Psychological Horror at its finest is horror as an abstract projection of the human psyche.

The best examples are Jacob’s ladder (1990) and the PlayStation 2 video game Silent Hill 2 (2001). While they do use delusion and/or hallucination like devices in their stories, they do more than just use them for shock value or to describe mental illness (usually in a negative light). Bringing up those very serious and alarming symptoms help question reality, but instead of being used to support supposed mental instability, it is used as a springboard to expand on the deep and intense feelings of their protagonists - to describe personal suffering.

When words fail to describe very real pain in life, the expression of our emotions is often better met through connection with art. When horror makes a point of illustrating intensity, it can relate internal conflict like no other. Suddenly the monster isn’t just a monster anymore, it can be say, the embodiment of a character’s resentment towards their father, or perhaps more vague still, repression incarnate. When other pieces of the story become connected commentary, as abstract as it may be, it can create a work of art that leaves an impression, makes you think, ignites conversation and can connect with people on a personal level. Do the two aforementioned titles do all those things? To varying degrees, yes, but is in no way as “good as it gets” as far as psychological horror is concerned.  It has yet to be developed in that aspect. The trick is to weave a coherent story, haunting enough to stand on its own, but have all the elements with which to be transform into something more profound for those who go looking for it.

Psychological Horror can be an important tool in expressing life’s otherwise difficult to describe personal horror, its ongoing torment and ultimately healing.

Psychological Horror can be meaningful.

Psychological horror can be art.

Psychological Horror has its place.

And needs your help

If you can - make it, promote it, read or watch it, write about and discuss it. Help it grow by sharing how it’s different from the other horror sub-genres.

Indulge when it finds you, and you may find yourself in it.

- Josh 

We could all do better to invite more fun into our lives.

If we ask children to use their imaginations, they can transform a lone backyard birch tree into an imposing tower, ready to be besieged by sticks turned to swords or any other instrument from untold arsenals. In fact, they could spring all manner of townships, dark caverns, or space stations from any size space if they tried – if they’d learned to have fun with it. Then, well, everything around them could become interesting, could be novel, and wonderful.

Shigesato Itoi is a “cultural figure in Japan, known for his copywriting, essays, lyrics, Nintendo game creation, and his role as editor-in-chief of his popular webstie “Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun” (‘Almost’ Daily Itoi News)” (From wiki). He is best known in most western circles as the creator of “Earthbound”, a whimsical Super Nintendo game with quite the cult following.

Over at Nintendo.com, Mr. Itoi had some things to say about that little old video game that has won over the hearts of many. Haven’t played the game? That’s okay. Don’t care for video games? That’s okay too. What he has to say about it is such a curious and thoughtful thing, that it’s worth the trespassing into unknown territory.

From: http://earthbound.nintendo.com/message/

Wonderful words. 

The best memories are of times we had fun aren’t they?

Earthbound invites us to have fun. Everything in the game is already interesting because it was born by what feels like unbridled creativity, ever present at the fringes of the adventure, and woven carefully into the story line, colouring even serious themes in a unique way that gives surprising depth. 


Story has the power to connect with others, to heal ourselves, to make an impact. It can be all kinds of serious and solemn. But there is also a wonderful potency when it is mixed with the disarming whimsy that invites us to have fun, and feel the freedom of being back at a playground. 

Some kids can play make-belief better than others… so can adults for that matter. And if they are skilled enough, they can disarm others of what is holding them back. Too, the creation, when done just so, is so alluring that it can do that on its own. It’s never any bigger a plunge if we choose to dive into an adventure that’s unfamiliar and exciting. 

That is exactly what Mr. Itoi and the EarthBound team does in their work on the Super Nintendo title "EarthBound" (and also, how they’ve endeared their audience to the other two parts of the trilogy known as the Mother series in Japan).

The result is an experience that is memorable and even invigorating, as any of those members of the earthbound cult following will attest. 

Maybe it's time you tried 'EarthBound'

The whimsical, the wildly creative, should be no more dismissed than its serious counterparts. It’s those fun adventures that have such potential to leave its mark and at the very least remind us of how recharging it can be to invite fun into our lives. 

- Josh

For the complete thoughts of Mr.Itoi on Earthbound, please click the link HERE
You won't regret it!

What it's like to channel your inner kid:

The above is a Comic by Zac Gorman. His website, Magical Game Time can be found HERE. 

Other than having all sorts of other great comics at his website, you can buy the awesome piece of art above HERE.

Part of 'The Place Beyond the Pine's appeal is the soundtrack. In particular, what peeked my interest is "The Snow Angel" piece played in the second half of the trailer. It plays with such emotion and power that it really gets my creative juices going. Click below for a listen (it's an extended version found on Youtube):

What kinds of writing could you use this song with? What comes to mind when you hear it?

Mike Patton produced the Soundtrack for "The Place Beyond the Pines" and it can be purchased now on iTunes. 

If you write anything using this song, don't forget to share. I'd love to read it.

- Josh 

“Creativity is essentially a lonely art. An even lonelier struggle. To some a blessing. To others a curse. It is in reality the ability to reach inside yourself and drag forth from your very soul an idea.” ~Lou Dorfsman

The most important and hardest part is then bringing it to life...

Movie Shorts can be so accessible, eh? Easily  watched on Youtube or Vimeo and won’t demand an hours worth of your attention. But as compact as they are, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t always easy to digest. That they’re more likely to be consumed means a great potential for deep impact.

Here, director Christopher Kezelos makes a wonderfully stylistic piece of creativity that reminds of Tim Burton and strangely too ‘The Prestige’. Perhaps it’s because of the attention to detail and thoughtful message  despite the characters not even having said a word. A great piece of stop motion work! Christopher also made the short, “Zero” which shares the theme of birth and has that emotional undertone. You can find it by Clicking HERE.

As per the Youtube channel, "The Maker has screened at over 60 festivals and won 11 awards."

To support the short above, Follow the link HERE to The Maker website and Shop.

- Josh 

    

The buzz in certain corners of the internet has been that Taylor Momsen bared all for AMP Rock TV's “The Words”. Truth is that while that might be true at the studio where the video was shot, the clip contains no nudity that isn’t obscured and could well have been done with CG. The scene itself was done as art. Take a look for yourself:

AMP Rock TV's  'The Words' sounded like a great idea to me at first. The concept seemed simple enough – have artists speak the lyrics to their songs sans music, like a poem into the camera that focused on them and band members in an honest portrayal of the words.  Hell, the style is alluring – It’s minimalist and intimate, but watch it for any length of time and you’ll soon find out if the series of films are for you. While some might find that the artists playing with their hair and face are complimentary and expressive, I find it distracting.  The point is probably not to make a music video but to keep things stripped down; still I wonder what kind of different film art might have accompanied the words. Too I’d say that while the series is a welcomed venture outside of the music, there’s something about the way the lyrics mesh with the sounds of a song that really lift the music’s words beyond what could be expressed otherwise. 

So while 'The Words' doesn't have Taylor Momsen baring all, it does offer being: 

"Intimate, emotional, at times disturbing, but always powerful, 'The Words' presents the lyrics of a selection of the world's most influential bands and artists in a completely new way."

The above is taken straight from the AMP Rock TV website.

They have showcased Evanescence, Stone Sour, Korn, Marilyn Manson and more. Click through to Youtube for more. It's worth a look

- Josh

Friends of the Dark Opera, Donald and Mitchell of liquid comics (HERE) are putting on an exciting Art contest. That’s right, ART. That means, send in your drawings, painting, photograph… anything art! And first prize gets a printed out, hold in your hands, physical issue of their comic, signed! Pretty sweet deal if you ask me and it’s incentive to get you creating. Take a look over at THEIR WEBSITE for more details on the contest (There are pretty cool 2nd and 3rd place winner prizes).



                               http://liquidcomic.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/art-contest/



 Deadline's August 20th/2012. Check out their profile here under friends of the Dark Opera. It’s worth a look.

- Josh

Books have long been things that last pretty much forever, surviving many hundreds of years. In a way, words committed to a page are immortalized. 

Enter publishing house Eterna Cadencia with an intriguing twist about the things we took for granted in books above. What they came up with is a unique concept of a book with fading ink with the title, El Libro que no puede esperar (the book that can't wait).

Some will call it a gimmick or a silly idea. Personally I like the book. Unfortunately, If you fall into the same camp as I, you may be disappointed to find that contrary to what the video shows below, there is a lot of question as to if those books really even existed.

That aside, the idea is great, take a look.

You could use that idea in so many interesting ways to compliment the story within. Say if the story was about a character afraid that her written life's work would one day be forgotten and vanished. Wouldn't that be interesting how a reader would experience the anxiety in seeing the protagonist's worst fear come true.

What other ways could a story and the disappearing ink work together for a completely new experience?

- Josh

I've recently taken up cutting lino to make block prints and let me tell you, it's a lot harder than it looks. It's pretty rewarding mind you. 

I posted about Woodblock prints and ghost story telling traditions a little while back and thought that I would share some of these awesome Nintendo character Wood block prints. See if you can't name them all.

Pretty nice work. To get a sense of the time and effort involved, check out the youtube video below. If that kind of thing interests you, you can probably pick up the things you need to make your own at your local art supply store. I found everything I needed to get started here at "Endeavours" in Fredericton. 

 - Josh

Fangamer.net (HERE) has got some amazing posters and merchandize for you retro gamers out there.  What’s especially awesome is the Earthbound and Final Fantasy 6 posters (I’ve included pics below) they have up there now!

I can’t say enough good things about the business they run. The products are top quality and will make a great addition to your gaming room. Next on my list is that neat looking E-mug. Head over to their website for some more (Don’t worry, I’ll keep you posted if something interesting comes up for sale).

- Josh

So Pinterest is kind of cool... I recently jumped aboard the bandwagon and was working on a board when I came across a damn interesting artist. 

Now, when I think monsters and storybook type images I think Sendak (Where the Wild Things are). While these do have that storybook feel, they're something completely their own.  The artist's name is Don Kenn, who sometimes seems to be referred to as John Kenn. You can bet that his work can be creepy (and is probably what attracted me to it) and has a sombre feel. Take a look at some of these pics. They're great!

As per his blog HERE, John’s a writer and director for television shows for kids. He draws these bite sized wonders on pieces of Post-it notes (interesting medium use). Definitely take a look at his blog for more. Also, it looks like he’s got a book out called “Post-it Monsters”. The edition linked to his site is no longer in print but it looks like a deal will have it in a new edition in the future. I’m in.

- Josh