Flavours of the Month: February 2016...

Flashlights in the dark, classic European frights and thrills, the return of the walkers, and more are some of the things that have been guiding the feel of my February 2016...

Click "READ MORE" below for this month's looks, sounds, vibes & flavours...

LOOKS:

The X-Files: Season 10 - a most welcome return for Mulder and Scully (I've been a huge fan of the show since it started way back in the 1990s). The third episode was my personal favourite of this new set of six, and with news that they're hashing out the details for an 11th season, colour me all kinds of happy.

Five Dolls For An August Moon - Blu-Ray/DVD review here.

Black Sabbath - Mario Bava's trio of terror tales. The original Italian version is the best (The Telephone, followed by The Wurdalak, and then climaxing with The Drop of Water), it's just a shame that no English language track exists for Bava's version of the script, but the minute details in Bava's version (the use and placement of sound effects and music, most crucially) make it the superior incarnation of the film. 'The Telephone' makes no actual sense, and as an early example of the giallo format it's underwhelming, but 'The Wurdalak' and 'The Drop of Water' display Bava's uniquely bravura visual stylings with an astonishing turn from Boris Karloff and the disturbing vision of a dead woman with vengeance in-mind respectively providing distinct high points in Italian horror cinema.

The Walking Dead: Season 6B - after the big old tease that was the mid-season finale, the mid-season premiere provided the payoff with gusto, bringing one of the most thrilling moments in the comic's history to life. Naturally there's more memes incoming - find them all here.

Rabid Dogs - Blu-Ray/DVD full review here.

Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th

Archer: Season 4

Spectre - the 24th Bond film (and Daniel Craig's fourth outing as the super spy) was always going to be a difficult prospect after the sheer perfection of Skyfall. There are some issues - certain characters or plot points needed a little more work - but in my estimation the Craig era can be ranked thus: 1) Casino Royale, 2) Skyfall, 3) Spectre, 4) Quantum of Solace - and QoS craps all over the worst that the wildly uneven Roger Moore era had to offer. The quality of Casino Royale and Skyfall is so high that anything else that Craig did/does in the franchise is going to have an awful lot to live up to. As it is, Spectre entwines various threads - classic tropes, modern gruffness, and a few homages - and ultimately comes out strong, albeit a little frayed around the edges.


SOUNDS:

Petri Alanko "Alan Wake" Soundtrack

Marilyn Manson "The Golden Age of Grotesque"

The 69 Eyes "Back In Blood"

White Zombie "La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Vol. 1", "Astro-Creep 2000"

Rob Zombie "Well, Everybody's Fucking In A U.F.O."

Ringo Deathstarr "Stare at the Sun"

John Carpenter "Distant Dream"


VIBES & FLAVOURS:

James Ellroy "Destination: Morgue!" - a collection of short stories, memoir, and reportage pieces from the 'Demon Dog of Crime Fiction'. A trio of interconnected novelettes dubbed 'Rick Loves Donna' was the highlight of the piece - a darkly comic trilogy that encompasses real-life criminals and crime fighters, told with a sardonic smile that's a mile wide.

Tim Hill & Gareth Thomas "The Complete Encyclopedia of Formula 1"