👻 Ghost Stories

The Otherwise: The Screenplay for a Horror Film That Never Was

✍️ Mark E Smith
Reader Score
4.4
(1 review)
$21.95
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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A published screenplay by Mark E Smith about a haunted recording studio on Pendle Hill.

The text offers a rare look into the collaborative mind of Mark E Smith and Graham Duff. It documents their attempt to translate post-punk energy into cinematic horror. The volume preserves the original vision through scripts, photos, and personal essays. Readers gain insight into how musical tastes and film preferences shaped the story's development.

Key Themes
Pendle Hill studio Jacobite clansmen Satanic bikers
Literary Context

This work emerges from the Lancashire landscape and the legacy of The Fall. It bridges the gap between post-punk music culture and horror screenwriting. The material reflects a specific moment in 2015 when Smith and Duff explored supernatural themes through their artistic partnership.

Difficulty
●●● Challenging
Recommended For Fans Of
Graham Duff · The Fall · Gothic fiction enthusiasts
👻
Ghost Stories
🏛 Strange Attractor Press 📅 2021 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781913689186

📝 Description: The Otherwise: The Screenplay for a Horror Film That Never Was

Mark E Smith, the late frontman of The Fall, co-wrote this screenplay with Graham Duff in 2015. The script centers on a recording session for an EP by the band at an isolated studio on Pendle Hill. This setting becomes a nexus for supernatural chaos as Satanic bikers and Scottish clansmen from the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745 invade the space. Production companies rejected the project for being too strange, yet it remains a sharp and unsettling work. The published volume presents the full script alongside handwritten notes and unpublished photographs by Jim Moir and Elena Poulou, Smith’s widow and the band’s keyboardist. It also includes essays by Duff and Poulou, plus transcripts of their conversations about creativity, dreams, and musical influences ranging from Can to acid house. They discuss favorite films like Britannia Hospital and White Heat within these dialogues. This book suits readers interested in post-punk history, screenwriting processes, and the intersection of music with gothic horror. It may not appeal to those seeking a traditional narrative or a polished final product rather than a raw creative artifact.

💎 Our verdict on The Otherwise: The Screenplay for a Horror Film That Never Was

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
This book succeeds as a unique document of artistic collaboration rather than a conventional screenplay. By preserving original scripts alongside personal essays and photographs, it captures the chaotic energy of its creators. The text effectively illustrates how musical influences like Can and acid house informed the horror elements. While it may disappoint readers seeking a traditional narrative arc, it rewards those interested in the mechanics of creative generation. The inclusion of dialogues about film preferences adds depth to the understanding of the project’s vision. It stands as a compelling study for fans of post-punk history and gothic aesthetics.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers interested in the intersection of music and horror will find this volume essential. It offers a rare glimpse into Mark E Smith’s creative process, documenting his attempt to translate post-punk energy into cinematic form. The inclusion of handwritten notes, unpublished photographs, and essays provides insight into how musical tastes shaped the narrative. Those fascinated by the development of gothic horror through a non-traditional lens will appreciate the raw, unsettling nature of this artifact. It is ideal for those who value the creative journey over polished final products.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.4
Based on 1 reviews
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Horror Reads editorial team

This book succeeds as a unique document of artistic collaboration rather than a conventional screenplay. By preserving original scripts alongside personal essays and photographs, it captures the chaotic energy of its creators. The text effectively illustrates how musical influences like Can and acid house informed the horror elements. While it may disappoint readers seeking a traditional narrative arc, it rewards those interested in the mechanics of creative generation. The inclusion of dialogues about film preferences adds depth to the understanding of the project’s vision. It stands as a compelling study for fans of post-punk history and gothic aesthetics.

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