Next up - the dark heart of the rural USA

When people ask me what my next movie project is going to be, unfortunately I'm rarely able to give them a straight answer. For example, if I was to say "I don't know", you wouldn't believe it, would you? I wouldn't believe it, myself. But it's actually the truth.

The world of independent movie-making is a strange beast. Schedules are chopped and changed constantly. Deadlines often have no connection with reality. Remuneration can seem like an abstract concept which only exists in a 'parallel universe' version of whichever project you happen to be working on.

It's certainly the case that if you're trying to make a living in this field, you can't afford to tie yourself down to any one job at a time. Hence, the only honest answer to this question must be: "Hell, I'm working on loads of movies at the present time, and any one of them - I don't know which - could come out next!"

Most people who regularly check this column will know that THE DEVIL'S ROCK 2 is definitely in the pipeline (sequel to THE DEVIL’S ROCK, extensive items concerning which can be found in the next edition of FANGORIA, as evidenced by the various page excerpts and cuts-outs reprinted here for your delectation). However, THE DEVIL'S ROCK 2 is still at an early stage of development - a bit earlier than I'm totally happy with, if I'm honest (there are times when you just want to rumble, you know) - so other projects may now take precedence, and one of these is an adaptation of the best-selling horror novel, DARK HOLLOW, by BRIAN KEENE.


I've been working on this project for some time with PAUL CAMPION, director of THE DEVIL’S ROCK and THE DEVIL'S ROCK 2, and the script is now in such a sttate of readiness that the good chap is busy hawking it around our favourite finance houses to raise the necessary green. Details regarding our progress and in fact all aspects of this development can be tracked on our specially dedicated DARK HOLLOW FACEBOOK PAGE.

For those who haven't read DARK HOLLOW, it tells the tale of a peaceful rural community populated primarily by contented middle-class folks (and a bumpkin or two), whose quiet lives are suddenly shattered when an eerie woodland being is summoned to their side by an ancient curse ...

On the basis of this (hopefully tantalising) thumbnail outline, you could easily be forgiven for thinking that DARK HOLLOW is set in the heart of the English countryside. But guess again. Original author, BRIAN KEENE, one of my best pals Stateside, is a Pennyslvania boy born and bred, and he set his spooky, and at times rather sexy, tale in the land he loves and knows best.

I'll not say any more about this, except that it's a lush, adult-themed faerie tale, filled with magic, mystery and blood - yep, plenty of that - but also redolent of forest mythology and ancient, rural lore. It's also got some hot chicks in it too (sorry, Brian, that was a cheap shot - but I believe in getting the audience's attention any way I can).

Check back here for regular updates, or look on the DARK HOLLOW FACEBOOK PAGE, which we will be packing with details as often as we can.