Skinamarink, Creepypasta, and the Culmination of Internet Horror

After Fantasia Fest last year there was hubbub surrounding a particularly strange horror film called Skinamarink. Considered to be aggressively nontraditional, the film terrified audiences and led to intense popularity on TikTok. Then, in January, it finally received wide-release. Melvin and his wife Kathryn caught it in theaters and they felt “aggressively nontraditional” wasn’t strong enough a description: Skinamarink was borderline oppressive in its prose and horror. 

Not only is Skinamarink Melvin’s #3 film of 2022 (out of 100), it inspired him to get the Cinematic Doctrine gang together to discuss Skinamarink and its very clear influences. These influences include the unique strain of horror-storytelling available on the internet. From Creepypasta to YouTube oddities to the modern folktale of the Slenderman, Melanie, Daniel, and Melvin discuss the very-young yet three-decades-long history of internet horror. From popular Creepypasta Ben Drowned to more obscure titles like Dogscape, the Slenderman mythos and Mark Z. Danielewski’s format-bending novel House of Leaves, Cinematic Doctrine explores what makes internet horror storytelling unique from the rest. 

In addition to setting the groundwork, Melanie, Daniel, and Melvin discuss three internet horror themed movies without spoilers: Host, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, and, of course, Skinamarink. Each film showcases a different way of exploring Internet Horror. From popcorn thrill-ride, slow-burn reflection, and outright arthouse, these films have it all! 

(PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 50-minutes discussing the horrifying untrustworthiness of the Internet, the Skype-set horror movie Unfriended, and Rob Savage’s sophomore movie Dashcam, and much more. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)

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Melvin Benson is the Founder, Editor-In-Chief, and Lead Host of Cinematic Doctrine. Whether it’s a movie, show, game, comic, or novel, it doesn’t matter. As long as it’s rich, he’s ready and willing to give it a try! His hope is to see King Jesus glorified as far as the east is from the west!

Cinematic Doctrine is available on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and other major podcast apps.