uhhh drops this here. yeah im these arent leland gaunts or brian rusks canon designs but uhh idk me when i hate canon

"KIDS MY AGE HAVING TIMES OF THEIR LIVES... MAUMEE, OHIO HARDCORE.

PIC(S) INFO: Mega B&W photo spotlight on American Midwest hardcore punk band the NECROS, c. 1981-'83. Various venues, dates, photographers: Angie Sciarappa, Kevin Salk, Malcolm Riviera, Jim Saah, Glen E. Friedman, etc...

"Hanging out on a Friday night, There's nothing to do & there's no one I like, Kids my age having times of their lives, Steady couples fucking, man & wife,

High school life it is so lame, With entertainment like a football game, Stuck here until they get old, High school spirit for the purple & gold."

-- "Public High School" (1981) by NECROS

Sources: www.picuki.com/media/2032746823256492778 (Picuki 10x!!)

Birthdays 2.9

Beer Birthdays

David C. Kuntz (1877)

Joe Allen (1888)

Brendan Behan; Irish writer (1923)

Five Favorite Birthdays

Frank Frazetta; artist (1928)

Brian Greene; physicist (1963)

Thomas Paine; writer, patriot (1737)

Vince Papale; Philadelphia Eagles WR (1946)

Alberto Vargas; pin-up artist (1896)

Famous Birthdays

George Ade; journalist, humorist (1866)

Alban Berg; composer (1885)

Bill Bergey; Philadelphia Eagles LB (1945)

J.M. Coetzee; writer (1940)

Ronald Colman; actor (1891)

Mia Farrow; actor (1945)

Kathryn Grayson; actor (1922)

William Henry Harrison; 9th U.S. President (1773)

Burkhard Heim; physicist (1925)

Holly Johnson; pop singer (1960)

Bill Justice; animator (1914)

Carole King; songwriter, singer (1942)

Gypsy Rose Lee; entertainer, actor (1914)

Amy Lowell; poet (1874)

Barry Mann; songwriter (1939)

Carmen Miranda; actor (1909)

Jacques Monod; biochemist (1910)

Roger Mudd; television journalist (1928)

Joe Pesci; actor (1943)

Dean Rusk; U.S. Secretary of State (1909)

James Stephens; Irish writer (1882)

Travis Tritt; country singer (1963)

Ernest Tubb; country singer (1914)

Amber Valletta; model (1973)

Bill Veeck; baseball team owner, promoter (1914)

Alice Walker; writer (1944)

Julie Warner; actor (1965)

Zhang Zyi; actor (1979)

Liked on YouTube: Sci-Fi Short Film "Apotheosis" | DUST || https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlcuKadMBlE || Explore the DUST Multiverse on our App: https://bit.ly/DUSTChannel Selene, a young aerospace engineer, dreams of going to space, but was born naturally in this near-future society where the first generation of genetically engineered humans has come of age and has more privileges than those born like Selene. When her mother loses her job, Selene decides to compete against these genetically engineered humans in order to secure a job position on the first habitable space colony, Rusk Venture's Ourania. However, she'll be competing against her friend Fabrizio, Rusk's engineered son. Their friendship is pushed to the limit as their willpower and determination are put to the test. "Apotheosis" by Max Pearce Connect with the Filmmaker: https://ift.tt/VHtocZ7 "Apotheosis" Credits: Selene - Rene Leech Fabrizio - Dor Gvirtsman Minerva - Jane Casserly Rusk - Ross Turner Trainer - Vincent Stalba Newscaster - Wei Wilson Swimmer 1 - Hallie Kingsey Swimmer 2 - Oscar Martinez Baile Swimmer 3 - Rielle Oase Swimmer 4 - Keanu Ross-Cabrera Director - Max Pearce Produced by - Maria Sara Santoro Co-Producer - Brian DeAngelis Written by - Max Pearce & Maria Sara Santoro Director of Photography - John Burroughs Hanle Production Designer - Maria Sara Santoro Edited by - Riley Sweeney Lynch Costume Designer - Sonya Berg Visual Effects by - Shaman Marya Music by - David Myles Lewis Associate Producers - Hatuey Rodriguez, Josh Powell First Assistant Director - Tony Gx Shi Second Assistant Director - Yizhi Shi First Assistant A Camera - Catalina Parra First Assistant B Camera - Amber Rose Jones Second Assistant A Camera - Sayali Upadhye Second Assistant B Camera - Caleb Smith, June Kim Steadicam Operator - Lars Struck Gaffer - Louven Ryes Key Grip - Laura Stone G&E Swings - Sean Farley, Chris Hall, Chris Ube, Cory Ewing, Devon Johns Sound Design - Carter Tate Sound Recorder - Evan Hartney Sound Mixer - Vera Tin Art Director - Cat Johnson Set Decorator - Addison Rolleri Hair and Make-up - Kaia Langois Set Production Assistants - Ziqi Huang, Bingliang Li, Victoria Interiano, Greg Shell, Elizaveta Kaminski, Tayla Dixon Script Supervisors - Santos Herrera, Ian Kent, BTS Photographer - Rielle Oase Storyboards - Nhan Le Concept Art - Catherine Wu Additional Visual Effects by - Josh Steede Colorist - John Burroughs Hanle Titles and Credits by - Craig Lief On-Set Lifeguards - Devon Coates, Kyle Brandstater USC Faculty Advisors - Mike Fink, Brenda Goodman Festivals & Distribution/Licensing - Sandrine Faucher Cassidy Catering by - Too Tasty Catering Stock Footage Provided by - Pexels A USC Short FIlm Subscribe to the DUST and ALTER newsletter: https://ift.tt/OeWPSBf Subscribe to DUST on YouTube: http://bit.ly/2aqc5vh #DUST #scifi #shortfilm About DUST: DUST presents thought-provoking science fiction content, exploring the future of humanity through the lens of science and technology. From timeless classics to cutting-edge movies, series, short films, and podcasts, DUST acquires, produces and distributes all content types. DUST is also available on Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, AppleTV, Fubo, IMDBTV, iOS, Peacock, Roku, Redbox, Samsung TV, Sling, STIRR, Tivo, Vizio, Xumo and 7Plus. On our OTT platforms, we offer cutting-edge and classic feature films, series, podcasts, and our entire shorts library. #TheFutureAwaits Watch on the DUST App: https://bit.ly/DUSTChannel Subscribe to the DUST Newsletter: https://bit.ly/signal_newsletter" Connect with DUST Website: https://ift.tt/UdAKuWp Sign-up for DUST newsletter: https://ift.tt/a1FEv05 Watch DUST on your TV: Available on Roku, Samsung TV, Apple TV, Android TV...and more Watch more on YouTube: http://bit.ly/2amTSen Follow Us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/2aqYgtZ Follow Us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/2amAhRt Listen to the DUST podcast: Apple: http://bit.ly/DUST-Audio Spotify: http://bit.ly/DUST-Spotify Stitcher: http://bit.ly/DUST-Stitcher Castbox: http://bit.ly/DUST-Castbox iHeart: http://bit.ly/DUST-iHeart About Gunpowder + Sky: Creating content that resonates and impacts pop culture conversation, by empowering creators to take risks and experiment relentlessly in the pursuit of novel stories and formats. https://www.youtube.com/watchdust

Ruski pljačkaši ciljaju na "zapanjujuća" ukrajinska blaga, upozorava istraga! Rruske bande kradu istorijske artefakte iz Ukrajine i krijumčare ih nazad preko granice, prema međunarodnim posmatračima koji prate njihove zločine. Tim sa sjedištem u SAD-u koji prati kulturološke krađe od početka ruske invazije otkrio je obrazac kriminalaca koji ciljaju na dragocjeno skitsko zlato proizvedeno od plemena Nomada koja su se proširila od Sibira do današnje Ukrajine od 7. stoljeća prije Krista. Antropolog Brian Daniels rekao je da postoje "veoma jaki dokazi" da su bande ciljale na "konkretne slike i ornamente". Za Observer je rekao: „Ovi predmeti su vizuelno zapanjujući, a sada ima toliko izvještaja o krađama da je očigledno da je to strategija. „Ukrajinci, naravno, takođe žele da uspostavimo listu ukradenih stvari Dodao je da nije jasno da li se artefakti uzimaju za njihovu novčanu vrijednost ili bi njihov gubitak oštetio kulturni identitet nezavisne Ukrajine. Prošlog mjeseca objavljeno je da su ruske trupe otele kustosicu muzeja u Melitopolju, na jugu Ukrajine, nakon što je odbila, pod pretnjom pištolja, otkriti lokaciju vrijednih artefakata iz muzejske zbirke. Uprkos njenom prkosu, skoro 200 predmeta, uključujući kolekciju od 2.300 godina starih zlatnih skitskih komada, kasnije su opljačkani od strane napadača koji su nosili oružje. Izložba Britanskog muzeja 2017. donijela je više od 200 skitskih blaga iz Državnog muzeja Ermitaž u Sankt Peterburgu, kako bi ispričala priču o plemenu koje je okupiralo zemlju koja se proteže od ruba Kine preko Sibira, do Grčke i Crnog mora između 9. do 3. veka pne. Među predmetima koji će biti prikazani su zlatne ogrlice, ukrašena sedla i oružje, kao i ukrašena kožna torba u kojoj se nalaze komadići sira zaštićene prirodnim dubokim smrzavanjem sibirske divljine.

Brian Rusk: but- Leland Gaunt: you’re a butt!

The Don't Kill the Dog Rule

I swear to God, I don't care if Leland Gaunt gets the entirety of Castle Rock to kill each other in one massive battle royale, Raider better fucking live.

I'm rooting second for Brian Rusk just because he is Stephen King's quintessential kid character, and thirdly for Alan Pangborn because he helped out Thad Beaumont then lost his wife and son, and that guy needs a fucking break.

12 February 2014 | Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark and fashion designer Leka attend the Leka show during Nolcha Fashion Week New York Fall/Winter 2014 presented by RUSK at Pier 59 in New York City. (c) Brian Ach/Getty Images for Nolcha Fashion Week

Book Thirty-Two: Needful Things

“Why is it that so many people think all the answers are in their wallets?”

When I started this blog, it was kind of funny how life events were lining up with the books I was reading. I finished The Stand just as we were starting to learn about Coronavirus. I read Misery while we were all stuck in quarantine. And this weekend I finished Needful Things just as riots were starting to break out all over the country. 

I’m not egotistical enough to think my reading of these books is bringing them to life, but I’m also kind of terrified to crack into The Dome... just sayin. And I guess we did avoid murderous clown shenanigans with It, so maybe it’s just a freaky coincidence. But I might skip Sleeping Beauties just to be safe. 

I might have discovered my new favorite Steve book. This was my first time reading Needful Things, and the story captured me in a way I wasn’t expecting. I was immediately reminded of Something Wicked This Way Comes; which my husband admitted to never having read/watched the movie, which is a real tragedy. But the book truly feels like one big piece of Bradbury fan fiction. And I’m not at all mad about that. 

Before cracking into Needful Things, I recommend going back and reading Sun Dog, the last novella in Four Past Midnight. Sun Dog brings us back to Castle Rock, Maine, and introduces the characters we explore further in Needful Things. Reading it isn’t mandatory, but it does make for a richer experience. In the introduction to Sun Dog, King explains Needful Things is the last book he’s going to set in Castle Rock (lies). For those keeping count, we’ve got Cujo, The Dead Zone, The Dark Half, and The Body (Stand By Me). All these stories are referenced in Needful Things, and we even find out what happened to our friend Thad Beaumont from The Dark Half. Spoiler: it’s not great.

 “By virtue of Thad’s drunken phonecalls, Alan had become an unwilling witness to the crash of Thad’s marriage and the steady erosion of the man’s sanity.”

Additionally, Thad’s wife Liz took the twins and deuced out. I mean... not surprising. I don’t know how one recovers from being stalked by their alter-ego, and having their house busted into by a bunch of sparrows. In case you need a reminder about all the shenanigans and bad luck Castle Rock has endured, here’s the Cliff’s Notes version:

Before I get into the plot of the story, I’m going to issue a Trigger Warning. Needful Things does deal with the suicide of a young boy, as well as the murder of two seperate animals.

Needful Things is a quaint little shop which just opened up in downtown Castle Rock, and it promises oddities and strange little finds. The proprietor of the shop is Leland Gaunt, and he seems to have something for everyone. Everything from aviator sunglasses worn by Elvis, to autographed Sandy Koufax baseball cards, to a splinter believed to have come off Noah’s Ark, to a necklace believed to cure arthritis. Every little oddity in the shop is wildly affordable, but comes with a few strings attached. Gaunt asks a favor, or a “prank” of each patron that comes into the shop. 

Slowly but surely, he’s got the entire town feuding. It starts with two old women dueling on a street corner, because one believes the other killed her dog, and the other believes she threw mud on her clean laundry and broke her windows. Gaunt plays on the already growing tensions in town: the Catholic church wanting to have a casino night fundraiser, and the Baptists who are fiercely opposed to the idea. The embezzling city official who parks in the handicapped spot, and the deputy who is pressured by his boss to give him a ticket for it. Before long, these “pranks” and “favors” are adding up, and the town is thrown into a state of chaos. Meanwhile, Leland Gaunt just sits back and smiles. 

It falls to Sheriff Alan Pangborn to try and figure out what’s going on in town, and how the riots started. He visits little Sean Rusk in the hospital, who witnessed his older brother Brian commit suicide. Brian had stopped into Needful Things and left with an autographed and personalized Sandy Koufax card, which of course came with a few small strings attached. Brian ends up committing a few acts of vandalism that led to the old lady duel. The guilt eats him alive, and he shoots himself. Sean tells Sheriff Pangborn Brian was acting strange lately, he had caught him mooning over a random, ratty baseball card. NOT the autographed, personalized Sandy Koufax card Brian thought it was... Because, dark magic. 

So, Alan starts to get an idea of who is behind the madness plaguing Castle Rock. As his city is looting, rioting and falling down around him, he goes to confront Gaunt with prank snakes in a can. You know... a real prank... not like killing someone’s dog, or ruining their laundry. The snakes take on some kind of magical power, and send Gaunt on his way to Iowa. I speak for all midwestern folk when I say, “God speed to Iowa, Gaunt. That state could use some livening up...” 

The book was fantastic; there were so many threads that came together at the end, it was masterful. And I speak for everyone who has bought crazy, random shit off the internet during quarantine... at least my Keds/truffle infused hot sauce/Christian McCaffrey jersey/protein powder/2 liter water bottle didn’t come with any strings attached. Just sayin. 

There were two Dark Tower references... at two different points in the book, Steve referred to people battling as, “gunslingers”. No Wisconsin references, and I’m kinda glad. The last thing we need is some Leland Gaunt up in our already messed up state. 

Total Wisconsin Mentions: 25

Total Dark Tower References: 25

Book Grade: A+

Rebecca’s Definitive Ranking of Stephen King Books

The Talisman: A+

Needful Things: A+

Misery: A+

Different Seasons: A+

It: A+

Four Past Midnight: A+

The Shining: A-

The Stand: A-

The Drawing of the Three: A-

Nightmares in the Sky: B+

The Dark Half: B+

Skeleton Crew: B+

The Dead Zone: B+

‘Salem’s Lot: B+

Carrie: B+

Creepshow: B+

Cycle of the Werewolf: B-

Danse Macabre: B-

The Running Man: C+

Thinner: C+

Dark Visions: C+

The Eyes of the Dragon: C+

The Long Walk: C+

The Gunslinger: C+

Pet Sematary: C+

Firestarter: C+

Rage: C

Cujo: C-

Nightshift: C-

Roadwork: D

Christine: D

The Tommyknockers: D-

I hope everyone stays safe amid the riots and protests, and the ever-looming threat of Coronavirus. I’m one hundred pages into The Wastelands, and it’s the ultimate escape reading for me. Walking into Roland’s ka-tet is like coming back to see old friends. Lovely.

Until next time, long days & pleasant nights,

Rebecca

League Two Betting Review - 26 March 2006

Carlisle kept up with their Tracksuit situation at the highest point of League Two with a late assembly against Boston. Chris Lumsdon and Karl Hawley put the 6/10 Cumbrians 2-0 ahead inside 20 minutes however a Chris Billy own objective on 63 set Boston back in the game. Simon Hackney reestablished the two objective benefit on 75 however Simon Rusk set up a strained wrap up with six minutes left at work. Hackney got his second in physical issue time to get a 4-2 triumph for Paul Simpson's side.

Grimsby stay in the programmed advancement places notwithstanding an embarrassing 5-0 whipping at play-off hopefuls Lincoln. The 6/4 were the most secure wagered of the day as Luke Foster, Jamie Forrester, Paul Mayo and Marvin Robinson gave them a 4-0 lead at the break and Lee Beevers added a fifth a short ways from time.

Northampton put their advancement push in the groove again with a 2-0 triumph over Notts County. The 15/20 Cobblers broke the halt through Jason Lee six minutes before the break and Josh Low scored a second profound into stoppage time.

Leyton Orient moved above individual advancement chasers Wycombe Wanderers with a 1-0 triumph at Brisbane Road. Paul Connor's objective following six minutes was sufficient to seal triumph at chances of 5/4.

Cheltenham Town reinforced their case for a play-off compartment yet added to Rushden and Diamonds' assignment troubles with a 3-1 success at Whaddon Road. John Melligan, Brian Wilson and John Finnigan wrapped up a 4/6 win 33 minutes into the match.

Jim Smith got off to a triumphant beginning as administrator of Oxford United and marked Peterborough's expectations of a play-off place. On advance Tcham N'Toya scored on his presentation following 67 minutes to get a 6/4 win at the Kassam Stadium.

Bristol Rovers scored two speedy fire objectives against Mansfield Town to set up a 5/4 win at the Memorial Stadium. Sammy Igoe on 14 and Richard Walker three minutes after the fact finished the Stags eight-match unbeaten run.

Tresor Kandol scored the main objective of the game to give transfer undermined Barnet a lift against Darlington. Kandol had an objective precluded for offside in the main half yet committed no error a little ways from time to set up a 13/10 triumph.

Macclesfield made a tremendous stride towards holding their League Two status with an agreeable success over mid-table Shrewsbury. Matt McNeil got for the 5/4 Silkmen following 33 minutes and Martin Tracksuit Bullock ensured triumph on 61.

HARDCORE '81 -- ONE OF THREE MIDWEST BANDS ON TOUR IN THE EAST.

PIC INFO: (L to R): CorHensusk (bassist), Barry Henssler, & Todd Swalla (drums), with Brian Pollack (not pictured, on guitar) of Maumee, Ohio hardcore punk band, NECROS, performing live at NYC's Mudd Club, c. 1981, while on tour with THE MEATMEN and NEGATIVE APPROACH. 📸: Glen E. Friedman.

PIC #2: Vocalist Barry Henssler of the same Mudd Club gig, c. 1981.

NOTE: These are probably the closest the NECROS ever got to writing DISCHARGE-style/war lyrics, but way more articulate and "cerebral" than anything Cal ever wrote in those early days:

"Burned & charred bodies looking up at me, I've got guns to the heads of people in category three, Wasted bodies piled in a mess, Horrible stench makes me upset.

Category 3 not looking back, Closed your eyes on nuclear attack.

Devastation that's so immense, A reality that's too intense, The naked truth upon the screen, A docudrama so obscene."

-- "Wargame" (1981) by NECROS

Source: lifted this one off my now defunct Facebook page, but it's true source has been lost to time.

Birthdays 2.9

Beer Birthdays

David C. Kuntz (1877)

Joe Allen (1888)

Brendan Behan; Irish writer (1923)

Five Favorite Birthdays

Frank Frazetta; artist (1928)

Brian Greene; physicist (1963)

Thomas Paine; writer, patriot (1737)

Vince Papale; Philadelphia Eagles WR (1946)

Alberto Vargas; pin-up artist (1896)

Famous Birthdays

George Ade; journalist, humorist (1866)

Alban Berg; composer (1885)

Bill Bergey; Philadelphia Eagles LB (1945)

J.M. Coetzee; writer (1940)

Ronald Colman; actor (1891)

Mia Farrow; actor (1945)

Kathryn Grayson; actor (1922)

William Henry Harrison; 9th U.S. President (1773)

Burkhard Heim; physicist (1925)

Holly Johnson; pop singer (1960)

Bill Justice; animator (1914)

Carole King; songwriter, singer (1942)

Gypsy Rose Lee; entertainer, actor (1914)

Amy Lowell; poet (1874)

Barry Mann; songwriter (1939)

Carmen Miranda; actor (1909)

Jacques Monod; biochemist (1910)

Roger Mudd; television journalist (1928)

Joe Pesci; actor (1943)

Dean Rusk; U.S. Secretary of State (1909)

James Stephens; Irish writer (1882)

Travis Tritt; country singer (1963)

Ernest Tubb; country singer (1914)

Amber Valletta; model (1973)

Bill Veeck; baseball team owner, promoter (1914)

Alice Walker; writer (1944)

Julie Warner; actor (1965)

Zhang Zyi; actor (1979)

A School District Vowed to Stay Open, Until Its Staffing Ran Out

Officials said that in several cases, the virus spread after unsanctioned student social gatherings outside of school, including parent-organized parties for band members and sports teams.

The district had no plans to change anything for the spring semester, Barbara Jacoby, a spokeswoman for the schools, said in an email in December. “As long as we are operating in-person school during a pandemic, there will be positive cases among students and staff due to the virus circulating in our community,” she wrote.

All that changed on Jan. 8, when the superintendent, Brian V. Hightower, took a drastically different position in an email to families: More than 400 teachers and other staff members couldn’t report to school, he said, because they were infected or quarantined, and there weren’t enough substitutes to fill in.

“Cases are higher in our community, our state and our nation than ever before,” Mr. Hightower said. “Health experts are voicing concerns that a new Covid-19 strain now circulating in our nation will spread faster among everyone, including school-age children. Our hospitals are full.”

As a result, he closed all of the district’s schools and shifted to remote learning for at least a week to allow students, families and staff members “to get healthier.” Then it became at least two weeks. Dr. Hightower said the district remained committed to in-person instruction but could not operate safely with so many staff absences.

Tiffany Robbins, an English teacher at Dean Rusk Middle School and the president of the Cherokee Educators Association, bemoaned the fact that it took a staffing crisis for the schools to take significant action. “It’s not about safety,” she said.

She said that many people in the district had shown little interest in slowing down the virus, and that the constant disruptions had been the cost: “Our community hasn’t looked at this and said, ‘Oh, wow, maybe we could do something to mitigate the spread.’”

    Multiple Service Listing for Business Owners | Tools to Grow Your Local Business

www.MultipleServiceListing.com 

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Behind the Scenes on Inside No. 9’s Most Terrifying Episode

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Warning: contains spoilers for Inside No. 9 ‘The Harrowing’

“It was ‘WTF!? Oh my God! I’m not going to sleep! Why did you do that to me?!’” The moment the credits rolled on Inside No. 9’s series one finale ‘The Harrowing’, director David Kerr was deluged with messages. “People were very responsive,” he laughs. “We’d gone for something bold that was properly horrible and would haunt them. There’s not much out there that scares a horror fan because they’ve seen it all so many times. That’s the challenge. You want to hit people with a visceral, palpable gut punch that they didn’t see coming.”

Job done. The final shot of 2014’s ‘The Harrowing’ is truly deserving of the episode’s title. A schoolgirl, stripped, bound to a chair, gagged and anesthetised, whimpers in terror as the filthy curtains surrounding a four-poster bed begin to part. One necrotised cloven foot touches the floor, followed by another. A contorted, emaciated figure emerges, naked but for a soiled nappy, with curling fingernails and clouded eyes in a grey pock-marked face. It staggers towards the helpless girl, hissing a single world with demonic glee: “Mischief”

Kerr describes the image as “pretty strong meat” and few would disagree, especially considering that the meat in question was paid for by a comedy budget. Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton’s anthology Inside No. 9 has never fitted neatly inside either the stall of comedy or drama. It’s one, the other and both at the same time. “Unfortunately, there isn’t a channel that has a horror department in the same way as comedy,” says Kerr. “That’s what we need to get going!”

Helen McCrory and Reece Shearsmith (BBC)

Kerr directed every episode of Inside No. 9’s first series: six half-hour films, each with a different setting, cast of characters, and tone. ‘The Harrowing’ is Shearsmith and Pemberton’s tribute to horror cinema classics, a specialist subject. Before starting work on the series, Kerr anticipated being schooled by the pair in obscure 1970s horror and rare Giallo movies they wanted to reference, but that wasn’t how it went. “’The Harrowing’ was very much a full-on genre film, and indebted to the Hammer tradition and the Amicus tradition of portmanteau horror, and though they have a tremendously deep knowledge of all that material – more so than me – Reece and Steve were actually very non-prescriptive.”

The script came to Kerr in a perfect state with plenty of detail, he remembers, but aside from some specific Vincent Price nods in costume and make-up, the creators were open to visual ideas – as far as the cash would stretch. “Always with Inside No. 9, budgetary challenges rear their head. You’re trying to make something that feels like a film, but you’re trying to do that on the budget of an episode of Mrs Brown’s Boys”.

It was clear there wouldn’t be the money for a full-body VFX transformation for the demonically possessed Andras who makes such an impression in the final scene. Like most limitations in Inside No. 9 though, it turned out to be a creative blessing, says Kerr. 

Andras is the eldest of the three Moloch siblings, brother to the vampiric-looking Tabitha (Helen McCrory) and Hector (Reece Shearsmith). He lives in an upstairs room of their freezing Gothic mansion, kept tied to the bed and fed like a baby on milk formula and Rusks. Fifty years earlier, we’re told, Andras was possessed by mischief demon Castiel, an infernal spirit now in search of a new home – hence the anesthetised babysitter, Katy (Aimee-Ffion Edwards). 

“You’re always wary of showing the monster, but we knew that we did want people to see Andras. A lot of the conversations ahead of the shoot were about what we could do with our limited pocket of money to make him properly scary, but in a way that you could still feel that he’s human. He’s right on the border between a poor, neglected sibling who’s just been left to stagnate in this room with a dirty nappy and untrimmed toenails. We wanted him to be just at the outer limit of the neglected human, but not to push him into a totally risible demon caricature state.”

Director David Kerr and actor Sean Buckley (David Kerr)

Casting Sean Buckley in the role was key to keeping a grip on the character’s pathos, says Kerr. He describes Buckley, who sadly passed away in 2016, as a hugely gifted physical performer. “He had a great physique and an amazing face, and he really understood the kind of contortions that would be useful for Andras when he was writhing and for his walk. The main thing was the physical tautness that he was going to be feeling when he’s writhing in the bed in chains. Sean just got it.”

As reference material for Andras’ look, Kerr and the team went to a range of sources: The Pale Man from Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth, Dickensian ghosts and the Pee Pee Demon from Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt’s Angel. The character’s make-up was the work of Lisa Cavalli-Green, who brought in skilled prosthetics designer Kristyan Mallett to create Andras’ horrific set of teeth. “We went for details,” says Kerr. “Planning a shot, it was very much about half seeing him through that veil. As ever with horror and comedy, you’re just holding back the reveal. Again – testament to Reece and Steve – they didn’t give Andras tons of dialogue. Less was definitely more.” 

The opposite applied to the episode’s Gothic location; in that case, more was definitely more. Kerr remembers his first look at the 19th century Highgate mansion that served as the Moloch house exterior (16 Broadlands Road, N6, if you’re planning a visit). “It was a real ‘we’ve got to use this’ moment. Reece would like to live there, incidentally, that’s going to be his home one day.”

For the interiors, it all came down to the staircase. Inspired by the grand staircases in films like The Others, The Orphanage and The Woman in Black, Kerr’s team went looking for similar. Another reference was more comic-horror. “For Reece and Steve, the characters of Tabitha and Hector felt a little bit like Addams Family characters. I found one of the original Charles Addams cartoons with a staircase in it and then found Langleybury and the staircase was almost identical. That was a real Eureka moment.” 

Charles Addams cartoon and Langleybury (David Kerr)

The interiors were filmed in Langleybury, near Watford, which has also been used in the filming of Harlots, a 2011 Great Expectations and feature film The Little Stranger. The atmospheric, dilapidated interior with a galleried area and a series of ante-rooms was perfect for Shearsmith and Pemberton’s script. “You just felt – what could be behind those closed doors?”

Taking viewers up to those closed doors were Steadicam shots by specialist operator Alf Tramontin, whose previous work includes the Harry Potter films and Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity. Kerr aimed to achieve “a prowling point of view” and designed shots very specifically to draw the eye through the house and give the impression there were whole rooms and wings that were rarely used. John Carpenter’s Halloween was an inspiration for the choreography of those shots. “It’s all about the girls, Katy and Shell (Poppy Rush) creeping up the stairs and just not being able to quite see past the corner, putting the audience in their point of view in terms of what might be behind a door, or a covered piece of furniture beneath a dust sheet.” The dusts sheets covering the furniture fed into the unsettling idea that you’re not quite sure what lurks beneath, says Kerr, before adding with a laugh, “that was also so that we could just put any old crap underneath without having to rent a lot of expensive props!” 

Custom props were made for the hellish pictures on display in the Moloch hall. Production designer Brian Sykes had reproductions made of 15th and 16th century paintings depicting the Harrowing of Hell. “That was tricky, because really you wanted a whole gallery of these things, just to feel they were everywhere, but the flip side of that is if Tabitha and Hector had this stunning art collection, maybe they wouldn’t live in such a ratty house. The fact they only have a few of those paintings makes you think ‘are they for real? Is this all a bit of a con?’ And that’s what you want the audience to be asking themselves.”

A crucial part of directing the audience’s feelings in the episode is the work of Inside No. 9 composer Christian Henson. “He’s so inventive and brilliant,” says Kerr. “None of those films sound alike from a score point of view.” For ‘The Harrowing,’ Henson drew inspiration from the Giallo vintage synthesizer used in the Goblin score for Dario Argento’s Suspiria, and once again, from Carpenter’s famous Halloween theme.

Poppy Rush and Aimee Ffion-Edwards (BBC)

That’s a lot of horror talk for 30 minutes of television commissioned under a comedy banner. The comedy though, is very much there in ‘The Harrowing’, which begins as a fond pastiche of the kind of lurid characters found in Hammer Horror films such as Roger Corman’s Vincent Price-starring House of Usher. Kerr knew that guest star Helen McCrory had the colours to make Tabitha something special. “Helen just took to it and had that voice and poise. The character’s this sort of grande dame, larger than life.” McCrory and Shearsmith’s performances are expertly pitched to riff on the theatricality of those stars of vintage horror. 

“So much of the film plays in a fairly camp register. You meet Hector and he’s Vincent Price-ish, a slightly campy eccentric. Tabitha is almost like a sort of Norma Desmond from Sunset Boulevard, shuttered in the chateau. They’re oddballs, and they’re funny and bicker like an old couple. By the time Hector pulls out the guitar and is singing Lord of the Dance, you’re thinking ‘this is bordering on ludicrous!’, and then it’s about how far can we push that comedy and turn the corner to something properly dark. The Lord of the Dance silliness takes your guard down, I hope, so that by the time Aimee-Ffion Edwards’ character is sitting there and Castiel in Andras’ body is advancing towards her, it’s properly horrifying, and you’re thinking ‘I didn’t see this coming’.

“They are twins, comedy and horror. They’re both the cinema of sensation, you’re trying to create a visceral reaction from people. Fear and laughter are proper physical reactions in people, rather than intellectual ponderings. You want to incite those reactions and you do that by getting ahead of the audience and not letting them get ahead of you. And that’s always been the genius of a script by Reece and Steve. That’s what they do.”

David Kerr’s festive film Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse will air this Christmas on Sky One and NOWTV.

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Inside No. 9 is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.

The post Behind the Scenes on Inside No. 9’s Most Terrifying Episode appeared first on Den of Geek.

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Sources and acknowledgments

In addition to the people cited in the report, the author would like to thank the following people: Don Allan, Peter Anderson, Anson Bailey, Roman Beilhack, Carol Chong, Michael Chui, Morris Cohen, Ami Daniel, David Egan, Awi Federgruen, Foster Finley, Katy George, Ragu Gurumurthy, Gary Hanifan, Raj Joshi, Gerry Keefe, Jamil Khan, Parag Khanna, Daniel Klemetz, Fred Laluyaux, John May, Brad Medairy, Josh Nelson, Brian Nowak, Gaurav Palta, Bill Phelps, Pierre Poignant, Michael Posner, Kamala Raman, Jenette Ramos, Dale Rogers, Rodney Rusk, Medini Sing, Steve Sensing, Brad Setser, Wilhelm Schreiner, Ilse Schultz, Willy Shih, Stanley Szeto, Christopher Tang, Kris Timmermans, Bindya Vakil, Carlos Valderrama, Nick Vyas, Gideon Walter, Paul Wellener, Kelvin Wong, Enver Yucesan. The author would also like to express his gratitude to many others who preferred to remain anonymous.

Here are some select papers for further study:

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World Trade Organization, Global Value Chain Development Report, “Technological Innovation, Supply Chain Trade, and Workers in a Globalized World”, 2019

DHL Global Connectedness Index, The State of Globalisation in a Fragile World, 2018

“The ‘Slobalisation’ Playbook”, Morgan Stanley, 2019

OECD, “Trade Policy Implications of Global Value Chains, 2018

OECD, “The Changing Nature of International Production”, 2018

IMF Working Paper, “Global Value Chains: What are the Benefits and Why Do Countries Participate?”, 2019

IMF World Economic Outlook, Chapter 4, “The Drivers of Bilateral Trade and the Spillovers from Tariffs”, 2019

Harvard Business Review, "Don't Let Your Supply Chain Control Your Business", Thomas Choi & Tom Linton, 2011

Harvard Business School Working Paper, “A New Categorisation of the US Economy: The Role of Supply Chain Industries in Innovation and Economic Performance, Mercedes Delgado & Karen Mills, 2018

McKinsey Global Institute, Globalisation in Transition, “The future of trade and value chains”, 2019

WP Carey School of Business White Paper, “Warehouse of the Future”, Dale Rogers, Elliot Rabinovich & Steve Zimmerman, 2017

JP Morgan, “Made in China 2025: A New World Order?”, 2019

Eurasia Group, “Geo-technology/China/US”, 2019

Peterson Institute for International Economics Working Paper, “Brexit: Everyone Loses, but Britain Loses the Most”, 2019

Decision Support Systems, “A data-analytics approach to identifying hidden critical suppliers in supply networks: Development of Nexus Supplier Index”, Benjamin Shao, Zhan Shi, Thomas Choi & Sangho Chae, 2018

US Interagency Task Force in Fulfillment of Executive Order 13806, “Assessing and Strengthening the Manufacturing and Defence Industrial Base and Supply Chain Resiliency of the United States”, 2018

Accenture, “Architecting the 2025 Supply Chain”, 2017

Special reportGlobal supply chains

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