Tag: Everil Worrell

New Horror 2023 – Day 2

“Rather this old boat, rather a deserted grave under the stars, for my home!”

“The Canal” by Everil Worrell (1927)

Hey that was something. A bit of cosmic horror vibes in there, but really just that same tack with coming to grips with unfathomable terror. And eventually it’s not something as wild as alien god things, but still a good buildup to a familiar horror in a different sort of environment.

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“To remember Drakulon is the sorrow I bear.”

“The Origin of Vampirella” by Budd Lewis & Jose Gonzalez (1981)

Vampirella is one of those characters that gets mixed up in my head along with others like Lady Death and Elvira, but I never knew a thing about her other than the slinky red outfit. Did you know she’s an alien? This origin is an interesting exploration of that and a recontextualization of the vampire mythos.

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“Oh, they’re nice as pie until they’ve had their way with you.”

The Company of Wolves dir. Neil Jordan (1984)

I felt like I’d been duped into watching a kids’ fantasy movie until Things start to happen in some especially gruesome ways. These sorts of fantasy-horror stories also find their way into my annual viewing and I’m all for bringing those classic fairytale terrors back around. All of today’s stories had that seductiveness of the darkness and unknown, so big ups to the recurrence of the theme.

New Horror 2022 – Day 1

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“Leonora” by Everil Worrell (1927)
“It was not curiosity that drove me, but some deeper urge, some urge I know no name for.”

It’s the kind of classic spooky story you’ve seen dozens of times, dating back to the earliest opportunities for meeting a dark and attractive stranger in the night. Worrell does well with this take from the early days of cars intruding upon an idyllic life in the country. We can never shake the appeal of the dangerous invitation.

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Smile dir. Parker Finn (2022)
“You have it? You’re trying to pass it onto me?”

I’m seeing that the movie had a great opening weekend and I’m glad for the cast and crew, but… hoo boy. It’s not a strong one. I yawned more than once and I’m not one to do that when I’m watching movies, especially in a theater setting. The pace just drags and the performances were weak at various critical points when the characters needed to really convey the horror of the situation. Bonus points for a strong final confrontation with the thing but then negative points for the weak denouement that is there purely for the sake of a now guaranteed sequel.