I’m baaaaack to preach about the joys of horror adjacent reads again!! If you’re sitting there all, “what is she going on about with this made-up terminology?” you can check out this post that explains a bit more of what horror adjacent means (to me, at least. What does it mean to you?). Another facet of any type of fiction that I love to explore is translated books. It is especially intriguing in the horror genre because you get to see what other cultures are afraid of. I’ve long felt that one of the best ways to learn about a culture is through its fiction, but if you know what…
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Horror Adjacent Reads x LOHF
Okay, so if you’ve made it here, you’re probably here for the scary. The more the scarier, right? But how do you classify “horror”? Does it have to tick the boxes off a certain checklist? Or is it more that you just know it when you see it? One thing I’ve noticed about reading boatloads of horror is that it seems more fluid than other genres—in the best way possible. After all, what scares you is subjective. Spiders may terrify your mom (on screen and off!), but you only feel that creeping dread for psychological scares. Horror doesn’t have to mean blood gushing out of severed limbs or zombies crawling…
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Horror Directors for WIHM
It’s February and cold outside! But let’s ignore the snow and snuggle up with books and films to celebrate Women in Horror Month. There are so many amazing voices to seek out: writers, actors, directors, reviewers—OH MY! Thinking about horror films, people tend to gravitate toward the classics: Psycho, Halloween, Scream, Jaws, The Exorcist . . . it tends to be a fairly male-dominated list of directors. But it is not the case that women aren’t creating horror. The ladies are deep in the trenches of the terrifying and they are bringing us some incredibly scary and brilliant films. Here are a few female directors who are making waves in…
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The Vengeful Female Ghosts of J-Horror
There is something about Japanese horror movies that is just inherently freaky. It almost doesn’t matter what culture you were raised in, J-horror is guaranteed to curdle your blood. Why is that? What is it that our Western society responds to so strongly in these tales lifted from traditional Japanese ghost stories and lore? Though there are plenty of reasons to be afraid, what I find so fascinating (and often terrifying) is the portrayal of female archetypes throughout these stories and how that translates to the big screen. Japanese folklore has a thing for yūrei (ghosts). I mean, they are everywhere. This has to do with beliefs about death and…
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Plan a Halloween Movie Marathon
This is the month, y’all, we made it to October, where it’s Halloween every day, and no one can persuade me otherwise. One of the best parts of Halloween month is that everyone else condones the dark and weird stuff you like year round, which includes good old fashioned horror movies! So, if you don’t already have big party plans for the big day, why not plan a creepy, cozy movie marathon? If you’re staying home, you know you’re not going to be able to stray far from the living room as the parade of ghouls lines up at your door for candy, so I’ve got some great picks for…
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Horror Movie Maven: Hispanic Heritage Month
The weather is getting colder, my belly and cupboards are filled with every variety of pumpkin spice Trader Joe’s could supply, and maybe your thoughts are turning to films of the darker, more scream-filled variety. I don’t blame you if your thoughts are always filled with horror films, but this is the time of year to start amping up your game. This September, double up on your horror movie intake by also celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month! Hispanic filmmakers from Mexico, Spain, and Central and South America are not afraid to get gory, tell unique stories, and delve into the many terrifying legends as well as real-life horrors of their culture.…
