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  • Endless Joke
    Endless Joke
    by David Antrobus

    Here's that writers' manual you were reaching and scrambling for. You know the one: filled with juicy writing tidbits and dripping with pop cultural snark and smartassery. Ew. Not an attractive look. But effective. And by the end, you'll either want to kiss me or kill me. With extreme prejudice. Go on. You know you want to.

  • Dissolute Kinship: A 9/11 Road Trip
    Dissolute Kinship: A 9/11 Road Trip
    by David Antrobus

    Please click on the above thumbnail to buy my short, intense nonfiction book featuring 9/11 and trauma. It's less than the price of a cup of coffee... and contains fewer calories. Although, unlike most caffeine boosts, it might make you cry.

  • Music Speaks
    Music Speaks
    by LB Clark

    My story "Solo" appears in this excellent music charity anthology, Music Speaks. It is an odd hybrid of the darkly comic and the eerily apocalyptic... with a musical theme. Aw, rather than me explain it, just read it. Okay, uh, please?

  • First Time Dead 3 (Volume 3)
    First Time Dead 3 (Volume 3)
    by Sybil Wilen, P. J. Ruce, Jeffrey McDonald, John Page, Susan Burdorf, Christina Gavi, David Alexander, Joanna Parypinski, Jack Flynn, Graeme Edwardson, David Antrobus, Jason Bailey, Xavier Axelson

    My story "Unquiet Slumbers" appears in the zombie anthology First Time Dead, Volume 3. It spills blood, gore and genuine tears of sorrow. Anyway, buy this stellar anthology and judge for yourself.

  • Seasons
    Seasons
    by David Antrobus, Edward Lorn, JD Mader, Jo-Anne Teal

    Four stories, four writers, four seasons. Characters broken by life, although not necessarily beaten. Are the seasons reminders of our growth or a glimpse of our slow decay?

  • Indies Unlimited: 2012 Flash Fiction Anthology
    Indies Unlimited: 2012 Flash Fiction Anthology
    Indies Unlimited

    I have two stories in this delightful compendium of every 2012 winner of their Flash Fiction Challenge—one a nasty little horror short, the other an amusing misadventure of Og the caveman, his first appearance.

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Jan032014

36. to 33. Infected to Invaded

33. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) 

For me, this (directed by Philip Kaufman) is the most horrific version of the classic story. Most would argue it's science fiction, but I'd still advocate for its inclusion within the definition of horror I'm running with here. Not only for its squish factor (those pods!) but ultimately for that scene, what I think of as the "Sutherland howl." I won't bother with the in-depth allegorical stuff here, but read up on how this story has been interpreted over the years, it's fascinating. (*Spoiler* Do not watch this clip if you plan on seeing the whole film.)

34. Sauna 

Also known as Filth or Evil Rising. A gorgeously stark Finnish film about the aftermath of a war and the attendant moral degeneration. Despite the awfulness of wartime acts, can we yet find redemption? This movie is relatively unknown and unseen, but its grim atmosphere, lack of supernatural cop-outs (mostly), overall contemplative tone punctuated by truly frightening moments, strong performances (Ville Virtanen is outstanding), and bleak-as-hell's-basement visuals make this a surprise late entry in some ways. Albeit a good surprise.

35. Hostel 2 

For a while there, it became fashionable to turn up critical noses at so-called "torture porn." Honestly, I think that's a cop-out. Horror is meant to horrify. It's supposed to take us out of our so-called comfort zones and shine a light on things that were once hidden yet now increasingly hide in plain sight. That's why they're scary. The word "gratuitous" should never even enter the equation; you can't be half a horror fan. So, Hostel was good. But Hostel 2 was better still. Cruel and bloody, sure, often excruciatingly so, but it asked uncomfortable questions about our world in which a tiny minority retain power and privilege and often act appallingly with apparent impunity. 

36. 28 Days Later 

Don't get me wrong, I love zombie and apocalyptic films. Dystopian narratives are my lifeblood. But it's so rare anyone gets it completely right. Director Danny Boyle made the attempt here, and I think he hit the ruined nail on its rusting head, not because the infected could move fast (boring argument, move on), but because he concentrated on the human connections and feelings, and evoked the sheer moodiness of an eerie England slowly abandoned by the authorities. In other words, one of my favourite dystopian films (Alfonso Cuarón's brilliant Children of Men) could not have been made without this.

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Reader Comments (2)

I think the sheer brilliance (and horror) of Invasion of the Body Snatchers is how deeply ingrained it's become in society as a standard by which certain cultural movements are condemned (or should be).

I didn't see Sauna.

The Hostel films (1 & 2 - I didn't see the third) have surprisingly complex plots. It ain't all about the gore and someone who can't see that, wasn't looking to follow a story to begin with. I guess.

28 Days Later scared the shit out of me, though mostly because most outbreak-type themes generally do. But also, I think it's the complete and utter chaos that is so jarring. Oh, and the scary rage faces.

January 3, 2014 | Unregistered CommenterJen Daniele

Scary rage faces! Now, that's a phrase to play with. Or turn into a band name. I seriously love it.

But yeah, I love your take on these films. If you ever get the chance to see Sauna, go for it. But it's bleak as hell.

January 3, 2014 | Registered CommenterDavid Antrobus

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