Lee Allen's Blog - Posts Tagged "classic"

Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Ira Levin's classic horror thriller is a masterpiece in plotting and suspense.

Rosemary's Baby is one of those stories that has developed to become mythology, a story that is so well-known that people know it without having read it, as part of a culture as folklore. It's a wonder it took me so long to finally read it. I loved it and couldn't put it down.

Having seen the equally classic 1968 film (the novel was published in 1967), I knew the plot well and the twists in the tale. Rosemary and her husband Guy acquire a highly sought-after apartment and soon become friendly with eccentric, elderly couple, Minnie and Roman Castavet. Their situation appears idyllic - a young couple moving into their new home, spending time with their interesting, kindly neighbours, Guy seeking his big acting break, Rosemary hoping for a baby.

Levin expertly layers the tension as the novel progresses, hinting at the witchcraft and Satanism twisted throughout the building's history and an apparent suicide that begins the young couple's relationship with the Castavets, who develop from harmless to unsettling, to sinister, to menacing. Soon it appears all the world may be conspiring against Rosemary and she struggles to know who to trust as the novel hurtles towards its nightmarish conclusion.

With underlying themes of religion with witchcraft as its enemy, with specific references to Catholicism, it is perhaps ironic that this modern scheme for the downfall of humankind is triggered by a man's greed and ambition leading to his betrayal of a woman and allowing her to be defiled and used for her body, as opposed to the concept of Original Sin where a woman made an error in judgement when tempted into betrayal by the same forces of darkness. In this novel, we know she would never be so foolish.

After fifty years, Rosemary's Baby remains relevant, authentic, and most of all thrilling, in its telling of a story of good versus evil, and the lengths human beings may go to in pursuit of their beliefs and desires.

The story continues in Levin's final novel, 'Son of Rosemary'.



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To the Devil a Daughter (Molly Fountain, #1) by Dennis Wheatley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A gripping occult thriller from the master of the black magic thriller.

Despite writing over sixty novels, many of them bestsellers, Dennis Wheatley is perhaps best known for his black magic novels, of which he wrote eleven (as well as a non-fiction book on the Occult). Perhaps the most famous of these was his first novel on the subject, 'The Devil Rides Out', a classic of the genre. Both 'The Devil Rides Out' and 'To the Devil a Daughter' were made into movies by Hammer Studios, the latter only loosely based on Wheatley's novel.

The novel begins in the South of France, where we meet Molly Fountain, a thriller writer awaiting a visit from her son. She becomes intrigued by the mysterious behaviour of her new neighbour, a young woman who spends her days staring out to sea, apparently doing nothing. Upon seeing her returning home in the middle of the night, Molly soon decides to introduce herself to the young woman, who introduces herself as Christina.

Christina soon breaks down and tells Molly the disturbing story of how her father has hidden her at the villa under an assumed name, seemingly to keep her safe from enemies she didn't know she had. Determined to help, Molly tells her son John the story on his arrival and they both endeavour to keep her safe. But they encounter many strange occurrences - as night falls, Christina's behaviour radically changes, leading Molly to draw the conclusion she is possessed by a demonic force.

Enlisting the help of Molly's old secret service colleague and friend Colonel Verney, John and Molly become Christina's protectors, coming up against a villainous Marquis and his son the Count leading a gang of criminals determined to kidnap Christina and smuggle her back to the UK; and the nefarious Canon Copely-Syle, Christina's godfather and, it is revealed, a Satanist with a diabolical scheme that will conclude on the evening of Christina's twenty-first birthday.

The action takes place between France and the UK as the group battle with criminals and Satanic forces to keep Christina safe until the danger has passed. With insights into the rituals and schemes of the Occult, Wheatley crafts a tale of diabolical tension that is both a gripping thriller and disturbing horror story. The final scenes in the Canon's crypt and the Cave of Bats are superbly realised, evoking strong images of the dark forces and those that dabble in them.

'To the Devil a Daughter' is a classic and a masterpiece of the horror and thriller genres and, particularly when you consider how shocking its subject matter and imagery would have been at the time of publication, proves why Wheatley's occult works have become the most famous of his legacy.



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Psycho by Robert Bloch

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The classic horror story of quiet, reserved motel owner Norman Bates and his reclusive, domineering mother.

Bates Motel, isolated since a new road directed traffic away from it, hosts few guests. After a spur-of-the-moment decision to steal from her employer, Mary Crane takes a wrong turning on the way to meet with her fiancé, Sam Loomis. It is late and she decides to take a room at the secluded motel and continue on her journey the following morning. She meets Norman and gratefully accepts his invitation to eat with him at the house he shares with Mother before retiring to her room for the night. But she hasn’t accounted for the extent of Mother’s possessiveness.

Lila Crane arrives at Sam Loomis’ hardware store in search of her sister. A detective hired by Mary’s employer is also on her trail, the three of them determined to track Mary’s whereabouts and clear up the business of the theft. The trail leads them to Bates Motel. But Norman is very protective of Mother and will do what is necessary to protect her, just as she will do what is necessary to protect her troubled son.

Bloch wields the suspense like a knife, the novel tightly plotted as if woven by a taxidermist’s needle. The iconic scenes are all here – Norman’s voyeurism through the hole behind the picture in his office; the car slowly sinking into the swamp; the sudden graphic violence of the shower scene. This is as much a psychological thriller as it is a horror story, building in intensity from its opening on a dark, stormy night to its revelatory climax.

The 1959 novel has a remarkable legacy. Adapted as Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece ‘Psycho’ in 1960, it was not only controversial but a major success. Bloch himself would write two sequels – ‘Psycho II’ (1982) and ‘Psycho House’ (1990); and Chet Williamson would later take up the mantle with ‘Psycho: Sanitarium’ (2016). The film adaptation is widely regarded to be the grandfather of the slasher sub-genre and was one of the major influences for John Carpenter’s 1978 ‘Halloween’. The slasher popularity ignited by ‘Halloween’ led to ‘Psycho’ developing its own franchise, with the theatrical sequels ‘Psycho II’ (1983) and ‘Psycho III’ (1986), both unrelated to Bloch’s novels; the TV spin-off pilot ‘Bates Motel’ (1987) and TV movie sequel ‘Psycho IV: The Beginning’(1990); followed by theatrical remake ‘Psycho’ in 1998. The superlative ‘Bates Motel’ (2013-17) explored the history and relationship between Norman and his mother, Norma.

Norman Bates’ legacy has been influenced by real-life horrors. Two years before the novel’s release, Ed Gein was arrested for two brutal murders. Bloch was already working on his novel and it would be completed before the full story of the body-snatching and murders emerged, which included the discovery of clothing made of human skin and theories of Gein’s unhealthy obsession with his controlling mother. Bloch commented at the time how remarkable it was that his fiction corresponded to reality, and Gein subsequently earnt a reference in the novel. His crimes would go on to influence Tobe Hooper’s 1974 ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ (yet another precursor to the slasher sub-genre) and Thomas Harris’ classic 1988 novel ‘The Silence of the Lambs’, itself adapted into a successful film in 1991. Rob Zombie (who would later direct the remake of ‘Halloween’ and its sequel), was also influenced by Gein’s crimes in making his ‘Firefly’ series – ‘House of 1000 Corpses’, ‘The Devil’s Rejects’ and ‘3 From Hell’.

Dripping in suspense, ‘Psycho’ is a twisted horror thriller that deserves its classic status, leaving you to question those around you and wonder what may really lurk beneath the surface and in the darkest recesses of their minds.



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The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A classic haunted house tale of gothic suspense by Shirley Jackson.

Hill House has stood empty for decades; any attempted occupant having departed swiftly within a few days of coming to stay there. Dr John Montague, a philosopher and researcher of the paranormal, strives to gather a small group together to stay in the house in an attempt to unravel the mysteries which surround it.

One member of this party is Eleanor. Having been caring for her ailing mother for many years up until her death, Eleanor is in search of her very identity and to find her own place in the world. She hopes she may find herself, as one of the explorers of Hill House. But her dream-like journey is soon to descend into a nightmare as she reaches her destination.

Brooding and forbidding, Hill House is an anomalous spectre, with its bizarre construction and indistinct aura. Along with Dr Montague and their fellow explorers, Theodora and Luke, Eleanor begins to experience the phenomena that may have chased so many away in the past. But it appears the house is paying a particular interest in Eleanor; its motives surely malign.

A short novel that immediately provokes a haunting atmosphere, ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ takes you on a slow descent into hysteria as the characters settle uncomfortably, never quite seeing the influences at work, never quite understanding what is happening around them. The house is almost a character in itself, a dominant presence that overpowers all the characters that live and breathe within. Comparatively, the characters are almost like empty shells, the house exploring and exploiting their psyches, seeking a place in which to breed its madness.

Brimming with atmosphere and burgeoning tension, the story builds deftly to its climax, an escalation into terror from which there may be no escape.

The novel has been thrice adapted for the screen – first in 1963 as the theatrical film ‘The Haunting’, which received mixed reviews at the time, but has since grown a cult following. Its second adaptation came in 1999, another theatrical film also entitled ‘The Haunting’, this version receiving negative reviews. In 2018, Netflix adapted the novel under its full name as a ten-episode series. Well-received and popular amongst viewers, it received a follow-up; retroactively becoming the first in anthology series ‘The Haunting’. Despite the dominating presence of the house in the novel, it appears destined to forever find its name left unspoken.

‘The Haunting of Hill House’ is a gothic horror classic and a fine example of the genre, a short sharp shiver to be enjoyed in the darkened months as the nights draw in.


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Uncle Silas: A Tale of Bartram-Haugh by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A classic Gothic novel of horror and mystery.

Maud Ruthyn, young and lonely in her father's home, is being prepared for her coming out in society by her sinister new governess.

When her father dies, her guardianship passes to her uncle Silas, whom she has never met. Intrigued and mystified by his past, while still bearing her grief, Maud moves to his home of Bartram-Haugh.

Unsettled and fragile, Maud is to soon find herself at the centre of conspiracies for claim of her fortune, her sanity and her life.

'Uncle Silas' is a gothic horror mystery novel by Irish author J. Sheridan Le Fanu, adapted from one of his own short stories, originally published in three volumes on 1864, following a serialisation in the Dublin University Magazine. It's a classic example of the gothic drama that became so popular during the Victorian era - featuring isolated and foreboding locations, family secrets, an atmosphere rife with claustrophobia, unease and mystery, a host of both sinister and eccentric characters, escalating threat - both of insanity and physical harm; and the looming spectre of death.

Narrated by Maud, we follow this time in her life, on the cusp of adulthood and beginning with her experience at the hands of her sinister governess Madame de la Rougierre, then followed by the death of her father and her being willed under the guardianship of her Uncle Silas, and ultimately her time at his home of Bartram-Haugh. Somewhat naive and knowing little of the world outside her childhood home, Maud is vulnerable to the influence of others. Throughout the entire narrative, unrealised by Maud herself, she is being subtly manipulated, suffering an insidious psychological abuse that ultimately culminates in a devious plot for murder.

Silas Ruthyn, the eponymous Uncle Silas, haunts the prose like a spectre. Even before we are aware of his influence, it is there, as he manipulates events from the wings. His presence lurks in the background of every chapter from that first introduction through Maud's fascination with his portrait and the mystery surrounding her estranged uncle. Almost vampiric in nature, he barely ventures from his rooms in his home; his self-imposed solitude, his illness and substance abuse rendering him a character of the shadows. Frequently acting through other characters, the true extent of his manipulation of Maud and others is only fully realised in the later chapters; yet, despite his frequent absence, he commands every scene in which he appears; reminiscent of a Shakespearean antagonist, Machiavellian in nature and having suffered a tragic fall from grace largely as a result of his own flaws.

Though Silas' villainy may largely lurk in the shadows (from Maud's perspective), Madame de la Rougierre is instantly sinister on her introduction in the early chapters. Like the witch of the fairy tale and the crone of folklore, she delights in her wickedness and exercising her power over Maud; always listening and plotting, always with an agenda, sometimes working with accomplices in her schemes. Maud's terror at Madame's villainy creeps into her psyche, haunting her even in her absence when she is dismissed by Maud’s father.

While parts of the first half may feel slow in places, this is one of those books where all becomes clear and each and every scene builds to those final moments. Like a gothic labyrinth, there are many clues and red herrings peppered throughout the plot - the locked room mystery is presented early, laced within the revelations on the dark family history that has left Silas in his self-imposed isolation. An early example of what would develop into the psychological thriller, the narrative focuses on Maud's thoughts and feelings and increasingly fragile mental state as twists and turns in the plot accelerate towards the final chapters, these climatic scenes brilliantly and vividly realised, the suspense having built to a fine point as we await the endgame to the nefarious scheme born of avarice.

The novel has been adapted for the screen four times - the earliest being a feature film in 1947. The latter three adaptations were for television: a British TV film in 1968; a German TV series in 1977; and a 1989 British TV series under the changed title 'The Dark Angel'.

Standing the test of time in its themes, plot and characters, 'Uncle Silas' is a Victorian Gothic classic and a significant ancestor of the gothic, horror and crime fiction we enjoy today.



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Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde and Other Stories by Robert Louis Stevenson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A classic tale of gothic horror and moral introspection.

Lawyer Mr. Utterson’s attention is drawn to the disreputable deeds of one Mr. Edward Hyde, whose behaviour is increasingly causing strife amongst London residents.

Utterson is deeply troubled by Hyde’s association with his client, Dr. Henry Jekyll, but Jekyll assures him he has no cause for alarm.

But when Hyde commits a brutal murder, Utterson is determined to aid his client escape this vile character. But the secret of Jekyll and Hyde is beyond any horror he could have imagined.

'Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde', the classic novella by Robert Louis Stevenson, first published in 1886, is a tale of gothic horror, blended with mystery and dashes of detective and science fiction, seasoned with folkloric and religious undertones and a touch of moral and political allegory. We witness events through the experience of Utterson - his increasing concerns regarding his client Henry Jekyll's association with Edward Hyde and his succeeding determination to help his friend and thwart the schemes of the fiend, descending into a revelation of body horror that pushes the boundaries of both science and faith and our perceptions of good and evil.

Exploring themes such as the duality of human nature; the concept of a higher and lower self, with morality and civility juxtaposed with our basic instincts; the masks we wear in public versus our private selves; and substance misuse, Stevenson delivers a perfectly realised tale – compelling and vividly told, steeped in atmosphere and suspense, its conclusion both thought-provoking and chilling. 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' was one of the earliest gothic horror tales I became acquainted with and remains one of my favourites. Along with 'Dracula, 'Frankenstein' and 'The Mummy', it cemented my love of horror fiction, and is one I often enjoy revisiting in one form or another, as well as finding inspiration from it in my own writing.

Inspiration for the story reportedly came to Stevenson in a dream whilst suffering ill health, and may in part have been influenced by reaction to the real crimes of Eugene Chantrelle, who murdered his wife and whom Stevenson had met, and William Brodie, a housebreaker and thief, whom Stevenson had made the subject of an earlier play. It has also been claimed that the case of Louis Vivet, one of the earliest patients diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder (many will be familiar with the more commonly used term (until recently) of multiple personality disorder); however, research suggests the publication of the study of Vivet's case came after Stevenson's tale, with no evidence to suggest he may have been aware of it prior to writing his story.

The novella was first adapted for the stage in 1887, and many adaptations for the stage have followed throughout the next thirteen decades. In 1908, it was first adapted for film, the first of many screen adaptations throughout the century and into the next, with some versions less than faithful to the original text. To date, the story has been adapted over a hundred times, yet, despite this familiarity, the original story loses none of its power.

Thrilling and mesmerising, 'Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' remains a gothic classic, frothing and bubbling with horror and suspense.

[This edition also includes four horror short stories and the Christmas novella 'The Misadventures of John Nicholson'.]



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To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A poignant, timeless classic, bearing witness to social injustice and both the empathy and depravity of humanity.

‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is a Southern Gothic novel by Harper Lee, originally published in 1960, the first of only two novels published during her lifetime; a piece of classic literature hugely significant for its social themes, and both a coming-of-age drama and legal drama. Set in 1930s Alabama, we are taken to the old town of Maycomb in the midst of the Great Depression, the setting for the events our narrator, Scout Finch, looks back on to the time when she was still a child and the world was both a simpler and more terrifying place. Scout introduces us to her brother and friend, her neighbours, the teachers and fellow pupils at her local school – and the hero of the tale, her father and lawyer, Atticus Finch, who is defending an unwinnable case – of a black man accused of the rape of a white girl.

Delving in to this doomed fight for justice, the novel is an astute observation of humanity, exploring themes of prejudice and discrimination, significantly regarding race, but also gender, class, and religion. A touching and moving story, beautifully told, it speaks to you on a deep level, as we experience it through the eyes of a child who cannot understand why things are the way they are and does not perceive the cruelty of the world, juxtaposed with how so many of the adults see the world on such a superficial, and black and white, level – leading us to also ask ourselves, just why must society be this way? What may often be attributed to the naivety of the young actually poses a question no one can ever adequately answer – because the truth is, society does not need to be this way.

The relationships between the children, and their observations of Atticus’ wisdom, morals and integrity, drive the narrative, evolving into many vivid scenes that stay with you long afterwards. One such scene depicts how it takes the innocence of a child to remind a lynch mob of their humanity and dispel the threat of violence; others those powerful courtroom scenes, including Atticus’ closing argument; and the tragedy of Tom Robinson, whose fate was sealed for no other reason than the colour of his skin. The children’s fascination with the mystery of their reclusive neighbour, “Boo” Radley, provides some additional suspense in a subplot that ultimately merges with the main plot in an intense climax, one that brings a satisfying conclusion to the various threads, as well as the themes of prejudice and distinction between expectation and reality, while philosophising on social justice and morality.

Reading the novel over sixty years later (and ninety years on from the period in which it is set), one is struck by how little has changed. There may have been some progress in some ways, perhaps in superficial ways, but the passage of time has sadly not allowed for as much change as should have been possible. The messages entwined within the plot give the novel a fable-like quality; this is a story that will always have something to say.

The novel was adapted for the screen in 1962, a critically acclaimed film directed by Robert Mulligan and starring Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch. While there have also been several stage adaptations, to date the film is the only adaptation for the screen. In 2015, a long-awaiting sequel ‘Go Set a Watchman’ was published, following its rediscovery in 2011. It features the return of Scout as an adult, returning to Maycomb to visit Atticus. While publicised as a sequel, this novel was written prior to its predecessor, and is largely believed to be an original draft, with many elements developing into what became the original 1960 novel, Scout looking back on her childhood and this tale of tragedy and the best and worst of humanity.



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The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A Gothic tale of folklore and misfortune.

'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' is a short story by Washington Irving, originally published in 1820 as part of the collection 'The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon'. It recounts the tale, relayed by way of a shared anecdote, in turn hearsay on the part of the storyteller, of events that took place in the quiet, picturesque valley of Sleepy Hollow, purported to be the location of a higher than average level of unexplained phenomena.

Most infamous of all is the legend of the headless horseman, a soldier said to have been decapitated during battle, who gallops through the valley in hasty return to the churchyard where his corpse lies at rest. Steeped in a folkloric atmosphere, Irving's gothic prose perfectly conjures the essence of Sleepy Hollow and the legends of its locale, capturing Ichabod's character and his hopes and dreams related to romancing a local young woman, while vividly manifesting the schoolhouse, surrounding countryside and key event of the ball, building to its haunting climax as Ichabod encounters the legendary spectre for himself, and ending in the delicious ambiguity of supernatural tales oft-told second-hand.

Taking inspiration from European folk tales, the story is perhaps Irving's most famous work and continues to be popular over two centuries later. It has been adapted for the screen many times, many of them loosely, first as silent film 'The Headless Horseman' in 1922, in later decades followed by animations (including a family version by Disney) and television films, before returning to big screen live action with Tim Burton's 'Sleepy Hollow' in 1999, with a four-season TV series also titled 'Sleepy Hollow' following in 2013-17. The tale's place in early American literature and the allure of its central supernatural premise have ensured its longevity, cementing it as a classic of Gothic literature.

Spooky and thrilling, 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' is a short slice of gothic horror perfect for autumnal nights in the countdown to Hallowe’en.



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