Hi people. I’m J.G. Clay; the new nightmare from the U.K. I have a Top 10 for you. I like doing Top 10s. The only problem I have is that they can change from week to week. However, there’s one Top 10 that never does – My personal favourite Scary/Horrifying moments from both the large and small. The following scenes are still guaranteed to send a shiver down my spine at the very least.
10. ‘The Space Dragon Feeds’ – Space: 1999 ‘Dragon’s Den.
I’ve actually written a guest blog piece about this particular instance (which can be found here: http://bit.ly/1haRLOQ). But just to break it down – crew of spaceship find derelict craft. They go onto craft. They are consumed and then spat out as smoking corpses by a screaming many tentacle monsters. Horrifying for a 9 year old. I never watched that episode again.
9. ‘The Peking Homonculus – Doctor Who ‘Talons of Weng Chiang’
Staying with British science fiction, I give you Mr Sin, The Peking Homonculus. An android puppet with a pig’s cerebral cortex, this Asian cousin of Chucky not only threatens the Doctor and his companion, Leela, with a large knife. We also learn during the story that the awful little puppet killed the children of a future Government official who thought he was a toy. A memorable monster from a memorable show.
8. ‘If Thine Face Offend Thee, Then Pull It off’ – Poltergeist
Why, Mr Spielberg? Just why? The original ‘Poltergeist was meant to be a ’15’ rating. This scene tipped it well over that. And proceeded to scare the living s**t out of me. I’ve never forgiven Spielberg or Tobe Hooper for this. This scene proves that we were harder in the Eighties than we are now. Which leads me nicely to…..
7. ‘This Is What Happens When You Leave A Nazi In The Sun’ – Raiders of the Lost Ark
Toht. A horrible slimy Gestapo agent with a nice line in glasses, snappy head gear and gooiness. It’s not the actual effect that always disturbed me. It’s the gurgling scream as the remains of his head flow down his throat.
6. ‘You heard the Man, You Know The Drill’- City of The Living Dead
Giovanni Radice Lombardo ¬– also known as John Morghen – had the distinction of being Italy’s go to guy for nasty deaths. He is the unfortunate man in ‘Cannibal Ferox’ who lost his manhood and the top of his head to a cannibal tribe, as well as being shotgun blasted in Cannibal Apocalypse, beaten and humiliated in House at The Edge of The Park and left hideously scarred in the 2006 remake of The Omen. However, it’s this star turn as the victim of a head drilling that has always stuck in my mind (bad pun alert).
5. ‘One, Two, Freddy’s Coming For You’ – A Nightmare On Elm Street
At one point, both the King Of Cinematic Killers and Extremely Bloody irritating, Freddy Krueger’s first outing was a masterpiece. His very first appearance where his arms are far too long is unnerving. A shame that he became he became a bit over the top in later outings.
(really??? you had to go with Freddy...arg...that's my biggest horror movie nightmare, I was way too young to watch it when I did and it never left me, never...just the sound of 'one two..." sends shivers down my spine!!! ~WN)
4. ‘My Tummy (John) Hurts’ –Alien
John Hurt – Chest Burster. What more needs to be said?
3. ‘That Face You Make….’ – An American Werewolf In London
I am utterly terrified by that face. In a film chock full of shocks, this is the scene that had me screaming and running from the living room the first time I saw it on VHS. To add to the fun, some bright spark has now released a line of T-Shirts and Hooded Tops with this face on. Thanks a bunch.
(I tried sharing this movie with my daughter- she loves horror movies. I don't think she appreciated the 80s cheesiness of this film and I didn't remember how chessy it was either- of course the last time I watched it I was a child- LOL- yes I watched too many horror films as a kid. Could explain why I am so warped now ;-) ~WN
2. ‘No Tears Please’ – Hellraiser
Not so much scary as fascinating. Doug Bradley’s regal performance as the Priest of Pain is amazing, especially in some of the sequels which are just rubbish horror films guest starring Pinhead. His debut, however, is still one the best performances I have ever seen in a horror film. A Salute for Mr Bradley.
1. ‘It’s weird and p***ed off, whatever it is’-The Thing
I can’t pick one singular moment in this masterclass of terror. The whole film still unnerves me, even after repeated viewing. An amazing film that had stood the test of time.
So there you have it, folks. My favourite scares of all time. I hope you’ve enjoyed this as much as I have. Until the next time, farewell.
Tales of Blood and Sulphur:
Apocalypse Minor
Tales of Blood and Sulphur
Volume One
J.G. Clay
Genre: Horror
Publisher: Forsaken
Date of Publication: 24th July, 2015
ISBN: 978-1513701998
ASIN: 978-1513701998
Number of pages: 212
Word Count: 77,000 words approx.
Cover Artist: Ashley Ruggirello
Book Description:
Eleven Tales steeped in Blood and reeking of Sulphur
J.G Clay takes you on a journey through the voids of Reality and into dark places where demons, mutants and inter-dimensional creatures taunt, taint and corrupt Humanity. Survival is not guaranteed, sanity is not assured and death lurks in every corner. These are the Tales of Blood and Sulphur: Apocalypse Minor; eleven twisted tales of terror and mayhem..... There are cracks in the skin of Reality.
Some are microscopic, others are as wide as a four-lane motorway. As the fault lines increase and widen, the door to our world shines like a beacon in the darkness, a warm and inviting sight to others beyond our understanding. When They cross over into our realm, The Tales begin...... A gambler taking one last desperate throw of the dice. A struggling writer making an unholy alliance. An eternal being fighting to stay alive in the financial capital of India. A man burdened with a terrible town secret. The Law Enforcers who must never cry. The End of Days live and direct from the rural heartland of England.
The blood is warm, the sulphur is burning, the tales will be told, the Apocalypse Minor is imminent!
Kindle US Paperback US Kindle UK Paperback UK Nook
Excerpt:
‘Above them, the azure of the sky was torn by a crack. It was difficult to accurately measure how large the hole was. The more the reporter concentrated on it, the more it seemed to shift and blur as if it knew that the men below were observing and measuring it. It seemed to flatten, then expand and then flatten again, growing wider with every expansion. Thin filaments of stuff poked through the hole, questing and searching the space around it before disappearing back.
It’s tasting the air. The thought startled him. It wasn’t alive whatever it was. Strange, certainly. Unexpected? Most definitely. But not alive. This was one for the scientists. He would make his report, get Murray to air it, and leave it with people far more qualified and clever than he. Reporting from the Twilight Zone wasn’t in his remit, at all.
As he watched, the crack opened up, wider this time.
Silence. It was total, suffocating.
Even the birds had stopped singing.
The hairs on J.D’s neck raised in stiff salute as the atmosphere became heavy with expectation.
He heard the men shuffling nervously behind him. His annoyance grew as tried to mask his own fear. It was time to take control of this situation. Wasn’t that what Quigley would do?
He turned, an angry look on his face.
“What the fuck’s the matter with—”
A low groaning stopped him dead. It boomed from the sky, echoing around them. Mac’s eyes widened, Mullen became pale. Earl raised a quizzical eyebrow but that was the extent of his response. He wasn’t an emotional sort. He was too stoned anyway.
The groaning sound continued for a moment before tailing off into an ear splitting keening. J.D. clapped his hands to his ears as the pitch became too intense to bear. It was no use. The sound seeped through his hands as if they were not there. Pain spiked behind his eyes. He screamed, sinking to his knees. The pitch became higher, rattling the filling in his molars. He felt a warm gush as the blood vessels in his nose let go. The world canted sideways, then became dark. He keeled over.
“Wake up, man, wake up.”
He groaned, pushing away the insistent hands that kept shoving and shaking him.
“No school today, mum. It’s a holiday.” He mumbled incoherently as hands dragged him up to a sitting position.
“J.D, shape up, man.”
Annoyed, the reporter lashed out groggily. A hand smashed his cheek, whipping his head to the side. Clarity returned to him, the slap stinging his face. He looked around. Sickening pain lanced his head, reaching a crescendo before subsiding into a low level buzz. His vision clearing, he noticed a peculiar tint to the daylight. The world looked greener than before.
Have I had a stroke or something?
He moved his legs and arms and looked up. Mac crouched in front of him, his face pale, almost beige. His lips and chin were coated with crimson, trails of blood leading from his nose. They all had nosebleeds, it seemed. Mac’s eyes were large, agitated and lined with red.
“Thank fuck you’re awake. Look man, we’ve gotta get the fuck out of here. That thing’s got even bigger.” His voice was panicky, the words tumbling out in a rush.
Irritated and groggy, J.D. pushed him away and struggled to his feet. His senses cleared and returned, but the green tint to the daylight remained. Mac spun him around, pointing back to the strange portal.
“Look at that. You can’t tell me that’s normal.”
J.D. looked up.
What the ever-living fuck is going on here? His mouth dropped open at the sight above them.
The crack had increased in size and become rounder, yet jagged. A rotten, emerald light spilled from the hole in the sky. He felt relieved. He wasn’t having a stroke. The relief evaporated. There were sounds coming from the hole, slithering squelching sounds. He gulped, turning to the others. Earl had his boom mike raised, headphones on, his face blank as he recorded. Mac looked terrified, as did the farmer. J.D. stepped up to him, his face within kissing distance. He jerked a thumb toward the hole.
“That noise! Is that what you heard last night?” Mullen merely nodded, his face ashen, his lips moving in a soundless incantation. The man was very close to losing his mind. The squelching became a fraction louder. The reporter considered his options. This was beyond the scope of any of them. Maybe it was better to let the authorities take care of it. Or maybe it was the biggest chance ever gifted to a struggling, disrespected, low-level reporter. The idea appealed. This could be the event that would propel him past his smug rival and his horrid boss.
He looked over at Mac. “Have you called it in?”
Mac shook his head.
“Why not?”
The darker skinned man snorted in disbelief, gesturing at the green tear. “Have you fucking seen what’s going on? What’s the point of calling it in to Murray? I called the police.” Mac really must have been terrified. He had no love for the boys in blue.
“What did they say?”
The camera man shrugged. “That they were aware of the situation and that the army was on their way. People can see the light as far away as Leicester, Kettering, even Brum. When I told them about the other stuff, the guy on the phone said, and I quote, “what stuff?’”
J.D. turned this over in his mind. They were at the epicentre of this, able to see clearly what others at a distance could not. The footage shot would be pure gold.’
About the Author:
J.G Clay was born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire on Halloween night, 1973. By sheer coincidence, it was the night of the full moon. The man was tailor made for the Horror Genre. A life-long horror and science fiction fan, he has written for his own amusement since his teenage years, taking time off to do the usual things that adolescent boys do and growing up disgracefully. Now in his forties, he has returned to his passion for the dark, the weird and the twisted. Tales of Blood and Sulphur is his first foray into the world of the Author but rest assured, there are plenty more stories to come. The man has a plan and he is out to scare the world, the solar system and beyond. Off duty, he has a passion for music, films and Birmingham City FC. He can also hold down a half decent bassline. J.G lives with his wife and step-daughter in Rothwell, Northamptonshire – the heart of the English countryside, an idyllic setting but a strange one to find a Nightmare Child of Halloween.
1 comment:
Thank you for letting me share my Top 10 scariest moments. Sorry about including Freddy as well 😊
J.G
Post a Comment