Cyber-horror
January 3, 2019 7:33 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for media that combines cyberpunk with horror
I know cyberpunk on its own is often very dark but I'm looking for where it definitely combines with or merges into horror (preferably Lovecraftian type horror but not totally restricted to that).
Re media - my scope is very broad: so novels and short stories, film and tv, comics, anime, computer games, board games, illustration and art, even music.
I could give examples of stuff I know already but I want to keep it open and be surprised.
I know cyberpunk on its own is often very dark but I'm looking for where it definitely combines with or merges into horror (preferably Lovecraftian type horror but not totally restricted to that).
Re media - my scope is very broad: so novels and short stories, film and tv, comics, anime, computer games, board games, illustration and art, even music.
I could give examples of stuff I know already but I want to keep it open and be surprised.
You should play >observer_ and Soma.
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 8:03 AM on January 3, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 8:03 AM on January 3, 2019 [3 favorites]
eXistenZ - Cronenberg again
Tetsuo: The Iron Man - Shinya Tsukamoto
posted by crocomancer at 8:12 AM on January 3, 2019 [5 favorites]
Tetsuo: The Iron Man - Shinya Tsukamoto
posted by crocomancer at 8:12 AM on January 3, 2019 [5 favorites]
Shinya Tsukamoto's Tetsuo trilogy comes to mind. Tetsuo the Iron Man, Tetsuo II: Body Hammer, and Tetsuo the Bullet Man.
damn it, crocomancer!
posted by Naberius at 8:14 AM on January 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
damn it, crocomancer!
posted by Naberius at 8:14 AM on January 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
While lots of "Black Mirror" comes to mind for this, I think you're looking for Season 3, Episode 2, "Playtest".
posted by hanov3r at 8:15 AM on January 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by hanov3r at 8:15 AM on January 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
I would broadly recommend the music of Front Line Assembly. It expresses cynicism about humanity and it's ultimate moral potential, along with an interest in failed/sick systems, warfare, and technology. I love them because I feel that they get what The Future has turned out to be, and probably will continue to be, since we turn every new tech marvel into another instrument of inhumanity. The dark flipside of the beloved upbeat Black Mirror episode San Junipero is their "Electric Dreams."
posted by heatvision at 8:37 AM on January 3, 2019
posted by heatvision at 8:37 AM on January 3, 2019
How about Eclipse Phase? It's not quite cyberpunk, more transhumanism, but has the horror angle down pat.
posted by Alensin at 8:57 AM on January 3, 2019
posted by Alensin at 8:57 AM on January 3, 2019
To a certain extent Metal Gear Solid 5 does this.
You've presumably already fallen down the H.R. Giger rabbit hole.
Heavy Metal in its heyday quite often featured stories with aspects of cyberpunk and horror.
Hard Boiled (written by Frank Miller) and Shaolin Cowboy, both illustrated by the fabulous Geoff Darrow.
Not exactly cyberpunk, but Matt Ruff's Lovecraft Country is essentially the Chthulu mythos meets Jim Crow, which scratches that itch for me somewhat.
posted by aspersioncast at 9:00 AM on January 3, 2019
You've presumably already fallen down the H.R. Giger rabbit hole.
Heavy Metal in its heyday quite often featured stories with aspects of cyberpunk and horror.
Hard Boiled (written by Frank Miller) and Shaolin Cowboy, both illustrated by the fabulous Geoff Darrow.
Not exactly cyberpunk, but Matt Ruff's Lovecraft Country is essentially the Chthulu mythos meets Jim Crow, which scratches that itch for me somewhat.
posted by aspersioncast at 9:00 AM on January 3, 2019
Benjamin Rosenbaum's short story "Feature Development for Social Networking" may be of interest.
posted by ryanshepard at 9:56 AM on January 3, 2019
posted by ryanshepard at 9:56 AM on January 3, 2019
* Serial Experiment Lain
* Psycho Pass
* Ergo Proxy
posted by lemon_icing at 10:21 AM on January 3, 2019 [3 favorites]
* Psycho Pass
* Ergo Proxy
posted by lemon_icing at 10:21 AM on January 3, 2019 [3 favorites]
Pi is described as a "psychological thriller," but it felt like techno horror to me, if not true cyberpunk.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 10:22 AM on January 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 10:22 AM on January 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
I think the TV show Orphan Black definitely fits here though the horror is mostly body horror.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 10:28 AM on January 3, 2019
posted by rabbitrabbit at 10:28 AM on January 3, 2019
Upgrade. The horror element comes late in the movie.
posted by Sunburnt at 10:28 AM on January 3, 2019
posted by Sunburnt at 10:28 AM on January 3, 2019
It's a little out there, but the collected writings of the CCRU (Cybernetic Culture Research Unit) are a strange mix of cyber-accelerationism and lovecraftian weirdness.
Its not mind-blowingly great writing, but it _might_ scratch that specific itch.
posted by shanek at 2:27 PM on January 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
Its not mind-blowingly great writing, but it _might_ scratch that specific itch.
posted by shanek at 2:27 PM on January 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
As a foundational text of cyberpunk, maybe it’s a bit obvious, but Akira has strong horror elements - the ancient psychic children, Kaneda’s arm, etc.
posted by chappell, ambrose at 3:09 PM on January 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by chappell, ambrose at 3:09 PM on January 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for all of those! Crazy busy at the moment but will come back later with further comments etc
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:29 AM on January 8, 2019
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 2:29 AM on January 8, 2019
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posted by miltthetank at 7:35 AM on January 3, 2019 [2 favorites]