a simple and easy to access way, the story has a surprisingly degree of complexity. The characters don't always get along, they argue and bicker. Some of them even hunt and kill some of the other members of the group, so having to come together as a unit and putting their differences aside isn't an easy thing.

What immediately jumped out at me, however, was the lack of female characters. Owl, Kestrel, Adder, and Weasel, characters that were all female in the television series were male in the original book. This was the thing that threw me the most, especially as they didn't seem as good as their show counterparts. The strangest thing was that none of their personality had changed. They still acted the same way, but certain character traits just seemed to work better with female characters. For example, Owl feels more like a moody old man who wants to be in a position of power, whereas the television version feels more like a kindly old mother figure.

As the book progressed I found more and more things like this that had been changed from the original source material, meaning that the book was able to keep taking me by surprise. Certain characters still died, but their deaths were changed around and happened in different places and different orders. I found myself second guessing what might happen, despite knowing the story.

The story hammers home how things that we humans take for granted, like a housing estate or a busy dual carriageway can be deadly to animals. It was this that really jumped out at me reading the book now. Whilst as a child I focused on the journey and the characters, now I found myself looking at the reasons for their journey, and the troubles they face along the way. The animals must flee their home because humans are destroying their habitat to build upon. They are almost killed in a wildfire because someone carelessly discards a light cigarette. The animals almost starve because the only food around them has been tainted with chemicals that will kill them.

The animals face multiple dangers in their journey, all of which are caused by the destructive nature of human beings. We take what we want, we change the environment around us, and we want things convenient. But we don't care what impact these choices have on the world around us, or the creatures that live there. We're destructive and careless, with no thought about the future of our own species, let along those of animals.

This is one of the things that I found to be really good about The Animals of Farthing Wood. It will appeal to different people for different reasons. Kids and adults alike will find something in the narrative that will grab them. Whether it's the dangers of the journey the animals go on, the characters that inhabit the book, or the underlying commentary on the destructive nature of man and the impact that it has on the world; there is more to the book than you'd initially think, and everyone is sure to find something to interest them.

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Pet Sematary: 5 Best Stephen King Film Adaptations

Originally published on Set The Tape

Pet Sematary becomes the latest Stephen King adaptation to come to home release next week as the DVD and Blu-ray hits shelves across the country. Thanks to a career that has spanned decades, and stories beloved across the world, there have been literally dozens of films made from his works. To celebrate this new release here are five films based on his books that we consider to be some of the best.

IT (2017)

Whilst the 1990 television mini-series Stephen King’s IT is considered by many to be one of the all time classics, with a brilliant performance from Tim Curry as the titular creature, the 2017 adaptation of the first half of the story is by far the superior of the two. Updated somewhat to bring it into line with our current era, setting the past in the 1980s rather than the 1950s, the new version of this story remains much truer to the King original in tone, if not in every tiny detail.

Director Andy Muschietti and screenwriters Chase Palmer, Cary Fukunaga, and Gary Dauberman have altered a few of the smaller details, such as Mike’s parents having died in a fire, or Georgie’s body being missing. This version is much more a horror, with the killer clown being so much more frightening and sinister. The film mixes slow burn tension and jump scares to great degrees, and spends the time with the characters so that you actually care for them.

With an absolutely stunning performance from Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise the Clown, beautiful cinematography, and the promise of more to come from the second part when it hits cinemas in September, this is one of the best recent Stephen King films by far.

The Mist (2007)

Based upon the short story The Mist, part of King’s anthology book Skeleton Crew, the 2007 big screen version of this tense horror thriller wowed audiences not just because of its amazing cast and great acting, but because of an ending that would live long in the minds of those who had watched it.

Written and directed by Frank Darabont, who had previously also adapted The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile from King’s work, The Mist chose to tell a very personal kind of horror story, one where the people are just as frightening as the monsters that stalk through the mist. Described by Darabont as “Lord of the Flies that happens to have some cool monsters in it”, he focused on how people handle otherworldly horror differently, and how it can make them turn against each other. If you’ve not seen the film, please go and do so, but avoid talking to anyone about it before you do as you do not want this one spoilt for you, as it may have one of the best endings in film history.

The Shining (1980)

Based upon one of King’s most iconic works Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is held up not only as one of the best examples of a Stephen King adaptation, but one of the most popular horror films ever made. Starring Jack Nicholson as a former alcoholic who travels into the snowy mountains with his family to look after a hotel during the winter shutdown, the film tells a story of a man battling with not just his own demons, but the evil spirits that haunt the hotel.

With some creepy performances from both Nicholson and his co-star Shelley Duvall, intentionally bizarre and disturbing set design and editing, and a soundtrack that sends shivers up your spine, The Shining is a film that has sparked discussion and debate amongst film fans for decades. Famously hated by King as an adaptation of his work when first released, he admits that it has become one of his favourites over the years.

The Green Mile (1999)

You’d be hard pressed to find someone that has watched The Green Mile and hasn’t been touched in some way by it. Set during the great depression, the film tells the story of prison officer Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) as he encounters the mysterious John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan), a man accused of the rape and murder of two young girls. Over the course of the film both Edgecomb and the audience learn that not only is John a gentle soul, but has the power to cure the sick and even raise the dead, something that he was trying to do for the murdered girls when he was found. The story of John Coffey, and his subsequent execution for a crime he didn’t commit, is both wonderfully touching and heartbreaking.

Nominated for numerous awards, including Oscars for both best film and best supporting actor for the late Michael Clarke Duncan, it is still one of the best received King film adaptations to date, and one that is sure to break even the most stoic heart.

The Running Man (1987)

Possibly the most surprising entry in this list, especially as a lot of people forget that it’s based upon a King book, The Running Man might not be the kind of story that you’d expect to come from the ‘master of horror’. Based upon the short story originally written by King under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, the film sees Arnold Schwarzeneggar star as Ben Richards, a former soldier and prisoner in a dark future.

Framed for a mass murder that he didn’t commit, Richards escapes from prison and goes on the run, only to be recaptured by the authorities and forced to participate in The Running Man, a televised game show where competitors are made to fight for their lives in a gladiator like setting.

Despite being an over the top action film The Running Man is surprisingly deep, containing themes about poverty, sociological collapse, and government corruption – all themes that reviewers and commentators have pointed out that the film predicted well in later viewings.

The film might not be for everyone, especially as it’s very different from a lot of King’s more popular themes and tones, but The Running Man is widely considered to be not just a classic Arnie movie, but a great example of an over the top 80’s action movie.


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Trans Man Gavin Grimm Wins Bathroom Legal Battle

Transgender man Gavin Grimm, who has spent the last four years engaged in a legal battle for his school board to recognise him as male, as finally won his legal case.

Gavin has been engaged in a battle with the Gloucester School Board in Virginia following its 2014 decision in which board members voted that students must use the bathroom facilities that match the gender assigned to them at birth, thus banning transgender students from using the facilities that match their gender.

Gavin made the choice to take legal action against his school board after they told him that he would be forced to use the female facilities. Despite telling the board that he had previously been the victim of abuse and bullying whenever he used female facilities the board refused to allow him to use male restrooms. They offered him the use of the nurse's office, despite it being too far away from his classes to be a viable option.

Despite graduating in 2017 Gavin refused to let the matter drop and continued his legal action. But now his case has finally come to a close. On 9th August the District Judge Arenda Wright Allen sided with Gavin, ruling that the school district decision violated the U.S. Constitution. Judge Allen issued a court order stating that the school district violated the 14th Amendment and Title IX of education civil rights law by not respecting students gender identities.

The judge also ordered the school district to alter Gavin's transcripts to reflect his male identity, and to pay his court fees.

'There is no question that the board's policy discriminates against transgender students on the basis of their gender non-conformity.' Judge Allen wrote. 'Under the policy, all students except for transgender students may use restrooms corresponding with their gender identity. Transgender students are singles out, subject to discriminatory treatment, and excluded from spaces where similarly situated students are permitted to go. The perpetuation of harm to a child stemming from unconstitutional conduct cannot be allowed to stand.'

Speaking on social media Gavin said, 'It is such a relief to achieve this closure and vindication from the court after four years of fighting not just for myself, but for trans youth across America. I promise to continue to advocate for as long as it takes for everyone to be able to live their authentic lives freely, in public, and without harassment and discrimination.'


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