Hollywood Horror or Supernatural Terror?

Books and films whose stories lean heavily into the meta-fiction aspects of their genre are often an enjoyable experience for fans. Josh Winning's novel Burn The Negative leans knowingly into the tropes of the slasher films of the 1980s and 90s, while also offering a chilling tale of terror that will keep you turning the pages. Burn The Negative is the story of journalist Laura Warren, who arrives in Los Angeles to cover a streaming remake of the 90s horror film The Guesthouse, a supposedly "cursed," movie, which claimed the lives of eight members of its cast and crew. What no one knows is that, as a child actor, Laura starred in the movie. She's changed her identity to distance herself from the film's deadly history, and her own childhood trauma.  

As Laura starts interviewing the cast and crew of the remake, people are suddenly being killed in ways that mirror the grisly on-screen deaths in the original film. Is Laura a murderer? Is the "Needle Man," the killer who was featured in The Guesthouse, an actual supernatural being who's returned to haunt Laura, and commit a new series of killings? This clever setup allows Winning, a film journalist turned novelist (and avowed horror film fan) to simultaneously use his knowledge of film production, and his love of the slasher genre, to offer up a frightening story that recalls classic flicks like A Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream. He also provides a knowing commentary on the Hollywood machine, and how the system often churns up the psyche of child actors who appear in successful films.

The Guesthouse, the "cursed" film within the novel, mirrors our real‐world obsession with horror franchises, remakes, legacy sequels, and the fan culture that keeps them alive. The narrative arc of Burn The Negative subtly illustrates how the horror genre recycles its history into present day projects, while still telling a chilling story that will entertain fans of the genre. Winning intersperses script pages, social-media posts, and production notes throughout the book, which gives the reader a multi‐layered experience, and offers up a deep dive into the book's world. The characters, including the troubled Laura, a psychic named Beverly who seems to know more than she's telling, and of course the terrifying Needle Man, are all well-drawn by Winnick, and they really come alive on the page. 

The novel's ambitious conclusion dives into the genre's conventions while also subverting them. It features a confrontation that fuses Laura’s past trauma with supernatural forces, which allows her to understand the difference between on-screen illusion and real-life horror. Laura is forced to reckon with an external threat (the “Needle Man”) while dealing with the monsters from her own past and the experiences that shaped her childhood. Burn the Negative is a rich, multi-layered horror tale that proudly wears its love of the genre on its sleeve. The novel reflects on horror-film culture and examines the cost of childhood celebrity, while also telling a kick-ass horror story.

Black Mouth: Nightmares From The Past Return

Ronald Malfi is one of the most talented writers currently working in horror fiction. He's penned atmospheric, eerie tales such as Come With Me, The Narrows and Bone White. Malfi has been compared to both Stephen King and Peter Straub, and those comparisons are not unwarranted. His work features well-drawn, emotionally driven characters who face powerful entities and otherworldly forces, but also battle demons of an internal and psychological nature. I've read several of his novels and short fiction collections, and enjoyed them all, but Black Mouth (2022), may just be my favorite.

In Black Mouth, Malfi crafts a haunting, character-driven tale that fuses supernatural dread with deeply human struggles. The novel centers on Jamie Warren, a man who's been trying to outrun his past, and overcome the memories of a haunted childhood. When he’s forced to return to his hometown after his mother's death,  he must face the childhood traumas he's long tried to bury. As Jamie reconnects with a group of friends he hasn't seen in years, he's drawn into a mystery tied to a sinister figure (known as The Magician) who once fascinated, tempted and terrified Jamie and his friends in their younger days.

Black Mouth isn’t just a ghost story or a supernatural thriller; it’s a powerful story about guilt, addiction, redemption, and the weight of memories. The horror aspects of the novel work because these people feel real to us. We can empathize with their pain, their fears, and their hopes. As the story shifts seamlessly between past and present, a horrifying truth is revealed about the being that shaped the lives of Jamie and his friends. In addition to the influences of King and Straub, there's also a strong echo of Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes in Malfi's lyrical prose, as part of the story revolves around a carnival hiding a sinister secret.

This thought-provoking and frightening story deftly mixes the psychological with the supernatural. The horror elements of the story are grounded in the emotional realities of Malfi's flawed, fully developed characters. There's also something of the epic sweep of novels like Straub's Ghost Story and Floating Dragon, as Black Mouth, the area of West Virginia that gives the novel its title, is itself decaying, and the darkness of the supernatural forces central to the story may be poisoning the land itself. Black Mouth is a slow-burning, atmospheric tale that lingers long after the final page. It's a compelling story about past events that haunt us, and what it takes to finally face them. If you haven't explored Ronald Malfi's work before, Black Mouth is a great place to start.

Thomas Walsh Returns To Best Video

Thomas Walsh performs at Best Video

Thomas Walsh is a marvelous singer and songwriter who is much beloved by a loyal fan base (this writer included) for the fabulous pop/rock songs which he's created with Pugwash, The Duckworth Lewis Method, and as a solo artist. He's been influenced by a variety of bands, including ELO, XTC and The Beatles, but his superbly crafted pop/rock songs stand on their own, and are terrific in their own right. Thomas's music showcases his knack for creating unforgettable melodies that will get stuck in your head, have you singing along, reaching for the replay button, and will often touch your heart, as with the Pugwash classics "Here," or "What Are You Like," both of which could be heard during the show.

Walsh is on a mini-tour of the US, and he stopped by Best Video Film & Cultural Center in Hamden, Connecticut, this past Sunday. The intimate venue was a perfect showcase for Walsh's music and he dazzled the fan-filled crowd with his extraordinary performances of songs from across his discography, including "A Good Day For Me," from his solo album, The Rest Is History, as well as a generous helping of Pugwash favorites, including "Take Me Away," "Fall Down," "Apples," and "Answers on a Postcard" as well as The Duckworth Lewis track, "Mason On The Boundary." 

One of the great things about seeing Thomas live is that in addition to being a terrific performer, he's more than a bit of a raconteur. He entertained us all on Sunday with stories about his music, his influences, and the legendary artists he's met, including Jeff Lynne, Brian Wilson and Ray Davies. Speaking of Ray Davies, another cool thing about Thomas is he's a real dyed in the wool music fan, just like us. He talked about his love for The Kinks and performed their excellent B-side "Big Black Smoke," as part of a mini-set of Kinks covers. Thomas also played some Bee Gees, a stellar cover of Michael Penn's MTV era hit "No Myth" and even a bit of music from those "legends that would last a lunchtime," The Rutles.

Thomas was in great voice, and his guitar playing was superlative, as usual. Seeing him perform glorious versions of these incredible songs amid the environs of one of Connecticut's best venues for music (as well as the appreciation of cinema) was a special treat. The enthusiastic audience dug every minute of this exceptional performance. Thomas is an outstanding musician, a magnificent performer, and a genuinely nice guy. This wasn't my first time seeing him live, and I absolutely look forward to seeing him perform again in the future. If you haven't seen Thomas, or checked out his music,  I highly recommend you do so as soon as possible. For my review of Thomas's splendid album The Rest Is History, follow this link: https://www.culturesonar.com/thomas-walsh-the-rest-is-history/.

Wiseguy: An Innovative TV Crime Drama

If you love shows like Breaking Bad, The Wire, or The Sopranos, you owe a debt of thanks to a lesser-known series from the late 1980s that showcased serialized storytelling before it was the norm on television. That show is Wiseguy, a bold, ahead-of-its-time crime drama that helped shape the future of television storytelling. Premiering in 1987 on CBS, Wiseguy challenged viewers by breaking the mold for episodic television. Instead of wrapping up its stories in self-contained 45-minute tales every week, Wiseguy featured long-form story arcs that unfolded over multiple episodes.

Wiseguy told the story of Vincent “Vinnie” Terranova (Ken Wahl), an undercover agent for the fictional Organized Crime Bureau. After serving 18 months in prison to establish his cover, Vinnie is assigned to infiltrate various criminal enterprises while reporting to his gruff but loyal handler Frank McPike, portrayed by Jonathan Banks, whose chemistry with Wahl was one of the highlights of the show. Banks, who later played Mike Ehrmantraut on Breaking Bad, steals as many scenes in Wiseguy as he would on that later series. 

The series was created by Stephen J. Cannell and Frank Lupo. At the time, Cannell was best-known for action-heavy fare like The A-Team, and several networks turned down Wiseguy before CBS a=took a gamble on the series. What sets Wiseguy apart isn’t just the undercover drama or the mob intrigue—it’s the emotional and psychological toll that comes with living a lie. Vinnie isn’t some slick, invincible hero. His missions are complicated not only by the inherent dangers of deep cover work, but also by his own moral struggles and the personal toll of living a double life. For example, Vinnie can't tell his mother about his undercover status, so she thinks he's a real criminal, and has shut him out of her life. Wahl does an excellent job in the series, conveying Vinnie's internal conflicts and emotional turmoil.

Ken Wahl in Wiseguy

The show’s first major storyline—the “Steelgrave Arc”—is still considered one of its finest. Over nine episodes, Vinnie embeds himself into the Atlantic City mafia and becomes close to Sonny Steelgrave, a volatile but charismatic mob boss masterfully portrayed by Ray Sharkey. What makes the story so compelling is that a real emotional bond forms between Vinnie and Sonny. The undercover operative begins to genuinely care about the man he’s supposed to bring down. It’s a relationship built on lies, loyalty, and looming betrayal—and it all leads to a devastating, unforgettable conclusion.

In today’s television landscape, complex relationships like that are the norm. But back in 1987, that kind of emotional storytelling—spread across multiple episodes with real consequences—was revolutionary. The series would continue to offer long form multi-episode arcs across its four-season run, featuring actors like Kevin Spacey, Jerry Lewis, Tim Curry, Ron Silver and Deborah Harry in later story lines. Rounding out the supporting cast, Jim Byrnes portrayed Lifeguard, Vinnie's OCB contact, Gerald Anthony played Vinnie's brother Pete, a Catholic priest, and Elsa Raven appeared as Vinnie's mother, Carlotta.

Though the series was eventually derailed by cast changes, behind the scenes drama, and network meddling, its influence lingers. Shows like The X-Files, NYPD Blue later blended procedural formats with ongoing character development, but Wiseguy was doing it years before it became the industry standard. It was a gritty, ambitious series that re-imagined what serialized storytelling could look like on network TV. If you’re a fan of deeply layered crime dramas, it’s worth going back to see where it all began. Wiseguy is currently streaming on Peacock.