October: 31 Days of Horror

[dannyboy121070]

Watched MIDNIGHT MASS over three nights. I was originally dismayed as to the subgenre the show wound up being in, and saw some of the basic plot twists from the get-go. Then the show takes these very strong right turns with its story beats and I ultimately loved the show. I’m still unsure if it stuck the landing one hundred percent but Mike Flanagan is continuing to show why he is a modern master of the genre. I’m unsure as to why he doesn’t get the praise James Wan, Ari Aster, and Robert Eggers get.

I think people like you and I probably figured out what was going on in the first episode, but viewers who aren't steeped in Horror probably had no clue. I was surprised by the way some of the characters acted in the final episode, which beautifully addressed a question I've always had about stories like this:

Spoiler!

If something like that happens to a basically good person, why do they always immediately turn evil?

I was glad to see this show avoid some of those cliches.

[dannyboy121070]

Day twelve:

I read like a sunovabitch yesterday!

A HEAD FULL OF GHOSTS is getting a little old about halfway through...the blatant ripoffs of THE EXORCIST were made slightly better by the book admitting that they were blatant ripoffs of THE EXORCIST, but still...something original needs to happen, stat!

AVENGERS/DOCTOR STRANGE: RISE OF THE DARKHOLD: I never thought about what would happen if Thor ever fought Dracula, and now that I've seen it, I wish that I hadn't.

UNTCIGAHUNK: Finally finished the novel portion of the book, and,

Spoiler!

as I feared, the massively long and dragged out subplots about the Sheriff having an affair, his racist Deputy, the Father's new girlfriend, the local hood with his missing pot and his abused girlfriend and his asshole local bigshot Dad...all came to naught, and had absolutely zero to do with the book, aside from mercilessly padding it out to 500+ pages.

On to the related short stories!

THE BIG BOOK OF NECON: The endless reminiscence about eating saugies and getting drunk might be fun to the handful of people that were there, but not so fun for the rest of us. Looking forward to getting to the fiction.

WE ALL HEAR STORIES IN THE DARK, VOLUME III: I finished PUMPKIN KIDS, which ended with bizarro.....I wanted to stop, but I'll try one more story before taking a break.

[Sock Monkey]

I think people like you and I probably figured out what was going on in the first episode, but viewers who aren't steeped in Horror probably had no clue. I was surprised by the way some of the characters acted in the final episode, which beautifully addressed a question I've always had about stories like this:

Spoiler!

If something like that happens to a basically good person, why do they always immediately turn evil?

I was glad to see this show avoid some of those cliches.

Agreed. My wife, who admittedly is not the horror fan that am but by default has become well-versed in the genre through over sixteen years of marriage, did not pick up on the clues. I told her after the first episode because I thought it was obvious, and I kinda blew her mind.

I agree with your spoiler tagged comment. It’s one of the things the show does that separates it from the pack of similar films and stories. I just wish the last episode had been given a little more time to let those moments breathe, to explore if just for a moment more.

[Sock Monkey]

I still haven't seen the original WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS movie. It was on Amazon Prime for years, and I kept saying "I'll watch it tomorrow..." Then the TV show started, and all of al sudden you have to rent it to watch it. Someday....

I would totally buy a talking Nadja doll.

The movie is fantastic. I highly recommend you tracking it down. And Yes to the Nadja doll!

[Sock Monkey]

Day Nine:

After that, I retired to the sunroom and watched Mike Flanagan's HUSH, which I really enjoyed. Very tense, well-made film. I liked seeing a few familiar faces from MIDNIGHT MASS, and the MIDNIGHT MASS easter egg was very cool.

I’ve watched HUSH like four or more times. Such a simple yet expertly executed thriller. The lead actress is actually married to the director, Mike Flanagan. I’d normally roll my eyes at casting one’s wife in so many projects, but I think she’s a fantastic actress and would cast her in everything too.

[dannyboy121070]

I’ve watched HUSH like four or more times. Such a simple yet expertly executed thriller. The lead actress is actually married to the director, Mike Flanagan. I’d normally roll my eyes at casting one’s wife in so many projects, but I think she’s a fantastic actress and would cast her in everything too.

I agree. I'm disappointed to see that she isn't in BLY MANOR.

[dannyboy121070]

Agreed. My wife, who admittedly is not the horror fan that am but by default has become well-versed in the genre through over sixteen years of marriage, did not pick up on the clues. I told her after the first episode because I thought it was obvious, and I kinda blew her mind.

I agree with your spoiler tagged comment. It’s one of the things the show does that separates it from the pack of similar films and stories. I just wish the last episode had been given a little more time to let those moments breathe, to explore if just for a moment more.

I thought they were going to have a longer final episode...I was surprised to see that it was the same length as all the rest. They squeezed a lot in, but I do wish they had taken a little more time.

[dannyboy121070]

Day thirteen:

I watched en episode of TERROR IN THE WOODS....My God, when will people learn to just stay out of the woods? There's nothing good there. Really.

I continued on with the same books as the previous day. (These are some long-ass books!) I can say with certainty that I like Rick Huatala's short fiction better than his novels. The ancillary stories in UNTCIGAHUNK are excellent so far. We wrapped up the day by watching episode 2 of THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR, and a few old TREEHOUSE OF HORROR episodes. I'm sad that we're almost halfway through my favorite month already......

[paulag]

Last my creepy book is House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski is one of the more unique members of the genre, and definitely worth a read.

It's not as in your face scary as some other books are, but the language and page structure function to cultivate a sinister and mildly disorienting experience.

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[Martin]

Last my creepy book is House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski is one of the more unique members of the genre, and definitely worth a read.

It's not as in your face scary as some other books are, but the language and page structure function to cultivate a sinister and mildly disorienting experience.

At some point I will get around to reading that one.

[mulleins]

Watched original Halloween Monday, Halloween II Tuesday, original The Fog Wednesday, The Fog (remake) Thursday, Original The Shining last night, watching The Shining (remake) tonight and tomorrow night.

The fun will continue into next week.

Mulleins

[dannyboy121070]

Last my creepy book is House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski is one of the more unique members of the genre, and definitely worth a read.

It's not as in your face scary as some other books are, but the language and page structure function to cultivate a sinister and mildly disorienting experience.

This is a book that I have picked up dozens of times in Barnes & Noble, and I've always put it back on the shelf. I WANT to read it, but my radar is pretty good for books that I don't think I'll like, and that radar goes off STRONG for this one. It seems like something that would frustrate me and have to many bizarro aspects.

[dannyboy121070]

Day fourteen:

I finished off the two-part EXPEDITION X episode about the haunted Civil War fort. Snooze-fest. The stars of this show are a frustrating lot....Phil believes nothing, and Jessica believes everything. I watched a couple of UNEXPLAINED CAUGHT ON CAMERA, read some more of the above-mentioned books, and I read BALTIMORE, VOLUME 4: CHAPEL OF BONES. I really can't recommend the BALTIMORE series highly enough. Excellent, creepy story, perfect art....it's the whole package. At night, I took advantage of the warm weather to hit the sunroom and watch the first episode of season three of ELI ROTH'S HISTORY OF HORROR and the new WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS. I also finished the AVENGERS/DOCTOR STRANGE book.

Day fifteen:

I read a huge chunk of A HEAD FULL OF GHOSTS....Tremblay has a very readable writing style. This book is flowing well and easy-to-read, as opposed to UNTCIGAHUNK, which is a chore to read, but the story is just not grabbing me, and I WANT TO BE GRABBED. I'm giving myself over, and nothing is happening. As I read, I wonder what everyone else sees in this book that I don't. I read a few more BIG BOOK OF NECON STORIES, and...This could have used a little more editorial supervision. I finally got to the fiction section, and the first two stories were autobiographical slice-of-life stories starring the authors. This is supposed to be a Horror convention! Les Daniels saved the day with a shocking little ditty, but I hope this improves. A lot.

I read two comic collections that had Horrific story elements: KING IN BLACK: THUNDERBOLTS and REED GUNTHER, VOLUME 2: MONSTERS AND MUSTACHES!, both of which were excellent. The highlight of the day was HALLOWEEN KILLS. I subscribed to the truly awful Peacock just to watch this film. (I unsubscribed this morning...there is NOTHING there worth paying for.) The film itself was a wonderful continuation of the franchise. Not as good as the last one, but I enjoyed it a lot. I'd say a six or seven out of ten. Very faithful and reverential to Carpenter & Hill's original vision.

[dannyboy121070]

Day sixteen:

I read a chunk of A HEAD FULL OF GHOSTS, and it still hasn't really grabbed me, so I suspect that ship has sailed. Very readable book, but it hasn't enamored me the way that it has so many other people. I also started CONAN THE BARBARIAN: THE ORIGINAL MARVEL YEARS OMNIBUS, VOL. 3. Not strictly Horror, but so far Conan has fought a giant scorpion idol and a shadow-creature, so...I'll allow it!

Last night we decided to watch GREMLINS 2: THE NEW BATCH with our son, to try to get him into the Halloween spirit. (Also because I bought him a Gremlins advent calendar for December...). He got a kick out of it. I loved seeing Dick Miller and Christopher Lee, and the wonderful practical effects.

[RonClinton]

Day sixteen:

I read a chunk of A HEAD FULL OF GHOSTS, and it still hasn't really grabbed me, so I suspect that ship has sailed. Very readable book, but it hasn't enamored me the way that it has so many other people.

That's too bad HEAD FULL OF GHOSTS didn't do it for you. That one was my favorite of the year I read it, and it remains one of the few books in the last couple decades that actually periodically gave me chills...very rare occurrence after reading this horror stuff for 30-plus years. Notably, Scott Smith's THE RUINS did it as well last year...but that's, what, two books in the last half-decade...? I get it, though...I often seem to be at odds with what's popular and hyped at any given time. Case in point: Tremblay's other book, THE CABIN AT THE END OF THE WORLD -- while I generally enjoyed it, I didn't quite get the adoration this book was getting at the time...even still, it is, for me, a lesser work than, say, HEAD FULL OF GHOSTS or SURVIVOR SONG, but I can appreciate why people loved TCATEOFTW...just wasn't my kind of book, I guess.