They might not be raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens, but that doesn’t mean that we love them any less. Welcome back to My Favorite Things, the weekly column where we grab someone in speculative circles to gab about the greatest in geek. This week, we sit down with Liz Strange, whose short story collection, Strange Tales, was release this past summer from Crossroad Press!
What does Liz love when she’s not writing about twisted journeys, stolen memories, and things that go bump in the night? Spoiler alert: the most artistic and mesmerizing horror show ever, a savage slasher ’80s throwback, a new point of view on everyone’s favorite Pinhead, and a crime series that takes cold cases and spins them into great mysteries. Intrigued? Read on to learn more!
The focus of My Favorite Things is horror, in honor of my newly released short story collection, Strange Tales. Below is glorious mix of the macabre, from murder as art to the horrors of humanity.
Television
Bryan Fuller delivered a delicious and diabolical world with his television series Hannibal. A feast for the senses, from the haunting sounds of Brian Reitzell’s score, to the gorgeous meals designed and presented by Chef Janice Poon, to the unique and captivating cinematography of the production team. And the chemistry between lead actors Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy! Pushing the boundaries of what could be shown on a network show, Fuller delivered episode after episode of pure macabre artistry, propelled by intelligent writing and near perfect performances.
A beautiful, affecting show cancelled far too soon.
Movies
Ah, Terrifier. Where do I begin? A true throwback to the ’80s slasher craze, with its own unique spin. A mute old-school clown on the prowl on Halloween night, taking down victims in savage, bloody, and over-the-top ways. His silly movement and comedic poses only make his actions that much more sinister and visually affecting.
Originally introduced in All Hallows Eve, Art the Clown really comes into his own in Terrifier, leaving his imprint on the world of horror films. I can’t wait to see what the sequel will bring.
Books
The Scarlet Gospels: The return of a beloved character and to Clive Barker’s Hellraiser series. The story gives insight into the Hell Priest, Cold Man, or as he become to be known from the popular movie series based on Barker’s stories — Pinhead. Though initially not a substantial character (as introduced in The Hellbound Heart), Pinhead has grown a cult following, spawning comics, stories, movies, and art. And while he was a wonderful “bad guy”, and a captivating figure in both books and film, I approached The Scarlet Gospels with some trepidation. Did Pinhead really need an in-depth backstory? I wasn’t sure that this would serve the character, or the world he resides in, in any meaningful way. Upon diving in I found myself pleasantly surprised. I was easily transported into the Hell Priest’s world, soaking up the grotesque beauty of his tortured character and his journey from human to demon. I won’t spoil my summary with too many details of the actual story. Instead I suggest you grab a copy and settle in for the twisted, disturbing ride.
Crime Series: The Enzo Files: Now this may be a bit of a cheat as the first novel in the series was written in 2006, but I stand by the choice as a new-to-me crime series. I have always been fascinated by crime, from the science of the investigation to the psychological motivations. Top of my list of intrigues though is always the cold cases, the mysteries, the ones that will never be solved.
The Enzo Files are a series of novels set in France that follow half-Italian, half-Scottish Enzo Macleod. This former forensic scientist, now working as a biology professor at a French university, becomes involved in applying the latest scientific methods to solve cold case. This touches on a number of things I love — cold cases, European and British cultures, forensic techniques and several great whodunits.
Liz Strange is the published author of ten novels and many short stories, including her David Lloyd Investigations mystery series. She has also written multiple scripts for both film and television.
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I am absolutely a HUGE fan of Hannibal!!! Reading this reminds me I’m due for a re-watch! 🙂