Well... I think there have always been some critics who seem to lean heavily more as film promoters. I could be off, as I haven't researched this person, but I remember 'film critic' Gene Shalit as always being quoted for films, and film box covers, saying cleaver commercial praise for films. Naturally, I'd never believe a word he said.

But back to your question... I highly doubt it. Basically critics run by reputation. If they take bribes, or keep giving praise to crappy films, they lose their audience/readers/clicks/subscribers. It's just not a lasting business model. But I suppose it could happen occasionally.

I’ll be that cardinal
who I murdered that time when she
stopped in our tree.
I’ll take another shift in the wood.
This is the thing without words.
This is the thing I could have done better.
Houdini Alcatraz

Here's a random thought:
I came back here after a few years absence, mostly because my job quit blocking it from our internet, to be honest. I was looking forward to talking about horror movies again, with my old cronies.
Every single new member starts an account just to pimp their own shit. I'm no mod, obviously, but I would ban every single person whose post count is 75%, or more, pertaining to selling something or linking to something. It is disgusting.
People have no shame or class anymore.
That's just a random thought, and I'm just disappointed and venting that this place only attracts leeches these days.

I'm with you, KF... I don't so much mind the links and self-promo posts... it's more the lack of responding to real peoples' comment-posts that makes this place more sucky. What I'm doing now is replying to your post. That's what's missing these days.

Exactly. It plays to the stereotype that people do not communicate these days. They act like this is a horror Craigslist. Sign up, pimp their shit, and ignore everything else.

"HEY DUDES, do you like HORROR???????????? WELL tHeN, CHECK OUT MY thing I did!!!!!"

Post #1. I had the decency to wait years until I had the nerve to link to something I wrote.

I dont see anything wrong with regulars posting their links here, I mean thats what certain sections are for but these people who make an account and 1 post to promote their books, website, movie, or to just ask a single question about a movie or something annoys the hell out of me to be honest.

I think thats pretty common across all the forums. Sometimes people join, not even pushing anything, and then we never hear from them again. Then we had someone like Jake, who at first was promoting his book and turned out to be a great member. So thats cool. You sometimes hope it goes that way with all new members. ::cool::

Read a book.

And that's the only reason I would read what you wrote, because I'd get to know you from your posts. Same thing with looking at someone's artwork, or film, or podcast, or blog. I might be different than other folk, but I have other things to read/watch/listen to outside this forum if I didn't get to know them a bit first.

Ya, like asking a question, getting an answer or two, and not bothering to say thank you... no basic manners. ::sad::

Yep ::cool::

Have any good recommendations, DBT?

I haven't read from it in awhile, but last book I purchased to read was a biography of Heinz Guderian, german general credited with developing blitzkrieg warfare. I picked it up in an antique store while my family was browsing. Not bad so far, talks about him getting married, going to war college, being in the new wireless battalion during WWI. It wasn't what he wanted, but during the war he learned what radio could do, and how it wasn't yet being used. He would eventually introduce them into tanks.

Obviously I'm cool with people posting stuff about their books/blogs/whatever if they have the common courtesy to establish that they understand that the purpose of a forum isn't just a craigslist for horror. I mean, I straight up admitted that I'd done it myself.


I just wanted to vent. When there's a grand total of about 10 posts on here a day (on a good day), and half of them are from members with less than 20 posts trying to sell you something...
It's just irritating.

Anyway, seems like yall wanna discuss books. What's a good book to check out? The last great horror writer I discovered was Thomas Ligotti. Anyone into him? It's weird fiction, like a modern Lovecraft.