News

‘Scary Stories: A Tribute to Terror’ is a Must-Have for Nostalgic Horror Fans

Published

4 years ago

March 4, 2020

There’s a kind of magic that happens for horror fans of a certain age when you mention Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, a trilogy of books published in the 80s and 90s featuring short scary stories written by Alvin Schwartz and illustrated by Stephen Gammell.

Honestly, it’s pretty cool to watch.

Their eyes don’t so much glaze over as they seem to simply be looking back in time remembering their favorite tales and illustrations from the collections. Slowly, a smile spreads across their face, and at the very last moment, a small shiver runs down their spine. Then, suddenly, they’re back in the now sharing their own memories of when they first picked up one of the three books.

The whole process only takes seconds, but those precious seconds of nostalgia can turn a fan’s whole day around.

Most of us horror fans have been chasing that feeling for most of our lives. We search for movies, books, and even video games, that will give us that special thrill all over again. Some, of course, have channeled that into their own creation, and two men in particular, have created the perfect tribute to the books that inspired us, scared us, and set many of us on the path to horror fandom.

Author Curt Tuckfield in collaboration with artist Shane Hunt have created Scary Stories: A Tribute to Terror filling it with 34 stories and 60 illustrations that will no doubt earn its place on bookshelves next to the original Scary Stories trilogy.

Artwork by Shane Hunt for Scary Stories: A Tribute to Terror

The project’s official website, features four sample stories, and it almost immediately becomes apparent that the time and meticulous study both men put into the project to create a volume that tonally feels like the work of Schwartz and Gammell was well spent. The duo offers new stories that will appeal to fans of the original and can be for an entirely new generation what the work of those previous men were for us.

Take, for instance, “The Time-Out Corner.” In this tale, two brothers, both quite young, play together as their parents host a small part down in the basement. They’re having a good time until suddenly the younger of the two becomes frightened. The shadows have become too dark as the light of day has faded leaving them alone in the only illuminated room in the house.

Beyond the doorway? Darkness. In the corners of the room? Darkness. And then, in one particular corner of the room, the time-out corner where he and his brother are sent when they’re being punished, he sees something, and slowly that something begins to emerge.

The accompanying illustration by Shane Hunt for “When I Wake Up” from Scary Stories: A Tribute to Terror

Then there’s “When I Wake Up” which describes a young boy named Bradley who wakes up in the middle of the night to discover that he is all alone in his house. He searches for help and flees the house when he is certain he sees something in the darkness there. He falls asleep in the family van, only to wake up again and find himself in his bunk bed alone once more.

Tuckfield taps into the feel of Schwartz’s writing while still bringing his own storytelling voice to the tales included in the collection.

Of course, each of the stories comes with terrifying illustrations by Hunt who previously worked on the documentary Scary Stories, creating illustrations and animations based on a Gammell’s work on the books. Hunt seems to be able to tap into Gammell’s style creating images that walk the thin line between what is terrifying and what you can still show to your kids.

The combination of the two men’s talents is a potent mixture on a volume that, from the sample, appears equal parts nostalgic and new.

You can take a look at more of Hunt’s illustrations from the 230-page Scary Stories: A Tribute to Terror below. The book is now available for order after a successful Kickstarter campaign for only $24. You can order your copy by CLICKING HERE.

We’re not entirely sure what this is, but we definitely don’t want to dream about it either.

Anyone else get a strange sort of Harold vibe from this swine-like creature? (Image by Shane Hunt)

Hunt’s use of light and dark is really on display in this particular illustration from Scary Stories: A Tribute to Terror

A ghostly setting for a haunting tale from Scary Story: A Tribute to Terror

We really, really want to read the story that involves…whatever this is.

The more you look, the more you see.

Is this a baseball field? Is the monster in the foreground or is it the shadowy shape in the back? Check out Scary Stories: A Tribute to Terror to find out!

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Editorial

Yay or Nay: What’s Good and Bad in Horror This Week

Published

14 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Welcome to Yay or Nay a weekly mini post about what I think is good and bad news in the horror community written in bite-sized chunks.

Yay:

Mike Flanagan talking about directing the next chapter in the Exorcist trilogy. That might mean he saw the last one and realized there were two left and if he does anything well it’s draw out a story.

Yay:

To the announcement of a new IP-based film Mickey Vs Winnie. It’s fun to read comical hot takes from people who haven’t even seen the movie yet.

Nay:

The new Faces of Death reboot gets an R rating. It’s not really fair — Gen-Z should get an unrated version like past generations so they can question their mortality the same as the rest of us did.

Yay:

Russell Crowe is doing another possession movie. He’s quickly becoming another Nic Cage by saying yes to every script, bringing the magic back to B-movies, and more money into VOD.

Nay:

Putting The Crow back in theaters for its 30th anniversary. Re-releasing classic movies at the cinema to celebrate a milestone is perfectly fine, but doing so when the lead actor in that film was killed on set due to neglect is a cash grab of the worst kind.

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Lists

The Top-Searched Free Horror/Action Movies on Tubi This Week

Published

1 day ago

May 3, 2024

Timothy Rawles

The free streaming service Tubi is a great place to scroll when you’re unsure what to watch. They are not sponsored or affiliated with iHorror. Still, we really appreciate their library because it’s so robust and has many obscure horror movies so rare you can’t find them anywhere in the wild except, if you’re lucky, in a moist cardboard box at a yard sale. Other than Tubi, where else are you going to find Nightwish (1990), Spookies (1986), or The Power (1984)?

We take a look at the most searched horror titles on the platform this week, hopefully, to save you some time in your endeavor to find something free to watch on Tubi.

Interestingly at the top of the list is one of the most polarizing sequels ever made, the female-led Ghostbusters reboot from 2016. Perhaps viewers have seen the latest sequel Frozen Empire and are curious about this franchise anomaly. They will be happy to know it’s not as bad as some think and is genuinely funny in spots.

So take a look at the list below and tell us if you are interested in any of them this weekend.

1. Ghostbusters (2016)

Ghostbusters (2016)

An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.An otherworldly invasion of New York City assembles a pair of proton-packed paranormal enthusiasts, a nuclear engineer and a subway worker for battle.

2. Rampage

When a group of animals becomes vicious after a genetic experiment goes awry, a primatologist must find an antidote to avert a global catastrophe.

3. The Conjuring The Devil Made Me Do It

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren uncover an occult conspiracy as they help a defendant argue that a demon forced him to commit murder.

4. Terrifier 2

After being resurrected by a sinister entity, Art the Clown returns to Miles County, where his next victims, a teenage girl and her brother, await.

5. Don’t Breathe

A group of teens breaks into a blind man’s home, thinking they’ll get away with the perfect crime but get more than they bargained for once inside.

6. The Conjuring 2

In one of their most terrifying paranormal investigations, Lorraine and Ed Warren help a single mother of four in a house plagued by sinister spirits.

7. Child’s Play (1988)

A dying serial killer uses voodoo to transfer his soul into a Chucky doll which winds up in the hands of a boy who may be the doll’s next victim.

8. Jeepers Creepers 2

When their bus breaks down on a deserted road, a team of high school athletes discovers an opponent they cannot defeat and may not survive.

9. Jeepers Creepers

After making a horrific discovery in the basement of an old church, a pair of siblings find themselves the chosen prey of an indestructible force.

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News

Morticia & Wednesday Addams Join Monster High Skullector Series

Published

1 day ago

May 3, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Believe it or not, Mattel’s Monster High doll brand has an immense following with both young and not-so-young collectors.

In that same vein, the fan base for The Addams Family is also very large. Now, the two are collaborating to create a line of collectible dolls that celebrate both worlds and what they have created is a combination of fashion dolls and goth fantasy. Forget Barbie, these ladies know who they are.

The dolls are based on Morticia and Wednesday Addams from the 2019 Addams Family animated movie.

As with any niche collectibles these aren’t cheap they bring with them a $90 price tag, but it’s an investment as a lot of these toys become more valuable over time.

“There goes the neighborhood. Meet the Addams Family’s ghoulishly glamorous mother-daughter duo with a Monster High twist. Inspired by the animated movie and clad in spiderweb lace and skull prints, the Morticia and Wednesday Addams Skullector doll two-pack makes for a gift that’s so macabre, it’s downright pathological.”

If you want to pre-purchase this set check out The Monster High website.