‘Zine Review: Rue Morgue #64
Johnny Butane
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Issue #64
Jan/Feb 2007
As with almost all issues of Rue Morgue, a great cover is chosen, one that works because it’s so simplistic and striking. Though I always want some Gary Pullin art on the front of my Rue, I’ll take a badass shot from The Host poster, too!
An interview with Host director Joon-Ho Bong and a reflection on the spotty history of Korean cinema (both horror and otherwise) lead off this issue. Bong’s thoughts on his movie are interesting, as he prefers to think of it as a family drama rather than a horror film, but it’s obvious he knows where his primary fanbase lies. Some great research was done for the history of Korean cinema, as well, a subject I’m sure not many are familiar with, which is one of the things Rue Morgue is so well known for: educating its readers.
To that end we have the issue-stealing article written by Jason Lapeyre focusing on the silent horror films that pre-date Universal’s classic creations. Incredibly informative and well researched, it goes way beyond the standard silent horrors we all know and love like Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, discussing little-heard of films like Golem, Haxan and Lon Chaney’s early work. The article is followed by a look at a new release from the masters over at FAB Press that was specifically written about Haxan, which likely served as the impetus for the whole article. Great stuff.
Though I didn’t think it could possibly be interesting, their artist focus this month is on The Forgotten Guild of Funerary Violinists, a fictitious group of musicians made up by one Rohan Kriwaczek as a way of lending validity to a new trend he’s hoping to start; funerary violinists. Far from being a way of scamming mourners or taking business from funeral directors as one might initially assume, Kriwaczek thought that more people would listen to his suggestions about a new way to mourn the passing of loved one if he could create a history for it. It’s a really cool piece and made me more than a little interested to hear his works.
The rest of the pre-review issue looks ahead to 2007 with their annual listing of horror conventions and film festivals (from which our own Fear Fest is conspicuously missing…) and a breakdown of the best and worst of 2006. How Slither, which is a movie I truly loved, made it to the top of the best films over The Descent is beyond my understanding, but the rest of their list is pretty much spot-on.
Other highlights include an honest review of The Roost (finally!), Chris Alexander’s sweet, sweet loving for C.H.U.D. and Gary Butler’s focus on Alan Moore’s latest horror venture, Lost Girls, which just sounds far too twisted to pass up. For a good laugh be sure to check out the Gore-Met’s column this month, too, which not only details the mysterious gore hound’s history in our beloved genre, but has a great picture of he man himself circa 1989.
Click here to visit Rue Morgue’s official site for more on this issue and to subscribe so you don’t miss another one!
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