Post by Calenture on Mar 19, 2009 0:11:17 GMT
This cover picture seems to be uncredited, but it reminds me irresistably of a scene from Jack Arnold's 1950s SF movie It Came From Beyond Space - an apparently huge figure looming out of the darkness toward the viewer.
Not At Night Edited by M R Scofidio 1991
From the Editor: Editor Scofidio begins by briefly touching on the subject of dreams and nightmares and how they define our humanity, but after just a few lines quickly and wisely moves on to familiar memories of The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery and (less familiar) Friday Night Fright Night.
This sets the tone well for this magazine. Immediately we’re on familiar and much-loved ground – but we know that not everything that appears around a corner or emerges from behind a tree will be predictable or even identifiable.
The mood is caught perfectly by a photo on the page facing the Editorial showing lights glimmering out of mist, a setting so vague it could be a city street or a railway siding.
The first story, a 3-pager, Melting Point by Anke Kriske is about Eileen, a blind woman, largely dependant on her guide dog Muffin. And about Bill Costello, who, watching from the shadows, has established that as well as being blind, Eileen's a graduate student in Psychology, and Thursday is the day that she cashes her wage cheque.
Well-written, although a little predictable, this one’s a good opener.
Cupac?
Voices in the Cave by Jacie Ragan: Larissa doesn’t know what to do about Benny Ray. She has her work to do in the damp green caves, but he won’t leave her alone. It’s peaceful in the caves, tending the mushrooms. But as long as Benny Ray’s around, she has to listen to him carry on about his job, and how his house has a real flush toilet.
Benny wants to marry her. But as long as he keeps rattling on, she won’t be able to hear the voices.
The voices are always loudest in the caves where the mushrooms grow.
And tonight, the voices tell her, she should let Benny enter the deepest of the caves, where he can begin to learn their ways.
Reminiscent of Henry Kuttner’s mutant Hill Billy stories.
More to come...