Hello, there. I’m Darren, and this is a collection of stuff I’ve written over the years, mainly about music but there’s some other stuff too, such as film, TV and merch. You’ll also find the odd bit of promo for videos and music I’ve made. Thanks for dropping by.
Fashionistas, take note: werewolves are in. With Joe Johnston’s remake of the 1941 Universal monster movie The Wolf Man set to start prowling cinemas this November, the lycanthropic bandwagon is fuelling.
It’s been reported that Dimension Films, part of the Weinstein Company, is negotiating with writer and director John Landis for the remake rights to his 1981 classic...
Back in February, when audio of Christian Bale shouting at the director of photography on the set of Terminator Salvation landed with a thwack on YouTube, I found myself sporting a new windswept hairdo, such was the force of Bale’s outburst.
Interviewed in last month’s Total Film magazine, the actor admitted that he went “overboard” that day. However, he went on to criticise the leak and make some interesting comments about...
As the Doctor bids Lou and Carmen farewell at the end of Planet Of The Dead, he’s taken aback by Carmen’s warning: “Your song is ending, sir.” Her psychic powers, trumpeted regularly over the previous hour, suddenly don’t look so impressive. With the very public unveiling of Matt Smith back in January, is there anyone alive who doesn’t know that the 10th Doctor’s days are numbered?
With David Tennant, the longest-serving Doctor since Tom Baker, getting ready to vacate the TARDIS, and executive producer and general mastermind Russell T Davies soon to turn the series in for adoption, Doctor Who is at a crossroads right now.
"In case no one can hear you, laugh!" That’s the advice on the back of the DVD packaging for Dark Star, a movie celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. The quote, which parodies the original tagline for Alien, sounds like a weak advert for Scary Movie 9: Terror Beyond The Stars, and on its merits one could be forgiven for expecting the film that carries it to be a broad comedy full of puns about the captain’s log, black holes and re-entry. Dark Star, however, is...
Science-fiction franchises rarely die. The eyes might close but the heart continues to beat, even if only a core collective of fans can hear it. The fact that Planet Of The Apes’ ticker is still pumping, despite the life-threatening surgery it underwent in 2001, is testament to the series’ resilience. Though a success in financial terms, Tim Burton’s film paled in comparison to its 1968 forefather, lacking its well-defined story, strong characters, thought-provoking subtext and,...
When Chris Scruggs admitted in song that he was failing to heed warnings from friends, his local preacher and even God himself that his honky tonkin’ lifestyle would get the best of him, he clearly hadn’t experienced the Brits’ take on the idea.
Forget being “out till four and up at six”; the guys and gals at the Golden Lion in Camden have it licked by staging their Honky Tonkin’ Sundays in the late afternoon and early evening. The support play at 5.45pm; the...
It’s a tradition on this day that I post a pic of my efforts with a pumpkin and a tiny hacksaw blade so, well, here’s this year’s flawed masterpiece. Nothing radical; just a good old-fashioned jack o’lantern. A hint of evil in the eyes and a toothy smile - exactly how it should be.
Halloween actually started a day early for me, as I spent Thursday evening supping pints of the Devil’s brew (well okay, Strongbow) in the company of Satan’s house band, Slayer. Hammersmith Apollo was...
Without wanting to come across like a rubbish ‘observational’ stand-up, can I just say: what’s up with DVD cases? They’re one of the most badly designed objects in recent history.
If the clasp holding the disc in place is the ‘press and release’ type, it’s great for storage but useless for sending DVDs through the post, as there’s a good chance the disc will come loose from the spindle and scratch in transit (ie, I’ll receive a dreaded...
The latest Collectormania event, the last in its current home, takes place this weekend in Milton Keynes. I headed up there yesterday to avoid the Saturday and Sunday crowds. There was only one guest I wanted to meet this time, and that was the gentleman you see pictured with me on the right: Gunnar Hansen, who played Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre - the 1974 original, natch.
I’ll be upfront about this: I’ve not sailed on the good ship Metallica for about 15 years, and I’m aware of sounding like my dad by having what I consider to be ‘my era’ when it comes to their music. That era begins with Kill 'Em All and ends with their self-titled fifth LP, commonly referred to as the ‘Black Album’ (though, I must say, the latter hasn’t held its value for me quite as much as the other records). In fact, when it comes to most things metal, I find it hard to...
