THE HORROR OF MY LIFE: NEIL CHASE

25/5/2022

THE FIRST HORROR BOOK I REMEMBER READING

The first horror book I remember reading was The Telltale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe. I think it was as part of a school assignment, and though it wasn’t particularly scary, I found the concept fascinating – this idea that your own guilt could manifest in a physical way. More than that, it opened the door to the works of Poe and the world of horror in general.

THE FIRST HORROR FILM I REMEMBER WATCHING

There are two horror films I remember watching when I was little, and was probably too young to have seen them when I did, though I can’t recall exactly which I saw first. One was The Omen and the other was The Prophecy, both of which played on late night TV and scared me silly for different reasons.

The Prophecy was a standard 70’s creature-feature (and not to be confused with the great 90’s Christopher Walken movie of the same name), about a couple in the woods trying to survive attacks by horrifically mutated animals. The mutated grizzly that is the big bad, in particular, gave me nightmares for weeks.

The Omen, on the other hand, was scary on a whole other level. It was more disturbing and cerebral than the jump scares and creatures of The Prophecy, and showed that evil could come from seemingly innocent sources as much as the obvious big monsters. To me, this was far scarier than any amount of gore and fake blood that slashers or monster movies could conjure.

THE GREATEST HORROR BOOK OF ALL TIME

It’s hard for me to argue against Bram Stoker’s Dracula as the greatest horror book of all time, since it directly influenced countless horror writers and fans alike since it was first published. Without this seminal work, vampire lore would not be what it is today, and it was one of the first books to romanticize the monster in such a way as to make it desirable (though the Sirens in Greek legend could give Dracula a run for his money in that department).

Count Dracula is as iconic today as he was when first introduced to the world in 1897, and there are few, if any, monsters who can unseat him from the throne.

THE GREATEST HORROR FILM OF ALL TIME

For me, there are few horror films that are rewatchable, not only for the story, but the direction, cinematography, music, and especially the acting, as Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining.

Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall give a masterclass in acting in their respective performances, and the Overlook Hotel is as much of an iconic character as the rest of the wonderful cast. The first time I saw it, I was immediately pulled in and had to watch it through to the end. That’s as true on the 30th viewing as it was on the first.

THE GREATEST WRITER OF ALL TIME

With so many prolific writers throughout history, it’s difficult to narrow the title of “greatest writer of all time” to just one. Shakespeare, Cervantes, Dante, Twain, Dostoevsky, Dumas… the list is as varied as their bodies of work.

But since this site is all about horror, I’ll narrow my choice to the greatest horror writer – the one and only, Stephen King. With 64 novels under his belt, and no signs of slowing down, the titles read like a who’s who of horror icons. Carrie, Cujo, The Shining, The Dark Tower, The Stand, Misery, It, Pet Sematary, The Outsider, Salem’s Lot, The Mist, The Institute, Doctor Sleep, and so many others over the nearly five decades since his debut as a novelist.

With each book, and the countless movies based on them, being a household name for horror enthusiasts, it begs the question - really, is there any other choice?

THE BEST BOOK COVER OF ALL TIME

The one book cover that comes to mind as the greatest of all time is Peter Benchley’s Jaws, featuring a lone female swimmer at the top of the page, directly under the title in bold letters, while a menacing figure rises from the depths like a torpedo with teeth. It’s instantly recognizable, while at the same time evocative of the subject material and the terror that awaits the reader. In fact, the image was so effective, it was essentially copied as is for the iconic movie poster for Stephen Spielberg’s Jaws that we all know and love.

THE BEST FILM POSTER OFF ALL TIME

While it can be argued that the best movie poster of all time is also Jaws, it feels as bit of a cheat, since it was basically a copy of the book cover, which came out first.

That said, the title of greatest would have to then go to the theatrical poster for Star Wars, featuring Luke thrusting his lightsaber toward the heavens, with Leia kneeling at his side, blaster in hand, while Darth Vader looms large in the background as an armada of X-wings race toward the Death Star. It is as iconic as the film itself, and has been copied and parodied countless times for films of all genres.

THE BEST BOOK / FILM I HAVE WRITTEN

The best book I have written is Iron Dogs, a gothic horror-western, about a band of outlaws on the run, who find themselves trapped in a deserted town, at the mercy of a supernatural evil. I poured my heart and soul into this work, from the research into the 1870’s time period and the American Southwest regions depicted, in terms of the people, customs, dialects and clothing, to the backstories and character development of the main and supporting characters, and especially for the monster that plagues our anti-heroes, which I wanted to be both unique and memorable.

Following its success in terms of fans and awards alike, it was my pleasure to expand my skillset in narrating the audiobook as well, which has been well-reviewed on Audible and is consistently in the top 10 for its category on Amazon.

THE WORST BOOK / FILM I HAVE WRITTEN

The worst film I have written is likely my debut short film, Devil’s Due, about a man forced to kill to win back his soul from the Devil. While it was well received in its very limited run, I knew there was so much I could have done better, and it inspired me to write the feature version of the story.

Making the short taught me so much about screenwriting, over and above the basics you find in a book or a course. I was able to apply these lessons when it came to the feature screenplay and the end result made for a much stronger story with fleshed out characters, better dialogue, and dynamic action scene descriptions focusing on strong visuals and character development.

THE MOST UNDERRATED FILM OF ALL TIME

In terms of horror, the most underrated film I can think of is Dog Soldiers, a fantastic blend of creature horror and gritty action, about a squad of British soldiers training in the Scottish Highlands, who are beset upon by werewolves and must fend them off until dawn, when they’ll revert back to human form. It’s a fun and gory ride, with plenty of action, blood, and humor to satisfy any genre movie fan.

With a very limited theatrical run and low box office, it’s at best a cult classic, and it’s a shame it isn’t more well-known and appreciated. Everyone I know who has seen it, loves it, and it rivals American Werewolf in London and The Wolfman as a true werewolf classic.

THE MOST UNDERRATED BOOK OF ALL TIME

The most underrated book that comes to mind is Spider Season, written by Billy Hanson, a friend of mine and fellow author / filmmaker. It’s a collection of dark short stories, ranging from unsettling to downright terrifying. Billy’s work has a cinematic feel, and he switches easily from cerebral, inner fear to gruesome, exterior horror. Do yourself a favor, and read a copy today!

And if you ever get the chance, check out Billy’s brilliant short film adaptation of Stephen King’s Survivor Type. You’ll never look at deserted islands or drug use the same way again.

THE MOST UNDERRATED AUTHOR OF ALL TIME

An author who was at one time well known, but whose popularity has dropped off in recent years, is Jack L. Chalker, a fantasy and science fiction author, whose work I very much enjoyed when I was young.

My favorite of his works has to be And the Devil Will Drag You Under, a fantasy novel about an alcoholic demon who recruits two humans to collect pieces of a mystical artifact in order to save the Earth from an imminent asteroid. It’s as crazy and wonderful as it sounds, and I don’t know a single person who has read it.

THE BOOK / FILM THAT SACRED ME THE MOST

I’ve always been more affected by creeping horror than by gore, so slow burns like It Comes at Night or The Devil’s Backbone tend to build terror more effectively than, say, Friday the 13th or Halloween. That said, one recent film that has stuck with me since the initial viewing is the fantastically creepy Ghost Stories (2017), an anthology horror film about a professional supernatural debunker who is faced with three chilling and inexplicable cases, each scarier and more unsettling than the last.

THE BOOK / FILM I AM WORKING ON NEXT

Currently, I am working on both a new novel and a new film. My novel, Dead Strays, is an adaptation of my unproduced horror screenplay of the same name that won Best Screenplay awards at Screamfest LA, Hollywood Horrorfest, FANtastic Horror Film Festival, Script Summit, and Las Vegas Screenwriting Competition, among others; about four robbers who pick the wrong household to hold hostage while hiding from the police.

On the film side, my production company, Brimstone Pictures, is in post-production on Spin the Wheel, a supernatural thriller I wrote and co-directed, about a group of strangers playing Russian Roulette at the end of the world. It’s been a labor of love by an unbelievably talented cast and crew to bring this script to life, and I can’t wait to share it with the world. My goal is to have both projects completed by this fall.

Iron Dogs
by Neil Chase

When evil dies, it doesn't always stay dead.

Six outlaws, barely a day ahead of their pursuers, find shelter in a freshly deserted New Mexico town. With no water, and one of them gravely wounded, they realize too late they're trapped inside the lifeless town.

As they soon discover the grisly truth behind the disappearance of the townsfolk, the outlaws find themselves hunted by something far worse than anything they've faced yet - an unspeakable evil that seemingly cannot be killed. When the malevolent creature targets them in turn, the previously tight-knit group begin unraveling past the breaking point. Thinking it to be a Strigoi Morti, a monstrosity that can only be harmed while feeding on the living, the surviving few are faced with an agonizing choice. Who will they sacrifice so the others may live?

Spine-chilling, poignant, and action-packed, Iron Dogs is an instant classic for Horror, Thriller, and Western fans everywhere.

Neil Chase

Neil Chase is an award-winning novelist, screenwriter, actor, and story coach, with extensive experience in a variety of genres, including action, sci-fi, drama, horror, and comedy. Neil has won over 90 international writing awards, and is most proud of winning the FilmMakers International Screenwriting Awards Grand Prize.

Neil's screenplays have been produced for film and TV, and he is the author of the award-winning horror novel, Iron Dogs.

When not working, he's drawing inspiration from his amazing family, thinking up new worlds and adventures, and helping aspiring authors follow their dream of writing something great. You can find helpful articles about writing, information on story coaching for writers, as well as tips and tricks for writing in the horror genre on his website.

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