Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

**Frownland** · 02-04-2012, 07:48 PM

I felt that the fairly unscary ones were made vivid and terrifying by the accompaniment of the amazing illustrations.

On the note of recalling emotions from when you were a young child, whenever I smell mothballs I feel like I'm about to get in trouble or something because the principal's office at my elementary school always smelled like mothballs. I was somewhat of a frequent flyer, so that response has been branded within my brain.

CanwllCorfe · 02-04-2012, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

I felt that the fairly unscary ones were made vivid and terrifying by the accompaniment of the amazing illustrations. .

Yeah this is how I feel too. I remember Oh Susannah was pretty scary, but the fact that the illustration looked right out of a nightmare and completely unrelated to the story made it feel so much more terrifying.

Paedantic Basterd · 02-04-2012, 08:07 PM

I have a bunch of these stockpiled for avatars because I adore them, but I don't think I can bring myself to use them now, hehe.

CanwllCorfe · 02-04-2012, 08:11 PM

I still can't believe it. I think a big part of the decision was based around this:

Quote:

This series is listed as being the most challenged series of books from 1990–1999 and seventh most challenged from 2000-2009 by the American Library Association for its violence. Also there remains the problem of it being classified as a children's book, due to the surreal and nightmarish illustrations contained within.

Can't be sure of course, but I think it was at least a factor.

midnight rain · 02-04-2012, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CanwllCorfe

After seeing Pedestrian's new avatar, I remembered I wanted to make a topic about these. We all know the books. If you don't, you're a disgrace. The stories were normally not all that scary, sometimes they were, but not too much so. But then there was Gammell's terrifying illustrations. I remember having a hard time looking at some of them as a kid, which of course meant that I loved them.

Well, they've been replaced. They are no longer around. The prices for the books containing Gammell's illustrations have skyrocketed. Our childhoods have been raped. It's a travesty. Luckily I have the treasury book which contains all the stories in one hardback book, as well as the boxed set. Here's some before and afters of the originals and the new ones.

That's it! I was this close to PMing Pedestrian asking her where it came from. I loved these stories.

Some favorites, as best as I can remember them:

1.) The one where the spiders layed eggs in the girl's cheeks. Played up my arachnophobia.

2.) The Wendigo, I think is what it was called?

3.) The one with the guy that fell overboard into the sea or something, I remember that one being very creepy.

4.) The Hook, where they find the claw on the car door

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

I don't recall if it was really the stories that scared me or if it was the illustrations. I recall never wanting to go near my window after reading one of the stories, I think it was called The Drum. Good times, good times.

This was another great one goo choice.

There was also that one with the people who saw the hearse or something? I wish I remembered the names of them.

Guybrush · 02-04-2012, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CanwllCorfe

Yeah this is how I feel too. I remember Oh Susannah was pretty scary, but the fact that the illustration looked right out of a nightmare and completely unrelated to the story made it feel so much more terrifying.

Love this illustration

So surreal! It's like someone flying a rocking chair through a cthulhian nightmare.

CanwllCorfe · 02-04-2012, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuna

1.) The one where the spiders layed eggs in the girl's cheeks. Played up my arachnophobia.

The Red Spot

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuna

2.) The Wendigo, I think is what it was called?

Yup! I always thought that one was so eerie. "My fiery feet, my burning feet of fire..."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuna

3.) The one with the guy that fell overboard into the sea or something, I remember that one being very creepy.

Somebody Fell From Aloft. The illustration for that one was my avatar for awhile!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuna

There was also that one with the people who saw the hearse or something? I wish I remembered the names of them.

That's either Room for One More or The Hearse Song.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

Love this illustration

So surreal! It's like someone flying a rocking chair through a cthulhian nightmare.

Exactly! I love it so much. The new ones are fine, but so unimaginative.

**Frownland** · 02-04-2012, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuna

There was also that one with the people who saw the hearse or something? I wish I remembered the names of them.

I think that that one is just called "The Hearse"

midnight rain · 02-04-2012, 08:57 PM

It's Room for One More, damn I read those so many times as a kid that I instantly recognized them when you named them Canwll, I'm going to have to dig around my house and find them.

Oh and the new artwork looks like ****.

**Frownland** · 02-04-2012, 09:03 PM

Do the illustrator and author still have the rights to prevent or sue for this travesty or do they not care that their brilliance is being raped?

02-04-2012, 07:48 PM	#11 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	I felt that the fairly unscary ones were made vivid and terrifying by the accompaniment of the amazing illustrations. On the note of recalling emotions from when you were a young child, whenever I smell mothballs I feel like I'm about to get in trouble or something because the principal's office at my elementary school always smelled like mothballs. I was somewhat of a frequent flyer, so that response has been branded within my brain. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

02-04-2012, 09:03 PM	#20 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	Do the illustrator and author still have the rights to prevent or sue for this travesty or do they not care that their brilliance is being raped? __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

02-04-2012, 08:07 PM	#13 (permalink)
Paedantic Basterd Music Addict Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 5,184	I have a bunch of these stockpiled for avatars because I adore them, but I don't think I can bring myself to use them now, hehe.

02-04-2012, 08:57 PM	#19 (permalink)
midnight rain Music Addict Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1,711	It's Room for One More, damn I read those so many times as a kid that I instantly recognized them when you named them Canwll, I'm going to have to dig around my house and find them. Oh and the new artwork looks like ****.