Horror and Suspense Media Talk
Horror, Mystery, and Suspense Media TalkMrs. Gasparini
History of Horror, Mystery, and suspense GenreStories about
ghosts, witches, vampires, and the unknown have been present for
hundreds of years in cultures worldwideIn the mid- 19th century,
mystery writing became popular with Edgar Allan Poes Murders in the
Rue MorgueSince then, the mystery genre has evolved into many
different sub- genres such as suspense, horror, detective fiction,
gothic fiction, and even English country house murdersToday we will
be visiting some of the best horror and suspense media that is
currently available to you, the Young Adult reader
Fiction
Lyga, Barry. 2013. I Hunt Killers. New York: Little, Brown
Books.
17-year old Jasper Dent has a problem. Girls are turning up dead
in the small town where he lives. The problem? Jasper is all too
familiar with serial killers. You see, his father is one and is
serving a life sentence for his 200- plus murders. With the help of
his friends and the local sheriff, can Jasper stop this serial
killer before its too late? Can he keep his own urges at bay? I
Hunt Killers is a riveting tale of psychological abuse,
manipulation, and evil that keeps you on the edge of your seat for
the whole ride.
Non- fiction
Wilson, Damon. (2011). The Crime Archives. London: Carlton Books
Limited.
This true- crime book reads like an encyclopedia with a twist.
Interspersed between the pages are four separate folders that
contain copies of actual crime scene evidence. The book contains
profiles on serial killers, mass shooters, kidnappers, and
terrorists from around the world.
Film
28 Days Later. Dir. Danny Boyle. Perf. Cillian Murphy, Naomie
Harris, Christopher Eccleston. Fox Searchlight Pictures. 2003.
Film.
After a group of eco- activists set a group of monkeys free from
a laboratory, the virus Rage infects the population of England.
Humans who come into contact with the zombie- like creatures face
certain infection. Enter Jim, a bicycle courierwho wakes up in the
hospital after an accident. What follows is a race to survive the
zombiesand an attempt to find other humans who have not been
infected with Rage. 28 Days Later is muchmore than a terrifying
zombie film. It teaches us thatthe living can be much more
terrifying than the dead.
Television
Jellyfish in the Sky. Hemlock Grove. Netflix. Writ. Brian
McGreevy and Lee Shipman. Dir. Eli Roth. 2013.
When a young gypsy, Peter, moves to Hemlock Grove, Pennsylvania,
he is immediately rumored to be involved in the brutal murder of a
local teenager. He also is rumored to be a werewolf. He is
befriended by a very wealthy high schooler, Roman, whose family
runs the largest company in Hemlock Grove. Together, Peter and
Roman try to solve the mystery of the murder, while learning more
about their own dark secrets. A Netflix original series.
Video Game
Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Frictional Games. Des. Thomas Grip
and Jens Nilsson. Writ. Mikael Hedberg. 2010.
This single player survival horror game is brought to you by
Frictional Games. In it, a man named Daniel wakes up in a dark and
dilapidated castle with no memory as to why he is there. As Daniel
tries to conjure his memories, he must explore the rooms of the
castle, all the while trying to fight off his ever- growing
insanity. Are there monsters behind that door? Why do we hear
babies crying and women screaming? Who is playing that eerie piano?
Why is there blood on the floor? Amnesia: The Dark Descent is
available online through Steam for $20. An Independent Games
Festival winner 2010.
Website
Creepypasta. http://www.creepypasta.com
Creepypasta.com is an internet site dedicated to scary stories.
Creepypasta stories have been passed around the internet from as
far back as 1997. Now, writers can submit their stories to be
included on the website. Many are short stories or based on urban
legends. The popular Slenderman creepypasta has come under scrutiny
lately due to instances of violence from readers.
The RakeAPRIL 27, 2009 AT 6:30 AMRate This PastaRating: 9.0/10
(5738 votes cast)During the summer of 2003, events in the
northeastern United States involving a strange, humanlike creature
sparked brief local media interest before an apparent blackout was
enacted. Little or no information was left intact, as most online
and written accounts of the creature were mysteriously
destroyed.Primarily focused in rural New York state, self
proclaimed witnesses told stories of their encounters with a
creature of unknown origin. Emotions ranged from extremely
traumatic levels of fright and discomfort, to an almost childlike
sense of playfulness and curiosity. While their published versions
are no longer on record, the memories remained powerful. Several of
the involved parties began looking for answers that year.In early
2006, the collaboration had accumulated nearly two dozen documents
dating between the 12th century and present day, spanning 4
continents. In almost all cases, the stories were identical. Ive
been in contact with a member of this group and was able to get
some excerpts from their upcoming book.The RakeA Suicide Note:
1964As I prepare to take my life, I feel it necessary to assuage
any guilt or pain I have introduced through this act. It is not the
fault of anyone other than him. For once I awoke and felt his
presence. And once I awoke and saw his form. Once again I awoke and
heard his voice, and looked into his eyes. I cannot sleep without
fear of what I might next awake to experience. I cannot ever wake.
Goodbye.Found in the same wooden box were two empty envelopes
addressed to William and Rose, and one loose personal letter with
no envelope.Dearest Linnie,I have prayed for you. He spoke your
name.A Journal Entry (translated from Spanish): 1880I have
experience the greatest terror. I have experienced the greatest
terror. I have experienced the greatest terror. I see his eyes when
I close mine. They are hollow. Black. They saw me and pierced me.
His wet hand. I will not sleep. His voice (unintelligible text).A
Mariners Log: 1691He came to me in my sleep. From the foot of my
bed I felt a sensation. He took everything. We must return to
England. We shall not return here again at the request of the
Rake.Rate This Pasta
