Coldheart Canyon

Last night I finished reading the novel Coldheart Canyon by Clive Barker. Subtitled "A Hollywood Ghost Story" the novel was published in 2001, and the story revolves around Todd Pickett, an actor who is at the top of the Hollywood "A"-list, more due to looks than actual talent. However, it looks like his time at the top of the tree is about to come to an end because his movies have started to become less and less successful and, at the advanced age of 34 years, he is worried that he is getting older and that his looks are starting to go. This being Hollywood he decides to have plastic surgery done, however it goes wrong and leaves Pickett seriously disfigured. Anxious to recover away from the prying eyes of the press and his fans, Pickett retreats to a deserted mansion which used to be owned by Katya Lupi, one of the biggest stars of the 1920s, but whose sadistic cruelty earned the place the nickname "Coldheart Canyon". Before long, Pickett discovers that the Canyon is not as deserted as he thinks, when he meets Lupi who has not visibly aged a day since 1926, and discovers that the grounds are haunted by the ghosts of countless old Hollywood legends and bizarre monsters, who are imprisoned in the Canyon by an evil and ancient supernatural force existing in the house. The book is not as good as Barker's best work, such as The Great and Secret Show and Cabal (which was filmed as Nightbreed). However it is still a good read working as an effective horror story and an entertaining attack on Hollwood. Actually, Clive Barker, who lives in Los Angeles himself and is involved in the film business, criticizes Hollywood and the whole world of celebrity pretty savagely in the novel. There is a lot in the book that is really great, but there was a lot in it that could have been cut, really. The book is 750 pages long, and I think a couple of hundred pages less wouldn't have heard but I enjoyed it. As is often the case with Clive Barker it was very gruesome and violent in places and very sexually explicit as well at times. It's also full of fun (if often unflattering) references to Hollywood stars old and new.

I was also watching a movie last night called The Libertine, which was released in 2005. Set in England in 1673, the film tells the true story of the notorious John Wilmot, the Second Earl of Rochester, (played by Johnny Depp) who basically spent his time drinking and having sex with pretty much anyone, and penning poetry and plays when he felt like it, which are frequently very explicit and savagely critical of King Charles II (John Malkovich). The movie deals with Wilmot's difficult relationship with his wife (Rosamund Pike) and his relationship with a young actress (Samamtha Morton) who he trains having made a bet that he can turn her into the most popular actress on the stage. The movie is pretty and entertaining, with some great performances.

It was a pretty dull day at work. I was on my own at the table for pretty much the whole afternoon, so I spent the time listening to my iPod. I listened to the Juno soundtrack and an episode of The Mighty Boosh.

I've been thinking of moving over to the Nova Scotia area of Canada, but I might decide to go to Vancouver or Toronto.