Dark Souls and the Art of the Grotesque

Описание: CW: Body Horror & Lots of Teeth

By showing dignity to monsters, we compose our own.
In this video, I explore the grotesque creature designs of Dark Souls — from the tragic Ceaseless Discharge, to the decaying Undead Dragon, to the horrifying Gaping Dragon.
Rather than only their monstrous forms, I look at the circumstances of their fall from grace — how curse, corruption, and tragedy shape these creatures, and why the real grotesque lies not in their bodies, but in their stories.

Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
03:00 - Grotesque Definition
06:28 - Ceaseless Discharge
09:52 - Undead Dragon
12:38 - Gaping Dragon
17:13 - Conclusion
18:41 - Outro

Links for Bloodborne Creature Videos:
Media Wizard -    • On the Stairs of Flesh: How Bloodborne Tra...  
Nickolai Boulton -    • The Art and Inspirations of Bloodborne  

Visual Media Used: Elden Ring: Nightreign, Dark Souls REMASTERED (& Prologue Cinematic), Grendel - “Stories of Beowulf” (1908) by J. R. Skelton, Movie “Beowulf” (2007), TV Series “Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands” (2016), “Wendigo” by Vlad Ponomarev (2020), Wendigo from Until Dawn (2015), “Medusa” by Jakub Jagoda (2022), “Windigo” (1963) by Norval Morrisseau, “Beowulf Wrestles with Grendel” by Lynd Ward (1933), “Head of Medusa” by Godfried Maes (1680), “Lilith Concept Art” Diablo 4, “Lilith” by Ernst Barlach (1922), “Pleurodeles Waltl / Iberian Ribbed Newt” Photo taken by Peter Halasz, “Pleurodeles waltl / Iberian Ribbed Newt - Spines” Photo taken by Václav Gvoždík, “Lampreys at Aquarium Finisterrae” Photo taken by Fernando Losada Rodriguez

Additional Photos From Pexels.com

Additional Footage From:
SHiNWiN, Bloodborne Ludwig Cinematic -    • Bloodborne - Ludwig the Holy Blade / the A...  
Zullie the Witch, Gaping Dragon Close Up -    • It's horrific, but also kind of tragic  

Music Used (chronologically): Premonition (Dark Souls 3), Nowhere (Dark Souls 2), Remains (Dark Souls 2), Longing (Dark Souls 2), Mytha, the Baleful Queen (Dark Souls 2), Gaping Dragon (Dark Souls 1), Milfanito (Dark Souls 2), Amygdala (Bloodborne), Majula (Dark Souls 2), Inside the Pirate Ship (The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker)

Literature Used:
Merriam-Webster, "Grotesque" Definition
Dark Souls 1, Design Works