The Ten Best Horror Short Stories (Pre-1960)

I haven’t done a list in a long while, but they are always a way to fill space, er, present informed opinion. This one isn’t exactly new, to be truthful. I was taking some time to go through some old post on previous blogs (this is my fourth blog, and it was depressing to see that I seem to write worse and worse as time goes on) and came across an old post which contained a list of my favorite horror short stories published before 1960. The usual problem with making lists is that, since they are personal preference, the order/content of them changes almost immediately. (I found a list I had made of my favorite horror novels of the 21st century, and was so repelled by the books on it I can only conclude I had a secret drug habit in 2007, secret even from myself.) This list, however, seems to have held up pretty well, and doesn’t really change on casual observance.

Largely to limit the Lovecraft content, I limited the list to one story per author. There were several stories by Arthur Machen and William Hope Hodgson which almost made the list, so those are the most notable snubs/omissions. Most people would go with "Pigeons From Hell" for the Howard story, but an explanation for my choice can be found here.

1. “The Colour Out Of Space”, H. P. Lovecraft
2. “Who Goes There?”, John W. Campbell, Jr.
3. “Dig Me No Grave”, Robert E. Howard
4. “The Graveyard Rats”, Henry Kuttner
5. “The Lottery”, Shirley Jackson
6. “The Damned Thing”, Ambrose Bierce
7. “Second Night Out”, Frank Belknap Long
8. “The Ash-Tree”, M.R. James
9. “Yours Truly, Jack The Ripper”, Robert Bloch
10. “Born of Man and Woman”, Richard Matheson
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Some Over-Looked (Maybe) Horror Films PTSD

Another repeat, here is a list of movies that I feel are somewhat overlooked, yet deserving of a look. This reflects only my own opinion, of course. The movies are in no particular order. Not exactly sure how I chose The Thing as being over-looked, but I do live in meth country, so maybe I had a problem I don't remember.

Stir Of Echoes (1999) – This came out a month after The Sixth Sense, and suffered at the box office due to its similar theme, but I think it is better. Kevin Bacon is especially good.

From Beyond (1986) – The true follow-up to Re-Animator, this features most of the same cast and crew.

Frailty (2001) – Really creepy movie that turns out not to be what you expected.

The Uninvited (1944) – Nice ghost story set in Cornwall. Somewhat hard to find.

Anatomie (2000) – German movie with Franke Potente about fiendish goings-on in a medical school. One inferior sequel.

Cemetery Man (Dellamorte Dellamore, 1994) – A very odd Italian zombie movie with Rupert Everett. The zombies are more of a plot device to examine the human condition.

Ginger Snaps (2000) - A Canadian film using lycanthropy as a metaphor for female puberty (It’s much better than that description sounds). A sequel and a prequel, both decent.

The Thing (1982) – Probably not really overlooked any more, included here because it was such an enormous box-office bomb on its release. My favorite horror film, I saw it when it came out at the theater as a double-bill with Annie, possibly the strangest double bill in history.

Ravenous (1999) – Guy Pearce deals with cannibalism in the Old West.

The Ninth Configuration (1980) - Directed by William Peter Blatty from his novel Twinkle Twinkle Killer Kane, this is one of the all-time great American movies, even though few have seen it. A surrealistic drama set in a Vietnam-era military insane asylum. Considered by the author to be the true sequel to The Exorcist (there is a key character shared by the two stories).

Deep Rising (1998) – A lot of people hate this because they hate Stephen Sommers, but how can a movie about sea monsters be bad?
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The Four Essential Werewolf Movies

So, as promised, here is a list of the only werewolf movies that are a true must-see. I like lists for some perverse reason, and it is traditional to go with a top ten. However, I don’t think there are ten truly outstanding werewolf movies. These choices reflect my own personal taste, and you may disagree completely, which is cool. I bet if Teen Wolf is on your list, you are still proud of that mullet, too. They are presented in chronological order.

1. The Wolf Man (1941) – It wasn’t the first werewolf movie – it wasn’t even the first for Universal, as Werewolf of London beat it by half a decade. But this is the one that stuck in our collective unconscious, and much of what we think of when we think of werewolves comes from this movie. The problem with silver, full moon causing the transformation, the pentagram on the palm of the next victim – all here. You have to not wonder at how the very American Lon Chaney, Jr. could be the son of the very British Claude Rains, but if you’re willing to accept a man turning into a wolf, why not?

2. An American Werewolf in London (1981) – It took forty years to get to the next classic film of lycanthropy, and John Landis had actually been working on the story since he was nineteen, but this mixture of horror and humor succeeded on both levels. Introducing the brilliant concept of the werewolf being haunted by the decomposing ghosts of its victim (Griffin Dunne was perfect) it captured movie-goers’ imaginations and was a financial success not matched by a werewolf flick since. On re-watching this, I felt David Naughton’s character was more obnoxious and a bigger jerk than I remembered, but I was probably about his age the first time I saw it, and probably shared the same personality traits.

3. Ginger Snaps (2000) – This low budget Canadian film of two unusual teenage sisters, one of whom begins to turn into a you-know-what is great as a simple horror movie and as a metaphor for the transformation of a girl into a woman. Blood, body hair, it all fits. It was successful enough a sequel and a prequel were subsequently filmed, and surprisingly enough, neither of them was bad at all, with the prequel being pretty darn good. Hurrah for Canada. It’s never really had a good DVD release in the U.S. maybe the eventual blu-ray will make up for that.

4. Dog Soldiers (2002) – I just talked about this low budget film, a British movie filmed in Luxembourg pretending to be Scotland. A good cast makes this story of soldiers versus a werewolf pack hum.

There are several near misses. Werewolf of London, I Was A Teenage Werewolf (despite the title), The Howling (certain to be debated, although it seems dated to me) will all have their adherents, and I’ll confess to even enjoying the ill-fated Cursed of a few years ago. You have my permission to disagree, not that you need it.
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Other People Make Lists, Too

Rabid Fox over at Wag The Fox has put together a list of his Top Five Comedic Horror Movies. Since I really can't disagree with any of his choices, this saves me from doing my own. It's a good list, so check it out. And just for the record, I do feel Ghostbusters is a horror movie. its got a giant Pilsbury Dough Boy rampaging through a city. What's more horror than that? :-)
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10 Great Movies For Halloween!

Halloween season is upon us (it starts today in the Allard household). Since it falls on a weekend this year, you’ve rented an old dark house way back in the woods for you and your friends to hold a weekend retreat. You’ve gone to the trouble of lugging in that enormous 180 inch plasma screen TV, now you need some fright flicks to show your guests. That’s why you are here. Here are ten recommendations for that spooky weekend which will get even with those who have tormented you entertain your loved ones.

Usual disclaimers: This is not a ten best, they are presented in no particular order, the opinions are my own, gimme a break. Spoilers may appear, so you’ve been warned. You know it’s one of my stupid lists because there’s an exclamation point in the title.

1. The Thing (1982) – John Carpenter’s ice-bound gory paranoia masterpiece is perfect to watch with a large crowd of friends, particularly on a cold night. For added fun, once the tension mounts, excuse yourself briefly, and come back with a glassy expression and project a sense that there is something wrong. Your friends won’t know whether to sit next to you or hose you down with a flamethrower. If it is the second option, you don’t need the rest of the list.
2. The Blair Witch Project (1999) – Hype drove the movie to an amazing box office, and is also responsible for a considerable backlash. Putting all that aside, it remains a creepy, effective little low budget film that works well with a small group of friends watching with the lights out. For an added bonus, you’ll get conversation afterwards, as you try to figure out what the ending meant.
3. Night of the Living Dead (1968) – The one that started the zombie craze, it is constantly imitated, never surpassed. You’ll have to ask those friends that won’t watch a black & white movie to wait outside.
4. The Mist (2007) – You’re isolated with those so-called friends of yours, so this movie about people isolated by hideous creatures should hit home. You don’t have to wait until the weatherman reports heavy fog rolling in, but it would be a nice touch. Be prepared for a lot of bitching about the ending, though.
5. R-Point (2004) – You probably have at least one cineaste in your circle of friends, and they always insist that movies with subtitles are better, so show them this Korean ghost story set in the Vietnam War.
6. Re-Animator (1985) – It’s nice to include at least one romantic film for the ladies.
7. 30 Days of Night (2007) – There’s also going to be at least one Twilight fan in the group. Show them this one so they will know what Edward looks like when he’s not primping for the cameras.
8. Evil Dead 2 (1987) – For a little comedy mixed with the horror, this innovative film is essentially the first Evil Dead remade with a bigger budget.
9. The Call of Cthulhu (2005) – Remember those friends who pitched a fit and stood in the hallway during #3 because it was in black & white? Gig them again with this one, in black & white and silent to boot.
10. Halloween (1978) – You didn’t think I was going to skip this one, did you? John Carpenter’s second film on the list set the template for a thousand inferior imitations to follow. It goes without saying, watch this one on Halloween night.
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The 10 Best Asian Horror Movies of All Time!

Or, actually, my ten favorites, but it seems much more controversial to proclaim them the ten best of all time. And this way encourages people to call me an idiot in the comments.

Non-linear narratives. Nightmarish visuals. Continuity errors out the wazoo. Alternating between a prudish approach to sex and gore and a no-holds-barred style. These are the things which leap to my mind when I think about Asian horror movies. I was a little late to the party, but once I discovered them, I began to watch a lot of the Asian output of terror flicks. My consumption has slowed of late – there’s only so many times you can watched a ghostly pale child with dark hair crawl down the wall – but I discovered some real gems. The usual caveats apply: These are my opinions, there are movies I’ve completely missed so they got left off, you may feel differently, etc.

1. R-Point – This ghost story about a Korean army unit investigating an SOS from another unit long since disappeared is truly creepy, with an unnerving ending.

2. A Tale of Two Sisters – This re-telling of a traditional Korean folk tale is not for the impatient or those with short attention spans. Only near the end, when (and if) you catch on to the central twist of the movie will any of the scenes prior make sense, but for those who stick it out to the end, it is worth the trip.

3. Kansen (Infection) – A nearly deserted hospital suffers an outbreak of a virus that causes the afflicted to undergo horrible changes. Or does it? It features three consecutive endings, who is to say which is real?

4. Audition – Miike Takashi’s masterpiece of violent obsession shifts gears twice. It starts out a drama, becomes almost a romantic comedy, and then turns into grisly horror in the third act. Owing a lot to Misery, this movie makes Annie Wilkes seem like a creampuff.

5. Ringu – Re-made as The Ring, at times it doesn’t make much sense, but a very effective fright flick.

6. Koma – Closer to a mystery than horror, this is a very well acted story of organ theft.

7. Ju-On – Remade as The Grudge, its influence has been blunted by an army of re-makes, sequels, and imitators.

8. The Eye – I liked this Pang Brothers’ movie a lot better before it was remade 100 times.

9. Eko Eko Azaraku – The Japanese version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer spawned two sequels and a television series. The original is a dark story which uses Christianity as myth in the same way western countries use Eastern religions.

10. The Host- I’m not as big on this Korean monsterfest as some. Many of the characters are too annoying to believe. But it is always nice to see an Asian monster that doesn’t want to stomp on Tokyo.

Narrowly missed the cut: Dark Water, One Missed Call. Let me know if you have any suggestions/corrections/insults.
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My Favorite Books of 2008

A little late, but here is my list of my favorite reads of 2008. They are in no particular order, since I’ve found in the past when I order these things, I change my opinion from day to day, so they are presented in roughly reverse order to which I read them (or at least reviewed them). A couple of rules: These are books I read for the first time in 2008. I omitted favorites I re-read, and I didn’t check to make sure they were all published in 2008, so don’t e-mail me with “Kent, you idiot! The Castle of Otranto was published in 1764, not 2008.” I debated on whether to include books I had an opportunity to read but aren’t available to the general public, and finally decided to go ahead, so there are two books that you cannot yet purchase. It was a tough decision, but the other day I was lounging in the hot tub with Jessica Biel and Angelina Jolie (we had sent Jessica Alba to fetch drinks, she’s such a ditz) and Jessica No. 1 said “What’s the point of having things the little people can’t unless you rub their noses in it?” Angelina and I agreed wholeheartedly.


Ghost Walk, Brian Keene – Keene is on the top of current horror writers, and his conclusion (?) of the LeHorn’s Hollow story began in Dark Hallow was Keene at his best. Poor Adam Senft.


Invisible Fences, Norman Prentiss - Probably the highlight of belonging to the Cemetery Dance 2008 book club was getting the ARC of this novella. It should be published in early 2009. Don’t stand too close to it, or you’ll get hit with the barrage of awards it’s going to win. If I were going to rank the books of 2008, today this would be # 1.

Southern Gods, John Hornor Jacobs – Full disclosure, John’s a friend of mine. That doesn’t affect my opinion of his unpublished Southern horror novel. I read a draft form of the book, and even with some tweaking yet to be done, it is still a great book. Some publisher needs to grab this one up.


Mama’s Boy and Other Dark Tales, Fran Friel – If I had missed Hypericon ’08, I wouldn’t have attended Fran’s reading of one of her stories, and might not have read this collection of short stories. This would have meant I would have missed the best single author collection of 2008.

Hawg, Steven Shrewsbury – Gonzo, over-the-top sex and violence. Some people might not read this book about a mutant man-pig because they think the synopsis is too out there, but they will miss a hell of a book.

Orgy of Souls, Maurice Broaddus & Wrath James White – Two writers coming from such different places as White and Broaddus shouldn’t be able to combine to produce such a good and thought-provoking book, but they did.

Queen of Blood, Bryan Smith – 2008 was the year I discovered Bryan Smith, the next star of the horror field. The amazing thing is, he seems to be getting better.


Deeper, James A. Moore – I love aquatic-based horror, and this semi-sequel to “The Shadow Over Innsmouth” was outstanding.


House of Blood, Bryan Smith – Bryan Smith’s first book, many people think it is his weakest. Must be nice to have your weakest book be great.

Vampyrrhic, Simon Clark – It received its first hardback publication from Cemetery Dance in 2008. The most “classic” horror on the list.

Ennui and Other States of Madness, David Niall Wilson – The other great single author collection of 2008. Wilson may be the best writer working in the field of short stories now, at the very least he’s a contender for that title.

Money Shot, Christa Faust – The first book published by Hard Case Crime from a female author, this is a brand new hard-boiled classic.

The Freakshow, Bryan Smith – Have you picked up on the hints that I really, really like Bryan’s Smith’s novels? This might be his most envelope-pushing book to date.

Duma Key, Stephen King – A lot of people take potshots at Stephen King because he won’t write The Stand again. Duma Key is a mature work of a great writer, and managed at one point to break my heart. That’s not an easy trick.

A Dangerous Man, Charlie Huston – The conclusion of the Hank Thompson trilogy. If your definition of noir emphasizes a rising feeling of hopelessness, these three books might rank at the top of 21st century noir.

Crooked Little Vein, Warren Ellis – At first glance, this is a series of scenes designed to shock a reader. Those who dig deeper will realize in addition to entertainment, this has something serious to say about America and the role of power in it.

A Dark and Deadly Valley, edited by Mark Heffernan – I’m a sucker for Weird War Tales, but even if I wasn’t, this collection of stories with a World War II theme would be my favorite anthology read in 2008.

Ridicule is welcome in the comments.

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Some Over-looked (Maybe) Horror Films

Copied over from the other site, here is a list of movies that I feel are somewhat overlooked, yet deserving of a look. This reflects only my own opinion, of course. The movies are in no particular order.

Stir Of Echoes (1999) – This came out a month after The Sixth Sense, and suffered at the box office due to its similar theme, but I think it is better. Kevin Bacon is especially good.
From Beyond (1986) – The true follow-up to Re-Animator, this features most of the same cast and crew. Recently available on DVD.
Frailty (2001) – Really creepy movie that turns out not to be what you expected.
The Uninvited (1944) – Nice ghost story set in Cornwall.
Anatomie (2000) – German movie with Franke Potente about fiendish goings-on in a medical school. One inferior sequel.
Cemetery Man (Dellamorte Dellamore, 1994) – A very odd Italian zombie movie with Rupert Everett. The zombies are more of a plot device to examine the human condition.
Ginger Snaps (2000) - A Canadian film using lycanthropy as a metaphor for female puberty (It’s much better than that description sounds). A sequel and a prequel.
The Thing (1982) – Probably not really overlooked any more, included here because it was such an enormous box-office bomb on its release. My favorite horror film, I saw it when it came out at the theater as a double-bill with Annie, possibly the strangest double bill in history.
Ravenous (1999) – Guy Pearce deals with cannibalism in the Old West.
The Ninth Configuration (1980) - Directed by William Peter Blatty from his novel Twinkle Twinkle Killer Kane, this is one of the all-time great American movies, even though few have seen it. A surrealistic drama set in a Vietnam-era military insane asylum. Considered by the author to be the sequel to The Exorcist.
Deep Rising (1998) – A lot of people hate this because they hate Stephen Sommers, but how can a movie about sea monsters be bad?

The Ten Best Horror Anthologies Of All Time!

Another list re-cycled from my other blog, also will be in need of updating in the future. The usual disclaimers apply, my personal opinion, blah, blah, blah. This time it’s the ten best horror anthologies. Again, these reflect my own opinion, and are limited to evaluating those I’ve personally read. I gave some extra weight to those anthologies which published original material, and tended for the most part to ignore books from a continuing series. As much as I love Night Visions, Best New Horror, Shadows, and others, it just wasn’t what I was looking for. It also doesn’t feature single author collections, which will have a separate list very soon. So here goes:

1. Dark Forces (edited by Kirby McCauley) – This came out at the beginning of the horror boom, and highlighted a lot of the young (and old) writers who would be at the forefront. McCauley was an influential agent, and had a discerning eye for quality. The highlight of the collection is probably Stephen King’s The Mist.

2. Tales Of The Cthulhu Mythos (August Derleth) – This often revised anthology (there are several with a similar name, the one I refer to is from Arkham House) collects key stories by H.P. Lovecraft, and also a broad representation of those who followed in his footsteps, like Robert Bloch and Clark Ashton Smith. One of my favorites as a kid, and one of the things that warped me for life. The highlight would be Lovecraft’s The Call Of Cthulhu.

3. The Dark Descent (David Hartwell) – A collection that attempts to be a study of the evolution of horror. You might not agree with all of Hartwell’s conclusions, but most of the stories here are undeniable classics.

4. Silver Scream (David J. Schow) – Themed anthologies usually are unsatisfying. The limitations of the subject matter lead to repetition and boredom. Fortunately, Schow is a skilled editor, and the subject matter (movies) is so broad as to have great variety. The highlight is one of the great horror stories of all time, Night They Missed The Horror Show by Joe R. Lansdale.

5. 999 (Al Sarrantonio) – At the end of the millennium, and the beginning of the slow re-birth of horror as a viable publishing sub-category, Sarrantonio has put together an excellent collection of stories that highlight past masters and coming stars. My favorite is “Amerkanski Dead At The Moscow Morgue”, by Kim Newman.

6. Splatterpunks (Paul M. Sammon) – A somewhat flawed book (by the time it was released, the movement it highlighted was already on the wane, and many authors didn’t want the label, so they weren’t included), this still illustrates the power the splatterpunks had, and includes some interesting essays detailing the history of the splatterpunks and some of the controversies.

7. Under The Fang (Robert R. McCammon) - The first of the Horror Writers of America’s themed anthologies, the stories concern a world overrun with vampires. Possibly an idiosyncratic choice, but I enjoy it.

8. Prime Evil (Douglas Winter) – Somewhat too conservative in its choice of subject matter, this was one of the best anthologies of original material in the 1980s. An all-star lineup of writers of the time.

9. Midnight Graffiti (Jessie Horsting and James van Hise) – Excellent anthology, with the stories divided into five categories. My favorite is Bob The Dinosaur Goes to Disneyland, by Joe R. Lansdale.

10. Dead End: City Limits (Paul F. Olson and David B. Silva) – Because many horror tropes work better in an isolated setting, horror stories have generally taken place in a rural milieu. This outstanding anthologies features stories in the urban jungle.

Well, there you have it, my opinions. I’d love to hear yours. The heyday of the anthology is probably over, at least for now. In the modern market, it is just to complicated and expensive to sort out royalty payments. But for any budding anthologist, here are some examples to follow.