Obsessions May Wayne, But The Love Stays.

If you’ve never heard of Clive Barker, then you have heard of him now. And if you have heard of him before, you know how awesome he is.

Seriously, go Google him.

He’s only like the coolest guy on the planet--Yes, I am about to say it--cooler than Adrien Brody! I never thought I would say that, but then again, the only thing that’s great about Brody is his body.

Better than Googling, go pick up a copy of Midnight Meat Train, and maybe become a fan of Director Ryûhei Kitamura as well. And don’t forget the menacing Vinni Jones as Mahogany!

I’ll say it again. Midnight Meat Train is an ultimate movie! I loved it so much.  Is it strange for a vegan to like a movie with such a title? Yes, the meat-packing plant made me queasy, and maybe the violence is a bit glamourized at times, and there can be cheesy moments and out-of-place one-liners; it all doesn’t beat such emotional cinematography, and the way the story—in Clive Barker’s words himself—draws you in seamlessly, with out breaking the line from reality, to the darkness and fear.

Why Clive Barker is so great:
Clive Barker wrote the short story Midnight Meat Train. There is a series of three books titled the Books of Blood written by him. Not only does he write cool horror stories, he paints fantastical pictures on large canvases. Sometimes frightening scenes, others of wonderment. Using bold colours he creates different creatures and vivid dreamscapes. Even his rejects are beautiful enough to hang on a wall! Although he didn’t direct MMT, he has directed other movies before, often with iconic characters like Pinhead in Hellraiser. Clive has said he enjoys writing and painting more than making movies because his writing and painting allow him to freely express his creativity without being censored or being questioned as to why he is choosing to use a certain word or colour. But he wishes to make more movies.
I never mentioned this… he’s a vegetarian, too. How much cooler can you get? It feels that as a gay man, he is communicating these things that are so much a part of him, saying something about them and finding the fear in them. It works, as he brings realism into a story that could fail so badly in the wrong hands. Yes, we can also enjoy the truly cheese-ball horror movies that make us giggle, there will always be plenty, new and classic.

Many parts of MMT had me on the edge of terror, in a realm of fright. I wanted to know what would happen next, and the conclusion to this movie is a satisfying one. Can’t wait to discover more of his work!

Love!
I <3 Clive Barker.