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Frankenstein: Or, the Modern Prometheus
Mary Shelley and Maurice Hindle
8.0
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A terrifying vision of scientific progress without moral limits, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein leads...
Connor Sheffield (293 KP) created a post
May 24, 2017
The Return: A Supernatural Masterpiece
Book
Arthur Lawford is meandering through a graveyard in a melancholy mood, brooding on his current...
Awix (3310 KP) rated Straight On Till Morning (1972) in Movies
Mar 8, 2021
Rather atypical Hammer psycho-horror is much stronger on dour naturalism than the usual gothic fantasy. A slightly unstable young woman moves to present-day London in search of her dreams and winds up moving in with a handsome serial killer (late-period Hammer star Shane Briant, in his first film for the company). Things eventually get a bit fraught.
It would be nice to think the change in style was the result of a decision by Hammer to experiment, but the fact the film was clearly made on a punishingly low budget suggests otherwise: the reason it's largely a two-hander, mostly taking place in a single flat, is presumably simply to keep production costs down. The atmosphere throughout is dingy and a bit grim; appalling early-70s fashion doesn't help much. There's a conceit about Peter Pan which is never really resolved (hence the title); the film's most distinctive feature is the editing, which is jarring, almost subliminal, and gets rather annoying very quickly. Good performances from the leads, I suppose, but this doesn't make up for the fact the story is implausible, uninvolving, and doesn't really go anywhere.
It would be nice to think the change in style was the result of a decision by Hammer to experiment, but the fact the film was clearly made on a punishingly low budget suggests otherwise: the reason it's largely a two-hander, mostly taking place in a single flat, is presumably simply to keep production costs down. The atmosphere throughout is dingy and a bit grim; appalling early-70s fashion doesn't help much. There's a conceit about Peter Pan which is never really resolved (hence the title); the film's most distinctive feature is the editing, which is jarring, almost subliminal, and gets rather annoying very quickly. Good performances from the leads, I suppose, but this doesn't make up for the fact the story is implausible, uninvolving, and doesn't really go anywhere.
Darren Fisher (2447 KP) rated 13 Dolls In Darkness (2017) in Movies
Jul 24, 2022
I have been an obsessive fan of horror films since I was a kid in the 70's. Brought up on Hammer and Universal monster films it wasn't long before I delved into pre-cert exploitation films and that is where my preference has been ever since.
Over the last 20 years I have felt that the horror genre hasn't really offered it's fans anything new (bar a few exceptions). Having been left despondent, disappointed and bored senseless by the over-saturation of remakes, reboots and just plain dull horror fare, it comes with great surprise that a black and white silent film from Australia would be the breath of fresh air that the horror genre desperately needs.
The plot of 13 Dolls is pretty straightforward. Marjorie receives a letter from her ailing mother to return home after a 13 year absence. On her return home Marjorie realises that things are not what they seem...
Written and directed by the talented Zeda Müller, this is a film that demands your attention from the start. With its eerie score and moody camerawork it sets a very atmospheric and claustrophobic feel to proceedings. It's a great take on the 'old dark house' horrors of a bygone era, Robert Wiene and Tod Brownings early work springs to mind... yet draws on influences from the likes of Dario Argento, Mario Bava's gothic horrors, giallo and slasher films (there are some nicely placed references for the sharp-eyed viewer). The fact that this is a silent film (I'll get to the score in a bit) actually works in its favour. Gone are the usual mundane dialogue pieces that fill out most horror films these days and the viewer is reintroduced to dialogue cards when required to move the story along. This also means that the actors are given room to act through expression and emotion and they all do a sterling job.
The masterstroke of 13 Dolls though is the excellent use of camerawork and soundtrack. The soundtrack is interspliced with sound effects (church bells, howling wind, dripping taps etc) and moody piano/tension building synths, all used to full sensory effect. The footage and score intertwine brilliantly together and I found some scenes genuinely eerie and creepy (a rare feeling for me whilst watching a new film these days).
Overall 13 Dolls is a mesmerising experience, interspersed with some cleverly executed gore scenes, and at a scant 75 minutes long, it motors along at a cracking pace.
So, you have probably guessed that I liked this film a lot. I highly recommend checking it out, especially if you are looking for something different. It's a great film and I for one am looking forward to Zeda Müller & Co's next venture...!
Over the last 20 years I have felt that the horror genre hasn't really offered it's fans anything new (bar a few exceptions). Having been left despondent, disappointed and bored senseless by the over-saturation of remakes, reboots and just plain dull horror fare, it comes with great surprise that a black and white silent film from Australia would be the breath of fresh air that the horror genre desperately needs.
The plot of 13 Dolls is pretty straightforward. Marjorie receives a letter from her ailing mother to return home after a 13 year absence. On her return home Marjorie realises that things are not what they seem...
Written and directed by the talented Zeda Müller, this is a film that demands your attention from the start. With its eerie score and moody camerawork it sets a very atmospheric and claustrophobic feel to proceedings. It's a great take on the 'old dark house' horrors of a bygone era, Robert Wiene and Tod Brownings early work springs to mind... yet draws on influences from the likes of Dario Argento, Mario Bava's gothic horrors, giallo and slasher films (there are some nicely placed references for the sharp-eyed viewer). The fact that this is a silent film (I'll get to the score in a bit) actually works in its favour. Gone are the usual mundane dialogue pieces that fill out most horror films these days and the viewer is reintroduced to dialogue cards when required to move the story along. This also means that the actors are given room to act through expression and emotion and they all do a sterling job.
The masterstroke of 13 Dolls though is the excellent use of camerawork and soundtrack. The soundtrack is interspliced with sound effects (church bells, howling wind, dripping taps etc) and moody piano/tension building synths, all used to full sensory effect. The footage and score intertwine brilliantly together and I found some scenes genuinely eerie and creepy (a rare feeling for me whilst watching a new film these days).
Overall 13 Dolls is a mesmerising experience, interspersed with some cleverly executed gore scenes, and at a scant 75 minutes long, it motors along at a cracking pace.
So, you have probably guessed that I liked this film a lot. I highly recommend checking it out, especially if you are looking for something different. It's a great film and I for one am looking forward to Zeda Müller & Co's next venture...!
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated While You Sleep in Books
May 20, 2019
If you’re looking for something in the flavor of gothic horror with a little bit of romance and an unreliable narrator to thrown in, While You Sleep by Stephanie Merritt is the perfect choice. Reading it during a thunderstorm (which takes place quite often in the book) is even better. While I don’t tend to like romance, this book plays it off in a manner that even I can enjoy.
Set on a small island off the coast of Scotland, Merritt immediately creates an atmospherically gloomy environment. The main character, Zoe Adams, is an introverted artist who’s taking some much needed time away from her family in a lovely Victorian Era house in a town where she knows no one. Unbeknownst to her, the house has a reputation. Soon, things start to get a little rough, and the vacation turns into a nightmare. The question is, is there a phantom lending truth to the house’s status, or is there more than meets the eye?
When it comes to characters, Merritt’s ability to write dynamic and three-dimensional characters is spot on. I found myself becoming attached to a few while loathing others. The small town feel is replicated in the behaviors and actions of several characters, which tends to be something I’m wary of, being from a small town myself.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s one I’d like to own, and one I’ll definitely recommend to fellow horror fiends. I’d like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
http://theghastlygrimoire.com/2019/05/10/book-review-while-you-sleep-by-stephanie-merritt/
Set on a small island off the coast of Scotland, Merritt immediately creates an atmospherically gloomy environment. The main character, Zoe Adams, is an introverted artist who’s taking some much needed time away from her family in a lovely Victorian Era house in a town where she knows no one. Unbeknownst to her, the house has a reputation. Soon, things start to get a little rough, and the vacation turns into a nightmare. The question is, is there a phantom lending truth to the house’s status, or is there more than meets the eye?
When it comes to characters, Merritt’s ability to write dynamic and three-dimensional characters is spot on. I found myself becoming attached to a few while loathing others. The small town feel is replicated in the behaviors and actions of several characters, which tends to be something I’m wary of, being from a small town myself.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s one I’d like to own, and one I’ll definitely recommend to fellow horror fiends. I’d like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
http://theghastlygrimoire.com/2019/05/10/book-review-while-you-sleep-by-stephanie-merritt/
The Madman's Daughter (The Madman's Daughter, #1)
9.0
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A dark, breathless, beautifully-written gothic thriller of murder, madness and a mysterious...
Frankenstein
7.7
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Obsessed by creating life itself, Victor Frankenstein plunders graveyards for the material to...
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Flatliners (1990) in Movies
Sep 19, 2020
Stupid, to be sure (Kiefer Sutherland gets his ass kicked by a supernatural 8-year-old on multiple occasions) - and I do side with the critiques that this could have been a lot deeper, but this is still completely righteous. A ghostly, heavily portentous, lush modern day gothic-medical melodrama that came out in the 90s yet *screams* 1985 right down to the haircuts. Try to picture 𝘚𝘵. 𝘌𝘭𝘮𝘰'𝘴 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘦 as a gen X YA horror flick. One of my all-time favorite film premises, and even Schumacher's (RIP) supporters I don't think give him enough credit for making all these interesting camp spectacles that - of all things - you can hardly say are unoriginal *nor* forgettable. A bunch of medical students chill out in an old cathedral thing which doubles as a medical lab where they perform clandestine death experiments on each other out in the open and argue about who can die the longest lmao, it's whoppingly silly stuff that thankfully takes itself dead (no pun intended) seriously. Pulpy, moody, atmospheric, and just looks extraordinary to boot - the visuals really tie that bind between our world and whatever lies beyond in an increasingly unstable way, as if some sort of constant (losing) struggle. So good that I actually even liked the infamous sentimental ending.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated A House of Bells in Books
Jan 9, 2024
7 of 220
Kindle
A House of Bells
By J.T. Croft
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A woman haunted by fate, a child silenced by fear, and a house full of secrets and bells.
1918. Stripped of her reputation and haunted by a spirit she failed to protect, the young governess Grace Meadows finds herself out of time and growing more and more desperate. But when she’s offered a strange job from an eccentric medium, she never could have imagined what she was signing up for.
Tasked with caring for a troubled young girl who has lost the ability to speak, Grace must unravel the dangerous secrets at the heart of a run-down country mansion and find the source of the horrors which now threaten both of their lives.
As she’s forced to confront her own demons and reconcile the ghosts of past and present, can Grace protect the child from the living and dead? And what is waiting for her beyond the mysterious silk and bells which protect them from forces unseen?
This was a haughtily beautiful gothic horror. It was so well written. The characters were endearing and dislikeable when needed. I’m glad to have found this author and looking forward to reading more.
Kindle
A House of Bells
By J.T. Croft
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A woman haunted by fate, a child silenced by fear, and a house full of secrets and bells.
1918. Stripped of her reputation and haunted by a spirit she failed to protect, the young governess Grace Meadows finds herself out of time and growing more and more desperate. But when she’s offered a strange job from an eccentric medium, she never could have imagined what she was signing up for.
Tasked with caring for a troubled young girl who has lost the ability to speak, Grace must unravel the dangerous secrets at the heart of a run-down country mansion and find the source of the horrors which now threaten both of their lives.
As she’s forced to confront her own demons and reconcile the ghosts of past and present, can Grace protect the child from the living and dead? And what is waiting for her beyond the mysterious silk and bells which protect them from forces unseen?
This was a haughtily beautiful gothic horror. It was so well written. The characters were endearing and dislikeable when needed. I’m glad to have found this author and looking forward to reading more.