Horror Fans and The Definition of Horror

A few weeks back Horror Yearbook asked the question "What kind of horror fan are you? Below is the aritcle, followed by the poll to log your results.

Horror Yearbook

The Poll

It seems that of the choices, I'm an INDIE horror fan. Though I do enjoy GORE and FRIGHTS, while tending to be a little ANALYTICAL at times. I watch almost any kind of horror film so SUBGENRE isn't a big deal. While critical of most MAINSTREAM movies, I'll still watch.


Then back in August the Freddy In Space Blog had a discussion about "What is horror?" The piece is below.

Freddy in Space

Horror is hard to define, because it's based pure emotion. There are many aspects to this emotion and it effects individuals differently. What terrifies you, could be tame to me. Acts that horrorify you, may be a daily occurence in my life. You get the point.

So to me, the broad definition of horror is anything that attempts to tap into emotions of fear through physical or ceberal actions.



What about you?

Horror Movies Watched and Horror Book Read in 2009

Here's a list of all the horror flicks I've watched this year. Why? Because I did it in 2008 and I enjoy tabulating meaningless lists.

Just as before, the movie list isn't as bad as it first appears. I get bored easy and tend to fast forward though flicks if its not working for me.

For books, unless I'm really having a hard time getting into the story, I usually read all the way through.

I've also give my rating (out of 5), depending on how entertained I was by the movie or book and if it held my interest. And on occasions, really bad shit holds my attention.


THE MOVIE LIST
1/1 - Left in the Darkness (2006) **
1/2 - Christmas Evil (1980) *
1/3 - The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) ***
1/4 - The Breed (2007) **
# True Blood, season 1 (2008)****
1/9 - The Fan (1996) **
1/10 - Seed (2008) **
1/12 - The Strangers (2008) ***1/2
1/13 - Jack Brooks, Monster Slayer (2008) ****
1/15 - The Invitation (2006) *
1/16 - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2005) ***
1/19 - Swamp Thing (1982) **
1/21 - The Cottage (2008) ****
1/22 - Death Row (2006)**1/2
# Fear Itself, season 1 (2008) ***
1/24 - Frightmare (1983) *1/2
1/25 - Stuck (2008) ***1/2
1/26 - Captivity (2007) *
1/27 - Shadow: Dead Riot (2006) **
1/29 - Feast 2: Sloppy Seconds (2008) ***
2/1 - Horror Business (2006) **1/2
2/3 - The Vagrant (1992) **1/2
2/5 - ShadowZone: The Undead Express (1996) **
2/7 - Thrist (1979) *1/2
2/9 - Shrooms (2007) **1/2
2/12 - Otto, or Up With the Dead (2008) *1/2
2/13 - His Name Was Jason (2009) ***
2/14 - Lemming (2007) ***
2/15 - Castle Freak (1995) ***
2/17 - Nightwing (1979) **
2/18 - Backwoods (2007) **
2/19 - Haunted Forest (2007) **
2/20 - Prom Night (2008) *1/2
2/26 - SkinWalkers (2007) *1/2
2/27 - Gutterballs (2008)**
2/28 - Saw V (2008) **1/2
3/1 - Dance of the Dead (2008) ***1/2
3/3 - Midnight (1982) *1/2
3/5 - Hide (2008) **
3/8 - Baby Blood (1989) **
3/9 - Neighbor Number 13 aka Rinjin 13-gô (2005) ****
3/10 - Days of Darkness (2007) *1/2
3/11 - Let the Right One In (2008) *****
3/12 - Mimic 2 (2001)**1/2
3/13 - The Substitute (2007) ***
3/14 - The Dead One (2007) **
3/17 - Killer Pad (2008) **1/2
3/18 - Pumpkin Karver (2006) *1/2
3/20 - Ghost Image (2007) **
3/23 - Repo: The Genetic Opera (2008) ****
3/25 - My Bloody Valentine (1981) ***
3/26 - Dead and Deader (2006) **
3/30 - Tokyo Gore Police aka Tôkyô Zankoku Keisatsu (2008) ***
3/31 - A Real Friend aka Adivina Quién Soy (2006) ***
4/2 - Toxic Avenger 2 (1989) **1/2
4/3 - Toxic Avenger 3 (1989) **
4/5 - Phantom of Paradise (1974) **
4/7 - The Enterance (2006) **
4/9 - Trapped Ashes (2006) **
# Dead Like Me, season 2 (2004) ****
4/11 - An Xmas Tale aka Cuento de Navidad(2006) **1/2
4/13 - Phantasm 3 (1993) ***
4/14 - Phantasm 4 (1998) **1/2
4/16 - Mirrors (2008) **1/2
4/18 - To Let aka Para Entrar a Vivir (2006) ***1/2
4/19 - The Baby's Room aka La Habitación del Niño (2006) ***1/2
4/21 - Lake Dead (2007) *1/2
4/22 - The Killing Gene aka WAZ (2007) **1/2
4/24 - Trackman aka Putevoy Obkhodchik (2007) **
4/26 - The Mutant Chronicles (2009) **1/2
4/27 - 100 Feet (2009) ***
4/30 - Timecrimes (2007) ***1/2
5/1 - Splinter (2008) ****
5/3 - Strange Hostel of Naked Pleasure () **
5/5 - Cold Prey (2006) ***
5/7 - Feast 3 (2008) **1/2
5/10 - Face of Another (1966) ***
5/11 - Eden Lake (2008) **
# Heroes, season 3 (2009) ***1/2
5/13 - Retribution (2006) **1/2
5/16 - Blindness (2008) ***1/2
# Dollhouse, season 1 (2009) ***1/2
5/18 - Storm Warning (2007) **1/2
5/20 - Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009) **1/2
# Fringe, season 1 (2009) ***1/2
5/21 - Quarantine (2008) ****
# Lost, season 5 (2009) ****1/2
# Supernatural, season 4 (2009) *****
5/22 - My Name Is Bruce (2006) **1/2
5/23 - Baby Blues (2008) ***1/2
5/24 - Gabriel (2007) **1/2
5/25 - Baghead (2008) ***
5/26 - Laid To Rest (2008) **1/2
5/27 - From Within (2008) ***
5/28 - My Bloody Valentine (2009) **1/2
5/29 - Shuttle (2009) ***
# Reaper, season 2 (2009)****
5/30 - The Last House in the Woods (2006) *1/2
6/1 - Vacancy 2 (2007) **1/2
6/2 - Black Water (2007) ***
# Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 1 (1997) ***1/2
6/6 - The Burrowers (2009) ****
6/7- Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971) ***
6/9 - Donkey Punch (2008) **1/2
6/10 - Max Payne (2008) **
6/12 - The Happening (2008) **
6/13 - Night of the Living Dead 3D (2006) *1/2
6/15 - Butterfly Effect 2 (2006) **
6/16 - The Broken (2009) ***1/2
6/18 - Night of the Comet (1984) ***
6/19 - Walled In (2009) **
6/20 - Eden Log (2009) **1/2
6/22 - Vinyan (2009) ***
# Millennium, Season 1 (1996)****
6/27 - Surveillance (2009 ****1/2
6/28 - Friday the 13th (2009) *1/2
6/29 - Grudge 3 (2009) **1/2
7/1 - Curse of the Werewolf (1960) ***
7/2 - Brides of Dracula (1960) ***
# Harper's Island (2009) ***
7/7 - End of the Line (2008) ***
7/9 - Dark Floors (2008) **
7/10 - Wicked Lake (2008) *
7/11 - Trailer Park of Terror (2008) **1/2
7/13 - The Uninvited Guest (2004) ***
7/14 - Maintenance (2008) *1/2
7/15 - The Lodger (2009) ***
7/17 - Room 205 (2007) **1/2
7/18 - Detective Story (2007) ***
7/20 - [rec] (2007) ****1/2
7/22 - The Devil's Tomb (2009) **1/2
7/23 - No Man's Land: Rise of the Reeker (2008) ***
7/26 - Dying Breed (2009) ***
7/27 - Perkins 14 (2009) ***
7/29 - Autopsy (2009) **1/2
7/30 - Header (2009) ***1/2
# Sanctuary, season 1 (2008) ***
8/2 - Netherbeast Inc () ***
8/3 - 3 Women (1977) ***1/2
8/5 - Slaughter (2008) **
8/7 - Infestation (2009) **1/2
8/10 - Dorthy Mills (20080) ***
8/11 - Alien Raiders (2008) ***1/2
8/12 - Lunacy (2006) ***
8/13 - Unearthed (2007) **1/2
8/14 - Johnny Got His Gun (1971) ***
8/17 - Coraline (2008) ****
8/18 - Wild Man of the Navidad (2009) ***1/2
8/20 - Mum and Dad (2008) ***
8/21 - Death of a Ghost Hunter (2007) ***1/2
8/24 - Shiver (2008) ***1/2
8/27 - Sick Nurses (2007) **1/2
8/30 - Tooth and Nail (2007) **
# Millennium, Season 2 (1997) ****1/2
9/2 - Empire of Passion (1978) ***
9/3 - Dark Rising (2009) **1/2
# Monster Quest, season 3 (2009)
9/6 - Zombie Strippers (2009) **
9/8 - The Invasion (2007) *1/2
9/9 - The Wicker Man (2006) *
9/10 - The Hitcher (2007) *1/2
# Warehouse 13, season 1 (2009)
9/13 - Last House on the Left (2009) **1/2
9/15 - American Zombie (2007) ***1/2
9/18 - Pop Skull (2009) ***
9/20 - Brutal Massacre: A Comedy (2007) ***
# Buffy the Vampire Slayer, season 2 (1997)
9/22 - Fangoria Blood Drive I (2004) **1/2
9/24 - The Deadgirl (2009) ****
9/27 - Children of the Corn (2009) *1/2
10/1 - The Hills Run Red (2009) **1/2
10/3 - Hit and Run (2009) *
# True Blood, season 2 (2009) ****
10/6 - Book of Blood (2009) ***
10/7 - Naked Fear (2007) **
10/10 - The Flesh and The Fiends (1960) **1/2
10/11 - Wrong Turn 2: Dead End (2007) **1/2
10/14 - Forest of Death (2007) **1/2
10/15 - Puzzlehead (2005) **1/2
10/16 - Farmhouse (2009) **1/2
10/18 - Grace (2009) ***1/2
10/19 - Seventh Moon (2009) **1/2
10/20 - Offspring (2009) **1/2
10/22 - The Objective (2009) ***1/2
10/23 - Mad Love (1935) ***1/2
10/25 - ZA: Zombies Anonymous (2005) *1/2
10/26 - Dracula 3: Legacy () *1/2
10/28 - Wrong Turn 3: Left For Dead (2009) **1/2
10/30 - Tokyo Zombie (2004) ***1/2
10/31 - House of the Devil (2009) ***


Current TV Series
# Supernatural, season 5 (2009-2010)
# Sanctuary, season 2 (2009)
# Dollhouse, season 2 (2009-2010)
# Fringe, season 2 (2009-2010)




THE BOOK LIST
1. The Girl Next Door - Jack Ketchum (*****)
2. The Long Last Call (****)
3. Conscience - John Skipp (***)
4. The Walking - Bentley Little (****)
5. The Red Dragon - Thomas Harris (****1/2)
6. Shutter Island - Dennis LaHane (****1/2)
7. Cuts - Richard Laymon (***)
8. Children of Night - Dan Simmons (****1/2)
9. Nocturnal - Scott Sigler (****)
10. City of the Dead - Brian Keene (****)
11. Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson (***1/2)
12. The Talented Mr. Ripley - Patricia Highsmith (***)
13. Virus - Sarah Langan (****)
14. The Relic - Lincoln Child & Douglass Preston (***1/2)
15. The Road - Cormac McCarty (****1/2)
16. The Descent - Jeff Long (***1/2)
17. Weaveworld - Clive Barker (incomplete)
18. 30 Days of Night: Dark Days - Steve Niles (***)
19. Blood Stone - Nate Kenyon (***)
20. 30 Days of Night: Dark Days - Steve Niles (***1/2)
21. The Hollower - Mary Sangiovanni (****)
22. The Straw Men - Michael Marshall (****)
23. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks (***1/2)
24. OffSpring - Jack Ketchum (****)
25. Bloodline - F. Paul Wilson (****1/2)
26. 20th Century Ghosts - Joe Hill (*****)
27. Preacher: Gone to Texas (#1) - Garth Ennis (****)
28. Succulent Prey - Wrath James White (***)
29. Fear - L. Ron Hubbard (***)
30. VooDoo Child - Weston Cage & Mike Carey (**1/2)
31. Left on the Darkside - various authors. John Pealan, editor (***)
32. The School - TM Wright (***)
33. The Tides - Melanie Tem (***)
34. The Sentinal - Jeffrey Konvitz (***1/2)
35. Snake Woman: A Snake in the Grass, vol. 1 - Shekhar Kapur (**1/2)
36. Creepers - David Morrell (****)
37. Contagious - Scott Sigler (****)
38. The 5th Witch - Graham Masterton (***)
39. Mr. Hands - Gary Braunbeck (****)
40. Kiss of the Mudman - Gary Braunbeck (***1/2)

_

31 Horror Favs (#1) - Halloween {1978}

Halloween. Director: John Carpenter

Did you really think this wouldn't be on the list? It is the essential Halloween movie.

The plot: After spending 15 years in an institution for murdering his sister, Michael Myers return to Haddenfield for a court appearance. He is deeply disturbed and is escourted by Dr. Loomis (played brillantly by Donald Pleasance). He escapes and returns home.



What can I really say that hasn't already been said about this 1978 classic. It made Jamie Lee Curtis an instant scream queen.

I love everything about the original movie. Michael Myers wasn't just a killer, he was almost supernatural in essence. Which is why he's often referred to as "The Shape". The movie basically kicked off the 80's slasher sub-genre and made the "final girl" and stable in horror.

Watch the original, uncut version. You'll get a terrifying experience.

31 Horror Favs (#2) - Supernatural {TV series}

Supernatural

Supernatural is the story of Dean and Sam Winchester. They are brothers. They are hunters of the supernatural. The series has a main story arc that also features a "monster of the week". Very similar to The X-Files.

The first season has the Winchester boys searching for their father, who is searching for yellowed eyed demon that killed their mother. Eventually, the demon finds them.

The second season has Sam and Dean contining the quest to kill the yellowed eyed demon, who reveals that Sam has demon blood in him and is special.

Season 3 deals with Dean trying to get out of his contract with Lillith, a powerful demon. Sam realizes the demon blood has given him special powers.

Season 4 has the brothers working with Castial, an angel, to try and stop Lillith from breaking the 66 seals and releasing Satan from Hell. Sam along battles his demonic side as it starts to take over.

Season 5 will wrap up the main story arc of stopping the Apocalypse.

Much of season 4 and 5 focus on the main story arc of the devil, along with his legion of demons, battling angles for control of the Earth. Each group has their own selfish reasons of why the want to win.



I cant speak highly enough about this show. It has become one of my favorites on television. Part drama, part horror, part western, and a bit of comedy makes it great. I find it fascinating how the show has involved from a monster show into one about the end of days, yet the outline for this battle was in the first three season all along. It all an amazing set up to something more profound.

The main characters are strong and are individuals. At times you love Dean and Sam while other you want to beat them. And that's usually at different times for each. Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki do an outstanding job.

If you never watched the series, give it a chance. You wont be disappointed.


The official Supernatural website can be found HERE

31 Horror Favs (#3) - The Goon by Eric Powell

The Goon, Author: Eric Powell

The Goon is a comic book series created by Eric Powell. The Goon works for a local mob boss, which often lands him and his buddy Frankie in interesting situations. Many times it involves The Zombie Priest and his legion of the dead. But the come across plenty of other supernatural beings as well.

First published in 1998, the series has been going strong every since and has a devote fan base.



I cant say enough about The Goon. The story is fun to read. The characters are rich in personality, as our the creatures. It has a lot of dark humor too.

From the first volume, I was hooked and bought a couple of more. Now, I need pick up some more volumes and continue on.




The Books
he Goon vol. 0: Rough Stuff
The Goon vol. 1: Nothin' But Misery
The Goon vol. 2: My Murderous Childhood (And Other Grievous Yarns)
The Goon vol. 3: Heaps of Ruination
The Goon vol. 4: Virtue and the Grim Consequences Thereof
The Goon vol. 5: Wicked Inclinations
The Goon: Chinatown (unnumbered, but considered "vol 6")
The Goon vol. 7: A Place of Heartache and Grief
The Goon vol. 8: Those That Is Damned
The Goon vol. 9: Calamity of Conscience



For more info on the books and Eric Powell, check out the website The Goon