The N Details of Horror

The third monday of April is here and I can't believe we're past the mid-point of the challenge. Time is flying!! But I'll open the week with a bit of a trivia.

In recent years we have been inundated by the amount of remakes Hollywood has forced us to endure, usually in detriment of the original piece which often shares but a few threads with its 'newer' version. Well, it seems bad remakes were not invented by Hollywood. Here I share with you the first remake ever. The English version of The Haunted Castle, directed by George Albert Smith in 1897 and based on the French original of the same name. If you want to check the 1986 version, click here.



Movie.

Noroi: Te Curse (2005)
Director: Koji Shiraishi.

Plot: A documentary filmmaker explores seemingly unrelated paranormal incidents connected by the legend of an ancient demon called the "Kagutaba."

Review: You didn't really think I was going to forget about Japanese horror, right? Also know as J-horror its peak of interest hit around 2002, when The Ring exploited into western theaters and blew our minds. Recently it has been kind of forgotten, though it is still much well regarded. Noroi is a prime example of a good story that doesn't follow western standards for horror and yet delivers in scares and eeriness. Film as a mockumentary--another huge trend--it is an effective film that actually bothered with a story that makes sense.

Book.

Necroscope by Brian Lumley.
Published by Tor Books in 1992.

Blurb: From the undead vampire in the Romanian mausoleum, Boris Dragosani tries to draw an evil force so powerful he will gain supremacy in the ultra-secret paranormal agency he works for in Russia. His official job is as a Necroscope – his speciality is tearing secrets from the souls of newly-dead traitors.

And England too has her necroscope – her communicator with the dead. When Harry Keogh is recruited by the British Secret Service to take on the paranormal menace from behind the Iron Curtain, the stage is set for the most horrifying supernatural confrontation ever... 

Review: This is actually the first book in the series, a total of five widely popular books. Lumley style is quirky but interesting and makes you care for his characters. He has also develop a very intricate story surrounding his vampires--indeed, these are vampire books--making the collection one with the most complex backstories and mythology on the theme EVER.

A to Z Challenge. Letter M.

And with letter M we have...

Movie.

Martyrs (2008)
Directed by Pascal Laugier

Plot: Fifteen years after a horrifying experience of abduction and prolonged torture, Lucie embarks on a bloody quest for revenge against her oppressors. Along with her childhood friend, Anna, who also suffered abuse, she quickly descends into madness and her own delusions. Anna, left on her own, begins to re-experience what Lucie did when she was only twelve years old.

Review: A warning for all interested in this canadian jewel; the movie is part of the extreme violent and bloody slasher movement. I wouldn't categorize it with the rest of the Torture Porn movies (Hostel anyone?) simply because there is a deep, profound story and a reason for the violence. The movie attempts, and succeeds in my opinion, to show the deep emotional pain and scars that torture/abuse leaves. It is a harrowing story that somehow manages to have a somewhat uplifting ending. This is not for the faint hearted but definitively interesting and thought-provoking.

Book.

Midnight by Dean Koontz.
Published by Berkley in 1989.

Blurb: Four people are the last hope of Moonlight Cove because one by one the rest of the citizens are changing into boogymen, werewolves, mythical creatures, or something entirely new. They are the New People; the willing victims of a seductive experiment in chemically induced evolution. They can transform their bodies at will and eliminate unproductive emotions, like grief and compassion. In fact, the only instinct left to the New People is self-preservation, and their only emotion is fear. And they want the rest of humanity to join them.

Review: After a very gory, crude recommendation, I have something lighter and entertaining for you. "Midnight" is set in a small town in Northern California, where an experiment is transforming humans and a small group of survivors, along with an FBI agent, band together to respond to the horror. There is a pervasive sense of eerieness throughout the story and although the book is not without violence, it is not stomach-churning. True to his style, Koontz generates suspense and terror more through implication than explicit description, so fret not my squeamish friends. Also, as usual with Koontz, the book reads more like a mystery with a supernatural twist. "Midnight" was a Bram Stoker nominee in 1990.


Now a little extra.
For those who asked me to include Lovecraft in the list I give you At the Mountains of Madness.
Published in Outstanding Stories Magazine in 1936.

Blurb: A novella, At the Mountains of Madness is a tale of terror unilke any other. The Barren, windswept interior of the Antarctic plateau was lifeless--or so the expedition from Miskatonic University thought. Then they found the strange fossils of unheard-of creatures and the carved stones tens of millions of years old--and, finally, the mind-blasting terror of the City of the Old Ones. 

Review: This is one of my favorite Lovecraft stories, mostly because I read it in my youth and got me so stoked I read everything with his name on the cover that came my way. I couldn't stop thinking about the Necronomicon for months. I actually believed it to be a real satanic book and searched sea and earth to find a copy. Back then there was no internet to tell me my search was futile because the book existed only in the brilliant mind of the author. My heart broke when I found out. =(

A Horrific Ode to Letter L

Movie.

Lake Mungo (2008)
Directed by Joel Anderson.

Plot: Sixteen-year-old Alice Palmer drowns while swimming in the local dam. When her body is recovered and a verdict of accidental death returned, her grieving family buries her. The family then experiences a series of strange and inexplicable events centered in and around their home. Profoundly unsettled, the Palmers seek the help of psychic and parapsychologist, RAY KEMENY. Ray discovers that Alice led a secret, double life. A series of clues lead the family to Lake Mungo where Alice's secret past emerges. Lake Mungo is a mystery, a thriller and a ghost story.

Review: Nine out of ten people will say Lake Mungo is a truly scary, yet relatable film and it's not me making up this numbers, you can check IMDb for many more satisfied customers. The australian film is yet another 'mockumentary'. It is a mystery with so many twists and turns you never know what follows, then you add a touch of supernatural and you have the recipe for success.

Book.

Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker.
Published by William Rider and Son Ltd. in 1911.

Blurb: The story centers around Adam Salton who is contacted by his granduncle in England for the purpose of establishing as the last two members of the family. Adam travels to Richard Salton's house in Mercia and quickly finds himself in the center of some inexplicable occurrences. The new heir to the Caswall estate, Edgar Caswall appears to be making some sort of a mesmeric assault on a local girl, and a local lady, Arabella March, seems to be running a game of her own, perhaps angling to become Mrs. Caswall. There is something strange about Lady March, something inexplicable and evil.

Review: Once again I travel the less known path. I could have easily suggested Dracula but you all know that is a classic and it awesome. Instead I offer you something more from the same great mind. Lair of the White Worm is every bit as dark and gothic as its predecessor. Just remember our sensibilities are quite different from those of the Victorians, don't expect a contemporary horror.

A to Z Challenge. Letter K.

Todays suggestions, sponsored by letter K, are:

Movie.


Kilometer 31 (Km31) (2007)
Directed by Rigoberto Castaneda.

Plot:  After the tragic death of their mother when they were children, twin sisters Agata and Catalina Hameran developed a special skill, a way of communicating without speaking, a "link" between them. After a mysterious accident on Kilometer 31, Agata falls into a coma. Catalina, thanks to their "link", feels the pain and tragedy her sister was going through at the time of the accident. Following a series of supernatural events, Catalina realizes that her sister Agata is screaming for help from her unconscious state. With the help of Nuño, Agata’s long time friend, and Omar, Agata’s boyfriend, they soon discover that not only is Agata in a coma, but she is also trapped between life and death, between reality and a terrible netherworld of evil spirits and ancient legend.


Review: I'm sorry for throwing you a curve ball with this movie but I couldn't find another 'K' movie that was worth sharing. This is an awesomely scary movie with great special effects based on one of Mexico's most prevalent legend: La Llorona (The Crying Woman). It won several awards and has been internationally recognized but finding a copy with subtitles in english is hard. If you do, watch it; you will not regret it. If you speak/understand spanish, then you are in luck my friend.


Book.

The Keep by F. Paul Wilson.
Published by William Morrow in 1981.

Blurb: “Something is murdering my men.” Thus reads the message received from a Nazi commander stationed in a small castle high in the remote Transylvanian Alps. Invisible and silent, the enemy selects one victim per night, leaving the bloodless and mutilated corpses behind to terrify its future victims. 
When an elite SS extermination squad is dispatched to solve the problem, the men find something that's both powerful and terrifying. Panicked, the Nazis bring in a local expert on folklore--who just happens to be Jewish--to shed some light on the mysterious happenings. And unbeknownst to anyone, there is another visitor on his way--a man who awoke from a nightmare and immediately set out to meet his destiny.
The battle has begun: On one side, the ultimate evil created by man, and on the other...the unthinkable, unstoppable, unknowing terror that man has inevitably awakened

Review: I first encountered this book when I was about twelve. One of my favorite aunts lend it to me with the warning that she hadn't been able to read past the first chapter. It terrified her. Needles to say, I jumped at my chance and read it in a week. I was scared as hell but completely fell in love with the story. About ten years ago I found the book again and remembered the story as being one of the scariest I've ever read, so I gave it a second chance and was disappointed. The story is truly scary and has influenced my style as a writer in many, many ways, but in my mind it had grown disproportionally to a status no author can accomplish. I think this is a great read for those of you who doesn't like hard core horror but are interested in trying something stronger than mysteries/thrillers. Don't read it close to drafty areas (wind is an important clue on the story) and do not read at night. Have fun!

The A to Z Challenge. Letter J.

This was a hard one but, after days of search over the net, I prevailed. My selections for the day:

Movie.

Jacob's Ladder (1990)
Directed by Adrian Lyne.

Plot: New York postal worker Jacob Singer is trying to keep his frayed life from unraveling. His days are increasingly being invaded by flashbacks to his first marriage, his now-dead son, and his tour of duty in Vietnam. Athough his new wife tries to help Jacob keep his grip on sanity, the line between reality and delusion is steadily growing more and more uncertain.

Review: A surreal psychological thriller masterfully done. With this movie nothing is what it seems and reality is but a term. We follow a traumatized Vietnam war veteran who is finding out that his post-war life isn't what he expected it to be and things get truly weird and scary when horned creatures in the subway attack him and his dead son stops by to say hello. This film will freak you out and leave you wandering what the heck just happened. Not to be missed.

Once more the embedded code is not working but for those interested in watching the trailer, click here.

Book.


The Journals of Eleanor Druse. My Investigation of the Kingdom Hospital Incident by Eleanor Druse.
Published by Hyperion in 2004.


Blurb: The newly built Kingdom Hospital in Lewiston, Maine, is one of the most technologically advanced hospitals in the country. Unfortunately, it was erected on the site of a terrible tragedy -- a textile mill fire that killed dozens of workers, mostly children. And it appears that beneath the sheen of the new construction and scientific innovations of The Kingdom, an indecipherable and primal evil lurks -- and the soul of a trapped and helpless child cries out for solace.

Review: I, like many, watched engrossed the Kingdom Hospital miniseries and though I loved it, I felt kind of cheated by the many questions left unanswered. I know the series was based on Lars Von Trier's "The Kingdom" (a Danish miniseries) and if you know anything about Von Trier you know he is anything but a conventional storyteller. So, an adaptation from another show... we have seen this before and we know the original is probably better, but where does the book feature, you ask? Well, Richard Dooling was the man responsible of the adaptation along with Mr. King. He also wrote this book as Eleanor Druse, one of the patients of the haunted hospital. Asking what was first, the book or the miniseries is like going through the chicken/egg thing. Not wise. But for those, like me, who enjoyed the series and can't get enough of it, this will be a nice little extra. You're welcome friends.

New Sponsor! Letter I

Our second Tuesday of the challenge has arrived and with it comes more A to Z horror. Hope you like it.

Movie.

In the Mouth of Madness (1994)
Directed by John Carpenter.

Plot: With the disappearance of hack horror writer Sutter Cane, all Hell is breaking loose...literally! Author Cane, it seems, has a knack for description that really brings his evil creepy-crawlies to life. Insurance investigator John Trent is sent to investigate Cane's mysterious vanishing act and ends up in the sleepy little East Coast town of Hobb's End. The fact that this town exists as a figment of Cane's twisted imagination is only the beginning of Trent's problems....

Review: I saw this movie a long time ago and it fascinated me. It was the first time that a movie storyline reminded me so much of the bulk of Lovecraft's work. It is not based on any single story but the feeling of confusion and, to some degree, madness brought to my mind many of his great stories. It is not a horror in the sense that there are ghosts or demons; it is not a violent or gory movie; heck, it isn't even about a killer. It is simply the story of a writer and his books, and a matter of answering one key question: who created whom?

Book.

I am Legend by Richard Matheson.

Published by Gold Medal in 1954.

Blurb: Robert Neville is the last living man on Earth...but he is not alone. Every other man, woman, and child on Earth has become a vampire, and they are all hungry for Neville's blood. By day, he is the hunter, stalking the sleeping undead through the abandoned ruins of civilization. By night, he barricades himself in his home and prays for dawn. How long can one man survive in a world of vampires?

Review: Not so long ago I did an extensive review of this book, should you want more detail, you can click here. But let's go over the basics. Most of us remember the story from a Will Smith movie, right? I did enjoy the movie very much and that was what lead me to read Matheson's book. Then, of course, I found out that the book had nothing to do with the movie. And I mean nothing. First, it is not a zombie story. It is post-apocalyptic indeed, but Norman truly is the last man on earth and the story is more about that fact. How do you deal with loneliness, with being the odd one, how do you survive your own memories of the ones you lost. In Matheson's world, during the day Norman is king and a hunter, but by night he is the pray and an ant.

Our Sponsor of the Day: Letter H

To mark the start of week 2, I want to add a little extra for today. A little piece of trivia from the horror archives:

The first horror movie ever to be filmed was "The Haunted Castle" (Le Manoir du Diable) in 1896. This french jewel featured vampires, casted only two actors, and lasted a whopping 3 minutes. With you, the first horror/vampire film ever made.




And back to our usual programming...


Movie.


Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)
Directed by John McNaughton.




Plot: Loosely based on the story of confessed murderer Henry Lee Lucas, the film follows Henry (Michael Rooker) as he selects innocent victims--occasionally with his roommate Otis (Tom Towles)--and kills them, capturing their murder on videotape.


Review: This is an extremely violent, not glamorized version of the life of a serial killer. Not for anyone indeed, it has been debated ever since its debut in different international festivals. Among its defenders are those who justify its brutality because of its uncompromising honesty in a world genre where most horror films cheapen death by trivializing it. Against those content the ones who consider it to be a reality we know of but that we don't need to watch to understand. The MPAA refused to rate the movie AT ALL and so it stands today, unrated. It is a thought-provoking film, very well written, with amazing performances but beware, I once heard a person say she wished she could un-watch this film as she had changed forever after seeing it.


Book.


My first selection was House of Leaves; the very complex, very debated, experimental Danielewiski horror book, but given its nature, I know it won't appeal to everyone, so I added another YA Post-apocalyptic story to the mix. Here you have both:


1. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewiski.
    Published by Random House in 2000.


    Blurb: The story focuses on a young family that moves into a small home on Ash Tree Lane where they discover something is terribly wrong: their house is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. Of course, neither Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Will Navidson nor his companion Karen Green was prepared to face the consequences of that impossibility, until the day their two little children wandered off and their voices eerily began to return another story -- of creature darkness, of an ever-growing abyss behind a closet door, and of that unholy growl which soon enough would tear through their walls and consume all their dreams.


    Review: Danielewski's claim to fame is the fact that "House of Leaves" is really two novels in one. What binds them together is the Nabokovian trick of running one narrative in footnotes to the other. The horror story part of it is a tour-de-force where Zampano, a blind Angelino recluse, dies, leaving behind the notes to a manuscript that's an account of a film called The Navidson Report. In the Report, Pulitzer Prize-winning news photographer Will Navidson and his girlfriend move with their two children to a house in an unnamed Virginia town in an attempt to save their relationship. One day, Will discovers that the interior of the house measures more than its exterior and, more ominously, a closet appears in a hallway. Will then contacts a explorer, Holloway Roberts, who mounts an expedition with his two-man crew. They discover a vast stairway and countless halls where the constantly changing building drives Holloway into a murderous frenzy. 


    What could very well represent the fall of the story, its patch-like structure, works in favor of the viscerally frightening experience, enhancing the horror of the tale. The second story, unfolding in footnotes, is that of Johnny Truant, the man who discovered Zampano's body and took his papers. He tracks down and beds most of the women who assisted Zampano in preparing his manuscript. Soon Johnny is crippled by panic attacks bringing him close to psychosis. 


     This novel is what Dali's body of work would be it it were made of books. Surrealist in the extreme, it has as many detractors as followers, but where so much is said by others, the only way to know the truth is to read it for yourself and create your own opinion. 


2. How I live Now by Meg Rosoff.
    Published by Random House Children's Books in 2006.


    Blurb: Fifteen-year-old Daisy is sent from Manhattan to England to visit her aunt and cousins she’s never met: three boys near her age, and their little sister. Her aunt goes away on business soon after Daisy arrives. The next day bombs go off as London is attacked and occupied by an unnamed enemy. As power fails, and systems fail, the farm becomes more isolated. Despite the war, it’s a kind of Eden, with no adults in charge and no rules, a place where Daisy’s uncanny bond with her cousins grows into something rare and extraordinary. But the war is everywhere, and Daisy and her cousins must lead each other into a world that is unknown in the scariest, most elemental way.


    Review: This multiple-award-winning book touches deep themes like the horrors of war and anorexia. Most of the reviews you'll find talk about the story being focused for young readers, but that doesn't mean adult reader won't enjoy it. It can take at tomes on elements of magical realism, like in Daisy's near psychic connection with Edmond and the scenes of her idyllic life in the English countryside, and then evolves into vivid realism as the protagonist is faces the horrors of starvation, exhaustion, and murder. Truly a story not to miss.