Author Archive: Laurence Boyce
Laurence Boyce is a film journalist who likes Bond, Batman and Doctor Who (just to prove the things he enjoys things that don't just start with a 'B'). He is also a film programmer for various film festivals in the UK and abroad.
Forever And A Day by Anthony Horowitz (book review).
After crafting a ‘sequel’ to Ian Fleming’s ‘Goldfinger’ (see more at https://www.sfcrowsnest.info/trigger-mortis-by-anthony-horowitz-book-review/), Anthony Horowitz continues to extend the literary Bond universe with a prequel to Bond’s first literary outing ‘Casino Royale’. The pleasures promised by ‘Forever And A Day’ are, aside from the usual heady mix of sex, sadism and sensory overload, in seeing how […]
The 007 Diaries: Filming Live And Let Die by Roger Moore (book review).
As ‘Diamonds Are Forever’ faded into the cinematic past, and Sean Connery walked off into the sunset with a large amount of EON Production’s cash, it was time for a new era in the Bond franchise. Enter Roger Moore, who had made his name on TV shows such as ‘The Saint’ and ‘The Persuaders’ who […]
Punisher: Suicide Run by Steven Grant, Chuck Dixon and Larry Hama (graphic novel review).
While it’s easy to dismiss ‘The Punisher’ as little more than a right-wing fantasy writ large, those who followed the character’s titles during his late 80s/early 90s heyday would find that there was a little more substance. Some stories dealt with important issues of the day, an issue dealing with flag burning, at the time […]
Doctor Who Vol. 25: Doorway To Hell by Mark Wright (graphic novel review).
There was a certain ‘old school’ feeling to Peter Capaldi’s portrayal of the Doctor. Eschewing the youthful air of his recent predecessors, Capaldi was a throwback to the gruff air of William Hartnell alongside the genuine ‘alien-ness’ of Tom Baker. This collection of ‘Doctor Who Monthly’ comicstrips, published just after the strip and the TV […]
Nope, Nothing Wrong Here: The Making Of Cujo by Lee Gambin (book review).
In the pantheon of great horror films, ‘Cujo’ seems a little out of place. Based on Stephen King’s 1981 novel, the film adaptation directed by Lewis Teague appeared when King’s ubiquity on the bookshelves meant that everything except his laundry list was made into a film. Released to modest reviews, the story about a rabid […]
James Bond: Casino Royale by Ian Fleming, Van Jensen and Dennis Calero (graphic novel review).
Since it was first published in 1953, ‘Casino Royale’ has been a marker of both the pleasures and the problems of the James Bond character and the various media in which he’s been portrayed. The book’s opening lines, ‘The scent and smoke and sweat of a casino are nauseating at three in the morning’ is […]
Batman And Harley Quinn (2017) (Blu-ray film review).
Harleen Quinzel aka Harley Quinn has now been part of the Batman universe for 25 years. Originating on ‘Batman: The Animated Series’ as little more than a walk-on part designed to complement another mad scheme from the Joker, Harley Quinn managed to find a fanbase and become a more prominent character within the world of […]
Doctor Who: Emperor Of The Daleks by Paul Cornell, Dan Abnett and Scott Gray (graphic novel review).
This collection of Seventh Doctor comicstrips from the pages of ‘Doctor Who Magazine’ is centred around an epic Dalek story which sees the return of Davros and a cavalcade of continuity from both the TV show as well it’s expanded universe. Written at the time the show was in the midst of its hiatus, the […]
American Gods (Original Television Series Soundtrack) by Brian Reitzell (CD review).
The HBO adaptation of ‘American Gods’, based on Neil Gaiman’s sprawling and epic novel about a world in which the old gods battle against the new gods within a world in which belief has turned to myth is a brave and ambitious show that betrays a myriad of influences. With a neon-tinged aesthetic, that harks […]
Out Of The Dark Room by Max Richter (CD review).
The work of German-born and British-bred minimalist composer Max Richter has always lent itself to the cinema. His debut album, the towering ‘Memoryhouse’, a landmark in modern classical music would find many of the tracks wending their way onto film trailers. Tracks such as ‘Sarajevo’ was matched to the trailer of ‘Prometheus’ while ‘November’ also […]
