STAY TUNED, TOO!

B MOVIE NIGHTMARE is on temporary hiatus while I finish up a new book project. Work, work, work!

We will be back in the new year if not before!

HIDDEN WORLD

HIDDEN WORLD. William Schoell. 2025. Raven Tale Publishing.

My latest, brand new horror tome.

Veronica Altura had gathered together a team to explore a lost city buried deep in the bowels of the earth, keeping secret her desperate reasons for doing so, but they were woefully unprepared for what they would face ten miles below the surface of the Greek island: Rat-like creatures that struck with surprising swiftness; huge reptiles with jaws that could practically swallow a person whole; and—worst of all—cannibalistic giants with a taste for human flesh and a ferocious, terrible demeanor. And literally hovering above everything was the most frightening horror of all, a demonic presence that wanted to make sure that none of them left this world alive.

Now available on kindle at Amazon! (Paperback coming soon!)

BARE BONES # 20

 

bare bones # 20 Winter 2024 - 2025. Edited by Peter Enfantino and John Scoleri. 

This is it! A huge, super-sized special issue for a measly $14.95!

To quote from the back cover, in this issue you will find: 

"*William Schoell turns on the lights and sirens for Code 3.
*A look at the Doomed Professional in film by Larry Blamire.
*J. Charles Burwell on Steve Frazee’s vision of the west.
*Joseph Wambaugh on screen by Derek Hill.
*Jack Seabrook untangles the lost TV show, The Web.
*The Weird Tales of Not at Night by Stefan Dziemianowicz.
*Tim Lucas explores the crime quickies of Montgomery Tully.
*More Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine coverage by Richard Krauss.
*Duane Swierczynski spotlights Robert Edmond Alter in his Field Guide to L.A. Pulp.
*Night of the Living Dead and more, as seen on Bay Area TV by John Scoleri.
*Peter Enfantino is back in Sleaze Alley.
*The Search for New Grails in David J. Schow’s R&D column."

You can order your copy direct from amazon.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2024.

HAVE A GREAT DAY (AND DON'T EAT TOO MUCH) !

B MOVIE NIGHTMARE WILL RETURN IN TWO WEEKS WITH MORE NEW REVIEWS! 

THE WILLIAM SCHOELL COLLECTION

 

THE WILLIAM SCHOELL COLLECTION. Encyclopocalypse Publications 2024.

Just in time for Halloween, brand new editions of all of my classic horror novels with corrections and introductions going behind the scenes of each book. Things That Go Bump in the Night deals with horrors created by recombinant DNA research. Shivers has a man trying to find his missing brother in the bowels of the New York City subway system. Late at Night takes place on an island where people discover a book which reveals their frightening and grisly fates. Vicious details graphic mayhem occurring on a film set, in a girls school, and in an ancient nunnery with a weird sect of sadistic nuns. Saurian features an unusual sea monster who is even more intelligent than the people it hunts. The Pact unveils a demonic force that is wreaking havoc in Hawaii. The Dragon presents an archeological expedition descending into caverns whose walls consist of living flesh. Finally Fatal Beauty examines an exciting new substance that will replace cosmetic surgery, only the test subjects discover how terribly wrong things can go. You can buy the whole bundle at a special price direct from the publisher or just order individual titles. 

REALMS OF NIGHT 3

REALMS OF NIGHT 3. 2024. Edited by Christopher Fulbright.

Realms of Night is a publication that covers the horror and dark fantasy field for "readers and collectors." This issue has an interview with yours truly covering my novels from Leisure and St. Martin's and other things. There is also a fine, eerie story by Fulbright entitled Children of the Horned God. As well there is more fiction from Carl R. Moore, and non-fiction and reviews by  Mark Bieber, C. Dennis Moore, Will Errickson and Brian DuBois. Also pieces on James Herbert and Shaun Hutson. 

Available on Amazon.

BAREBONES 19

 barebones 19. (2024). Edited by John Scoleri and Peter Enfantino.

The latest issue of barebones, # 19, edited by John Scoleri and Peter Enfantino, features articles on Jack the Ripper; the classic western show Rawhide; films directed by W. Lee Wilder (Billy's brother), such as Killers from Space; Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine; the first Bond novel, Casino Royale, and its TV and film adaptations; and my own piece on the wild series YANCY DERRINGER starring Jock Mahoney.

And even more!

You can buy a copy on Amazon here!

SUPER-ACTION: THE COPPER AGE OF DC COMICS

SUPER-ACTION: THE COPPER AGE OF DC COMICS. William Schoell. BearManor Media; 2024. 

Here is my latest installment in the history of super-hero comic books, this one focusing on DC Comics in the 80's and 90's, the so-called "copper" age. You can read about the rise of the maxi-series, such as Crisis on Infinite Earths, in which DC streamlined its universe and eliminated all of its parallel worlds (for a time at least). Then there's writer-artist John Byrne's big reboot of Superman (which did not last as long as intended, at least not with Byrne at the helm). George Perez' new take on Wonder Woman, in which the lady was turned from a joke into the star of a must-read series. In other developments Batman's partner Dick Grayson grew up, changed his name to Nightwing, and became leader of The New Teen Titans, a series so popular it rivaled Marvel's X-Men for a time. Batman got two new boy partners, Jason Todd and Tim Drake, one of whom is murdered by the Joker in the excellent (if wildly-contrived) "A Death in the Family." Flash. Green Lantern. Suicide Squad. Power of the Atom. More maxi-series than you can shake a stick at: Cosmic Odyssey, Legends, Armageddon 2001, Millennium. Read how DC Comics faced the challenge of Marvel and held its own!

Available on Amazon!

barebones 18

barebones 18. Edited by Peter Enfantino and John Scoleri.

This issue is chock full of interesting stuff, including an article on mystery and suspense stories on the TV war show Combat; the pre-code Atlas horror comic Adventures into Terror; a look at the noir film The Big Caper with Corey Allen; my piece on Science Fiction Theatre; a look at Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine; plus Curt Siodmak, David J. Schow, Matthew R. Bradley, and more! You can easily order a copy from Amazon. Highly recommended. 

BARE BONES 17

 bare bones 17 Winter 2024. 

Yes the new barebones 17 is now out and available on Amazon. This scholarly and fun publication, edited by Peter Enfantino and John Scoleri, is chock full of fascinating articles. We've got pieces on THE FUGITIVE TV show; on the Mexican NOSTRADAMUS movies; ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S MYSTERY MAGAZINE; surveys of sleazy paperback thrillers; Randall D. Larson on fanzines; and much more including a piece on the forgotten post-Peter Gunn Craig Stevens series MAN OF THE WORLD by yours truly.

https://www.amazon.com/Bare.../dp/B0CW9VLMVT/ref=sr_1_1...

BARE BONES 16

 

bare bones 16,

The latest issue of bare bones is out and available on Amazon. Here are the contents:

"Victoria Timpanaro provides her perspective on the evolution of fandom
Exploring Outrage in The Dakotas with Larry Blamire
J. Charles Burwell digs into George P. Pelecanos’ DC Quartet
The Cinema of Alistair MacLean examined by Derek Hill
William Schoell (yours truly) studies Professor Quatermass in Films and on Television
Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine Part Two by Peter Enfantino
Duane Swierczynski’s Field Guide to L.A. Pulp tracks down Paul Cain
Another trip down Sleaze Alley with Peter Enfantino
David J. Schow gets the Word on the Street in his latest R&D column
A weird, wiggly peek inside John Scoleri’s Monster Gallery"
bare bones is edited by Peter Enfantino and John Scoleri. It is a fun, scholarly publication, well worth the price.
https://www.amazon.com/Bare.../dp/B0CP2WVYCM/ref=sr_1_1...

BACK SOON

B MOVIE NIGHTMARE will be back soon with all-new reviews of movies and books! 

B MOVIE NIGHTMARE: THE BOOK

B MOVIE NIGHTMARE: B Movies and Genre Films from Monsters to Spies. William Schoell.

Here it is! My first collection of reviews taken not from this blog, but from GREAT OLD MOVIES -- these reviews were originally posted many years ago. There are sections on horror films; sci fi films; movies of intrigue and suspense, including film noir; cliffhanger serials; monster movies; B movie series (Crime Doctor, Nancy Drew etc.); TV shows; exploitation films (admittedly the shortest section in the book); spies; and Alfred Hitchcock. Admittedly, Hitch rarely made a "B" movie but the book, like this blog, also covers genre movies from A to Z. The films are listed in chronological order in each section, and there are movie stills as well. Available in the following formats: Kindle, trade paperback, and hardcover. You can buy this book on Amazon.

Listen to SAURIAN

JUST OUT: My vintage horror novel SAURIAN can now be listened to on Audible as well as read. This audio book is read beautifully by Andrew Gibson! This is from Encyclopocalypse Publications.

"It appeared mysteriously, at night, and destroyed the town with amazing swiftness. Houses were flattened, the bodies of men, women, and children were crushed and mangled, hundreds were missing, vanished without a trace. No one knew what had happened or why. Years later, the sole survivor of the holocaust, Tom Bartlett, began to suffer blinding visions—visions of a huge creature, unparalleled in size, intelligence, and evil. He was frightened, but something was calling him back to the ruins of his boyhood home. He was the only man alive who had even guessed at the creature's existence, and he knew he must find it before it struck again. What he didn't know was that while he was searching for the beast, it was searching for him...."

          Available on Amazon. 

Listen to THE DRAGON

For those who prefer listening to reading, my vintage horror novel THE DRAGON is now available from AUDIBLE on Amazon; from Encyclopocalypse Publishers. The book is read beautifully by Jeffrey S. Robinson. Photographer Eddie Drake and various other characters confront their own personal demons -- Eddie's wife was murdered by thugs and he fears he may develop an unbalanced perspective on minorities -- even as they face a monstrous force inside a mesa they are exploring, a force that causes gruesome death and inexplicable havoc.

THE DRAGON is also available in mass market paperback and trade paperback formats from Encyclopocalypse, and as an e-book from Cemetery Dance publishers. All available on Amazon. 

HOLLYWOOD PRESENTS JULES VERNE

HOLLYWOOD PRESENTS JULES VERNE: The Father of Science Fiction On Screen. Brian Taves. University Press of Kentucky; 2015.

Jules Verne, the Father of Science Fiction, created concepts and imaginative story ideas that would only naturally be adapted for movies. Hollywood Presents Jules Verne looks at the author's output and its adaptations, always with an eye on how closely the films hew to the spirit if not the letter of Verne, although Taves does discuss changes that were made in the journey from published work to motion picture. In this highly detailed work, Taves not only looks at famous adaptations, such as Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Journey to the Center of the Earth and Mysterious Island, but also lesser-known films, TV shows, documentaries on Verne, cartoons, and feature-length animated movies. Taves discusses films as diverse as the dreadful Where Time Began ("a very satisfactory although uneven effort") and Journey 2: Mysterious Island ("a variety of fresh interpretations of the Vernian world"), and sometimes cuts a mediocre film some slack simply because it allegedly embodies the spirit of Verne. Whether the likes of Journey 2 will actually get its viewers to read Verne is debatable, but this is a good and rewarding book nevetheless. NOTE: William Schoell is the author of Remarkable Journeys: The Story of Jules Verne.

Verdict: Well-done, illustrated tome on Verne's work and its adaptations to film. ***1/2.

BARE BONES No. 9 Winter 2021 No. 10 Spring 2022

 

BARE BONES 9. Winter 2021.

BARE BONES 10. Spring 2022. 

Here are the latest two issues of that wonderful publication Bare Bones. Co-edited by Peter Enfantino and John Scoleri, Bare Bones "unearths vintage, forgotten and overlooked horror, mystery, sci-fi, western" and just plain weird material.  

Issue 9 covers A. E. van Vogt's classic story Black Destroyer; the film Hickey and Boggs; my piece on Eurospy films of the sixties; Peter Enfantino's look at Sure -Fire Detective Stories; John Scoleri's review of Boxoffice for 1974; and lots more.

Issue 10 has Matthew R. Bradley's piece on Henry Farrell; a look at Nightmare Alley; Marvel Comics' Monsters Unleashed magazine; my piece on sixties TV show comic book tie-ins; John Scoleri's interview with Chris Matheson; Peter Enfantino's Sleaze Alley column; and David J. Schow's piece on King Kong, and more!

What are you waiting for? These are available on amazon in trade paperback format -- click on the links above. Packed with interesting features, these are both scholarly and fun! 

PRIVATE CRIMES

PRIVATE CRIMES. An Arthur Crimes Mystery. William Schoell and Christian Grimm. 2022. 

My new "cozie" mystery novel, PRIVATE CRIMES.

From Amazon:

Arthur Crimes is a small-town publisher who discovers the dead body of an elderly millionaire near an isolated swimming hole. Having once worked with his uncle, a private investigator, Arthur decides to try and find the murderer with the help of his good friend, Eve, a true crime author who is, frankly, hoping to get another book deal. But as they weed through a surprising number of suspects, is someone else observing everything they do, waiting for the right moment to strike ...?

WILLIAM SCHOELL is the prolific author of many novels, biographies, books on the performing arts and pop culture. As CHRISTIAN GRIMM and ENRCIO ARRIVEDERCI he has written two light-hearted cozy mysteries: THE ABSOLUTELY APPALLING OPERA MURDERS and PRIVATE CRIMES.

End of shameless plug!

NEW PROJECTS

Polishing up some exciting new projects. B MOVIE NIGHTMARE will return in July, if not sooner! 

SUPERHEROIC: THE BRONZE AGE OF COMICS VOLUME TWO

SUPERHEROIC: THE BRONZE AGE OF COMICS VOLUME TWO. William Schoell. Timbre Books; 2022. 

Well, it took me long enough but I finally finished volume two of my look at super-hero comics of the bronze age (1970 - 1982 approx.) 

From the amazon page: "SUPERHEROIC: THE BRONZE AGE OF COMICS VOLUME TWO follows SUPERHUMAN: THE BRONZE AGE OF COMICS VOLUME ONE. This volume covers IRON MAN, GREEN LANTERN, CAPTAIN AMERICA, THE INCREDIBLE HULK, SUPERMAN and his supporting cast, FANTASTIC FOUR, DAREDEVIL, THE DEFENDERS, WORLD'S FINEST, SUPERMAN FAMILY, JACK KIRBY'S FOURTH WORLD series and many, many other titles and heroes, including characters published by ATLAS, RED CIRCLE/ARCHIE and others. Each chapter looks at the most memorable issues, writers, and artists, detailing how "relevance" and social issues began to affect the comics of the seventies even as most of them remained colorful fun. WILLIAM SCHOELL is the author of THE SILVER AGE OF COMICS, COMIC BOOK HEROES OF THE SCREEN, and many others books on popular culture."

The book has several black and white illustrations. Available from Amazon in kindle, trade paperback, and hardcover format.

Of course volume one SUPERHUMAN, revised and updated, is also available in kindle, trade paperback and hardcover formats.