Sequelland: A Story of Dreams and Screams

by Jay Slayton-Joslin

In the back alley of HOLLYWOOD lies SEQUELLAND, where directors and creatives get the chance to do what they love, not necessarily in the conditions that they love. Jay Slayton-Joslin, a writer and horror fan, experiencing his own existential crisis takes a direct approach exploring his childhood filled with direct to DVD horror sequels, interviewing those who created the sequels to iconic franchises feel upon looking back on them. The story of people who tried to do what they loved, filled with pride, regret, and resolution.It’s… SEQUELLAND: A STORY OF DREAMS AND SCREAMS.

“Jay Slayton-Joslin delivers rare and insightful peeks into the world of Hollywood’s most battle-scarred foot soldiers. Whether legionnaires, barbarians or berserkers, these filmmakers weave their war-stories with equal measures of cynicism, idealism and candor. Less a series of interviews than informal conversations one might have on a hot afternoon over whisky shots in the Mitchum-booth at Boardners. Engaging, compelling fun.”
Daniel Knauf, Creator of Carnivale

Interviews with: Uwe Boll, John Skipp, Jeff Burr, Adam Marcus, Ernie Barbarash, Peter Webber, Mary Lambert, Kevin Yagher, Zack Lipovsky, Katt Shea, and Kevin Greutert

168 pages, Paperback

Published May 19, 2020

About the author

Jay Slayton-Joslin is the author of Sequelland: A Story of Dreams and Screams (Clash Books, 2020) and Kicking Prose (KUBOA, 2014). Jay graduated with a BA in American Literature with Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia and a MA in Creative Writing from the University of Surrey. He lives in Leeds, England.

Twitter: twitter.com/jaythecool
Instagram: instagram.com/50shadesofjaysj

Reviews

[Danger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interviews with writer/directors responsible some of the lesser-acclaimed entries in famous horror movie franchises, interspersed with the occasional snippet of the author's thoughts on art and his own budding career. The premise pretty much sums it up. If you're a fan of famous horror franchises, especially those coming out the 80s, then this book might be a must-read for you, as those involved tend to get very specific in their answers. For everyone else, this is still an affirmation of the importance of integrity, fandom, and expressing yourself within a system that often actively discourages that. So yeah, something for everyone.

[J.A. Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

After I finish reading a book, I like to read other people’s reviews, mostly to avoid rehashing the same opinions in my own review, but also out of a sense of curiosity. Normally, I find other readers who enjoyed the same aspects and passages as I did, but occasionally I find myself in a position where my impression is not shared by anyone else. Such is the case with Sequelland: A Story of Dreams and Screams by Jay Slayton-Joslin, which seems to have glowing reviews from people who are not me. And I bring this up not because I think other people are wrong, but merely to emphasize that reviews are personal reflections, and what doesn’t work for me might become your next favourite read. With that clumsy preamble out of the way, here’s what I thought.

This non-fiction book starts with the author’s own insights of falling in love with horror, the paralyzing fear of trying to create content for the genre’s fans, and the unfortunate conflicts that arise between art and business. It serves as an impressive set up to dive into the crux of examining horror sequels, specifically through interviews with the filmmakers behind expanding original content into the franchises such as Saw, Hellraiser, and A Nightmare on Elm Street. Some of the interviewees include Kevin Greutert, Uwe Boll, Adam Marcus, and Jeff Burr.

I’ll fully admit that I only recognized a few of the filmmakers’ names while looking through the table of contents, but I was excited at the prospect of learning more about these people. However, I was disappointed to find there were no introductions or brief biographies of the respondents – simply a name and a selected filmography, then straight into the interview. This really threw me off as I had no idea what roles these people played within the making of movies listed in the filmographies. Were they writers, directors, producers, all of the above? Without context of creative positions, I felt a little lost in the discussions that followed.

The interviews themselves also felt a little jumbled. It was a bit like reading transcripts of people in private conversations with no thought of an audience. Tangents and run on sentences happen all the time in real life, but it doesn’t make for great reading. If the interviews were presented in an audio or visual format, they would have been fine, however I wished the responses had been tidied up for readers.

Also, after reading through a few of the interviews, the replies started to feel a bit repetitive in the bitter vein of “us, the filmmakers” versus “them, the movie executives.” Given the subject of sequels, I suppose this isn’t unexpected, but I wished the author had pushed harder to prompt a variety of answers or edited the responses to highlight a wider array of thoughts. There are some fantastic nuggets of information and enlightenments into the how and why sequels are made, and the difficult road of navigating through what production companies expect, it just takes a little digging to get to them.

One of the interviews I most enjoyed was with John Skipp, who talked about his misadventures of co-writing the story for A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child with Craig Spector, the novelisation of Fright Night (also co-written with Spector), and other aspects of writing and horror in general. Another great response came from Mary Lambert, with a concise answer to why audiences are drawn to movie sequels. Unfortunately, her interview consisted of only one question.

But I did find an absolute gem inside Sequelland: A Story of Dreams and Screams, the self-reflections by Jay Slayton-Joslin. Wedged between interviews were several introspective essay-type pieces from the author, with deep insights into how people grow as artists, the differences between fan fiction and homage, and the never-ending self doubts creative people face. I really enjoyed these chapters and had to stop myself from skimming through the interviews so that I could get to them quicker. These compelling and thought-provoking sections demonstrated the strength of this talented author, and I will definitely be seeking out more of his work in the future.

*Review first appeared on Kendall Reviews*

[Craig Wallwork · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joslin’s second book is not what you think it is. The front cover offers something akin to the face of Jason Vooheers as a child, something burnt and disfigured, then you have the subtitle, which states that SEQUELLAND is a story of dreams and screams, all of which leaves you fully prepared to be immersed into a dark menagerie of men adorned with a glove fashioned into long knifes and hockey masks. And sure, you get all that and more, but cleverly disguised within this homage to the horror genre sequel, cackles a very personal journey for the author, one that beneath all the anecdotal mishaps, mistakes, regrets, triumphs, gore and lore, you’ll find something more interesting than the history of our most beloved horror franchises.

Joslin’s story is interwoven within the fabric of the interviews he’s conducted. It’s a very candid, self-effacing portrait of a man trying to find his place in the literary world. By interviewing the directors and writers involved in sequels to movies like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Cube, Friday the 13th, Nightmare of Elm Street, there’s a feeling Joslin wishes to understand more about his own creative self in the process. It’s akin to seeking a higher level consciousness through meditation; only here Joslin isn’t sat on a mountain for hours, but crawling through the rotting carcasses of a thousand corpses to reach the fringe of Hell, where amidst the blood and the gore, he’ll find salvation, or at least have enough inspiration to bash out a short story, or novel. This isn’t a criticism of him or the book. In truth, I found his doubts were my doubts, his insecurities my insecurities. For that reason, it was very relatable, and I applaud him for being so honest. The hope is now that having gone through the process it allows him a moment of reflection; to understand that sometimes, those who have done the things we can only dream of doing, did it not for the money, or the acclaim, but for the love of the genre.

I wouldn’t claim to be an Aficionado of horror. I, like most kids who grew up in the 1970/80s, have a nostalgic fondness for the cult hits mentioned in the book. I have spoken at length in articles and interviews of my exposure to the horror genre as a child, and of this I am certain; without the experience I wouldn’t be writing today. So to read about the genesis of the sequel from the inside was a revelation. There was a peculiarity to a couple of the interviews. Kat Shea seemed like the interview was an inconvenience, and the brevity of Mary Lambert’s contribution left me with wondering if the time she allocated to answer the question was while having her morning ablution. But others, mainly Adam Marcus, makes up for any shortcomings. If I had any criticism to offer, it would be that a few of the interviews were written in the same way a person speaks. So there was a lot of parlance that caused sentences to fragment. This is a personal thing and not a reflection on the author’s experience. Joslin’s did a good job to extract a balanced interview filled with enough insight you felt satisfied. If you’re into your horror this is a worthy addition to your collection. Whereas most books concentrate on the Tobe Hoopers, the Wes Cravens and the John Carpenters of the world, this is a considerate, and respectful look at those often forgotten; the brave souls who were willing to take the hand of the Devil when he extended it, and walked into Hell to rip it up.
4.5 stars.

[Luke Kondor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this would be a simple collection of interviews but Jay offers interstitial snippets of his life which I loved. They frame the interviews, give them more meaning then they would have otherwise.

The whole thing reads like a curated art exhibition, the author elevating the individual pieces by offering context, tying them into a world that every creator knows very well, where things don't always end up like they hope they might and that's okay.

[Jay Slayton-Joslin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is great and if I didn't I'd be wasting your time.

[James Webster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uniquely framed, this poignant journey through a young creator's existential dread is deftly crafted and appropriately touching. A triumph.

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
Sequelland: A Story of Dreams and Screams takes a dive into the murky waters of horror movie sequels. Whether you hate them or love them, they aren’t going anywhere and between the movie makers who bend over backwards to please fans or the movie executives who go through script writers like toilet paper for one extra buck, there’s a lot more than fictional struggles to learn from here.

Slayton-Joslin asks pointed questions of the directors of sequels from Saw to The Leprechaun, from Carrie to Bloodrayne, delving into the unglamourous side of the movie making business. He speaks to directors who were pulled in after another director was kicked off a project, and directors who fought to get a title because they were such avid fans of the franchise themselves. Unlike with a fresh idea and screenplay, making a sequel has the added pressure of a lower budget, a higher expectation of return, a lore that must be abided by, giving the fans what they expect and yet still surprising them – the list goes on and so does the list of sequels that just don’t cut the mark.
Interspersed between these interviews, Slayton-Joslin takes a look at his own foray into a writing career. He examines his own expectations of what a story-telling career should look like and where he already feels like he has failed even before he’s fully started. There are writers and directors of all kinds who work on one project and stop there, and there are also those pigeon-holed into only making sequels, or unable to break into other genres because of the stigma of horror.
Slayton-Joslin ends the book on a hopeful note for all creative types – that there are as many paths as you are able to imagine in your story-telling mind, and there is no set track pulling you towards validation – you decide when you have succeeded and you decide what direction you want to go in if and when you do.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sequels seldom get the same attention and interest as the first film that launched a popular and enduring franchise. Regardless if it is the first film of a series or the tenth, behind each project there are individuals who are passionate about what they are working on, looking to deliver a final product that fans will enjoy. Finally, that perennial “middle child” - the sequel - is getting its day in the new CLASH Books titled Sequelland: A Story of Dreams and Screams from author Jay Slayton-Joslin.

As a person who grew up watching horror, Slayton-Joslin states in his introduction that he was looking to understand the sequel’s place in a franchise, learning what worked and what did not.


Check out the full review at Fanbase Press:

https://www.fanbasepress.com/index.ph...

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent look at the diverse lives and careers of filmmakers
who become involved in existing horror franchises

If you enjoy reading about low budget and the trashier side of video, DVD, and cinema then Sequelland: A Story of Dreams and Screams is a treasure trove of facts, anecdotes, and fascinating pearls of wisdoms from the world of Hollywood and its outer backwaters. The movers and shakers interviewed are far from household names, but even if you do not know them from Adam that fact should not put you off, these guys have fascinating tales to spins. I am not going to bother pretending I have viewed and marvelled at Puppet Master 5, Leprechaun: Origins or many of the other flicks referenced in the book, but once again, it did not detract from an insightful series of interviews into careers which might not necessarily pick up much media coverage elsewhere.

Sequelland is essentially a series of very revealing interviews with eleven filmmakers, who have all had success to some extent, and its strength lies in the fact that author Jay Slayton-Joslin really knows his source material on who are journeymen filmmakers to most readers. He does not waste our time with lame-arsed queries and asks the interviewees unique questions and allows their answers to dominate the flow of the narrative, which he skilfully steers towards his key subject of sequels. What becomes apparent, whatever your opinion on trash-cinema is, Slayton-Joslin sees these filmmakers as artists and is very respectful about their careers and this creates a repour in which the interviewees genuinely open-up in very engaging chats.

The core concept is a brilliant one and the interviews all circle this key concept:

What, if anything, can a filmmaker who arrives late in a franchise bring to the party? Is originality expected or possibly even frowned upon?

Although the interviews cover a lot of ground this question is the thread which links them all together and I found this fascinating and it got me thinking about films I had not seen in many years. When Adam Marcus directed Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday he became one of the youngest ever directors of a mainstream Hollywood film and according to Marcus the merits of this film are still debated 25+ years later as he attempted to break the mould of the previous Jason films. Personally, I remember it as being utter crap, but what Adam Marcus says interested me enough to mull over whether I need to take another look at the film? More than one interviewee notes that you must look beyond Rotten Tomato and IMDB scores, so I guess we need to look beyond the 24% this film scores on RT! Twenty years later Marcus directed Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D, which had a twenty million budget cut down to eight which restricted what they wanted to do with the kill scenes which was an eventful career development.

The interview with Uwe Boll, who specialises in films based upon video games, gave a fascinating account of how the death of the DVD market for streaming has really hurt the low budget film world. He frequently made films for between 300,000USD and 500,000USD and although his stuff was rarely seen in the cinema, they always made profit from the DVD market, with the sequels often being made more cheaply than the first on the same set. I cannot vouch for the quality of In the Name of the King I, II, or III, Seed, Bloodrayne I or II and Last Mission but this guy came across as an amiable wheeler and dealing businessman.

I particularly enjoyed the interview with Jeff Burr whose first appearance in IMDB dates way back to 1982 and he notes that prospective employers would look him up on IMDB and straight away peg him for “those kind of movies” and has been involved in four relatively well known franchises. In 1989 he directed Stepfather II and the interview details the struggle he had in securing the services of Terry O’Quinn in returning to the role. The original had been a low budget sleeper hit which hit the cinemas and did massive business on video, if you have never seen it try and track it down, avoid the garbage remake lurking on Netflix. Burr notes how unambitious the studio was with Stepfather II and they would happily have released a substandard product, knowing it was still going to make money. Burr also directed Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, Puppet Master 4, Puppet Master 5 and Pumpkinhead II and was cheerfully philosophical about his involvement with these ongoing franchises and was honest about the diminishing budgets of the Puppet Master films and getting blanked by the director of the original Pumpkinhead who did not want there ever to be a sequel.

John Skipp reveals how when he had been hired to write A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child, the company behind the film secretly got someone else to write an alternative script and after he was fired from the project his script was given to the other guy! The final result was an awful movie (arguably the worst in the series), which John had to battle to have his contribution honoured in the credits. Peter Webber recounts how he went from making the art house hit Girl with a Pearl Earring to Hannibal Rising, which is widely regarded as the weakest entry in the franchise, but at least he got to chat extensively with Thomas Harris. The interview with Kevin Greutert was also revealing, detailing how his job as editor in the early Saw films, led to him directing Saw 3D and Saw VI and all the problems the series had after killing Jigsaw off too early in the series. Coincidently, I spotted my daughter watching Jackals on the Horror Channel the other night, another directorial effort from Kevin.

Others featured in the book include: Ernie Barbarash, responsible for Cube Zero, Stir of Echoes: the Homecoming; Zack Lipovsky, responsible for Leprechaun: Origins; Katt Shea, responsible for Poison Ivy, The Rage: Carrie 2, Stripped to Kill and II and Mary Lambert who directed Pet Semetary 1 and 2, and Urban Legends: Bloody Mary.

The final word goes to the fascinating interview with Kevin Yagher who only directed one major film, Hellraiser: Bloodline which is regarded as one of the weakest films in the franchise. Kevin points out that nobody sets out to make a bad film and this production was crippled with so many problems it was eventually anonymously credited to Alan Smithee. After this disaster Kevin returned to his main area of expertise, special effects, and make-up where he has worked on long running tv shows such as Bones and big budget films such as Face Off. Very recently he has been involved in one of the most highly anticipated film of 2020, Bill & Ted Face the Music.

Along the way Sequelland author Jay Slayton-Joslin intersperses the interview with several very personal interludes which I found pleasantly engaging. These cover his love of film, his personal worries and where he hopes life may take him. It was a quirky way to split up the interviews, I got the impression he was a fairly young guy, perhaps not even old enough to remember the golden era of video shops and VHS, but his love of trash, b-movies and horror films really shone through. He sounded like a cool dude to chat about films with. Now, do I really need to watch Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday again? What do you think Jay?

Tony Jones

[Amy Vaughn · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like horror movies, you’ll like this book. If you like sequels, you'll love it. Jay Slayton-Joslin asks mostly working directors, selected because they’ve all participated in horror franchise sequels, what it’s like to do exactly that, and the answers are fascinating.

Zach Lipovsky (Leprechaun: Origins) tells us, “Each film I’ve made has been a step closer to what I want to do.” John Skipp (A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child) talks about when “the wrong hands try to stick their spoons in your soup,” saying, “I’d rather work in a fucking gas station than get pushed around by people who don’t care, are only in it for the money.”

But it is a quote from Uwe Boll (too many sequel credits to list) that for me sums up the paradoxical attitude caught here and there throughout the book. He says, of the 32 or 33 movies he’s done, he feels good about maybe 12 of them. Then he says, “They don’t really matter and I wrote them and I’m very proud of them.”

And that’s just it—there’s a breed of us who love these throw away movies, and if you’re one of us, this book is for you.

[Emily Sutcliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The interviews in this really interesting to go through, with the author asking actual interesting questions that bring out insightful answers from the interviewees. I found the personal sections in between the interviews thoughtful and relatable, and brought the book together really nicely!! Now I just want to go watch a bunch of horror films- definitely recommend!!

[Ben Errington · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED IT! Some really great interviews, the Uwe Boll stuff was particularly interesting. Insightful and engaging! A superb book.

[Sean · Rating 1 out of 5]

Weak concept explored boringly, a limp inquest spotted with commentary that enfolds its more interesting subjects like bird shit on a statue.

[Nicole Amburgey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sequelland is comprised of eleven interviews with directors and writers tied together with the self-reflective essays from the author. It is both an informative read and an homage to the legacy of horror sequels. While there are some big franchises involved, these sequels all struggled with small budgets, script changes, studio driven changes, and the directors who still made it work. We are talking about franchises that have shaped the horror genre – Nightmare on Elm Street, Saw, Hellraiser, Cube, Friday the 13th, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and even Leprechaun and Puppet Master.

This was a really quick and enjoyable read. Sequelland is filled with fun, behind-the-scenes tidbits about movies that genre lovers know, as well as with the headaches that directors and writers have to deal with in the industry. There is a section in the interview with Uwe Boll that I found particularly interesting that was about production budgets and profitability for films in the direct-to-video market versus the streaming market that dominates the industry today. I would recommend this collection to any fan of the horror movie genre.

I received a digital copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

[Kyle Muntz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a cool collection of interviews. All of them are good, though the highlight--no contest--is with Uwee Boll, who's got some very brutal complaints about filmmaking and what streaming has done to the industry. But also I enjoyed the essays on writing that were mixed in from Joslin. These may have a limited appeal to non-writers, but there's an interesting meditation here on why, exactly, do any of us bother to keep grinding away at this in obscurity? Definitely worth picking up, especially if you're familiar with some of the films.