You knew Solomon Kane was a puritan, but did you know he's English? Robert E. Howard makes sure we all know in "Wings in the Night":

"Already a winged fiend was at his throat and there was no time to draw and fire his other pistol.  Kane saw, in a maze of thrashing wings, a devilish, semi-human face--he felt those wings battering at him--he felt cruel talons sink deep into his breast; then he was dragged off his feet and felt empty space beneath him.

The winged man had wrapped his limbs about the Englishman's legs, and the talons he had driven into Kane's breast muscles held like fanged vises.  The wolf-like fangs drove at Kane's throat but the Puritan gripped the bony throat and thrust back the grisly head, while with his right hand he strove to draw his dirk.  The bird-man was mounting slowly and a fleeting glance showed Kane that they were already high above the trees.  The Englishman did not hope to survive this battle in the sky, for even if he slew his foe, he would be dashed to death in the fall.  But with the innate ferocity of the fighting Anglo-Saxon he set himself grimly to take his captor with him."

(Robert E. Howard. The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane. New York: Ballantine, 1998: 291)

(image via The Pulp Reader)

Solomon Kane screens at TIFF on: Wednesday, Sept. 16 11:59PM - RYERSON / Thursday Sept. 17 3:15 PM - SCOTIABANK 1

So I admit it, I'm excited about Solomon Kane not because it's "Van Helsing without the sucking," but because I've read Robert E. Howard's Solomon Kane stories. The best thing about Solomon Kane is also the craziest, which is usually how it works with me.

Before Kull and Bran Mak Morn and Conan, there was Solomon Kane, Howard's first adventuring swordsman. Swordsman and puritan. I love that Howard would even think of something like that. While other puritans are busy writing sermons like “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” or persecuting and being persecuted, Solomon Kane is out buckling his swash or blowing the smoke off his flintlocks in a suspiciously papist sash. Faced with dying and violated white girls, the arrow of Kane's wrath trembles on the string, but he's not interested in the carnal world.

It's just God's will, ma'am.

In the stories, his wandering and killing are simply extensions of God's will and there isn't much of Kane's inner life. He is constant. And so, more than once, Solomon Kane travels to an Africa with the racialized portrayals and patois typical of the time, but with an almost Lovecraftian twist in The Black God and a secret vampire kingdom. I expect in the movie there will be less racial sketchiness.  I also expect there will be a more complex and explicit motivation for Kane's wandering and more self-examination, which is good for a movie.

But I'm awful fond of the stolid, single-minded Solomon Kane in Weird Tales.

 

(Solomon Kane drawing by Joel Priddy, creator of The Preposterous Voyages of Ironhide Tom and "The Amazing Life of Onion Jack").

Solomon Kane screens at TIFF on:  Wednesday, Sept. 16 11:59PM - RYERSON / Thursday Sept. 17 3:15 PM - SCOTIABANK 1

Paul Jones has over 20 years experience working in special FX, and more recently FX Design (head honcho of all practical make-up/prosthetics and physical creature effects).

His FX legacy spans from creature building work on "Nightbreed", to the FX design of "Silent Hill" and the upcoming "Resident Evil 4". I sat down with Jones to get his thought on his work as FX designer on this year's Midnight Madness selection Solomon Kane.

"I got Kane because of Silent Hill -- (Solomon Kane director) Michael Bassett is a big fan of Silent Hill. I was brought in purely based on a completely different movie..."

When looking at the grand scheme of things, Paul reflects on how the genre has advanced from the 80's. More...

Yet another set of Midnight Madness picks, courtesy of Brad Miska of Bloody Disgusting:

 

Another year, another 10 incredible genre film selections, Midnight Madness is the pinnacle of my year. Forget any other film festival, the Toronto International Film Festival is so jammed-packed that even the MM line-up overflows into the full festival. One of most exciting parts of our coverage is that every year Colin asks me to tell him my 3 most anticipated films and why, which leaves me staring blankly at the full line-up for about an hour trying to make up my mind. While each and every film has a special something about it, there were three films this year that stood out from the pack and are a MUST for ol’ Bloody Disgusting.  More...

 

 

This time next week, expect to see me doing lunges, drinking protein shakes, and generally channeling Brock Lesnar in my pre-Festival prep routine (minus the grunting and pounding my ham hands into someone's face).  Around the internets, lots of folks are doing the same! Here`s the buzz going around on some of this year`s terrifying and titillating selections!

Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool News had nothing but love for Solomon Kane back in May:

Solomon Kane... he's the awesome right hand of God that bitchslaps evil back where it goes. And it isn't easy. He doesn't have a cute bag of tricks. No magical swords, no amulets of protection. He believes in God. But God doesn't really care about Solomon Kane or this world. Other than somehow allowing Kane to find his way through it.

You've never seen so many dead and decaying hanging corpses being feasted upon by crows and other critters. When you see this film, you won't be watching an ultra modern film. These are characters of few words, they speak about the evil in the world around them and the hope that religion gives them. But like I said... EVIL is aggressive here.   

Daniel Carson of Pajiba is enamored by the, ahem, assets on display in Bitch Slap:

 I want this on DVD now so I can get drunk and watch it with all of you...It’s so bizarre and weird and wildly exploitive and just amazing...

Amy MacPherson of Laneway Magazine had this glowing review of The Loved Ones from its recent screening at the Melbourne International Film Festival:

The Loved Ones is an experience that will cause you a lot of tension, some anxiety, may make you want to throw your guts up, and will certainly quash any thoughts of moving to a country town. The visual, and auditory assault is totally worth it. This is an exceptional testament to Australian film. 

Since it screened at Cannes, there`s been lots of buzz about the second weird-ass Belgian export to hit Midnight Madness in as many years, A Town Called Panic, but Peter Brunette from The Hollywood Reporter sums it up nicely:

There's really very little to say about this film beyond that it's absolutely brilliant.

Finally, The Rundown`s James Rocchi has these kind words to say about Midnight Madness in general:

...what really makes Midnight Madness amazing is the crowd. These are not bored dilettantes or distracted stargazers; these are foaming-at-the-mouth movie lovers, and, yes, my tribe. If you're within a day's drive of Toronto, you really, really owe it to yourself to check it out. 

So with all this in mind, get ready for a ridiculously over-the-top 10-day assault on your senses! 

And don't forget, SINGLE TICKETS go on sale THIS FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 4th, so if you haven't made your picks and skipped that mortgage payment yet, get on it! And while I might be only a tad biased, make sure those Midnight Madness selections are right at the top of your list!