The Bloodstained Butterfly is a cross between giallo and poliziotteschi, as cops and lawyers struggle to unravel a typically Byzantine murder case.
Local Features
I, The Jury
When people imitate or spoof the style of hardboiled detective fiction, they’re imitating Mickey Spillane. Because when it comes to elevating tough-guy talk to sublime and absurd levels, it’s hard to beat Spillane.
Forever and a Death
Donald E. Westlake, best known for his “Parker” series of thrillers, was hired to write a James Bond movie. In the end, the script was not used, but Westlake reworked the story into an original novel.
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
Argento would go on to direct bolder, more visually dynamic films, but he would rarely achieve the same level of empathy as he does in The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
Screen
The Bloodstained Butterfly
The Bloodstained Butterfly is a cross between giallo and poliziotteschi, as cops and lawyers struggle to unravel a typically Byzantine murder case.
Read
Cultural Gutter: Heavy Light
On the Cultural Gutter, “Heavy Light” traces the origin of Heavy Metal and the important part it played in encouraging me to seek out weird sci-fi, especially if it contained nudity and space janitors.
Listen
Diabolique: Bollywood Bloodbath
I’m back on Diabolique with “Music is Screaming”, an exploration of the fantastic Bollywood Bloodbath, a compilation of music from Indian horror films grade A-to-Z.
Eat+Drink+Travel
Cocktails & Capers: On the Negroni
On the Cocktails & Capers site, I’ve posted an excerpt from the book in celebration of Negroni Week, June 24-30. Surprisingly, the excerpt, from the chapter “Casino Amaro,” is about the Negroni.
Aboard the African Queen
A day spent puttering around the coast and canals of Key Largo on board the actual boat from one of my favorite films, John Huston’s The African Queen.
