Everyone knows that the Internet is an excellent source of horror, real and fictional, and no one knows this better than the creators of Tales from the voida new anthology show based on the stories of a unique subreddit where users post scary stories could be REAL. R/nosleep is a goldmine for horror fans, and this Screambox original series showcases some of the strangest and most original short-form thrills on the web.
R/nosleep creates an extremely unsettling aura with its immersion rule: authors never break character, and readers suspend their disbelief, no matter how outrageous the conceit. Some stories have already breached containment, becoming published novels and narrative podcasts, and major movie studios are buying the rights to the most popular posts. In the meantime, Tales from the void enchant fans with six indie horror treats.
These stories are all true, even if they aren't
Francesco Loschiavo and John Thomas Kelley, the showrunners of Tales from the voidcame first in the race to bring r/nosleep to the screen, offering a package of little terrors. The season collects six of the site's disturbing stories that might be true; or they could be partially REAL; or them it may not be true at all — but the encouragement to imagine even the most extreme stories as disturbing voices gives the show a special thrill.
The six episodes sample r/nosleep's wide range of content, some of which has the plausibility of an urban legend. Some are fantastic, but all have a touch of unnerving realism. A standout episode is Maritte Lee Go's “Carry,” which inserts surreal imagery into a compelling nightmare about a religious woman's life-threatening pregnancy. At the opposite end of the spectrum is Joe Lynch's sci-fi thriller “Into the Unknown,” about a portal that opens in the middle of a housing project; this gritty series premiere has hints of John Carpenter and UNDER THE SKIN.
r/nosleep Tales from the Void |
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The show has been rolling out episodes throughout October and saving one of the best for last: “Plastic Smile,” adapted by indie horror darlings the Adams family, is a treacherous shocker at childhood memories, while the finale takes inspiration from traditional folk beliefs – two areas where worldly reality can take on an exaggerated and uncertain feel. R/nosleep's rich buffet of fears means Tales from the void he will be spoiled for choice if this continues.
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R/Nosleep is a horrible gift that keeps on giving
In a recent interview with Bloody Disgusting, show creator Francesco Loschiavo described the inspiration for his new anthology series. He was almost surprised that he was the first to think of it. He said:
I started reading r/NoSleep… a little after it started in 2011, and always thought it would be cool to do a show about this content. …(I) thought, well, there are a lot of really good stories here; I don't know why someone doesn't do it. So I spent two years reading r/No Sleep and curating it.
Of course, Loschiavo wasn't the only one to notice the creativity of the r/nosleep community. The popular No Sleep Podcast features dramatic narrations of select stories, and guest stars like Mike Flanagan, Kate Siegel, and Elijah Wood have lent their voices to standout episodes. Many stories became published novels, including Dathan Auerbach's “Penpal” and Matt Query's “My Wife and I Bought a Ranch,” which he published as Old Country.
Famous guests on the No Sleep podcast |
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Old Country it has since been picked up for a film adaptation by Netflix, just one of the studios to jump on the r/nosleep bandwagon. Amazon has acquired the rights to the sci-fi thriller “The Left-Right Game,” which author Jack Anderson previously turned into a narrative podcast. Sony blocked Nick Moorefox's film “My Mother-in-Law Was Poisoning Me, Then I Found Out Why,” while Amblin Partners and even Ryan Reynolds have pursued r/nosleep projects. Tales from the void it may be small in size and short in form, but Loschiavo's foresight means he will always be able to comment “First!”
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