Great horror  shouldn't just be consumed, it should be savoured, and appreciated. This is where Grapes of Wrath comes in, Ginger Nuts of Horror in association with Auden Hilton-Chandler  have put together a handy food and wine guide for some of your favourite horror films and books.    Please use this guide responsibly Ginger Nuts of Horror does not condone over consumption of alcohol while in charge of an active social media account.  

When Francis Ford Coppola came to direct his adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula, he did so knowing that everyone on Earth was already well familiar with the beats, details and rhythms of the story; having become so ingrained in culture's collective consciousness, even those who have never read the book or seen any of the (many, many) film adaptations could likely recreate it with a high degree of accuracy and very little in the way of uncertainty.
 
As a result, he acknowledged that there was no way, no way, to play this story straight. Instead, he opted for an almost parodic approach; foregoing the murk and monochromatic palette of his predecessors; the quiescence and earnestness, the final work one of sumptuous colour, of absurd hyperbole and exaggeration, that throws so many knowing winks at the audience, it has developed something of a squint by the time its credits roll.
 
Whether successful or not is a matter for individual tastes (personally, I adore the film, absurdity and all. Apart from Keeanu Reeves and Winona Ryder, of course), but the effort is one that can work, with a deft enough hand.
 
The most recent incarnation of the less iconic, more legendary Doom franchise is arguably one of the finest examples of this I've ever come across. The game knows that you know it; it assumes that you are intimately familiar with, if not previous games in the franchise, then examples of the genre (first person shooters) that it popularised. In that, it is a giant, indulgent, seething mass of adolescent joy; it panders to its audience in the most charming, brilliant, self-effacing manner. There is nothing, nothing of complexity or ambiguity here; only near-perfect rhythm, game design, blistering action, amazing visuals: an experience that (arguably) serves as a more legitimate descendent of the original Doom than the previous Doom 3, which, whilst entirely successful in its own right, opted for a more mean and moody, atmospheric and narrative piece. This is the inversion of that game's slow build and shadows; this is Big Trouble in Little China, this is Brain Dead, this is ridiculous, absurd, hyperbolic, technicolour violence, gore, highly visual and stylised horror with a degree of self awareness and raw wit to make it laugh out loud hilarious. 

Horror like all wine comes in varying degrees vintage and quality.  Matthew Darst, has kindly agreed to take you on a connoisseur's journey through the great horror vintages with our new feature The Grapes of Wrath.  Allow Matthew to take the guesswork out of what horror films you should add to your cellar.  He has even gone as far as suggesting the perfect meal to accompany your viewing pleasure.  

Collection notices. Disapproving looks. Sleeping in a van. Life’s hard for a wannabe superhero. Things get harder still when Centurion’s sidekick, Henry, dies. 
The police say Henry’s death was an accident. Centurion knows better. Henry’s death is part of a larger pattern. Someone’s murdering children—kids with extraordinary psychic and physical abilities—across the South and Midwest.
He needs to find the killer fast. In Chicago, his prime suspect has already set her sights on friends Astrid and Kim. But these teens aren’t like anything he’s ever seen. They’re special. Like Henry. 
Centurion will face spies, monsters, and the ultimate evil: the Chicago auto pound. If he doesn’t watch out, he just might find he’s the one in need of saving.  

All proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C). Private donations can be made at http://do.eifoundation.org/goto/mattdarst