Critical Writings and Interviews on World Fringe Cinema
and Other Diversions
The Library
[click links and PDFs
to read select articles
and for more information]
Film Reviews, Interviews & Articles
Heroines of Shadow and Light: Jess Franco Film Icons Pamela Stanford and Monica Swinn Reflect
● cover story for exclusive interviews with actors Pamela Stanford and Monica Swinn, accompanied by
a brief article on Jess Franco and his connection to the French fantastique film
[Click Here to learn more]
Delirium (U.S.) 2025
Dreaming Beautifully in the House of Usher
● analysis of the experimental film Lady Usher's Diary (2022) by Alexandre H. Mathis, including interview
comments by actress Pamela Stanford
[Click Here to read]
A H Mathis Romans et Films (Online) 2023
In Search of the Timeless Moment
● analysis of the seven-hour experimental film Outre Tombe (Haunted Earth/2018) by Alexandre H. Mathis
[Click Here to read]
A H Mathis Romans et Films (Online) 2020
Portals and Presences: Salvia
● personal narrative perspective on the psychedelic plant Salvia divinorum
The Psychedelic Anthology Volume III 2018
Outside the Lines: A Journey with La Dama Verde
● personal narrative perspective on the psychedelic plant Salvia divinorum
Psychedelic Press Journal XXIV 2018
Moving Stillness: A Moment with Visionary Artist Gary Lund
● first-ever published interview with artist Gary Lund on his creation of the Third Eye Oracle Deck
Tarosophist International (U.K.) 2010
Sage of Aquarius: David Palladini & The Art of Being
● first-ever published in-depth analysis on the Aquarian Tarot deck; this cover story includes separate
comprehensive interviews with artist David Palladini; Stuart R. Kaplan, Founder of U.S. Games Systems;
and Susan Hansson, Reading Tarot Cards: A Guide to the New Palladini Tarot
Tarosophist International (U.K.) 2009
Marquis Value: From Sade to Screen
● first-ever published in-depth analysis of the film Plaisir à trois (1973), including interviews with alternative filmmaker Jess Franco, screenwriter Alain Petit and actor Robert Woods
Secret (Belgium) 2007
Stay Forever! Revisiting Let’s Scare Jessica to Death
● first-ever published in-depth analysis of the cult film classic Let’s Scare Jessica to Death (1971),
including an exclusive interview with director John Hancock
Filmfax (U.S.) 2002
La Residencia: An Analysis
● first-ever published in-depth analysis of La Residencia (The House That Screamed/1970), including interviews
with director Narciso Ibáñez Serrador and actor Mary Maude, with additional comments by actor Cristina
Galbó and art director Ramiro Gómez
Filmfax (U.S.) 1999
Bloody Banquet
● cover story review and film analysis of Jess Franco's Tender Flesh (1997)
Samhain (U.K.) 1998
My Rendez-vous with the Baroness
●interview with actor Monique van Vooren on her film work in Flesh for Frankenstein (1973)
World of Fandom (U.S.) 1997
Brava Miwa!
● first-ever published in-depth analysis of the Japanese cult film Kurotokage (AKA Black Lizard/1968) and
interview with its star Akihiro Miwa; this nationally published cover story by 10 Percent represents the first
detailed English-language interview granted by Miwa on a forty-year career in theater, television, and film;
the article's immediate popularity resulted in its re-publication as a cover story in Phase the following year
10 Percent (U.S.) 1994
Phase (U.K.) 1995
Dreadful Pleasures
● selection of grindhouse-style reviews executed with a combination of irreverence and admiration
Dreadful Pleasures (U.S.) mid-1990s
Tomb of Ligeia: An Appreciation
● first-ever published in-depth analysis of Tomb of Ligeia (1964); this cover story includes separate
comprehensive interviews with actors Vincent Price and Elizabeth Shepherd, and additional remarks by
director Roger Corman; the Price interview was the final one granted by the actor
Scarlet Street (U.S.) 1992
Short-Form Reviews
● reviews of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1922), Berserk! (1967), and Daughters of Darkness [excerpt] (1971)
Scarlet Street (U.S.) 1992
Black Sunday and Baron Blood: Les Baxter
● music review for CD release of composer Les Baxter's soundtracks for Mario Bava's films Black Sunday (1960)
and Baron Blood (1972)
Film Score Monthly (U.S.) 1992
Rococo Horror Redefined
● theoretical analysis of the Italian and Spanish horror film
Scarlet Street (U.S.) 1992
Articles on Unconventional Historical Figures
Co-authored with Scot D. Ryersson
Reckless Folly: The Histrionic Life and Death of Henry Cyril Paget
● biographical overview of Henry Cyril Paget, the Fifth Marquess of Anglesey, co-authored with Scot D. Ryersson
Scala Regia (Portugal) 2015
Living Out Loud: The Eccentric Life of the Marchesa Casati
● biographical overview of the Marchesa Luisa Casati, co-authored with Scot D. Ryersson
Scala Regia (Portugal) 2012
Medusa in Pearls: The Outrageous Life of the Marchesa Luisa Casati
● cover story biographical overview of the Marchesa Luisa Casati, co-authored with Scot D. Ryersson
Zelda (U.S.) 2011
The Temptations of St. Jean
● discussion of the outrageous life and bizarre writings of the Decadent French writer Jean Lorrain, co-authored
with Scot D. Ryersson
aRUDE (U.S.) 2005
Luisa and Gabriele
● overview of the strange and scandalous love affair of the Marchesa Luisa Casati and Gabriele D’Annunzio,
co-authored with Scot. D. Ryersson
Primo (U.S.) 2005
Aesthetic Assassin: Comte Robert de Montesquiou
● survey on the life of the dandy and literary figure, co-authored with Scot D. Ryersson
aRUDE (U.S.) 2004
Life on the High Seas of Culture: Nancy Cunard
● survey on the life of the notorious society and literary icon, co-authored with Scot D. Ryersson
aRUDE (U.S.) 2004
Siren of the Century: The Marchesa Casati
● major feature article on the life of the Marchesa Luisa Casati, co-authored with Scot D. Ryersson
Art-is-Life (U.S.) 2002
Daydream Believer
● extensive biographical study of the Marchesa Luisa Casati, co-authored with Scot D. Ryersson
The Idler (U.K.) 2001
The Dandy Boys
● historical survey on eccentric members of British aristocracy, co-authored with Scot D. Ryersson
Bizarre (U.K.) 2001
Medusa in Pearls & Passion Player
● biographical studies of the Marchesa Luisa Casati and Gabriele D'Annunzio, co-authored with Scot D. Ryersson
aRUDE (U.S.) 2001
Painted Lady
● article on the life of the Marchesa Luisa Casati, co-authored with Scot D. Ryersson
Bizarre (U.K.) 2000
Books
biographical
Co-authored with Scot D. Ryersson
Infinite Variety: The Life and Legend of the Marchesa Casati
● internationally critically acclaimed, multi-award-winning biography; published throughout North America,
United Kingdom and British Commonwealth, with separate French, Italian, Russian, Swedish and multiple
German-language editions released worldwide, co-authored with Scot D. Ryersson; this bestseller continues
to be given feature coverage in major periodicals and via Online media throughout the world
[Click Here to visit dedicated site]
Publication: 1999-Present
Infinite Variety is the recipient of the following awards:
•Editors Are Into… Selection, Harper’s Bazaar, Japan
•What We Love Selection, Deutsch Vogue, Germany
•Best Books Winter 2004/2005 Selection, Elegant Lifestyle, U.S./U.K./Germany
•Banner Books of the Year 2004 Selection, Pointe Magazine, U.S.
•Top Ten Most Read Books 2003 Selection, Academia News, Italy
•Book of the Week 2003 Selection, La Repubblica, Italy
•21st Century Award 2001 Selection, International Biographical Centre, U.K.
•Paperback of the Week Selection, Time Out London, U.K.
•Certificate of Merit in Biographical Writing, Writer’s Digest, U.S.
•Biography of the Year, First Finalist, Independent Publisher Book Awards, U.S.
•Bestseller List–‘Books Everyone Likes,’ Lambda Literary Foundation, U.S.
•Book of the Year Selection, by celebrity writer/performer Barry Humphries for
Sunday Telegraph, U.K.
•Book of the Year Selection, by noted biographer Philip Hoare for Gay Times, U.K. 1999
•Book of the Year Selection, by the cultural review Bibel, Sweden
La divina marchesa: Arte e vita di Luisa Casati dalla Belle Époque agli anni folli
● commissioned by the Palazzo Fortuny (Venice) to co-author with Scot D. Ryersson a chapter for a major
exhibition catalogue at this Italian museum
Publication: 2014
The Marchesa Casati: Portraits of a Muse
● visual biography published and distributed worldwide by Abrams Books, co-authored with Scot D. Ryersson;
this lavishly illustrated, coffee-table art book includes a preface by celebrated fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, a foreword by National Book Award-winning author Judith Thurman, and an afterword by Lady Moorea Black,
the subject’s granddaughter
[Click Here for more information]
Publication: 2009
The Marchesa Casati: Portraits of a Muse is the recipient of the following awards:
•10th Anniversary Issue Inspiration Book Selection, AnOther Magazine, U.K.
•Vogue Loves Book Selection, Vogue, Australia
•Lo Ultimo/Rock & Cool Selection, Vogue, Mexico y Latinoamerica
•Beautiful Things We Love and Love to Share Selection, AnOther Magazine, U.K.
•Best Gift Tips for Holiday 2009 Selection, ArtMag, Germany
•Best Art Books of the Year 2009 Selection, The New Republic, U.S.
•Holiday 2009 Book Pick Selection, Globe and Mail, Canada
•Highlights and Trends Selection, Harper's Bazaar, U.K.
•Shelf Life Selection, Fashion Magazine, Canada
•Book of the Week Selection, Italy Magazine, U.K.
•Hot List Must-Read Books Selection, Harper's Bazaar, U.S.
•People Are Talking About Selection, Style.com/Vogue, U.S.
•Critics' Pick Selection, Salon.com, U.S.
•Reading Wish List Selection, The Deux Luxe, U.S.
dramatic
Co-authored with Scot D. Ryersson
Infinite Variety: Portrait of a Muse
● one-woman original dramatic presentation based on the biography of the Marchesa Casati, co-authored and
co-produced with Scot D. Ryersson; this critically acclaimed work was performed by distinguished
British actress Elizabeth Shepherd to sold-out audiences in New York City, Toronto, and London
[Click Here for more information]
Publication: 1999-2001
fairy tale
Co-authored with Scot D. Ryersson
The Princess of Wax—A Cruel Tale (or La Princesse de cire—un conte cruel)
● critically acclaimed decadent fairy tale published as a deluxe limited-edition book, co-authored with
Scot D. Ryersson; bilingual text in English and French, with illustrations by acclaimed contemporary French
Surrealist artist Anne Bachelier
[Click Here & scroll down for more information]
Publication: 2003
audio-book
Co-edited with Scot D. Ryersson
Spectral Haunts and Phantom Lovers
● co-editor of a collection of this of British ghost tales with Scot D. Ryersson read by renowned actress
[Click Here to visit dedicated site]
Publication: 2016
occult
Heart Vision: Tarot’s Inner Path
● full-length how-to book on self-reading with the Tarot, including exclusive comments by many noted
contemporary practitioners and original illustrations by Scot D. Ryersson and cover art by Gary Lund
[Click Here to visit dedicated site]
Publication: 2018
The Common Reader
● regular quarterly column offering practical, ethical, and mystical advice for the professional Tarot reader
Tarosophist International (Online and print editions/U.K.)
Publication: 2008-2010
The Feline Tradition: From Goddess to Hellcat and Back
● brief overview on the occult significance of the cat throughout history, including an original illustration by
Hecate's Cauldron (U.S) early-1993
erotica
Novella Collections
● two pseudonymously penned collections of erotica received international acclaim and were published in
several editions
Publication: late-1990s
