Horror general thread [+]

[overgeeked]

I just finished The Wehrwolf, by Alma Katsu, a Bram Stoker Award winning novella. It has a really slow and boring start. So much so that despite being less than 80 pages I put it aside twice. I’m glad I finished it because once it got going, it was really good…despite the ending being dumb.

It’s the closing days of WW2, Germany is losing the war, and the Allies have invaded the German homeland. So, naturally, the German people living in the rural countryside turn into werewolves to defend their village. But only a select few.

The author tells the story of Uwe, a woodsman, who’s never fit in with the other men of the village and his slow corruption and transformation into a monster because of lycanthropy. The use of lycanthropy as a metaphor for Nazism and how the downtrodden, outcast, and marginalized can be swayed and made to feel powerful, accepted, and better than is really well done…if a bit on-the-nose and hammer to the face blatantly obvious.

 

[VashVet]

I just finished the 2005 Bram Stoker Award-winning novella Best New Horror by Joe Hill. I picked this one because I’ve never read a Joe Hill story and because it won a Stoker. If you don’t know, Joe Hill is one of Stephen King’s kids. While King can’t stick an ending to save his life, I had hoped some of his chops had rubbed off on Junior here. No such luck. Not in evidence in this piece at least. This was such a meh-tastic nothing burger it’s making me question whether it’s worthwhile to pay attention to the Stoker Awards.

The plot. A horror anthology editor is burned out on the genre but keeps doing it for the little bit of money and invites to cons. A story comes to him that finally brings back the old spark. So he decides to track down the author to pay him to be in the anthology. A lot of words are spent on how weird, creepy, and horrendous horror fans are. And surprise, turns out the writer is a literal Nazi and is such a bloodthirsty psycho that he and his brothers are going to kill the editor. The story ends with a slight reskin of scenes from Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Editor runs into the woods as one of the brothers starts up a chainsaw. The End.

Near as I can tell this story has three things to offer. One, crapping on horror fans. Two, kissing editors’ and pro writers’ butts. Three, lots of references to the most popular horror movies of the 70s and 80s.

Here’s to hoping the other award winners are bangers and 2005 was just a wretched year for horror, because damn.

The Joe Hill book you want to read to get an idea of what he can do is “Heart Shaped Box”.

Also, if you like comics and haven’t read it yet, then I say stop what you’re doing and go get “Locke and Key” immediately. You can get the entire run in graphic novel form, and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever read.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

This is as good a place to (re)ask* as any other.

In Dracula II: Ascension, they have scene in which the captured vampire starts to escape, and they try to use all the little tricks to help slow him down, including making him count seeds or grains that have been strewn in his path. According to legend, a vampire must count them all before doing anything else. Unfortunately, Dracula is wicked fast at counting, and manages to count them all before they hit the floor.

But my mind tells me there’s at least one other movie in which this is done. My recollection of the similar scene was a more refined setting, with better lighting and a tour of the anti-vampire tech in the la, including pointing out the seed/rice bags that would be released when a big red button got pressed.

Obviously, my mind could simply be playing tricks on me, but it never wrong to ask for help in matters of trivia.




* I’ve asked before, but I’ve forgotten the answer.

 

[MGibster]

But my mind tells me there’s at least one other movie in which this is done. My recollection of the similar scene was a more refined setting, with better lighting and a tour of the anti-vampire tech in the la, including pointing out the seed/rice bags that would be released when a big red button got pressed.

There's an episode of the X-Files where a vampire is about to chow down on Mulder and he throws a bunch of sunflower seeds on the floor. The vampire says, "Aw, man," and starts to count them giving Mulder time to escape.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

There's an episode of the X-Files where a vampire is about to chow down on Mulder and he throws a bunch of sunflower seeds on the floor. The vampire says, "Aw, man," and starts to count them giving Mulder time to escape.

I remember that (vaguely) but it’s a movie I’m thinking about.