End of the year run-down: Goodbye 2012..(and Good Riddance!)

 2012 was really a mixed bag for me.
Personally, outside of horror my year was kind of distressing. And while I won't get into those boring details, I will say it caused me to have a very uneven year as far as entertainment goes. 

While I think I've finished some of the best books I've read in years,  I have to admit I think I may have seen more awful films than good ones, or at least less original ones.  Television was pretty damn good though, so it probably all evens out in the end.  And let's be frank, thank heavens it's THE END.
I'm ready for 2013, how about you?

One of the best things that happened in 2012 here at Fascination with Fear is the addition of a fresh new writer.  Due to life getting in the way more oft than not, I needed a bit of help to keep FWF from gathering dust bunnies. After a bit of poking and prodding around the interwebz, I was absolutely blessed with meeting someone who has become like a little sister to me - a kindred soul who has been kind enough to take a spot at my side and help me out more than words can say.  So to Marie I say a great big THANK YOU, and I hope that you lovely readers have enjoyed her stellar articles and posts over the course of the last several months!  Please, stick with us:  we have such sights to show you!

The Walking Dead

Best Horror Experience of 2012:  Hands down, The Walking Dead.  While there has been an unbelievable amount of horror this year, in particular on television, I have no choice but to single out this utterly fan-fucking-tastic trip through apocalyptic walker-land. The emotions displayed within the realm of this show are really far and above most other scripted television these days. AND IT'S A SHOW ABOUT ZOMBIES.  This. Is. Epic.

Coming in a lukewarm second would be True Blood.  I loved the Bill-Eric bromance this summer, and was happier than tits on a bull that Alcide showed off well...everything...as much as he did this year.  More of that, please.
I haven't been as big an advocate for American Horror Story as last year, but don't get me wrong - it's still one of my favorites. 

Sinister

Favorite theater experience:  Sinister - I saw this on Halloween day, in a darkened theater, alone.  That made everything about it perfect, and the film itself was one of my favorites of 2012.  It really reeked atmosphere, had a terrific lead actor, and was truly chilling.

Eighteen Horror Purchases I'm Happy With:
*Absentia - Probably one of my favorite indie films, maybe ever. Just one of the creepiest little films I've seen in years.
*Lovely Molly  - Somewhat flawed with confusion at times but eerie and tense and right on the mark.
*Murder by Decree - A 1979 film with Christopher Plummer (one of my faves) starring as Sherlock Holmes investigating the Jack the Ripper case. A fellow horror pal recommended it - much appreciated!
*Alfred Hitchcock: Legacy of Suspense (2011) - A bargain DVD that includes some of Hitch's older flicks such as The Man Who Knew Too Much, Sabotage, The 39 Steps....among others.
*The Walking Dead: Complete Second Season - Goes without saying...
*The Woman in Black (2012) - While I still prefer the 1989 original version, I did like this one a lot. It still managed to capture the isolation of Eel Marsh House and the dread when the volatile title character appeared.
*Spider Baby - The 1964 (do we say) classic about one fucked-up family. A must see!

Event Horizon

*Event Horizon - Seriously one of the weirdest yet intriguing sci-fi films of the 90's, with a stellar cast.  Almost like Hellraiser in space.
*Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) - Funny enough, I didn't own this one till this past October. So glad it's finally on my shelf!
*Diabolique (Criterion) - The 1954 masterpiece of murder and suspense.  It's said Hitchcock was rather irked that he didn't get his hands on the classic novel first.  And this Criterion edition is superb.
*The Yellow Wallpaper (2012) - Though at times an uneven film, the heart of the story is unnerving, to say the least.
*Gosford Park - Robert Altman directed this period mystery starring some of Britain's best.
*Wendigo - I've been looking for this 2002 film on DVD for quite a while.  While not the most stellar film, there is something inherently spooky about a family spending time in the winter woods and happening upon a scary Native American myth that has apparently come to life. Little seen, but I like it loads.
*The Entity (1983) - While parts of this one don't hold up well nearly 30 years later, Barbara Hershey's performance is undeniably fantastic.
*Eden Lake - Because I love Michael Fassbender. Period.
*Jaws (1975) - Um, yes I have several editions of this, my favorite film, on both VHS and DVD, but hey - this is the just released Blu-Ray.  Never mind that I don't even own a Blu-Ray player yet...
*Prometheus - A Christmas gift from my astute hubby.  (Of course I did give him a list, but still....)
*Vertigo - Because my love for this film knows no bounds...

Excision

Seven favorite Netflix rentals this year:
*Excision - AnnaLynn McCord totally embodies the role of a misfit with a penchant for blood and sex fetishes.
*Grave Encounters - Generally I detest the found footage sub-genre, but this one really did light my fire and caused some actual chills.
*Trollhunter - Another film that used the shaky-cam to induce fear, I happened to enjoy this romp in the Norwegian woods. It never gets too serious, which is part of its charm.
*Martha Marcy May Marlene - Elizabeth Olsen is very good in this film that just goes to show cults are still alive and well and taking control.
*Rabies - Those Israeli's know how to make a horror film!  Who'd have thought???
*Dream Home - As opposed to Dream House, this one just rocked. Josie Ho was unreal. Watch this film!
*The Loved Ones - Just a seriously fun horror film that proves if someone asks you to the prom, just go. Take my word for it.

Dream House

Six "why the hell did I rent this?" rentals from Netflix -
*Beneath the Darkness - Just a god-awful piece of crap starring Dennis Quaid. Guess I should have known.
*The Woman - Everyone loved this. I did not. Matter of fact, I DISliked it, a lot. Just redundant and lame.
*Don't be Afraid of the Dark - Just not scary at all. Completely pointless remake. I cannot believe Guillermo del Toro wrote this screenplay and produced this lemon. Ugh.
*Dream House - Oh Daniel.  Really? All I can say is thank heavens you found your future wife while making this film or it would all be for naught.  Really, REALLY bad.
*Wrecked - I wish I could say I could give a valid opinion on this film, or understand just wtf was going on.  But I think I may have fallen asleep from boredom.
*Atrocious - STOP WITH THE FUCKING SHAKY-CAM ALREADY!

The Tall Man

Three "I wish I'd have rented this first so I'd have known not to buy it" purchases:
*The Tall Man - The new Mrs. Justin Timberlake in a massive fail with a great premise. I mean, who hasn't heard stories about "The Tall Man"?  See:  Slender Man. See: Marble Hornets. Please.
*The Cabin in the Woods - While I didn't dislike this one, I didn't love it like everyone else seemed to.  I feel like I could have just rented this and not bought it outright. Not sure when I'll really want to watch it again.
*Outcast - Though the atmosphere was really spooky, with celtic legends and witch-hunting and all, but parts of it were too damn slow. Could have rented and would have been happy.

Chernobyl Diaries

Eight films I'm pretty glad I DID miss and have no real intention of seeing in the future:
*Chernobyl Diaries
*House at the End of the Street
*Paranormal Activity 4
*Piranha 3DD
*Snow White & The Huntsman
*The Devil Inside
*The Collection
*Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

My thoughts on films I was looking forward to in 2012:
*The Woman in Black -  Many people didn't like this one, but I enjoyed it a lot.  I love the original story and certainly have been an advocate of the story as well as the 1989 version (still vastly superior), but I thought this one held its own, and showed that Harry Potter can move on to adult films. And I don't mean that in the porno sense. (Though there was that play with naked Daniel and the horse, right??)
*The Yellow Wallpaper -Not quite as creepy as the short story, but it has its moments.

The Awakening

*The Awakening - Very effective ghost story that I am still waiting on a DVD release
*Dunderland - Still unable to find this film anywhere
*The Raven - John Cusack is a funny guy. It shows here, with him playing Poe and lightening up the mood with witty banter amongst the dead corpses.  Interesting.
*The Silent House -  Yeah. Um. Pretty much the same as its Uruguayan counterpart, so I didn't see much reason to have re-done it.  But then again, I feel that way about most films.
*The Grey - It's Liam Neeson, folks. A very good man vs. nature adventure film. Wolves can be downright scary. But I think we already were aware of that after Frozen.
*Prometheus - Even if I hated this film to its core (which I didn't), I could not put down a film that I get to see Michael Fassbender act in.  I think you all know how I feel about him.

Rabies

*Rabies - Lived up to my expectations and more, really.  Israel can do horror. Nothing wildly original, but I really did enjoy this one.
*The Dark Knight Rises - Holy crap! This was made in my backyard of Pittsburgh and I haven't even seen it yet.  I haven't rented or bought it yet....so I reserve judgement until 2013. But I have heard it rocks.
*Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter - Yet to see, not sure I'm going to anytime soon.  The book was fun but the film just looked flat to me. Hard to adapt that kind of silliness.
*Dark Shadows - Um. Okay, not my favorite Johnny Depp film. Was expecting (hoping) for a true gothic film,  at least more along the lines of Sleepy Hollow than what we were given.  I did like the use of Nights in White Satin over the opening credits. That's something, right?
*World War Z - Still not released yet, but I honestly haven't heard very good things about it, so I'll obviously be waiting for DVD in this one.
*The Expendables 2 - I love me some Jason Statham. The film was nothing but shooting guns and testosterone, but hey - I'll take it.  Again, I can't hate a Statham film. Bring on Expendables 3.

Mama

Fifteen upcoming 2013 films that have peaked my curiosity -
*Mama - This will certainly be my first horror experience in the theater in 2013, as it opens in January. I am loving the trailer and the television spots, so we shall see! Looks awesome!
*Pacific Rim - del Toro brings monsters from the sea back into the limelight?  Count me in. I hope the monsters kick the robots asses. Call me a sadist if you will. The added bonus of SOA's Charlie Hunnam makes it even more worthwhile.
*Stoker - Hey! The dude from Prison Break (Wentworth Miller) wrote a screenplay! And this is it. Oh, and apparently it is not a vampire film.
*Warm Bodies - A zombie rom-com based on a book and poised to be the next Twilight. Wait a tic....do I really want to see this?
*Horns - Based on the book by Joe Hill, it stars Daniel Radcliffe as a man who grows horns out of his head. Yep, it sounds weird. So it should be fab.

The Evil Dead (2013)

*Paranoia - A thriller with Gary Oldman and Harrison Ford.  How can we go wrong?  (Oh yeah, Amber Heard is in it.............crickets.........)
*I, Frankenstein - Not exactly sure what is going on with this one....but Bill Nighy is in it, so I'm on board.
*Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters - This could be fun, right?  I'm not much for horror comedy, so I'll have to wait and see how this one goes...
*Oz: The Great & Powerful - Sam Raimi makes an adventure film that's a prequel to the age-old favorite about the Wizard.  I'm just not sure how I feel about this one....
*Jurassic Park 3D - Normally, I don't go in for the 3D phenomenon. In fact, I hate it. But goddammit, it's dinosaurs!  I'll put on those annoying glasses one more time!
*The Conjuring - Dude from Saw and Insidious decides to make a film with two words in the title.  He's really changing things up, folks! Look out!
*The ABC's of Death - Sounds like a pretty big project: 26 horror shorts packaged in one film. Um...?
*Carrie - WHY this needed remade is beyond me, but I do like Chloë Grace Moretz a lot, so I'll give it a chance.
*The Evil Dead - Another remake. Sigh. But I think this one might be worthwhile. And I feel sure it will kick some ass at the box-office.
*The Lords of Salem - Satanic witches and Rob Zombie. Yes, I am interested.

Favorite Book I read in 2012 - The Seance (by John Harwood) - Though written in 2009, I just got my paws on it this year and I have to say it's one of the best gothic/victorian ghost stories I've ever read.  I loved it.

Non-Fiction: Reel Terror - A great book on the history of horror. I couldn't put it down.

Runner up -  The Wicked (by James Newman) - Originally published in 2007 but re-released in 2012, you can read how much I loved this book right here.

Book I'm most looking forward to in 2013 - Doctor Sleep by none other than Stephen King.  It's been a long time since I've been truly excited about a King release, but seeing as how this is the sequel to The Shining (my fave King title), I'm over the moon and anxiously awaiting.... (projected arrival 9/2013)

Favorite Movie Score: The Woman in Black by Marco Beltrami.  Moody enough to evoke chills and dark enough to make me happy.

Favorite Movie of 2012:  Skyfall. Yes, it's a non-horror entry but hot DAMN was it a fine film! I really can't say enough about the latest 007 installment, and it is actually speaking for itself by hitting the BILLION dollar mark this weekend.  I love Daniel Craig. Apparently everyone else in the world does as well...

Random Year-End Awards:

Wrecked

*The "I can't believe I sat through the whole movie" award:  Wrecked. I'm sorry Adrien Brody, this was all over the place.  I may have even snored.

*The "Surprise! This remake was actually good" award: The Woman In Black. While not crazy-fantastic, I still loved it.

*The "When the hell is this title going to get a domestic release" award: The Awakening....though last year's winner of this award (All The Boys Love Mandy Lane) STILL isn't available.  Ditto that to Cold Prey 2. You cut me deep, Norway. You cut me deep.

*The "What the hell is this movie about, anyway" award: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Oh heavens. I was waaay too tired when I put in this DVD. I know it's a good, critically acclaimed film, and maybe someday when I'm loaded up on caffeine and have a couple hours to kill, I will check it out again.

*Bloodiest movie I saw in 2012:  I watched Martyrs again, so...

Cabin in the Woods

*The "It better be as good as everyone says because I'm damn sick of hearing about it" award: Cabin in the Woods.  And while I liked it well enough, I have to say I didn't think it was the next coming of Christ or anything.

*Most curious title of an upcoming film:  John Dies At The End.  I guess it begs the question of how he arrives at that point.

*The "SO didn't live up to the hype" award:  Dark Shadows. Oh Johnny, it was only mediocre, hun.

*The "I really don't give a shit whether I ever see this" award: Piranha 3DD. Ugh. Spare me, please. I've seen enough titties and blood for a lifetime, I don't need them all condensed into one movie.

A Christmas Carol

*The "I can't wait for a sequel" award:  Prometheus. As long as Fassbender shows up, I'm in.

*Movie I'm most looking forward to in 2013:  Mama.  And I don't have long to wait. (Jan 18, 2013)

*The "This is what I'm watching tonight so I have to get off the laptop" award:  A Christmas Carol (the George C. Scott version, natch) - because the hubby and I were too damn tired on Christmas night to watch it.

All I Want For Christmas Is A Good Ghost Story: Part 1

~ by Marie Robinson

Happy Holidays, everyone! Christmas is drawing ever near… There are some people who just love Christmas. Perhaps the most famous literary Christmas-lover was the great Charles Dickens.

Not only did he adore the holiday, he was a huge influence on it. I’m not kidding, this guy shaped Victorian Christmas. Tell me of a person who has never seen, read, or heard of A Christmas Carol and I will personally slap them. It was first published on December 17th, 1843 and sold over 5,000 copies by Christmas Eve. Over fifty film, theatre and television adaptations have been made. It is no wonder that Dickens considered A Christmas Carol to be his greatest achievement.

Before A Christmas Carol, Christmas in the mid-Victorian era was all about the Christ. And the mass. Come on, let’s be honest, no one wants to sit in church all fucking day. Of course, people were thrilled when Dickens came along and brought some secular fun to the season. He believed Christmas was all about being with family, dancing, laughing, giving to charity, and of course, telling stories.

If you don’t believe me that Dickens influenced Christmas, listen to Professor Hubert Lamb’s argument on the matter. He says that Dickens birthed the popular notion of a “white Christmas”. He went so far to prove his point and documented that a white Christmas occurred for the first eight straight years of Dickens’ life. Our bibliophile climatic researcher says that white Christmases are actually uncommon, but we have come to cherish them because of Dickens’ classic.

After the release of A Christmas Carol, the quintessential Christmas ghost story, Dickens decided to write a handful of others. He penned what were titled, “The Christmas Books” which included the short stories The Chimes (1844), The Cricket on the Hearth (1845), The Battle of Life (1846), and The Haunted Man (1848). Some are these are more supernatural than others, and most are hardly terrifying but he was determined and inspired to keep up the tradition. A few other Christmas ghost stories Dickens wrote are The Haunted House, Christmas Ghosts, The Trail for Murder and The Signal-Man which was adapted for the 1970 BBC mini-series A Ghost Story for Christmas. In reference to these tales author Peter Straub calls them, “A lively mixture of comedy, pathos, and the supernatural.”

A prototype of sorts to A Christmas Carol is The Story of the Goblins who Stole a Sexton. Released in December of 1836 it tells of a man named Grub, who is near identical to Scrooge, and chooses to go mope around in the graveyard on Christmas Eve. There he meets a ghostly figure who tells him how much his life is gonna suck if he doesn’t cheer up. If you wanted to take a simple moral from these stories it would be “Christmas is awesome!” But we know that Dickens was trying to say a little more than that. We get the Scrooge archetype yet again in A Haunted Man, where a grouchy old man is forced by a frightful apparition to reexamine his life. Dickens used this plot device to encourage a reassessment by his characters and his audience. He believes that the Christmas season is not only for nostalgia but also for change.

“…for we are telling Winter Stories—Ghost Stories, or more shame for us—round the Christmas fire; and we have never stirred, except to draw a little nearer to it.” –Charles Dickens, Christmas Ghosts

The Croning Review ~ Part Deux‏

~ by Marie Robinson

So last week I wrote up a review on Laird Barron's new novel, The Croning.  In relation to that review (which I seemed to have posted a bit prematurely), Mr. Barron, himself, was kind enough to answer a few questions for me!!

FWF:  What research did you do for this book?

LB:  I researched the history of the Olympia, WA region, and the Pacific NW in general; something I do for most of my stories that are set in those areas. I also looked into several international intelligence agencies--chiefly the CIA and Nation Security Agency.

FWF:  What is your favorite occult film?

LB:  The Exorcist and Session 9.

FWF:  What sparked your fascination with fear?

LB:  I’m not certain what the root cause might be, I only know that the attraction began in early childhood. My family read voraciously. We also entertained ourselves by telling stories--I discovered I had a talent for spooking my brothers with tales of the macabre and the uncanny. Perhaps I took a bit too much encouragement from their fright.

FWF:  A few of your stories feature a strong bond between protagonist and canine companion. We here at FWF are certainly huge animal lovers, would you say the same for yourself?

LB:  I love animals and have a soft spot for dogs in particular. My loyal companion Athena is a ten year old pit bull mix I rescued as a puppy. She’s been with me through thick and thin this past decade.

*Again, check out his new novel, The Croning, or any work of his if you haven't yet!! In my review I attached a link where you can read his story featured in Nightmare Magazine for FREE!!!

I would like to thank Mr. Barron for doing this for our humble little blog. Stay scary, dude!

Excision (2012): AnnaLynne McCord Deserves An Oscar.

It's not that Excision is an Academy Award-caliber film. It's really not. But AnnaLynne McCord (of Nip/Tuck and 90210 fame) puts forth one of the bravest and disturbing performances I've seen in quite some time.

Pauline (McCord) is a socially awkward eighteen year old with some pretty strange fetishes, and not just for someone her age.  She is obsessed with blood and has wild, unrestrained dreams at night about dissecting people, sex with naked corpses, bathing in blood - well, you get the picture.

By day she is a caustic teen with a terrible grudge against her dad (because he gave her herpes by giving her mouth to mouth while saving her as a drowning child - gee, what WILL they think of next?) and an even worse attitude with her mother (played to acerbic perfection by genre fave, Traci Lords).

It must be said, it's really hard to believe that McCord could actually be uglied up so much. I mean, she played a cold-hearted vixen on Nip/Tuck, and it's my understanding she played the same on the new version of 90210. It's almost hard to recognize her here and to be honest, her transformation is just about as impressive as Charlize Theron in Monster. To prove my point, I give you a pic from Excision and a pic of McCord all dolled-up, side by side >>

So anyway, Pauline goes about her daily life, which consists of attempting to find someone to take her virginity while she's having her period, trying to gain her controlling mother's love while at the same time pummeling her with vicious commentary, and dreaming of sexual gratification through the mutilating of human flesh.  This is a girl who pulls out a tampon and studies it fervently, while we watch.  I'm serious.
Yeah, nice girl.  And you thought May had problems...

The one thing Pauline does love is her younger sister Grace, who has cystic fibrosis and is in need of a lung transplant sooner rather than later. This piques Pauline's interest and her desire to become a surgeon no doubt stems from the need to help her sister. However, Pauline doesn't pay attention in class, and becomes violent enough on one occasion that she gets expelled from school - hence ending her surgical aspirations.

Traci Lords is very good as Phyllis, the struggling mother who finally admits that she can't love Pauline.  Try as she might, she just cannot accept her for anything other than the disturbed and potentially sociopathic head-case that she most certainly is.  She doesn't want to give up on her daughter, and attempts to normalize her by having her go to a cotillion (you mean they still have those?) and sending her to counseling with the local minister (a delicious cameo by John Waters!).  But Pauline always finds a way to ruin her mother's bid for structure and balance.
Roger Bart (Hostel 2, The Midnight Meat Train) is equally as commendable as Pauline's herpes-laden pops, Bob. You can tell he wants to help his older daughter but wrestles with conflicting emotions regarding her mental health and ability to actually love.

On the outside, Pauline doesn't even seem to want to fit in, as she behaves unspeakably in nearly every situation. She asks bizarre sexual questions in class, vomits on one of the "popular" girls and shoves another's head into the lockers. She talks to God on a regular basis, but not to pray - instead she tries to justify her wrong-doings and asks for forgiveness in advance of her bad deeds.  At first she seems to not even believe in a higher power, but as time goes by it really seems like deep down she is just trying to get his "okay".
She constantly schemes new ways to be unstable - and this becomes abundantly clear when we see her find a dead bird on the sidewalk, take it home, and proceed to dichotomize it and take out its organs.  You know something bad is imminent at this point.
But as much as Pauline seems like a hard-ass on the surface, deep down I think she just wants to be loved. She unfortunately hears her mother's breakdown and verbal admission that she is unable to love Pauline, and we see that this realization affects her fiercely, perhaps sending her even further down into the rabbit hole.

I'm not sure how much more I can say without spoiling the ending, so I'll just stop the synopsis there. To say this is a strange film would be an understatement. At times a very black comedy, Excision at its core is a story of a very disturbed girl with underlying mental issues brought to the surface by the stressors in her life and the realization that she will never fit in due to her weird fetishes and crazed obsessions.

And when I say AnnaLynne McCord deserves an Oscar, I mean it.  Of course the fact that this film is horror completely omits it from any end-of-year honors - but we don't need high-end prizes in horror - we know what's good when we see it.  And though Excision isn't a thoroughly amazing film - and in fact drags at times...sometimes a film is as good as its talent.  And the talent here shines.

Book Review: The Croning

Review by Marie Robinson

Don’t bothering looking up the definition for “croning” in the dictionary, it doesn’t exist. This is a word, or a concept, whatever, made up by horror author Laird Barron. I got turned on to Barron earlier this year after seeing his name continue to pop up in anthologies. I could not forget his works and I definitely could not forget a cool ass name like Laird. I may have seen him featured in a magazine or it may have been I first read him in an anthology I reviewed called Haunted Legends, regardless, I have been seeking him out since then.

His book, The Croning, is brand-spankin’ new and let me tell you I could not wait for it to hit the library self, I bought it on the spot. He has one previously published novel and two short story anthologies, one of which I have read, called Occultation. Honestly, stories from that collection come back into my memory time and time again. His style is that of the weird, the mythological, and often, the ancient.

Fuck, I’m rambling. Let me tell you about this book. To be honest, it starts off with a tale we all know, a certain Grimm tale about a tricky little dwarf with a tongue twister of a name. But we don’t dwell there; we are introduced to Don Miller, a geologist and an all around nice guy. Pretty easy-going, unless you talk shit on his wife, Michelle. The cunning and mysterious half of the marriage. Sure, Don knows he got lucky by scoring her as a wife, but he really starts to doubt the marriage when strangers start making Michelle out to be something strange, dark, powerful, and dangerous. How much does Don really know, and how much does he want to know?

Barron’s book is cosmic horror, but let’s not go comparing him to H.P. Lovecraft right off the bat. Okay, that’s not really what I meant, what I mean is that when I heard the words ‘cthulu’, and ‘mythos’, I kind of cringe. Harsh, I know, but I feel like that shit is so overdone! But what do I know? Either way, I think Barron makes cosmic horror cool again.

His voice is easy-going and casual, as if the narrator is a dear, foul-mouthed friend. But this, according to supernatural horror master M.R. James, is the only way to write a good horror story. If the dialogue isn’t natural, you won’t fall into comfort with the story and in the end you just won’t get scared. But believe me, Laird will getcha scared!
If you haven’t read any Laird Barron, here’s a story to start with. It is also available in audio, which is the way I enjoyed it, and it was awesome. http://nightmare-magazine.com/fiction/frontier-death-song/

Horror TV: The Future Looks Bright (and Bloody!)

Daryl (Norman Reedus) is proficient in taking out walkers on THE WALKING DEAD

There's never been a better time to be a horror fan  - or a more appropriate time to try to put out a new show in the horror genre. With the resounding success of such shows as Dexter, True Blood, and most recently American Horror Story and the wildly popular (and critically acclaimed) The Walking Dead, horror has proved it is very much alive and well and prospering on the small screen. In fact, The Walking Dead is averaging over 10 million viewers an episode - a feat unheard of for a cable television show, let alone a horror product. Even more impressive is that it is in contention to rival The Big Bang Theory as the top-rated scripted show. TWD is currently the number one show among 18-49 year olds. And it's not even on one of the big four networks.  Seriously, WHOA! And I know I'm not alone when I say this season has been its best yet!

The success of the aforementioned shows, as well as newer shows like the genre-bending Once Upon A Time, Grimm, and this season's 666 Park Avenue (just canceled, unfortunately) are making it more acceptable than ever to be a horror fan.
The teen rage shows such as The Vampire Diaries, this fall's newbie Beauty and the Beast, and the long-running Supernatural continue to guide new generations to appreciate horror and turn them into long-term fans.
And now, we have three new shows to look forward to in the near future that are nothing if not horror.

HANNIBAL (Mads Mikkelsen)  inspects the flatware.

HANNIBAL tries to draw new blood from the character of  Dr. Hannibal ("the cannibal") Lecter - whose character rose to fame under the sublime (and Oscar-winning) performance of Sir Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs. In the upcoming take on the story, the unstable doctor Lecter works closely with Special Agent Will Graham - a criminal profiler from the FBI.  Lecters special skill set will become an asset to Graham, though the two are bound to clash eventually when their personalities, as well as Lecter's other hobbies, come to light. Though I wouldn't want to have the unenviable task of attempting to bring life to such an iconic character as Hannibal, Mads Mikkelsen (the Danish actor who portrayed the crazy-cool, bleeding-eye villain in 2006's Casino Royale) has been cast as the serial killer shrink, and I'm on board with it, as Mads just reeks a creepy vibe.  Also cast is Hugh Dancy (aka Mr. Claire Danes), who is set to play Agent Graham, and Laurence Fishburne will portray Agent Jack Crawford. Looks interesting, to say the least.

Freddie Highmore and Vera Farmiga relax near the BATES MOTEL

In BATES MOTEL (A & E, 2013), we get yet another take on the life of Norman Bates and his dear mother.  Freddie Highmore (Finding Neverland, Charlie & the Chocolate Factory) will bring on the weird as Norman, and Vera Farmiga will star as his beloved mama, Norma. Billed as a prequel to the famous Hitchcock film, it has Norman as an awkward 16 year old who is having trouble adjusting to his new school (and his new town, apparently - as we discover when we meet the sheriff and his deputy who are keeping a close eye on Norman). Also in the picture will be Norman's older brother Dylan (Max Theriot), who apparently is a bit of a bad ass himself.  But I have my doubts he's as disturbed as our pal Norman is. As a rabid fan of Norman Bates, I will have to do a mental adjustment to accept anyone but Anthony Perkins as Norman. But I am wildly curious about this series and you can bet your butcher knife I'll be parked in front of the flat screen when this series premieres next fall. (Might get my shower out of the way beforehand, though...)

Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy star in THE FOLLOWING this January

And in THE FOLLOWING (Jan, 2013- FOX), Kevin Bacon stars as an FBI agent on the trail of a serial killer (James Purefoy, Rome) the likes of which the world has never seen before.  This baddie has discovered a way to reach out to other serial killers and - for lack of a better phrase - band them together to wreak collective havoc on the United States.  In my book, anything with Kevin Bacon in it is bound to be interesting, as I have enjoyed his many forays into the darker side of cinema - and now he's checking into the small screen.  Bacon's retired FBI profiler is brought in to try to find an escaped serial killer that he caught years ago.
This psychological thriller is getting a lot of advance buzz, and most of it seems to be on the positive side.
Bizarrely enough, it's brought to us by Kevin Williamson - more famous for his teen shows like Dawson's Creek and The Vampire Diaries. But I don't think I'm being too bold in saying that I have a feeling it's a long way off from those shows if Kevin Bacon is starring.  It also stars Shawn Ashmore (The Ruins, Frozen, Mother's Day) and Maggie Grace (LOST, Taken).

So, horror fans, get ready for some small screen horror, and in light of all the violence and gore that network shows like American Horror Story and in particular The Walking Dead get away with these days, we could be in for a real treat.

Thale (2012) : The Real Reason To Avoid Scandinavia

Review by Marie Robinson

Of what little I have seen so far, I think I already love Norwegian horror. There is such a weirdness to it, a blunt tribute to the country’s folklore. The first Norwegian horror film that I can recall seeing is Trollhunter (2010), which is downright amazing and I have just viewed my second. It is entitled Thale (tall-eh) and it was released at the beginning of this year.

Directed by Aleksander Nordass, it stars brothers Elvis (Erlend Nervold) and Leo (John Sigve Skard). Before I continue let me just say that I watched a version that was very poorly translated into English, so I really only have the most basic understanding of this film and a lot of this is speculation. Okay—here we go.

Leo has that unfortunate job of being that guy who cleans up crime-scenes and has recently gotten his brother a job alongside him. They are at a house cleaning up the bloody remains of an elderly man (and Elvis’ resulting vomit) and it becomes instantly clear that there is some tension between these two. They have been out of touch for some years and are having trouble falling gracefully back into each others lives.

Elvis decides to do some poking around in the house and forces the door of a cellar, finding cans of food that have long-expired. Deeper within the basement he finds a strange room—you know, one of those with the newspaper clippings and drawings/photographs tacked all over the walls. There is a desk with a pile of cassette tapes and a tape player and a bathtub full of a milky substance.

Even though Leo instructs him over and over again not to touch anything, well… he’s just got to! Right?!
He starts playing one of the tapes and it seems to be some sort of audio journal, a recording of a man talking, and a woman screaming. This recording awakens something; the water stirs in the tub and a woman emerges from the water.

She looks seemingly normal, except there is a strange look in her big brown eyes, and she doesn’t speak a word. Leo, who seems to always keep his cool, insists that they wait for his boss (I’m assuming) to arrive before they decide what to do. While they wait, Elvis tries to get close to this woman—Thale—and maybe shed some light on her story. Although she cannot speak, Thale can project memories into Elvis’s mind through touch, and through this gift her past begins to unravel. But someone—or thing—is definitely watching, and there is a secret presence that lingers in the woods that surround the isolated house.

The questions that arise in Elvis’ (and our) mind(s) are: Was Thale kept here as a prisoner or for protection? What does everyone want with her? Is she of this world?

Even though I couldn’t have full comprehension of Thale because of the shitty subtitles I enjoyed this low-budget picture. The atmosphere is there—dark, dank; all of the mystery and the secretiveness are almost palpable. There is also a great sense of suspense—a real one, not that cheap, jump-scare shit.

These actors have done little else, and nothing mainstream, but I can honestly say everyone gave a good performance. The cinematography was good, the special effects… more like something you would see on a SyFy original flick, but I don’t think it took too much away from the film.

The real reason I was dying to see this film was because, of course, it was based on a folktale. And I don’t think I am giving anything away by giving you some background on the folktale—I have an obligation as resident expert.

The creature in question is called a Huldra, or Skogsrå (meaning Lady of the forest), and is a female forest creature. They exist in several different countries folklore, but we will focus on the Norwegian aspects of the Huldra since this is a Norwegian film! Hobbies include hunting and seducing men—sometimes killing or kidnapping them. They are often beautiful and naked and have a cow’s tail. The Huldra are usually feared by humans and are considered to be evil; many tales are told with a message to avoid them. There is also a creature almost identical to the Skogsrå in Swedish folklore called the Tallemaja, which means Pine Tree Mary. First of all, that’s just a fun name, but also the first bit, “Talle”, which means “pine” is pronounced exactly like Thale, so maybe this is where the filmmaker got his inspiration for the title character.

One more tidbit is that there are two places in Norway named after the Huldras. There is Hulderheim on the island of Karlsøya that means “Home of the Hulder” (a Hulder is a male Huldra) and there is Hulderhusan on the island Hinnøya, which means “Houses of the Hulders”.

This film is pretty hard to film at the moment, and seemingly impossible to find with a decent translation, but if you get a chance, I recommend that you watch it!

Saying Thanks For The Horror In My Life...

...as we gather together

I've been rather MIA lately. I've been so burned out after the Festival of Lists that it's been rough getting a post together.  I've been watching a lot of films, doing some reading too - but just couldn't be motivated enough to sit down and blog, blog, blog.

But with Thanksgiving upon us,  I felt the need to mention some things I've been thankful for lately.

   *First off, I am MOST thankful for Marie.  My writing partner is a breath of fresh air for this blog and I'm so happy to have her on board. She's intelligent, insightful, and a terrific writer! And I rarely have to edit her articles/posts at all.  She keeps putting out quality work that is more than impressive for someone her age. And guess what? She's published.  You're going to want to check out her recent short stories that have been featured in two separate publications. One a magazine called Sanitarium, the other a book called Phobia available on Kindle.

*What's this I hear?  Vertigo bumped Citizen Kane out of the top spot in Sight & Sound's critic's poll in 2012? Whaaat? How exciting is that for us Hitchcock fans?? CK was in the top spot since 1952! So I am thankful for this awesome news. Why?  Because I LOVE VERTIGO WITH ALL MY HEART!

    *Speaking of Hitch, I'm thankful for the additions to my DVD library this year that feature my fave director:  Dial M for Murder, North by Northwest, Rebecca, and a new version of the aforementioned Vertigo.  I already own Rear Window, Strangers on a Train, The Birds, and (of course) Psycho.  I am slowly adding his films to my collection.  Next up:  Marnie, Notorious, Shadow of a Doubt...and who knows what else.  I'm just thankful for Alfred Hitchcock in general. Cannot wait to see Anthony Hopkins portray the master in the upcoming flick: Hitchcock.

    *I'm thankful for winning the Alien DVD quadrilogy from Matt House and his awesome blog Chuck Norris Ate My Baby.  I've never won anything (other than money by betting the ponies) in my life, so it was an honest pleasure to win something so perfect for a horror fan!

    *Michael Fassbender.  I'm so very thankful for Michael Fassbender. Seeing him in Prometheus pretty much made the entire film for me. Last year's Jane Eyre got me started as a major fan - and then I recalled he was the lead in Eden Lake. Another bonus. Having seen him in several other non-horror films (including his amazing performance in Shame) only solidified the obvious fact that he's not just another pretty face.  This dude can act!

    *I'm thankful for not being punished by having to witness the likes of Chernobyl Diaries, The Apparition, Piranha 3DD, House at the End of the Street, and The Devil Inside in their theatrical run. I did however, spend 5 bucks to go see Dark Shadows, and I bought The Tall Man on DVD without renting it from Netflix first. Hey, I'm not perfect.

    *In that same vein, I'm happy to report that I didn't get motion sick at Paranormal Activity 4.  Because I did not go see PA4.  And I honestly have no desire to do so. I guess I'm saying I'm grateful for not vomiting? Always a plus.

    *Sinister. I'm thankful for my theater experience seeing this one. While it wasn't my favorite film that I saw on the big screen this year (that honor goes to Skyfall, by far), I certainly enjoyed sitting alone in a darkened theater on Halloween afternoon, watching Ethan Hawke unravel an unsettling and horrific mystery while I munched on Sno-Caps and downed a smuggled-in Mountain Dew.

    *Speaking of Daniel Craig - I'm thankful to know the difference between a Dream House and a Dream Home.  The latter 2010 film (starring Josie Ho and putting out some of the most graphic kills I may have ever seen) was vastly superior to the poorly received 2011 psychological thriller starring (real-life spouses) James Bond and Rachel Weisz. Even though the cast was an accomplished and decent one, the film just dragged on for----ever. and had no cohesive moments whatsoever.  Blessedly, Craig redeemed himself for me with both Skyfall and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

   *Thank you, True Blood, for a great Season 5.  Bill and Eric's bromance was a highlight, as was Alcide's ass. They raised the bar by bringing back Russell Edgington and by turning Tara into a vampire. Can't wait for Season 6!  And while it is taking a little longer to grow on me, I'm still grateful for American Horror Story! This year's Asylum is a no-holds-barred kitchen sink of horror. What won't they do next?  It's crazy and outrageous and I love it. Also worth mentioning that I am still a big fan of The Vampire Diaries.  Though geared towards people half my age, the storytelling is quite enjoyable and the guys on the show are fiercely good-looking. And guess what?  They have fangs and know how to use them. What a concept!  It really does succeed where Twilight falters.

    *And finally, the thing I'm probably most thankful for is The Walking Dead.  At the beginning of this season I was utterly distraught that DISH Network and AMC couldn't reach an agreement and AMC was taken off the programming schedule. It made me actually despondent that I might miss an entire season and have to wait until next year to rent it from Netflix. So I guess I should be thankful to DISH and AMC for working out their issues only three episodes into season 3, and I quickly caught up.
Personally, I think TWD is the best show on television, hands down.  Seems America thinks so too.

*In closing, it seems there has been an awful lot to be thankful for as of late. Horror is alive and thriving at the highest level - and this is one fan who hopes to see the trend continue!

Book Spotlight: 8 Great Horror Anthologies

Article by Marie Robinson

I have a serious obsession with anthologies. I love to go to used book stores and scour the shelves for rare and excellent horror anthologies! Here are a few of my favorites from my very own book shelf.

THE DARK: NEW GHOST STORIES edited by Ellen Datlow

First of all, everyone should get to know Ellen Datlow if you don't already. She is one of the greatest editors out there and she has a special place in her heart for horror; the book includes an introduction by herself. The theme of this one is obviously ghost stories and all from modern writers. I always have to check out the table of contents and there are few and here that just made me squeal! Jeffery Ford, Tanith Lee, Joyce Carol Oates, Ramsey Campbell and Kelly Link. You can definitely hear the modern voice in this anthology, and although I prefer the classic gothic voice myself, I do like to give myself a dose of the modern every once in a while, and this is the perfect concoction. It was released by Tor, one of my favorite publishers!

AMERICAN GOTHIC TALES edited by Joyce Carol Oates

Joyce Carol Oates (a.k.a. the shit) edited and introduces this collection of gothic horror stories penned by some of the greatest American authors. With 40+ tales, it showcases what it considered to be each others best, or most popular, as far as the horror short story goes. It contains Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown", Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper", Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and Henry James' "The Romance of Certain Clothes". There are a few hard-to-find stories by great authors; I was very excited to see the rare pieces, "A Lovely House" by Shirley Jackson and "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner. There were many tales and authors I had never heard of before, and I had great fun reading this book!

LATE VICTORIAN GOTHIC TALES edited by Roger Luckhurst

Although this collection only has a handful of tales, they are rich, thought-provoking examples of gothic literature.  There are two pieces by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as well as one from Henry James, Oscar Wilde and Rudyard Kipling. What really sealed the deal for me was that this anthology included Arthur Machen's masterpiece "The Great God Pan", an essential piece for serious horror lit fans!

POE'S CHILDREN edited by Peter Straub

These tales are handpicked by living legend himself, Peter Straub, and are what he believes to be the best of the best of the last decade. These are not gore for gore's sake, these are truly terrifying stories, crafted with care by some of the most talented modern writers. The table of contents includes Ramsey Campbell, Kelly Link, and Glen Hirschberg, with, of course, an introduction by Straub, himself.

THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF HAUNTED HOUSE STORIES edited by Peter Haining

The "Mammoth Book of..." collection is one of my favorites. Not only do they give dozens and dozens of stories to read, they always pick the best ones! This one is, of course, contains stories about haunted houses, and each one has a fun little introduction and tidbits about the author and possible inspiration of the story. We get haunting tales by regulars like Algernon Blackwood, Charlotte Riddell, Ramsey Campbell, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; there is even the rare piece by Virginia Woolfe. It also has my FAVORITE story by Sheridan Le Fanu "Authentic Narrative of a Haunted House".

HAUNTED LEGENDS edited by Ellen Datlow and Nick Mamatas

These stories penned by modern writers are inspired by folklore and urban legends around the world. I wrote a review on this book that you can read here: (HAUNTED LEGENDS).

REALMS OF DARKNESS edited by Mary Danby

This anthology of "Nightmarish Tales of the Supernatural and the Macabre" stands out because it has an introduction from Count Dracula, himself--Christopher Lee. If that hasn't gotten you to add this to your Amazon shopping cart, the 50+ stories, written by the best of the best, will! Stephen King? Check. M.R. James? Check. Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker, Washington Irving? Check, check and check! Plus some surprise appearances from H.G. Wells, Ronald Dahl and Agatha Christie. I must give shout-outs to my favorites Ambrose Bierce, Sheridan Le Fanu and Guy De Maupassant. And since I purchased mine at a used bookstore it came with yellowing pages and a wonderful smell - perfect!

PHOBIA edited by Charlotte Emma Gledson

I'm throwing this last one in for a bit of shameless self-promotion!! This antho was released at the beginning of September by Black Hound Digital Press. All of the stories carry the theme of (you guessed it) phobia and the psychological--or physical--effects of it. It just so happens to feature a story by lil' ole me, Marie, called "The Winter Wind". If you are interested in buying, I will provide the link here: (PHOBIA) . It is available for Kindle only and costs a mere $2.99.

*All right, that is it for now! But since I have an ever-growing collection of anthologies I promise to make another post like this in the future! Happy reading!!