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Haunted Reels: Stories From the Minds of Professional Filmmakers
Haunted Reels is the newest anthology in the 'Dark Matter Presents' series. In April 2020, the world faced imminent lock-down, so a group of film-makers started a virtual support group. Once a week, these diverse voices would assemble to do what they do best: tell each other stories. Campfire horror tales, emotional cosmic mysteries, and anything else that either made them take their minds off what was happening to the world, or help them understand it. Haunted Reels is the best of those stories.
Curated by film producer, David Lawson Jr., this collection features 29 brand new stories written by some of the biggest and most creative names in film, TV, and video games, including C. Robert Cargill (Sinister, Dr. Strange, The Black Phone), Aaron Moorhead & Justin Benson (Something in the Dirt, Moon Knight, Loki), and Janina Gavankar (The Morning Show, God of War: Ragnarök, Horizon Zero Dawn, Tales of the Jedi).
The book covers a wide range of genre fiction, from science fiction and horror, to alternate history and new weird, so there is sure to be something in here for every kind of reader and fan.
Curated by film producer, David Lawson Jr., this collection features 29 brand new stories written by some of the biggest and most creative names in film, TV, and video games, including C. Robert Cargill (Sinister, Dr. Strange, The Black Phone), Aaron Moorhead & Justin Benson (Something in the Dirt, Moon Knight, Loki), and Janina Gavankar (The Morning Show, God of War: Ragnarök, Horizon Zero Dawn, Tales of the Jedi).
The book covers a wide range of genre fiction, from science fiction and horror, to alternate history and new weird, so there is sure to be something in here for every kind of reader and fan.
382 pages, Paperback
Published July 25, 2023
14 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 6, 2023
As with any anthology, the quality varies wildly across these stories. And I won’t lie: I badly wanted to proofread them, correcting all the misspellings (“made do” not “made due”, “vocal cords” not “chords”, “taut” not “taught”), the punctuation goofs, and weird formatting (why are you italicising band names, dude?) but of course good writing transcends all these things when it’s really fucken good.
My faves:
Jay Baruchel -- I should not have been surprised that he’s an excellent writer of prose
C Robert Cargill -- Oof. Excellent. Also the first without a spelling mistake or punctuation goof
Aaron -- These stories get better and better. Loved the formatting, the structure, the final punch, the depth and nuance of emotion, and the immediacy of that writing. Like okay, maybe I am used to the Moorhead-Benson narrative style and like fall into it easily — most times — but this was so gripping from the word go. I was afraid it wouldn’t be
Brea Grant -- Really liked this one
Justin -- Ugh, of course this story is incredibly well-written and deeply complex and a lil terrifying
Sarah Bolger -- Flawless in every way
Owen Egerton - Brilliant. Really should look up the novels
AT White -- beautifully written, such gorgeous turns of phrase. Haunting. Had me looking up and listening to Ghostlight, playing right now actually).
In a very odd coincidence, the week before I bought and started reading this, I watched not just Dead & Buried but also The Ones You Didn’t Burn. So I was quite startled to see both directors’ names in this roll call of authors. What goes on?
Some of these stories were ornately written with a deliciously strong command of vocabulary and twists of syntax. Some were told in simple brutal language and powerful for it. Some were grand, some were intimate. All of them made me glad that horror exists as a way to tell stories.
They also made me revisit that novel(la) I had begun and outlined last year, and shocked me into remembering what it feels like to write fiction. The vivid agony of living brighter than bright.
My faves:
Jay Baruchel -- I should not have been surprised that he’s an excellent writer of prose
C Robert Cargill -- Oof. Excellent. Also the first without a spelling mistake or punctuation goof
Aaron -- These stories get better and better. Loved the formatting, the structure, the final punch, the depth and nuance of emotion, and the immediacy of that writing. Like okay, maybe I am used to the Moorhead-Benson narrative style and like fall into it easily — most times — but this was so gripping from the word go. I was afraid it wouldn’t be
Brea Grant -- Really liked this one
Justin -- Ugh, of course this story is incredibly well-written and deeply complex and a lil terrifying
Sarah Bolger -- Flawless in every way
Owen Egerton - Brilliant. Really should look up the novels
AT White -- beautifully written, such gorgeous turns of phrase. Haunting. Had me looking up and listening to Ghostlight, playing right now actually).
In a very odd coincidence, the week before I bought and started reading this, I watched not just Dead & Buried but also The Ones You Didn’t Burn. So I was quite startled to see both directors’ names in this roll call of authors. What goes on?
Some of these stories were ornately written with a deliciously strong command of vocabulary and twists of syntax. Some were told in simple brutal language and powerful for it. Some were grand, some were intimate. All of them made me glad that horror exists as a way to tell stories.
They also made me revisit that novel(la) I had begun and outlined last year, and shocked me into remembering what it feels like to write fiction. The vivid agony of living brighter than bright.
August 3, 2023
Haunted Reels is an anthology written by many, many talented individuals whose usual medium is filmmaking. Before I even start with the review: let me commend them with an anecdote. In college, I took a Playwriting course to finish my creative writing course. Writing in a different medium was *hard.* I did it, but hot damn, it was hard. Just for that alone, this deserves a 5-star rating.
The book is truly fantastic. There are so many wonderful short stories that are in this collection. My personal favorites are: "Yeast," "Dead No Longer," "Fugazi," "Grim," "It Stood Above Me," and "Desire Path." All of them are just absolutely wonderful. This is not to knock anything written by the other writers-- there is so much talent and imagination in this that it's mindblowing. Bra-fucking-vo.
The book is truly fantastic. There are so many wonderful short stories that are in this collection. My personal favorites are: "Yeast," "Dead No Longer," "Fugazi," "Grim," "It Stood Above Me," and "Desire Path." All of them are just absolutely wonderful. This is not to knock anything written by the other writers-- there is so much talent and imagination in this that it's mindblowing. Bra-fucking-vo.
August 11, 2023
This is such a robust and lovely collection! It’s got a bit of everything horror-wise, so whatever your jam, you’ll find something that scratches your itch. I enjoyed all of them, but highlights for me were: It Stood Above Me, A Story With a Beginning and No End, Grim, Vox Canis, Dead No Longer, and Yeast.
November 13, 2024
The premise for this collection is interesting enough: Gather some of the most talented directors of horror films and have each write a horror short story. The trouble is, of course, that the craft of writing well changes across different media: and most of these directors have little clue what a short story looks like, let alone what makes one successful.
This is not to say that everything here is bad, but the number of winners is far below what I might expect from an anthology, perhaps one in ten. Overall, though, I found far more pleasure in this book when I began treating everything as a pitch for a film: Yes, if this story was a movie, it could be really good. But its breadth and lack of detail or interiority really makes it out of scale for the short story to work.
More than twice, we find sentences like "We follow the car and see Gwen through its windows. . . ." written as if our narrator is, instead, a camera. Or, "She crept quietly through the dark room and CLICK! CLICK! tried the light switch." So much for quiet, there, Mr. Onomatopoeia.
Writers like Sarah Bolger and C. Robert Cargill are here, Owen Egerton and Lola Blanc (who offers a tale as topically taboo as it is psychologically horrifying)--these authors stand out for understanding the task handed them. For most of the rest, the stories are eminently forgettable, as written (but might make for a decent film some day, if expanded).
Dark Matter Ink and David Lawson, Jr. put this together, and I wish they had offered more guidance to their submitters (and more editorial support--much more). They built upon Cargill's Covid-era "porch beer talks" and expanded the reach. Great idea, good enough apparently to already offer a Volume II. But after almost 400 wearying pages of Volume I, I won't be reading it.
This is not to say that everything here is bad, but the number of winners is far below what I might expect from an anthology, perhaps one in ten. Overall, though, I found far more pleasure in this book when I began treating everything as a pitch for a film: Yes, if this story was a movie, it could be really good. But its breadth and lack of detail or interiority really makes it out of scale for the short story to work.
More than twice, we find sentences like "We follow the car and see Gwen through its windows. . . ." written as if our narrator is, instead, a camera. Or, "She crept quietly through the dark room and CLICK! CLICK! tried the light switch." So much for quiet, there, Mr. Onomatopoeia.
Writers like Sarah Bolger and C. Robert Cargill are here, Owen Egerton and Lola Blanc (who offers a tale as topically taboo as it is psychologically horrifying)--these authors stand out for understanding the task handed them. For most of the rest, the stories are eminently forgettable, as written (but might make for a decent film some day, if expanded).
Dark Matter Ink and David Lawson, Jr. put this together, and I wish they had offered more guidance to their submitters (and more editorial support--much more). They built upon Cargill's Covid-era "porch beer talks" and expanded the reach. Great idea, good enough apparently to already offer a Volume II. But after almost 400 wearying pages of Volume I, I won't be reading it.
March 4, 2024
As with any anthology, there are going to be some winners and some stories... that are not as successful; Haunted Reels is no different. Overall, I would say there were more winners than not. But man, there were some joints in here that were so corny or so excessively overwrought and dramatic I couldn't get through them; the cringe was too strong.
Also, I don't know if it's because these stories were written during the pandemic but the tone in a lot of these is very somber. On more than one occasion, I finished a story and audibly said "oof" and stared off into space for a while to contemplate my existence.
Special shoutout to Lola Blanc ("Yeast") for writing the most viscerally disgusting (and only!) short story I've ever read about a yeast infection.
There were also typos in this book, multiple times, in multiple different stories. That type of mistake just kind of takes me out of the whole experience, amateur hour over here.
Also, I don't know if it's because these stories were written during the pandemic but the tone in a lot of these is very somber. On more than one occasion, I finished a story and audibly said "oof" and stared off into space for a while to contemplate my existence.
Special shoutout to Lola Blanc ("Yeast") for writing the most viscerally disgusting (and only!) short story I've ever read about a yeast infection.
There were also typos in this book, multiple times, in multiple different stories. That type of mistake just kind of takes me out of the whole experience, amateur hour over here.
June 20, 2024
If you watch Shudder or horror movies in general, you probably recognize some (if not all) of the names in Haunted Reels. It's why I picked the book up, and to be honest, I wasn't expecting too much from the anthology. One or two great stories would have sufficed, and I would have been happy if the rest were readable. When filmmakers tackle a different medium from film, sometimes the work just doesn't...well...work.
And I took a weirdly long break from reading this one, and I'm not exactly sure why. This anthology really delivers. Every single story in this book is a hit. No duds here. Some go above and beyond, and some are just good, but I never found myself once asking "why did anyone publish this?"
The best one, though? Roll the Bones by Ariel Vida. Such a well crafted story. And the writing? I really dug it.
And I took a weirdly long break from reading this one, and I'm not exactly sure why. This anthology really delivers. Every single story in this book is a hit. No duds here. Some go above and beyond, and some are just good, but I never found myself once asking "why did anyone publish this?"
The best one, though? Roll the Bones by Ariel Vida. Such a well crafted story. And the writing? I really dug it.
September 26, 2023
When I ask people if they like horror there are always a few who say no. Too scary. But I think everyone in that boat as well as fans who ship the genre will find something to love in this collection. Humor, romance, sci fi, apocalypse, suspense, fantasy, drama, and plenty of night terrors--this anthology has it all. I can honestly say I roared with laughter, soared into deep space, fell in love, and cried. I also got very hungry for Detroit hot dogs, paranoid about the nosey neighbor who never smiles, and, well, let's just say I made a preventative OBGYN appointment as soon as I reached the end. Which took no time at all. I promise this book is gonna keep you up all night in a good way.
November 13, 2023
“Horror is catharsis; it is pure, unbridled empathy. This is the distillation of three years of discussing filmmaking, our lives, and what it means to make genre, particularly horror.” —C. Robert Cargill
📚
Haunted Reels presents 29 short stories penned by professional creatives from the TV, film, and video game industries. With stories spanning a variety of genres, writing styles, timelines, histories, subjects, emotions, and themes, this collection — borne out of the 2020 Pandemic — contains something for everyone. It’s a fantastic, page-turning compendium in which readers will find many favorites.
Standouts for this reader include:
“Yeast” by Lola Blanc: A visceral, gruesome, stomach-churning psychological/body horror work that’s as moving and devastating as it is repellant and anxiety-inducing.
“The Deception of Youth” by Sarah Bolger: A gritty, contemptuous, and insidious tale of neglect, murder, and violence.
“It Stood Above Me” by C. Robert Cargill: A terrifying journey that plunges the reader into a night terror-laden abyss.
“Dead No Longer” by Owen Egerton: An innovative, horrific, and gut-wrenching reality surrounding life, death, and something in between.
“Hologram Store” by Brea Grant: A creative slice of apocalyptic horror that’s bonafide nightmare fuel (as this reader can attest!).
“The Beginning” by Izzy Lee: An engrossing account that’s as creepy and cinematic as it is horrifying.
“Vox Canis” by Carl Lucas: A unique and addictive dystopian future where dogs rule the world following humanity's extinction, modeling their societies upon human folly: an insightful exposition with a chilling, prescient close.
“A Story with a Beginning and No End” by Aaron Moorhead: A distressing chronicle with a chilling opening line, heart-rending premise, and haunting conclusion.
“The Man Who Saved the World” by Jared Moshe: A gripping piece of religious/sci-fi horror with a shocking and memorable close.
Thank you to Dark Matter INK for sending me a copy of this tremendous anthology; after reading and loving Human Monsters and Haunted Reels, I’m beyond excited to experience Monstrous Futures, Zero Dark Thirty, Monster Lairs, Dark Matter Magazine, and many more!
📚
Haunted Reels presents 29 short stories penned by professional creatives from the TV, film, and video game industries. With stories spanning a variety of genres, writing styles, timelines, histories, subjects, emotions, and themes, this collection — borne out of the 2020 Pandemic — contains something for everyone. It’s a fantastic, page-turning compendium in which readers will find many favorites.
Standouts for this reader include:
“Yeast” by Lola Blanc: A visceral, gruesome, stomach-churning psychological/body horror work that’s as moving and devastating as it is repellant and anxiety-inducing.
“The Deception of Youth” by Sarah Bolger: A gritty, contemptuous, and insidious tale of neglect, murder, and violence.
“It Stood Above Me” by C. Robert Cargill: A terrifying journey that plunges the reader into a night terror-laden abyss.
“Dead No Longer” by Owen Egerton: An innovative, horrific, and gut-wrenching reality surrounding life, death, and something in between.
“Hologram Store” by Brea Grant: A creative slice of apocalyptic horror that’s bonafide nightmare fuel (as this reader can attest!).
“The Beginning” by Izzy Lee: An engrossing account that’s as creepy and cinematic as it is horrifying.
“Vox Canis” by Carl Lucas: A unique and addictive dystopian future where dogs rule the world following humanity's extinction, modeling their societies upon human folly: an insightful exposition with a chilling, prescient close.
“A Story with a Beginning and No End” by Aaron Moorhead: A distressing chronicle with a chilling opening line, heart-rending premise, and haunting conclusion.
“The Man Who Saved the World” by Jared Moshe: A gripping piece of religious/sci-fi horror with a shocking and memorable close.
Thank you to Dark Matter INK for sending me a copy of this tremendous anthology; after reading and loving Human Monsters and Haunted Reels, I’m beyond excited to experience Monstrous Futures, Zero Dark Thirty, Monster Lairs, Dark Matter Magazine, and many more!
August 11, 2023
Haunted Reels was my favorite anthology I’ve read this year!
Such brilliant stories with a lot of heart. Some stories will make your skin crawl while others brought a tear to my eye.
I very much recommend this book! Bravo to all who was involved in making this very special anthology.
Such brilliant stories with a lot of heart. Some stories will make your skin crawl while others brought a tear to my eye.
I very much recommend this book! Bravo to all who was involved in making this very special anthology.
August 6, 2023
Well this was pretty fucking excellent
May 2, 2024
Just like any collection some were great, others weren't for me.
August 27, 2025
My fav stories were:
- Natalie Fears Recurrence
- A Story With A Beginning And No End
- Fugazi
- Sprout
- Dead No Longer
- This Is Not My Face
-Midnight: A Series of Letters
- Natalie Fears Recurrence
- A Story With A Beginning And No End
- Fugazi
- Sprout
- Dead No Longer
- This Is Not My Face
-Midnight: A Series of Letters
January 9, 2024
Haunted Reels, edited by David Lawson Jr., is an enjoyable and shocking read in the anthology horror book genre. These talented writers and actors showed off their storytelling skills in this little piece of fiction that should’ve sold out the shelves they were resting on! It’s a shame this book hasn’t reached a wider audience. Hope each of these has its own short film adaptation in the future.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews