Helen navigates a ravaged world with her boyfriend Kevin and her little brother Barney. Desperate to find help after Barney’s infection slowly turns him into a zombie, they come upon a house where lives Dan, a man harboring a heavy secret. (IMDB)
ALIVE is a decent, low-budget Zombie horror that might be a bit rough around edges, but which showcases the talents of those involved and I look forward to what Marantz and the team come up with next.
Read the full review at Ginger Nuts of Horror HERE
Monique ventures out of quarantine to visit an old friend who’s plagued by nightmares. She finds herself drawn into a hellish dreamscape where she must face her greatest fears – or risk never having existed at all.(IMDB)
So, having just recovered from COVID over Christmas and after everything that has gone on over the last few years, was a horror based around COVID really what I wanted to watch? Who knew? But I did, and I am glad I did.
Although The Harbinger from Andy Mitton (not to be confused by The Harbinger NOT from Andy Mitton) IS set during the COVID pandemic, it is not really ABOUT the pandemic. Or, at least, that is not the primary driver behind the story which is more an allegory about the lasting social impact of the Pandemic.
Monique (Gabby Beans) is isolating at home with her brother and father when she gets a call from an old friend who needs her help. Breaking her quarantine, Monique travels into the city and finds Mavis (Emily Davis) at the end of her tether, haunted by dreams that she is struggling to separate from reality and which seem to be being manipulated by someone in a plague doctor disguise. After Monique begins to see the same entity in her own dreams they discover the plague doctor is a demon, a Harbinger, identified by a demonlogist who has been researching it. The terrified domnologist reveals the demon is stealing people from the world and erasing all memories and traces of them.
As the story progresses, Mavis and Monique’s dreams get more and more frightening and harder and harder to discern from reality until both Monique and the audience are unsure if they are still dreaming or back in the real world. Some viewers may find that frustrating and there are a number of false “endings” and red-herrings before the films is over. Depending on your point of view you will either feel the story has come to a fitting end, or you will be annoyed by what some might consider to be loose ends.
This confusion is compounded by Monique who may not be the most reliable narrator and there have clearly been issues in her past that raise questions about her mental state. A hint at a suicide attempt and issues with her mental health suggest that we may not be able to trust everything from Monique’s perspective. Indeed, at one point, when Mavis questions why her friend would come all the way to see her and risk infection during lockdown, Monique simply says Mavis once saved her life, but we learn nothing more about what that might have entailed.
We don’t know for certain what is going on in Monique’s head or if, indeed, everything is going on in her head! But this adds layers to the story and makes it all the more intriguing for it.
For me, this perfectly reflected the theme of the film which explores the impacts of COVID and the effects of lockdown. Lockdown was a hard time for a lot of people and The Harbinger explores the collapse of social links and norms and the way in which many vulnerable people were forgotten about during lockdown. The disconnection of Mavis and Monique, the way the Harbinger’s victims are forgotten about and lost in time, reflects the isolation of lockdown. It’s not necessarily a subtle message, but it is delivered well, COVID being the background, rather than the constant focus of the film.
The Harbinger was an enjoyable horror, with a decent atmosphere, a few good scares and chills, and a good cast. The concept of dangerous dreams is hardly new, but The Harbinger had a decent stab at being its own thing and I enjoyed the watch. Some may find it a bit slow but, again, that is fitting for the style of film and the dreamy subject matter; it was not a negative for me. It is a bit confused towards the end as Monique slips in and out of dreams and we are never quite sure if she is asleep or what is reality, but this is deliberate and part of the story and it never put me off continuing to watch – it never felt gimicky. In fact, it probably warrants a second sitting to appreciate all the red-herrings, twists and turns. Although not quite enough was revealed about Monique’s past to truly figure out what is going on with her, a second viewing, armed with what we do learn, could make for an interesting follow-up.
The Harbinger is a decent low-budget chiller that is worth a worth a look if this sounds up your street!
The Harbinger comes to you from Signature Entertainment and is available to stream from 23rd January 2023
It’s that time of year again when everyone is hoping for a visit from Santa, rather from Krampus.
Have you been naughty or nice this year?
Maybe don’t answer that…
But, in celebration of an age-old tradition of telling spooky stories around the fire on Christmas Eve, I thought it would be fun to share another story, just like I did at Halloween, to set the scene for the coming festivities.
So settle in, grab a drink and indulge yourself with 5 minutes to read Isabella, a creepy tale of mistakes and revenge!
A shy man who works as a taxi driver because he can’t afford to live as a musician, meets a deaf girl dancer who is attracted to him despite his trouble communicating. (IMDB)
If slow burn, psychological thrillers are your thing, give it a whirl, there is a lot on offer in Out of this World, even if it didn’t push all my buttons.
Erin Goodman is the woman Cat wants to be when she’s older – smart, successful, and the best part? She’s earned it – nothing was ever handed to Erin on a plate, or to Cat.
But Erin doesn’t notice Cat. Not until something awful happens and Cat, finding herself in the right place at the right time, writes the article that goes viral. Now she’s got Erin’s attention.
The difference is, Cat knows Erin is onto her. And Cat is more than happy to toy with her colleague, especially if it gets her an even bigger story to report on.
In the game of cat and mouse, there can be only one winner.
Kill for It is a tight thriller that will keep you second-guessing Cat’s next move and, ultimately, ready for more from Lizzie.
In the second part of my little Halloween treat, I offer you SPIDER, a cautionary tale against the squashing of any bugs. This is probably the first short story I ever set out to write and, although it may well not be the most original, I have a soft spot for my early creation.
It was originally published in the Terror Bites anthology that is sadly no longer in print.
I hope you enjoy!
Click the above link, or head over to the Short Stories page to find it and where you will also be able to find yesterday’s revelation, TUNNEL.
PS – the spider in the picture above is Boris, my very own brachypelma boehmi, the Mexican Fireleg Tarantula.
Seeing as it is the Spooky Season, I thought it would be fun to post a couple of short stories as a creepy treat for Halloween. So, today and tomorrow, I will post a couple of shorts for your enjoyment!
Up today is TUNNEL a short story inspired by games we used to play as kids on long journeys in the car, a game we passed on to our own kids as we grew older. So far, I haven’t seen any of the monsters that lurk in the many road tunnels around the UK, but I always keep half an eye open, just in case…
Pop over to the Short Story section or click on the link above to find the story!
A failed YouTuber’s weekend in the Poconos turns into a nightmare when a demon joins the party.
While it won’t hold many surprises for fans of the genre who will recognise many of the tropes employed, it does take things in a slightly different direction than you might think.
So you’re a writer? You’ve written something. But what are you going to do with it?
If you ever get over the ‘everythjng I write is crap’ stage in your writing, you are going to want to get your words out there and in front of the people who can help you get your work published or made, depending on whether we are talking about short-stories, a novel, screenplays or poetry.
A disgraced internet personality attempts to win back his followers by livestreaming one night alone in a haunted house. But when he accidentally pisses off a vengeful spirit, his big comeback event becomes a real-time fight for his life.
Despite some small niggles, I had a laugh with Deadstream. It’s a fun film that doesn’t take itself seriously and is just out to entertain.
Dark Mark Writing 