BTS style movies & books?

clawingwolf · Unread post by **clawingwolf** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:23 pm

The favorite horror flim thread got me wondering what horror movies and novels have BTS plots, I saw someone in that thread say the movie Wolfen. Anyone else know any?

Sir Neil · Unread post by **Sir Neil** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 10:39 pm

K-Dawg says that Frailty is a perfect BTS movie.

lather · Unread post by **lather** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 11:12 am

I was thinking about starting this topic. Thanks.

Frailty is a movie with a BtS plot.

I recently watched Night Watch (wiki article is good overview in English). It has elements that could be used in either/or BtS and Nightbane. Humans with supnat powers, the gloom, and some really interesting character and plot concepts. But only one cameo I approve of.

For some reason Eraserhead comes to mind, too.

sasha · Unread post by **sasha** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 11:35 am

You have already statted out the a rocket powered utility truck?

Some day I'm going to read the book(s).

lather · Unread post by **lather** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 11:45 am

sasha wrote:You have already statted out the a rocket powered utility truck?

Of course.

lather · Unread post by **lather** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 8:49 pm

Caliburn is going to hate this thread.

Killer Cyborg · Mon Oct 08, 2007 10:09 pm

ash_wednesday wrote:I would have to say John Carpeatner's Vampires would have a BTS theme.

The book, by John Steakley, is 1000x better.

JTwig · Unread post by **JTwig** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 8:48 am

This would really depend on what type of campaign you are running, either a victim-style game or an investigator-style games.

For an investigator game the CW show Supernatural (as mentioned above, though they have a lot more action than most Beyond the Supernatural games), and a lot of old X-Files episodes have BTS worthy plots. Also if you run a more light-hearted game then the old standby of Ghost Busters (one not two) are good.

For a victim game virtually any horror movie would work, especially ones like Blair Witch (if you can get past the jumpy frame work of the "home video" camera).

lather · Unread post by **lather** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 9:32 am

Alright, I'll say it.

X-files.

lather · Unread post by **lather** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:23 pm

sithbunny wrote:
lather wrote:Caliburn is going to hate this thread.

only if someone mentions the Muppet Show as a BTS theme.

He's anti-Ghost Busters, too, I think.

Natasha · Unread post by **Natasha** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 6:56 pm

lather wrote:I recently watched Night Watch (wiki article is good overview in English). It has elements that could be used in either/or BtS and Nightbane. Humans with supnat powers, the gloom, and some really interesting character and plot concepts. But only one cameo I approve of.

Where Good is not really good, but just enough... maybe.

Sir Neil · Unread post by **Sir Neil** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 7:20 pm

Lobotaru wrote:Wouldn't most horror movies count as being good examples of BTS?

Surprisingly enough, they wouldn't.

Unless you're playing victim games, horror movies are what is going on before the PC's arrive. Once the Lazlo Agency shows up, it's more like Aliens, Blade, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Hellboy, and Underworld. Empowered heroes hunting down monsters and going psycho-clown crazy on their faces.

The D-Bees know there are six billion people here that wouldn't put up with their crap if they realized what was going on. "Dead Things Walk the Earth...They Better Run"

I feel I have to point out that K-Dawg is wrong. Frailty is a Hunter the Reckoning movie.

lather · Unread post by **lather** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 8:18 pm

It is also a BtS movie

BtS is a very diverse setting.

Lord_Dalgard · Unread post by **Lord_Dalgard** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 8:37 am

Chello!

What, no one's going to mention Night Stalker with Darrrin McGavin as Kolckak? That's a very BtS series!

Tony

Killer Cyborg · Tue Oct 23, 2007 9:01 am

Lord_Dalgard wrote:Chello!

What, no one's going to mention Night Stalker with Darrrin McGavin as Kolckak? That's a very BtS series!

Tony

I own the series on DVD.

lather · Unread post by **lather** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 2:57 pm

Lord_Dalgard wrote:Chello!

What, no one's going to mention Night Stalker with Darrrin McGavin as Kolckak? That's a very BtS series!

Tony

We were waiting for you. 8-)

Wōdwulf Seaxaning · Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:15 pm

I'd 2nd Hellboy & Nightbreed.For comix ,I'd recommend Necromancer from Image & of coarse DH's Hellboy.For spernatural Zombie feel Deadworld ..Hail the Zombie King!!!
Sgt. Leo MacKenzie CSA Commando

Richter · Unread post by **Richter** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 8:10 pm

For the investigator side of things, big time, Stir of Echoes.

It even directly relates to being open and closed to the supernatural. Movie is awesome, and if it doesn't give you game ideas, nothing will.

Guy_LeDouche · Unread post by **Guy_LeDouche** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 9:45 am

an old tv show I used to watch in high school, Forever Knight.

My wife and I LOVED Forever Knight; enjoyed watching again now that its on DVD. It is a litte dated obviously, but still a great watch. I would get a kick out of seeing redone. Until that happens, the new series "Moonlight" isn't too bad.

I'll go along with the crowd, "Supernatural" is a great show. If you are looking for more humerous show (but still in the same vein) check out the CW series "Reaper". A criminally underated show.

If you haven't read the book "World War Z" by Max Brooks, you are missing a classic! This is a great read for those interested in "Zombie Apocalypse" stories. I read the book in less than a week, give it a try.

Richter · Unread post by **Richter** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 12:02 pm

Forever Knight was a movie keep in mind, and it got picked up as a TV show. Obviously, the movie is much better, and it's very vampire-centric but it's still a good candidate

Killer Cyborg · Sat Jan 19, 2008 5:39 pm

Richter wrote:Forever Knight was a movie keep in mind, and it got picked up as a TV show. Obviously, the movie is much better, and it's very vampire-centric but it's still a good candidate

Forever Knight was a TV series that was part of CBS's Crimetime After Primetime lineup.
There was no movie.
There was a pilot called "Nick Knight", starring Rick Springfield, but it wasn't picked up as a series when it originally aired, only three years later.

Killer Cyborg · Sat Jan 19, 2008 5:53 pm

Guy_LeDouche wrote:the new series "Moonlight" isn't too bad.

I disagree.
It's got extremely poor writing, obvious plots, little to no character depth, and some pretty bad acting.

It's as if somebody watched Angel, and thought "That would make a pretty good show, but it should be more like a bad romance novel, and let's ditch all the other demons."

And in any case, Moonlight and Forever Knight aren't really good examples of BtS type shows.

BtS is about humans combatting the supernatural.
Those shows are about the lives of supernatural creatures.
In BtS, they'd be the bad guys.

Killer Cyborg · Sat Jan 19, 2008 7:04 pm

TV Shows:
Supernatural
Eerie Indiana
Twin Peaks
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Kolchak: The Night Stalker
The X-Files
Scooby Doo
Charmed
Hex
Angel (Yes, even though he's a vampire. The primary point of the show is the struggle between good and Evil, there are all sorts of monsters and plotlines that could port over to BtS, and Angel has a good enough backstory to justify his use as a PC)
Monsters
The Outer Limits
Smallville
Tremors
Brimstone
American Gothic

Movie List:
The Haunting (original version)
The Frighteners
The Entity
The Haunted
Ghostbusters
Fallen
The Exorcist (and sequels)
The Legend of Hell House
Witchboard (and sequels)
Witchtrap
The Wicker Man
Spellbound
Witchcraft (1988) (and sequels)
Poltergeist (and sequels)
13 Ghosts (and Thir13enth Ghost)
Phantasm (and sequels)
Evil Dead I & II
The Amityville Horror
Candyman
The Fog
The Gift
Black Rainbow
The Grudge
House
House II: The Second Story
The Horror Show
House IV
Nomads
The Ring
The Sixth Sense
Sleepy Hollow
Stir of Echoes
Bubba Ho-Tep
The Shining
House on Haunted Hill
The Call of Cthulu
Cast a Deadly Spell
Cthulu
Dagon
Necronomicon
Re-Animator (and sequels)
Bad Moon
The Beast Must Die!
Brotherhood of the Wolf
Darkness Falls
Demon Knight
Dog Soldiers
Ghoulies (and sequels)
Leprechaun
Ginger Snaps (and Ginger Snaps Back)
Gremlins I & II
The Lair of the White Worm
Pumpkinhead
The Relic
Puppet Master (and sequels)
Silver Bullet
Tales From The Darkside: The Movie
Troll (but, for the love of GOD, NOT Troll II!)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Dead & Breakfast
Def By Temptation
Fright Night I & II
From Dusk Til Dawn (and sequels/prequels)
The Lost Boys
Ravenous
Child's Play (and sequels)
Ben
Willard
Scanners (and sequels)
Firestarter
Hellraiser (and sequels)
Shocker
Wes Craven's New Nightmare
Children of the Corn (and sequels)
The Blair Witch Project
Constantine
The First Power

'Bout all I can think of at the moment.

Killer Cyborg · Sat Jan 19, 2008 7:33 pm

Because I forgot to list them before....

Books
The Anita Blake series, by Laurel K Hamilton
The Blood Series, by Tanya Huff
Anything by H.P. Lovecraft
Practical Demonkeeping, by Christopher Moore
The Haunting of Hill House, by Shirley Jackson
almost anything by Stephen King
Almost anything by Dean Koontz
The following books by Richard Laymon:
-The Stake
-Bite
-The Traveling Vampire Show
-Darkness, Tell Us
-The Beast House trilogy
-One Rainy Night
-Body Rides
-Resurrection Dreams
-In The Dark
The Dresden Files, by Jim Butcher
Those Who Hunt the Night, by Barbara Hambly
The Hollow Man, by Dan Simmons
A Winter's Haunting, by Dan Simmons
Summer of Night, by Dan Simmons

Richter · Unread post by **Richter** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 4:21 am

Killer Cyborg wrote:
Richter wrote:Forever Knight was a movie keep in mind, and it got picked up as a TV show. Obviously, the movie is much better, and it's very vampire-centric but it's still a good candidate

Forever Knight was a TV series that was part of CBS's Crimetime After Primetime lineup.
There was no movie.
There was a pilot called "Nick Knight", starring Rick Springfield, but it wasn't picked up as a series when it originally aired, only three years later.

Ah I just did some digging into this. The 2 hour pilot Nick Knight was released as a movie, then it got picked up way later, so were both correct. I couldn't really remember, I was pretty young then, I just remember the movie being cool, then years later my mom watching the TV series heh.

Killer Cyborg · Sun Jan 20, 2008 11:52 am

Richter wrote:
Killer Cyborg wrote:
Richter wrote:Forever Knight was a movie keep in mind, and it got picked up as a TV show. Obviously, the movie is much better, and it's very vampire-centric but it's still a good candidate

Forever Knight was a TV series that was part of CBS's Crimetime After Primetime lineup.
There was no movie.
There was a pilot called "Nick Knight", starring Rick Springfield, but it wasn't picked up as a series when it originally aired, only three years later.

Ah I just did some digging into this. The 2 hour pilot Nick Knight was released as a movie, then it got picked up way later, so were both correct. I couldn't really remember, I was pretty young then, I just remember the movie being cool, then years later my mom watching the TV series heh.

It was released as a pilot, it's just that TV stations don't typically say "Hey everybody, we're trying to get a TV shot going, so if enough people watch, this is going to be a series!"
What they do is they air the pilot as a "movie of the week" or a "made for TV Special" or whatever.
The difference between a pilot and a movie is that the purpose of a pilot is specifically to try to get a series going, but a movie is a goal unto itself.

But we're picking nits at this point.

Killer Cyborg · Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:25 am

sithbunny wrote:Hey Cyborg, your movie list forgot Shawn of the Dead.

That's a zombie movie, and I tried to avoid those in general.
Decent movie, but a bit depressing for a comedy.

Shawn Merrow · Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:35 am

sithbunny wrote:Hey Cyborg, your movie list forgot Shawn of the Dead.

Its Shaun of the Dead. :thwak:

sasha · Unread post by **sasha** » Wed Feb 06, 2008 11:28 am

For the record, Day Watch is a waste of time, money, and popcorn.

Gallahan · Unread post by **Gallahan** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 12:13 am

SUSPECT ZERO

It doesn't sound like a BTS story at all, but it IS. A team of FBI agents (ala Moulder/Scully) search for a remote viewer who is killing people. It's a good yarn.

Gallahan · Unread post by **Gallahan** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 12:15 am

Also, DEAN KOONTZ has a LOT of books in the BTS style.

I recommend MIDNIGHT, first. Then, WATCHERS, PHANTOMS, DARKFALL, and WINTER MOON. This guy is GREAT and he scares the pants off you, giving you juicy ideas to unleash upon your unsuspecting players. They will hate you, truly, truly hate you (and love you all the same).

Killer Cyborg · Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:02 pm

Gallahan wrote:SUSPECT ZERO

It doesn't sound like a BTS story at all, but it IS. A team of FBI agents (ala Moulder/Scully) search for a remote viewer who is killing people. It's a good yarn.

I made the mistake of reading the back of the box, which told the plot.
So it took something like over an hour for the film to get to a plot point that I already knew...
Because of that, or just the pacing in general, I found it rather boring over all.

tmikesecrist3 · Sun Dec 28, 2008 5:27 pm

also I have to add for books:

Die tragead investagations, by mersadise lacky

and of you want to see about adding some fantasy/mytholagy to it, her serated edge and bedlmens bard might be a good read, even if you dont use the elfs. you still have comspircys and black porjects

Damian Magecraft · Sun Dec 28, 2008 8:11 pm

Friday the Thirteenth the series
is a good source for BtS as well...

mrloucifer · Unread post by **mrloucifer** » Tue Dec 30, 2008 7:26 pm

Damian Magecraft wrote:Friday the Thirteenth the series
is a good source for BtS as well...

Tis true... even though the show has aged very poorly (the late 80's fashion on that show is more terrifying than the artifacts!) the cursed items and how they work are priceless horrors and make for awesome inspiration in BTS games.

Danger · Unread post by **Danger** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 11:42 am

KC beat me to it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cast_a_Deadly_Spell

Also TV Series:

B.A.D. - Bureau of Alien Detectors
The Real Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters (Filmation Version)
It (mini-series)
Jonny Quest
Reaper
Skeleton Warriors (Although there are strong fantasy/sci-fi elements)
Tales from the Crypt
Tales from the Darkside
True Blood
Yu-Yu Hakusho (Especially the first few episodes)

Movies:

Alone in the Dark
Bordello of Blood
Carnival of Souls
Creepshow (and sequels)
Demon Knight
The Fearless Vampire Killers
Ghost
In the Mouth of Madness
Jeepers Creepers (and sequels)
Mimic (and sequels)
Monster Squad
Split Second
Warlock (and sequels)
Waxworks (and sequels)

Shawn Merrow · Unread post by **Shawn Merrow** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 1:27 pm

For something very strange there is an anime called Ghost Stories about a bunch of grade school kids dealing with a group of released ghosts. ADV did not think much of the original script and completely rewrote it with the actor ad-libbing many of their lines. Normally I wouldn't like that but in this case its very funny. The ghosts are ones very popular in Japan so could give you some interesting idea.

Damian Magecraft · Thu Jan 01, 2009 2:32 pm

any of the old Hammer Studios films...

mrloucifer · Unread post by **mrloucifer** » Tue Jan 06, 2009 4:23 pm

While not the usual suggestion, Ive begun reading "Shade" by Neil jordan and its turning out to be very worthy BTS material/inspiriation. Its about a ghost who tells you in the first paragraph that she was killed and by whom, the real adventure is discovering why.

mrloucifer · Unread post by **mrloucifer** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 5:43 pm

I watched the movie "Frailty" last night as I handt watched it in a while.

While being a good movie, i'd forgotten the inspiring material this film can provide for BTS. If you havent seen it, rent and watch asap! Me... I thought it was worthy enough to purchase.

mrloucifer · Unread post by **mrloucifer** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:38 am

A new addition under the grounds of video games for me to add is F.E.A.R. 2. I picked up and started playing it Wednesday night and last night... man, this is funking with my head man! Alma is getting medievil on my buttocks! Great BTS inspiration!

gaby · Unread post by **gaby** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 4:29 pm

Poltergeist the Legacy (TV series from 1996 to 1999) was great.

The Legacy is similar to the Lazlo Agency both effort to protect humankind from Occult Dangers.

the first Poltergeist movie was good,the mistake was picing to follow the Family insead of Parapsychologists team.

lather · Unread post by **lather** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:53 pm

Push. Not a good movie but still.

Lord Z · Unread post by **Lord Z** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 12:49 am

Has anyone seen "A Haunting in Connecticut" yet? Linkology!

csbioborg · Unread post by **csbioborg** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 4:42 am

buba ho tep comes to mind as well as the evil dead

the other and constatine

Lord Z · Unread post by **Lord Z** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 4:00 am

Galen, are you referring to the television series Millennium from the '90s or the movie by that name from '80s?

tgunner91 · Unread post by **tgunner91** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 8:58 pm

Well, it isn't a movie but it's a great TV show: Fringe. Not too supernatural, but lots of wierd and creepy things that do go 'bump' in the night:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fringe_(TV_series)

Besides, you've got to love a show with John Noble!!!

runebeo · Unread post by **runebeo** » Thu May 07, 2009 12:32 pm

Masters of Horror TV series was great for getting into BTS mind set. Master of Horror became Fear Itself which didn't work out as well, but a few shows were OK. Sleep Walkers was a movie we often used to set our shapeshifters up in a neighborhood. Hellraiser like setting is how we used most of the greater dark forces like the Nightlords & Demon Lords.

Arnie100 · Unread post by **Arnie100** » Sun May 17, 2009 1:46 am

Any John Carpenter horror movie?

Lord Z · Unread post by **Lord Z** » Sun May 17, 2009 2:05 am

There is only one John Carpenter movie -- link!

Forums of the Megaverse®

BTS style movies & books?

BTS style movies & books?

Re: BTS style movies & books?

Re: BTS style movies & books?

Re: BTS style movies & books?

Re: BTS style movies & books?

Re: BTS style movies & books?

Re: BTS style movies & books?

Re: BTS style movies & books?

Re: BTS style movies & books?

Re: BTS style movies & books?

Re: BTS style movies & books?

Re: BTS style movies & books?

Re: BTS style movies & books?

Re: BTS style movies & books?

Re: BTS style movies & books?

Re: BTS style movies & books?

Re: BTS style movies & books?

Re: BTS style movies & books?

Re: BTS style movies & books?