I was in the mood for some music today, but not JUST music. I was in the mood for music and movies...and horror. It's hard to find a good balance with all three of those, considering the disturbing lack of enough horror rock operas to sate my palatte. I can't keep watching the same ones over and over, after all. So I decided to draw up a quick list...of awesome spooky and creepy music videos. And who better to share them with than my beloved readers?
Just a quick warning, a few of these may be somewhat gross. And contain nudity. Mostly that 4th one, which I honestly am not too terribly surprised about...it's Dir En Grey. Others may be severely campy.
Also, some of these videos are hosted by the creators, and I highly suggest you check them out if you really enjoyed their videos.
Yes, my friends, once more I bring you some vintage comics. Last year you'll probably remember when I posted Issue 5 of 'Adventures into Darkness', and I figured it was time to move on to issue 6. I'd also like to take the time before delving into the beginning of this issue to mention a website dedicated to hosting public domain vintage comics, focusing on many different varieties of genres. Please take some time to swing by comicbooksarchive.com if you get the chance, and lend your support if you can to help with hosting fees. A lot of amazing comics will eventually be lost to wear and tear, and preserving them online is our best bet to ensure people can enjoy them for generations to come.
You know, I think film scripts and comics have a lot in common. The best ones 'show' and don't 'tell'. Sometimes these old comics, and especially of the AiD variety...seem to forget that. Still, just look at that beautiful cover. A man trapped into a fleshless marriage at the local graveyard? Don't mind if I do! The art in this issue seems even more cartoony at times than Issue 5, which I love. The first issue is your typical vengeful ghost story, rather like the story of the birdwoman in another comic I featured. I hope you enjoy.
Some time ago, Madhouse was briefly referenced in a Netflix instant watch list. So now I suppose it's time to tell you guys my verdict: I absolutely love this movie. As a die-hard Vincent Price fan, how could I not? Its an extremely campy film made during his later period, and pretty much gives Price constant screen-time.
I'm recommending this one, because it's not one of his more commonly-watched movies. In fact, it had taken me ages just to discover Madhouse. Probably because it doesn't really stand on it's own, but because of Price's history. A tongue-in-cheek kind of horror film that references several of Prices older and (at the time) even more recent works. Madhouse is a great movie to finish up a Vincent binge, but it's also a great movie to start it with if you're already familiar with him. If you've been avoiding Madhouse based on the cover, or perhaps simply because you haven't heard of it, I urge to watch this one as soon as possible.
Sometimes this one gets a bad wrap. Mostly from people who expect 90% of good cinema doesn't date itself, which is just silly. One thing I love about this movie, is that it's just about the closest adaptation of a Stephen King book I've ever seen (from the ones I've read, that is.) Not to mention the child actor who played Gage (Miko Hughes) was incredibly disturbing as he transitioned from the role of an innocent baby to basically a demonically-possessed corpse. It's also deliciously campy in a way modern horror directors tend to forget can be a good thing when done right.
This movie is a collection of great moments. The concept alone makes for a pretty spooky story:
- An old burial ground that resurrects whatever is buried there, in a manner of speaking, and sends them on soul-less rampages to destroy whoever the living person might have cherished.
- A wise old man with dark knowledge of the Pet Sematary's past, played by none other than Fred Gwynne (otherwise famous for his role as Herman Munster).
- An evil cat.
- An even more evil child.
- The compulsion to return to this forbidden place and try your luck again, knowing full well nothing good can come of it.
- And also a daughter conveniently forgotten who apparently has visions of the future.
I mean, Pet Sematary has a lot going for it, if you're looking for something to watch alone or with friends on a stormy night. And that's why it's the horror flick of the week.
Cronenberg. Great actor? Absolutely not. Amazing director? You bet your ass he is. I honestly can't think of one of his films that could be remade, an even come close to matching how fun (and often times disturbing) his movies are. Scanners is not my favorite on the list, but I do enjoy it, and I do think it's worth checking out for anybody with a love of physical effects.
In his movies, there tends to be a distaste for authority, for those in control of the big picture. But what made me pick Scanners for this week's featured film? Part of it is the fact that it will be playing at Alamo Drafthouse in New Braunfels on May 12, and it's really worth seeing if you get the chance. The other part is because sometimes you've just got to figure out a way to get your non-horror friends to watch a horror movie. As far as campy classics go, this one is tame enough for the novice, and still wild enough to be entertaining.
The Monster at the End of this Book, written by Jon Stone
I know sometimes it's a little funny how I'll go from discussing very adult films and books, and then diving in to suggest some children's stories to my readers. Okay, now that I've addressed that, let's move on to the very simple and yet very classic 'The Monster at the End of this Book'.
Horror? Perhaps not to most of you, unless your parents read to you as kids. This book features as one of the favorite stories my mom pulled off the shelf every other night to read for me, not only because of her excellent voice skills (as you've no doubt heard in my podcast episode intro), but because this was a scary book. For a four-year-old.
It's quite short. And based on how the adult reads to the child, can be either very fast...or very slow. The slower the better, because it's a fantastic introduction for the little ones into the world of tension. Each page turned (of course) brings you closer to 'the monster' at the end of the book, hence the title. And each page, Grover, becomes more and more panicked. Did the premise need to be explained? I certainly hope not, because at this point my blog entry has become longer than the actual story.
So in summary, if you're a mom or a dad, please do your kids a favor and read them 'The Monster at the End of this Book', before they're too old to put 2 and 2 together before figuring out the monster's identity by the end.
