Zombies can fall in love too

http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/52975/take-first-look-my-fair-zombie-first-teaser-trailer

Or so Brett Kelly, the director of My Fair Zombie would havce us believe.
The teaser trailer is in the link. Horror comedies are one thing. Horror comedies with love subplots are a stretch into romcoms if you ask me. Oh and as far as Pygmalion-with-zombies is concerned, Hollywood did that 80 years ago. It's called White Zombie.

The House and its Inhabitants

In the story “The Fall of the House of Usher”, Poe presents the history of the end of an illustrious family.  As with many of Poe’s stories, setting and mood contribute greatly to the overall tale.  Poe’s descriptions of the house itself as well as the inhabitants thereof invoke in the reader a feeling of gloom and terror.  This can best be seen first by considering Poe’s description of the house and then comparing it to his description of its inhabitants, Roderick and Madeline Usher.

Poe uses several descriptive words in his portrayal of the house.  The reader’s first impression of the house comes from a direct observation from the narrator.  This unnamed narrator states, “… with the first glimpse of the building, a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit.”  As the narrator continues to describe the house he uses several similarly dismal adjectives.    The gloom experienced by the narrator is not limited to merely the house itself.  The vegetation, which surrounds the area, is described as “a few rank sedges and … a few white trunks of decayed trees.”  He emphasizes these facets of the house and its environs by restating the descriptions reflected in a “black and lurid tarn.”  The narrator points out that the house seems to be in a dilapidated condition.  While he claims that the house appears structurally sound, he takes time to comment upon “the crumbling condition of the individual stones.”  He also emphasizes the long history of the house by stating that its features recall an “excessive antiquity.”

To of the most striking descriptions used to portray the house are those of the windows and the fissure.  He describes the windows as “vacant [and] eye-like.”  With this description the narrator effectively anthropomorphizes the house.  Thus he almost gives the status of character to the house.  The other outstanding description is that of the fissure.  It is described as “a barely perceptible fissure, which [extends] from the roof of the building in front, [making] its way down the wall in a zigzag direction, until it [becomes] lost in the sullen waters of the tarn.”   It is interesting to note that the narrator spends so much time describing a feature that he describes as barely perceptible.

The first of the two Ushers to be introduced to the reader is Roderick.  He is first seen lying upon a couch.  While he greets the narrator with a sincere and evident joy, the narrator is appalled by Roderick’s appearance.  Among the many descriptive phrases used to describe Roderick are these: “[A] cadaverousness of complexion,” “lips somewhat thin and very pallid,” and “an eye large, liquid, and luminous beyond comparison.”   The narrator states that these are drastic changes in the appearance of Roderick, indicating that Roderick once exhibited more healthful characteristics.

While the narrator describes the physical characteristics of Roderick at length, he gives sparse detail of the appearance of Madeline.  He focuses, instead, on her medical condition and the feelings her singular evokes in him.  When she moves through Roderick’s apartment, the narrator regards her with “astonishment not unmingled with dread.”  He continues the description of Madeline by giving the reader a report of her condition, which includes a gradual wasting away of the lady.  He speculates that in her present condition he will see very little of Madeline Usher.  The narrator does not realize the truth of his statement, having no way of knowing that Madeline will soon die.

A careful reading of the story will show the similarities between the building itself and the family that live therein.  Poe first draws a comparison between the two by emphasizing the length of both.  The house is described as an “excessive antiquity.”  Similarly, Poe notes that the Usher family is a “time-honored” one, which implies a long heritage.  After making this initial comparison, Poe drives the point home with several examples.  His description of the windows as eye-like mirror his description of Roderick’s eye.  The decayed white trees reflect Roderick’s ashen countenance.  Even the dilapidation and wasting away of the individual stones in the masonry are portents of Madeline’s eventual destruction.  These are but a few of the many comparisons Poe draws between the house and his occupants.

Perhaps the most striking similarity between the house and the Ushers can be seen in the denouement of the tale.  At the climax of the story, the presumed dead Madeline reappears in her final death throes.  Her appearance so unnerves her brother that he dies from the terror.  The narrator flees in horror, but as he leaves he takes the time to look at the house behind him.  The “once barely discernable fissure” has widened.  This effectively splits the house asunder.  This is the final comparison drawn between the house and the family.  Just as the familial lineage of the Usher’s has ended with the deaths of Roderick and Madeline, so has the fissure’s widening destroyed the ancestral home of the Ushers.  In a beautifully appropriate double entendre Poe’s last descriptive phrase mentions “the fragments of the House of Usher.”  While the narrator obviously is referring to the building, he is also unwittingly referring to the family itself.

It is obvious therefore that Poe means for the building and the family to reflect one another.  His use of parallel descriptions of the house and family, the mood that both convey and the intertwined fate of both lead the reader to the inescapable conclusion that the house and the Ushers are one.

Frankenstein

The origin of Frankenstein is almost as mysterious and exciting as the novel itself. It all began back in the summer of 1816 at the Villa Diodati on the shores of Lake Geneva, Switzerland. Mary Shelley seems not to condemn the act of creation but rather Frankenstein’s lack of willingness to accept the responsibility for his deeds. His creation only becomes a monster at the moment his creator deserts it. Essentially, Frankenstein warns of the careless use of science which is still an important issue.
In feminist literary theory, it claims that Frankenstein’s act of creation is not only a sin against God and nature. It is also an act against the “female principle” which includes natural procreation as one of its central aspects. The monster, the result of male arrogance, is the enemy and destroyer of the eternal female principle.
The classification of Frankenstein as a ghost story, Gothic novel or horror novel is not completely accurate. It contains no supernatural apparitions such as ghosts, witches, devils, demons or sorcerers. And other typical gothic elements such as ruined castles, graveyards and charnel houses appear only briefly or in the distance.
In the novel, Mary Shelley is silent on how Victor Frankenstein breathes life into his creation. But her story did not just come from her imagination alone. Scientists and physicians of her time were tempted by the boundaries between life and death, constantly experimenting with lower organisms, human anatomical studies, attempting to resuscitate drowning victims, and experiments using electricity to restore life to the recently dead. Another origin of this monster has to do with people’s fascinations with “nature’s monsters,” the sharp deviations from normal human development.
The monster “Frankenstein” is thought of as a horrible, evil creation. One informant thought of him as frustrated, loud, and uncommunicative. Some others remember aspects from the many different movies such as the monster having “the mind of a killer and the heart of a kind man.” One informant recalled the monster having a “soft spot for children” when he helped a little girl kill all the evil monsters in one of the movies.
Abandoned by his creator, the monster takes revenge on Victor Frankenstein by killing his younger brother, William. Frankenstein’s silence, in the face of the monster’s murderous actions, exacts a terrible price. His self-imposed isolation from society mirrors the social isolation the monster experiences from all who see him. Frankenstein’s decision to remain silent about the monster leads to further tragedy.
Another origin which has been thought to be a source of inspiration for Mary Shelley was from the Frankenstein Castle in Darmstadt, Germany. It is believed that Shelley heard this story during her 1814 trip to Germany. Originally the residence for Lord Konrad Dippel von Frankenstein during the 1500’s, Frankenstein Castle’s myths and legends overshadow its actual history. Legend has it that von Frankenstein exchanged his soul for the secrets to eternal life. He was allegedly found dead in his laboratory, foaming at the mouth and surrounded by various body parts that he had stolen from local cemeteries. 

Scary Stories

Dracula, by Bram Stoker

Dracula, by Bram Stoker, is a classic tale of Gothicism. Traditionally, Gothic tales only carried single theme of horror. Through Dracula, Stoker breaks this single theme barrier. The theme throughout Dracula is clearly displayed through the characters as they step from ignorance to realization in this tale of horror.
     The theme of ignorance is vital for this story. It is woven throughout and evident in all the characters. It is first displayed through the protagonist, John Harker. It is his innate lack of knowing that puts him in a deadly situation: Do you know that to-night, when the clock strikes midnight, all the evil in the world will have full sway? Do you know where you are going, and what you are doing? This was the protagonist, Jonathan Harker's second encounter with strangers, in a strange land, in which he was confronted in this manner. He had three such encounters, all of which he nonchalantly dismissed. During his first encounter, the people simply refused to answer any of his questions. In his third encounter, strangers made the sign of a cross and pointed at him. During all of this, Jonathan had no clue why these people were acting in this strange way, nor did he have a notion to question why. Even though he is oblivious to the reasons for their behavior, he blindly continues on the path the strangers warned him not to go on. Another depiction of this ignorance is shown through Dr. Seward and Dr. Van Helsing as they work on a patient, Lucy Westerna. After the doctors diagnosed Lucy as being somewhat bloodless and the pricks on neck were discovered, they immediately dismissed the idea of the pricks being the cause of this loss of blood. It at once occurred to me that this wound, or whatever it was might be the means for this manifest loss of blood; but I abandoned the idea as soon as formed, for such a thing could not be.These doctors had knowledge, but their own ignorance interfered even though all the signs of what was going on were clear.
     It is when Stoker allows his characters to step to realization that the story heightens. Jonathan is only enlightened to realization after his ignorance has completely thrust him into a life threatening situation. I started for it amazed me that I had not seen him, since the reflection of the glass covered the whole of the room behind me. I turned to the glass again to see how I had been mistaken. This time there could be no error, for the man was close to me, and I could see him over my shoulder. But there was no reflection of him in the mirror! Jonathan's first realization was for who or what Dracula was. His second eye opener was that he was a prisoner. When I found that I was a prisoner it was these two facts that enabled Jonathan to see. Although Lucy could not come to a realization on her own, Dr. Seward and Dr. Van Helsing came to one for her. From the beginning, they could see that she had lost blood. They could not pinpoint how the blood was taken from her, but they were aware enough to know that it happened when she was alone. This fact led them to decide that she should not be left alone. You must remain here all the night, and must not let your sight pass from her. Even though the doctors were not completely ignorant, Lucy had four times needed blood while in their care. The doctors tried in as many ways as they could to preserve Lucy’s life, but all to no avail. It was only when the knowledge of Jonathan and the doctors was combined that tier realization was made into power. I suppose one ought to pity anything so hinted as is The Count. That is just it: this Thing is not human-not even beast. Also recognizing that what they were dealing with was not human gave them extra ability to defeat Dracula. As a team, they had to learn all the intricate details about Dracula. They even sacrificed one of their own in order to gain the information that they needed. I can see the characteristics of the vampire coming in her face. They almost lost Mina, but ended up being victorious. It was only the power that came from knowing that allowed them to defeat Dracula.
     This Gothic story not only played on the ignorance of the characters, in order to heighten the suspense, but it also used the technique of realization in order to make the story seem real. Their ignorance was well balanced when they finally came into realization of what was going on. The horror, ignorance and realization were the manifestation of Stoker’s threefold theme. It was this threefold theme that made this Gothic tale complete.

Poe - Scary Stories

What is the total effect of a story? The total effect of a story is the specific response an author expects to get from his/her readers. In "The Tell-Tale Heart," by Edgar Allen Poe, is complete and total horror. The setting, plot, character and even point of view contribute to this total effect of horror. The setting contributes to this total effect in several different ways. All of the shudders in the house were closed, so no one could see anything from the outside in or the inside out. This was scary because no one ever knew what went on in that house except the old man with the googily eye and the murderer. The house was old and creaky, and, during the midnight hours, was pitch black. This creaky old house is a classic for horror stories and films, so it definitely adds to the total effect. The plot also gives that same feeling of horror. The way the murderer watched the old man night after night, for hours at a time. You got the total effect of horror when he flipped the bed onto the old man, and then chopped him into little tiny pieces and hid him the floorboards. Then the police came to see about a scream that was reported earlier. The man led them through the house, claiming that the old man was out of town for a while. He finally sat down in the exact spot where the old man had been buried under the floorboards. What eventually made the man confess to what he had done when he imagined that he heard the old man's heart beating from under the floorboards. It got louder and louder until finally he thought they(the officers)were just driving him insane and they heard the heart to and they must have heard it until he just jumped up, ripped off the floorboards and said "I did it, I killed him," pointing at the pieces of the man. Characterization is the biggest part of the total effect of horror. The man seemed normal enough, except for the fact that the old man's "vulture eye" made a little crazy. He was very normal, until the "eye" drove him to stalking the man while he was asleep, and then finally killed him. At the beginning of the story, or the end, whichever you would like to call it, it was the beginning, and the end, he kept saying "I'M NOT MAD," it was sort of, well, a psycho thing to say after chopping someone into little pieces and hiding them in the floorboards, that kind of told you that he WAS mad. Another aspect of the story that contributed to the total effect was point of view. It is in first person point of view, and if it wasn't, the story would not be the same. If you knew what the old man was thinking, then what the murderer thought he was thinking would be absolutely irrelevant in the story, because you would know what he thought the old guy was thinking was what he was really thinking or if he was thinking about something totally different. If we knew what the police were thinking then, in the same way as the old man, the murderer's ideas of what they were thinking would be irrelevant because we would know that that was or was not what they were thinking. As you can see, the plot, setting, character and point of view all play major roles in the total effect of the story "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allen Poe.

Scary Stories

Fake Poe Toaster

Jan 19 2012, waiting for the Poe Toaster brought to you by http://www.burialday.com - Here is a fake toaster at the Poe monument and then leaving the cemetery. It is hard to see but this guy was wearing a red scarf and not a white scarf like the real Poe Toaster normally does.

Salems Lot and The Shining

Stephen King sets up the perfect horror scene in room 217 by building off of Hitchcock and hos own previous work, Salem's Lot. King uses Hitchcock's definition of great horror to set for the scene in room 217. He also uses background from his old work, Salems Lot.

Alfred Hitchcock's idea of horror involves human suspense and the realistic aspect of scary situations. Hitchcocks masterful directing leads the audience to be the first to understand what is going on. The characters are left in the dark until the suspense reaches its climax. As the impending danger builds, the viewer is allowed to wtiness the situation before the character. This raises the level of suspense making it more realistic. Hitchcock takes normal situations and adds a terrifying twist. The twist is always something that has never happened, but is definitely possible. Hitchcocks The Birds is an excellent example of this. He takes normal situation with normal birds and turns them into killers. As the birds gather behind one unsuspecting victim, only the audience is allowed to see the impending danger. The woman is calm and collected as she waits on the bench. Hitchcock adds a little scare music and the woman suddenly realizes she is being watched. She whips around in horror and the birds are there ready to attack. This screen is not a common occurrence, but to an overactive imagination it could become a very real possibility.

Kings early work Salems Lot helps to prove he has created the perfect horror scene in room 217. Salems lot was, at that time, a suspenseful story about vampires and things that lurk in the night. The plot was predictable, new guys come to town, vampires attack, suspicious old man is accused. When King wrote Salems Lot his techniques for horror and suspense were still young and under developed. The element of surprise was more evident than that of suspense. The writing of King matured greatly before he wrote The Shining. The scene in room, 217 us a perfect horror scene as it takes a realistic situation and turns it frightening. As the beginning of the nover danny is warned by Hallorann not to enter room 217. The first step has been completed, the warning. The second step of building the action begins. Danny steals the passkey, but not only that as Jack has been having hallucinations along with Danny. The fire hose and the hedge animals are just two of the suspense building elements. The next step is the rule breaking, and Danny enters the room. All looks well until the tub is exposed and the bloated woman is seen. The nightmare of finding someone where they are least expected adds to the horror as the dead woman follows Danny out of the bathroom and grabs onto his neck. The paranoia of being followed is also a realistic right that people relate with. This scene, taken from Hitchcocks style of suspense, is the perfect horror scene.

In Stephen King's novel The Shining the horror in room 217 is a perfect suspense situation. King used Hitchcock's style of suspense to build the scene King's previous work Salem's Lot proves the style his suspense has matured.

Horror Stories
Scary Stories