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Puzzle Boxes and Card Games: How Clive Barker’s ‘Hellraiser’ Inspired The ‘Yu-Gi-Oh!’ Anime/Manga

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It’s always fascinating to see how horror from one culture can affect and influence another. America had a large fascination with J-Horror for a good chunk of the mid-2000s, producing remakes of staples such as The Ring and The Grudge. On the other side, while there haven’t been any outright remakes of American properties in Japan, the influences can be seen far and wide. But who would expect that the most prominent work of Clive Barker would inspire in part an anime and manga series about games, Yu-Gi-Oh! by Kazuki Takahashi.

Image via Wikipedia.com

The premise of Yu-Gi-Oh! followed young Yugi Mutou, a reserved high schooler with a love of puzzles and the most ridiculous hairstyle outside of a Final Fantasy character. He receives an ancient Egyptian artifact from his grandfather called ‘The Millenium Puzzle.’ Naturally, he solves it, only to unlock a dark, magical spirit that possesses him called ‘Yami Yugi’ or Dark Yugi. Whenever Dark Yugi assumes control, he subjects a usually deserving bully, criminal, or foe to a Shadow Game, with the loser’s very soul and mind subjected to a hellish ‘penalty game.’

Images via Amazon.com

For example, in the first chapter, Yugi and his friends are beaten up and mugged by a bully. Dark Yugi challenges him to a game that involves stabbing through held stacks of cash just enough without cutting themselves. When he loses, Dark Yugi drives him insane, forcing the bully to imagine everything around him as money. In another, an escaped convict holds Yugi and his friends hostage at a restaurant where Dark Yugi challenges him to a game involving lit cigarettes and cups of vodka, leading to him being lit on fire. Dark Yugi makes a rich, arrogant gamer named Seto Kaiba imagine he’s being attacked by his own monster cards. Needless to say, quite a lot for a series marketed more toward kids.

Image via yugioh.wiki

The influences are pretty easy to see with the dark, magical puzzle box. Though, themed on puzzles and punishment rather than brutal pleasures/pains of the flesh. Dark Yugi having some traits in common with Pinhead, outside of spiky hair rather than a spiky head. Both being supernatural sticklers for rules and order. And horrifically punishing those to try and cheat, be it contracts or puzzle games. With much of the original Yu-Gi-Oh! plotline featuring Dark Yugi doling out some brutal punishments upon the wicked and those seeking wicked goals via these life or death games. Even some of the cards seem to have a bit of a ‘Barker’ style design, such as the Cenobite-lite like Jinzo card below.

Image via yugioh.wiki

Takahashi even admitting in the 36th volume of the manga that the series was intended to rest in the horror genre, but as time went on, the series realigned toward the games (specifically the real life card game) and adventure rather than the horror, shifting the focus considerably. Dark Yugi revealed to be the spirit of an ancient pharaoh, and the more macabre elements toned down. So, while the original horrors of the plot dissipated, it made enough of an impression to give what is a substantially successful franchise its start. And while many would choose The Lament Configuration over The Millenium Puzzle, it would be interesting to see Pinhead try the pleasures of a tabletop game.

Feature Image via youtube.com

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Watch ‘The Burning’ At The Location Where It Was Filmed

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Fangoria is reporting that fans of the 1981 slasher The Burning will be able to have a screening of the film at the location where it was filmed. The movie is set at Camp Blackfoot which is actually the Stonehaven Nature Preserve in Ransomville, New York.

This ticketed event will take place on August 3. Guests will be able to take a tour of the grounds as well as enjoy some campfire snacks along with the screening of The Burning.

The Burning

The film came out in the early ’80s when teen slashers were being churned out in magnum force. Thanks to Sean S. Cunningham’s Friday the 13th, filmmakers wanted to get in on the low-budget, high-profit movie market and a casket load of these types of films were produced, some better than others.

The Burning is one of the good ones, mostly because of the special effects from Tom Savini who had just come off of his groundbreaking work on Dawn of the Dead and Friday the 13th. He declined to do the sequel because of its illogical premise and instead signed on to do this movie. Also, a young Jason Alexander who would later go on to play George in Seinfeld is a featured player.

Because of its practical gore, The Burning had to be heavily edited before it received an R-rating. The MPAA was under the thumb of protest groups and political bigwigs to censor violent films at the time because slashers were just so graphic and detailed in their gore.

Tickets are $50, and if you want a special t-shirt, that will cost you another $25, You can get all the information by visiting the On Set Cinema webpage.

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‘Longlegs’ Creepy “Part 2” Teaser Appears on Instagram

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Longlegs

Neon Films released an Insta-teaser for their horror film Longlegs today. Titled Dirty: Part 2, the clip only furthers the mystery of what we are in for when this movie is finally released on July 12.

The official logline is: FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes unexpected turns, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again.

Directed by former actor Oz Perkins who also gave us The Blackcoat’s Daughter and Gretel & Hansel, Longlegs is already creating buzz with its moody images and cryptic hints. The film is rated R for bloody violence, and disturbing images.

Longlegs stars Nicolas Cage, Maika Monroe, and Alicia Witt.

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Exclusive Sneak Peek: Eli Roth and Crypt TV’s VR Series ‘The Faceless Lady’ Episode Five

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Eli Roth (Cabin Fever) and Crypt TV are knocking it out of the park with their new VR show, The Faceless Lady. For those unaware, this is the first fully scripted VR horror show on the market.

Even for masters of horror like Eli Roth and Crypt TV, this is a monumental undertaking. However, if I trust anyone to change the way that we experience horror, it would be these two legends.

The Faceless Lady

Ripped from the pages of Irish folklore, The Faceless Lady tells the story of a tragic spirit cursed to wander the halls of her castle for all of eternity. However, when three young couples are invited to the castle for a series of games, their fates may soon change.

So far, the story has provided horror fans with a gripping game of life or death that doesn’t look as if it will slow down in episode five. Luckily, we have an exclusive clip that may be able to satiate your appetites until the new premiere.

Airing on 4/25 at 5pmPT/8pmET, episode five follows our final three contestants in this wicked game. As the stakes are raised ever higher, will Ella be able to fully awaken her connection with Lady Margaret?

The faceless lady

The newest episode can be found on Meta Quest TV. If you haven’t already, follow this link to subscribe to the series. Make sure to check out the new clip below.

Eli Roth Present’s THE FACELESS LADY S1E5 Clip: THE DUEL – YouTube

To view in the highest resolution, adjust the quality settings in the bottom right corner of the clip.

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