Looking for arctic horrors
February 16, 2011 5:19 PM Subscribe
Looking for more arctic horror in the vein of The Thing (and the offshoot X-files episode Ice) and Mountains of Madness.
There is something I love about scary + arctic. After finishing the Mountain of Madness I'm hungry for more. Any good stories, books, films, or shows I should check out?
There is something I love about scary + arctic. After finishing the Mountain of Madness I'm hungry for more. Any good stories, books, films, or shows I should check out?
Frankenstein, at least in part.
posted by Andrhia at 5:32 PM on February 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Andrhia at 5:32 PM on February 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
If I were a pedantic person, I would point out that The Terror is Antarctic horror, not Arctic. But I'm not pedantic, so phew!
Anyway: I recommend everything Jack London ever wrote.
And, um, maybe Julie of the Wolves? I mean it's not horror per se, but.
posted by ErikaB at 6:20 PM on February 16, 2011
Anyway: I recommend everything Jack London ever wrote.
And, um, maybe Julie of the Wolves? I mean it's not horror per se, but.
posted by ErikaB at 6:20 PM on February 16, 2011
I immediately thought The Terror when I read your question, and I see others feel the same way. So, +1 for that fantastic book!
posted by zombieApoc at 6:23 PM on February 16, 2011
posted by zombieApoc at 6:23 PM on February 16, 2011
Arctic is right, yo. The Terror and the Erebus were looking for the Northwest Passage.
posted by 2bucksplus at 6:32 PM on February 16, 2011
posted by 2bucksplus at 6:32 PM on February 16, 2011
I've always liked The Thing, in particular the scene where they all stand outside, and point out that they don't know who is "bad", nor do we as viewers.
One of the b-grade movies I watched recently had an element of that. Damned if I can remember what it was though.. Pandorium? 9 miles below? Dark Lurking? Ah well, it wasn't a good movie, but it did have hints at some of the good parts of The Thing.
posted by lundman at 6:50 PM on February 16, 2011
One of the b-grade movies I watched recently had an element of that. Damned if I can remember what it was though.. Pandorium? 9 miles below? Dark Lurking? Ah well, it wasn't a good movie, but it did have hints at some of the good parts of The Thing.
posted by lundman at 6:50 PM on February 16, 2011
It's non-fiction, but a gruesome story is of the Greely expedition in 1881 (USA).
posted by Bunsen Betty at 7:03 PM on February 16, 2011
posted by Bunsen Betty at 7:03 PM on February 16, 2011
Also, I just watched "Ice" from X-Files a few days ago and thought..."What an amazing movie plot." Dag.
posted by Bunsen Betty at 7:05 PM on February 16, 2011
posted by Bunsen Betty at 7:05 PM on February 16, 2011
Not really scary but one of my favorites, Doctor Who: The Seeds of Doom
posted by Quonab at 7:24 PM on February 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Quonab at 7:24 PM on February 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
I kind of liked the 1980 film Virus when I saw it a couple months ago. It's post-apocalyptic sci-fi not horror.
posted by jackmakrl at 7:32 PM on February 16, 2011
posted by jackmakrl at 7:32 PM on February 16, 2011
My favorite section of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, is a brilliant bit set in WWII Antartica. While it is not quite true horror, it does have horrific and survivalist elements.
posted by nikitabot at 7:34 PM on February 16, 2011
posted by nikitabot at 7:34 PM on February 16, 2011
Another non-fiction suggestion: The Worst Journey in the World. Unutterably tragic.
posted by gerls at 7:43 PM on February 16, 2011
posted by gerls at 7:43 PM on February 16, 2011
Whiteout (the graphic novel, not the regrettable Kate Beckinsale adaptation.)
posted by kagredon at 8:34 PM on February 16, 2011
posted by kagredon at 8:34 PM on February 16, 2011
If non-fiction works, Endurance - about Shackelton's ill-fated voyage to the Antarctic - ought to fit the bill nicely.
And it's not quite horror, but David Zindell's Neverness is about as ice-choked as you can get. I get a chill in my bones just thinking about it.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 10:19 PM on February 16, 2011
And it's not quite horror, but David Zindell's Neverness is about as ice-choked as you can get. I get a chill in my bones just thinking about it.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 10:19 PM on February 16, 2011
And at least two of the stories in Alastair Reynolds' Galactic North are pretty ice-bound and chilling (in both senses of the word). One is the appropriately named "Glacial." The other is the very creepy "Spy in Europa," set in the freezing waters just below the moon of Europa's icy crust.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 10:24 PM on February 16, 2011
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 10:24 PM on February 16, 2011
The Terror was the first thing to come to my mind. Barrow's Boys is a great non-fiction book that covers the search for the Northwest Passage well.
Victim of the Aurora by Thomas Keneally, author of Schindler's List, is an antarctic thriller that can be spooky at times.
posted by Crashback at 10:51 PM on February 16, 2011
Victim of the Aurora by Thomas Keneally, author of Schindler's List, is an antarctic thriller that can be spooky at times.
posted by Crashback at 10:51 PM on February 16, 2011
30 Days of Night - arctic Alaska, vampires, some gorgeous cinematography, totally hokey.
posted by AFII at 1:15 AM on February 17, 2011
posted by AFII at 1:15 AM on February 17, 2011
Not Arctic horror, but Antarctic suspense: you might enjoy Rucka & Lieber's Whiteout graphic novels. They are far superior to the recent film adaptation, I'm told, so read 'em first if you think you might be tempted to watch the movie.
posted by mumkin at 1:19 AM on February 17, 2011
posted by mumkin at 1:19 AM on February 17, 2011
Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow has something of the feel of a horror novel, although it's more crime/suspense really.
posted by crocomancer at 4:30 AM on February 17, 2011
posted by crocomancer at 4:30 AM on February 17, 2011
Dave Wolverton has a story i read in Hartwell's Year's Best SF 2 called After a Lean Winter. It takes place during the alien invasion described in War of the Worlds and it's written in the style of Jack London. It also appears to be online. (Part One, Part Two)
posted by dgeiser13 at 5:55 AM on February 17, 2011
posted by dgeiser13 at 5:55 AM on February 17, 2011
30 Days of Night - arctic Alaska, vampires, some gorgeous cinematography, totally hokey.
It's based on a pretty decent graphic novel, so you should prolly read that first (or second, depending on how you like to do these things).
Well fuck you too!
posted by thsmchnekllsfascists at 7:53 AM on February 17, 2011
It's based on a pretty decent graphic novel, so you should prolly read that first (or second, depending on how you like to do these things).
Well fuck you too!
posted by thsmchnekllsfascists at 7:53 AM on February 17, 2011
Not arctic exactly (and not really horror either) but snow/winter and isolation plays a large role in the vampire flicks Let The Right One In and the US remake Let Me In. Let Me In is more graphic. Or read the book, which is excellent.
posted by elendil71 at 9:31 AM on February 17, 2011
posted by elendil71 at 9:31 AM on February 17, 2011
Just another vote for The Terror - best book I read last year. Unbelievably good.
posted by silverstatue at 1:57 PM on February 17, 2011
posted by silverstatue at 1:57 PM on February 17, 2011
If a thriller is close enough to count as horror, you might like (Dan Brown warning) Deception Point.
From the Amazon.com summary: "President Zachary Herney is facing a very tough reelection. His opponent, Senator Sedgwick Sexton, is a powerful man with powerful friends and a mission: to reduce NASA's spending and move space exploration into the private sector. The embattled president is assured that a rare object buried deep in the Arctic ice will prove to have far-reaching implications on America's space program. The find, however, needs to be verified."
posted by Nixy at 10:48 PM on February 20, 2011
From the Amazon.com summary: "President Zachary Herney is facing a very tough reelection. His opponent, Senator Sedgwick Sexton, is a powerful man with powerful friends and a mission: to reduce NASA's spending and move space exploration into the private sector. The embattled president is assured that a rare object buried deep in the Arctic ice will prove to have far-reaching implications on America's space program. The find, however, needs to be verified."
posted by Nixy at 10:48 PM on February 20, 2011
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posted by WidgetAlley at 5:21 PM on February 16, 2011 [4 favorites]