It seems everyone has already decided on pursuing this Toothface thing, but I just want to add a few thoughts for general consideration. Maybe this will give someone an idea for other stories in the future.
As far as subject matter goes, you could choose a preexisting unexplained, or generally odd, phenomena and just come up with an explanation for it. This way, if someone does research, there's already material out there.
I've heard stories before where an entity will come after people who know it's name. This is good because it makes readers think "Damn, now I know it's name...". This also allows for the classic investigation story, where someone is piecing together clues from earlier victims. The real trouble would start when the protagonist discovers the creature's name.
And as far as creepy grins go, this one's not bad:
The legend of the slit mouth woman is another story I've always found extremely disturbing. The imagery is some of the most unsettling I've come across in an urban legend.
Just remembered something I meant to post a while back, but I just got around to researching it fairly in-depth and checking out some specifics, since it happened years back near where I live in a place called Seabrook, about 30 miles south of Houston.
If you look up The Toddville Mansion Murders, you'll get the full story on it. Basically, there was a guy named Bill List who was quite wealthy due to being in the steel business. He would go to a halfway house in downtown Houston (in the Montrose/Westheimer area) and find young male runaways and basically be their sugar daddy. His house was known as the Toddville Mansion because it was on Toddville road in Seabrook. Here's a pic.
Also, there's a Facebook group for people who have had experiences there.
Anyway, once he would find these kids he would bring them in and let them live in his house and take care of them in exchange for sexual favors. He would also apparently not let them leave which, given the outside appearance of the house, isn't all that surprising. I don't really know specifics, but one of the kids he would have sex with said he was "perverted, and that doesn't mean gay". Some of the things he did caused one kid to break down entirely, and that led to there being a murder plot hatched by three of the guys that were living there. They basically ransacked the house before he got home from work and, when he did get back, one of the kids nicknamed Smiley shot his head off with a shotgun right on the stairs near the entrance of the house. This was back in 1983.
Smiley was convicted and is currently serving a 45-year sentence for the murder.
The mansion was then put up for sale, but it was never inhabited again aside from hired caretakers until it was bought and torn down by a real estate developer. Before it was torn down, there were stories of people seeing Bill List roaming the grounds, dogs just stopping and growling/barking at certain areas, especially near the staircase where List was murdered. There are also reports of a demon/black mass that would stalk curiosity seekers that would go out to the mansion after hearing what had happened there.
Unfortunately, I never got to go out and check it out before they tore it down, but from what I understand, the creature is still seen roaming around the condos and such that were built on the land the house originally stood on. I may make it out there one day.
why do you people keep posting scary stuff about places that I'm either about to go to, or that I currently live near!
yeah so guess who isn't going to seabrook anytime soon - this girl
Sorry! I'm actually pretty ticked that I didn't live here before it was torn down, because it sounds awesome, and it's literally 10 minutes from me (I live in Clear Lake). I also missed out on the old mental hospital downtown, which a friend of mine had a really terrifying experience in.
Whatever happened to the "Author rents an old abandoned mansion/cabin in the woods alone so they can write, bad shit happens" setting? I like that one, may even do a novella on the subject. But what other works have used it?
If we move this to a new thread or a proboard or PMs or something, I am totally onboard with whatever I can contribute to this project. If we do videos I can try and get some footage around my area.
I think we can keep it in thread though maybe we should ask a Mod.
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Johnny ChopsockyScootaloo! We have to cook!Grillin' HaysenburgersRegistered Userregular
Whatever happened to the "Author rents an old abandoned mansion/cabin in the woods alone so they can write, bad shit happens" setting? I like that one, may even do a novella on the subject. But what other works have used it?
Stephen King's Secret Window (the film version) and the upcoming game Alan Wake are centered completely around that concept. Evil Dead 2 also kinda has that, only instead of an author trying to write it's a professor trying to decipher the Necronomicon. There may be others, but they escape me at this moment.
Whatever happened to the "Author rents an old abandoned mansion/cabin in the woods alone so they can write, bad shit happens" setting? I like that one, may even do a novella on the subject. But what other works have used it?
Stephen King's Secret Window (the film version) and the upcoming game Alan Wake are centered completely around that concept. Evil Dead 2 also kinda has that, only instead of an author trying to write it's a professor trying to decipher the Necronomicon. There may be others, but they escape me at this moment.
There's a crapload of Stephen King books that use this setting, I'll be damned if I can remember the titles though. The most recent one I read had the protagonist painting instead of writing, but its the same deal.
Muse Among MenSuburban Bunny Princess?Its time for a new shtick Registered Userregular
edited March 2010
Toothface is a spectacular idea.
He should have long spindly hands. He should grin. He should also have a memorable breathing pattern; garrulous and strained. Or perhaps his trademark noise should be something like an evil cat purr. Just record a cat purr and distort it with some sound program. I'm pretty sure there are plenty of people that can manipulate their voices.
I've got to say, the idea of Manny (aka "Ringo") by itself is not that scary to me. Why? The lack of facial features besides the big toothy mouth makes it seem mindless to me, which is not scary. Now, give it warped human facial features that really highlight that big toothy grin, and you've got a winner.
I think it's best if you just don't even mention it; just have something....odd in the pictures the happy family posts, wierd shadows under closed doors, etc. As time goes on the doors are more frequently open, they add doorstops, etc. It shouldn't be addressed directly at all; would YOU toss something up on your blog about the boogeyman appearing in your bathroom? Of course not; but after you saw it, the door would always be propped open.
It'd probably be a good idea to basically write out a log, something like
March 6 - Move in
March 9 - sense of dread going past bathroom
.
.
August 12 - removed all the closet doors
etc
And then just overlaying the 'regular' blog over the top of this with the changes happening as part of the setting in the background, and affecting the actions/personality/writing style of the creator a bit. Like they become more sleep deprived, paranoid, etc. Find excuses to be out of the house, and so on.
this is a good idea.
the whole toothface thing sounds really pretty lame though.
I think it's best if you just don't even mention it; just have something....odd in the pictures the happy family posts, wierd shadows under closed doors, etc. As time goes on the doors are more frequently open, they add doorstops, etc. It shouldn't be addressed directly at all; would YOU toss something up on your blog about the boogeyman appearing in your bathroom? Of course not; but after you saw it, the door would always be propped open.
It'd probably be a good idea to basically write out a log, something like
March 6 - Move in
March 9 - sense of dread going past bathroom
.
.
August 12 - removed all the closet doors
etc
And then just overlaying the 'regular' blog over the top of this with the changes happening as part of the setting in the background, and affecting the actions/personality/writing style of the creator a bit. Like they become more sleep deprived, paranoid, etc. Find excuses to be out of the house, and so on.
this is a good idea.
the whole toothface thing sounds really pretty lame though.
Yeah... toothface is one green jumpsuit away from Indrid Cold
I think it's best if you just don't even mention it; just have something....odd in the pictures the happy family posts, wierd shadows under closed doors, etc. As time goes on the doors are more frequently open, they add doorstops, etc. It shouldn't be addressed directly at all; would YOU toss something up on your blog about the boogeyman appearing in your bathroom? Of course not; but after you saw it, the door would always be propped open.
It'd probably be a good idea to basically write out a log, something like
March 6 - Move in
March 9 - sense of dread going past bathroom
.
.
August 12 - removed all the closet doors
etc
And then just overlaying the 'regular' blog over the top of this with the changes happening as part of the setting in the background, and affecting the actions/personality/writing style of the creator a bit. Like they become more sleep deprived, paranoid, etc. Find excuses to be out of the house, and so on.
this is a good idea.
the whole toothface thing sounds really pretty lame though.
Yeah... toothface is one green jumpsuit away from Indrid Cold
He's really a collection of recent memes. Not a good way to go guys.
I can't even remember how I found this thread. I think I just randomly clicked on it and read the first few stories in the OP and thought 'Oh cool, this is an awesome as hell thread. I love scary stories!'
Then I decided to read up and investigate 'Slenderman'.
oh god i'm not going to sleep for the next eleventy days oh god oh god don't look outside.
I'm a goddamned Security Guard and I'm scared shitless to go outside at the moment. Christ.
GreenStick around.I'm full of bad ideas.Registered Userregular
edited March 2010
This happened when I was about 5 or 6, so most of the details I was either never told or I've forgotten since. My dad and I drove out to some strip mall I'd never been to before to meet somebody. I don't know who he was or why we were there, but I assumed he was a friend of my dad. The guy himself looked homeless, and he had a boy with him that was a little older than me. Dad told me to go play with the kid while he talked with the homeless guy.
So, friendly kid that I was, I struck up a conversation with this kid. But he never says a word. The whole time I'm talking he just stands there, smiling at me with his lips closed. Just when I start to think that maybe he doesn't speak English, he opens his lips.
And there's no mouth there.
The closest thing that describes it is picturing somebody with a wedge of orange stuck in their mouth, but instead of an orange peel it was just blank skin, the same color as the rest of his face. Suddenly I hear my dad telling me it's time to go, and I flat-out fucking race back to the car. I don't tell him what I saw and I don't ask who that man was or why we were there. As much as I want to just forget all of this as fast as possible, I can't help but look out of the car window as we drive away. The kid and his father(?) are standing there, watching us go.
Now, I don't really mind thinking about Brutal Legend because I kinda liked the game, but the design might be too similar to something that has already been shown in a mass setting before.
I wish you guys had all come up with the idea for this a while ago, my friend got a new house and is working on the basement right now - the blog could have started during renovations. :P
Reading about Slenderman had me hesitating about looking out my windows on the way to bed, now Toothface is starting to make me hesitate glancing in the bathroom on the way to bed. It's kind of interesting to note how Slenderman is basically manifested as an exterior force acting upon one's safe space/home (thinking back to the initial videos of him scoping out the house). And Toothface is shaping up to be an interior force blossoming from within a safe space/home. I don't really have anything to add other than that vague existential observation. Maybe it could affect the mythology in some way, I don't know.
But I can't wait for the narrative revealing the ultimate truth:
Toothface is an amazing idea. I especially like the story about the house with no doors, since removing doors seems to be the only way to stop toothy from stalking you.
I've got my film student friend on board to help do this, he seems to agree that he should never catch Manny on screen but at most catch a glimpse of him under the door staring back. He says he already has ideas on how it might be executed he's just thinking of a way to start the videos innocently (he suggested doing simple game reviews)
I've got my film student friend on board to help do this, he seems to agree that he should never catch Manny on screen but at most catch a glimpse of him under the door staring back. He says he already has ideas on how it might be executed he's just thinking of a way to start the videos innocently (he suggested doing simple game reviews)
Unlike Slenderman, Manny would be a bastard to actually do justice to on film anyway. Anything more than the briefest, blurriest glimpse is going to require extensive make-up and/or CG.
You guys are trying to create a slenderman. I don't think it happens that way.
Think about it. How many videos has he actually been in? It needs to be more ambiguous.
I concur, you can't give away the looks of the scary dude too early, you ruin the suspense!
Seriously it kills suspension of disbelief.
Here are some ideas.
1. Protagonist is in his room. Door closed constant sounds and what not from outside of the door and such a feeling of dread that they eventually decide to exit through a window and go back into the house from the outside after looking in and seeing NOTHING there. From this point onward they begin to have a fear of upstairs rooms because they felt trapped if the creature returns.
2. Protagonist eventually sets up in a camera facing a room where toothface (or. .hopefully not toothface) is often active. But since the camera is on the door it never closes. Nothing happens. If it was a video entry it would just be eerie night vision silence but there is a sudden an audible BAM at some point in the entry. Later it is revealed that this was something like the kitchen cabinets being pounded on from the inside out. At this point we begin to see the removal of doors since the idea of only large entry ways being a problem is thrown completely out of the window.
3. Protagonist attempts to leave home. Decides to sleep over at a friends just to see if their mind is playing tricks on them. Ends up spending the night in the friends living room and there are no events but later the friend says.
"Why were you walking back and forth to the bathroom all night? I heard you go in there and open and close the door a ton of times."
Protagonist realizes that the presence can follow him. This will answer the question of "why don't they leave?" because at least in their own house they can take measures like removing the door setting up cameras etc.
Again I have to say the toothface idea sounds like a really bad amalgamation of common memes. sweet tooth + slenderman + the cheshire cat? Not scary.
I think its always scariest when you can't ensure you're protected. You wander round the house and a window is open, yolu swear you didn't open it but you can't remember. Then the incidents begin but that barricaded door is wide open, the barricade gone. Did you not do it? Undo it? Or did something else? WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
A.) Way out of our budget
B.) Goes way beyond anything in any remotely believable video/photo
C.) Kills the imagination.
Now if something like the character begins to experience tooth aches whenever the presence is behind a door. That sets the imagination reeling. If he eventually loses a tooth or something of the sort. That sets up a believable fear.
Further more if you have someone ask the protagonist about things like grinning in his sleep or he can start wondering why so many strangers are smiling at him etc.
That sets up something without relying on the gimmick.
. If he eventually loses a tooth or something of the sort. That sets up a believable fear.
Oh god, that's one of my nightmares. Losing something you think of as permanent is horrible. I've also always though it would be interesting if a monster had a sweet smell, usually stories like this use horrible/musty old smells. But, if I was a human predator I would use a smell that attracts their tiny simple minds.
. If he eventually loses a tooth or something of the sort. That sets up a believable fear.
Oh god, that's one of my nightmares. Losing something you think of as permanent is horrible. I've also always though it would be interesting if a monster had a sweet smell, usually stories like this use horrible/musty old smells. But, if I was a human predator I would use a smell that attracts their tiny simple minds.
Usuually, if you dream about losing teeth, which I have, it means you're worried about your appearance/vanity. So you could have it affect the vain or something.
. If he eventually loses a tooth or something of the sort. That sets up a believable fear.
Oh god, that's one of my nightmares. Losing something you think of as permanent is horrible. I've also always though it would be interesting if a monster had a sweet smell, usually stories like this use horrible/musty old smells. But, if I was a human predator I would use a smell that attracts their tiny simple minds.
Now that sounds good. Always smelling something sweet
Link that with teeth rotting or falling out. Reoccurring dreams about losing teeth. That's good psychological creepy.
You know that part in District 9, where Wikus pulls his own tooth out? Like, it just comes out easily? I was squirming in my seat and going nuts.
Combine that discomfort with the terror of knowing toothface is literally causing your mouth, and possibly the rest of your body, to rot... that'd be awesome.
. If he eventually loses a tooth or something of the sort. That sets up a believable fear.
Oh god, that's one of my nightmares. Losing something you think of as permanent is horrible. I've also always though it would be interesting if a monster had a sweet smell, usually stories like this use horrible/musty old smells. But, if I was a human predator I would use a smell that attracts their tiny simple minds.
Usuually, if you dream about losing teeth, which I have, it means you're worried about your appearance/vanity. So you could have it affect the vain or something.
Huh, where I looked it up it was about a fear of losing something you think is permanent... like I said lol. Either way, scary.
. If he eventually loses a tooth or something of the sort. That sets up a believable fear.
Oh god, that's one of my nightmares. Losing something you think of as permanent is horrible. I've also always though it would be interesting if a monster had a sweet smell, usually stories like this use horrible/musty old smells. But, if I was a human predator I would use a smell that attracts their tiny simple minds.
Usuually, if you dream about losing teeth, which I have, it means you're worried about your appearance/vanity. So you could have it affect the vain or something.
Huh, where I looked it up it was about a fear of losing something you think is permanent... like I said lol. Either way, scary.
huh, my wife was told it was due to grinding teeth while you sleep.
actually, it's just your subconscious warning you about Manny.
I'm dfinitely mentally combing out 'toothman' with the basic boogeyman who crawls out of your closet at night. I do think it's better if it's left very, very vague. And I creeped myself the fuck out last night looking at the tiny little door to our laundry shoot. I'd never think to take it off in a situation like this....but it's a bit bigger than my head, and there's juuuuuuuust enough space for fingers to curl under the bottom crack by the floor. So there could be a creepy as hell reveal to an emaciated toothy boogeyman levering himself into my house through it. Gah.
And yeah, if it shows up on film we've probably killed the whole thing.
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And as far as creepy grins go, this one's not bad:
The legend of the slit mouth woman is another story I've always found extremely disturbing. The imagery is some of the most unsettling I've come across in an urban legend.
why do you people keep posting scary stuff about places that I'm either about to go to, or that I currently live near!
yeah so guess who isn't going to seabrook anytime soon - this girl
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I think we can keep it in thread though maybe we should ask a Mod.
Stephen King's Secret Window (the film version) and the upcoming game Alan Wake are centered completely around that concept. Evil Dead 2 also kinda has that, only instead of an author trying to write it's a professor trying to decipher the Necronomicon. There may be others, but they escape me at this moment.
Steam ID XBL: JohnnyChopsocky PSN:Stud_Beefpile WiiU:JohnnyChopsocky
There's a crapload of Stephen King books that use this setting, I'll be damned if I can remember the titles though. The most recent one I read had the protagonist painting instead of writing, but its the same deal.
He should have long spindly hands. He should grin. He should also have a memorable breathing pattern; garrulous and strained. Or perhaps his trademark noise should be something like an evil cat purr. Just record a cat purr and distort it with some sound program. I'm pretty sure there are plenty of people that can manipulate their voices.
PSN: Corbius
this is a good idea.
the whole toothface thing sounds really pretty lame though.
Yeah... toothface is one green jumpsuit away from Indrid Cold
He's really a collection of recent memes. Not a good way to go guys.
Think about it. How many videos has he actually been in? It needs to be more ambiguous.
I concur, you can't give away the looks of the scary dude too early, you ruin the suspense!
Weird floating toothy grin? Makes me think cheshire cat. Then alice in wonderland. then I am in a whole nother place.
The sound of constant pacing behind a closed door? Makes me think of being home alone at night. Makes me think of my doors. Makes me wonder.
Then I decided to read up and investigate 'Slenderman'.
oh god i'm not going to sleep for the next eleventy days oh god oh god don't look outside.
I'm a goddamned Security Guard and I'm scared shitless to go outside at the moment. Christ.
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So, friendly kid that I was, I struck up a conversation with this kid. But he never says a word. The whole time I'm talking he just stands there, smiling at me with his lips closed. Just when I start to think that maybe he doesn't speak English, he opens his lips.
And there's no mouth there.
The closest thing that describes it is picturing somebody with a wedge of orange stuck in their mouth, but instead of an orange peel it was just blank skin, the same color as the rest of his face. Suddenly I hear my dad telling me it's time to go, and I flat-out fucking race back to the car. I don't tell him what I saw and I don't ask who that man was or why we were there. As much as I want to just forget all of this as fast as possible, I can't help but look out of the car window as we drive away. The kid and his father(?) are standing there, watching us go.
And the boy is still smiling.
Have you... asked your dad about this ever?
Not the kid, but like, who the guy was? Why you were out there?
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
Specifically, this trailer (about :28 seconds in).
Now, I don't really mind thinking about Brutal Legend because I kinda liked the game, but the design might be too similar to something that has already been shown in a mass setting before.
Steam ID XBL: JohnnyChopsocky PSN:Stud_Beefpile WiiU:JohnnyChopsocky
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
But I can't wait for the narrative revealing the ultimate truth:
Toothface is actually
Unlike Slenderman, Manny would be a bastard to actually do justice to on film anyway. Anything more than the briefest, blurriest glimpse is going to require extensive make-up and/or CG.
Also fuck whoever thought up the doors thing
Seriously it kills suspension of disbelief.
Here are some ideas.
1. Protagonist is in his room. Door closed constant sounds and what not from outside of the door and such a feeling of dread that they eventually decide to exit through a window and go back into the house from the outside after looking in and seeing NOTHING there. From this point onward they begin to have a fear of upstairs rooms because they felt trapped if the creature returns.
2. Protagonist eventually sets up in a camera facing a room where toothface (or. .hopefully not toothface) is often active. But since the camera is on the door it never closes. Nothing happens. If it was a video entry it would just be eerie night vision silence but there is a sudden an audible BAM at some point in the entry. Later it is revealed that this was something like the kitchen cabinets being pounded on from the inside out. At this point we begin to see the removal of doors since the idea of only large entry ways being a problem is thrown completely out of the window.
3. Protagonist attempts to leave home. Decides to sleep over at a friends just to see if their mind is playing tricks on them. Ends up spending the night in the friends living room and there are no events but later the friend says.
"Why were you walking back and forth to the bathroom all night? I heard you go in there and open and close the door a ton of times."
Protagonist realizes that the presence can follow him. This will answer the question of "why don't they leave?" because at least in their own house they can take measures like removing the door setting up cameras etc.
Again I have to say the toothface idea sounds like a really bad amalgamation of common memes. sweet tooth + slenderman + the cheshire cat? Not scary.
A.) Way out of our budget
B.) Goes way beyond anything in any remotely believable video/photo
C.) Kills the imagination.
Now if something like the character begins to experience tooth aches whenever the presence is behind a door. That sets the imagination reeling. If he eventually loses a tooth or something of the sort. That sets up a believable fear.
Further more if you have someone ask the protagonist about things like grinning in his sleep or he can start wondering why so many strangers are smiling at him etc.
That sets up something without relying on the gimmick.
Oh god, that's one of my nightmares. Losing something you think of as permanent is horrible. I've also always though it would be interesting if a monster had a sweet smell, usually stories like this use horrible/musty old smells. But, if I was a human predator I would use a smell that attracts their tiny simple minds.
Usuually, if you dream about losing teeth, which I have, it means you're worried about your appearance/vanity. So you could have it affect the vain or something.
Now that sounds good. Always smelling something sweet
Link that with teeth rotting or falling out. Reoccurring dreams about losing teeth. That's good psychological creepy.
Combine that discomfort with the terror of knowing toothface is literally causing your mouth, and possibly the rest of your body, to rot... that'd be awesome.
Huh, where I looked it up it was about a fear of losing something you think is permanent... like I said lol. Either way, scary.
huh, my wife was told it was due to grinding teeth while you sleep.
And yeah, if it shows up on film we've probably killed the whole thing.