Entertainment NOW

2 • October 23 - 29, 2022 Entertainment Now By Dana Simpson TV Media M ost TV and movie viewers, regardless of age or background, can remember one creature, movie plot or moment that has haunted their dreams and caused them great anxiety. Whether it's the shark from "Jaws" (1975), the titular space critter in "Alien" (1979) or old school haunts such as were- wolves and vampires, horror di- rectors have taken pleasure in scaring audiences since the dawn of film. One of this generation's great- est horror masters, Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, brings a new set of frights to the small screen this fall with "Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities." Premiering Tuesday, Oct. 25, on Netflix, this new eight-episode series is sure to scare more than a few souls leading up to Hal- loween. Perhaps best known for his 2006 film "Pan's Labyrinth," del Toro has made a name for himself in the realm of ghouls and mon- sters. From that film's Pale Man to the Amphibian Man in the four- time Academy Award-winning "The Shape of Water" (2017) — both played by Doug Jones ("Hell- boy 2: The Golden Army," 2008) — and the Jangly Man (Troy James, "The Flash") in his 2019 adaptation of "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark," del Toro knows what he looks for when it comes to nightmare creatures. "I am in love with monsters in a way that is very intimate and spiritual to me," del Toro told The Talks interviewer Rüdiger Sturm. "I am still moved by the creature of Frankenstein, by all the classi- cal monsters in a way that is very close to religion." He goes on to explain: "They [monsters] represent everything outcast. I can be an outcast by my race, by my gender, by my sexual preference, my politics, what- ever — but monsters are simply outcasts. ... [They] are the patron saints of the outsiders." Del Toro brings this intimacy to horror once again in "Cabinet of Curiosities." An anthology series similar to "American Hor- ror Stories" and "Creepshow" in composition, "Cabinet" is divided into eight nightmare tales: "The Murmuring," "The Autopsy," "Lot 36," "Pickman's Model," "The Viewing," "Dreams in the Witch House," "Graveyard Rats" and "Some Other Animal's Meat." While del Toro has brought on a series of horror writers to tell their unique tales, the director himself executive produces, co-showruns and directs the series. Two of the works are also del Toro originals. The series begins Oct. 25 with a double episode release — fea- turing tales created in conjunc- tion with Jennifer Kent ("The Babadook," 2014), David Prior ("The Empty Man," 2020), David S. Goyer ("The Sandman") and late American author Michael Shea — and continues releasing two new episodes each day of the week up to and including Oct. 28. "We hand-picked and curated a group of stories and storytellers to deliver these tales, whether they come from outer space, su- pernatural lore, or simply within our minds," del Toro said in a statement. "Just in time for Hal- loween, each of these eight tales is a fantastical peek inside the cabinet of delights existing under- neath the reality we live in." While episode-specific plots have yet to be released, several sources, including Syfy.com's SYFY Wire, have speculated at least two of the tales — "Pick- man's Model" and "Dreams in the Witch House" — to be adap- tations of stories by influential sci- fi/horror writer H.P. Lovecraft. Cover Story Ben Barnes in "Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities" Mexican horror master launches new series on Netflix Ready Rental 3 x 4 Hayley Siefert 3 x 2 Letters & Numbers Sudoku Fill in the grid so that every row,every column, and every 4x4 box contains the digits 1 through 9 AND the letters A-F. Solution on page 12. Advertise Your Business In Call Advertising at 217-477-5105

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