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I'm kind of surprised Xagarath didn't mention it, since I'm pretty sure I heard about it from one of his posts, but A Tale of Two Sisters is excellent.
LoveIsUnity on
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ceresWhen the last moon is cast over the last star of morningAnd the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, ModeratorMod Emeritus
Ju-On: The Grudge remains one of the best horror flicks I've ever seen - nothing else has captured that omnipresent sense of weight and dread, for me.
Yeah, it's really gotta be the Japanese one. Ju-On was fucking fantastic.
Also, I can make that weird clicking noise in my throat, so I had a lot of fun freaking my husband out for a little while.
ceres on
And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
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Casually HardcoreOnce an Asshole. Trying to be better.Registered Userregular
edited April 2011
House of Leaves is an amazing book.
Physically reading the book is an experience. I can't explain too much on what I mean, without spoiling it, but the best I can say is that you'll find yourself slowly descending into madness.
The only thing I don't like about the book is the parts with Johnny. It felt like I was reading a 13 years old wet dream half the time.
Other then that, House of Leaves is a really fun book to read.
Also, give Tale of Two Sisters a try. It's one of my all time favorite movie. There is so much foreshadowing in the movie that you can 'solve' the puzzle 10 minutes into the film if you look really closely.
I'm kind of surprised Xagarath didn't mention it, since I'm pretty sure I heard about it from one of his posts, but A Tale of Two Sisters is excellent.
Very true, and the only reason I didn't mention it was I was focusing on older stuff. It's one of the best psychological horror films of the last decade (along with the original japanese Pulse), and a personal favourite.
Does anyone know of any other writing, or other media, that captures the Lovecraft sense of "You are pitifully small and insignificant, and blissfully unaware of that fact"? I don't really like his writing but I love the atmosphere.
Try the writers Lovecraft himself was inspired by. Robert W Chambers, William Hope Hodgson, Arthur Machen and some portions of Algernon Blackwood.
Xagarath on
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DunxcoShould get a suitNever skips breakfastRegistered Userregular
edited April 2011
Room 1408 is probably the most psychological horror of King's books/films. Sure it wears a pure horror mask, but the way the room seems to just toy with the protagonist's mind is sheer awesome. I'd recommend the movie because John Cusack nails it out of the fucking park. It's worth a look if you're at all interested in King not doing something about crazy-arse supernatural monsters living in the sewers.
I was going to say Jacob's Ladder but that was back on page one so... Another vote for that I suppose.
Dunxco on
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Nova_CI have the needThe need for speedRegistered Userregular
edited April 2011
I'm not sure how easy it would be to get your hands on these days, but Clive Barker's Undying is probably my favorite horror game. It's PC, a FPS based on the UT engine and it never sold well. Quality title, though.
I'm kind of surprised Xagarath didn't mention it, since I'm pretty sure I heard about it from one of his posts, but A Tale of Two Sisters is excellent.
Very true, and the only reason I didn't mention it was I was focusing on older stuff. It's one of the best psychological horror films of the last decade (along with the original japanese Pulse), and a personal favourite.
Does anyone know of any other writing, or other media, that captures the Lovecraft sense of "You are pitifully small and insignificant, and blissfully unaware of that fact"? I don't really like his writing but I love the atmosphere.
Try the writers Lovecraft himself was inspired by. Robert W Chambers, William Hope Hodgson, Arthur Machen and some portions of Algernon Blackwood.
What was the manga that people were linking to a little while back that had the people shaped holes in the wall? There was a much longer series that involved spirals that might also be right up your alley.
What was the manga that people were linking to a little while back that had the people shaped holes in the wall? There was a much longer series that involved spirals that might also be right up your alley.
ceresWhen the last moon is cast over the last star of morningAnd the future has past without even a last desperate warningRegistered User, ModeratorMod Emeritus
edited April 2011
Uzumaki starts out pretty good, but gets very surreal quickly.
ceres on
And it seems like all is dying, and would leave the world to mourn
Uzumaki starts out pretty good, but gets very surreal quickly.
Yeah, but whilst doing so really captures a sense of hopelessness.
You go from the spiral thing being a wierd thing that perhaps might have more meaning in another culture to realising that it represents a feeling of absolute despair and hopelessness.
The surreal middle I think actually works towards distracting you from the theme until it's too late.
Also, if anyone has a Kindle, I found all of Lovecraft's work as a free download a while back since most of it is public domain and all of that good stuff.
LoveIsUnity on
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Psychotic OneThe Lord of No PantsParts UnknownRegistered Userregular
I'd counter-recommend The Strangers and substitute the (scarier) French film it was remade from, Ils.
If you really want home invasion, though, go with Funny Games
Xagarath on
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amateurhourOne day I'll be professionalhourThe woods somewhere in TennesseeRegistered Userregular
edited April 2011
The Strangers is much better than funny games.
The guy who did Funny Games (at least the original Australian? title) said it was really mainly his purpose to piss off the audience who expects a certain ending. I think he was more focused on that than making a good home invasion thriller, but that's just my .02
The director put in the rewind after the woman gets the upper hand on the attackers to shock people, but he says it's to make people think about what they just watched and how they responded to the violence since audiences would often cheer at that moment. The thing is they're not cheering the violence, they're cheering because the innocent person is going to be okay. They'd probably cheer the same if the police barged in and handcuffed the dudes.
What: Silent Hill 1, 2, and 3
Why: Smart, capable horror games with complex plots and great creature designs. Excellent audio (music and sound, not necessarily good voice work).
What: Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
Why: Not as oppressive and terrifying as the first 3, the Wii Silent Hill still has strong atmosphere and some great moments. Also kind of hard to argue the game isn't "psychological horror" (wa-wa terrible pun so sorry).
What: Fatal Frame 1, 2, 3
Why: Somewhat nonsensical plot aside, the Fatal Frame games combine excellent audio and atmosphere with great ghost design. Fatal Frame 2 is the strongest of the series, each game is strong enough to merit a mention. A great example of how to create an oppressive atmosphere.
What: System Shock 2
Why: The graphics are dated as hell, but the incredible audio and solid atmosphere make for a great game, and the different forces are introduced and managed well to keep the game feeling like a horror mystery despite its sci-fi setting.
What: Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Why: Gameplay issues aside (some like it, some hate it), Amnesia has great atmosphere and, while the plot can be hit or miss, the presentation is top-notch and really spooky.
What: Siren
Why: Bad gameplay aside (sorry its true), Siren (and its later incarnations on PSN) features Incredibly creepy enemy design and a pretty strong plot for a horror game as well.
What: Eternal Darkness
Why: Although it isn't always implemented in a brilliant or subtle way, Eternal Darkness pioneered the idea of breaking game rules to mess with a player in a horror game. No game since has done the mechanic much justice. Best feature:
Saving your game while your sanity meter is empty can cause the game to tell you: "Do you want to delete all files Y/N? Accepted, deleting all files" as you save your game.
Movies
What: Ring / Ringu
Why: Both the American and Japanese versions of a fantastic movie do a good job of playing on horror tropes and manipulating expectations, and happen to create what might be the best post-movie marketing technique ever. I prefer the American remake, but both are solid. Stay away from Ring 2.
What: In The Mouth of Madness
Why: An unfortunately dated movie that does a fantastic job of slowly bringing a character into, well, look at the title. Talking about much more would be spoiler-y, a strong movie for fans of Lovecraftian stories.
What: Shutter (Thai version only!)
Why: Although the big reveal doesn't work for everyone, the movie has some fantastic atmosphere and some incredibly creepy scenes. The American remake is generally considered terrible, the 2004 Thai version is a strong, solid movie with a well-paced buildup.
What: Ju-on (stay away from the American remakes for the love of God!)
Why: These movies are the equivalent to stupid cheesecake for the smart psychological horror fan. The plots imply plenty of great ideas but tend to go nowhere and the movies can get repetitive if you watch several back to back, but for creepy ghosts and creepy scenes, the Ju-on movies are hard to beat.
Most of the recommendations in this thread that I haven't mentioned are at least worth looking into.
Posts
Yeah, it's really gotta be the Japanese one. Ju-On was fucking fantastic.
Also, I can make that weird clicking noise in my throat, so I had a lot of fun freaking my husband out for a little while.
Physically reading the book is an experience. I can't explain too much on what I mean, without spoiling it, but the best I can say is that you'll find yourself slowly descending into madness.
The only thing I don't like about the book is the parts with Johnny. It felt like I was reading a 13 years old wet dream half the time.
Other then that, House of Leaves is a really fun book to read.
Also, give Tale of Two Sisters a try. It's one of my all time favorite movie. There is so much foreshadowing in the movie that you can 'solve' the puzzle 10 minutes into the film if you look really closely.
Try the writers Lovecraft himself was inspired by. Robert W Chambers, William Hope Hodgson, Arthur Machen and some portions of Algernon Blackwood.
I was going to say Jacob's Ladder but that was back on page one so... Another vote for that I suppose.
You have the best taste ever.
The Enigma of Amigara Fault
Yeah, but whilst doing so really captures a sense of hopelessness.
The surreal middle I think actually works towards distracting you from the theme until it's too late.
*except his poetry and maybe a few of his younger works
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Or you can read Lovecraft for free, here: http://www.hplovecraft.com/
[edit] direct link to texts here: http://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/
The Strangers and Audition
I'd counter-recommend The Strangers and substitute the (scarier) French film it was remade from, Ils.
If you really want home invasion, though, go with Funny Games
The guy who did Funny Games (at least the original Australian? title) said it was really mainly his purpose to piss off the audience who expects a certain ending. I think he was more focused on that than making a good home invasion thriller, but that's just my .02
Regarding Funny Games:
So the rewind is pretty much just a fuck you.
What: Silent Hill 1, 2, and 3
Why: Smart, capable horror games with complex plots and great creature designs. Excellent audio (music and sound, not necessarily good voice work).
What: Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
Why: Not as oppressive and terrifying as the first 3, the Wii Silent Hill still has strong atmosphere and some great moments. Also kind of hard to argue the game isn't "psychological horror" (wa-wa terrible pun so sorry).
What: Fatal Frame 1, 2, 3
Why: Somewhat nonsensical plot aside, the Fatal Frame games combine excellent audio and atmosphere with great ghost design. Fatal Frame 2 is the strongest of the series, each game is strong enough to merit a mention. A great example of how to create an oppressive atmosphere.
What: System Shock 2
Why: The graphics are dated as hell, but the incredible audio and solid atmosphere make for a great game, and the different forces are introduced and managed well to keep the game feeling like a horror mystery despite its sci-fi setting.
What: Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Why: Gameplay issues aside (some like it, some hate it), Amnesia has great atmosphere and, while the plot can be hit or miss, the presentation is top-notch and really spooky.
What: Siren
Why: Bad gameplay aside (sorry its true), Siren (and its later incarnations on PSN) features Incredibly creepy enemy design and a pretty strong plot for a horror game as well.
What: Eternal Darkness
Why: Although it isn't always implemented in a brilliant or subtle way, Eternal Darkness pioneered the idea of breaking game rules to mess with a player in a horror game. No game since has done the mechanic much justice. Best feature:
Movies
What: Ring / Ringu
Why: Both the American and Japanese versions of a fantastic movie do a good job of playing on horror tropes and manipulating expectations, and happen to create what might be the best post-movie marketing technique ever. I prefer the American remake, but both are solid. Stay away from Ring 2.
What: In The Mouth of Madness
Why: An unfortunately dated movie that does a fantastic job of slowly bringing a character into, well, look at the title. Talking about much more would be spoiler-y, a strong movie for fans of Lovecraftian stories.
What: Shutter (Thai version only!)
Why: Although the big reveal doesn't work for everyone, the movie has some fantastic atmosphere and some incredibly creepy scenes. The American remake is generally considered terrible, the 2004 Thai version is a strong, solid movie with a well-paced buildup.
What: Ju-on (stay away from the American remakes for the love of God!)
Why: These movies are the equivalent to stupid cheesecake for the smart psychological horror fan. The plots imply plenty of great ideas but tend to go nowhere and the movies can get repetitive if you watch several back to back, but for creepy ghosts and creepy scenes, the Ju-on movies are hard to beat.
Most of the recommendations in this thread that I haven't mentioned are at least worth looking into.