C. COURTNEY JOYNER is an award-winning writer of fiction, comics, and screenplays, with over 25 produced movies to his credit, including the cult films PRISON starring Viggo Mortensen, CLASS OF 1999 directed by Mark Lester, and the new 3-D CAPTAIN NEMO for Page Four Productions, starring Hugh Bonneville as Nemo, Hailey Atwell, and David Morrisey. A graduate of USC, Courtney’s first produced screenplay was THE OFFSPRING starring the legendary Vincent Price. His other scripts have included TV movies for CBS, (DISTANT COUSINS), the USA Network (BETRAYAL, GUILTY AS CHARGED), and Showtime (WHITE RUSH, THE DEVIL'S PREY). He has written action films (VIETNAM - TEXAS. INSTINCT TO KILL, NAUTILUS) and horror, as well as a number of films for Charles Band's Full Moon company, released by Paramount, including installments in the very successful PUPPET MASTER series and TRANCERS 3 starring Academy Award winner Helen Hunt and Tim Thomerson. He also directed this film, as well as the H.P. Lovecraft adaptation, THE LURKING FEAR. Staying in the horror vein, Courtney co-wrote all 13 episodes of the series WILLIAM SHATNER'S FRIGHT NIGHT for the SyFy Channel. Courtney's newest screenplay is the violent biography of the most notorious woman of the West, THE LEGEND OF BELLE STARR.
As a film journalist, his articles have appeared in TRUE WEST, WILDEST WESTERNS, ROUND-UP, FANGORIA, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND, and others. He has written chapters for a number of movie books, including LON CHANEY, JR., THE CINEMA OF H.P. LOVECRAFT, THE BOOK OF LISTS: HORROR, and DUKE: WE’RE GLAD WE KNEW YOU.
His movie book, THE WESTERNERS – INTERVIEWS WITH ACTORS, DIRECTORS AND WRITERS, was published by McFarland in November 2010 to excellent reviews, and a second volume is in the works. He is currently writing WARNER BROTHERS FANTASTIC: A HISTORY OF THE STUDIO'S HORROR, SCIENCE-FICTION AND FANTASY FILMS, also for McFarland. As a film historian, Courtney has appeared in the special features on a number of DVD's and documentaries, including THE COMANCHEROS, THE BRUTE MAN, THE BIG TRAIL, APACHE RIFLES, CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OPERA, THE WONDER WORLD OF K. GORDON MURRAY, SHOCK CINEMA, and a slew of upcoming Universal horror titles.
In the world of fiction, his western short stories have been anthologized in the just released THE TRADITIONAL WEST, A FISTFUL OF LEGENDS LAW OF THE GUN, and the upcoming SIX GUNS AND SLAY BELLS. His crime and horror stories are featured in the new collections HOLLYWOOD HELL and BEAT TO A PULP, ROUND 2. His LAW OF THE GUN short story “Two-Bit Kill” was nominated for a Peacemaker Award as Best Short Story of 2010 by The Western Fictioneers and his new western series SHOTGUN will be published by Kensington in 2013. Courtney's young adult western series, THE DEPUTY DIARIES, will be made available as an e-book, downloadable from this site and other venues. Courtney has also written for comics, developing projects for the estate of comic legend Jack Kirby, as well as writing stories for Image Comics' THE WICKED WEST 2, and penning the script for the large graphic novel, THE SAGA OF BILLY THE KID with noted artist Mike Gagnon. Aside from screenwriting, film journalism, comics, and his fiction writing, Courtney also lectures on breaking into the western genre, in the "traditional print" and e-book markets.
Courtney is a member of the Western Writers of America, and was honored this year as the recipient of their President's Award. He is also a member of the Horror Writers Association, and The International Thriller Writers. He lives in Los Angeles.
As a film journalist, his articles have appeared in TRUE WEST, WILDEST WESTERNS, ROUND-UP, FANGORIA, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND, and others. He has written chapters for a number of movie books, including LON CHANEY, JR., THE CINEMA OF H.P. LOVECRAFT, THE BOOK OF LISTS: HORROR, and DUKE: WE’RE GLAD WE KNEW YOU.
His movie book, THE WESTERNERS – INTERVIEWS WITH ACTORS, DIRECTORS AND WRITERS, was published by McFarland in November 2010 to excellent reviews, and a second volume is in the works. He is currently writing WARNER BROTHERS FANTASTIC: A HISTORY OF THE STUDIO'S HORROR, SCIENCE-FICTION AND FANTASY FILMS, also for McFarland. As a film historian, Courtney has appeared in the special features on a number of DVD's and documentaries, including THE COMANCHEROS, THE BRUTE MAN, THE BIG TRAIL, APACHE RIFLES, CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OPERA, THE WONDER WORLD OF K. GORDON MURRAY, SHOCK CINEMA, and a slew of upcoming Universal horror titles.
In the world of fiction, his western short stories have been anthologized in the just released THE TRADITIONAL WEST, A FISTFUL OF LEGENDS LAW OF THE GUN, and the upcoming SIX GUNS AND SLAY BELLS. His crime and horror stories are featured in the new collections HOLLYWOOD HELL and BEAT TO A PULP, ROUND 2. His LAW OF THE GUN short story “Two-Bit Kill” was nominated for a Peacemaker Award as Best Short Story of 2010 by The Western Fictioneers and his new western series SHOTGUN will be published by Kensington in 2013. Courtney's young adult western series, THE DEPUTY DIARIES, will be made available as an e-book, downloadable from this site and other venues. Courtney has also written for comics, developing projects for the estate of comic legend Jack Kirby, as well as writing stories for Image Comics' THE WICKED WEST 2, and penning the script for the large graphic novel, THE SAGA OF BILLY THE KID with noted artist Mike Gagnon. Aside from screenwriting, film journalism, comics, and his fiction writing, Courtney also lectures on breaking into the western genre, in the "traditional print" and e-book markets.
Courtney is a member of the Western Writers of America, and was honored this year as the recipient of their President's Award. He is also a member of the Horror Writers Association, and The International Thriller Writers. He lives in Los Angeles.
NEW ANTHOLOGY AND MAGAZINE ARTICLE!
COURTNEY JOYNER'S "THE WIRE" IN NEW PRINT AND E-BOOK ANTHOLOGY
THE TRADITIONAL WEST, a brand new anthology edited by James and Livia Reasoner for The Western Fictioneers has just been released in both Kindle and print formats through Amazon: The classic American Western returns in this collection of brand-new stories by some of the top Western writers in the world today. Matthew P. Mayo, Robert J. Randisi, Dusty Richards, James Reasoner, Larry D. Sweazy, L.J. Washburn, C. Courtney Joyner, Jackson Lowry, Larry Jay Martin, Kerry Newcomb, and many other members of Western Fictioneers, the only writers’ organization devoted solely to traditional Western fiction, take readers from the dusty plains of Texas to the sweeping vistas of Montana and beyond, in the biggest original Western anthology ever published!
THE TRADITIONAL WEST is also available on Nook through Barnes and Noble, as well as a standard print edition from these outlets and The Western Fictioneers Larry J. Martin created the terrific trailer.
TRUE WEST "COWBOYS AND MONSTERS" ARTICLE
The newest issue of TRUE WEST magazine to hit the stands, with its special cover features on COWBOYS AND ALIENS, includes an over-view of weird, horror and monster westerns entitled "COWBOYS AND MONSTERS", written by C. Courtney Joyner. The illustrated essay covers films as diverse as the notorious BILLY THE KID VS. DRACULA, the cultish FIEND WHO WALKED THE WEST, Eastwood's ghostly HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER and the modern horror Western NEAR DARK.
WARNER BROTHERS FANTASTIC: A GUIDE TO THE STUDIO'S HORROR, FANTASY AND SCIENCE-FICTION FILMS
While still in the writing stages, the Courtney Joyner project is shaping up to be an extensive, and interesting look into the production of over 200 movies from the studio including classics like HOUSE OF WAX, THEM!, THE EXORCIST, and both the BATMAN and HARRY POTTER series. A Facebook page, with trailers from the films being examined will be online soon, and will also feature some exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes photographs from this amazing collection of genre films from one of our greatest studios. McFarland plans on bringing out the finished volume for Christmas 2012. This will be Courtney's second book with the publisher, after the successful THE WESTERNERS, and will follow it up with THE SAGA OF BILLY THE KID for their new graphic novel division.
THE TRADITIONAL WEST, a brand new anthology edited by James and Livia Reasoner for The Western Fictioneers has just been released in both Kindle and print formats through Amazon: The classic American Western returns in this collection of brand-new stories by some of the top Western writers in the world today. Matthew P. Mayo, Robert J. Randisi, Dusty Richards, James Reasoner, Larry D. Sweazy, L.J. Washburn, C. Courtney Joyner, Jackson Lowry, Larry Jay Martin, Kerry Newcomb, and many other members of Western Fictioneers, the only writers’ organization devoted solely to traditional Western fiction, take readers from the dusty plains of Texas to the sweeping vistas of Montana and beyond, in the biggest original Western anthology ever published!
THE TRADITIONAL WEST is also available on Nook through Barnes and Noble, as well as a standard print edition from these outlets and The Western Fictioneers Larry J. Martin created the terrific trailer.
TRUE WEST "COWBOYS AND MONSTERS" ARTICLE
The newest issue of TRUE WEST magazine to hit the stands, with its special cover features on COWBOYS AND ALIENS, includes an over-view of weird, horror and monster westerns entitled "COWBOYS AND MONSTERS", written by C. Courtney Joyner. The illustrated essay covers films as diverse as the notorious BILLY THE KID VS. DRACULA, the cultish FIEND WHO WALKED THE WEST, Eastwood's ghostly HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER and the modern horror Western NEAR DARK.
WARNER BROTHERS FANTASTIC: A GUIDE TO THE STUDIO'S HORROR, FANTASY AND SCIENCE-FICTION FILMS
While still in the writing stages, the Courtney Joyner project is shaping up to be an extensive, and interesting look into the production of over 200 movies from the studio including classics like HOUSE OF WAX, THEM!, THE EXORCIST, and both the BATMAN and HARRY POTTER series. A Facebook page, with trailers from the films being examined will be online soon, and will also feature some exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes photographs from this amazing collection of genre films from one of our greatest studios. McFarland plans on bringing out the finished volume for Christmas 2012. This will be Courtney's second book with the publisher, after the successful THE WESTERNERS, and will follow it up with THE SAGA OF BILLY THE KID for their new graphic novel division.
THE COMANCHEROS COMES TO BLU-RAY WITH NEW WAYNE DOCUMENTARY
One of John Wayne's livliest films, and the last for legendary director Michael Curtiz, THE COMANCHEROS is newly released on Blu-Ray in a special editions, with multiple extra features. One of the highlights is a new documentary THE DUKE AT FOX, that features interviews with film historians C. Courtney Joyner and Rick Jewell, as well as Wayne's widow Pilar and son Ethan. The documentary traces Wayne's history with the studio from the silent era through such films as NORTH TO ALASKA and THE UNDEFEATED. Courtney also contributed a rare edition of the Dell Comics adaptation of the film which is presented as a special supplement, with the comic restored digitally, and shown in its entirety.
Previously, Courtney provided insights into the careers of both Wayne and director Raoul Walsh for the special two-disc edition of THE BIG TRAIL from 20th Century Fox. One of the topics covered was the controversy surrounding Duke's introduction to "the big time," and that the opportunity actually came from Walsh and not Wayne's longtime mentor and friend, John Ford.
Previously, Courtney provided insights into the careers of both Wayne and director Raoul Walsh for the special two-disc edition of THE BIG TRAIL from 20th Century Fox. One of the topics covered was the controversy surrounding Duke's introduction to "the big time," and that the opportunity actually came from Walsh and not Wayne's longtime mentor and friend, John Ford.
