Links List

I've been trawling about the internet looking for interesting / informative horror-related sites - here's a few good ones that I've dredged up.  In no particluar order...

Rereading Stephen King
A blog by James Smythe on the Guardian newspaper's website.  He's reading every Stephen King book in chronological order and writing a commentary on each work.  James' reviews are balanced and insightful, and it's intriguing to follow his rediscovery of older works, and the way in which the interpretation of a book can change when revisiting it at a later date. There are also summaries of common Kingian themes and connections, and a handy Randall Flagg alert.  As a bonus, this blog has a Comments section used by readers who universally polite, friendly and well-informed. (Quite a rarity for a Guardian feature, comments on which are generally of the snide / sarcastic / pompous variety!)

Horror Personality Test
Another Guardian link - slightly silly but amusing questionnaire article.  Comments below the line somewhat prove the above point about Guardian readers' comments...

Classic Horror Campaign
A site dedicated to the classic era of horror.  Full of splendid stuff - a campaign to get the golden scream-fests of yesteryear back on the telly; horror-related news; screenings and events, and reviews of pre-'80s horror movies.  It's run by a certain Cyberschizoid, a most gracious chap who even allowed some of my half-baked scribblings to appear as reviews on the site.

New York Times - The Critique of Pure Horror
An article examining the old question: why do so many enjoy horror fiction - an inherently unpleasant medium?  The author (Jason Zinoman) briefly discusses some of the major academic theories surrounding this question, and the article works well as an introduction to some of the works most often cited in horror theory.

Good Reads: Horror
A fairly comprehensive-looking list of books about horror.

 Horror Studies Journal
An academic journal which promises to "inform and stimulate anyone interested in a wider and deeper understanding of horror".  There's an interdisciplinary slant to it, with artforms outside the the more usually discussed film and literature being examined.  The only drawback is the cost - eighteen US dollars per article (about £11.65)  Happily, however, the first issue is free to download! Just avoid the temptation of looking at the contents of later issues, unless your bank balance is squarely in the black.

 Journal of Media Psychology
An article by Glenn D. Walters, Ph.D. entitled "Understanding the Popular Appeal of Horror Cinema: An Integrated-Interactive Model".  I haven't actully read it yet (update forthcoming when I do...), but from first glance seems fascinating.

Contamination
A rather enigmatic site, that nonetheless has an abundance of useful lists - horror theory books, DVD covers, reviews and the like.

 A Humean Definition of Horror
Another interesting academic article I haven't yet thoroughly read... but shall...  From a quick skim, involves thorough discussion of Noel Carroll's 1990 work "A Philosophy of Horror".  (Also much recommended!)

Backtrack
An upcoming independent film featuring psychological horror, past-life regression and camping on the South Downs.  I came across this project via a poster stuck on a bin, which in my opinion shows admirable dedication to the old-school advertising methods - in your face, Twitter!  (Okay, so it's on Twitter, too: @BacktrackFilm.)

Review: The Beast Must Die (1974)

The Beast Must Die was produced in 1974 by Amicus – rather wonderfully described on the DVD cover as “the studio that dripped blood.” It is a classic in the “eccentric millionaire invites guests to secluded mansion, horrible deaths ensue” mould. The eccentric millionaire in this case is Tom Newcliffe (Calvin Lockheart), who invites people he suspects of being werewolves to his country estate (fully equipped with surveillance equipment) in order to fulfil his hunter's ambition of bagging the ultimate predator. Newcliffe gathers his guests and explains to them the reason for his certainty that one of their number is a werewolf – all have been in the vicinity when unsolved animal-like killings have taken place. There is also a werewolf expert, Dr. Lundgen, on hand to enlighten all as to the nature of the beast (a splendid performance by Peter Cushing's cheekbones.

Our intrepid does his best to rile his potentially lupine guests – he points out the full moon, serves up almost raw meat, sprays wolfbane pollen liberally about, and instigates the the exceptionally awkward parlour game of Pass-The-Silver-Candlestick. The wolf thus baited, night falls and the hunt begins...

This is truly a cracking movie. It's short, punchy, entertaining and does exactly what it sets out to do. One of its notably quirky features is the gimmick of the “werewolf break”. At the start, an ominous voice informs the audience that one of the characters is a werewolf, and they must figure out who it is. Helpfully, we the viewers are provided with a thirty second pause in the action to gather our thoughts and decide on a culprit. The film stops and a clock appears, ticking away the seconds in a scene so reminiscent of Countdown that one feels a slight but distinct urge to tackle an anagram or do some mental arithmetic.

Special mention must go to Mr. John Hilling, for providing Lockheart with such superb costumes – his wardrobe including an impressive array of jumpsuits, diamante-studded shirts, PVC jackets and the widest flares ever seen on someone not performing in a glam-rock band.

The Beast Must Die has a thoroughly enjoyable effervescence to it – from the funk-sountracked opening chase to the final dramatic reveal of the identity of the werewolf. It is a film unlikely to ever be regarded as one of the great classics of horror, but by my reckoning is well a worth 80 minutes of anyone's time.

Review: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

Despite this being near the top of my Things To Watch list, it took me quite some time to get around to actually seeing it, likely due to a slightly subconscious view of silent films as somewhat “difficult”. (There never seems to be a perfect time to just kick back and watch a revered silent film of historical importance, featuring surrealist set design and lashings of German Expressionism.) In any case, the moment did arrive, during an altruistic mission to ease another's illness with multiple DVDs and a selection of fine snacks, and I'm heartily glad I got round to viewing it in the end.

As the fist acknowledged horror film, Caligari sets the bar high. The plot cracks along at a fast pace, and at only around 70 minutes' running time (less than even a Police Academy film), there's not a great deal of time to fit all the action in. The plot centres around a fair in the town of Holstenwall, at which Dr. Caligari exhibits (after experiencing some clerical difficulties at the Town Hall) his somnambulist, Cesare. The somnambulist awakens on command, and utters a prophecy of death to one of the audience. When the audience member is found dead the next day, suspicion falls upon Caligari, and the investigation takes a distinctly uncanny turn.

The genius of Caligari lies not with the plot, but with the atmosphere conjured by the scenes presented to the audience. Much has been written about the incredible set design – and in a far more eloquent and knowledgeable way than I am able. I will say, however, that the peculiar asymmetric sets add to the feeling that the story being told is not rooted in real life, and is more akin to a fable – something deeply metaphorical and of universal importance. Here is also perhaps the first instance in film of the sympathetic monster – Cesare does not willingly murder, but does so under the influence of his master. He is a tragic creation in the vein of Frankenstein's monster, and Conrad Veidt manages to inspire sympathy simply through the act of opening his eyes – the pained expression he displays shows in a few brief seconds both his character's reluctance to be a pawn, and also his helplessness and inability to resist.

Surprisingly for a film made in 1920, there are many elements of the film and its marketing that are thought of as distinctly modern. There is a twist at the end (which I must admit to having not foreseen), an element that seems to be almost mandatory for recent creators of horror films. There was also, apparently, a viral advertising campaign when the film was released – a key phrase from the film: “Du musst Caligari werden!” appeared on posters around Berlin with no further explanation given. So, it seems all those Blair Witch shenanigans were pre-dated by some ninety years.

In conclusion, The Cabinet of Dr Caligari is mesmerising, haunting and a must-see for anyone with a love for any aspect of the fantastic genre that we call horror.

Women in Horror Month (was last month...)

A small article I wrote back in February, when it was actually Women in Horror Month...!

Women In Horror Month: Let's Hear It For The Theorists

Scream queens, final girls and femmes fatales! I've been reliably informed that it's Women In Horror month, and so it's time to celebrate the great work done within the genre by those of the XX persuasion.

Actresses have always played a pivotal role in horror – from the haunted expressions of the silent era stars, through the Hitchcock blondes and the almost dynasty of Leigh / Lee Curtis, to slasher survivors and Neve Campbell's post-modern turn in the Scream films. In writing, too, women have come to the fore. Some of the best-known horror fiction has been written by women – the works of Mary Shelley, Shirley Jackson and Daphne du Maurier (to name but a few examples) are rightly regarded as classics, and have indelibly influenced the genre.

There is, however, another area of horror at which many notale women have excelled – the field of academic writing on the subject of horror. Looking through collections of essays, female names crop up a great deal: Joan Copjec, Helene Cixous, Mary Russo, Laura Mulvey, Jennifer Wicke, Julia Kristeva, Tania Modleski... the list could go on.

There are two books by female theorists that I've read recently which I'd highly recommend to any horror fan – and they are both (appropriately enough for the month's theme) about the role of women in horror films. The two works are Men, Women and Chain Saws by Carol J Clover and The Monstrous-Feminine by Barbara Creed. They differ greatly in their structure, style and conclusions, but each contribute a great deal to the study of the horror genre.

Clover's book examines mainly the slasher sub-genre, and in essays in the book such as “Carrie and the Boys” and “Her Body, Himself”, she deals with the themes of audience identification. Clover challenges the assumption that young males in the audience for a slasher film will automatically identify with the killer – an assumption that frames these films as a misogynistic artform. She emphasises the pivotal role of the “final girl”, saying that “we understand immediately from the attention paid it that hers is the main storyline.” (Clover p.44) This kind of cross-gender identification is also demonstrated, in her opinion, by the camerawork – despite the frequent use of POV shots from the killer's perspective: “Our closeness to him wanes as our closeness to the Final Girl waxes... by the end point of view is hers.” (p. 45) In other chapters, Clover discusses male / female narratives in possession and revenge films, and the role of voyeurism / the eye in horror films.

Barbara Creed's “The Monstrous Feminine” is an exploration of the various types of female monster in horror film, relating these characters to feminist and psychoanalytic theory. In the first part of the book, Creed takes the various types of feminine monsters (and notable films in which they feature) as the focus for each chapter. These themes are: Archaic Mother (Alien); Possessed Monster (The Exorcist); Monstrous Womb (The Brood); Vampire (The Hunger); Witch (Carrie). In each of these chapters Creed investigates the psychological reasons why these character types occur frequently in horror narratives, and how and why they inspire such

fear. The second part is more focused on psychoanalytic theory – Creed reinterprets at length Freud's case study of “Little Hans”, which formed the basis Freud's theory of the castration complex. Creed argues that the figure of the mother / female is perceived as terrifying because she has the power to castrate, opposing Freud's theory that the fearful aspect is the female's apparent lack / castration. This is very much the theme throughout the second half, and as such the remainder of the book will certainly be more enjoyable if the reader has a high tolerance for lengthy discussions of castration, vagina dentata, femmes castratrices and modern-day Medusas. The Monstrous-Feminine is certainly a fascinating read, and enables the reader to see many of the classic horrors in a new light.

Anyone wishing to delve into the theoretical side of the role of women in horror could do a great deal worse than taking a look at these two books. Don't just take my word for it – there's this recommendation on the back cover of Men, Women and Chain Saws from one Joe Bob Briggs (drive-in movie critic of Grapevine, Texas): “I like this book so much that I almost don't wanna recommend it, because what if everybody says 'Oh, don't read that, Joe Bob likes it!' Joe Bob says check it out.” I reckon Joe Bob would get quite a kick out of Creed's work, too.

Manga Monday!

It's Monday, and I've spent a significant portion of my paycheque on buying Manga.  Damn you, Dave's, for being so accommodating to browsers!  (For those of you not from neck of the woods I currently inhabit - Dave's is my magnificent local comic book shop, and the first place to benefit from my hard-earned after the 23rd of the month.)

There's a lot of damned  good horror Manga out there, and for a couple of months I've had my eye on a series called Parasyte.  It had me at "You...are...food..."     

It's a balls-out gorefest - within the first few pages you have a guy whose head splits clean open to reveal an unholy cross between The Thing, the Predator and one of those messed-up things from Pan's Labrinth, which proceeds to bite his wife's head off and eat it.

However, despite the gore and high body-count of this series so far, it also manages to be a strangely touching story.  The protagonist is a high-school student called Shin, who was infected by an alien parasite but managed to prevent it from invading past his arm.  In consequence, he has a sentient alien being in place of his right hand, who takes the name of Migi.

Just a normal guy, and his alien-parasite hand

Once Shin realises that he's stuck with Migi, a strangely touching relationship unfolds.  Migi (translation of Japanese for "right") knows instantly that he's failed to occupy the brain  - the goal of the invading species.   Being a parasite, he relies on Shin for his food, and Shin begins to rely on Migi to defend him. A whole lot more ensues, but I may leave that for the next Manga Monday....  Until then, I leave you with this:

So sweet... just like that thing from Flight of the Navigator. (Apart from the hand-eating...)

   

Soon to be Re-Animated...

Fear of Fiction has had a bit of a hiatus (due to summer work, computer-related accidents, moving house and general slackness) but will soon be jolted back into life, as if from a shock to the temporal lobes administered by a deranged scientist.

In the meantime, some good news from today's newspaper:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2011/dec/29/hammer-horror-literature-winterson-dunmore?intcmp=122

Devil Week: "Devil"

This week, I have been mostly watching films about the Devil. I'd been meaning to watch "Devil" (the one set in a lift) for a while, and after seeing said film decided to make a theme of it, thereby dedicating my movie-viewing hours to the Satanic stuff. As there are roughly a trillion films based around Lucifer and his shenanigans, I decided to narrow the field a bit with some rules. All the movies would be: a) centred on Satanic or demonic themes; b) ones that I hadn't seen before; and c) made in the last ten years. All this narrowed it down to only four films that I could think of, making the whole escapade a Devil (Four-Day) Week. A bit like the Three-Day Week of the 70s, thus harking back to the golden era of "The Exorcist" and "The Omen". Theme-tastic!

DEVIL

A confession of sorts - I still like M. Night Shyamalan. I know I shouldn't, but I even like "The Happening" (I'm from a big city, so rustling trees and wide open spaces freak me out at the best of times.) So, being a Shyamalan fan I was rather looking forward to his* latest, a nice classic locked-room-with-the-devil-in-it caper.

It starts off splendid. I loved the opening credits with the flipped aerial shots over the city, for several reasons. 1) The sequence itself does have quite a disorientating effect, which is all good news for the start of a horror flick. 2) The flying-over-the-city establishing shot is so commonplace it is almost a cliche; inverting the footage makes the familiar unfamiliar, subverting the viewer's expectations and creating an unsettling atmosphere. 3) It plays on the inversion theme often present in devil-related films, through devices such as upside-down crosses and mirror-writing.

Unfortunately, the opening credits turned out to be my favourite part of the movie. I quite liked the premise, but the execution left something to be desired. If you're going to do a locked-room mystery, I'm of the opinion that a large portion of the action should happen in the locked room. The bits actually in the lift were good - for example, the police being able to see into an inaccessible murder scene made for a particularly tense atmosphere. The rest of the film seems a bit all over the place. There's a race-against-time element with the firemen trying to get into the lift, some rushed back-stories for the unfortunate occupants, and a slightly ridiculous Final Destination-style involving an engineer and a raccoon. All this made for a film which should have been simple and clear-cut, but ended up a mishmash of horror subgenres, with a liberal sprinkling of cliche. Ah yes, cliches galore. Troubled cop! Creepy stuff captured on film! Superstitious type who has exactly pinpointed the paranormal issue at hand, though no-one believes them! At least they didn't try to drag a priest into it.

On a positive note, I didn't have any problem with the central conceit of the film, which many people have criticised - their argument being that the Devil is mighty powerful, and wouldn't need to faff about trapping folks in lifts just to harvest a few measly souls. Fair point in a way - the whole set-up is a touch convoluted. However, the concept of the Devil is near-universal, and the sheer volume of stories about him/her/it means that "devil" is impossible to define absolutely. If you want to make a movie where Satan has to trap people in a lift, or in a cave, or at a bus stop - fine. As long as the story adheres to its internal logic, then it's okay by me. Satan does seem to get bored from time to time (must be the immortality) and does actually have some form when it comes to playing these kind of pranks on the living. See Dr. Faustus or Bedazzled (depending on the height of your brow.)





In Summary:

Promising idea, but felt like a low-budget idea which had been given lots of money and felt the need to spend it on totally unnecessary crowd scenes and plummeting elevators. And raccoon wranglers.

*Well, "from the mind of..." - i.e. story idea and production. Basically, top billing on the poster because no-one's heard of John Erick Dowdle.