Dreams with Sharp Teeth

[PPI Brian]

One of my favorite writers of all time is Harlan Ellison. If you haven't read anything he's written, you must immediately find a copy of Stalking the Nightmare and start reading it.

Ellison has always been an outspoken advocate for writers, and even spent a time as president of the Writer's Guild. In 2008 a film about the life and times of Ellison was produced, and somehow I missed seeing it. Rest assured, that mistake will soon be corrected. In the meantime, here are a couple of excerpts from the film.

Warning - This clip contains Harlan Ellison being Harlan Ellison, and has been rated R by the Motion Picture Association.

http://www.youtube.com/v/mj5IV23g-fE&hl=en_US&fs=1

Here's the trailer: 

http://www.youtube.com/v/2EFETkpdfIU&hl=en_US&fs=1

[ljiljanac]

lmao!  what a riot this guy is!   

[PPI Debra]

Damn straight! The same thing happens to artists.

I've never forgotten his story I Have no Mouth but I Must Scream.

Thanks for posting this Brian.

[PPI Brian]

Damn straight! The same thing happens to artists.

I've never forgotten his story I Have no Mouth but I Must Scream.

Thanks for posting this Brian.

I agree. Artists and writers should be paid for their contributions. Why should they be expected to work for free? It doesn't make any sense.

Ellison has a knack for coming up with catchy titles. I really like the story "Djin, No Chaser".    "The Cheese Stands Alone" is another fantastic short story. "Repent Harlequin! Said the Ticktock Man", "Jefty is Five", and "Grail" are all great too. "Seeing" from his short story collection entitled "Strange Wine" published in 1978 will blow your mind, and "Mom" from the same book is an absolutely hilarious story about a Jewish guy in New York who is haunted by his Jewish mother after she passes away. Her ghost is determined to find him a "good Jewish girl" for him to marry before she moves on to the afterlife. 

Ellison has a pseudonym that you may or may not have noticed in the science fiction genre over the last 40 years -- Cordwainer Bird. He uses this pen name to alert the public to situations in which he feels his creative contribution to a project has been mangled beyond repair by others, typically Hollywood producers or studios. Oh, I almost forgot. He calls his house in Los Angeles "Ellison Wonderland". 

[PPI Jason]

My favorite line as a car is honking at him while he's crossing the street, "Yeah, it's a horn, ya douche bag."  Classic.

I really really like this guy!

[PPI Brian]

My favorite line as a car is honking at him while he's crossing the street, "Yeah, it's a horn, ya douche bag."  Classic.

I really really like this guy!

One of the things that always amazed me about Ellison was the fact that he was such a prolific writer yet he never learned how to type.