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Post by Arch Stanton on Dec 24, 2020 21:49:05 GMT
Gutted!
He’d like that.
R.I.P. GNS.
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Post by yoyopickles on Dec 28, 2020 15:23:52 GMT
The first "adult horror" book I read when I was 12, was written by him, called THE UNDEAD
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Post by fordcapri on Dec 28, 2020 15:45:45 GMT
Very sorry to hear this. I read 'The Slime Beast' in 1979 and read it every five years or so. I emailed Guy a couple of years ago and got a nice reply, he also suggested that I go along to his annual convention. Sadly, I didn't. Never will now. A good writer of pulp horror, which kept you gripped and never outstayed its welcome - The Thirst and Bats Out of Hell are also very good and what can I say about The Crabs that hasn't already been said? Essential summer reading in 1976. A prolific, imaginative and sadly underrated writer.
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Post by Arch Stanton on Dec 28, 2020 18:52:36 GMT
Very sorry to hear this. I read 'The Slime Beast' in 1979 and read it every five years or so. I emailed Guy a couple of years ago and got a nice reply, he also suggested that I go along to his annual convention. Sadly, I didn't. Never will now. A good writer of pulp horror, which kept you gripped and never outstayed its welcome - The Thirst and Bats Out of Hell are also very good and what can I say about The Crabs that hasn't already been said? Essential summer reading in 1976. A prolific, imaginative and sadly underrated writer. He wrote about giant killer crabs, because he sneakily went and found out what his boss was scared of - apparently he was terrified of crabs - before submitting the story outline/novel to him. Nature gone amok was big thanks to Jaws and his boss hated crabs, so The Night of the Crabs was born. He worked for Midland Bank IIRC and some of his earlier novels and writing for magazines were submitted on Midland Bank paper. As an avid gun and hunting enthusiast he used to sell his own home made shotgun shells from under the counter/till at the bank. He had an army of fans and loved them dearly, opening his house every year in September, laying on a huge great buffet etc for free and they could just go over and get stuff signed, chat with one another and meet their hero. I don’t think it’s been made official yet, but I believe he had a fall and then when in hospital died. I believe he had tested positive for Covid in hospital.
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Post by ltd on Dec 28, 2020 19:08:57 GMT
Got a couple of mates who are big Guy N Smith fans. One of them a Brummie, went to a couple of the conventions at Smith's house and would attend other appearances when time allowed. Smith always greeted him affably as "the man from Perry Barr". Seemed to be a bloke who had a lot of time for his readers, and reciprocated their appreciation.
Brother's currently reading the Werewolf trilogy as a kind of tribute.
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Post by Arch Stanton on Dec 28, 2020 19:39:26 GMT
Got a couple of mates who are big Guy N Smith fans. One of them a Brummie, went to a couple of the conventions at Smith's house and would attend other appearances when time allowed. Smith always greeted him affably as "the man from Perry Barr". Seemed to be a bloke who had a lot of time for his readers, and reciprocated their appreciation. Brother's currently reading the Werewolf trilogy as a kind of tribute. The werewolf trilogy are good. Well, “...By Moonlight” and “Son of...” are. “Return of...” is a bit of a let down though. I’m currently reading Crabs: The Human Sacrifice.
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Post by fordcapri on Dec 29, 2020 9:58:29 GMT
Nice to see that Guy had a model TARDIS on his windowsill. A shame he never got to write for Doctor Who...now THAT would have been interesting!
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Post by Arch Stanton on Dec 29, 2020 10:57:20 GMT
Nice to see that Guy had a model TARDIS on his windowsill. A shame he never got to write for Doctor Who...now THAT would have been interesting! It would and he never hinted at being a Dr Who fan but obviously was. I think The Slime Beast is like X-rated Dr Who. I think he could have written some great UNIT stories. UNIT whizzing up and down the countryside in their land rover defenders fighting a Rutan invasion or something. I can almost see the high body count now. Someone would need to smoke a pipe though, so it would maybe have to be a Tom Baker episode, or Troughton maybe.
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Post by ltd on Dec 29, 2020 15:33:39 GMT
I think The Slime Beast is like X-rated Dr Who. Looks to be a model of the Creature from the Black Lagoon on his windowsill as well (one of the 1970s Aurora kits?), another inspiration from the Slime Beast I'm sure. Cliff Davenport from The Crabs would have made a good "Who" surrogate perhaps? I can see him advising UNIT on the latest outbreak of homicidal crustaceans plaguing the UK's coastal resorts.
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Post by Arch Stanton on Dec 29, 2020 16:13:32 GMT
I think The Slime Beast is like X-rated Dr Who. Looks to be a model of the Creature from the Black Lagoon on his windowsill as well (one of the 1970s Aurora kits?), another inspiration from the Slime Beast I'm sure. Cliff Davenport from The Crabs would have made a good "Who" surrogate perhaps? I can see him advising UNIT on the latest outbreak of homicidal crustaceans plaguing the UK's coastal resorts. Yes definitely. Cliff Davenport is prime Dr Who material. Cliff is like Quatermas or Dr Quist from Doomwatch. You also have Gordon Hall who appeared in Maneater and the werewolf trilogy. In fact he may even have shown up in Carnage, with the killer baboons. I can’t remember now. He’s too much of an alpha male though to play second fiddle as a companion. Mark Sabat, though a recurring character, would not work for Dr Who. Going around the TARDIS furiously masturbating and smoking pot in his meerschaum pipe. It wouldn’t work. Sabat’s too X-rated for a Dr Who, just about everything he gets into involves extreme satanic sex or violence. Usually both.
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Post by ltd on Dec 29, 2020 18:46:09 GMT
Mark Sabat, though a recurring character, would not work for Dr Who. Going around the TARDIS furiously masturbating and smoking pot in his meerschaum pipe. It wouldn’t work. Sabat’s too X-rated for a Dr Who, just about everything he gets into involves extreme satanic sex or violence. Usually both. He'd have to be given his own series, probably on Netflix of similar. Was talking about the late Mr Smith with my brother and a mutual friend. I suggested Jason Isaacs to play Sabat. In his late 50s so a strictly speaking a bit too old but looks to be in good nick. I'm sure he could grow the 1980s regulation issue regimental 'tache if required
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Post by Arch Stanton on Dec 29, 2020 20:01:30 GMT
Mark Sabat, though a recurring character, would not work for Dr Who. Going around the TARDIS furiously masturbating and smoking pot in his meerschaum pipe. It wouldn’t work. Sabat’s too X-rated for a Dr Who, just about everything he gets into involves extreme satanic sex or violence. Usually both. He'd have to be given his own series, probably on Netflix of similar. Was talking about the late Mr Smith with my brother and a mutual friend. I suggested Jason Isaacs to play Sabat. In his late 50s so a strictly speaking a bit too old but looks to be in good nick. I'm sure he could grow the 1980s regulation issue regimental 'tache if required Yeah he’d be as good a choice as anyone. He’s probably not lean enough, coz the last thing I saw him in was The Death of Stalin and he seemed quite burly in that but he’d probably make a perfectly good Sabat. Sabat would require a cheaper budget but you know the Crabs series needs to be made - and not like flipping Island Claws. I’d fiddle with the order too.. I’d possibly even do “Origin” first. Slightly smaller crabs but that bit where they are smashing through the stately home, eating the maids and stuff would work well on screen. Killer Crabs I wouldn’t touch. Good book but it’s unrelated and I’d want all the action to be U.K. set (at first) “Moon” and “Night” you could conceivably do as one film. It would have to be edited and re-written well though with the action spread out. Coz Moon IIRC kicks off big time. Then “Rampage” would have to be the big third movie, with the crabs coming inland. It’s got all the big special FX scenes, like when the crabs are going through that motorway tunnel and smashing the cars up and feasting off the burning passengers, causing a huge destructive pile-up. I’d consider Human Sacrifice but it’s rather grim. Besides which I think you could wrap the story up in three films. I haven’t read Killer Crabs: The Return or Charnel Caves yet. The short stories like Armada and Fury, I’ve not read all of those but you’d just use them for crustacean inspiration if necessary, to keep things fresh. So we would have: 1) Origin - mysterious highland fog and looming shapes, tense jump scares and slow reveal to ending bloodbath. Setting up the second film. 2) Night+Moon - Massacre at the holiday park and the invasion of Barmouth. Full scale war but with the crabs mostly winning until they track down their base at Shell Island at the end and go biological warfare on their armour plated asses. 3) Rampage - Crabs are dying after having their HQ poisoned but cancerous and insane they go for one final act of defiant vengeance and cause chaos as they crawl inland and into the cities. I honestly don’t think you need more than those three films. Works a bit like the original Alien trilogy. I’d probably stick to the titles of Origin of the Crabs, Night of the Crabs and Crabs on the Rampage. Though I would be tempted to give the second movie a really balls out different title like: ‘Victory of the Crabs’, ‘Carnage of the Crabs’ or ‘Crab Meat!’. The posters would all look like the NEL paperbacks with that spiky font. And the tag line would just be “Click-click-clickety-click”
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Post by fordcapri on Jan 1, 2021 18:45:35 GMT
...and they'd have to be set in the mid 1970s. 1975, 1976 and maybe up to and including 1979. Don't set them in the modern day, it would work better set 45 years ago. I think I've read all of the books mentioned. I may have to re-read them now. Must be 45 years this summer since the first one was published... the sizzling summer of '76. I'm surprised that Guy didn't write a book about swarms of killer Ladybirds! Anyone who was alive in 1976 and remembers it will know what I mean. Anyway, roll on June/July and I'll dig those books out again...
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Post by Arch Stanton on Jan 1, 2021 19:44:05 GMT
...and they'd have to be set in the mid 1970s. 1975, 1976 and maybe up to and including 1979. Don't set them in the modern day, it would work better set 45 years ago. That’s going to play merry hell with our budget FC - As producer I only banked on spending £850. An authentic 1970s setting will at the very least put it up to £1000. You realise I’m going to have to get back onto Bodiesstuntdouble down in the special effects and props department now, to see if he’s got anymore tea-towels and flippers. Send Tonks back onto the streets selling lemonade. FFS!
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Post by bodiesstuntdouble on Jan 2, 2021 8:46:02 GMT
...and they'd have to be set in the mid 1970s. 1975, 1976 and maybe up to and including 1979. Don't set them in the modern day, it would work better set 45 years ago. That’s going to play merry hell with our budget FC - As producer I only banked on spending £850. An authentic 1970s setting will at the very least put it up to £1000. You realise I’m going to have to get back onto Bodiesstuntdouble down in the special effects and props department now, to see if he’s got anymore tea-towels and flippers. Send Tonks back onto the streets selling lemonade. FFS! Not a problem Arch , leave it to me. Infact , I'll do the lot ! With my sideburns and dress sense viewers will think it's a 70s horror movie anyway plus I can call in the FTF lads for the action scenes at mate's rates (just keep the tea and bacon rolls coming and they'll be happy 😉)
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Post by thewoodster on Jan 5, 2021 12:56:08 GMT
RIP guy.
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Post by fordcapri on Jan 12, 2021 18:42:39 GMT
(Interesting. From 2015, taken from Guy's website and originally printed in Shropshire Star / Mid-Wales Journal.) As well as his latest books being available and a possible film in the near future, Guy will also be making an appearance tomorrow night (Saturday 31st Nov 2015) for a Halloween Flicks in the Sticks special film showing. Screening Dilys Thorpe, who runs Flicks in the Sticks for the local area, wanted to bring something a little out of the ordinary to the audience for the spookiest night of the year. So together she and Guy will be presenting a special screening of ‘Island Claws’ at Clun Memorial Hall, starting at 7.30pm. The action takes place on a tropical island where marine biologists are experimenting with growth hormones on crabs. This results in radiation-mutated crabs. The film is taken from Guy’s book ‘Night of the Crabs’ and he will be on hand after the film showing to answer questions from the audience. Tickets are £4.50 for adults and £2.50 for children and they are available by calling (01588) 640254. For more information on Guy N Smith, and to access his back catalogue of books, visit his website at www.guynsmith.com
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Post by Arch Stanton on Jan 12, 2021 20:11:46 GMT
(Interesting. From 2015, taken from Guy's website and originally printed in Shropshire Star / Mid-Wales Journal.) As well as his latest books being available and a possible film in the near future, Guy will also be making an appearance tomorrow night (Saturday 31st Nov 2015) for a Halloween Flicks in the Sticks special film showing. Screening Dilys Thorpe, who runs Flicks in the Sticks for the local area, wanted to bring something a little out of the ordinary to the audience for the spookiest night of the year. So together she and Guy will be presenting a special screening of ‘Island Claws’ at Clun Memorial Hall, starting at 7.30pm. The action takes place on a tropical island where marine biologists are experimenting with growth hormones on crabs. This results in radiation-mutated crabs. The film is taken from Guy’s book ‘Night of the Crabs’ and he will be on hand after the film showing to answer questions from the audience. Tickets are £4.50 for adults and £2.50 for children and they are available by calling (01588) 640254. For more information on Guy N Smith, and to access his back catalogue of books, visit his website at www.guynsmith.comYeah it’s a rubbish film though, Ford. I’ve got it somewhere. It’s not what you think. If only it had been done right.
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Post by fordcapri on Jan 12, 2021 21:58:12 GMT
I gather there was a fourth Werewolf book, called Wolfcurse. I thought there were just the three...
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Post by ltd on Jan 12, 2021 22:06:21 GMT
Yeah it’s a rubbish film though, Ford. I’ve got it somewhere. It’s not what you think. If only it had been done right. The man himself wasn't over fond of it. Good of him to turn up for the screening, possibly he felt duty bound as the sale of the film rights paid for his place in Shropshire?
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Post by Arch Stanton on Jan 12, 2021 22:21:06 GMT
I gather there was a fourth Werewolf book, called Wolfcurse. I thought there were just the three... No there’s only those three in that series. Wolfcurse is standalone, as is Night of the Werewolf. I reviewed NotW in the book thread and did a small rating of all the other werewolf novels at the bottom of the review. Werelink
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Post by Arch Stanton on Jan 12, 2021 22:32:19 GMT
Yeah it’s a rubbish film though, Ford. I’ve got it somewhere. It’s not what you think. If only it had been done right. The man himself wasn't over fond of it. Good of him to turn up for the screening, possibly he felt duty bound as the sale of the film rights paid for his place in Shropshire? Probably enjoyed doing it for the fans. Why not? He liked meeting them, plus he was probably interested in what the film makers had done with it.
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Post by fordcapri on Jan 13, 2021 10:58:28 GMT
Ta. I may check it out. Sounds OK. Several copies on ebay at the moment.
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Post by ltd on Jan 13, 2021 11:36:01 GMT
I think the film may still be viewable on a certain well known video posting site. I took a quick look at the giant crab fight towards the end - it was dire.
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Post by fordcapri on Jan 16, 2021 14:53:37 GMT
Arrived this morning. Several copies on ebay... I bought the cheapest... in better condition than I expected. Anyway... read the first chapter; yes, seems like classic GNS stuff! Violence, sadism, sex, horror. Can't go wrong!
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Post by Arch Stanton on Jan 16, 2021 16:00:42 GMT
Arrived this morning. Several copies on ebay... I bought the cheapest... in better condition than I expected. Anyway... read the first chapter; yes, seems like classic GNS stuff! Violence, sadism, sex, horror. Can't go wrong! I’d have given that post two thumbs up if I could. Wolfcurse is really good FC. It gets a hard time from some fans but don’t listen to them, they don’t know sh1t, I really enjoy it. It’s a bit like The Good Life meets Peter Stumpp!! IIRC in the opening chapter our somewhat volatile ‘hero’ flies into such a psychotic rage, he assaults his boss, storms out of work and when someone foolishly tries to mug him, he grabs the poor dude’s ballsack so hard he pops his assailant’s nads
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Post by fordcapri on Jan 16, 2021 17:36:12 GMT
Arrived this morning. Several copies on ebay... I bought the cheapest... in better condition than I expected. Anyway... read the first chapter; yes, seems like classic GNS stuff! Violence, sadism, sex, horror. Can't go wrong! I’d have given that post two thumbs up if I could. Wolfcurse is really good FC. It gets a hard time from some fans but don’t listen to them, they don’t know sh1t, I really enjoy it. It’s a bit like The Good Life meets Peter Stumpp!! IIRC in the opening chapter our somewhat volatile ‘hero’ flies into such a psychotic rage, he assaults his boss, storms out of work and when someone foolishly tries to mug him, he grabs the poor dude’s ballsack so hard he pops his assailant’s nads That's not exactly what happens... but you're close enough! What actually happens is this: Lord Stanton emerges from the bank holding a suitcase bulging with £1 notes and begging letters - obviously he's going to distribute the money to the poor and needy of his parish. As he approaches his Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, ten or twenty masked and armed hooligans attack him in a bid to jump the queue. Enraged, Lord Stanton swigs a keg of Watney's Party 7 and goes all Bruce Lee (or Big Daddy) and kicks and throws the assailants all around the car park. He then takes a portable sulphuric acid throwing machine (his own invention) from the boot of his car and turns the scattered and unconscious villains into Incredible Melting Men. Halfway through this, however, he feels a bit peckish and rips the gonads off one of them, shoves them into a handy Cornish Pasty that he keeps in his top pocket for such emergencies and has a quick snack. In keeping with GNS tradition, he also enjoys a pipe and a quick five minutes of how's your father with an ultimately doomed random woman who happens to be passing and takes an interest. That was chapter one in a nutshell. Can't wait for chapter two.
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Post by Arch Stanton on Jan 16, 2021 18:37:05 GMT
Lord Stanton emerges from the bank holding a suitcase bulging with £1 notes and begging letters - obviously he's going to distribute the money to the poor and needy of his parish. As he approaches his Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, ten or twenty masked and armed hooligans attack him in a bid to jump the queue. Enraged, Lord Stanton swigs a keg of Watney's Party 7 and goes all Bruce Lee (or Big Daddy) and kicks and throws the assailants all around the car park. He then takes a portable sulphuric acid throwing machine (his own invention) from the boot of his car and turns the scattered and unconscious villains into Incredible Melting Men. Halfway through this, however, he feels a bit peckish and rips the gonads off one of them, shoves them into a handy Cornish Pasty that he keeps in his top pocket for such emergencies and has a quick snack. In keeping with GNS tradition, he also enjoys a pipe and a quick five minutes of how's your father with an ultimately doomed random woman who happens to be passing and takes an interest. That was chapter one in a nutshell. Can't wait for chapter two. I knew there was some reason I thought it was good. ..Years ago I read some mediocre reviews of Wolfcurse and put it off for ages thinking it would be really tame. Then I read Wolfcurse and wondered if the people reviewing it had actually read the book. There’s everything you want in that as our hero goes on the rampage - there’s sex, violence, sexy violence and violent sex. I thought it was top notch. Had I been asked to write an episode of The Good Life, this could well have been how it turned out. Another surprisingly good one of Guy’s is The Master. Which is like ‘If....’ crossed with (the film version - not Wheatley’s!) of ‘To the Devil a Daughter’. I should probably do a run down of the books of his I’ve read at somepoint.
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Post by Arch Stanton on Jan 16, 2021 19:05:13 GMT
...In the meantime here’s some images from my limited collector’s edition of The Sucking Pit. The cover Signed title page of Collector’s edition. Note how I didn’t get the Lettered edition coz I’m a cheap bästard. That and they’d already sold out. An illustration page - jno if you’re looking at this, pretend you didn’t see the boobs. I have more GNS signed stuff if people want to see it.
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Post by fordcapri on Jan 22, 2021 15:15:42 GMT
I'm expecting great things of this...
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