Possessor – Your Actions Are Not Your Own

Categories
Best Of Best of Movies Featured Horror Movie Reviews Scary Movies and Series

Possessor is the new horror film exercise in psychological science-horror from Brandon Cronenberg, son of David ‘The Baron of Blood’ Cronenberg himself. For those who don’t know, The Baron brought us such shockers as Scanners, The Fly, Videodrome and an adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dead Zone in the 80s, as well as the deeply unsettling The Brood in 1979. His work with gore and outlandish practical effects earned him a legendary status in the world of horror, and if Possessor is anything to go by, his son is taking the baton with heavy enthusiasm and a deft hand. 

Have you ever felt that your actions are not entirely your own?

Possessor is Brandon Cronenebergs debut feature film, following a slew of surreal shorts such as 2019’s Please Speak Continuously and Describe Your Experiences as They Come to You, and hopefully serves as a first real look at a bright directorial future. With skills like these, it would seem a waste not to.

Visually, the film is stunning. The vibrant colour palettes and psychedelic slow-mo sequences remind me heavily of Panos Cosmatos, which can only ever be a good thing, and fit perfectly with the stark, often expressionist imagery used to depict strange conceptual mental processes to a high artistic degree. The cinematography by Karim Hussain feels alive yet purposeful, only intending the greatest effect for each scene. The settings in which these scenes play out feel gritty and earthly which works alongside the light sci-fi themes to give proceedings a rough, nasty edge. This edge is sharpened to its apex by the violence itself, which is where Possessor derives a good deal of its horror. 

It looks downright horrific in places. Whereas more high-concept sci-fi commonly employs computer-generated violence and gore, a lot of the time among a computer-generated background, Possessor makes heavy use of practical effects to create a borderline grindhouse feel, it’s sudden acts of realistic, disturbing and brutally savage violence bringing the gut-dropping style of Craig Zahler in films such as Brawl in Cell Block 99, though to a more refined degree. 

possessor horror movie poster featuring a screaming woman

Possessor’s dreamy synth score by Jim Williams perfectly compliments each scene it is needed, often lurking in the background to invoke greater dread from it’s slow-burning second act while sometimes swelling and exploding to punctuate the more abstract happenings for greater meaning and impact. It fully expands on the film’s hallucinatory sci-fi atmosphere, while sickening sound effects boost each savage kill to its full effect. 

Being more on the light, conceptual sci-fi end of the spectrum, Possessor’s character-based plot relies heavily on its actors and aesthetic, using it’s basis of ‘entering the mind of other people to carry out covert kills’ as a vehicle for its own nasty, nihilistic take on a character arc. Some warm, believably human elements are at play, making the overlaying ethos and point of the film all the more disturbing. Its squirming, corrupt nature is reminiscent of Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Killing of a Sacred Deer, though omitting its self-aware winks for an even darker, more consequential message. This style of film benefits greatly for the thematic blend on show here, looking back at science-horror precursors such as Harlan Ellison’s short story I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream where ideas of humanity are irreverently twisted and spat at in place of a colder logic, a darker horror. 

Possessor plays with themes of consciousness, though never becomes self indulgent when doing so. It uses these themes to further its artistic vision, with some psychologically internal sequences playing out like music videos. The pacing of the film bleeds intent as a slow burner punctuated with sudden hyper-violence, this coupled with the sharp and meticulous visuals giving the finished product a very ‘A24’ feel.

Possessor is meditative and clever. It won’t hold your hand with pointless exposition, nor will it try to confuse you with arrogant sci-fi contrivances. It is a skillfully executed offering of disturbing cerebral horror and I for one hope to see much more from the Cronenberg name. Long live the new flesh.

blank

Advertisements

Join "The Horror List" for Weekly Horror in your inbox






Puzzle Box Creepy Home Decor Picks

Categories
Best Collectibles Best Of Featured Lifestyle

Who doesn’t want their house to look like the Adam’s family dining room or Dracula’s bedroom? Maybe you purchased the Maitland’s old place and need to get those Beetlejuice vibes on. Either way you will need some creepy home decor to finish he project. Between Halloween items and gothic home decor there are great options out there with new items available all the time. If you like the strange and unusual you will probably like these designs.

I myself …. am strange and unusual

Lydia

Puzzle Box Horrors Creepy Home Decor Picks

* Puzzle Box may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

The Black Raven Lamp

Black Raven Gothic Lamp Home Decor featuring a molded black raven holding

The Black Raven is an iconic bird. Maybe it was Edgar Allen Poe who first made it famous but this magnificent creature has a long past of being the harbinger of the underworld. This beautiful lamp has made its round on the internet and has great reviews everywhere you see it. It is one of our favorite lamps and surely will be a great addition to your gothic home, halloween or anything spooky.

Demon Hand Wall Hanger

witch or demon hand wall hanger. Resin molded creepy hand you can install on your wall to hold items

Need a creepy place to hold your car keys or hang some jewelry? Why not use a demon hand or is it a witch’s hand? Either way it is spooky, gothic, and also comes in green. Just watch your eyes on those finger nails ok?

Voodoo Incense Burner

Voodoo incense burner

This one might be a mixture of cute and spooky but it has nearly perfect reviews on Amazon and we love it. It burns incense and its Voodoo, great combo in our book.

Skull ice cube tray spooky home decor

Imagine drinking your favorite beverage only it’s now better because it has skulls floating in it slowly melting while you enjoy each sip. You don’t have to image that. This can be how every cold beverage is enjoyed from here on out. I can’t even imagine another Halloween party without these.

Shinning book shelf model featuring a molded head between books

Here’s Johnny peaking out of your horror novels. This iconic moment can live on forever in your bookshelf. Best adorned with a copy of “The Shinning” but works for all books.

Beetlejuice Jewelry Drawers

Beetlejuice Jewelry box featuring original hand painted demon

Say his name 3 times please. A three drawer mini chest with our favorite demon on it. This is a custom piece and it can be backordered. Just be patient as these original items are hand made, but totally worth it.

Hellraiser Creepy Home Decor Clock

Hellraiser hand made wall clock for creepy home decor

This handmade Hellraiser clock bring the cenobites to your wall. Using a burnt wood design this is a one of a kind. Also available with other horror icons this piece is beautifully morbid.

Raven Skull Wall Decoration

Raven skull wall art with hanging crystals

This resin Bird skull and painted blue mica powder on the details to make it pop. It has 5 hanging blue crystal’s attached with silver chains! Perfect for your witchy self.

Moon Phase Mirror Set

Creepy home decor mirror set featuring the moon phases

In astrology, the moon governs our mood, so bring positive energy into your bedroom or living room with these moon phases wall art mirrors. They make the perfect gothic decor for a Halloween party and can be easily removed after use.

We’ll keep digging these items up and share as we find more.

blank

Advertisements

Join "The Horror List" for Weekly Horror in your inbox






Puzzle Box Horror’s Best of Sci-Fi Horror Books

Categories
Best Horror Books Best Of Featured NA

While exploring the best of sci-fi horror books we traveled as far back as 1818 and well into the future. Stories set in the speculative genre known as science fiction have always had a thrill and a sense of wonder about them. Technological advancements, adventures on alien worlds or deep below sea, life-altering discoveries – all aspects that incite excitement in the reader. And yet there are some stories that eschew the glossy-eyed outlook and choose to peer into the darker side of it all. What if those technological advancements come at a high moral price? What if those alien planets hold unfathomable dangers? And what if those discoveries alter life in a way that dismantles the construct of our humanity? 

There are many science fiction authors who occasionally dwell on the negative consequences of mankind’s headlong rush into the future. Sci-fi greats like Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C Clarke, and many others write stories that have a darker side to them. But here at Puzzle Box Horror we lean heavy into the horror side of things, and so in creating this list we sought out books that have sci-fi trappings while also being downright terrifying. The genres of science fiction and horror have many base similarities, and it’s our belief that tales that blend the best of both worlds are pretty much perfect. Read on to see our selection of the very best sci-fi horror books!

Hell on Mars by J.Z. Foster and Justin Woodward (2020)

Hell on Mars Sci-fi horror book

Scientists have been working for years on a secret project at the Mars Felicity Station. Something to do with opening a gateway to another dimension. Suddenly communications with earth are cut and the station goes dark. The US sends a crew in to investigate, but they are completely unprepared for what they find. What starts as a routine investigative mission turns into war with a new terrifying enemy and a high-stakes fight for survival.

The story follows the crew of the Perihelion as they journey towards the space station. We learn about the characters and their personality quirks, but the closer they get to Mars the more the dread begins to mount. When they arrive building suspense bursts vividly into nightmarish horror. Mixing the fast-paced action of Doom, the grotesque creatures of Dead Space, and the cosmic horror of Event Horizon, Hell on Mars is a gory good time and the first book in what is sure to be an exciting series. An immediate addition to our best of sci-fi horror books list.

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling (2019)

The Luminous Dead Sci-Fi Horror Book

Abandoned and alone on a remote planet, Gyre Price descends deeper into the cave. She’s lied about having cave-diving experience, hoping the paycheck from the expedition will be enough to cover any incidents that may happen. Her only connection to the outside world is her handler Em, who controls her body suit from the safety of the surface. Unfortunately, Em is both mysterious and dangerous, and she has her own dark plans for Gyre.

The Luminous Dead is a tense, claustrophobic and psychological thriller. Considering the limited setting, essentially just two characters in a mine, it’s amazing the levels of emotion and suspense author Caitlin Starling is able to provide. Both characters have secrets and ulterior motives, keeping readers guessing as to where each new revelation will lead. While the pace plods some it’s never boring, and it’s punctuated with some truly gruesome and terrifying moments. 

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer (2014)

Annihilation book cover

This Nebula award-winning book is about a group of female scientists on a mission to explore a place that’s mysteriously appeared on earth known as Area X. There have been numerous previous missions, all met with disastrous results, insanity, and death.This group of women, whose story is narrated by the biologist, are tasked with exploring the area and avoiding contamination. No matter what they expected to happen after crossing the border, what actually transpires is beyond their wildest imaginations.

Annihilation is a bizarre story of psychological terror and cosmic dread. There’s no way to adequately prepare yourself for the strange events that will unfold. The four women are trying to survive in a land that is actively trying to hurt them, but their own secrets and duplicity might just be the thing that tears them apart. The book deals with big questions on life and identity, while mixing weird eco-horror with a healthy dose of cosmic horror in the second half.

Infected by Scott Sigler (2008)

Infected horror book cover

A mysterious bioengineered parasite is spreading disease across America, turning the infected into deranged and bloodthirsty murderers. This sci-fi horror story is told mainly from three different perspectives. First, there’s the secret CIA agent Drew Phillips who is searching the country for a victim that’s still alive. Second, there’s the CDC epidemiologist Magaret Montoya who is racing to better understand the disease. And finally, there’s the desk jockey Perry Dawsey who is infected and must fight against his own body to survive. Infected is a glorious combination of gore and thrills that manages to blend nauseating pulp and smart storytelling.

Blindsight by Peter Watts (2006)

Blind Sight Sci-fi horror book

In the near future, a space probe happens to pick up transmissions from a distant alien spaceship. Something is whispering in a strange tongue. An unusual crew is thrown together to go investigate the signals: a warrior who wants peace, a biologist entwined with machinery, a linguist with multiple-personality disorder, and a vampire exhumed by paleogenetic witchcraft. This ragtag group boards the alien ship and what begins as a routine investigation quickly devolves into an unnerving series of discoveries. A heady horror sci-fi adventure, Blindsight blends unforgettable images with philosophical inquiries about communication, consciousness, and what it means to be alive.

Ship of Fools by Richard Paul Russo (2001)

Ship of Fools Sci-fi horror book

Thousands of humans have been living on the spaceship Argonos for several generations, traversing the galaxy in search of other life. Suddenly an unknown transmission captures their attention and leads them to a mysterious yet habitable planet. The planet, named Antioch by the crew, is barren but a group decides to go exploring anyway. They are tired from their aimless wandering of the stars, and they yearn for a new home. Unfortunately, there’s more to this planet than first meets the eye. Ship of Fools engages readers with strong character studies while also striking fear into their hearts as the crew begins to unravel into madness.

I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison (1967)

I have no mouth and I must scream Sci-fi horror book cover

This collection features seven short stories by science fiction great Harlan Ellison, but it’s the titular tale that has captivated and terrified audiences the most over the decades. In this story, a post-apocalyptic future finds a small group of five people struggling for survival. Human warfare has wiped out most of the population, and now a malicious supercomputer powered by artificial intelligence has imprisoned the remaining few. They are kept alive only to be brutally tortured by the sadistic machine. It’s a disturbingly inventive story, and one that helped create the “A.I. nemesis” trope in the sci-fi horror that followed.

The stories that appear in this collection are:

  • “I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream”
  • “Big Sam Was My Friend”
  • “Eyes of Dust”
  • “World of the Myth”
  • “Lonelyache”
  • “Delusion for Dragonslayer”
  • “Pretty Maggie Moneyeyes”

The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham (1951)

The day of the triffids Sci-fi horror book cover

A spectacular shower of comets blinds most of the world’s population, leaving those few left with sight to battle a race of giant, mobile, flesh-eating plants known as Triffids. As society crumbles, our two main characters Bill and Josella, along with a band of other survivors, must find a way to avoid the poisonous stingers of these assailants and rebuild what they can of civilization. Written during a time of Cold War paranoia, The Day of the Triffids anticipates weapons of mass destruction and biological warfare. Not only did the book help popularize the post-apocalyptic genre, but it remains to this day a staple in the sci-fi horror genre overall.

Who Goes There? By John W Campell (1938)

Who goes there Sci-fi horror book cover

Scientists at a research camp in Antarctica have discovered a frozen alien form that appears to have crash-landed there a long time ago. Misguided by their excitement, the researchers decide to thaw the creature and chaos quickly ensues. The being they have revived can transform itself to look like both humans and animals, and it’s using its shape-shifting abilities to pick them off one by one. Now this paranoid band of men must struggle to survive against a foe who can present itself as a friend. Though this story is better known as the 1982 John Carpenter film The Thing (plus various other movie remakes), it’s interesting to go back and look at the sci-fi horror novella that started it all.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818)

Frankenstein Sci-fi horror book

At this point everyone is familiar with Mary Shelley’s story of Dr. Frankenstein and the reanimated being he assembles. Written centuries ago, this story has spawned countless iterations and made Frankenstein’s monster a pop culture horror icon. Though the book features a mad scientist and explores early on the methods used to reinvigorate life, a large part of it focuses on the humanity of the monster and the inhumanity of those around him. While it doesn’t fall into the horror genre quite as squarely as other entries on this list (though there are plenty of horrifying moments), it’s influence on the genre should not be neglected. Frankenstein is definitely one of the best sci-fi horror books of all times in it’s own right.

blank

Advertisements

Join "The Horror List" for Weekly Horror in your inbox






Puzzle Box Horror’s Best Sci-Fi Horror Comics

Categories
Best Of Best of Comics Comics and Graphic Novels Featured Horror Books

Comic books in the science fiction and horror genres have long sat adjacent to one another, but occasionally they cross paths and the results are spectacularly frightening. The best sci-fi horror comics have stories full of suspense and heavy with dread, as well as artwork that shocks and unnerves. In fact, comics and graphic novels are a great medium for the horror genre. The narrative format often keeps the dialogue and description to a minimum, increasing the suspense and allowing the images to speak for themselves. And, likewise, the artwork expertly compliments the prose, whether it’s using muted shades and darkened corridors to augment the mood or vivid colors and heaps of blood to highlight the horror. The writers at Puzzle Box Horror are obsessed with comics, and we’re very excited to share some of the best sci-fi horror comics on the market!

The Best Sci-Fi Horror Comics

Plunge (2020)

Plunge sci-fi horror comic cover

First on our list of best sci-fi horror comics is Plunge. A drilling vessel, the Derleth, that disappeared forty years ago in the Arctic Circle suddenly begins sending out distress signals from the Bering Strait. Wanting to investigate further, an oil company hires a salvage team and a marine biologist to go explore the ghost ship. Their mission is to recover the bodies and find out exactly what happened to the ship. The expedition quickly goes awry when they discover the crew isn’t exactly dead, though they aren’t exactly alive either. This six-issue miniseries is gory, surreal, and a wonderful homage to eighties horror.

Plunge (Image Comics) is written by Joe Hill with art by Stuart Immonen.

Come Into Me (2019)

Come into me horror comic cover

The story opens on a failed demonstration of InBeing, the process by which ropy entrails connect two different people by ports in the back of their heads and allows their minds to form a “synaptic connection”. Sebastian, the creator and scientist behind the technology, is quickly running out of money and desperate to find an investor. Enter Becky, a mysterious and seemingly desperate young lady who convinces Sebastian to bond their minds with InBeing, using his body as host. It’s strange for Becky, seeing the world through someone else’s body and forming a telepathic-like connection with another. If only she had been upfront with Sebastian about her past. As their minds are conjoined and their memories/experiences blend together, the host realizes he failed to anticipate just exactly what could go wrong…and that, like in our online lives, shared data is open to manipulation and exploitation.

Come Into Me (Black Mask Comics) is written by Zac Thompson and Lonnie Nadler, illustrated by Piotr Kowalski, and colored by Niko Guardia.

Destroyer (2018)

Destroyer horror comic cover

Though lighter on the horror than the other entries in this list, Destroyer is still an intriguing take on the creature at the center of Mary Shelley’s classic sci-fi story Frankenstein. In this story the monster has survived into present day America, but he has lost his emotional side and empathic nature. Instead he has become the Destroyer, bent on wiping mankind from the face of the earth. In his quest for vengeance he ends up partnering with Dr. Baker, the last descendent of the Frankenstein family who has recently lost her son at the hands of the police. Also caught up in all of this are two scientists, Byron and Percy, who find themselves desperately trying to protect humanity. It’s a story that is raw, powerful, and not afraid to shine a light on heavy socio-political topics. Sometimes the line between thriller and horror is slim but this one still made our list of best sci-fi horror comics as it fits the bill.

Destroyer (Boom Studios) is written by Victor Lavalle and illustrated by Dietrich Smith, with colors by Joana Lafuente and letters by Jim Campbell.

Nameless (2016)

Nameless horror comic cover

A group of billionaires have hired occult hustler “Nameless” in a desperate bid to save the planet. An enormous asteroid they’re calling Xibalba is hurtling on a direct course for earth, bearing a strange symbol on its side and a vengeful extra-dimensional god in its core. While trying to stop the death rock, Nameless and his team accidentally set loose the wrathful being and things go from bad to inconceivably worse. That’s the brief synopsis, but this six-part miniseries deals with so much more. Secret experiments, the downfall of civilization, lost planets, epic cosmic wars, a doomsday asteroid, and soul-destroying truths are all par for the course here. This sci-fi horror comic also has a strong cosmic horror vein running through it, featuring terrifying Lovecraftian beings and an overwhelming atmosphere of dread. What could be better in sci-fi horror than a touch of existential dread?

Nameless (Image Comics) is written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Chris Burnham.

The Disciples (2016)

The Disciples horror comic cover

This sci-fi horror comic is Set in a bleak dystopian future where the solar system has been colonized by the rich upper class, The Disciples is about a girl who has gone missing and the bounty hunters who have been hired to find her. These hunters follow the trail to Jupiter’s largest moon Ganymede, where they discover a group of cultists who have awakened a horrifying force. Turns out the girl is the daughter of a Senator who has joined the cult, and things are about to get a whole lot worse for these well-intentioned investigators. Taunt and terrifying, the comic is reminiscent of the video game Dead Space but with more extraterrestrial ghosts. 

The Disciples (Black Mask Studios) is written by Steve Niles and illustrated by Chris Mitten, with colors by Jay Fotos and letters by Thomas Mauer.

Spread (2015)

Spread horror comic cover

In this post-apocalyptic sci-fi horror comic, a strange viral infection called “the Spread” has devastated the land and devoured its inhabitants. While most of the world lies in ruin, there are pockets of humanity struggling to survive in quarantine zones. In one of these zones a man named No happens upon a baby named Hope who can undo the virus with a touch of her hand. Insane creature designs and an interesting cast of characters help flesh out this dark and suspenseful tale of survival. The unholy baby of The Thing and Mad Max bathed in buckets of blood, Spread is full of extreme gore, tentacles, and body horror fun.

Spread (Image Comics) is written by Justin Jordan with art by Kyle Strahm.

Caliban (2015)

Caliban horror comic cover

In the future hyperspace travel has been invented, allowing humans to explore the furthest reaches of outer space. For all their searching no signs of life have been uncovered, but they have begun to harvest all the valuable resources the universe has to offer. At first it’s just a regular mission out in deep space for the crew of the mining ship Caliban. Everything is going according to plan, until they happen upon a strange alien ship. It would appear the unusual vessel was waiting for them, and what was once a routine trip quickly turns to nightmare. A vicious, hulking something is stalking the corridors, separating the crew and taking them one by one. It’s a tense and chilling thriller reminiscent of Alien, full of shocking moments and terrific artwork.

Caliban (Avatar Press) is written by Garth Ennis with art by Facundo Percio.

The Wake (2014)

The Wake horror comic cover

The Department of Homeland Security has identified an unnerving new threat, and so they reach out to Lee Archer, a marine biologist, for help. Though she initially declines, the government overrides her decision and sends her deep beneath the sea in the Arctic Circle. There’s an underwater oil rig in that part of the ocean where a group of scientists have made an unbelievable discovery. Part multi-generational thriller and part creature feature, The Wake is a ten-issue miniseries that manages to combine tense horror, beautifully bold artwork, and scientific questions on life and the human condition.

The Wake (DC Comics) is written by Scott Snyder with art by Sean Murphy.

Revival (2012)

Revival aci-fi horror comic cover

The dead have come back to life in rural Wisconsin. In the particular town where our story is set, the CDC has quarantined the area and sent in experts to help out. Revival, labeled as “farm noir,” is interesting because of its unique take on the genre. Yes, it’s a zombie tale full of scares, violence, religious zealots, and government busybodies. But a lot of the series also focuses on a brutal murder and the detective who is trying to solve the crime. Officer Dana Cypress has her hands full dealing with the media, the government, and a full-scale zombie invasion while also investigating a case where anyone, dead or alive, could be a suspect.

Revival is a staff favorite for best sci fi horror comics.

Revival (Image Comics) is written by Tim Seeley, illustrated by Mike Norton, and colored by Mark Englert.

blank

Advertisements

Join "The Horror List" for Weekly Horror in your inbox






Puzzle Box Winter Horror Guide

Categories
Best Horror Books Best Of Best of Movies Featured Horror Books Scary Movies and Series

Winter is a wonderful time with falling snow, crackling fireplaces, and precious family moments. However, like all beautiful things, this season also has a dark side – and Puzzle Box Horror is bringing you the ultimate guide to winter horror seasonal scares. From real-world terrors like almost dying from frostbite to holiday folklore creatures that pull you into the depths of Hell, here are the top winter horror stories you need this season.

Movies

30 Days of Night 

Released: 2007

30 days of night winter horror movie poster

Before there was Twilight, there was 30 Days of Night… a truly brilliant horror film that tells the story of bloodsuckers, captivity, and bone-chilling terror in Alaska. The town of Barrow is preparing for the annual “30 Days of Night,” a period during the winter when there is a polar night for an entire month. Or in simpler terms, 24-hour a day darkness. As the community is snowed in and confined to their homes, a band of bloodthirsty vampires arrives and begins to pick off the townspeople one-by-one. With monstrous killers on the loose, and no communication to the outside world, the main characters must find a way to stay alive and overcome the darkness. Both literally and figuratively. If you’re a real vampire enthusiast with a side of winter horror obsession, this is the perfect film for you! Stream on Amazon here.

Krampus 

Released: 2015

blank

Who doesn’t love a good holiday horror movie? Especially when it’s about a demonic creature from European folklore that guarantees you’ll sleep with one eye open on Christmas Eve. Krampus has everything you could typically expect from a Christmas film – a dysfunctional family, a blizzard snowing people in, a child doubting his holiday spirit – but instead of Santa, you have Krampus. This horned, demonic creature originates from German folklore, and descends each winter to punish those who have lost their Christmas spirit and drag them straight to Hell. Which seems a little harsh, if you ask us… but you’ll get a kick out of this winter comedy horror film that’s scarily good. Stream on Amazon here.

Frozen 

Released: 2010

blank

Sometimes your winter vacation can turn into a nightmare, and it definitely did for the three college students in Frozen. It’s a simple premise, but truly terrifying. One second, you’re in a chairlift getting ready to ski and snowboard at a high-end resort – and the next, you’re trapped in freezing cold temperatures 100 feet above the ground. When the three friends get stranded in the chairlift with no help in sight, they go to extreme measures to stay alive and avoid freezing to death. There’s no ghosts or demons, just three people fighting against nature to protect themselves from the woes of winter… and it’s incredibly frightening. Stream on Amazon here.

The Thing

Released: 1982

blank

When a group of researchers in Antarctica encounter “The Thing,” it’s not just the bitter cold that they need to protect themselves from. This alien orgasm is a parasite that can imitate people to perfection, giving them all paranoia that they can’t trust each other. And to be honest, they probably can’t. Like many winter horror films, this is a story of survival amongst both evil forces and the steep snow… and it’s simply chilling to watch. After you’ve finished watching the 1982 version of The Thing, you can also watch the 2011 remake that many horror fans believe is as brilliant as the original! Purchase the DVD here.

The Invisible Man

Released: 1933

blank

If you’re in the mood for a black-and-white holiday movie that’s a bit less cheery than It’s A Wonderful Life, this eerie winter horror film will definitely do the trick. As the name suggests, it tells the story of a man who checks into a hotel on a snowy night with this face fully wrapped in bandages and topped off with goggles. After a series of events, it’s uncovered that this man has discovered the science of invisibility, and he’s even more dangerous than you think. An invisible man who can sneak up on his victims before their brutal murders, in the middle of the snowy winter? What could possibly go wrong? Stream on Amazon here.

Books

The Shining

Author: Steven King

Published: 1977

blank

The Shining isn’t just one of the best haunted books of all time, it’s also a winter horror masterpiece. While it’s the supernatural forces that cause Jack Torrance to lose himself and become a danger to himself and his family – it’s safe to say that any of us would go crazy after being trapped in a haunted hotel during a winter snowstorm. Jack begins working there as a caretaker as he recovers from alcoholism, and his inner demons combined with actual evil spirits begin to take over his body. As the snow falls around this Colorado hotel, he goes on a quest to kill his son Danny (who posseses psychic powers called “the shining”), wife Wendy, and anybody else who stands in his way. Even if you’ve seen the cult favorite 1980 film starring Jack Nicholson, this Steven King novel is a classic that you should definitely read from your creepy hotel room. Available on Amazon here.

The Winter People 

Author: Jennifer McMahon

Published: 2014

blank

Living “off the grid” in a Vermont farmhouse to survive the winter cold may seem like a dream at first. Netflix, blankets, and hot cocoa… oh my! But things take a turn when 19-year-old Ruthie moves into the home with her mother and sister, only for her mother to mysteriously vanish one day. Trapped in the middle of nowhere with no answers, she uncovers an old diary that pulls her into a town mystery that may or may not decide her mother’s fate. Along with provide answers for the other townspeople who have disappeared throughout the decades. Available on Amazon here.

Ghost Story

Author: Peter Straub

Published: 1971

blank

You know you’ve written a killer book when even Stephen King compliments it. The famed horror author has nothing but great things to say about Ghost Story, as does Puzzle Box Horror. It tells the tale of four old men who gather around one winter night to tell the many stories of their past. Some are simple, others are frightening, but there’s one that’s purely horrifying. A terrible mistake that shows that your past can always come back to haunt you, and no sin is truly forgiven. Available on Amazon here.

Snowblind

Author: Christopher Golden

Published: 2014

blank

The snow is the true villain in this novel by Christopher Golden, as the town of Coventry still struggles to recover from a devastating blizzard that happened over a decade ago. And it wasn’t just your typical natural disaster. Many people died, others mysteriously vanished, and strange things began to happen as icy figures danced in the snow and gazed inside children’s windows. With another blizzard set to hit the town, the people of Coventry must put away their painful memories and prepare to save themselves from the supernatural forces of the snow. Available on Amazon here.

Misery

Author: Stephen King

Published: 1987

blank

Snow and Stephan King novels are always a scarily good combination, and Misery is no exception. When acclaimed author Paul Sheldon gets caught in a snowstorm and crashes his car, he awakens to find that he has been captured by Annie Wilkes, a superfan of his work who will go to great lengths to get her definition of a happy ending. This includes holding him hostage, manipulating him by withholding food and painkillers, and even cutting off his foot. It becomes clear that Annie is unstable and Paul’s life is in danger, and he must escape her before his own life story comes to an end. This novel was also made into a highly successful movie starring James Caan and Kathy Bates! Available on Amazon here.

blank

Advertisements

Join "The Horror List" for Weekly Horror in your inbox






Join The Horror List