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Videogame Reviews: Silent Hill
Psychological horror with spooks
I’ve noticed that when we talk about horror many tend to think about films and books, but gaming has lent itself very nicely to the horror genre. There’s something so perfectly immersive about video games that raises them up to be a key medium for the horror genre.
Today I want to talk about an old classic, one that, for me at least, was an early introduction to horror in the gaming medium. I am of course talking about Silent Hill.
Silent Hill is perhaps one of the best-known video game series’ and has paved the way for some amazing survival horror games. It was published by Konami in 1999 on the PlayStation, and while the game has its problems it’s still a great experience playing it now as it was when it first came out.
Continue reading “Videogame Reviews: Silent Hill”Film: Last Night in Soho
Today once again in the spirit of the spooky season, I’d like to talk about a film that’s perfect for a cold Halloween night.
Last Night in Soho, a 2021 British horror film. It was released in October 2021. Last Night in Soho was directed by Edgar Wright, who also worked on the screenplay with Krysty Wilson-Cairns.
Summary
The story is about Ellie, who is dreaming of becoming a designer and is fond of the music and fashion of the sixties. She moves from Cornwall to London to study fashion. Ellie’s mother died when Ellie was a child and Ellie sees her ghost in mirrors.
Ellie has trouble fitting in and her snob roommate doesn’t help. So Ellie moves into a studio flat, in a building owned by Alexandra. On the first night in her new flat, Ellie has a vivid dream of the sixties and sees a girl, Sandie who is looking to become a singer and she inspires Ellie to design a dress. Ellie has another dream in which Sandie gets a singing job and lives in the same flat Ellie lives in.
Continue reading “Film: Last Night in Soho”My top 6 favourite horror writers
Book Review: World War Z
Zombies!
Today I want to talk to you about World War Z. This is a novel by Max Brooks, published by Crown Publisher in 2006. It was also made into a film that starred Brad Pitt and was released in 2013.
The book takes place during a zombie apocalypse and is broken down into five chapters. It’s an interesting book to read, not just for its content but for how it is presented, the five-chapter structure is interesting as is how information is relayed to the reader. The book has a narrator but is a collection of individual accounts which take place across the globe. I particularly enjoyed how the accounts don’t just focus on the ‘ahh’ factor of the zombies but other ramifications including social, political, religious, economic, and environmental changes.
The book is a sequel of sorts to Brooks’ other novel the Zombie Survival Guide. The audio version of the story is performed by a cast rather than a single narrator.
Summary
The story begins approx. 20 years post the start of the zombie ‘pandemic’ and 10 years post the end, we won. The story follows Max, the book’s narrator ad agent of the USA’s post-war commission as he travels the world interviewing other survivors.
Continue reading “Book Review: World War Z”Film: Malignant
Baby Back
Today I want to talk with you about a movie I enjoyed, about a lady who has visions only to find they are coming true.
Malignant is a supernatural horror film, it was released in 2021 and directed by James Wan. It was written by James Wan and Ingrid Bisu and Akela Cooper.
Setting
Modern-ish day America.
Characters
Our main characters are:
- Madison – our main character
- Sydney – Madison’s sister
- Gabriel – I’m saying nothing.
- Detectives Kekoa Shaw and Regina Moss
- Dr. Florence Weaver & Victor Fields & John Gregory – doctors at Simion Hospital
Plot
The film starts in 1993, in Simion Hospital, with Dr. Weaver, Victor Fields and John Gregory treating a psychiatric patient, Gabriel. Gabriel has apparently got magic powers, as he is able to eat electricity and broadcasts his thoughts via speakers. Unfortunately for everyone Gabriel turns violent and kills a bunch of people in the hospital. Dr Weaver claims she can’t fix him and they have to cut the cancer out.
Continue reading “Film: Malignant”Film: Antlers
Everyone loves a wendigo
Today I am writing to tell to you about Antlers, which is a film with a lot of symbolism.
It was released in 2021 and directed by Scot Cooper. It was adapted from the short story, The Quiet Boy, written by Nick Antosca.
Summary
The story takes place in a small town in Oregon, where a drug dealer, Frank, runs his meth lab out of an old mine. Frank is visiting his lab and he; his son Aiden and Franks meth pal are all attacked by a creature in the mine. Frank and Aiden escape but meth buddy does not. However, Frank and Aiden are not well after the attack and return home to be locked in the basement by Franks other boy, Lucas.
Continue reading “Film: Antlers”Review: Fatal Frame 2
When rituals go wrong
Today I am writing to you about Fatal Frame, in particular Fatal Frame 2.
The reason I’m talking to you about the second game in the series and not the first is simply because the games storylines are not related and the story in the second game is better than the first one. It was designed to be a more interesting story purposefully due to people not finishing the first game (it was too frightening to finish lol, so a more compelling story was crafted, or so the rumour goes).
Fatal frame is a survival horror game made by Tecmo and released on the PlayStation in 2003 and is widely considered to be among the scariest games ever made.
The game follows twin sisters Mio and Mayu as they explore an abandoned village and experience encounters with the paranormal.
During the game the player controls the protagonist Mio and must use a camera to defeat enemies and uncover the secrets of the village. There are two modes of gameplay, field mode and viewfinder mode. When in field mode, the player can examine items and search areas for clues. But when the camera is used, the game enters viewfinder mode, from where pictures of ghosts and scenery can be taken.
I was hoping to talk about this game without spoiling anything major but found that it was impossible to talk in depth without ruining the game story wise. So, this is your warning, here be spoilers.
Continue reading “Review: Fatal Frame 2”YouTube Short: Something Wicked This Way Comes
Wicked indeed
Review: Midsommer
Rituals and pretty dresses
Today I want to write to you about the film, Midsommer.
Midsommer is a folk horror story that was released in 2019. It was written and directed by Ari Aster, who you may remember from Hereditary. Midsommer and Hereditary are both very similar in their ability to build and hold tension as well as the sheer depth of the atmosphere.
In these blogs I usually go heavily into spoiler territory but I’m going to avoid that with this film, just because the best experience you can have with this film is when you go in blind. While the strength of this film comes from its atmosphere and its ability to build tension and keep you up there for as long as it damn well pleases, that does diminish when you know exactly what’s coming. Though that being said this isn’t a film that relies on a twist its got wonderfully crafted characters, and well thought out settings, the story is a very strong one and when you rewatch it you’ll notice all the little foreshadowing hints that you might have missed on first viewing.
Continue reading “Review: Midsommer”
Letters from a Horror Writer 