Robert Louis Stevenson does horror supremely with “the Body-Snatchers.” After all, what better sustenance for horror than a story about the illicit collection of corpses for money? In life, we all face situations where we have to choose between right and wrong. Sometimes, the right action is obscured, but usually the choice is clear. Only, the right action is difficult to take, for various reason. Such a conundrum becomes the impetus for further action in “The Body-Snatchers.” “The Body-Snatchers” is a gruesome story about the domino effect that follows a blatantly wrong choice, and the chooser’s concomitant fall. Continue reading “Snatch a Dose of Horror with “The Body-Snatchers””
Month: November 2015
King Corners Religion with Children of the Corn
Slasher movies are a classic staple of the horror genre. There’s just something that draws a horror audience to the everyday murdering psychopath. In a previous post, I speculated why horror fans are drawn to the genre. Suffice it to say, there’s something tempting to the horror fan about mindless malice. Perhaps, as human beings – flawed though we are – most of us are so far from being able to commit such acts that their mere inconceivable nature fascinates and perplexes us. Why do murderous sociopaths exist? Are they born or created? What goes on in the mind of such a person? Continue reading “King Corners Religion with Children of the Corn”
Point – Counterpoint : Grooming in the Zombie Apocalypse
Guest Writers: David Miller and Michael J. Miller
A few weeks ago, Kalie began her “Walking Through The Walking Dead” series and in her first article, she briefly commented on how the characters in the show have a surprising amount of mousse/hair gel for a post-apocalyptic dystopia. There’s also a lot of shaving of the face for men and legs/armpits for the women too. Basically, there’s an odd amount of modern grooming happening in a world gone to hell. This has generated a great deal of heated debate (particularly between my brother and I). So, below David and I have written short, opposing opinion pieces about grooming in the zombie apocalypse. Please read and please, please, please (yes, I’m begging but sibling debates will generate this) leave your opinion in the comment section about whose side you’re on! We are seeking some Internet aid in settling a debate that has filled too much of our free time already. Continue reading “Point – Counterpoint : Grooming in the Zombie Apocalypse”
The Killing Joke: The Horror Genre’s Greatest Unclaimed Masterpiece
Guest Writer: Michael J. Miller
In 1988, Alan Moore and Brian Bolland gave the world Batman: The Killing Joke, a graphic novel unique in both its depiction of depravity and the emotional toll it takes on the reader. At first glance, a Batman comic may seem an odd choice for an article on a horror blog. Yet, I’d argue no other piece of literature (comic book or otherwise) delves into the sadistic depths of darkness and evil quite like The Killing Joke. In all I’ve explored of the horror genre proper, there are few works that make me cringe like this and even fewer that leave me as disturbed. In The Killing Joke, the reader encounters an unflinching portrayal of evil. And you can’t remain unchanged after reading it.
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A Trip to the Bazaar: Exploring the Afterlife
We all hope we’re going up to that spirit in the sky when we die. If you’re a cynical doubter like me, you just hope there is, indeed, a spirit in the sky – a gate with a St. Peter-esque figure, surrounded by some winged cherubs and signaling entrance into eternal, infinite bliss. But, hell, if that’s too much to ask for, I’ll take reincarnation, as long as I don’t have to come back as something lame like a flea or an earthworm. I mean, haven’t we all thought, “Damn, I hope there’s something?” I think even those with the strongest faith – and I don’t count myself among them – sometimes doubt the presence of an afterlife. In any case, it’s something we all think of, just not daily or compulsively. Continue reading “A Trip to the Bazaar: Exploring the Afterlife”
15 Minutes of Horror with Guy De Maupassant’s “Was it a Dream?”
Life is hectic. Sometimes, I need a quick horror fix. So I picked up my coveted horror anthology and looked for a story that wasn’t too long. I saw “Was it a Dream” and recognized Guy De Maupassant’s name, so I found a winning contender. Surprisingly, this random stumble yielded pleasing results. “Was it a Dream” initially reads like a romance story, but soon transmutes into the vaguely macabre and otherworldly. “Was it a Dream” is a horror-genre classic, borrowing the best from the genre and ending with a pointed – and poignant – statement about humanity and the way we memorialize the dead. Continue reading “15 Minutes of Horror with Guy De Maupassant’s “Was it a Dream?””
Walking through The Walking Dead (Season Three): The Characters
I love watching The Walking Dead before bed. I have coined the term “Dead ‘til bed” for nights I set aside for a Walking Dead marathon. Nothing says nighty-night like slaughter, zombie guts and involuntary bloodletting. Indeed, I just finished season three, and I started watching the show a couple weeks ago, so I’m catching up quickly. But if mindless zombie hacking was all the show was about, I would have already stopped my viewing, and the show wouldn’t be in its sixth season. Much of The Walking Dead’s intrigue lies within its characters. The show presents us with complex, dynamic characters who evolve and adapt to a disorienting apocalypse, many of them with admirable gusto. We warm toward them and cheer for them. Season three, in particular, is rife with captivating character development. Continue reading “Walking through The Walking Dead (Season Three): The Characters”
A Trip to the Bazaar: Reading “A Death” from Stephen King’s Bazaar of Bad Dreams
Who murders someone for a single silver dollar? In Stephen King’s “A Death” Jim Trusdale is accused of doing just that. Want to characterize Trusdale? Think of a skinny version of Lennie from Of Mice and Men. Trusdale is notably slow, and people laugh at his speech. But, unlike Steinbeck’s hulking Lennie, Trusdale is about 140 lbs. The townsfolk accuse Trusdale of killing ten-year-old Rebecca Cline, leaving his hat under her dress, stealing her silver dollar, and leaving her dead body in an alley. Sheriff Barclay becomes certain Trusdale didn’t commit the act, but, to the reader’s chagrin, he says nothing. Continue reading “A Trip to the Bazaar: Reading “A Death” from Stephen King’s Bazaar of Bad Dreams”
Kant Get Enough of the Apocalypse? Apply Kant’s Categorical Imperative to the Walking Dead
In my sophomore year of college, I took an ethical theory class. We ambled through philosophies that sought to answer the question: what makes right actions right? We decided, by the end of the course, that the best ethical theory was the Immanuel Kant’s categorical imperative. In terms of reasonably determining the best course of action an individual should take in an ethical dilemma, it had the least shortcomings. Now, I haven’t been a sophomore in college for over 13 years, but I remember this much about Kant’s imperative: it posits that if everyone took a certain action and the results were okay, then the action would be okay. To examine the correctness of an action, you create a maxim. For example, if my maxim is “It is correct to steal,” my maxim would be flawed. If everyone in the world stole everything, then there would be no rule or law, money would have no value, and our exchange system would collapse. Clearly, such a maxim is infeasible. Continue reading “Kant Get Enough of the Apocalypse? Apply Kant’s Categorical Imperative to the Walking Dead”
Walking Through The Walking Dead: Ethical Quandaries in Seasons 1 and 2
Why do so many people watch The Walking Dead? I’ll admit, I was a bit cynical when I first tried to answer this question. I reasoned that people watch The Walking Dead because it has an unprecedented amount of violence, or because Americans love guns. And those elements of the show might be appealing to some viewers, but they don’t fully explain the show’s intrigue.
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