Here at No But Listen, we have cast our eye over many a horror book that we would like to see adapted into movie form (amongst some other genres, too) – but we’ve been rather remiss in not covering a whole other side of the horror literary scene we’d love to see brought to the screen. Today, we’re going to take a look at great horror comics we think would make brilliant candidates to jump from frame to, well, other frame. Let’s get into it!
Through the Woods, by Emily Carroll
As you are about to realise, my suggestions here are nothing more than pipe-dreams. My ideas for these adaptations, and the filmmakers I want for them, have been formed with full knowledge that most studios would rather run screaming into a haunted forest than hand over the cash to make it happen. Oh, well, a boy can nightmare. First on the chopping block is Through the Woods: the beautifully macabre fairy-tale anthology from writer and artist Emily Carroll. To adapt this into a film, it should adhere to the anthology structure, though a framing story could sugar the pill, and the director I’ve picked to handle this is The Ugly Stepsister’s Emilie Blichfeldt. Blichfeldt’s disgustingly good work and still at sewing canny seeds of nuance that ground the insanity, make her the perfect choice. Now here is the really silly bit: Through the Woods should be made in the style of the classic Japanese supernatural folktale anthology, Kwaidan. Made completely on a soundstage with consciously fake and overdesigned locations and atmosphere, this could give Through the Woods a distinct personality and visual that matches its comic counterpart as well as upping the creep factor.
A Walk Through Hell, By Garth Ennis and Goran Sudžuka
Garth Ennis’ work has had a rocky road to the screen. Both adaptations of his best known works, Preacher and The Boys, became hits before falling off quality-wise when the showrunners of both shows cared more about the story they wanted to tell than what made both properties great in the first place. That is their prerogative, but when it comes to something like A Walk Through Hell, I feel that its main themes, and strength of story need to make the transition to film rather than some writer or director using it as their own soapbox. No adaptation of Ennis’ work has been smarter than the original (though, with the upcoming crossed movie from Rob Jabbaz, I’m willing to be proved wrong). That is where I look to an old favourite of mine. A Walk Through Hell has blood, guts, existential mind journeys, up to date politics for everyone to argue over, and something to say about what drives us. This is a job for Bryan Fuller. Need proof? Look at Hannibal. A Walk Through Hell is basically a twelve-issue Will Graham head-fuck.
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Patrick Horvath
We all grew up with some cutesey show or another following humanoid animals learning life lessons. But what if they were learning forensics instead? What if, instead of a show in which a bunch of humanoid animals learned life lessons every week, they not only had one serial killer living undercover amongst them for years, they were also plagued by a killer targeting the townsfolk? Patrick Horvath has miraculously combined Arthur with a David Fincher thriller in his superb Beneath the Trees series, and it’s one that would be a tough sell to get on screen, but it’s that very distinct approach that I think makes it a perfect choice. I think it is time Peter Jackson dusted off his early career weirdness and went all Meet the Feebles all over the place. It is easy to see Beneath the Trees as an animated movie, but I think it would be more disturbing to have the characters rendered as old-fashioned Henson puppets and dudes in big furry suits. It is time to have another go at what The Happytime Murders tried to do, just not shit this time, and Beneath the Trees is the perfect story to make that happen.
What comics or graphic novels are you holding out hope to see a movie adaptation of? And are there any you think deserve a new adaptation after a total flop? Let us know in the comments!
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By Lou MacGregor and Kevin Boyle
(header image via 3 Million Years)
No But Listen 