Looking back at 2009

I am really looking forward to 2010, not so much because I am looking forward TO something but to leave the last two years behind that on a personal level have been very traumatic for me. Those of you who know me well know what I am referring to. Those of you who don't, well, let's just say I am not going to winge publicly.

But what did 2009 bring with regards to Hammer.... and Beyond? Let's have a look at the last 12 months.

January

I started the year with the 999 Challenge: Watch 9 movies from 9 categories in 2009 and blog about them. And soon made a hames of it.

I still think it was a fab idea, but for whatever reasons I never really got around to it much. A bunch of others also attempted this challenge, none more so than Mermaid Heather who took to it like, ahem, a mermaid takes to water. At this time she is just a handful of reviews short of finishing the challenge and I have no doubt that by end of this year she'll have concluded it. Damn, I'm so proud of that girl. Well done, Heather!

Wayne Kinsey's Hammer Films: A Life in Pictures came out at the end of last year. My review was up in January.

The British TOTAL FILM magazine put this blog forward for their Annual Blog Awards in the Horror Category. I didn't quite make it to first spot, but was equally delighted to take a proud second place.

Guest posts:

Been writing regularly for the Den of Geek, but my overview over the Top 10 Lesbian Vampire Movies was by far the most fun to write. I wonder why.....

February

I started another blog dedicated to Krimi movies and offloaded some short reviews that I had written over the years. I haven't done much with it since but plan on revisiting it again sometime. After all this is one of my favourite genres.

February also marked the month when I joined Twitter. It was a bit of rough start. Didn't initially “get it” and didn't tweet much, but then got hooked. The rest, as they, say is history.

Guest posts:

Den of Geek:
Man of Rock – Joe Kubert Biography book review
Watch Me When I Kill review

March

I may not have won the Total Film blog award, but I did end up winning the Premio Dardos Award, a truly amazing concept: a non existing award handed out in virtuality by real life bloggers. It doesn't get more post modern than that.

Dick Klemensen managed to publish not just one, but two editions of his excellent Little Shoppe of Horrors magazine this year. Issue #22 came out in March and was dedicated to Hammer's modern day Draculas. Even better: Hammer Historian Denis Meikle is now offering this magazine (as well as a number of others) from his new store in England thereby saving all us Europeans some of the postage fees that were usually associated with ordering it from Dick directly.

April

Guest Posts:

I started participating in DVD Trash's Weekly (or not so weekly) Roundtables. Come to think of it: What happened to those?
Den of Geek: Stone review

May

My favourite month by far. I had the chance to not only review Shane Briant's latest novel Worst Nightmares, but also to ask the Hammer actor a couple of questions. How cool is that? Being able to communicate not just with all you guys but also with some of the leading stars and the creative talent behind the old Hammer movies is a wonderful opportunity that makes this blog so much fun for me to run.

Guest Posts:

Den of Geek:
Baba Yaga Review
Boogeyman 3 Review
Hit and Run Review

June

The month for Christopher Lee related news: First his Dracula cape got auctioned off, then he receives a well deserved Knighthood and is announced as one of the stars in Hammer's new movie, The Resident, that is due to come out in 2010.

July

On July 25 Don Fearney staged another one of his fabulous Hammer events, this time dedicated to John Carson. I wasn't there, but I heard it was great.

Guest Posts:

DVD Trash:
The Hostess also likes to Blow the Horn
Reflections of Light

August

Guest Posts:

Den of Geek: No Man's Land Mystery DVD review

September

The kind of book I always dreamed about when I first started writing for the Internet, setting up Hammer Glamour related websites etc has finally come out: Marcus Hearn's Hammer Glamour was published for Titan Books and it is a good, but not great addition to the ever growing pile of Hammer literature available.

October

Little Shoppe of Horrors #23 became available, dedicated to Hammer's Cornish horror movies. How do I spell “Must Have” again?

Guest posts:

Contributed the Twitter related question for Den of Geek's interview with Greg Grunberg.
Groovy Age of Horror: Review of Brad Mengel's Serial Vigilantes of Paperback Fiction

November

November 2009. Otherwise also known as the month the Internet imploded under the combined weight of Frankensteinia's Boris Karloff Blogathon. More than 100+ blogger contributed and produced hundreds of Karloff related blog posts in the week of his birthday. A massive achievement. And here's my entry.

Guest posts:

Den of Geek: One Man and His Dog Mystery DVD review

December

I nice end of the year when I received some private and rare photos of Imogen Hassall on holidays and in a ballet. That's the kind of stuff I love showing up on this blog.

Guest Posts:

Den of Geek: Silent Night Deadly Night review

Anything I forgot? Likely.... I haven't even mentioned the various DVD releases yet, mainly because I am always the last to buy them.

What's planned for 2010?

No idea yet. Following the 999 Challenge I am reluctant to make any predictions or plans. I am, however, contemplating an episode by episode guide to Hammer's rare Journey to the Unknown TV series.

I also wouldn't mind taking on guest posts from other folks or even signing on regular new contributors to this blog. Anyone interested in writing about Hammer or Brit Horror in general? Just give me a holler. You know where to find me.

Not sure if I'll manage some more blog posts before the end of the year (probably not), so I let me take this opportunity to wish all my readers

a Very Merry Christmas and a Fabulous New Year!