The Midnight Meat Train
by Clive Barker
In 1984 the Books of Blood by Clive Barker were published and quickly gained a following worldwide. Literary eminences like Stephen King noticed early on the creativity and powerful prose throughout the Books of Blood, bringing Clive Barker’s stories to the forefront of horror fiction. One of these stories was “The Midnight Meat Train” following one Leon Kaufman as he discovers the origins of a series of grizzly subway train murders in New York City… and the controlling forces behind it all.
Clive Barker’s The Midnight Meat Train Special Definitive Edition brings the original story back with all-new material: a new afterword written by Clive Barker, seven color paintings based on the story by the author, a new introduction by Phil & Sarah Stokes, a foreword by the movie screenplay writer Jeff Buhler, storyboards from the film, never-before-seen photos, notes, sketches and more.
The short story of the Midnight Meat Train was introduce to me with Books of Blood Vol. 1-3. I actually read the whole book in one sitting and I have to say the story is one of my favorites. Like most Clive Barker novels, you know what expect when you pick up one of his stories. While the story was story and it hit hard and fast. Now I have both the short version and one with the movie update. While movie edition had forward and a few story boards. It even added a little bit more to the story.
Now the story and movie are different in a few ways, as to be expected. Being a short story to start with, I’m rather not shocked that they had to add or change a few things. The artwork that Clive Barker did for the movie and for this edition for the book is fantastic. The gore and fear the story gives you is fantastic, it also give you a rich backstory and defiantly leaves you wanting more and raises a number of questions. I almost wish Barker would make a book series based on this short story.
Fun fact about Midnight Meat Train, it was originally meant to be a sequel to Candyman (1992). Now is the movie the ancients’ immortality is ensured by the human flesh (they are themselves degenerate humans), and said immortality is needed for them to continually serve the Eldritch Abomination they made a deal with so New York would prosper. It’s implied that similar deals were brokered with similar abominations at the site of every major city in the world. The short story kinda hints at that, but it mostly focuses on New York and give you the idea that this beings are vary old. It caused me to have thoughts of H.P. Lovecraft and his universe.
Home of the Nerdy Viking 
I remember this movie not getting a great deal of praise when it came out. I just felt bad for Ted Raimi. Anyways, the concept of the prosperous city is kind of cool. Kind of makes me think of Stephen Kings IT and how the town was prosperous because of its blind eye to the killings of the inner dimensional beast living within its sewage system. But Candyman and this theme is interesting. However, I always connected Candyman to the conflicts of prosperous cities. He exists and reeks havoc because of injustices on people. Eh, maybe not.
Ideally I think this concept is a pretty common theme in many horror films in general. Success and prosperity being a given by some superior force.
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I’d have to agree. I myself loved this movie, but sadly… It wasn’t given a chance or the right treatment for it to succee.
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