REC, Which & The Smiling Man

Hola, como estas? I welcome any new readers to my blog. For those of you that know me, well I told you I wasn't going to be gone for long. For those of you who don't, it is simple. I am your host, one who prefers the balance between the glorious embrace for light and the twisted love for the dark. Ever since I was little, I loved horror (Even though a lot of people thought I was crazy.) I thought it was natural for anyone to have a curiosity to see what the darkside is like. Not everything is as evil as it seems since sometimes we could witness the dramatic side of it. Sometimes it has a comedic side. Other times it even has romantic feelings for you, but for now let's talk about tonight's showcase. I showcase several things from both the critically acclaimed, the cult gems, the unique messes, or the unknown and forgotten. I also tend to rate some of them (Depending on if they can be rated.) The first item on tonight's showcase is:

REC

This is a modern piece of work here. This film is became an excellent staple for Spanish horror. REC is another one of the "found footage" films that cultivated during the last decade. The reception for this film was highly appreciated that it had three sequels and a remake. (Can you take a hint at which film shared the exact same plot line?) Synopsis: Ángela Vidal is a reporter for a television series named "Mientras Duermes". She mostly specializes in reporting about people working graveyard shifts and today was focused on the fire department. So she and her cameraman, Pablo, film the workers on their daily lives until an emergency breaks out at an apartment complex. Wanting to film them in action, she joins the firefighters (and later the police) to rescue a woman trapped in her home. The lady in question becomes savagingly terrifying and bites the crap out of one of the local officer's neck. Seeking medical attention, they rush downstairs to find the police force and military blocking and clearing out all entrances to the complex, trapping everyone in the complex. An issued quarantine is announced while the real horror begins.

If some of you can tell, the lukewarm remake to this masterpiece happens to be:

And yet the poster gave it away.......

The remake to this was pretty good, until it changed a lot around the end of the film and completely tore the main idea of the film. You see, most people who have seen Quarantine and the beginning and part of REC would assume that it's a zombie film, but it actually isn't. Only Quarantine would hold that title since zombie movies, whether good or bad, still make profit from people interested in watching any adaption to the idea of civilians eating eachother in an outbreak. The original holds a controversial plot on the other hand. The only thing I can thank Quarantine is giving REC more exposure. I think American remakes to horror movies are usually terrible, but beneficially good at the same time. Now that I'm done with that, it's time to get serious.

REC actually has an awesome story and the acting is almost natural, as if the actors were really fucking dying on us. Camera work is excellent, not only because it shakes and swerves a lot "trying" to capture everything, but on the whole plot centered on a TV crew is more believable then teens/adults who act like teens carrying around expensive cameras with the highest definition available only to movie studios and experiencing paranormal activity due to their curiosity (Usually a.k.a stupidity.) Although it's still filmed with a movie studio quality camera, it captured the "found footage" style very well. (Also Pablo is the most interactive cameraman I've seen in the genre.) A very conventional use of an apartment complex for a setting since passages are narrow and induce claustrophobia. Also the fear of an infection that's actually common scares us (In this case rabies with the idea of it mutating to extreme lengths.) The only thing I can add more about this film is it's not intended for easily queasy people. It's now time for my rating, which I give this a:

Now it's time to introduce the second item in the showcase:

Which

As the rise of independent works flourish in the gaming community, notable picks are seen as torches that rival against gaming giants (Capcom, Square Enix, Konami, etc.) while a lot of indie games mostly tend to please audiences with cliché tactics of horror, others can be viewed as simply works of art for using different techniques to creep us out. Take Which for example.

Which, created by Mike Inel, re-images the haunted house without all the excessive blood and decomposing body count. It takes place at a house similar to any freshly abandoned building you've walked through: No furniture, no gore, and the only light source is sunlight beaming through the windows. It takes a minimalistic style since no colors, music or even words are introduced to this empty home. (Let alone the words, but even that can't really be considered a complete word due to the spelling.) You, the protagonist, venture around the empty lot looking for clues on escaping. You are not alone however, as another figure seems to reside inside the building. That game is a short take, usually around 10 to 20 minutes to complete. Since no text or dialogue appears while playing the game, the instructions are seen as symbols etched onto the walls around the house. The games scare tactic also revolves around the quiet resident of the house. Even though it isn't survival horror based, the choices you make in the game can alter the game's outcome. The game has been greatly appraised that it even now comes in three different modes for all players to enjoy! (Lo-Def, Hi-Def & the classic 3-D.) I can't reveal much about the game since it is short. That said, it's time for my review.

Which is definitely a great indie piece. It doesn't have jumpscares, the atmosphere is intense, barely any audio is available except the echoing footsteps, creaky wood and surprising static, and the other main figure in the game doesn't make a noise. The presentation in the game is creepy yet so immersible. Even though I'm not what they call a "Graphics Whore", I do have to say that they are amazing in this take, reminiscent of a classic black & white film around the 50's. The endings in Which are so brutal yet follow a surprisingly simple plot. Even though my only complaint is how short it was, (Even in replay) Which was still good enough for me to etch an imprint into my mind for days afterwards. The fact that it comes in various definitions also pleases me. (3-D glasses are not available though, so you must provide your own when opportunities like this come!) The fact that Which is free to play also gives a great deal of pleasure for those who can't afford 50+ dollar releases. Now that it's settled, it's time for my rating:

Now it's time to finish this showcase with the final presentation! Tonight will end with with a short story. The author goes by the name Blue Tidal. Ladies & Gentlemen, I give you......

The Smiling Man

I'm not going to go into description of the story other than the fact that it gave me fear of nighttime walks. Before I actually let you listen to it, I'm going to immediately to give it a rating:

Reason being for the fact that it is excellent in detail and the story is very, very relatable to many people who've feared actual encounters like this. In fact, according to the author, the incident actually did happen to her. (I think it's a girl......) Now I'm going to present you the story in visual, text, and audio form. The link for the story is here below for those fellows who enjoy reading:

http://www.reddit.com/r/LetsNotMeet/comments/rvzaq/the_smiling_man/

For those of you wanting to hear an audio book format for this creepy tale, I can not think of anyone excellent enough for setting serious moods none other than Cry himself!

I will also post here a film that also was inspired by the story as well and seriously almost takes up the story by detail, but it is slightly different. (Hence the word "inspired".) The film is created by Michael Evans and is seriously a good take on the true story as well.

I hope you all enjoy tonight's post. I will see you all another time, but for now, sweet dreams...............You're going to need them.

Echo Night, And Then There Were None, and Aokigahara

Hello and welcome back! (Well it's more of the other way around.) Please excuse my long absence. I've been trying to figure out what to exactly write for my articles since I've lost memory of several things in my life. (For example, it's been so long since I've seen a certain film or played a certain game that it'll be nostalgia to me, as if I'm playing it again for the very first time.) So I was on a short quest of reading, listening, playing, watching (basically three out of the five senses because I can't smell them or it'd be awkward on how they taste, actually I can't think of anything related to the other two..... oh wait....)

They smell and taste delicious......

On the other hand, it was hard for me to decide what certain picks should I showcase first in order to pique your interest and keep you viewing, but I think I found some picks that would interest you long enough. The first object I'd like to show you is:

Echo Night

How should I start......well I know most of you haven't played this game since it wasn't as famous as Resident Evil or Silent Hill. Those who have played it noted that the other two releases of the game were better than the precursor of this series (Yes it's an actual game series, not like it's anything bad.) There were some problems with it but still made itself a notable horror series to horror enthusiasts. I will get to the problems later, since I should really introduce this game more.

If you couldn't tell from the photos, this game series revolves around ghosts. It's not an action shooter about zombies. It's not slaughtering up mutated monsters. It's not even about hiding or catching psycho killers. This game revolves around either avoiding or communicating with ghosts. I know some of you are a little disappointed, but really I think it's a great series that actually has a great story to follow (Even though this one is very complicated.) It's one of the few game series I've played that pulled it off with only ghosts (Actually rare in the horror genre.) and had sequels to it. The story is about Richard Osmond, whom gets escorted by a police officer to visit his father's home, which is left in ashes after a fire. His father is missing and the moment you search the house, you find a diary in a hidden passage that takes you back in time to witness something horrific on a train. When you return to the present, you continue on to find a hidden room with a single interesting painting of a glorious cruise ship called the Orpheus that once again teleports you to the past. This time you arrive on the ship deck to discover it is abandoned. What seems worse is the fact that there are very pissed off spirits trying to kill you. Take the little girl in the above photo for instance. She's the first a-hole you run into. The only thing that protects you is light, which you're going to be roaming around the ship for light switches or other sources of energy. The interesting part of Echo Night is the ability to put these souls to rest, which every time you do so, you either unlock another area or learn more about the tragedies that continue to haunt the Orpheus. It's also doesn't rely on jump scares or gore in order to sort of creep you out. It's more of the atmosphere of the game, the unsettling nerve of walking past every door to see if you're safe or you have to find the nearest light source. Relying on the Gothic Horroresque atmosphere as a scare tactic, you navigate around the ship to various puzzles either located on the Orpheus or time traveling back to a phantom's past. Your life is shown as a blue gem you carry around that can take a couple of attacks before you become a permanent VIP on the ship. It also includes alternate endings depending on the decisions you make during the last few minutes of the game. Now that I've given you a bit of the plot and gameplay mechanics, It's time to get a little serious.

Yes that's my writing, don't complain....

While being attacked by ghosts isn't an original thought, the idea of isolation on a ship full of them with the added dreadful sorrow around the history is something not seen very often in horror adventure games. The idea of also putting them to peaceful rest (Including the douchebags, yes) is also something that often doesn't appear much. Amongst all of the games in the series, fans consider this the least favorite. The plot line is difficult for some people to follow, since you have to travel back and forth finding missing information or valuable items, but it is beautiful and very original. (In fact, your real enemy isn't actually an apparition.) There is also limited items, so it's wise not to act like a jackass running around aimlessly. The puzzles are not too difficult to solve, though sometimes you may need to double check on that walkthrough to make sure you didn't miss anything important. There's not too many scary moments in the game, only just barely lit rooms that give you a sense of claustrophobia. Also, since this is on the Playstation, you mostly speed walk like a robot, but other than that, the controls are great. (Even though it's confusing for a beginner without a manual when you start.) It's also a classic game, so please appreciate it (I'm looking at you dipshits who complain how "unrealistic" it is.) So now that it's settled, I'm going to try to rate this game (Remember though, it is only my opinion. I don't make the ultimate judgment since I really don't see myself as a critic.) I think I'm going to say:

Now that I made the decision, let's move on to the next item to showcase. Here is #2:

And Then There Were None

One of the most well known works in the Murder Mystery department. A timeless classic, yet I wonder if anyone remembers this. For those of you that haven't, this novel is an interesting read that actually inspired a shitload on the Horror genre. For those of you that try to deny this, let's take a first simple look at this legendary tale of not trusting anyone.....literally. Okay here's the thing: Imagine getting off some random fisherman's boat with 9 other morons and venturing a private island where the "local" inhabitants have disappeared, only to figure out the missing host decides to "play a game" and murders you according to a twisted nursery rhyme that's even more fucked up then "Ring Around The Rosie". (Yet it's a favorite children's song) Yes, that's right. That's basically the whole plot of the story, but wait, that's not all! It becomes even more mindfucking the reason why they are there and how twisted the ending becomes. Your main viewpoint focuses on Vera Claythorne, a governess constantly traumatized by flashbacks, arrives as a guest to a glorious island only to find out from a gramophone recording that no one will leave until they are "punished" for their crimes. Then, one by one, the guests die of unusual circumstances according to a certain children's rhyme. Along with the murder, a figurine (which there are 10 displayed) would be later revealed to be broken after every death.

The fact that you're on a island, where you boat left an hour ago before you realize you're entirely screwed and help is several miles away is frightening. (This beat the shit out of Harper's Island by several decades.) Vera's character development is also amazing. Noting Vera's brain deliberately snapping at the tiny flashbacks with the fear that her colleagues might kill her gives us the psychological fear of your entire identity being found out when you don't have a single damn clue on who the perpetrator is. The plot twist and the technique on how the murders were carried out were definitely influential. The plot line also is reminiscent of the 80's slasher craze (Where a certain number of individuals are plucked out one by one in gruesome fashions.) adding the ingenious recreation that Hannibal Lecter would have approved. All the characters are also deeply realistic in a way since you learn everyone's back story (Including the first ass to get permanently "wiped out"). Other than that, I wouldn't recommend the novel to people who aren't patient enough to read books if they're only there for the "action". It's a slow read, but it's definitely worth it. Also, since this story is old, it has gone through so many adaptions and changes (Th original name of the book was literally called "Ten Little Niggers".........Thank God they changed that shit.) so don't be expecting a book that's about to crumble on your damn hands. Now that I'm done, it's time to give this a vote. My vote will be:

Moving onward, I would like to introduce to you the last item. This isn't something I can actually vote on since it seems impossible. The third item on today's gallery is:

Aokigahara

Isn't it beautiful from up here. Yet if I were to tell you that this is one of the most mysterious yet screwed up places on the planet, would you still hold that same view? Or are you starting to feel that ominous sense of dread but curiosity still has a hold on you? What if I told you that this place has a pretty popular record that is something you shouldn't even brag about on the Guinness World Records? How about that it has to happen in a location like this? (Now you may be wondering, "What's so bad about it?") Here's the thing:

Even this photo feels a little unsettling

It only looks somewhat pretty because you're looking at it from an aerial point-of-view. However, the real horror starts as soon as you reach the bottom. Let me clarify: You only wish you were looking at the top of this forest. (Warning: not for the faint of whatever your health condition is to see shocking images. I know, they screwed me up for an entire day.)

This is a warning sign: I'll get into it in a bit

Picture this: You are taking a nice stroll inside Mother Nature's pit hair (Trust me, it doesn't smell nice.) when all of a sudden, you stumble across a sign stating to "Please change your mind" and "Think about your future!". That's not the only one though, as your spot several more makeshift signs with messages like "It's not worth it!", "Think about the people that love you!" and my all time personal favorite, "Don't do it!" Now you're starting to feel a little bit uncanny on why there are so many signs, until you finally realize your lost and everything looks the same. Frantically you move into one direction, occasionally spotting random items that don't belong in a forest (School supplies, camp equipment, clothing, condoms most likely) and when you thought nothing could get worse, You spot a hanged decomposing body.

Yes, that's right. Aokigahara is one of the most popular sites in the world to commit suicide. Yet there isn't an explanation on why the victims chose this place. It's doesn't seem to hold a heavenly purpose (Let alone on the looks of it.....well except for the caves maybe but that's it.) Plus, if you actually visit the location, the first thing you'll notice is how extremely quiet the place is. The leveling inside the forest, along with the thickness of the forestation make it extremely hard for wind to pass through. There is also that creepy question lingering: Where did all the animals go?

Aokigahara has been the suspect of several legends, mainly the fact that it used to be the home of several demons. The forest has been widely associated with death that it even predates the popularity of a 60's book called "The Black Sea Of Trees". Ubasute: the practice of carrying a physically weak person into an isolate area and abandoning them to die from starvation, dehydration, or exposure, has been practiced inside Aokigahara way long before the book came out and all the teenagers decided to perform the "Suicide Circle" routine there. Even some rumors claim either spiritual possession, psychological horror effects (Try the "Blair Witch" theory) or somewhat of a cult association to help further the mass of dead bodies in the forest. Don't you just feel bad yet quite paranoid on what really goes on in there?

That is all I can come up with at the moment since I have to look back at more items to showcase. (Don't worry, my next update will not take forever like last time.) I hope you enjoyed todays showcasing! I will be seeing you all later. Good night!

Welcome!!!!!

Welcome to my blog I'd like to call Obscure Horror House. I like the name of it since horror goes overboard with our fears that it doesn't make logical sense on how it is created. (That and all the other titles I had in mind were already taken.) You'll find in this blog almost anything related to horror (I say almost because I'm still researching) and you'll find well known landmarks and things you've never heard of before. They range from almost every kind of media imaginable, since horror is a genre that doesn't die (Although lately people haven't been taking it seriously.) Here in this blog, I'll showcase several things, from the highly anticipated fame, to the hidden depths of glory, to the borderline insane, and even to the "It's so bad, it's funny" label. Even though I'm no critic, I do my best to point out highlights and flaws of whatever is presented (Unless it's something you can't even present otherwise.) Just like I like people feeling welcomed, I also want your thoughts on my latest posts. (I'm even thinking about adding a few things to get the community more participated. I will showcase everything from:

Films

Television

Games

Books

Among other things, including urban legends! So sit back, relax, and enjoy getting chills down your spine! I really hope you enjoy your stay at the Obscure Horror House.