I'm getting closer to the next project, which is writing an anthology of horror fiction. I've written short stories before, but this is new. I haven't belted out as many stories as possible within a two month period. I'll be banging my head against the wall until I bleed to come up with ideas. Maybe this'll add up to something good, or it'll suck, but hey, a writer's got to get out of his comfort zone.
So to gear up for this challenge, I've been watching some horror movie anthologies. Here's some goodies:
First up is
From A Whisper to a Scream. This is a lower budget horror anthology, but with lots of creative ideas. Sure, the Vincent Price wraparound story is predictable, but that guy could read a fucking cereal box, and it's sound creepy. My favorite story of the lot is the glass eater who faces dire consequences from a voodoo lady who controls his life. The rest of the stories are grim, gruesome, and just plain dirty feeling. Worth a watch.
Another anthology I have a lot of appreciation for is
Chillers. It's very low budget, but again, it has a stock of plentiful creative ideas. My favorite is the story of the man who can hold his hand above a picture in the obitiuary section of a newspaper and bring the dead person back to life. Dire consequences occur when he brings back an executed serial killer back from hell. Awesome!
Trick 'R. Treat's another winner, though it's not completely perfect. I enjoy the wraparound stories revolving around the short stories. It's almost a fluid story in itself. It's too bad this one had a botched release.
Tales from the Hood may have a jilted view of black culture, but the horror tales themselves prove visually arresting and impishly poignant. My favorite of the lot is the story involving a kid who has an interesting way of dealing with his abusive father. David Alan Grier does his best to bring a ridiculous scene some justice. Must see for horror fanatics. Largely underrated.
This Japanese/Korean anthology shows the wild and fucked up nature of foreign cinema. I eat it up like candy. My favorite of the lot is "The Box," though the visuals draw me in more than the story. "Dumplings" makes you look at fetus eating in a different light. Yep, it's that kind of anthology. Love it.
George Romero might be known for Night of the Living, and his other zombie flicks, but he did a fine job of adapting Stephen King's stories to celluloid. Brooding atmosphere fill this anthology. My favorite, though every story is compelling, is the one involving Leslie Neilson and what he does to his two victims at the beach. Chilling. Great movie anthology.
I'm sure there's more anthologies out there. Speak up. Tell me what I'm missing. What other movie anthologies are awesome?
