cover image Development Hell

Development Hell

Mick Garris, . . Cemetery Dance, $40 (307pp) ISBN 978-1-58767-134-0

The nameless protagonist of Garris's unsubtle novel chronicling the all-consuming, soul-sucking nature of Hollywood grabs at a second chance after his first movie out of film school bombs. Alas, his second film, which exploits a mutant baby, is another dud. Our hero gradually builds a modest career, explores Old Hollywood via sex with a raised-from-the-dead Jean Harlow and hits bottom again before he resigns himself to writing for TV. Further tragedy inspires his next pitch: a reality TV show titled Suicide! with his on-screen death as the first episode. The now-deceased filmmaker spends the novel's second half as a disembodied spirit in search of bodies to inhabit. The author, a Hollywood veteran (he created Showtime's Masters of Horror series), explores a kinky love-hate relationship with "Lady Hollywood" in this disjointed debut, which offers a lot more sex and gore than Entertainment Tonight , but not much more insight. (Aug.)