The Devil's Muse

Category: horror

  • Horror Cinema: I See You

    I came across I See You on the streaming service Prime. I was mostly interested in it because of Helen Hunt, who I have been happy to see returning to television and movies (I recently watched the reboot of Mad About You and loved it). During the first third of the movie, I was suspicious of its dramatic moodiness: long shots of scenery or of the inside of the house where the story took place with spooky music reminiscent of Argento’s Suspiria or Kubrick’s The Shining.

    I was pleasantly surprised when, halfway through, the story took an unexpected turn and the plot became enthralling right until the end. I appreciate when a story makes you see its characters in a new way, and this one did it in spades. I highly recommend it!

    Randall, Adam. I See You, Saban Films, 2019.

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  • Horror Lit: Psycho

    When I came across a copy of Robert Bloch’s Psycho at a Books-A-Million, I picked it up without hesitation. I had wanted to read it since I discovered in April 2018 that the movie was based on a book (see Horror Cinema: Psycho).

    Reading it, I was surprised by its gore and violence, especially for a book written in the 1950s. I was expecting it to be more of a slow burn like its movie adaptation. Instead, right from the start, there was gore. Early on, Norman Bates was described as reading books about human sacrifices where drums were made out of human skin. The classic murder scene in the motel shower was more intense than I would have ever imagined.

    As a horror writer myself, I aspire to write stories that combine a psychological thrill with true-crime violence, and Psycho turned out to be just that. It was written in a clear and concise style with engaging characters.

    After reading the book, I re-watched Hitchcock’s movie version. While much tamer than the book—to be expected for the time it was made in—it was an impressive film adaptation. The biggest difference between the book and film was how Norman Bates looked. In the book, he is described as overweight with thinning hair and rimless glasses, nothing like the tall, slim brunette cast in the movie.

    I highly recommend this book to any horror fan.

    Book
    Bloch, Robert. Psycho, The Overlook Press, Peter Mayer Publishers, Inc., 1959.

    Film
    Hitchcock, Alfred. Psycho, Paramount Pictures, 1960.

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  • One of us, one of us

    The early-Hollywood movie Freaks is a must-see for any horror-movie fan.

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  • By the pricking of my thumbs

    Something wicked this way comes

    From Haward Art House

    Shakespeare, Macbeth, Act 4, scene 1

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  • Disposal

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  • Candyman Trailer

    I am looking forward to the new Candyman coming out soon!

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  • Leatherface as a Japanese Mask Tattoo

    Visit OneManRiet for more awesome horror art!

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  • Morbid Art

    Anna Akhmatova, 1998 by Joel-Peter Witkin

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  • Horror Parody: Muppets Saw Trailer

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  • Desdemona

    DESDEMONA
    O, banish me, my lord, but kill me not!

    OTHELLO
    Down, strumpet!

    DESDEMONA
    Kill me to-morrow: let me live to-night!

    OTHELLO
    Nay, if you strive–

    DESDEMONA
    But half an hour!

    OTHELLO
    Being done, there is no pause.

    DESDEMONA
    But while I say one prayer!

    OTHELLO
    It is too late.

    Desdemona by Rodolfo Amoedo, 1892

    Shakespeare, Othello, Act V, Scene ii, 1622.

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