Departing From the Mind of H.P. Lovecraft

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Featured Lifestyle
Colour Out of Space by Ludvik Skopalik
Artwork by Ludvik Skopalik

During this month’s Dead Author Dedication of H.P. Lovecraft, we have talked about his life, death, literature, his own personal inspirations, and how he has inspired authors and artists all over the world since his death. The question on this writer’s mind is, “how did a master crafter of the written word end up poor and barely able to make ends meet doing what he loved?” and what that means for aspiring writers.

The Legacy of Lovecraft

Last week we delved into the topic of why and how the work of Lovecraft never really successfully makes it into the film medium; since he was such an influential writer for the horror genre. Other authors in this genre have had their work be adapted into films–sometimes these stories are so popular they have even been remade, to update the story with more modern age techniques and higher quality film in order to see if they could do a better job capturing the original source. Stephen King has been one author who has been successful and lucky enough to be able to boast this honor, the productivity of his own lifetime of writing is something of a celebrity amongst aspiring writers. Any writer would be so lucky to capture even a fraction of the renowned that someone like Stephen King has managed, but the kind of reputation that Lovecraft has grown to develop as a writer since his death has a deeper and more concealed appeal.

H.P. Lovecraft Interview (1933)

The thought of having a cult following has an enchanting draw for artists, one that evokes the concept of an inextinguishable legacy; an artist who may have struggled from their creative inception can’t help but entertain the fantasy of their work not only lasting long after their life has ended but becoming more appreciated with time. There have been so many artists inspired by the chaotic and terrifying concepts that Lovecraft helped to create, that we were able to construct a list of books for people interested in learning more.

Even Lovecraft himself never expected to live to see his own stories adapted into film and like all good authors and literary critics, he agrees that while the film industry is a great and complex art form, it cannot and will not ever hope to replace literature entirely. His argument here, and we’re inclined to agree, is that literature is far too complex a beast to ever be matched by the artistic avenues of film. One cannot hope to accomplish the intricacies of the written word with mere dialogue and action, where words effectively capture our innermost thoughts, desires, fears, and secrets.

Out of Mind: The Stories of H.P. Lovecraft
H.P. Lovecraft statue in Providence, RI
H.P. Lovecraft Statue in Providence, RI
Artwork by Gage Prentiss; Photography by David Lepage

Out of Mind: The Stories of H.P. Lovecraft comes across as a fairly low budget short film, which lies more in the mystery genre, but it’s a brilliant show of how Lovecraft inspired minds to create a more complex, tangled, and generally incomprehensible universe–one that alludes to far greater, far darker, far more ancient and terrible things in comparison to the world that man knows. Lovecraft’s legacy was what can really bring hope to aspiring creatives, his legacy of work speaks to the complexity of the overflowing river that is the human imagination. This is a river that can never truly run dry, but it is only the limits of our own mundane experiences that can place our creativity within constraints.

It’s important to understand that while we here at Puzzle Box Horror greatly appreciate the body of work that Lovecraft added to the horror genre, we recognize his biases and do not endorse them or agree with them. We were more than ecstatic when we found that there were actually literary responses to these particular issues and hope that such responses continue to appear within the literary community.

Now that we’ve spent a month looking into the creative, yet dark and hellish mind of H.P. Lovecraft, it’s safe to say we know a fair amount about him–but there is always more to learn about his work that helped the horror genre become what it is today?

Is there anything you’d like to add about this mad and mysterious mind? Comment below!

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Does Jason Voorhees Have a Weakness?

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Lifestyle Scary Movies and Series

What Is Jason Voorhees’s Weakness?

Does the Friday the 13th Killer Have a Weakness?

Jason Voorhees always seems to survive any attempt on his life.  He has been dismembered, blown to smithereens and even disintegrated…yet he always returns!  Still, all horror movie killers seem to have a weakness and there almost ALWAYS seems to be a way for the supreme protagonist to somehow make it out alive as well.  Therefore…as Freddy Krueger himself wanted to know…

Does Jason Voorhees have a weakness? Can he be controlled?

Ways to Beat Jason Voorhees If You Were In a Movie

Horror movies can be hard to survive for anyone…however, an undereducated victim always dies faster.  Understanding some of the weaker parts of Jason Voorhees will increase the likelihood of surviving a Friday the 13th movie. Here are some of Jason’s greatest weaknesses used to defeat him.

Afraid of Water

Freddy vs Jason (2003) created a dynamic between nightmare master Freddy Krueger and horror movie slasher Jason Voorhees. Freddy realizes after he brings Jason back from hell to terrorize and kill that Jason is running wild and needs to be better controlled.  Thus, Freddy ends up probing Jason’s brain to find what is feared the most.  What Freddy discovers is that Jason’s traumatic childhood drowning created a fear of water. This fear for water allows Freddy the best advantages in controlling Jason.

Low Intelligence

Jason always seems to be outwitted. No matter which Friday the 13th movie, he is nearly always led to be the fool.  Whether being controlled by Freddy, victimized by the his peers for his mental deficiencies, or falling into a trap…Jason Voorhees can’t seem to get ahead in the thinking department. One of the best ways to survive and/or control Jason is by taking advantage of his low intellect and inability to solve complex problems.

A Soft Spot for Family

Jason Voorhees in a hockey mask from Friday the 13th movies

As the saying goes “even bad men love their mama” and Jason Voorhees does have a soft spot for his mother.  Jason and his mother had a close relationship, causing her to murder on his behalf for an entire movie (she is the real killer in the first Friday the 13th movie, not Jason).  Jason’s weird shrine to his mother is evidence that they have a very special bond.  Freddy uses this bond to his advantage, pretending to be Jason’s mother in his dreams in order to wake Jason up to slaughter on his behalf.

Sleep

Yet another exploit discovered by Freddy Krueger in Freddy vs Jason (2003), Jason is vulnerable when he is sleeping. Freddy even sacrifices one of his possessed victims in the movie in order to stab and inject two needles worth of high-powered tranquilizers to knock Jason out for transport.

But Jason Is Still Kicking!

The movie Freddy vs Jason (2003) may have led fans to believe water is Jason’s weakness, he definitely survived a childhood near-drowning experience and haunts teens at a camp in the woods called “Crystal Lake.”  Ultimately it would appear that Jason Voorhees’ only weakness is his low intelligence. Still, however, that has not stopped Jason from maintaining the highest kill count of all horror movie slashers! If Jason Voorhees has a true weakness, it has yet to be properly exploited…as he keeps coming back to kill and kill again!

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Doug Bradley and Robert Englund live on Twitch.. Freddy vs Pinhead?

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Featured Lifestyle

Thursday October 14th, 2021 Horror Hub Presents Down to Hell with two of horrors biggest stars: host Doug Bradley and special guest Robert Englund.

Robert Englund, who is most famous for playing one of horror’s most famous monsters, Freddy Krueger, in Nightmare on Elm Street. The genius and horrible invention of Wes Craven has haunted our dream world for more than twenty years now.

Freddy Krueger

Doug Bradley, known for his brilliant role in the Hellraiser movie series as Pinhead, arguably one of the most intelligent inter dimensional demons, has also tortured us for more than 20 years now.

Pinhead from Hellraiser

These two superstars of horror are getting together on Twitch Thursday October 14th, 2021 to talk about life, love, horror and anything else that comes to mind. Fans can ask questions in the live chat and interact with one another during the show.

Fun fact are these two actors are 2 of 3 horror actors who played the same role 8 consecutive times. The third being Tobin Bell from the Saw franchise.

Down to Hell is in its premiere season, produced by Horror Hub Marketplace the show is a casual conversation between host Doug Bradley, co-host Steph Sciullo and some of horror’s most interesting creators, actors, musicians, and personalities.

Follow the show on Twitch or tune in live Thursday to catch Pinhead and Freddy hanging out.

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Dress Like Wednesday Addams from the hit Netflix Series

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Character Costumes Costume Themes DIY Costumes Lifestyle

Ever since the show Wednesday debuted on Netflix in late 2022, it has experienced huge success, especially in the re-imagining of the character Wednesday Addams herself. Wednesday Addams has come a long way from her origins in Charles Addams’s dark, yet humorous comics. To dress like Wednesday Addams you will first need to decide which look to follow.

From Lisa Loring’s charismatic stage presence in the 1964 television show, Christina Ricci’s reprisal of the role in 1991 and 1993, and now Jenna Ortega’s 2022 Wednesday series on Netflix, we have seen this macabre and intelligent character grow from a mere child to a young adult. This makes this character age appropriate for children, teens, and adults.

In no small part due to the most recent re-invigoration of Wednesday’s character on screen, her look has not only become a popular costume concept (again), but her character’s style has become the trending look for Gen Z Goths everywhere. From her now-viral dance—you know the one—to her Gothic Prep casual style, it seems that everything she wears is uniquely representative of who she is.

Her modern interpretation, embodied by one of the genre’s newer Scream Queens, Jenna Ortega, remains distinctive—even from that of the more traditional Wednesday renditions. Since we get to see Wednesday in so many different situations than we might otherwise not get to be acquainted with, there are so many new costume looks to choose from—so let’s take a look and see how to transform ourselves into a modern Wednesday Addams without breaking the bank.

Updated Wednesday Throwback Look

This particular look will probably be the most recognizable for those familiar with the original Wednesday as well as those who were introduced to the character for the first time with the 2022 Netflix series. It features a simple long-sleeved dress, either solid black or with minimal Gothic/Victorian floral print, a start white dress collar and cuffs. While the original Wednesday was more likely to be found in a pair of matte black flat Mary Janes, we’ve gotten an update to match the Goth trend appropriate to the time.

Nevermore Academy Uniform

While every other student running around Nevermore Academy is dressed in two shades of blue, Wednesday’s outfit is especially colorless, which decidedly makes her stand out amongst the rest of her peers. To dress like Wednesday in her Nevermore Academy Uniform you will need a few core pieces.

Casual and Comfy Clothes

When it comes to being casual, it’s clear Wednesday seeks comfort while still adhering to her personal no-color policy. She favors the over-sized tops and opts for sneakers over dress shoes, but don’t let this comfy look fool you—it’s probably the most involved costume out of the bunch! Dress like Wednesday Addams comfy feel.

Formal Dance Dress

While the dress that Wednesday wears to the Annual Rave’n is from the Alaïa Fall 2020 collection, most high schoolers don’t have four figures to drop on a dress to wear to prom. So, thankfully, there are already recreations of it within a reasonable price range. Surprisingly, considering the formal look of this costume, it’s likely the easiest to pull off.

Regardless of which modern Wednesday look you choose to dress in, you’ll need these to complete your transformation, down to the details.

We hope you have fun putting this costume together, but if you’re looking for a more traditional Wednesday Addams look, consider checking out our article on how to dress like Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family (1991) and Addams Family Values (1993).

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