Braving New Worlds | Bookending Autumn 2019
Hi Dreamers!
Bookend events were created by Sam @ FictionallySam and Clo @ cuppaclo. (Two great bloggers and you should check them out!) They host these quarterly events to bring our book blogging community a little closer. They have hosts and prompts and even Twitter chats! (See full explanation post here.)
Today’s prompt is by Lauren @ Northern Plunder about spooky places in fiction.
Prompt:
What horror worlds do you want to brave? Let us know about horror books, movies, podcasts, or video games you’re looking forward to consuming! (Or would only consume if you were that little bit braver).
Post:
I love horror movies and scary stories. It’s some of my favorite content to consume. I also love the paranormal and supernatural genres, so some of these might not be traditional “horror.” Here’s my top 5:
Arkham Asylum
This is the Arkham Asylum from the Batman: Arkham games. Here’s the thing guys, I love Harley Quinn. I hate the Joker (because he’s abusive) and I hate Batman (he’s broody and kind of a jerk). Harley and Poison Ivy for life, give me that bi rep!
Here’s the other thing. I’ve never actually played this video game, but I did an epic Harley watch a few years ago of all her scenes in everything in order because I adore her and I wanted to piece together the nuances of her storyline in movies, TV, and video games (it’s a little hard to piece the comics into where they fit in her on-screen story).
The Arkham games are maybe my favorite iteration of Harley and so it’s on this list because honestly, the Arkham games are dark and spooky.
They’re also on this list because Arkham asylum is based on one of my favorite haunted locations in America, the Danvers Insane Asylum. I grew up 20 minutes outside of the Danvers Asylum, which is now apartments and hotels (sounds like a bad idea, I know!) For more information on its connection to Arkham, I recommend the episode Echoes from the Lore Podcast.
The Upside Down/ Hawkins, IN
Stranger Things! Ever since I first watched Stranger Things I’ve fallen in love with it. I consider the Upside Down, and therefore Hawkins, IN, to be very scary places, but I would love to visit them. This show is perfect to watch around Halloween with some hot apple cider and some great snacks.
If you haven’t seen it yet, first how do you escape spoilers, second you need to watch it. It’s chock full of nostalgia, nerdy stuff, and some really talented kids who blow me away in every scene.
Rose Red
Rose Red is my favorite horror movie, as I’ve said before. I don’t know if I’d want to be in this scary haunted house, but I definitely want to visit the real-life version. Rose Red is based on the Winchester Mansion who’s legends proceed it.
The legend goes the Winchester Mansion was built by the late wife of the man who invented the Winchester Riffle. After he died a psychic told her the spirits of the people the riffle killed were following her and she would die when the house was complete. So she never completed the house. She kept builders working 24/7 until the day she died. There are staircases to nowhere, doors that lead out to the outside– several stories up, and hallways that go on forever. This was all in an attempt to confuse the spirits.
If you’ve never heard this legend I encourage you to look it up as I’m not a historical expert. Likewise, I encourage you to watch Rose Red because it’s so good!
Supernatural
I’m going there. There’s not really a “place” for this one except the wider United States so I guess I just want to hang with Sam and Dean. This one is kind of a gimme, but it is one of my favorite uses of worldbuilding in paranormal fiction. So it’s here.
Derry, ME
I’ve seen the original IT, and it honestly wasn’t that scary. No this is about the new IT, which is pretty awesome. I have not seen the sequel, yet, but I’ve heard it’s gotten some pretty varied reviews so I can’t really speak on my opinion. The first one, though, was really, really good. This movie actually got me seriously into Stephen King after a childhood of hating horror. Now I eat horror and paranormal thrillers up. I love scary content.
What’s your favorite horror location? Let me know below!
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dbsguidetothegalaxy
October 6, 2019 at 7:18 pmI love Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy! I’m so excited to see absolutely anything about the new season of Stranger Things ? We need more ? Omg, Rose Red!!! My sister and I watched that growing up and it scared us so much ? Like all your choices are excellent – Supernatural we LOVE IT. The old IT was so weird to watch – though it was probably scary for that time. I much prefer the new ones – mostly because of the cast, I guess.
Brigid Downey
October 11, 2019 at 9:24 pmI absolutely love Rose Red but it’s so hard to find for less than $50! Also, yeah the older IT is weird, but the newer ones do a great job with the mythology and worldbuilding, I think they’re more on par with what Stephan King deserved from the book.
dbsguidetothegalaxy
October 11, 2019 at 10:00 pmI know! We’d always go down to the video store to rent it but now I think they won’t have it anymore. And less people know about it. Totally! I went to go watch the new one (was excellent) and I couldn’t remember how the mythology was in the old movie – as much as I love Tim Curry, I do prefer the new one.