Ichabod
Banned
Sounds like something that could have a comedic tone to it. Do you have a transcript of it somewhere?
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Cosmic horror, and the fear of the unknown
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Sounds like something that could have a comedic tone to it. Do you have a transcript of it somewhere?
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Spuck-uk
Banned
Hellstar remina is probably his most by the book cosmic horror
Cool. I'm planning a Die Hard x Cthulhu game myself.
The regular paperback is fine, though IIRC there's also some limited edition version with a couple extra colors in the text here and there. Doesn't really make a huge difference, I read the paperback, most common, lightweight and affordable. Still physically a large book either way.
bengraven
Member
Look for T.E.D for more great modern cosmic horror.
Amish people will scare you after you read one of his novellas.
The atmosphere of the Willows is almost untouched.
Amish people will scare you after you read one of his novellas.
For anyone looking to dip their toes into cosmic horror, Algernon Blackwood's "The Willows" is an excellent starting point. A personal fav of HP Lovecraft.
There are places you can read it online, too. It's more a novella/short story, so it's a pretty quick read, too.
The atmosphere of the Willows is almost untouched.
More_Badass
Member
You cant leave that hanging like that
You cant leave that hanging like that
I think I've already mentioned it in the various indie dev threads here. Gotta finish up The Godbeast first (late 2017 release?), but I'm already doing some early model and code work.
Yeah, maybe repressed wasn't the the right word but between his puritanical upbringing and the abuse by his mother it isn't a ridiculous notion to read some form of sexual anxiety or disinterest (anxiety maybe too strong a word) out of his work.
It is most people's exposure or taste of the genre, so I wouldn't be too bothered by it. Seems innocent enough, as Lovecraft is more easily recognized than Cosmic Horror in the mainstream.
More_Badass
Member
I'd argue it's a Jet Ski/Styrofoam/Velcro thing, where some specific brand/style becomes the common name. People use those two terms interchangeably nowadays. Although I guess it's like saying Orwellian; Orwell wrote other stuff besides 1984 and Animal Farm, but you know what to expect when someone describes something as Orwellian
Anton Sugar
Member
It really is fantastic. It's also much more accessible than Lovecraft's writing, so I often recommend it to anyone interested in Lovecraft/cosmic horror, as a starting more.
Thanks--downloaded the first few episodes.
Krappadizzle
Member
Do it. House of Leaves is such a unique book that will leave you feeling strange after having read it.
Chmpocalypse
Blizzard
Love cosmic horror and weird fiction. So good.
In a related plug, I have a CH/WF short story in an anthology coming up to be released soon (my first such published story). I'll be sure to link it when it's available; it was a lot of fun to write!
In a related plug, I have a CH/WF short story in an anthology coming up to be released soon (my first such published story). I'll be sure to link it when it's available; it was a lot of fun to write!
Trojita
Rapid Response Threadmaker
Even though it's got some really dumb humor in it and probably too many references to old Tokusatsu tv shows that most of us will never get, the Haiyore! Nyaruko-san anime has some pretty sly references to the Cthulhu Mythos that might not easily be picked up on. In an episode the main character goes into a "room" in his house that Hastur is now occuyping. The main character sees Hastur putting what looks like putty in the corners of his bedroom. When asked why, Hastur says "You are better off not knowing". This is most likely a joke about The Hounds of Tindalos.
Also I now realize that Hastur appearing as a girly looking boy is a reference to Hastur not being what they seem.
Also I now realize that Hastur appearing as a girly looking boy is a reference to Hastur not being what they seem.
His wife did comment that he was a very good lover so I don't know if he was asexual.
I'm a big fan of cosmic horror/Lovecraft based on what I know of the genre, which admittedly isn't a huge amount since I haven't actually read any Lovecraft or related author's works. The idea that a being/entity/occurrence not of this world (possibly from another dimension or distant location in our universe) can be so incomprehensible as to render someone mad is absolutely terrifying in my opinion.
I loved the cosmic horror aspects of Bloodborne, Dead Space, Mass Effect, and honestly think this is what got me looking into more media in the genre (Bloodborne especially). Recently took GAF's recommendation on The Void as a decent recent movie in this genre and walked away pretty satisfied. Plan to watch The Mist and Absentia soon.
I loved the cosmic horror aspects of Bloodborne, Dead Space, Mass Effect, and honestly think this is what got me looking into more media in the genre (Bloodborne especially). Recently took GAF's recommendation on The Void as a decent recent movie in this genre and walked away pretty satisfied. Plan to watch The Mist and Absentia soon.
She described him as an "adequate" lover, which some people interpret as damning with faint praise. Whether she was covering for him, or whether the comment can be taken at face value, there are certainly no reports from Greene of Lovecraft's sexual enthusiasm.
Reading Lovecraft was such a snore to me. I feel like his writing was made to be realized, I love the movies and the infinite media he has lent inspiration to, but his books? No thanks. Some of my favorite movies are cosmic horror, but I do put it on the lowest rung of the fear scale. When something is considered beyond comprehension, alien or cosmic it just allows itself to bypass all the rules. Personally that removes all the suspense from it, and becomes more of an intrigue than a fright.
Yeah, I'm still not sure if I had an altogether good experience or not reading that. Made me think for sure, but was it worth it
I don't quite get this as most of the movies based directly on his work or inspired by his work tend to drop the ball in most cases. I'm pretty sure I've got more fingers than there are good Lovecraftian movies and some of those are only loosely based around his work or just uses items from then like the Necronomicon in Evil Dead. Even most of the authors who followed in his foot steps seemed to have missed the point and just fill their work with weird looking creatures with lost of tentacles, characters going insane and non euclidean geometry.
I'm sure I read somewhere that basically he would never initiate sex and she'd have to make the first move. You could read into that any which ways though in terms of his character.
Spoilers for a 30 year-old story, just in case.
That it is not known just how much time you perceive is the most disturbing. I mean, in that state how long would it really take to go insane? If you have no sensory input and only your own thoughts I would imagine a month or two would be enough for most people, more so if you don't know what is happening.
Also...
A minor nitpick, but goddamn you'd think they'd have a few safeguards in place to prevent that from happening when there is so much at stake. If it were a real thing I would never ever ever go near one.
I wanna second this and also plug Knifepoint Horror. Some really creepy stuff that feels a bit cosmic/unknown to me. Especially the Sisters episode.
I fully agree with you. Tentacles are great, but I read Lovecraft for his hypnotic prose and the nightmares endured by his protagonists, not for his monsters. The power behind cosmic horror is that it's a concept, not a creature that can be pinned down.
Anton Sugar
Member
Film adaptations of Lovecraft need directors who excel in psychological horror, not monsters. That's why I was always lukewarm on Del Toros proposed adaptation of Mountains.
Give it to Fukunaga, Bayona, etc. and see what they do with it.
Give it to Fukunaga, Bayona, etc. and see what they do with it.
More_Badass
Member
Or Villeneuve. After Enemy and Arrival, I'd love to see what he could do with Lovecraft
Well either way, I was thinking of Necronomicon book of the dead and Reanimator, all the short story horror features that are "based on the work of". Even movies like The Thing by Capenter remind me of Lovecraft stories. If they miss the point it doesn't really change how I feel about his writing vs people inspired by him(or not). You are probably right and really he just came first, that is what it comes down to. People make anything with a monster in it and it automatically "Lovecraftian".
More_Badass
Member
3.5 billion miles away...and that was still in our solar system
I wonder what kind of stuff Lovecraft would right today if he saw imagery like that
I wonder what kind of stuff Lovecraft would right today if he saw imagery like that
Anton Sugar
Member
Ah, great choice, too. Any director who excels in atmosphere (arguably one of the things Villeneuve does best) would be a good candidate.
3.5 billion miles away...and that was still in our solar system
I wonder what kind of stuff Lovecraft would right today if he saw imagery like that
Have you read any Olaf Stapledon? I read Star Maker the other year--it's easy to see why Lovecraft admired him.
Wikipedia said:
Slight spoilers, but it's sort of a metaphysical journey through our solar system, then our galaxy, then our universe/cosmos and beyond, culminating in a meeting
with the "Star Maker" aka God. But...his portrayal is that of a workman, who has created universes before this one, each different from the last as he tries to create something that is truly satisfactory. Our universe is just one of many that he has essentially "drafted" up.
An excerpt from one of his "encounters" with another alien civilization:
More_Badass
Member
Read Last and First Men earlier this year. Loved it. Was itching for some far future sci-fi during the lead-up to Tides of Numenera's release
betamax999
Member
Regarding Alan Moore's "Providence," I've found this site extremely helpful and interesting. If you know Moore, then you'll know "Providence" and "Neonomicon" are filled with references to both Lovecraft's works and his own life, and I'm talking "deep cuts" here, not just Lovecraft 101 stuff.
Regarding Grant Morrison's "Nameless," I loved it, but also need to read it about 6 more times to figure out what the fuck was going on. Typical of the majority of Morrison's material, but confined to 6 EXTREMELY dense, confusing and fucked up issues. If you know a lot about obscure occult rituals and ancient Mayan mythology & symbology, maybe you'll have an easier first read. Otherwise, this, this and the remaining parts 3-5 may be helpful. He doesn't manage to cover the entire series, but these are a good start.
Regarding book suggestions, read Laird Barron, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Thomas Ligotti, any anthology edited by S.T. Joshi, any anthology edited by Ellen Datlow that has "Lovecraft" in its title, or look into the semi-recent annual anthology series "Year's Best Weird Fiction," currently on its third volume, with each volume having a different editor to spice things up.
Brian Lumley's Necroscope series...
"John Dies at the End" and its sequel "This Book Is Full of Spiders" by David Wong are an interesting take on cosmic horror... unspeakable atrocities borne of sausages & cold-cuts & other meats. Haven't seen the film adaptation of "John Dies at the End" so I can't comment on that one.
That's as much as I can handle typing on my phone now.
Regarding Grant Morrison's "Nameless," I loved it, but also need to read it about 6 more times to figure out what the fuck was going on. Typical of the majority of Morrison's material, but confined to 6 EXTREMELY dense, confusing and fucked up issues. If you know a lot about obscure occult rituals and ancient Mayan mythology & symbology, maybe you'll have an easier first read. Otherwise, this, this and the remaining parts 3-5 may be helpful. He doesn't manage to cover the entire series, but these are a good start.
Regarding book suggestions, read Laird Barron, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Thomas Ligotti, any anthology edited by S.T. Joshi, any anthology edited by Ellen Datlow that has "Lovecraft" in its title, or look into the semi-recent annual anthology series "Year's Best Weird Fiction," currently on its third volume, with each volume having a different editor to spice things up.
Brian Lumley's Necroscope series...
"John Dies at the End" and its sequel "This Book Is Full of Spiders" by David Wong are an interesting take on cosmic horror... unspeakable atrocities borne of sausages & cold-cuts & other meats. Haven't seen the film adaptation of "John Dies at the End" so I can't comment on that one.
That's as much as I can handle typing on my phone now.
Read 'In The Tall Grass' last night before falling asleep. Was an interesting read.
Ended up dreaming an extension to the story:
Weird.
Ended up dreaming an extension to the story:
At some point they managed to get authorities to the outskirts of the grass and they sent in hesitating agents with rope. When they tried to pull the them back out the rope just kept on coming without ever stopping.
Also I remember a person (me?) trying to beat the flow/distortion by quickly moving in the opposite direction or... I dunno.. but the outcome was that my arm became a permanent 'optical illusion' of sorts stretching many meters into the field and one could feel all the tinglings and movement across that length.
Also I remember a person (me?) trying to beat the flow/distortion by quickly moving in the opposite direction or... I dunno.. but the outcome was that my arm became a permanent 'optical illusion' of sorts stretching many meters into the field and one could feel all the tinglings and movement across that length.
Trojita
Rapid Response Threadmaker
Oh so the latter one got a designated number? Anything change in the final result. Everything was interesting about the story except for the ending in the form it was in when being considered for 3000.
Rygar 8 Bit
Jaguar 64-bit
looks the same as when it was in the contest
edit: when day breaks was the only one that didnt make it because of the formatting issues i think the author is retooling it to fit the format still
Mine was delivered yesterday! Haven't started it yet. House of Leaves should arrive today as well. Which to start first...
I finally picked this up the other day. He has an incredible line in the foreword: "I have tried to construct an imaginative sketch of the dread but vital whole of things."
super-heated plasma
Member
I'm actually writing a cosmic horror short film that I will be shooting this summer. I wanted to take a break from my web series.
The only thing I can think of that even comes close is Angel's Egg.
Pet shop of horrors. I think there's 4 episodes only, but they're worth watching.
John Carpenter's The Thing has you covered. There have been multiple other attempts, some fall into schlock but are entertaining to watch like Dagon. Re-Animator and From Beyond are great, but more in an awesome 80's horror movie with cool effects kind of way.
True Detective's first season played with being a King In Yellow pseudo-adaption, YMMV on if it did it successfully or not.
phazedplasma
Member
So are alan moore's new comics worth it? Pretty cheap on amazon.
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