174 replies to this topic

[Taranaich]

Truly, it warms the cockles of my heart to know that there are indeed vicious predatory leviathans that strike terror and awe into the hearts of mortals...

[Kane]

For anyone wanting some additional info on the giant squid, and the larger colossal squid, here's a good write up;
http://www.tonmo.com...tsquidfacts.php

[grim cimmerian]

? Thanks a lot Lovecraft & Howard & Derleth etc. I can never swim in the ocean ever again !!

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I think its funny when big tough guys wade out to their waist in the ocean and a bit of seaweed brushes their legs and they shriek like little girls and dash for shore.

I'm a scuba diver and I have developed a little bit of an unrational fear of sharks. My only phobia. (Carcharhiniformephobia) on my last trip to the beach I was poking this blob of white crap that had washed up thinking it was a jellyfish or some sort of cephalopod when I flipped it over it had small bones and hair. It was a trash can lid sized bite out of a pinniped (like a sea lion or a harbor seal) by a great white shark. It made me alot more nervous in the water.

Edited by grim cimmerian, 29 September 2005 - 08:22 PM.

[daknight]

Has anyone seen OPEN WATER? That scared the sh@t out of me. I couldn't stop imaging be lost in the ocean and sharks below biding their time. After a lifetime of horror film viewing with only a few real scares to show for decades of said viewing, this film based loosely on real events really creeped me out.

Closer to topic, on the nature of Lovecraftian beasties, has anyone heard "The Thing That Should Not Be" by Metallica from their 86 album Master of Puppets? Lovecraft-ian lyrics for sure. Of course in 84, Ride The Lightning had an atmospheric and spooky instrumental jam called "Call of Ktulu."

[Jaybird]

Can you even imagine getting eaten by one? How scary would that be?

[Pillarhood]

Has anyone seen OPEN WATER?? That scared the sh@t out of me.? I couldn't stop imaging be lost in the ocean and sharks below biding their time.? After a lifetime of horror film viewing with only a few real scares to show for decades of said viewing, this film based loosely on real events really creeped me out.

Closer to topic, on the nature of Lovecraftian beasties, has anyone heard "The Thing That Should Not Be" by Metallica from their 86 album Master of Puppets?? Lovecraft-ian lyrics for sure.? Of course in 84, Ride The Lightning had an atmospheric and spooky instrumental jam called "Call of Ktulu."

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Open Water terrified me. My worst dreams come true, on screen. My stomach was in knots the whole time - I've never felt sick like that in a movie.

I tried snorkelling on my honeymoon, and I've never been so scared in my life. I very nearly had a panic attack - and that is a big deal for me. I'm the calmest guy alive, not afraid of much - I've done some crazy stuff. But the ocean scares me.

On the Metallica note, I don't know if it's up your alley or not, but if you want awesome Lovecraft inspired metal, look no further than Morbid Angel, particularly the later stuff.

Edited by Pillarhood, 30 September 2005 - 06:29 PM.

[grim cimmerian]

Has anyone seen OPEN WATER?? That scared the sh@t out of me.? I couldn't stop imaging be lost in the ocean and sharks below biding their time.? After a lifetime of horror film viewing with only a few real scares to show for decades of said viewing, this film based loosely on real events really creeped me out.

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Ditto.
My favorite part of jaws was the ominous feeling I got during the indianapolis navy ship story were all the sailors are in the water for a long time with the sharks eating them. I love that part.
I have had the hackles on my neck raised very few times in a lifetime of being a horror fan. Open Water was one. Maybe we are desensitized? My brother's wife watches scary shows I bring over that I think are tame with some covers pulled over her head. (I wonder how she manages to still scream and jump at the right times?)

Open Water terrified me. My worst dreams come true, on screen. My stomach was in knots the whole time - I've never felt sick like that in a movie.

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Ditto.
I really think that getting eaten by some unseen beasty in an element that you have little ability or control in is the worst terror possible. I think the closest analogy would be some alien in space. I loved those Aliens movies for that same reason- I got a creeped out feeling like "what the hell was that?!!" (you ever had a fish bump your legs?) Basically you are in an environment where you don't belong.
I mean you can't run, your ability to fight back is drastically limited, no trees to climb, playing dead doesn't work, nobody can save you etc.
I bought a great book about shark attacks that has a explicit picture section of attack victims and the awesome devastating damage that can be done to a person. I love sharks and stuff and like to be scared but I think that seeing that developed my shark phobia for me. I know it is the only thing I am truly afraid of, well besides worrying about loved ones safety and such, but everyone does that right?

Edited by grim cimmerian, 03 October 2005 - 05:53 PM.

[grim cimmerian]

For anyone wanting some additional info on the giant squid, and the larger colossal squid, here's a good write up;
http://www.tonmo.com...tsquidfacts.php

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Thanks for the link I snooped around the web and learned alot.
The mantle they found from the colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni)was 4 meters plus, considering the record so far for a giant squid (Architeuthis dux) was a mantle 2.25 meters long for a total whole animal length of 20 meters (around 60 footer), if they have similar anatomical morphology at all that would put the Colossal in at somewhere like 40m/131 feet long!! All they have found so far of this species are a couple of washed up parts, some juveniles, and some really huge beaks (much larger than the giant squidy beaks) in some sperm whale stomachs (Physeter macrocephalus) I say lets have some footage of that monstrosity! someone fund some cameras and GPS and I will go strap them to Sperm whales!!

[PainBrush]

That movie Open Water reminded me of one of my favorite horror stories as a kid . Back in the '70's , right after 'Jaws' was released , in Warrens 'Creepy' magazine there was a story illustrated by Rich Corben & I think written by Jones(?) -can't remember the name of the story offhand . The story had a couple of newly-weds stranded out in the ocean just like in 'Open Water' , both clinging to a float-ring. The scared couple swear eternal love & something along the lines of "I'll hold your heart forever in the highest regards my love " or something just as kooky . The sense of dread starts to build & sharks start to appear , fins breaking the surface & circling the terrified couple , dread builds up , then terror . Then the story cuts ahead to onboard a rescue-ship , or in the hospital or something where doctors are discussing the insane man they found floating all alone clutching the float-ring in a death-grip to his chest his hands locked together . They finally pry the crazed & mortified guys hands apart & then.....................he's holding his womans heart in the highest regards , & also literally in his hands !! It was all he could keep the sharks from eating !!!! Gruesome !!! Sounds hoky now but it was one of those "MANNN , this story is AWESOME !!" types of stories that kids like me couldn't get enough of . There's really never been any horror mags or comics anywhere near as cool as those Warrens ever since . Some of the stuff was so bad it was good , & some stuff was true genius & the artwork was some of the best ever .

[Pillarhood]

That movie Open Water reminded me of one of my favorite horror stories as a kid . Back in the '70's , right after 'Jaws' was released , in Warrens 'Creepy' magazine there was a story illustrated by Rich Corben & I think written by Jones(?) -can't remember the name of the story offhand . The story had a couple of newly-weds stranded out in the ocean just like in 'Open Water' , both clinging to a float-ring. The scared couple swear eternal love & something along the lines of "I'll hold your heart forever in the highest regards my love " or something just as kooky . The sense of dread starts to build & sharks start to appear , fins breaking the surface & circling the terrified couple , dread builds up , then terror . Then the story cuts ahead to onboard a rescue-ship , or in the hospital or something where doctors are discussing the insane man they found floating all alone clutching the float-ring in a death-grip to his chest his hands locked together . They finally pry the crazed & mortified guys hands apart & then.....................he's holding his womans heart in the highest regards , & also literally in his hands !! It was all he could keep the sharks from eating !!!! Gruesome !!! Sounds hoky now but it was one of those "MANNN , this story is AWESOME !!" types of stories that kids like me couldn't get enough of . There's really never been any horror mags or comics anywhere near as cool as those Warrens ever since . Some of the stuff was so bad it was good , & some stuff was true genius & the artwork was some of the best ever .

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Awesome!

[Jaybird]

HOW 'BOUT THIS CLASH OF THE TITANS....


today in the news (in the Florida Everglades)(sorry I'm too lazy to link, but if someone else has the gumption, there are pictures) they found a alligator eaten by a HUGE python (yeah like the kind Conan used to beat-up). But that's not the cool part... the cool part is that the gator clawed through the snakes belly and they both died. They found them with the gator's body hanging halfway out of the middle of the snakes body.

[m1chael]

i read about this.... wild to see such a beast.

i heard that they had trouble finding it because the whales they followed (sperm whales) who eat the squid had been dying of starvation because ocean trawling kill the squid eggs and thus less squid for the whales to feed upon.

crazy...

[Kane]

HOW 'BOUT THIS CLASH OF THE TITANS....


today in the news (in the Florida Everglades)(sorry I'm too lazy to link, but if someone else has the gumption, there are pictures) they found a alligator eaten by a HUGE python (yeah like the kind Conan used to beat-up). But that's not the cool part... the cool part is that the gator clawed through the snakes belly and they both died. They found them with the gator's body hanging halfway out of the middle of the snakes body.

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Found a link with photo. Be advised that the photo is somewhat graphic.

http://news.bbc.co.u...700/4314708.stm

[Cormac]

Ho-lee-smokes!

[matsellah]

That's a big, honkin' snake!

[Mark Finn]

Even knowing what it is, it's so weird to see that kind of thing that I really have trouble deciphering it all. It looks like a bunch of skin, just waiting to get made into boots, belts, and handbags. Nutty, but ultimately foreign to me.

I do like the idea that there's snakes out there that can eat gators. We need more of that in the world, I say.

[PainBrush]

Found a link with photo. Be advised that the photo is somewhat graphic.

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Kinda graphic , I have a very similar series of photos from maybe Sumatra/java or some indonesian island that has 'very' large reticulated pythons & the pictures show a twenty-some footer tied up & hoisted on a come-along into the back of a pickup truck , belly sliced open to get out the remains of a little Sumatran guy who wasn't fast enough .THOSE are some graphic pictures ! I used to breed reptiles & owned several large (giant) pythons. The one linked to above looks to be either a Burmese (semi-docile) or 'possibly' an African rock-python , which are vicious ornery & aren't afraid to try to eat gazelles , boars , wild dogs , hyenas & the occasional lion , a 6-foot american alligator has no chance whatsoever against a twenty foot python . I'd bet the farm it constricted & was downing the gator when another gator came to the thrashing & disturbance & took it's head when it was vulnerable with a full mouth . That or a red-neck trophy hunter . Pythons can sit for up to 24 hours wrapped around a prey animal that might be too big , until the heartbeat stops , they won't attempt to eat an animal if it's still ticking , so it isn't likely that gator started to claw its way out , or why would it also still be dead in the snakes stomach ? Crazy stuff whatever happened !! There are breeding populations of boas & pythons all through the everglades thanks to kids with inattentive parents buying baby snakes & finding out in a year or two just how hard & dangerous it is to house & feed such a dragon , so they just take 'em & throw them in the forest or the swamp . Adult Burmese & Indian pythons can actually hibernate & can go for up to a year without food & lay egg-clutches of up to 60 to 80 , I expect they'll eventually travel at least a few more states north of Florida with no known predators except the occasional hillbilly or swamper , hide your kids & dogs hahaha .

[Jaybird]

Thanks Kane,

That's bad ass isn't it? I agree with Mark Finn, we need more of that kinda stuff in this world of ours.

[Ant]

Great Cthulhu lives! 

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IA! IA! Cthulhu f'thagn!

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This kinda brings it back on topic... I mean, there's definitely some Mythos connection in REH's Conan stories, right?





Source:SOTA Toys. (Bigger pics on their site.)

In your local store soon! (November.)

Ciao,
Ant

[Mike_The_Barbarian]

There better be more big hungrey beasts out there. We need some natural predators, the human race has gone on messing things up for far too long. Haha, so much so we are actually now devolving.
I hope there are still some monsters in the world, because there's nothing worth fighting for anymore.

Edited by Mike_The_Barbarian, 09 October 2005 - 12:27 AM.