Anthropomorphic Dreams Publishing

If you wanta learn you somethin’, go on down to a place where two roads cross. Get there Saturday ’round midnight, and wait there ’til Sunday morning—do that for nine Sundays, all in a row. The dark man, he’ll send his dog to watch on you while you wait. And on the ninth morning, the dark man will meet you. And he will learn you—anything you wanta learn. But you remember this: that dark man, he don’t work for free.

PodCastle’s story Nine Sunday’s in a Row spins an interesting yarn leading up to one person’s ill-fated deal with the devil. It mixes character drama with a nice southern flavor and is told from the sympathetic viewpoint of the Dark Man’s dog himself.

Catching up on back issues of the Drabblecast, a weekly podcast of weird fiction, I found this belated Halloween treat. The Great Old Pumpkin is a fun story which manages to blend the Cthulu mythos with the familiar world of Peanuts holiday specials. It was a nice bit of clever humor which was a lot of fun to listen to.

Fantastic Mr. Fox is probably the most accessible Wes Anderson film, though it’s still quirky in places, especially with the odd dialog and affected character deliveries. However, the the visual flairs that his films are known for were a treat to watch. The stop-motion puppetry was a little jarring at first, and the tall and thin character designs looked a little odd, but it was easy to get pulled into the world they created.

The movie both embraced, and at points highlighted, the limitations of the medium, but in a nice way and the film was wonderfully charming. There were spots where the previously mentioned dialog dragged things down a bit, but on the whole it was a lot of fun. The film might not be for everyone, especially if you don’t appreciate at least some indie film styling. It might also be a little weird for young kids, but older children and hip teens and adults could dig it.

Where the Wild Things Are was a surprisingly good adaptation and expansion on a children’s picture book. It’s more of a film for adults who remember what it was like to be a kid, with all the joys and heartaches than it is a kid’s movie as it might be a bit emotionally intense for at least young kids. It’s a lot like other Spike Jonze’s films (Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind) where the story is more about characters’ relationships than a lot of action happening, so based on that you’ll either love or hate the film.

It was very engaging and moving, emotional, sweet, disturbing and sad, and I appreciated how evocative it was.  The character design and animation of the Wild Things was wonderful, giving them both physical realness, but with some cartoony physics, to make interesting and fantastic visuals.

For Veteran’s Day, we offer this tribute in remembrance of those canines who have served along side human soldiers, offering companionship and protection during wartime.

“Spirits of the Brotherhood” by Vargr Dragonwolf

Read by Belic Bear

Music cue by Infinity Squared

More information on the topic can be found at the United States War Dogs Federation.

Download or listen to the episode here.

Lend me your ear while I call you a fool
You were kissed by a witch one night in the wood
And later insisted your feelings were true
— Jethro Tull, “Witch’s Promise

An additional Halloween treat, better late than never, recorded at a podcast panel last month at Fur Fright .

“Witch’s Promise” by Will A. Sanborn

Read by Peter Katt

Download or listen to episode.