Editorials
Dark Fantasy: The Horror History of ‘Dungeons & Dragons’
With the rise of the internet culture and positive exposure in shows like Stranger Things, Role-Playing Games have acquired a reputation as a fun hobby that virtually anyone can enjoy. Of course, it wasn’t always this way. There was a time when weekend warriors and wizards were frowned upon by society, with these innocent gamers becoming associated with crime and the occult during the infamous “Satanic Panic” – “Stranger Things 4” touched upon this very thing.
Believing that young gamers are secretly devil worshippers simply because they enjoy getting together to collectively tell fantasy stories about slaying monsters in faraway lands is obviously ridiculous, but old-school Dungeons & Dragons did in fact have plenty of horrific inspirations behind the game. That’s why it makes sense that some sensitive teachers and parents might have been scared off by the manual’s allusions to the horror genre.
And with Hollywood once again attempting to bring the game to the big screen with Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley’s upcoming D&D: Honor Among Thieves, which promises to be a much more faithful take on the IP than the 2000 iteration (and its direct-to-video sequels), we thought that this might be a good time to look back on the horrific history of Dungeons & Dragons.
Originally created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson way back in 1974, Dungeons & Dragons began life as a wargaming supplement before becoming the interactive story generator that we know and love. Obviously inspired by the works of fantasy authors like J.R.R. Tolkien, the creators set out to gamify the mythic hero’s journey in a faraway land. However, despite what some critics claim, Tolkien’s Middle Earth was only one small part of what informed the creation of D&D.
Gotta love that vintage dark fantasy artwork!
It’s actually quite difficult to point out a single source of inspiration for the game, but it’s clear that Gygax and Arneson’s work was almost exclusively informed by the popular dark fantasy narratives of their time, with the duo forgoing the genre’s traditionally bucolic elements in favor of hellish monsters and supernatural terror. Borrowing from decidedly gloomy stories like Michael Moorcock’s Elric books (which popularized future RPG staples like cursed weapons and magic potions), the game wasn’t exactly “child-friendly” at launch.
In fact, Dungeons & Dragons owes a lot more to Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian than anything else, with Howard’s thrilling yarns about warriors facing eldritch abominations and embarking on perilous quests in a long-forgotten land feeling a lot more in line with the modern tabletop RPG experience than Tolkien’s idyllic version of Europe. Not only that, but Howard was also a close friend to H.P. Lovecraft, with the two exchanging plenty of notes on their respective mythos and even writing stories set in each others’ weird worlds.
This cosmic horror influence inevitably made it into D&D, with the game always having featured thinly veiled versions of Lovecraftian monsters (Gibbering Mouthers are clearly Shoggoths and the Kuo-Toa are obviously the Deep Ones). The Cthulhu Mythos would also inspire the vast pantheon of ancient gods in the Forgotten Realms setting, and it’s no coincidence that the success of D&D soon led to the creation of the other immensely popular role-playing series, Chaosium’s Call of Cthulhu. Directly gamifying Lovecraft’s troubled protagonists and madness-inducing gods while still featuring pulpy dungeon crawls and slayable monsters, Chaosium’s game was a gruesome alternative for players who were interested in pure horror.
That being said, if you look at some of the older D&D adventures, you’ll find countless examples of adventurers being forced to face traditionally horrific monsters and locations, from the Lovecraftian Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh to the infamous Tomb of Horrors. Even the archetypal concept of an adventuring party exploring a dark dungeon filled with deadly traps and unnameable creatures borrows heavily from gothic horror, and that’s why plenty of old adventures are inspired by the stories of writers like Edgar Allan Poe and even Bram Stoker. After all, there’s a reason why undead beings like zombies, ghouls and vampires are some of the most common adventurer fodder ever since the very first RPG campaigns.
Beyond the world of literature, many of the game’s monsters also drew inspiration from real world mythology and even cryptozoology, with the monster manual featuring everything from the legendary yeti to the Germanic Kobold, as well as the Jewish Golem!
Scary enough for John Carpenter!
Some of the game’s original creations are quite terrifying as well, with the many-eyed beholder having its origins in a literal nightmare and the gelatinous cube tapping into the same otherworldly horror as The Blob. It’s actually said that Gygax took inspiration from a bag of bootleg plastic toys when coming up with the original monster manual back in the 70s, leading to some downright bizarre designs. Coupled with the lovably strange artwork, this explains the sheer weirdness behind many of the game’s man-eating beasts.
Obviously, none of this “spookiness” justifies a country-wide panic associating D&D with satanism and murderous cults. Despite what religious propaganda and fear-mongering media (like the early Tom Hanks movie Mazes and Monsters) would have you believe, role-playing was never a gateway to criminal or even occult activities; it just so happened that these games had the same target audience as other stigmatized media of the time, such as heavy metal and horror fiction.
Even back in the 80s, TSR representatives explained that the game was never meant to glorify its “scary” or “occult” elements, going so far as to point out that the player characters were technically forces for good. However, as internet culture continues to exemplify, it’s really hard to rationalize complex issues when faced with a paranoid mob, especially when subversive media is involved.
At the end of the day, the horror genre has always walked hand-in-hand with dark fantasy storytelling, and that’s why RPG-influenced media has a habit of also featuring horrific elements (like the aforementioned Stranger Things or even films like Joe Lynch’s horror comedy Knights of Badassdom). However, much like the fantasy stories that inspired it, Dungeons & Dragons remains a fun form of escapism where heroes triumph over the terrifying forces of evil. While the monsters and demons aren’t necessarily the focus of the experience, these spooky elements are definitely a big part of what makes role-playing so much fun, and I hope to see some of that in the upcoming adaptation.
D&D: Honor Among Thieves releases in theaters on March 31, 2023.
Editorials
‘Immaculate’ – A Companion Watch Guide to the Religious Horror Movie and Its Cinematic Influences
The religious horror movie Immaculate, starring Sydney Sweeney and directed by Michael Mohan, wears its horror influences on its sleeves. NEON’s new horror movie is now available on Digital and PVOD, making it easier to catch up with the buzzy title. If you’ve already seen Immaculate, this companion watch guide highlights horror movies to pair with it.
Sweeney stars in Immaculate as Cecilia, a woman of devout faith who is offered a fulfilling new role at an illustrious Italian convent. Cecilia’s warm welcome to the picture-perfect Italian countryside gets derailed soon enough when she discovers she’s become pregnant and realizes the convent harbors disturbing secrets.
From Will Bates’ gothic score to the filming locations and even shot compositions, Immaculate owes a lot to its cinematic influences. Mohan pulls from more than just religious horror, though. While Immaculate pays tribute to the classics, the horror movie surprises for the way it leans so heavily into Italian horror and New French Extremity. Let’s dig into many of the film’s most prominent horror influences with a companion watch guide.
Warning: Immaculate spoilers ahead.
Rosemary’s Baby
!['Rosemary's Baby' - Is Paramount's 'Apartment 7A' a Secret Remake?! [Exclusive]](https://i0.wp.com/bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Rosemarys-Baby.jpeg?resize=740%2C416&ssl=1)
The mother of all pregnancy horror movies introduces Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow), an eager-to-please housewife who’s supportive of her husband, Guy, and thrilled he landed them a spot in the coveted Bramford apartment building. Guy proposes a romantic evening, which gives way to a hallucinogenic nightmare scenario that leaves Rosemary confused and pregnant. Rosemary’s suspicions and paranoia mount as she’s gaslit by everyone around her, all attempting to distract her from her deeply abnormal pregnancy. While Cecilia follows a similar emotional journey to Rosemary, from the confusion over her baby’s conception to being gaslit by those who claim to have her best interests in mind, Immaculate inverts the iconic final frame of Rosemary’s Baby to great effect.
The Exorcist
William Friedkin’s horror classic shook audiences to their core upon release in the ’70s, largely for its shocking imagery. A grim battle over faith is waged between demon Pazuzu and priests Damien Karras (Jason Miller) and Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow). The battleground happens to be a 12-year-old, Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), whose possessed form commits blasphemy often, including violently masturbating with a crucifix. Yet Friedkin captures the horrifying events with stunning cinematography; the emotional complexity and shot composition lend elegance to a film that counterbalances the horror. That balance between transgressive imagery and artful form permeates Immaculate as well.
Suspiria
Jessica Harper stars as Suzy Bannion, an American newcomer at a prestigious dance academy in Germany who uncovers a supernatural conspiracy amid a series of grisly murders. It’s a dance academy so disciplined in its art form that its students and faculty live their full time, spending nearly every waking hour there, including built-in meals and scheduled bedtimes. Like Suzy Bannion, Cecilia is a novitiate committed to learning her chosen trade, so much so that she travels to a foreign country to continue her training. Also, like Suzy, Cecilia quickly realizes the pristine façade of her new setting belies sinister secrets that mean her harm.
What Have You Done to Solange?
This 1972 Italian horror film follows a college professor who gets embroiled in a bizarre series of murders when his mistress, a student, witnesses one taking place. The professor starts his own investigation to discover what happened to the young woman, Solange. Sex, murder, and religion course through this Giallo’s veins, which features I Spit on Your Grave’s Camille Keaton as Solange. Immaculate director Michael Mohan revealed to The Wrap that he emulated director Massimo Dallamano’s techniques, particularly in a key scene that sees Cecilia alone in a crowded room of male superiors, all interrogating her on her immaculate status.
The Red Queen Kills Seven Times
In this Giallo, two sisters inherit their family’s castle that’s also cursed. When a dark-haired, red-robed woman begins killing people around them, the sisters begin to wonder if the castle’s mysterious curse has resurfaced. Director Emilio Miraglia infuses his Giallo with vibrant style, with the titular Red Queen instantly eye-catching in design. While the killer’s design and use of red no doubt played an influential role in some of Immaculate’s nightmare imagery, its biggest inspiration in Mohan’s film is its score. Immaculate pays tribute to The Red Queen Kills Seven Times through specific music cues.
The Vanishing
Rex’s life is irrevocably changed when the love of his life is abducted from a rest stop. Three years later, he begins receiving letters from his girlfriend’s abductor. Director George Sluizer infuses his simple premise with bone-chilling dread and psychological terror as the kidnapper toys with Red. It builds to a harrowing finale you won’t forget; and neither did Mohan, who cited The Vanishing as an influence on Immaculate. Likely for its surprise closing moments, but mostly for the way Sluizer filmed from inside a coffin.
The Other Hell
This nunsploitation film begins where Immaculate ends: in the catacombs of a convent that leads to an underground laboratory. The Other Hell sees a priest investigating the seemingly paranormal activity surrounding the convent as possessed nuns get violent toward others. But is this a case of the Devil or simply nuns run amok? Immaculate opts to ground its horrors in reality, where The Other Hell leans into the supernatural, but the surprise lab setting beneath the holy grounds evokes the same sense of blasphemous shock.
Inside
During Immaculate‘s freakout climax, Cecilia sets the underground lab on fire with Father Sal Tedeschi (Álvaro Morte) locked inside. He manages to escape, though badly burned, and chases Cecilia through the catacombs. When Father Tedeschi catches Cecilia, he attempts to cut her baby out of her womb, and the stark imagery instantly calls Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury’s seminal French horror movie to mind. Like Tedeschi, Inside’s La Femme (Béatrice Dalle) will stop at nothing to get the baby, badly burned and all.
Burial Ground
At first glance, this Italian zombie movie bears little resemblance to Immaculate. The plot sees an eclectic group forced to band together against a wave of undead, offering no shortage of zombie gore and wild character quirks. What connects them is the setting; both employed the Villa Parisi as a filming location. The Villa Parisi happens to be a prominent filming spot for Italian horror; also pair the new horror movie with Mario Bava’s A Bay of Blood or Blood for Dracula for additional boundary-pushing horror titles shot at the Villa Parisi.
The Devils
The Devils was always intended to be incendiary. Horror, at its most depraved and sadistic, tends to make casual viewers uncomfortable. Ken Russell’s 1971 epic takes it to a whole new squeamish level with its nightmarish visuals steeped in some historical accuracy. There are the horror classics, like The Exorcist, and there are definitive transgressive horror cult classics. The Devils falls squarely in the latter, and Russell’s fearlessness in exploring taboos and wielding unholy imagery inspired Mohan’s approach to the escalating horror in Immaculate.
Looking for New Episodes of “Chucky” on Peacock? Here’s What Changed
‘The Blair Witch Project’ – Original Stars Release a Statement Asking Lionsgate for Residuals & Recognition
‘Mountain Man’ – Joe Manganiello Will Battle Zombies in Upcoming Horror Movie
Dev Patel’s ‘Monkey Man’ Is Now Available to Watch at Home!
Five Underseen Vampire Horror Movies to Stream This Week
You must be logged in to post a comment.