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Comment on this latest article in @RyanF 's alternate horror series.
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An Alternate History of Horror. Part XVI: Behind the Sofa
- Thread starter David Flin
- Start date
- Location
- North Alabama
Well this article was a trip down memory lane given the afternoons of my childhood spent watching Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Eerie, Indiana, So Weird, and Goosebumps. I watched many of them with my Mom who is a horror fan, much to my dad's chagrin as he thought the genre and those shows were dumb. Didn't stop him (probably at my mom's coaxing) buying my brother and I books and VHS types from Goosebumps for Christmas over a couple of years.
That said, the Doctor Who fan in me would like to point out that State of Decay aired during JN-T's first season in 1980 rather than under Williams' watch. Though it was originally commissioned (in a different form) by Williams and Robert Holmes. The Louis Jordan Dracula put paid to that version, of course.
That said, the Doctor Who fan in me would like to point out that State of Decay aired during JN-T's first season in 1980 rather than under Williams' watch. Though it was originally commissioned (in a different form) by Williams and Robert Holmes. The Louis Jordan Dracula put paid to that version, of course.
Galaxy of Fear! YEEAAHHH!!!
In recent years, Goosebumps has had new and reprinted books while Spooksville reprints dropped off after the first few. So there's something Stine has that still resonates with today's kids.
Speaking of, re Shock, when I first read about it, I saw Karloff at the time saying he didn't think the sophisticated modern audiences will be interested. They were very interested!
Speaking of, re Shock, when I first read about it, I saw Karloff at the time saying he didn't think the sophisticated modern audiences will be interested. They were very interested!
- Location
- NYC (né Falkirk)
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- he/him
Well this article was a trip down memory lane given the afternoons of my childhood spent watching Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Eerie, Indiana, So Weird, and Goosebumps. I watched many of them with my Mom who is a horror fan, much to my dad's chagrin as he thought the genre and those shows were dumb. Didn't stop him (probably at my mom's coaxing) buying my brother and I books and VHS types from Goosebumps for Christmas over a couple of years.
The 1990s were a high watermark for that sort of content, though I still can't hit upon a single reason. Eerie, Indiana might have been Twin Peaks for kids, but it didn't usher in a raft of imitators. Ditto So Weird as The X-Files for kids. Goosebumps became a genuine cultural phenomenon but Are You Afraid of the Dark? preceded the books on television by six years. Considering that Hollywood horror films were in something of a doldrum it wasn't as though the efforts aimed at young adults were riding the coattails of the mainstream.
That said, the Doctor Who fan in me would like to point out that State of Decay aired during JN-T's first season in 1980 rather than under Williams' watch. Though it was originally commissioned (in a different form) by Williams and Robert Holmes. The Louis Jordan Dracula put paid to that version, of course.
Correct, that should be "the era of Williams and his successor". I actually forgot too that it was originally commissioned under Williams/Holmes.
Galaxy of Fear! YEEAAHHH!!!
Yeah, see when Star Wars is at the height of its popularity in terms of spin-offs and they rip you off, you know you're doing something right.
In recent years, Goosebumps has had new and reprinted books while Spooksville reprints dropped off after the first few. So there's something Stine has that still resonates with today's kids.
They're still making spin-offs and try every few years for a new film or series, I think it has a nice balance between nostalgic fans and creating new ones with the continuing books. Just another 200 million books until it overtakes Harry Potter and reclaims its rightful place!
History doesn't repeat but it rhymes, there were people saying that about Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at the time of its 1920 silent film adaptation.Speaking of, re Shock, when I first read about it, I saw Karloff at the time saying he didn't think the sophisticated modern audiences will be interested. They were very interested!