Five Must Have Horror Book Gifts For The Fan In Your Life For Christmas2014

That's right folks, with Christmas fast approaching, I thought that it might be helpful to give you guys a few little suggestions as words of advice when going Christmas shopping this Holiday season for the Horror fan in your life.

So with out further adieu:

5. Twilight, by: Stephenie Meyer:

A best selling Vampire romance novel series that was turned in to an extremely successful horror movie franchise.

Trust me when I say that recommending this novel for anything is not a particularly easy one, but the truth is, is I am sure you have heard of the movie... Well the movie is based on the book, and is one that would be a good gift for a fan of either, or is some one who is in to these types of horror novels.

4. It, by: Stephen King:

Don't let the terrifying clown on the book cover fool you... This book is a lot scarier then the clown is making it out to be!

To be honest with you guys, this novel certainly is not the best of Stephen King's body of works, but if you are looking for something for that Stephen King fan in your life for Christmas, and he or she has not read this one... Then this would be a good one to add to the ole shopping list!

3. The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, by: Robert Louis Stevenson:

One for the Victorian era Horror fan!

Now this one... This one, I am going to say this, this is a fantastic book, but unless your horror fan is in to older novels, then this may not be the one for him...

2. Desperation, by: Stephen King:

Here is a Stephen King book you can really sink your teeth in to!

The reason that I am mentioning both of these... And I am sure that if you get the Stephen King fan in your life a book this year that you are going to get them Desperation... The truth is, is I doubt you will be disappointed, but both books are one's I think the Stephen King fan in your life are going to like!

1. Psycho, by: Robert Bloch

A must for a horror fan!

This book... The movie is epic, the third book is amazing, this book... I haven't read yet... An error I assure you, but despite this fact, I can say that with confidence, the horror fan in your life is going to love this book!

I hope that this list helps when you are making your Christmas purchases this year!

Three Of The Earliest Monsters In Movies And The Books They Came From

Believe it or not, most of the monsters that made the modern horror movies what we have all come to love actually did not get there start in the movies... Yeah, it is true! As a matter of fact, I would say that some of the earliest monsters from the movies, actually got their starts in the imaginations of Victorian era authors like, 'Bram Stoker', or , 'Mary Shelley'!

And so I thought that you guys might enjoy this list of: Three Of The Earliest Monsters In Movies And The Books They Came From!

At number 3: Mr. Hyde.

In 1988, Anthony Perkins did a great job portraying Jack The Ripper as being Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde!

Now for most of you out there, you probably know Mr. Hyde from the role that some actor had... And if you are a big enough fan, you might have even seen Anthony Perkins (Psycho) play the role later in life! But before Anthony Perkins and the multitudes of actors that came before and after had the chance to play the role, the character was one of the central figures in the Robert Louis Stevenson novel: The Strange Case Of Doctor Jekyll And Mr. Hyde (1886)!

A truly horrific classic that has helped shape the world of the horror movie!

At number 2: Frankenstein's Monster.

Boris Karloff as, 'Frankenstein's Monster' in probably the most famous big screen adaption of Mary Shelley's novel!

A slightly more used figure in the world of the horror movie, the first time though Frankenstein's monster came to life was not in James Whale's classic movie but in the pages of the novel that had originally been written by Mary Shelley!

The book that the universal classic was made from!

At number 1: Orlok/Dracula.

Believe it or not, before any of these Dracula's came about, Dracula was first seen in the pages of Bram Stoker's original novel!

Most people tend to forget this, but, 'Dracula' was not the first, 'Dracula' movie to come out... No, no, you see, Bram Stoker's estate would not give them the rights to make the movie, so some inventive German Filmmaker decided to try to change just enough of the story so that they could make it... Thus, before Dracula there was Orlok... But before there was Orlok, there was Dracula in literary form!

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1912) - Movie Review

[caption id="attachment_325" align="alignright" width="263"] Official Score = 3 Devils[/caption]

You know what folks, besides the fact that I do enjoy writing these blogs and reviews for Hellinspace, I also feel that I have a duty almost as an archivist of the Horror and Science Fiction genre, to try and give you guys the most complete encylopedia (so to speak) of those two genres, and not give only a partiail representation (i,e... Not just doing modern movies, or books from the 80s and the like.)

No in this case I mean trying get a review up for the earliest Horror and Science Fiction movies to have come out, or the earliest heavy duty song that created the ancestry to heavy metal and the like...

That is just part of the reason why enjoyed, Dr. Jeykll & Mr. Hyde (1912)!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="320"] A surprisingly fun silent film![/caption]

Written by: Thomas Russell Sullivan & Directed by: Lucius Henderson (The Scarlet Mask). Starring: James Cruze (The Great Gabbo), Florence La Badie (The Return Of Draw Egan) & Marie Eline (Uncle Tom's Cabin).

This is the classic tale of Dr. Jeykll (James Cruze), who has a theory... That theory is that there is a specific drug cocktail that will specifically bring out the good and the bad in a person...

Well after he tries it out, he brings out, 'Mr. Hyde', his truly evil side out to play...

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"] One of the earliest Mr. Hyde's to grace the big screen![/caption]

Now during this time he ends up taking it a lot and after awhile he can't control the transformations... And what is worse, he finds the woman of his dreams (played by: Florence La Badie)!

So Doctor Jekyll is going have to figure out a way to stop the transformations from occurring before Mr. Hyde kills him and the woman he loves, as well as everyone else in the village!

In the end, I found this movie to be a lot of fun... I found it interesting in another aspect... Well there was definitely a horror angle to it... But this one was definitely set up more for the drama of it, and I imagine that women going to the theater in 1912 to see this movie probably cried a fair amount!
The only problem with this one is that it is dated, and unless you are a fan of Silent films (which I am quickly becoming,) then this movie probably is not the movie for you...

http://youtu.be/UqkeemU7fyk

5 Original Book Covers For 5 Original Horror Novels

[caption id="attachment_2722" align="aligncenter" width="450"] The modern horror villain![/caption]

We all recognize the modern day horror icons, like, 'Freddy Krueger', 'Jason Voorhees' and the like, we all also recognize those elements of horror that are not really horror but because of their standing still count... Like, 'Twilight'...

Oft times though I have come to realize that over the years a lot of people tend to not just forget about those amazing trailblazing icons of horror that made our modern villains possible... But the stories they came from as well!

So one of the things I like to do is to just kind of help people to remember the fact that if it wasn't for, 'Dracula', 'Team Jacob' & 'Team Edward' from, 'Twilight' would never have existed!

So please enjoy these 5 original book covers from 5 of the most prolific horror novels of all time!

5: Frankenstein Or, The Modern Prometheus (1818).

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="409"] A rare edition of, 'Frankenstein Or, The Modern Prometheus' from 1869![/caption]

4: Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1886).

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="409"] An early edition of, 'Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde' (1886)![/caption]

3: Dante's Inferno (1308 - 1321).

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="415"] A first edition of the translated, 'Dante's Inferno' circa 1880![/caption]

2: The Picture Of Dorian Gray (1890).

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="409"] A first edition copy of, 'The Picture Of Dorian Gray' circa 1890![/caption]

1: Dracula (1897).

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"] A first edition copy of Bram Stoker's 'Dracula (1897)![/caption]