October 30, 2007
Spooky
Halloween is upon us . . . costumes, candy–gotta *LOVE* the candy–pumpkins, ghosties, ghoulies . . .
. . . and let’s not forget the movies!
I have tried to take in as many movies as possible: The Scream Trilogy, Halloween series, the silly campy scary, the gruesome scary and the mental scary. What is it about a good scare that enamours people so? I mean, aren’t the nasty bloody icky movies usually the top box office earners?
Several of the movies I have watched recently were books first
(actually quite a few, seems like aside from Saw, most of the movies are re-makes from older movies which were originally books). Some of the books are much scarier than the movies. Stephen King is a prime example of that. I have read many a book with every light in the house on (and then left on for a week or so once I have finished) but the movies . . . not so much. Gruesome sure. Makes you jump here and there sure, but leave the lights on a week . . . nope.
I remember when I was a kid (long long ago . . ) I checked out The Legend of Sleepy Hollow from the school library. Now keep in mind, it was probably a pretty watered down version as this was elementary school, but I loved the story so much, I decided to write a sequel. you laugh, I can hear you, I was eight, what did I know? I had my Big Chief tablet (no lie, it is probably up in the attic of my mom’s right now) and a pencil and I penned (or penciled) my rendition of what happened afterwards.
Anyhoo, I digress . . .
I used to love to read scary books. Scare myself so bad in fact, I would make the DH get up to deal w/ the kiddos because I was too freaked out to get outta bed (dork-city, I know). It’s been so long since I have read a truly scary book though, I can’t even recall the last one. But yep, been through many Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I read those as a teen–the RL Stine books were just coming out when I graduated from High School so I missed that one. I was never much into vampires so I didn’t really do the Anne Rice books, maybe I should try a couple . . . And I have read many many others.
What are y’alls favorite scary books? Recent releases, classics, soon-to-be-classics? Any recommendations to me or other scare-yourself-silly-ophiles?
Oh and . . . Happy Halloween . . .
P.S. don’t even get me started about the SIX HOUR Ghost Hunters live show Wednesday . . . if I am a little out of it Thursday, you’ll know why!!!!!!
Raine,
re: Sleepy Hollow
We must be on the same brainwave. I JUST saw that cartoon about two weeks ago. I put it in my Netflix queue. I remembered it from my childhood as well and wanted to see it again. Unfortunately, having viewed it now, I remember enjoying it a lot more back then. This has nothing to do with the fact that I’m an adult now because I love cartoons (Disney especially). It also has nothing to do with the animation or anything like that.
I didn’t enjoy it as much as I did back then because (I must have forgotten this) but it was told in voice-over. IOW, the characters were silent 99% of the time. I think Bing Crosby was the narrator and he talked from beginning to end.
I wanted to hear Ichobod’s voice, and all the other characters. I wanted to see them do dialogue. It somehow kept me at a distance when I watched it this time. I kept hoping Crosby would shut up and let the characters talk, but it never happened.
Tanya
Tanya, just thought I’d let you know—that was Dennie’s post, lol.
Dennie, my favorite scary reads have always been short stories. Dunno why—maybe it’s hard to sustain “fright” over the length of a novel to me…
Try “The Lottery”, by Shirley Jackson (author of “The Haunting of Hill House”, BTW). Poe is fabulous. Try a short story called “The Monkey’s Paw”, by Jacobs. Guy de Maupassant is always good, as is Lovecraft.
A lot of horror novels/movies are just adaptations of some of these short stories.
Plus they’re a quick read just before bedtime.
Muh-ha-ha-haaaaa!!!
Oh, shoot. I can’t believe I did that. Hit me with a stooopid stick.
Sorry Dennie.
LOL–I didn’t even notice . . .
Scary movies? Books?
NOT ME! I hate ‘em all. I am a big chicken! I don’t mind a suspense novel or movie, but a movie (or worse a book that I could stop reading at any time!) just there to scare the bejesus out of me? No thank you. I watched Carrie and then Poltergeist and I was done! (I may have seen the original Friday the 13th, but since I’m not sure… I probably didn’t watch the whole thing.)
(can you tell I’m not a fan?) Happy Halloween…damn.
I’m a big chicken, too, but I like watching silly horror films. They’re really not that scary! Remember SILVER BULLET, the Stephen King werewolf movie with the girl who played Anne of Green Gables? And one of the Cory’s was in it, too. Those two couldn’t be scary if they tried.
I tried to read CHRISTINE in middle school, but couldn’t get past the first scene. Which, BTW, still haunts me on occasion. Thank you, Mr. King.
But actually, one of the scariest books I ever read was the classic DRACULA by Bram Stoker. Oooooohhhh. It gave me chills and made me not want to be alone in the dark. It was awesome!
Tanya - I haven’ seen teh Disney version in years! And I totaly didn’t remember the voice over–hmm, you make a very good point!
Raine - I never thought about the short stories. I have a book of some (I think were my mother’s) I have had it for years and it made it with me on every move since I was 19, I will have to fins it and go through them. GREAT IDEA!
Lynn - you big ole WEINNIE!
(kidding kiddin, you know I loves ya!)
Sela - The book of Silver Bullet was soooooo much better. They left so many details out and the metamorphasis in the book . . . it was so vivid, it makes the movie look like ameture make-up people . . . (But I so *hearted* Corey Haim back them so I didn’t care)