Danse Macabre: The 2025 Halloween Horror Thread

[AwkwardlySet]

Swamp Thing #29 published in 1984 became the first comic book to be released without the approval of the Comics Code authority. It broke the rule of not bringing the dead back to life rolleyes that was instituted with the code in 1954 thanks to Frederic Wertham.

Alan Moore's revival of the title and returning it to its horror roots was selling like wildfire so DC said piss off. This would soon lead to them creating the Vertigo line of comics in case they had much blacklash.

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A huge majority of US comics that were available in my country were superhero comics. Swamp Thing was one of the exceptions. Sadly, not many of those came out here, which was a shame as it's an excellent comic. I still have a copy or two stashed somewhere.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I was ragging on Anne Rice's wimpy whiny vamps in another thread the other day.

This is more like it. The lunaic vamps from Near Dark

My favorite vampire movie.

My brother and I were raised by a hard working single Mom who often had to take late shifts. Of course, we watched every horror movie on TV.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Meh. I saw the movie. But they failed to capture both the character and the atmosphere of the comic. It was a weak attempt. But I'm glad they thought the character and the comic were big enough to make a mainstream movie about it. It's something, at least.

I figured it was a given that anyone who was a big fan of the comics wouldn't care for it.
That's sort of the nature of these things.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Epica recently did a fun take on the classical work named in the thread title.

https://soundcloud.com/epicaofficial%2Fthe-ghost-in-me-danse-macabre

 

[lovecraft68]

In the seventies Marvel decided to publish their versions of the Universal Monsters

First appearance of the Living Mummy

 

[Erozetta]

Long before the X-Files there was Kolchak The Nightstalker.

The show spun off from the movie of the same name and featured a reporter who encountered various supernatural situations

I forced my husband to watch this with me because I grew up watching reruns of it with my mom. He's now a huge fan of it.

 

[lovecraft68]

I forced my husband to watch this with me because I grew up watching reruns of it with my mom. He's now a huge fan of it.

It's kind of cheesy now, you can see the strings holding things up. But for its time it was pretty solid, and I got back into it when the original Sci-Fi channel aired them.

Movie was good too.

 

[onehitwanda]

Penny Dreadful.

I still get chills.

 

[lovecraft68]

One of the most iconic scenes in horror. Merrin's arrival in the Exorcist.

 

[lovecraft68]

Penny Dreadful.

I still get chills.

This is a top notch scene for damn sure.

 

[lovecraft68]

King Diamond's second album, Them.

Just listen to the intro. Listening to this in the dark is even better.

But she does make a good cup of tea...

 

[Voboy]

For Southern Californians in the late eighties, Halloween always meant the annual Oingo Boingo concert at Irvine Meadows or the Greek. That, and the transformation of Knott's Berry Farm into Knott's Scary Farm.

Good times.

 

[lovecraft68]

The Hunger, one of the most stylish Vampire movies you'll find. Bowie and Sarandon both really deliver.

 

[lovecraft68]

The Others

Great suspense piece where not a whole lot really happens, but it has you on edge throughout. Cool twist ending

 

[lovecraft68]

From Hell based on Alan Moore's take on Jack The Ripper

 

[Erozetta]

It's very indie and a bit camp, but Lee (the writer and director) was a friend of mine with a genuine heart for horror flicks.

 

[lovecraft68]

Post above reminds me of this cheesy movie that I believe was made for TV. Before Christine there was....The Car

 

[lovecraft68]

Great history of Golden age Horror comics

 

[lovecraft68]

HPL Biographic

 

[lovecraft68]

Blood Meridian, one of the most disturbing books of all time thanks in part to Judge Holden

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

I remember The Car.

I also remember 'Duel' with Dennis Weaver.

 

[lovecraft68]

Some book recommendations.

Robert McCammon is in my mind, and many others, better than King and its a shame none of his work has ever been adapted to film, but every time King wipes his ass we need to see it on screen.

They Thirst: Vampires take over LA in epic fashion.

https://www.amazon.com/They-Thirst-Robert-McCammon/dp/159606742X

Swan Song, after nuclear war, people band together and...many of them become assholes, what a shock

https://www.amazon.com/Swan-Song-Ro...47-a449-a5a0aef17f1b&pd_rd_i=1668016532&psc=1

Wolf's Hour: Fantastic take on the werewolf genre, featuring a spy for the Allies in WW2 that can shift into a wolf

https://www.amazon.com/McCammon-Rob...1758976756&sprefix=wolf's+hour+,aps,99&sr=8-2

 

[lovecraft68]

Peter Straub

Ghost Story-four elderly friends face revenge from a woman they accidentally killed in their youth....or was she a woman? On a literotica note, one of the characters is a Hot Wife, my first encounter with that seeing I read this at a young age

https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Story-...1758976856&sprefix=ghost+story,aps,124&sr=8-4

Shadowland: Nice take on magicians, the ones who have actual power.

https://www.amazon.com/Shadowland-P...peter+straub+novel,audible,137&sr=1-1-catcorr

Floating Dragon" Once a generation a small town is haunted by a powerful force, this time it shakes hands with a bio experiment gone wrong

https://www.amazon.com/Floating-Dra...g+dragon+peter+straub+novel,audible,93&sr=1-1

 

[Erozetta]

Always my suggestion with horror, but no one can really go wrong with the Books of Blood collections by Clive Barker.

And it's been a while since I read it, but Baby Teeth was a good read.

And Graveslinger by Darren Compton is a nice take on the werewolf and zombie genre with a treasure trove of 80s horror references.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

I still prefer the silly stuff like High Spirits and Beetlejuice.