Looking for Films and Books

[Ail]

Hi all

I know the old Kargatane site had a list of recomended books and films, but the FoS site still doesn't have a similar list (to the best of my knowledge.

As such, I'd like to ask for your help here.
I'm looking for the best horror movies of 60s or 70s of gothic flavour, but since I can't watch them all, I'm a bit selective. I'm merely interested in vampire or werewolf movies. These should include scenes in castles and in forests, and I slightly favour the vampire in its original land rather than making an excursion to London (as in Dracula).

So, if you can recomend me some titles, I'd be extremely grateful.

Now to books.
Some years ago, when I began reading about RL, I gathered a big collection of classical gothic horror books from the net, but I don't know which ones I should read, since time is so short. For instance, at the time I read Frankenstein and Carmilla, which were very good reads and very inspiring, but I also lost my time with Polidori's The Vampire and most especially with Ketyra the Gypsy, which I abhorred to the extreme. Of course these are personal opinions, but I'd like to spend my time only on worthwhile reads that can be inspiring for my current campaign (hence the themes suggested above: vampires and werewolves). Can you help me? Thanks.

Ail

[Catman Jim]

You can still access the Kargatane's review pages here:
http://web.archive.org/web/200306240413 ... f/ref.html

That only goes up to Oct. of 2003, maybe others can recommend more recent works. The only movie I'm looking forward to right now is 'See No Evil', featuring the WWE's Kane.

[Ail]

You can still access the Kargatane's review pages here:
http://web.archive.org/web/200306240413 ... f/ref.html

That only goes up to Oct. of 2003, maybe others can recommend more recent works. The only movie I'm looking forward to right now is 'See No Evil', featuring the WWE's Kane.

Thanks, I thought that this had disappeared completely.

Ail

[eldritch]

I would recommend Universal studios Dracula remake of 1979 with Frank Langella.
http://imdb.com/title/tt0079073/

It is more romantic and moody and more closely follows some elements of the book than Bram Stokers' Dracula (1992) http://imdb.com/title/tt0103874/
It makes several interesting changes including the manner of dracula's death. I prefer this version (1979).
While all of the movie does occur in Whitby (england) I believe, the dark atmosphere, moody castle, graveyard, crypt, and carriage scenes are worth a look.

[Jester of the FoS]

Right now I'm in the middle of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke, a story about magicians in England that is much more Gaiman than Rowlings and am quite enjoying it so far. I'm getting quite a few ideas on description and the presentation of magic from the book, some of which might make it into my next Races of the Mists chapter.

[Waldi]

At the moment, I read "The devils elixer" by E.T.A.Hoffmann. If you search for a classical book with a "ravenloftian" feeling, this one gives you a lot of cool ideas ! (for example; the elixer itself would make a great evil magic artifact that drives innocent people into creeping madness and the barber Pietro Belcampo would rule as a ravenloftian gnome)

The movie "Vidoq" with Gerard Depardieu is also a great source for Ravenloft. Want to get some ideas, how a mastercriminal in Dementlieu would looke like ? Watch Vidoq !

[ballsetto]

castle of ontranto is a fantastic gothic horror book.
Interview with a Vampire has one of the best film scores of all time

[NathanRMaher]

Personally, if you are really serious on getting into reading a lot of of gothic writings I suggest starting at the beginning with Horace Walpole's "Castle of Otranto". Then from there I suggest the following: "The Castle Spectre" & "The Monk" by Matthew Lewis, Clara Reeves "The Champion of Virtue" and "The Old English Baron", mostly anything by Ann Radcliffe, Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" (obviously), "The Vampyre" by John Paladori, Edgar Allen Poe (for obvious reasons), "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Brontë, Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter", Robert Louis Stevenson's "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", Oscar Wilde "The Picture of Dorian Gray", H.G. Wells' "The Island of Dr. Moreau", Gaston Leroux "Le Fantôme de l'Opera", H.P. Lovecraft, anything written by me... oh! Let us not forget shakespeares "Hamlet" & "Macbeth".

Something others may not mention: "Giselle", "Le Sylphide", and "Dracula" ballets.

For gothic poetry I suggest: "Odes" and "Elegy Written in a Country Church Yard" by Thomas Gray, "Night Thoughts" by Edward Young, anything by Lord Byron (Prominent figure in literature/history), and Emily Dickenson.

There are others that I have probably left out, but these are the ones that stick out the most and have read a majority of them. I'm sure someone else can point out a few decent movies.

_____________________________________________________________

Want something to read? http://lostseraphin.deviantart.com/ -- check out "A Familiar Love Song - Secrets of the CitySpire" for some Gothic Science-Fiction.

[BlackBoxGamer]

Personally, if you are really serious on getting into reading a lot of of gothic writings I suggest starting at the beginning with Horace Walpole's "Castle of Otranto". Then from there I suggest the following: "The Castle Spectre" & "The Monk" by Matthew Lewis, Clara Reeves "The Champion of Virtue" and "The Old English Baron", mostly anything by Ann Radcliffe, Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" (obviously), "The Vampyre" by John Paladori, Edgar Allen Poe (for obvious reasons), "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Brontë, Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter", Robert Louis Stevenson's "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", Oscar Wilde "The Picture of Dorian Gray", H.G. Wells' "The Island of Dr. Moreau", Gaston Leroux "Le Fantôme de l'Opera", H.P. Lovecraft, anything written by me... Razz oh! Let us not forget shakespeares "Hamlet" & "Macbeth".

I second NathanRMaher's suggestion of Mathew Lewis' "The Monk" and "Castle Spectre." Both are excellent works. Currently I am reading J.S. LeFanu's "Uncle Silas" which definately has the gothic element down (a little light on the horror, so far). I also recommend (for horror afficianados) "Noctuary" by Thomas Ligotti. A little different in pacing, but definately chock full o' ideas. For more Cthulhuesque material, Donald Tyson's "Necronomicon" is a good read. Avoid the stupid Simon Necronomicon, if at all possible. It's merely a rehash of Sumerian mythology with some name changes and obfuscation to make it seem actual and authentic. It's really just a bad joke. It's up there on the BS-o-meter with the works of LaVey and Crowley.

On another note, just wondering if anyone on these boards has ever come across a non-LP copy of John Williams '79 Dracula score (full orchestral version, not the cheesy Halloween synth music)? I can't seem to find a copy of this sweeping musical score anywhere, except on LP (and I don't have, or want, a record player). Please let me know. I... MUST... HAVE...



BBG

[Waldi]

Was Maturins "Melmoth" already mentioned ? I think, no collection of gothic novels would be complete without it

[Brandi]

Avoid the stupid Simon Necronomicon, if at all possible. It's merely a rehash of Sumerian mythology with some name changes and obfuscation to make it seem actual and authentic. It's really just a bad joke. It's up there on the BS-o-meter with the works of LaVey and Crowley.

Oh, it's a lousy read, but if you can pick it up cheap it makes an amusing sight on the shelf with the Arkham House Lovecraft texts.

Have MR James and EF Benson been mentioned yet? Both, particularly the former, were the foremost writers of ghost stories in the early 20th century.

[Joël of the FoS]

Lousy read indeed. Just cashing in on the name. (and the formulas doesn't even work!)

---

More contemporary, I finished yesterday the "30 days of night - rumors of the undead" novel, a spinoff of the same name (excellent) comics.

Vampires are so evil, and the hero more and more desesperate. Very good read, IMHO.

Jo