The film adaptation of The Shining and the well-publicized blood feud between Stephen King and Stanley Kubrick has been the subject of nearly endless internet debate, but for some reason it’s a subject I’m obsessively fascinated by and often get into long, rambling conversations about, which is why I decided to unburden myself in written … More A Tale of Two Shinings
Victor LaValle was yet another author that I had been sadly remiss in hearing about it until his work was recommended on several book review channels I watch. Other than being a novelist, LaValle is also a writing professor at Columbia, as is his wife. They have a son named Geronimo, which I thought was … More Books: The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle
The Australian psychological horror film The Babadook made an enormous splash with critics and horror fans when it came out back in 2014, and to this day it still ends up on many “best horror movies of the century so far” lists. Because of the hype surrounding it, there was also a pretty predictable backlash, … More Movies: The Babadook (2014)
You know how sometimes when you’re bored and kinda hung over on a Sunday, and you go poking around YouTube looking for some comforting 1970s horror to watch while you inhale your hearty lunch of homemade Swedish meatballs? And you know how every now and then, you fortuitously stumble across a made-for-TV movie from 1977 … More Movies: The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver (1977)
Welcome back for another random spin of the horror wheel…round and round she goes, coughing up two spooky flicks for my viewing pleasure. Well, I don’t know if pleasure is exactly the right word in this particular situation. Viewing adequacy? Something like that. First up is the ghost story/psychological thriller The Disappointments Room. Directed by D.J. … More Double Feature: The Disappointments Room (2016) and Haunter (2013)
I came across the 2017 novel The House on Rectory Lane by British author Stuart James randomly, while browsing through my suggestions on Kindle Unlimited. Since it had an intriguing title, numerous four- and five-star reviews, and was free to read, I decided to give it a shot. I thought I had never read anything … More Books: The House on Rectory Lane by Stuart James
First up on this particular double bill is House of Last Things from 2013, which was written and directed by Michael Bartlett. I can see this movie being the kind of thing that inspires either adoration or contemptuous eye-rolling in the horror community, with fans of more traditional horror maybe thinking it’s too pretentious for its own good, or … More Double Feature: House of Last Things (2013) and Reverb (2008)
Roman Polanski, despite his rather grave personal failings, has made some absolutely champion horror films, his particular genius lying in his portrayal of claustrophobic paranoia and spiraling descents into madness. The Tenant (1976) was the third film in Polanski’s so-called ‘apartment trilogy,’ which also included Repulsion (1965) and Rosemary’s Baby (1968). The reader can check Wikipedia for a complete plot … More Movies: The Tenant (1976)
I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reed had been on my radar for quite a while before I finally got around to reading it; the novel actually came out in 2016, and I’d seen a great deal of critical praise for it, and noticed it got recommended on a lot of different book review … More Books: I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reed
British author Gemma Amor first came to the horror community’s attention back in 2018, with her collection of short stories, Cruel Works of Nature. She also frequently writes for the NoSleep and Calling Darkness podcasts, and has published a couple more books in the last few years: a novel called White Pines and an illustrated … More Books: Dear Laura by Gemma Amor
