The Invisible Horror of 'The Labyrinth'

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Күн бұрын

Once you enter the maze, there’s no escape... An exploration of Simon Stålenhag’s gripping worldbuilding artbook ‘The Labyrinth.’
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Buy ‘The Labyrinth’: www.amazon.com/Labyrinth-Simo...
Buy ‘The Electric State’: www.amazon.com/Electric-State...
Buy ‘Tales from the Loop’: www.amazon.com/Tales-Loop-Sim...
Buy ‘Things from the Flood’: www.amazon.com/Things-from-th...
Follow Simon Stålenhag: / simon_stalenhag
When I tell you Simon Stålenhag’s The Labyrinth is a maze you’ll never escape… I don’t think I’m exaggerating.
A sci-fi horror artbook where a mysterious phenomenon turns Earth into a world of ash and decay, the setup seems simple. Likewise, the characters - a trio of survivors journeying across the wastes - seem easy to relate to. Yet the deeper you venture, the more you realize The Labyrinth is a complex tangle of secrets, mysteries, and revelations so gripping that it never truly lets you go.
So, for this entry into the archive, we’ll attempt to decipher this masterpiece of dark worldbuilding. And like my videos on Stålenhag’s other series, you can purchase the artbook using the links in the description. Now, let’s enter the maze of The Labyrinth…
0:00 Enter The Labyrinth
1:00 The Dark Spheres
3:14 The Sea of Ash
4:51 Altered Spaces
8:15 Creatures of the Ruins
11:28 The Road Lies Dark
13:43 Heart of the Maze
16:50 Support the Labyrinth
Copyright Disclaimer: Under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. All video/image content is edited under fair use rights for reasons of commentary.
I do not own the images, music, or footage used in this video. All rights and credit goes to the original owners.
♫ Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio:
Mysterious Green Fluid, Sanity Unravels, Haddonfield Horror, Alone in the Dark, Dusk, The Witch, The Vanishing, Tenebrae, The Guardian
♫ Additional music by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com):
Beauty Flow
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
#CuriousArchive #TheLabyrinth #Worldbuilding

Пікірлер: 848

@purplehaze2358 Жыл бұрын

Considering The Labyrinth is, indeed, cosmic horror; it's wholly unsurprising that its visuals take inspiration from the ocean considering the progenitor of cosmic horror as a whole, HP Lovecraft, is pretty well known for his frequent oceanic themes and thalassophobia.

@user-ty2ry2sk2w Жыл бұрын

hay did you do all this? balls filling the atmosphere with poison... sounds familiar doesn't it?

@purplehaze2358 Жыл бұрын

@@user-ty2ry2sk2w It does - but not to purple haze. It calls to mind the Color Out of Space, actually.

@c.fyffe0 Жыл бұрын

I love deep dark foreboding water

@alexknox814 Жыл бұрын

Move over Edgar Allan Poe, Lovecraft is new king of the goths

@bibleskeleton Жыл бұрын

Jesus loves you

@migueljose5161 Жыл бұрын

I am in fear of what a terror film directed or a novel written by Stålenhag would look like

@nirudangaragoda5286 Жыл бұрын

There is a TV series adaption of tales from the loop. If you like Sci-fi dramas you might like it.

@migueljose5161 Жыл бұрын

@@nirudangaragoda5286 Really? I've never heard of it

@migueljose5161 Жыл бұрын

@@Terran123rd Thanks for the info i will probably check out

@higgsbonbon Жыл бұрын

Two or three people staring up at a strange thing in a foggy rural landscape.

@zakyjauhariel7804 Жыл бұрын

Apparently Netflix is making an adaptation of The Electric State, I surely can't wait for that

@williek08472 Жыл бұрын

I love the idea of apocalyptic scenarios that aren't just "humanity nuked itself", "we polluted the world", or "robots started killing everyone". This is far more interesting!

@darthhunter69 Жыл бұрын

Indeed. I am tired of people criticizing humanity, especially when they do so from the comfort of their homes by using the internet.

@yonib8796 Жыл бұрын

this is just "The unexpected happens, boo", I expected things to go down very or somewhat gradually without seeming so out of touch as an apocalypse

@95keat Жыл бұрын

It's what the Cthulhu stuff was for people in the early 1900s. A unstoppable entity with unknown goals so above you it probably doesn't even know you're there.

@EmonWBKstudios Жыл бұрын

It's still a narrative of Humanity killing itself through inhumanity, just different from the usual methods.

@SecretSquirrelProduc Жыл бұрын

Well yeah stories are always better than reality.

@therizinosauruscheloniform2162 Жыл бұрын

I love everything Stålenhag makes, especially The Labyrinth.

@therizinosauruscheloniform2162 Жыл бұрын

@@the64bitdragon It just makes me feel such a strange and deep feeling whenever I see it, reminds me of many Analogue horror series... but even more analogue.

@6l1t3h_Official 10 ай бұрын

@@therizinosauruscheloniform2162 you mean analog right?

@squeakeththewheel 6 ай бұрын

I love everything he does except the Labyrinth. Doo depressing with no glimmer of hope.

@MD97531 13 күн бұрын

@therizinosauruscheloniform2162 how do you rank his stuff? Only getting started

@sanfera5644 Жыл бұрын

Honestly, those empty rooms of the shelter made me feel... desperation. Like, someone was so desperately hoping they would "need" this place. Especially some of the painted stuff... Let me put it this way. Imagine a neighbour. A sweet old lady, who always gives kids some candy at halloween, helps people, sometimes bakes cookies in social gatherings, and overall a good person who can give youngsters of neighbourhood some friendly advice. And, imagine this grandma, waiting for her grandchildren to visit. Maybe they died, maybe something terrible happened. She knows, but instead of carrying the pain, she tries to be "welcoming" and cleans her house, prepares the table, the dining room. Keeps the guest rooms clean. "They will need it!" She says. You can feel the sorrow from her cracked voice time to time. You can ask her about her family. "Oh they are fine! They are just busy. You know how city life is." The desperation is chasing her like a shadow. She carries a necklace holding image of her grandchildren, she started to forget their names. She knows, you can feel it. But she still keeps the necklace. It is clean. So... clean. This... Entire shelter... Made me feel that. Someone, so desperately, trying to cling into the hope and idea that, this place would be filled with people. It will become lively again. Children will run around in the hall. Adults will gather here, sit down and talk. Families, friends... They will come back eventually. They will need more chairs. They don't use a dirty furniture right? So keep them clean. Keep them clean. Brighten up the place right?! For the people. They will come... Eventually... They have to.

@Elemblue2 Жыл бұрын

You nailed it.

@ajzephyros7454 11 ай бұрын

This hurt my heart for how real it is

@AlphaKnight-hg2jq 11 ай бұрын

nice analysis

@kainevittulainen 9 ай бұрын

it's people trying to create a void that they hope will be filled.

@Mahlak_Mriuani_Anatman 6 ай бұрын

I felt this a few times but meh to my feelings, i re really don't need that shet

@indmur Жыл бұрын

Simon Stålenhag has mastered atmospheric depth and lighting. His art lacks extreme fidelity, as it's not filled to the brim with extremely sharp textures, but it feels photoreal because of the way the light interacts with the world, and every single image has so much depth I feel like I could breathe in that very air. Absolutely amazing.

@Skittenmeow Жыл бұрын

That air is *thick*

@jamescanjuggle 5 ай бұрын

right? Like even just looking at the phones hanging on walls, the shawdows around light switches its really fantastic

@nomad_boreal 4 ай бұрын

Reminds me a bit of Neill Blomkamp's cinematography, but more abstract and surreal. I love it.

@matbroomfield Жыл бұрын

This book is absolutely incredible. Another utterly heart breaking gut punch ending like The Electric state. Super, SUPER dark.

@jalilbalirmo1654 Жыл бұрын

What's the name of the book? Were can i download it online?

@KreativeHogwartsLegacyGUIDES Жыл бұрын

@@jalilbalirmo1654 its in the title. and the author is simon stahlenhag

@TDOPB 9 ай бұрын

Y'know, that ending honestly made me pissed off. Like, what the hell was that? And WHEN it was done, too! That was the real gut punch that made me pissed. Did that WHILE being shown affection by the person that had that thing happen to them. I'm so happy that the character that did the thing I am describing above almost certainly ended up having the environment kill 'em. Like, it was more so for me this sort of angry hatred for that character when I saw what said character was doing. ESPECIALLY everything they'd been through with the character they were doing the above-described thing to. (I wrote this obtusely on purpose, to conceal the book's plot for any comment section scrollers)

@matbroomfield 9 ай бұрын

@@TDOPB The "victim" absolutely deserved his fate. Trying to make amends does not negate what he did to warrant it.

@TDOPB 9 ай бұрын

@@matbroomfield NGL, he did practically nothing dude. He did what he had to, and quite frankly, he did what he did to someone who's clearly not a good person. The ONLY bad thing he did is letting that brat live. He should've known the terrorism would've rubbed off on him.

@purplehaze2358 Жыл бұрын

"Yet cruelty does not vanish; it lingers, festering in the souls of those who wield it, and those whom it is wielded against" My jaw dropped from the quality of writing exhibited in that line.

@UCannotDefeatMyShmeat Жыл бұрын

We really are just battered and bruised from the expressly average stuff

@purplehaze2358 Жыл бұрын

@@UCannotDefeatMyShmeat Well.. "average" is, well, average. The baseline quality that can be expected from any work. That line is, so far as I'm concerned, well above average.

@mirosymo3331 Жыл бұрын

Very poetic I want books that are filled to brim with funk like that

@TheEpicGalaxy21 Жыл бұрын

@@mirosymo3331 Isn't that just Shakespeare? Stories full of fancy/ poetic writing? Also, if an entire book is full of stuff like this, then suddenly it'll no longer be as special.

@mirosymo3331 Жыл бұрын

@@TheEpicGalaxy21 true, i just like being shaken by words

@smilescharleston6196 Жыл бұрын

Simon Stalenhag is one of the best artists i've ever came across, the level of detail, the style, creativity, he's just got them all. And one aspect that makes him different from all other artists is the immersion that applies to the viewer, almost like window into another world.

@clappagemcphee Жыл бұрын

"Common objects take on a cadaverous quality" is absolutely fantastic. Well done, sir!

@leociresi4292 2 ай бұрын

Your IPhone starts to bleed!

@wither5673 Жыл бұрын

i happen to live in the same area Simon Stålenhag grew up. there are illustrations in his books that are literally areas/buildings in my local area, its very surreal to see his art and have it also be basically my backyard lol.

@straight-up479 Жыл бұрын

I’m so glad you mentioned “The Endless”, it was such a fun, engaging watch!! It had some of the best film depictions of cosmic horror I’ve seen

@larryfoulkeofficial8609 Жыл бұрын

Sucks that the writers were wasted for moon knight

@Nuke_Gunray Жыл бұрын

Great video. Reminds me very much of Lovecraft's masterpiece "The Colour Out of Space": There is something truly terrifying about an entity that causes death and insanity to humans, but cannot be classified as "evil" in any sense of the word, since it does not even comprehend the concept of "being alive".

@catfwish Жыл бұрын

Ironic how it is the one with the lack of comprehension. We just need to know "get out of its way. Or else.".

@tommybootlegger Жыл бұрын

What's really cool about this to me personally is the fact that years ago, in one of my writing classes, we did an exercise where we had to write a short story using stream of consciousness writing. No outline, no brainstorming, just put pen to paper, and start writing. The story I wrote was so eerily similar to this, right down to the details in color, the ash, the otherworldly atmospheres positioned againt common everyday things left behind, etc. Like, it was so similar to this that somebody would probably think I plagiarized it, even though at the time, I'd never even heard of this guy's work. Kind of makes me think that there's a real shared sense of terror of the unknown in our subconscious minds that seems to materialize in a lot of the same ways.

@plasmaxl8626 Жыл бұрын

sounds kinda like the Upside Down from Stranger Things as well. Also reminiscent of games like Stalker and Metro. Maybe in our mind we all carry the image of all that we know brought to desolation and decay. We all know what it feels like to be a child in a darkened house in the dead of night- Familiar, but somehow hostile

@tommeakin1732 Жыл бұрын

That's such a fantastic thing to get people to do. I wish my teachers had tried that with us. I need to sit down and do it at some point. The unconscious is such an incredible thing, and I think any practice that allows a clearer expression of the unconscious should be given an almost religious status in our culture.

@edanpino-xt1ph Жыл бұрын

One of the themes you mentioned Stålenhag using reminded me of a term. It’s the banality of evil, called such because bureaucrats can put evil actions into such neutral terms that the act of even genocide can be seen as banal

@carolynallisee2463 Жыл бұрын

This reminds me of an episode of Stargate SG-1. In it SG-1 have helped a population of humanoid aliens relocate and establish a colony, only for another alien ship to arrive and begin planet-forming the world to a biosphere suited to the aliens in stasis inside it. Without viewing the episode, I can't say for certain what the biosphere actually was, but I believe it was sulfur based. The factor that made the planet suitable for the humanoids was the same for the aliens: the AI running the ship requested that the humanoids leave, unaware they had no space travel tech, and required a world with those specific factors to live on. To cut this short, SG-1's intervention ended with the ship locating the humanoid aliens' original home-world, and offering to cease transforming the planet to ship them home before returning to resume its task. Perhaps the spheres didn't recognise the life on Earth as life. In that, they are as short sighted as we are: after all, Earth is the only planet we currently know harbours living things. It's difficult to think that life may exist that may not need liquid water, or free oxygen. If we struggle to accept there may be other paths to life, why do we assume that aliens wouldn't have the same issues? Would an intelligent alien species realise life in an oxygen atmosphere is possible, when the only life they knew had arisen in an ammonia rich one? A final thing: when I saw the fan shaped structures, my fist thought was how much they looked clike the fins of a lion fish!

@matthewwatts8294 Жыл бұрын

I thought those where the tails of giant turkeys burrowing through the ash. It’s amazing what our minds can interpret when provided limited information.

@carolynallisee2463 10 ай бұрын

@@matthewwatts8294 yes, the wiring in our brains is very complex, and the programming even more so. It's what makes us see the face of Jesus in the char marks on a piece of toast, or prayers to Allah in a cut tomato or egg plant. I wonder if there other things people have thought those fan structures resembled?

@scottsteinbring8078 8 ай бұрын

Lion fish is also known as a Turkey fish.

@aldunlop4622 6 ай бұрын

Nature (ie Chemistry) doesn’t try to make the most difficult, it just blindly makes the simplest things with what it’s got. Given that elements like oxygen, hydrogen and carbon etc are very common and have chemical properties that make life possible. Many scientists over the years have tried to imagine life based on Sulfur or silicon or whatever, but the chemistry just doesn’t work. Life, if it exists elsewhere is very, very likely to be at least vaguely like life on Earth.

@Tyrexthecreaturedesigner Жыл бұрын

Another piece of work by Simon Stålenhag! Simon has such an interesting artstyle! I love it!

@MissMisnomer_ Жыл бұрын

Cosmic Horror has definitely become my favorite flavor of horror over the last few years, thanks for another great recommendation!

@the_Googie Жыл бұрын

im really glad u cover more stalenhag. Hes a fantastic artist. No 3d (aside some perspective grids), no AI, just good painting, good storytelling, super great atmosphere. Just fantastic

@mandridhugh9555 Жыл бұрын

exploring the shimmer in both the Annihilation movie and the books they came from deserve to be a video of it's own

@penusbutter4182 Жыл бұрын

God the concept of aliens terraforming earth to suit their own needs is just stellar.

@JoshSweetvale Ай бұрын

I'm just imagining a _different_ group of aliens rolling up, going "wot's all this then?" and jamming the terraforming system.

@newdefsys Жыл бұрын

There really is an unsettling feeling that accompanies an empty space that is designed to be occupied by many people. I used to be a maintenance guy at a factory that had about 200 employees working in it during the shift. On holiday weekends, like Thanksgiving and Christmas, it was my job to go around the facility and shut down the equipment for the long weekend, after the production staff had left the building. Traversing through the empty corridors and between the machinery was a very eerie and unsettling experience. It was a surreal feeling to enter an empty and lifeless work space that was normally occupied by a dozen people and the quietness of the silent machinery only amplified the unnerving sensations. People bring life to a place and in their absence a haunting atmosphere takes hold.

@JohnDoe-ef3wo Жыл бұрын

I know that feeling well. I've worked at many manufacturing facilities, and had to be there when they were entirely vacant.

@thevoiceofreason8240 Жыл бұрын

To some of us, that's actually a heavenly environment. I LOVED wandering the streets of Paris late at night when NOBODY was there. Some of us enjoy the freedom of solitude.

@Intrepid_Crusader1096 Жыл бұрын

You experienced what is known as Kenopsia. The eerie or forlorn feeling associated with a place that is normally occupied but is now empty of people.

@newdefsys Жыл бұрын

@@Intrepid_Crusader1096 Interesting, thank you for sharing that.

@Intrepid_Crusader1096 Жыл бұрын

@@newdefsys Your welcome. There's also liminal spaces which are transitional areas from one place to another, such as hallways, tunnels or corridors.

@ASKomycet Жыл бұрын

I've been waiting so long for a new video on the work of Simon Stalenhag and here it is. Thank you very much

@Rhyme_Zil14 Жыл бұрын

With CA posting videos for things like The labyrinth, SCP, Tales from the loop, The electric state and other worldbuilding projects I feel like the backrooms would be quite interesting to see (either the Kane Pixels or Wikidot version, maybe both even). The existential terror, liminal spaces and frankly absurd entities and environments would be perfect for him to cover at some point.

@Pseudothink Жыл бұрын

I was going to mention The Backrooms series (Kane Pixels) too. Fantastic stuff.

@nartsadiku8249 Жыл бұрын

Bro Stålenhag is the GOAT of complex revelation and very unique horror art!

@waverlyking6045 Жыл бұрын

I am reminded here of an old Thomas Disch novel called The Genocides. It’s about alien plants that overtake the earth. They are inedible to all animal life and are hyper competitive to the extent that they kill off all other plants. The book makes the point that if an alien invasion comes, humans might be far less to these aliens than aphids are to humans.

@thedootslayer3339 Жыл бұрын

This reminds me of 1971 novel Roadside Picnic by the Strugatsky brothers, aliens arrive and leave almost instantly leaving behind Zones. I feel like it has definitely inspired this book and many of the others mentioned here.

@vde1846 Жыл бұрын

Love that you're continuing to chronicle Stålenhag's work :)

@stopsomewhere9104 Жыл бұрын

another amazing work per usual both by Stålenhag and you. The deep nostalgia I have for these topics is so palpable, growing up on the Future is Wild and animal planet mockumentaries.

@BrokenBluebird6 Жыл бұрын

I love how the vintage maze commercials are edited in. Adds to the atmosphere of the video

@awesomeeliam7882 11 ай бұрын

I thought this video was about to discuss the Jim Henson movie, "Labyrinth". I was half-expecting those freaky puppets to show up. This was way better than what I expected. Great video.

@aidanflynn6526 11 ай бұрын

“But The Labyrinth has no villains, not really. Just people who had to make terrible decisions, and people who can’t let go”-such a raw line

@TDOPB 9 ай бұрын

I'm inclined to disagree. The level of petty vindictiveness required to achieve the ending of the book is 100% a villain thing to wield.

@teslashark 2 ай бұрын

Mountains of skulls is inherently Swedish!

@tombierwirth3811 Жыл бұрын

I love Simon Stahlenhags work! Amazing video!!!

@lemonlordminecraft Жыл бұрын

The poetic verve with which you are able to convey the works in the Altered Spaces section is simply incredible. I could not have asked for my mind to be more blown. An excellent explanation of Staulenhag's work.

@rustykerman1678 Жыл бұрын

YES! I was really hoping you would do this artbook too. Thank you!

@scottmantooth8785 Жыл бұрын

*this is the sort of story i appreciate...nothing overt or garishly violent or predictable and yet maintains the ability to progress in a logical manner within the context of the reality presented without the pretense or requirement of plot convenience to move the narrative forward* *excellent video well done...subscribed*

@dreamermoon6084 Жыл бұрын

I’m very happy to know that your review of this book has arrived! Your commentary is very nice because it verbalizes what I felt in myself that I could not put into words, what I could not perceive. (I thought the contrast with the Shining was a very interesting perspective.)

@davidson46100 Жыл бұрын

This is a good representation of what other species on earth experience with humanity running the place.

@kevinlawrence6368 9 ай бұрын

Your observations about these stories is so deep and well spoken my dude. Well done.

@95keat Жыл бұрын

This artist just cant help himself from putting giant robots in things. Not complaining but i can just imagine them holding their wrist, sweating hard, while desperately trying not to put a twenty foot tall bipedal robot in a picture of a calm Scandinavian field.

@PvtMartin78 Жыл бұрын

The dandelion seeds blowing in the wind on the mural don't seem out of place to me at all. It seems metaphorical for the toxic fog spreading on the wind in the same manner.

@paulsillanpaa8268 Жыл бұрын

Just finished the book CA, and you've definitely done it justice here! One of the reoccurring images that started really getting to me was that of ropes, or cables. The air hoses for the environmental suites, the cable on the cassette player, the cords that seemed to be associated with those mysterious bags...It was right near the end that I went back and re-read the passage in beginning about the cord being boiled to reduce elasticity, and that the part forming the noose being coated in paraffin... (That this statement is delivered by some random bureaucrat in a suite making all the more chilling!) It's horrible, it's beautiful, and it's awesome...I don't think I'm escaping it any time soon either...

@thetorturepenguin Жыл бұрын

There is literally nothing on youtube better than Curious Archive's explanations of Stalenhag.

@witext 7 ай бұрын

I discovered Simon’s work way back, and he keeps just nailing it for me Love his work more than any other artist

@jamie2118 Жыл бұрын

I love this man's work, especially the Electric City.

@AGoodJoe Жыл бұрын

Brilliantly done. Simon’s work is incredible and those interested should absolutely pick up his books. I’ve been wait for a digital, English version of this one for a few months. Clearly it’s time to look again and see if it’s there!

@biohazard0482 Жыл бұрын

the overlook hotel and the labyrinth could be best described by the Term "liminal spaces." This is because they hold both super liminal and sub liminal aspects that convey a message using an unnatural environment that has been effected as a result of something that cannot be determined at first glance. the generally convey an unnerving, sad, or melancholic feeling. The use of liminal spaces in an apocalyptic setting such as this one is genius because they are extremely powerful tools for setting the mood of a piece, even if they can only be utilized in specific settings and are hard to pull off. if you haven't looked into liminal spaces I would suggest you do, they are an extremely complex and interesting phenomena. The earliest renditions of the Backrooms were based on the idea of liminal spaces as a psychological horror aspect, but that has sense been lost in favor of sensationalized easy to digest horror designed for and molded by the masses, thus losing it's liminal qualities.

@Man_Aslume 9 ай бұрын

Labyrinth is ĵust too chaotic, the only thing I see the facility as liminal, Shining is a liminal space

@biohazard0482 9 ай бұрын

@@Man_Aslume agreed, I was referring specifically to the facility, which is where the aspect of liminal space is effectively used to set the mood and tone the second our character(s) step in.

@the17thvoyager89 Жыл бұрын

You know, I really appreciate that you don’t give the endings away. I’m much more compelled to look deeper into Stålenhag’s work because I don’t already know how it turns out

@artimusgray9576 Жыл бұрын

I'm the opposite. I feel like I just wasted my time.

@leen8430 Жыл бұрын

What a relaxing, beautiful deep dive into this eerie world. Thank you!

@El-Burro-Grande Жыл бұрын

Big fan of Simon Stålenhag’s work and have bought all four hardovers. 'The Labarynth' was the first one I read. Loved your exploration of it. Amazon's 'Tales From the Loop' was a worthy effort but fell short of capturing the magic of his original material. 'The Dark' comes much closer. Here's looking forward to more.

@Elemblue2 Жыл бұрын

While I enjoy the exploration of humanity through darkness sometimes, I feel books where they are subject to endless darkness are just books about how tortured people react to being tortured eventually. Just various forms of exploring how to hurt people. Slow violence. In any environment, hope exists. Even in the worst wretches life, there will be a moment of something good, because what is good is defined by perspective and context. The thing about books, is the narrator has the capacity to deprive their characters of the capacity to choose to have one of those moments. Thats why the books themselves feel sadistic. Like their underlying design is the needless torture of the mind by a mind that seeks to express its own untouchable pain. Because it is an art form of that pain, it can only be about pain. Thats not what people or reality ultimately is, and so all it ends up being is an exploration of a specific component of people. A robots analysis of a part of itself. Not about people at all. That was my problem with game of thrones. The people were pieces. The world was hell because the pieces they were, were made of pain and hell. Those books felt very sadistic. Almost all interactions meant to simulate goodness were clunky. LIke an outside observers impression of how life might be enjoyed. Although I did enjoy that the axe didnt come for everyone. Usually in books where everyone's in agony all the time, no one is allowed to be ok in the end. That would mean a part of the writer was somehow ok, which is not why they wrote the book. My opinion I guess. Im just trying to describe a feeling I get from these artworks.

@mommalion7028 Ай бұрын

I would argue with you but I have seen a lot of people in the comments promoting a pro-pedophilia comic series as the next one the channel should cover so now I think you may be onto something about these unrelentingly dark worlds. Also yay another person who wasn’t sucked in by game of thrones. 😂

@ian6119 Жыл бұрын

The feeling in the abandoned research facility you're trying to describe is Liminal. It's a liminal space. Look that up, liminal spaces. Fascinating.

@keithparker1346 Жыл бұрын

It's very liminal and you either find them scary or not

@koisbdo Жыл бұрын

ever since ive watched your videos from this artist ive been a big fan of their work!! thank u for talking about them !!!

@mangethegamer Жыл бұрын

It's not Kung Shall. It's Kungs hall. In English, King's hall.

@adolinkholin Жыл бұрын

The way you write feels reminiscent of Shirley Jackson and it really brings the videos to a whole new level! The somber telling of places that are just wrong is just so well done, keep up the great work.

@Emdog6 11 күн бұрын

I have all of his books and I absolutely LOVE them all. The way he crafts his stories through text and imagery is awesome!

@alfredwaldo6079 Жыл бұрын

5:36 This is literally a liminal space for swedish people. How do I mean with that? The thing is that most liminal space photos i have seen have not given off that famous eeire feeling. I think that is because most of them are based on american enviorments But this on the other hand filled me with a massive eeiree and creepy sense of familiarity. It looks practicaly rippen out of old eldercare houses or hospitals i have been to here in 🇸🇪

@heromahdi Жыл бұрын

istg i love this guy's videos, his voice is so relaxing and the stuff he talk about is exactly what i downloaded youtube for.

@renagornquickblade997 Жыл бұрын

I did not expect to see Dig Dug used as an unspoken example of cosmic horror, but I'm here for it.

@leociresi4292 2 ай бұрын

Or the Cameramen

@Oreofluffle Жыл бұрын

You got me into Simon Stalenhag, I just got this book afew days ago! Who knew you’ve be making a video on this :D also currently got and still reading tales from the loop

@kenrickbaughman992 7 ай бұрын

Thank you very much for sharing. I really ❤ the narrative you did about The Shining AND explaining the insane imagery. It's AMAZING how talented Simon Stalenhag is. Very well done. Thank you 🙏

@johnpatrickmcp Жыл бұрын

I was a kickstarter backer and this book still haunts me.

@louseflyemilacemacko381 Жыл бұрын

I love that in between pages there's commercials of retro games and old toys from back in the 1980's

@KrazyKaiser Жыл бұрын

While it may be ambiguous weather or not Jack abused his family, it is not ambiguous that Kubrick abused the hell out of Shelley Duvall. Her distress in that film is 100% genuine.

@hemidas Жыл бұрын

This would make an awesome movie.

@octaviuskane1941 2 ай бұрын

Your narration and insight into these are really nice. You really capture it well with words. Also thanks for including the movie references! Amazing movies!

@AndreasViklundOfficial Жыл бұрын

For me, who grew up in Sweden in the 1980's, Simons art just hits home...

@HCG Жыл бұрын

Just some constructive criticism-I think adding the old 80’s commercials took away from the overall mood of the video instead of adding to it. The commercial’s audio makes it hard to fall asleep to as well

@biologist12389 Жыл бұрын

With every video you honestly amaze me with how descriptive and detailed you make your art views. I'll get a notification that a new video is up and I wait to watch it while I'm faded lol. This might take a couple days after you've posted but some how ill be faded and your new video will be right there at the top of my KZfaq. "As a result, common objects take on a cadaverous quality, stuck in time like insects trapped in amber". Like 🥴 boy stop lol.

@mikepalmer17 Жыл бұрын

This was a phenomenal vid. Thanks for making.

@mloxard 4 ай бұрын

I love how Simon's work is always giving me "Roadside Picnic" wibes

@Murph978 Жыл бұрын

The Final Architecture book trilogy by Adrian Tchaikovsky reminds me of this! Similar unfeeling insurmountable enemy that warps space.

@grotebaby1827 Жыл бұрын

His calm voice makes it so much scarier

@repapeti98 Жыл бұрын

I looked at the thumbnail for 1 microsecond and instantly recognised this as Stålenhag's work.

@KrazyKaiser Жыл бұрын

The intercut vintage ads are PERFECT!!!!!

@asupremetab1617 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for the video! I love your work

@krush454 Жыл бұрын

Ive watched a few of you videos about stalenhag's work. Not only have they convinced me to subscribe, but im also looking to buy the books as well. So thank you

@aa-km1nk 4 ай бұрын

Chewy and thought-provoking. TY. :D I had come across Stalenhag's art decades ago, but only as individual pieces of art, and not displayed in their full form. :D

@charvel1apm Жыл бұрын

I loved this content! Such a great and interesting sci fi horror story .. well illustrated and narrated ❤

@Danfail100 Жыл бұрын

Awesome rewiev. I love Simon Stålenhag. It gives the same liminal feeling as The Backrooms. Something not quite recognizable, or obvious dangerous. But unnerving after all.

@kansascityshuffle8526 Жыл бұрын

I remember reading as a kid a compilation of short stories of various science fiction writers. One of the stories almost nails the genesis of this storyline right on the head. It was out in the late 80s. Frankly it was one of the scarier entries in the book.

@leonbus1716 Жыл бұрын

I love the Art of Simon Stalenhag

@XmortoxX1990 Жыл бұрын

I'm loving these The artworks are amazing and unnerving

@teejaykaye4357 3 ай бұрын

Simon Stalenhag is one of my favorite sci-fi/cosmic horror artists of all time. I have all of his art books and even the TTRPG of Tales From The Loop. He's such an immense inspiration to me

@Kwag_owafwin Жыл бұрын

I waited so long for this

@purplejanew Жыл бұрын

Absolutely fascinating - thank you

@concordemakesvideos1070 Жыл бұрын

And here I want it to be turned into another tv series like how tales from the loop was.

@Phoenixashes245 23 күн бұрын

The moment you mentioned the Endless I had to come down and comment: watched it fairly recently and UGH, SUCHHHHH a good movie. One of my all-time favorites.

@OPornogeros Жыл бұрын

Stalen back at it again with a banger

@AJadedLizard Жыл бұрын

I'd seen these before but I didn't realize there was an actual story to them. That's pretty neat.

@duncanlettts9952 Жыл бұрын

Why have never heard of this before?? Simon's stories look amazing.

@markrempel453 Жыл бұрын

I picked up the labyrinth art book and I have to admit it didnt leap out at me at first. Its a much more subtle and small narrative than any of stalenhags other books. But like you point out- its those masterfully off-kilter interiors and quiet storytelling that sticks with you for a lot longer than any big robot

@connorhenkin1087 Жыл бұрын

The Endless is genuinely one of my favorite movies of all time. While it's about a cult on the surface, I think it's themes on brotherhood definitely stuck with me most. I highly recommend people watch that move, or Spring by the same directors (Benson and Moorhead)

@connorhenkin1087 Жыл бұрын

Also, just a broad comment on how great the media referenced on this channel is. I played Norco after seeing it here and it's probably the best game I've played in the past year

@aydinmakesthings Жыл бұрын

"The end of the world begins with a whisper" Something about that phrase scares me!

@_.leafsheep._ Жыл бұрын

another Stålenhag episode!! hell yeah!!!

@SlagHeap01 Жыл бұрын

Yeah Hell!!!

@CIS101 8 ай бұрын

I've seen this artist's work before - some of the best SF art I've ever seen.

@glennaclark4310 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for your investigation into The Labyrinth. I appreciate your insight. Great review! Makes me wonder what you would do the the film Undergods!

@SKIRMISHMERC Жыл бұрын

I started listening to this video thinking it was about the David Bowie movie and it took me 5 minutes to realize it wasn't

@liammcconnell9322 Жыл бұрын

the dandelion mural seems rather mournful to me, like those who made it to the bunker knew they were just waiting for their turn to die. they were just the last to be swept away