Stephen McClurg

David Lynch’s personal office with his empty chair, on the first anniversary of his death.

Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2025: Shorts Program - Death Grip The Death Grip Shorts Block showcases alien visitations, haunted reflections, and predatory conversations.

Next, Stephen gets caught up on the DEATH GRIP shorts program at the Brooklyn Film Festival. #horror #amwatching

www.horrordna.com/movies/brook...

Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2025: Shorts Program - Nightmare Fuel From haunted forests to cursed podcasts, the Nightmare Fuel shorts mixes moody atmosphere with sharp takes on horror tropes.

That @smcclurg.bsky.social sure loves shorts, and he's reviewed a slew of them from the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival. First up is the NIGHTMARE FUEL program! #horror #amwatching

www.horrordna.com/movies/brook...

Brooklyn Horror Film Festival 2025: Shorts Program - Head Trip Surreal, stylish, and unsettling, each film in the Head Trip shorts block takes you somewhere new, though you might not make it back.

Last but not least, @smcclurg.bsky.social takes a HEAD TRIP at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival. #horror #amwatching

www.horrordna.com/movies/brook...

Scared by the Bible: The Roots of Horror in Scripture Scripture meets scream theory.

When he's not knee deep in horror shorts, @smcclurg.bsky.social is getting SCARED BY THE BIBLE. Check out what he thinks of @bgrafius.bsky.social's book! #booksky #amreading

www.horrordna.com/books/scared...

Anoxia A quiet horror of devotion and decay, Anoxia finds its ghosts in the shutter-click of a camera and the stillness between disasters.

"Anoxia is steeped in atmosphere and quiet beauty." @smcclurg.bsky.social says that and more in his review of @mahernandez.bsky.social's ANOXIA.

www.horrordna.com/books/anoxia...

Beyond the Planet of the Vampires Though it’s not a drive-in thrill ride, Beyond the Planet of the Vampires is a seething text of bodily hauntings, poetic ruptures, and fractured desire.

We sent @smcclurg.bsky.social on a journey BEYOND THE PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES, Ulrich Baer's latest from CLASH Books. #horror #amreading #booksky

www.horrordna.com/books/beyond...

New Words and Music: Cesspool Dreams: Stranded Islands I’ve been a fan of Cesspool Dreams, a duo of Jeff McLeod and Matt Finney, since they started releasing music with dark, Urban Southern Goth(ic)-tinged spoken word. Finney’s persona live…

A nice blog post from Stephen McClurg about Stranded Islands, my latest from Cesspool Dreams!
stephenmcclurg.com/2025/05/02/n...
@smcclurg.bsky.social #synthsky #spokenword #southerngothic

Panic Fest 2025: Shorts #1 A selection of shorts from Panic Fest 2025

Checking out some of the short movies that screened at Panic Fest 2025, @smcclurg.bsky.social takes a look at UNA VOLTA, '77, THE HUMMING GROWS and OUTSIDE NOISE. Read more: www.horrordna.com/movies/panic...

Panic Fest 2025: Chainsaws Were Singing Chainsaws Were Singing is part slasher, part musical, and all gonzo midnight-movie insanity.

Another from Panic Fest 2025 as @smcclurg.bsky.social checks out the insanity of the Estonian musical gonzo midnight movie CHAINSAWS WERE SINGING. Hit the link for the full review: www.horrordna.com/movies/chain...

Devils Stay Devils Stay blends exorcism horror with a meditation on grief while delivering a visually striking and emotionally heavy tale.

DEVILS STAY is now out from @wellgousa.bsky.social. Read what @smcclurg.bsky.social thinks about this South Korean exorcist film. #amwatching #amwatchinghorror

www.horrordna.com/movies/devil...

Strange Pictures Strange Pictures unspools like a haunted scrapbook or a giallo told through crime reports and unsettling drawings.

There are STRANGE PICTURES about and @smcclurg.bsky.social is here to decipher them. Read his thoughts on Uketsu's book.

www.horrordna.com/books/strang...

Pay the Piper: A Novel Pay the Piper delivers atmosphere, strong themes, and a memorable setting, though it never quite finds the raw power of Romero’s best work.

@smcclurg.bsky.social decides to PAY THE PIPER by George A. Romero and Daniel Kraus. #amreading #amreadinghorror

www.horrordna.com/books/pay-th...

2024's SubClub offerings. A big Weirdpunk Sticker, both sides of the Exclusive Bookmark, 2 Exclusive Member Zines, an Exclusive Shirt with art my late-wife made that says "Weirdpunk Books Join Us in the Darkness," Red of Tooth & Claw by Matthew Mitchell and Sam Richard zine, and the following books: Infinity Mathing at the Shore & Other Disruptions by M. Lopes da Silva, Profane Altars: Weird Sword & Sorcery edited by Sam Richard, Love Skull by Emma Alice Johnson, and The Still Beating Heart of a Dead God by Sam RIchard.

We've got a little over 2 weeks until the SubClub closes.
This has been the slowest year for subscribers since I first started it. And that makes a lot of sense given everything that's happening around us.
It's a strain on our year too. This is our call for help.
(Picture: last year's SubClub)

From the Archives: The Terror Test: Test Prep #17 A Portrait of the Artist as a Glum ManOriginally written for Episode 62 on Eraserhead (1977) and Freaks (1932). Interviewer: What was Wild at Heart about David?“Well, it’s about one hour and forty-…

I love it and wrote about it here, if you're interested: stephenmcclurg.com/2020/12/04/f...

Catherine the Ghost Catherine the Ghost is Kathe Koja’s darkly poetic love letter to Wuthering Heights.

On the book side, @smcclurg.bsky.social gets to know CATHERINE THE GHOST, @kkoja.bsky.social's latest from @clashbooks.bsky.social. #horror #amreading #amreadinghorror

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TONIGHT!!!
We kick off with this glorious beast:
Tix & deets: billetto.co.uk/e/why-horror...

Get Away Written by and starring Nick Frost, Get Away blends folk horror conventions with a mix of dark humor, eerie tension, and bursts of blood-soaked chaos.

#ICYMI, we have some new reviews! First up, @smcclurg.bsky.social goes on a GET AWAY, now out from @ifcfilms.bsky.social and Shudder. #horror #amwatching #amwatchinghorror

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Over in books, @smcclurg.bsky.social enjoys SCOTLAND THE STRANGE: WEIRD TALES OF STORIED LANDS, saying it's "...a valuable and thoughtfully curated anthology..." Edited by Johnny Mains, it's now out from British Library Publishing. #horror #amreadinghorror

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Whoa--indeed!

In the Mad Mountains: Stories Inspired by H.P. Lovecraft A journey through cosmic horror and literary homage, Joe R. Lansdale's In the Mad Mountains celebrates the weird with wit and grit.

Now out from @tachyonpub.bsky.social is @joerlansdale.bsky.social's IN THE MAD MOUNTAINS: STORIES INSPIRED BY H. P. LOVECRAFT. @smcclurg.bsky.social dons his parka and gloves and takes the hike to see what's to be discovered. #horror #amreading #amreadinghorror

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Yes! I loved the doc that came out a few years back.

Trve Cvlt Trve Cvlt thrashes its way through black metal riffs, cosmic horror, Midwestern ennui, and tenuous band dynamics. 

How about some book reviews? First up, @smcclurg.bsky.social joins @beardedbetts.bsky.social's TRVE CVLT, now out from @tenebrouspress.bsky.social! #horror #amreading #amreadinghorror

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Plan 9 from Outer Space: The Novelization If you can’t ball it up in Albuquerque, you can get the next best thing: the new Plan 9 from Outer Space novelization.

Another recent review by @smcclurg.bsky.social is Bret Nelson's PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE: THE NOVELIZATION, out now from @encyclopub.bsky.social. #amreading

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Starve Acre For fans of folk horror, trauma horror, or quiet, atmospheric horror, Starve Acre offers a ride worth taking.

Now out from Brainstorm Media is STARVE ACRE. @smcclurg.bsky.social says, "Starve Acre meets all the criteria for folk horror while offering surprises for those willing to follow its story to its roots." #horror #amwatching #amwatchinghorror

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Millennial Nasties: Analyzing a Decade of Brutal Horror Film Violence Celebrates the enduring relevance of the genre, how it reflects the anxieties and preoccupations of its time.

Out 09.17 from @encyclopub.bsky.social is Ariel Powers-Schaub's MILLENNIAL NASTIES: ANALYZING A DECADE OF BRUTAL HORROR FILM VIOLENCE. @smcclurg.bsky.social got an early look! #horror #amreading #amreadinghorror

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She Is Conann Bertrand Mandico's She Is Conann is a striking visual and thematic experience, rich in symbolism and narrative complexity.

How about some recent reviews you may have missed? First up, @smcclurg.bsky.social takes a look at SHE IS CONANN, now out from Altered Innocence! #horror #amwatching

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One for the Road Within the nine minutes of screen time, Daniel Carsenty and crew showcase serious cinematic chops.

ONE FOR THE ROAD screened at LA Shorts tonight. Directed by Daniel Carsenty and written by Corey Slater (based on the short story by Stephen King), @smcclurg.bsky.social says the two "...make great choices in their adaptation." #horror #amwatching #amwatchinghorror

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Blue Sunshine: The Novelization Blue Sunshine is a fast and fun read and delivers as a horror noir.

A few reviews have gone up you may have missed. First, @smcclurg.bsky.social learns all about BLUE SUNSHINE, now out from @encyclopub.bsky.social. #horror #amreading #amreadinghorror

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Film Maudit 2.0: The Shorts - Part Two Here's another batch from the great variety of shorts that played at Film Maudit 2.0 last week!

We're not done with Film Maudit 2.0, yet! @smcclurg.bsky.social has some more to say about the shorts. Check out batch two of his reviews! #horror #amwatching #amwatchinghorror buff.ly/4cdnMl7