|
|
Post by strangewind on Jan 22, 2008 11:19:27 GMT -5
There's an interesting article at Breakpoint about how, at the heart of a great horror movie is an unapologetic, overt moral. Very interesting to me, as I've always thought that good monsters speak to the spirit, and a well told tale of terror will, by definition, instruct us in moral conduct. The article is here: www.breakpoint.org/listingarticle.asp?ID=7353 |
|
|
|
Post by Jeff Gerke on Jan 23, 2008 8:19:17 GMT -5
I agree. I think horror and fantasy are the two most natural (or should I say supernatural?) genres for Christian writers. Nowhere else is good and evil and the consequences of your wrong choices so clearly the topic of discussion.
Jeff
|
|
|
|
Post by Divides the Waters on Jan 23, 2008 10:37:58 GMT -5
*Nods* My own novel has elements of both. I think Peretti addressed this somewhat in his book, No More Bullies (previously titled The Wounded Spirit).
|
|
|
|
Post by rwley on Jan 23, 2008 11:05:12 GMT -5
Think of this, too. What is a zombie but a dead man that won't stay down? What is our "old man" that Paul speaks of but our own old sin nature that won't stay down? Most of as Christians walk around like zombies because we won't put that old man to death once and for all. We keep allowing him to rise up and take over again.
While horror, in today's form, is not a movie form I like, I do like the old genre. Lon Chaney, Vincent Price, etc. That kind of horror is definitely worth seeing for the message it holds, not just its entertainment value. Today's horror is all about gore and no message that I can discern past the shock value.
Fantasy is such a great genre for the same reason. It truly shows how evil corrupts. Whether by accident or design, the misuse and abuse of "magic" destroys and divides. Only truth wins out in the end. I think that was on the things I like about Terry Brooks' The Sword of Shannara. The sword's magic was truth. Evil could not stand in the face of truth.
We have our own sword of truth, the Word. Nothing can stand in the face of the truth.
|
|
|
|
Post by myrthman on Jan 24, 2008 2:03:53 GMT -5
I suddenly have an Audio Adrenaline song stuck in my head. Love it!
|
|
|
|
Post by strangewind on Jan 24, 2008 13:05:54 GMT -5
Speaking of biblical monsters, Sue Dent has a book out called Never Ceese, which follows the struggle of Christian werewolves and vampires. I haven't read the book, but it looks interesting. I should probably direct us to the book's site, since I don't know much more about the book: www.suedent.net |
|
|
|
Post by Jeff Gerke on Jan 24, 2008 14:10:18 GMT -5
Sue has even visited The Anamoly to comment when we were talking about Never Ceese before.
Jeff
|
|
Therin
Junior Member
Forward the frontier.
Posts: 99
|
Post by Therin on Jan 27, 2008 23:23:42 GMT -5
Christian Werewolves? that's cool! I've always been partial to wolfmen.
I'm currently working on my own vampire story in which the vampires are an evil race made by... I haven't quite figured it all out, but one of the main characters is a strong Christian and is able to combat the vampires through his faith. It needs a lot of work, and is currently on the back burner, but I think it's going to be a pretty cool story.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jeff Gerke on Jan 28, 2008 8:22:21 GMT -5
Awesome.
|
|
|
|
Post by Divides the Waters on Jan 28, 2008 11:30:08 GMT -5
I played with the vampire mythos a bit with my novel, Bid the Gods Arise. Rather than being a mortal cursed with immortality (or "un-death"), I thought it would be interesting to take Psalm 82:7 ("nevertheless, you shall die like men"), and apply it to an immortal race cursed with mortality. They are a blight on the land, and live a wretched existence, but will do anything to prolong their lives; their constant desire is to regain their former exaulted status. So they're a kind of fallen angel that preys upon the living.
Christian werewolves ... now that's an interesting metaphor. How to "tame the beast"--die to self, live for Christ....
Some possibilities there.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jeff Gerke on Jan 29, 2008 8:31:18 GMT -5
Shades of Jekyll and Hyde.
|
|
|
|
Post by Divides the Waters on Jan 30, 2008 0:38:57 GMT -5
Or Peretti's THE OATH. Instead of a black stain over the heart, a beast taking over from within. My favorite movie used to be THE FLY (I was a sick kid; I know). I thought its theme of losing humanity was fascinating, particularly as I was an adolescent as I first saw it, and could identify with becoming something else, and having those changes be out of my control. The notion of an id, as it were, that threatened to take over not just the soul but the body--it could work. Certainly as a metaphor for sin, at the very least. I'm currently working on my own vampire story in which the vampires are an evil race made by... I haven't quite figured it all out, but one of the main characters is a strong Christian and is able to combat the vampires through his faith. It needs a lot of work, and is currently on the back burner, but I think it's going to be a pretty cool story. One of the things that has always bothered me is the notion that vampires can be vanquished or repelled by symbols. To me, symbols are useless unless they are actually representative of something real (I've used a variation of the Passover for BTGA). Take, for instance, the traditional "vampires repelled by a cross" motif. I think it would be interesting to see a Christian repell a vampire (either with or without a cross) merely by the power and authority of Christ, and then have a non-Christian try the same thing (probably relying on a cross), and be killed by the vampire. Remember: "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?" The notion of demonically-increased longevity has a certain validity, especially in a Christian take on the vampire mythos. Why not simply have a person who has made a Dorian Gray meets Faust sort of bargain ... the cost of his/her youth is the blood of the living? |
|
|
|
Post by Sue Dent on Feb 5, 2008 17:55:18 GMT -5
Ah, strangewind, I see you found Mr. Gerke. Are you sure he allows Ogres on his site. What's that? You're undercover? Oh, sorry. *like the big feet didn't give it away* ;D
What a neat name for a thread. Frankensteins Gospel.
Hey, Jeff, I just wanted to let you know that it looks like I'm going to get to go to Comic-Con again this year. At least, my books and maybe me if I can swing that. Weren't you going to be set up there or maybe my facts are all messed up as usual. If so, we'd probably be in the same venue, the small press tent pavillion.
Anyway hey to strangewind. And Forever Richard, published by TWCP, will be out this year. Ehhhhh, I don't blame you if you don't believe me but this time it's true.
Oh and Jeff, the forum looks great!
|
|
|
|
Post by Jeff Gerke on Feb 6, 2008 8:38:21 GMT -5
Thanks, Sue, and welcome back to The Anomaly.
I went to ComicCON in 2007 and spent a lot of time with the indie publishers. Great group. You'll love it. It doesn't look like I'll be getting there this time. Marcher Lord Press books won't be available until after ComicCON. However, there might be some connection between MLP and the 2009 ComicCON--but I'm telling no secrets just yet.
Congratulations on the upcoming release of Forever Richard.
Jeff
|
|
|
|
Post by Divides the Waters on Feb 6, 2008 22:05:15 GMT -5
Sue ... any relation to Arthur?  |
|
